I think it's appropriate to start my thoughts on When with a proverb on planting trees: "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now." Not only because When is all about how to choose the best times to do things, but because this half-written article has been sitting around waiting for me to have some extra when in my schedule to finish it. Yes, it would have been better to finish it up when I first read the book. But the second-best time is today. And in When, Dan takes his magnifying lens and explores what we know about how timing affects our success personally and professionally. Big Thought Dan … [Read more...]
Daniel Pink – To Sell is Human
I read To Sell is Human when it first came out, and it was such a fantastic book...that I never had a chance to write down my thoughts. Oops. I recently went through it again, and was struck by how much still resonates. Dan Pink does a great job of unpacking the negative stereotypes that have been built around the idea of "sales", and why they might not be that relevant anymore. At the same time he points out something that I started realizing when I started as a salesperson as a 20-year-old kid: We're all in sales. Not matter what your job title, we are continuously attempting to persuade and influence the people around us. Big … [Read more...]
Free Agent Nation – Daniel Pink
This article was originally published on December 7th, 2008. Time continues to show that Dan was right is pointing out the rise of the small business in our economy. Over the past few months I have been developing the idea of what I call the “new entrepreneur”. This is someone who starts their own business, not because they have the entrepreneurial drive to start businesses, but rather because they provide a service and they prefer to work in an independent capacity. Some of them might not even have a choice, as corporations downsize and contract out much of their work. Upon hearing about my idea, my friend Betsy recommended that I … [Read more...]
Drive – Daniel Pink
Quick note: Daniel wrote a blurb for Networking in the 21st Century, but I wrote this review over 4 years ago, so I'm not biased in it. Big Thought When it comes to motivation, there's a gap between what science knows and what business does. Our current business operating system – which is built around external, carrot-and-stick motivators - doesn't work and often does harm. We need an upgrade, and science shows the way. This new approach has 3 essential elements: 1)Autonomy...2)Mastery...3)Purpose. (right from Dan's recap on page 203 – thanks, Dan!) Ideas, Implications, and Questions I think that Drive has big implications for how … [Read more...]
The Clues Hidden in the Structure of My LinkedIn Network
Updated December 2018 Back in the day, LinkedIn offered a service that let you graphically represent your LinkedIn network. It gave you a way to visualize what how your connections were linked to you and to each other. Unfortunately, it's not possible to use the service anymore. But they contained some great lessons to be pulled from what my LinkedIn network looked like back then. The Power of 2nd Level Connections Here's what mine looked like: Think about what you are seeing here. This is my personal org chart. This visually describes how I'm connected to everyone I know and how they are connected to each other. These … [Read more...]