Water Under the Bridge

This is a great time management tool. Often I get call that looks like it is relevant to my day (so says the caller-id). Turns out that the call for a partnership is a recruiter, or trade show rep, or other such time eater I do not want to talk too. So what to do? Simple there is a high probability you answered the call out of reflex, brain cramp or other such failing of focus and need to extricate yourself from the call as soon as possible. Enter the “Con Call.” When I get on a call that is clearly a black hole for my time I immediately check the time, if I am within 10 minutes of the hour or half hour I cut of the person and say; “Okay, I really want to give this my full attention, I am 10 minutes out on a conference call and am writing up my notes. Drop me an email and I will get back you, guaranteed.” Give email address, hang up, and move on. So if you get the “I’ve got a con call” line, most likely you have missed the mark and need to re-prepare your approach. And yes I do answer ...

This is rich. I was asked to provide a client with a presentation on how to give a presentation to C-Level executives, seriously. Talk about slippery slope. What to say that not only meets the literal structure of a good preso, and what literal structure to follow? The always relevant, who, what, when, where, why and how? The always riveting ACE presentation structure? The marketing framework of; what we are (insert value prop/startling statement here)? Who needs this? Our product does “X” unlike the competition who obviously cannot do “X” as well as us. Which means to you…? Nope, skip them all and go to the source. C-Level people who are pitched more than Larry Ellison’s yacht during a Pisco sour infused, Sydney to Hobart run. That is right I asked the big wigs, the top guns, the man (women) the HMFIC, the buck stops here (it does not by BTW), the subpoenaed, Sarbanes Oxley-ed to death, board managing, decision making, house remodeling, globe-trotting, nothing like you and me crowd....

Well, I have never written anything other than a bubble sort program for a computer that accepted input via a punch card reader. And I thank all of you "coders" for that. I simply do not have to program. All the effort, sweat, late nights, and code crushes, (a wine country reference), billions in advanced education and artistry of the SW development process are appreciated, but most likely lost on me in the big picture. Now what is MSFT like as a person? Microsoft is that guy you see at the latest hip restaurant (Web X.0). He looks tired, is actually 45 to 50 years old and looks older. He is half paying attention to his spouse (Windows Server) and too young kids (SQL and MSN), while mostly wondering when the kitchen remodeling will end if it ever does (Gates leaving). He can no longer conspicuously consume to feed the hole in his soul where his childhood used to be (DOS grab). But he does anyway, and is typically a year or more behind any meaningful social trend (selling ads ...

Back and in the mix again after a week in the beautiful pacific NW including a 4 day stay at the Lake Crescent Lodge. In a wired world I have put off getting any type of mobile email device. I did however get a customer call on Sunday (September 2) and took a conference call lakeside. The quiet was unsettling and I am sure the local wildlife now knows quite a bit about data discovery and recovery. Now, one issue I dealt with last week relates to negotiation. I swear it is the fourth or fifth time I heard a potential customer say, “We need you be here (insert huge discount here)” as we do not have enough money in the budget.” Being the Chief Perspective Officer I was asked to consult on this call (the lakeside call) and found an interesting customer behavior that appeared to be a mystery to many sales people. This customer is well described in the book, “The Wisdom of Wolves: Nature's Way to Organizational Success,” by Twyman Towery who obviously has a name that sounds like he is ...

One of the clients I worked with wanted a refresher course on negotiation. And not the full page ad like you see in the airline magazines next to the ad for; “even cheaper and just as effective” noise cancelling headphones. They specifically asked for a catchy outline that sales people can even remember. So I negotiated a fee and introduced them to the BOP, MOP and STOP method. Now I am not a negotiating expert but have negotiated comprehensive agreements with HP, Boeing, Intel, Fannie Mae, Lockheed Martin, etc. So I get it. Here is the mindset I proffered to be taken into every negotiation; BOP; is defined as the Best Outcome Possible, highest price paid for the product/service one can conceive to be realistic under perfect circumstances. MOP; is the Minimal Outcome Possible or the lowest price you will accept for your product and service in a negotiated agreement. STOP; is any number below MOP that is unacceptable value and you walk away from the negotiation. Now I purposefully omitt...

Okay, I now believe I am onto something. And not like Walker Texas Ranger with the mono-expressive mug and the kick somebody’s ass in the process onto something, oh no, it is more of an “Ah-Ha!” moment like Agent Dave Kujan in the Usual Suspects when he realizes he just was spun a tall tale by Kaiser Soze himself. Decision process has been addressed by many, and almost all more qualified in formal, scientific and practical education then me. So I take the position of being one of the Cult of the Amateur , (great read by the way), monkeys and I proffer; Decisoneering (TM Pending Viral Adoption). Decisioneering is the over-engineering of a simple decision because you can. In fact by using Decisioneering often the event that drove the decision point is over, closed out and has expired by the time the Decisioneered solution has been finalized. It is the equivalent of deciding whether to swat and kill a fly now with whatever is at hand or, via researching, proposing, socializing, re-rese...

It was a dark and stormy night, actually it was clear warm and I was stuck in traffic on the bridge over the Columbia River heading from Portland into Washington. While the HOV lane was available it was moving only slightly faster that the DOA lane of single drivers in their shiny metal boxes. The driver, let’s just call her; Driver 8, asked about my latest foray into working with a company that has arguably world class technology and is stuck the revolving door of needing a step by step plan in order to go to market. Without the plan, there is fear something else may happen. “Well, how are you going to help them?” Driver 8 inquired with all the familiarity of a 15 year partnership (grumble). After several minutes of me making the mistake of thinking out loud and using an impressive string of forward looking phrases, motivational quotes, and promising that my impressive “ism” vocabulary insures this client “field level traction” for sales, Driver 8 turns to me and dead pans; “Ibid.” So...