Posts Tagged ‘leadership’

Last month, I had the pleasure of attending and speaking at the Women Grow Business Boot Camp in Washington, DC.  Organized by the Women Grow Business Community blog (sponsored by Network Solutions), the event brought together women business owners and entrepreneurs from around the region to learn about starting and growing a business.

It was during this conference that I heard Kathy Korman Frey,  Chief Hot Mamma of the Hot Mammas Project, talk about the Sisterhood of Success and how every successful business person needs a Party of five that she can turn to for advice and support.

The Hot Mammas Project is creating a giant library of case studies and role models for girls and women.  When not running the Hot Mammas Project, Kathy is also a professor at the George Washington University School of Business.  Here’s what she had to say about the Sisterhood of Success:

• There are two things that most affect a woman’s success in business:  family life and access to mentors.
• In business and as a formula for success, everyone needs 5 people they can turn to for advice, support, problem-solving, coaching, and networking.
• If you have your Party of 5, you are more likely to be paid more, have higher status at your company and in life, and have higher levels of self-confidence.
• You will not be as successful unless you have your Party of 5.  Period. End of story.

While Kathy directed her message to the woman solo-preneurs and business owners in attendance at the conference, her advice applies to anyone who wants to be successful, get ahead, do great things.  Kathy’s Party of 5 message makes a lot of sense and rings true even in our personal lives.  Her research shows that people who have 5 or more friends are happier and have higher feelings of success.
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• Tags: leadership

I got an iPad last week and I’m already in love with it. Yes, I already have an iPod Touch and I’m running a lot of the same apps on both devices, but somehow, the iPad experience is new and different.  Is it a tablet PC?  Not quite.  Is it a Netbook?  Definitely not.  So what is it and why do we need one?  More importantly, why do we want one?

I find it fascinating that Apple has managed to capture the zeitgeist of our age and intuit our desires for computers and devices.  And yet, in a review of the iPad, Time Magazine reveals that, “(o)ne of the things that makes Apple unique is that it never holds focus groups. It doesn’t ask people what they want; it tells them what they’re going to want next.” 

So how does Apple know what customers will want?  And what lessons can mere mortal companies learn from Apple’s product development process?

A few years ago, the MatrixMaxx team at Matrix Group was developing the product road map for the coming year.  A couple of us were arguing for a total redo of the system’s user interface.  We also advocated a lot of new reports that basically repackaged data already available through exports.  The rest of the team argued that clients weren’t asking for these enhancements and it would be risky and a lot of time for little benefit to move forward with such a radical overhaul of our association management software.

After a lot of bargaining re: scope and timeline, the entire MatrixMaxx team agreed to a redesign of the system’s user interface and a new export/report framework.  The effort ended up  behind schedule and it introduced a lot of bugs into the system.  And yet, when the dust finally settled and we got the bugs under control, the end result was fabulous and clients loved it.  The new interface makes it much easier to find information and gave the product a new vibrancy.  The export framework has been universally applauded by clients.
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• Tags: leadership, strategy

Whenever Matrix Group flies Creative Director Alex Pineda to the DC area (from San Francisco, where he is based), he asks to fly Virgin America.  Alex says the Virgin flying experience is “superior to other airlines.” Last week, I got to experience why Alex likes Virgin so much.

For my son’s Spring Break, my family spent a week in San Francisco and we flew round trip on Virgin America.  After two flights, I am a total fan, so much so that I told my husband that from now on, whenever possible, we will fly Virgin.

Just what makes the Virgin America user experience so different?

Virgin America doesn’t use different or larger planes.  The airfare was comparable to other airlines when I was booking on Orbitz.  We had to pay $20 to check our bags.  The legroom on the plane wasn’t more than on other planes I’ve flown recently.  The food and alcohol weren’t free.  And I didn’t get a blanket or pillow.

What made Virgin America different was the entertainment and how food and beverage were dispensed.

