Monthly Archives: September 2015

September 16, 2015 · 10:08 am

Changing The Weather

There was a piece on CNN’s site last week that dealt with some changes happening at The Weather Channel. I don’t know about you, but that’s one of the channels I find pretty indispensable, even though my cable service provides a 24/7 local traffic and weather channel too. Over the years, I’ve noticed that the folks at Weather have been adding weather-related programming, and it’s frustrating when you turn on the channel to get an update only to see “Fat Guys In The Woods” or some other canned stuff in lieu of live weather. Apparently, other have noticed as well and Weather is reacting. What they had to say is instructive for all of us, no matter what our business.

Winter of 1946–1947 in the United Kingdom

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

According to the article, they just announced layoffs:

About 50 of the channel’s 1,400 employees will be leaving. The plan calls for a singular focus “on our unique strength — and that is the weather.” With the cable channel bundle coming under increasing pressure, and “skinny bundles” becoming more common, “it’s inevitable that channels will be cut,” Weather Company CEO David Kenny said in an interview. With this in mind, “we need to be really clear who we are,” Kenny said.

That’s the business point.  There is always the temptation to expand the meaning of our brands.  As we’ve discussed before, we’re not really in control of that meaning anymore: the consumer is.  What The Weather Channel did was to dilute the meaning of the brand, which in this consumer’s mind was live weather and analysis.  I realize that when it’s a sunny day everywhere there isn’t a lot to say, but it’s possible to bring in non-live segments (not programs) while preserving the core identity.  When the channel was taken off DirecTv for a few months, suddenly someone realized that they were no longer indispensable and the basic business model of subscriber fees was put in jeopardy.  Not good.

Ask yourself what is working for your brand.  What does it mean in consumers‘ minds?  You can’t alienate or confuse them while you try to grow the brand’s meaning.  As the man said, be really clear about who you are.  Make sense?

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September 15, 2015 · 12:15 pm

Undefeated But Beaten

Over the weekend, Floyd Mayweather fought what he claimed would be his last fight. Whether or not you know boxing, there is something instructive in what Mayweather has done. Unfortunately, it’s not about being great. Mayweather is retiring with an unblemished record in the ring: 49-0. This ties Rocky Marciano‘s unbeaten record, but there is a huge difference between the two. That difference makes a great business point as well.

English: Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Juan Manuel...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For the last few years, Mayweather was fighting what are called in boxing “tomato cans.”  Boxers either of far lesser skill or once great boxers past their prime.  He has done so with one notion in mind: not to lose and keep his record clean.  In so doing he can do something greats such as Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard couldn’t: retire unbeaten.  That record, though, is criticized for how he hand-picked his opponents rather than fighting the best opponents available, something other great fighters rarely did.  He was more focused on not losing than on beating the best. It’s a shame, and that’s the business point.

No one likes to lose.  That said, what kind of victory is it when we know we’re not being pushed to be our best?  In my mind, the lessons one learns from a tough loss are more important than those learned from an easy victory, mostly because in the unsatisfying walkover there really aren’t any lessons to be learned.  That’s not to say we need to accept losing, but it does mean that we can’t compromise our greatness to avoid the possibility.  The best business lessons often come when we’re on the short end of a decision, and we need to embrace the value of those losses even as we hate losing itself.

I suspect that Mayweather will fight again.  His main focus has always been on making more money in the ring than any fighter in history (something he’s already accomplished) and he’ll win the fight easily because his opponent will be a joke (this last one lost his last three fights previous to fighting Mayweather).  His bank account will shine; his reputation will be further tarnished.  Unlike Marciano who fought everyone both good and bad in his weight class, Mayweather may be undefeated but he’s been beaten, in my book.  Yours?

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September 14, 2015 · 10:11 am

The New Year And Business Again!

A shofar made from a ram's horn is traditional...

A shofar made from a ram’s horn is traditionally blown in observance of Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish civic year. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Happy New Year!  This is the third time I’m posting this piece since, as I announced last year, it’s now an annual thing, albeit not exactly Clement Clarke Moore’s “The Night Before Christmas.”  As Jews around the world celebrate Rosh Hashanah, I thought I’d try to put what the holiday means into a business context.  Enjoy!

Last night marked the start of the Jewish New Year.  I didn’t go down to Times Square to see if they were dropping a giant knish at the stroke of sundown – probably not.  L’Shana Tova – a happy and healthy New Year to all of you.

One of the things Jews do over the next 10 days (or at least are supposed to do) is to reflect on the year gone by and think about where it took you on life’s journey.  It’s not really as much about looking back in my mind as it is about looking forward.  Oh sure, one is supposed to think about where one strayed from life’s path in terms of dealing with other humans and human codes of conduct.  We get a day of fasting next week to get that sorted out.  But it’s also a time to think about a fresh start.  Which, of course, promoted a business thought.

When do businesses stop and enter a period of reflection?  It’s obvious when they’re changing – witness Facebook last week – but I, for one, certainly wonder sometimes if those changes happen due to the momentum of previous (maybe not so good) decisions or if they’re the result of a pause, some reflection, and a willful thought by the entire organization as to the direction.  Often, I fear, it’s the former.

Jews are to use the next ten days for reflection and repentance.  I like to think of them as ten days of self-improvement.  I’d also suggest that it would do many businesses a lot of good to build the same sort of period into their corporate calendars.  Some do – they call it the budget process – but I think that’s too selective in terms of participants and goals to do much good.  Some smart CEO needs to declare it New Year’s Day for the company once a year and get everyone to do the same sort of professional reflection that many of us do on the personal side.  Identify your sins (figuratively speaking) and atone.  Faulty customer service, weak brand identity, bad employee relations, products that aren’t optimal, fostering an atmosphere of fear – these are all good places to start.

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