• The beverage carts only  made one pass through the plane.  But for the rest of the 5+ hour flight, if we wanted food or drink, we used our touch screens to place an order.  If I wanted water, I touched water and a flight attendant came by within minutes with a bottle of water – for free.  When my son wanted cookies, chocolate or a sandwich, I swiped my credit card, and the flight attendant came by with his order.  So for the entire flight, instead of just the couple of times the carts come around, we had access to food and beverages.
• There was Wi-Fi on the plan! For about $8, I could get wi-fi and check e-mail and surf the Web!  Unbelievable!  And each seat had regular AC power so I could keep my laptop plugged in during the whole flight!
• I loved the free Dish Network. No kidding, I caught an NCIS marathon the way to SF and a House marathon on the way back.  Truly decadent!

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• Tags: corporate culture, customer service, leadership

I have a rule when it comes to food: you have to try it before you render judgment. This is a rule that my husband and I have impressed on our son from the time he was little.  My mantra: Don’t tell me you don’t like it; you have to try it first.  In fact, I say this a lot when it comes to just about everything: food, places, experiences.  So imagine my surprise when CJ turned the tables on me and started saying, “Just try it, mama!”

I had purchased Rock Band for the PS3 a few months ago after borrowing the game from a friend and falling in love with it.  Even though I know I’m not good at it, I love to sing, so my natural inclination was to sing.  For weeks, I would practice singing and even taught CJ to sing a couple of songs (Eye of the Tiger and Tempted).  One day, CJ said, “Mama, you should try drums.”  My immediate reaction was, “No, thanks, I like to sing.” Then CJ said, “Mama, just try it!” Read the rest of this entry

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• Tags: leadership

I was on LinkedIn yesterday and the LinkedIn search engine helpfully recommended a couple of people for me to add to my network.  The list included a couple of people who currently work at Matrix Group.  While it’s every CEO’s dream to have a large network, I did not invite the staff to get linked up.  Why?  Because I think that for bosses, managers,and CEOs, there are unwritten rules of netiquette. Here are some of the rules I abide by when using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networks.

• Except for a few direct reports, I don’t invite staff to be my friend or get linked up. I imagine that some staff would view an invitation from me as wanting to know too much about them; at the very least, it could be awkward if they don’t want to get linked up and they have to turn down a request from their boss.
• I do accept invitations from staff to be my friend or get linked up. If they’re staff, they’re part of my extended family.
• I don’t accept an invitation to get connected unless I actually know the person. Even on LinkedIn.  Random strangers are NOT going to get access to my network just because they want to link to me.
• I do ask staff to follow this blog because I’m communicating with their clients through the blog and it’s always good for staff to know what the boss is broadcasting. :-)
• I do ask staff to follow or fan the company’s pages on the social networking platforms.  I’m not asking for them to friend me, but I am asking them to support our social networking efforts. Read the rest of this entry

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• Tags: Facebook, leadership, LinkedIn, social networking, Twitter

I was working with a prospect recently and lamenting to my team that the organization felt like a bunch of stovepipes, with the VPs competing for resources and influence.  I said something along the lines of “Arrgh, this organization is too small to be so silo’d!”

Then it hit me: the company had gone through a fairly large downsizing recently.  The corporate culture was one I was more likely to find in a much larger organization because the culture had not adjusted to the new realities of the smaller organization!  Ick. Read the rest of this entry

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• Tags: corporate culture, leadership, Matrix Group

I hear it all the time from clients and prospects.  “My boss isn’t ready to make a decision and I don’t know why.”  “We are delaying our decision-making.”  “We are not ready to move forward and don’t have a timeframe.”  “We’re just gathering information, we don’t have a timetable.”

At first blush, it just doesn’t make any sense:  organizations expend time and effort needed to put out an RFP (request for proposal), participate in meetings and demos, review proposals, check references, yada, yada — and then sit and don’t make a decision. 

So why doesn’t the CEO just make the decision? After many years of selling to organizations of all sizes, in all industries, here’s why I think  CEOs don’t/won’t make a decision their staff is dying for them to make.

The initiative doesn’t have support from the top. Sometimes, the initiative to redesign a Web site or put in a new back office has a lot of middle management support, but not top support.  Middle management has the okay to research and evaluate but no commitment from the top that resources will ultimately be made available.  So if you’re asking your boss if it’s okay to research new phone systems, you need to know that your boss believes a new phone system is needed, has money in the budget and will make a decision.  Otherwise, he’s just humoring you when he blesses the research effort.

The CEO doesn’t think he needs to make the decision right now. This is a tricky one.  Your CEO might believe with all her heart that you need a new membership database, but she isn’t convinced that the issue is urgent, which means she can delay a decision.  You need to make the case that a decision is urgent and necessary.  Prepare a cost-benefit analysis, point to pain points, and illuminate the work arounds you’re living with.
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• Tags: association management, leadership

I’ve been thinking about the terminology that we use to describe our relationships on various social networks.  I “follow” people on Twitter and people “follow” me back.  I have “friends” on Facebook.  I am “linked” to people on LinkedIn.  The “follow” relationship is the one I find most fascinating.

When you “follow” someone, you:

• Accept them as a guide or leader
• Imitate or follow their example
• Watch their movement or progress

While I understand that my “followers” on Twitter probably don’t see me as a leader, there are certainly people on Twitter who I “follow” because I consider them thought leaders and I want to know what they’re reading and thinking. Think about it.  We never say that we “follow” a Web site, company or newsletter, but we do say that we “follow” someone’s blog.  I know I consider it a high compliment when someone tells me that they “follow” my blog.

In the book Tribes, marketing guru Seth Godin tells us it’s human nature to want to be part of a group that shares a common passion and recognizes the same leader; in other words, most of us want to be part of a tribe.  Further, Seth believes that using the Web and social networking tools, everyone can now find or assemble a tribe and lead it.

So I say to each of you and your organizations:  People want to follow, are you ready to lead?

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• Tags: leadership, social networking

I had the pleasure of speaking at the ASAE Technology Conference, taking place until tomorrow at the DC Convention Center.  My topic? Dealing With Big Trends in a Small Staff Organization. Here are the 5 big trends I discussed:

1. Your Browser as the New Operating System. The Web browser is increasingly the platform for mission critical applications, like association management systems, intranets, document management systems and e-mail.
2. Conversation is King. We used to talk about creating a communications strategy.  Today, we need to create a conversation strategy because customers are interested in engagement, in two-way conversations.
3. Unified, Integrated Data. I call this the Amazon Effect.  Our customers expect us to know who they are, communicate with them in a personalized way, and give them personalized offerings.  We can’t do this unless we have a unified view of their activities and interactions.
4. Zen Tech Warrior. These warriors want information on specific topics, when they want it, on the device(s) of their choice.  Take me, for example.  I might want my magazine in print, news via e-mail, and alerts via text.  Can your database handle these preferences and can you execute on this information?
5. Green Computing. We all know that we need to do our part to reduce energy consumption and save the planet.  Data centers represent 1.5% of the electricity demand in the US.  Think green when you buy computers and peripherals.

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• Tags: association management, Blog, Browsers, Google, leadership, social networking, Twitter

At a meeting of my Vistage CEO group, I sat through a captivating presentation by Max Carey, CEO of CRD, a marketing and sales consulting firm. He asked each of us to describe what our companies do, which we did. Then he asked us a question that shook me: What business do your clients and prospects think you are in?

Max days that it doesn’t matter what business you think you’re in, what matters is what business your prospects and clients think you’re in.  So I got to thinking.  I say that the Matrix Group’s mission is to use the latest Web technologies to help our clients “be better.” When I pitch clients and prospects, I sell them a solution and an outcome.  I want clients to tell us their goals and then we’ll work collaboratively with them to figure out what mix of products and services will let them achieve those goals in the fastest and least expensive way.

But what would my top 10 clients say if I asked them what Matrix Group does? I hope that on a good day, my best clients would say that we helped them:  reach more members, sell more products, run a better organization, educate more people about their issues, save time, save money, yada, yada.  But I bet a bunch would say that we are a Web design shop, some would say we’re a Web development firm, and still others probably see us a membership database company.  Is this is the brand identity that I want?  No, so what can I do about it? Read the rest of this entry

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• Tags: leadership, marketing