May 6, 2014 · 10:13 am

Turn The Page

English: Picture of Bob Seger. Cropped version...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Happy Birthday Bob Seger!

One of Michigan’s favorite sons turns 69 today and I thought we’d get a quick business lesson from his 1973 song “Turn The Page“  for our subject this TunesDay.  It may be one of the best “road” songs ever written.  As is our custom, a quick listen and then a business point:

You might be familiar with Metallica’s version in which the road-weary musician is transformed into a stripper/prostitute.  The song’s been covered by many other musicians as well, probably because its message of the hours of boredom, bone-crushing travel in between performances resonates with anyone who’s ever lived that life.  Then again, you don’t have to be a musician – the 100,000 miles I used to travel a year (fortunately when air travel was much less painful) had me singing this song to myself more than once.

You hear the weariness in the sax line – it sounds like a late night after a long day.  You also hear the challenges of dealing with people who judge you for how you look and not who you are.  It’s a song about putting up with “all the other stuff” for this:

Out there in the spotlight you’re a million miles away
Every ounce of energy, you try to give away
As the sweat pours out your body like the music that you play

The moment when you can do what you love and bring joy to everyone involved.  Isn’t that a little of what we all live with each day?  It may be the slog through traffic or a stuck train.  It might be working on a the parts of a project – footnotes, cleaning up a presentation – that are really drudgery.  It’s knowing that even though it’s raining at the moment, there will be a glorious day of sunshine.

Happy Birthday, Bob.  Thanks for reminding us that we need to keep turning the page and looking ahead to the good stuff.

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May 5, 2014 · 9:54 am

The Problem With Business Voyeurism

There is a lot of talk about spying these days which to me is a form of voyeurism.

Tech Espionage

(Photo credit: mirkuz)

Of course it has nothing to do with sex (well, who knows what the NSA is watching…) and a lot to do with privacy and engagement. Whether you take it in either the “spying” or “voyeurism” context, it’s basically watching something from the outside while the person or persons being watched have no clue.

You can argue that reality shows are a form of voyeurism.  After all, the shows are meant to be a window into the private lives of interesting people.  They’ve evolved from games like “Survivor” into documentaries or video diaries into staged shows that aren’t much different from scripted series.  At least with scripted shows they don’t pretend to be “real.”

What does this have to do with business?  A lot.  I think many people treat their businesses much as voyeurs treat their subjects.  They’re watching but they’re not involved.  Everyone observes, of course.  If you’re managing people, watching is a lot of what you need to be doing.  The difference is how you engage in that activity.  Never engaging with your team turns that observation into nothing more than spying.  Let’s call it “business voyeurism.” You’re there but you’re not.

You can’t be a “peeping Tom” about business.  Sneaking little looks into business activities while feigning indifference is silly.  Your team or your boss will pick up that you’re emotionally removed and if you’re not engaged how can you hope to motivate others?  Working relationships are partnerships.  Voyeurism is anything but that.

Stop peeping.  Get engaged.  You’ll be better and so will your team.  Voyeurism is a crime.  It’s a crime of a different sort when applied to business.  You agree?

 

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May 2, 2014 · 8:47 am

Confiting Your Business

Foodie Friday and I have duck confit on the brain.

Duck confit with salad

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s one of my favorite foods and as I’m writing this I’m in the process of making a batch after one of my friends gave me a tub of duck fat. Stop making freaked out noises. You’ve probably had lots of stuff fried in duck fat without knowing it. It’s one of the professional kitchen’s secret weapons.

Duck confit is duck legs that are cured, usually in salt and spices, for a day and then the cure is removed and the legs are roasted at a low temperature covered in their own fat.  The resulting product can be kept for months.  You can confit anything but to me duck legs are the absolute pinnacle of the technique.  After all, fat is flavor and what could be more flavorful than food cooked in fat!

I think there is a lot to learn about business from confit.  After all, what is fat but stored energy?  They are also essential in preventing disease.  So much for all you sickly, skinny folks!  Every business person can benefit from the confit treatment when it comes to their business.

Think about it.  Immersing one’s self in the stored energy of the work. Recognizing that this immersion will focus you, letting you pay attention to the important stuff and  that the needs and priorities will change day by day.  Too many of us try to stay aloof in order to see the big picture.  Not a bad idea but getting immersed – letting the stored energy of the business cover you – can be a perspective change too, one that can prove beneficial.  As mentioned above, fat is flavor, and that immersion in the essence of the business can’t help but add to your understanding.

The magic of confit is that is intensifies the flavors, brings out the essences,  and holds them for a long time.  Doesn’t that sound like something from which a business can benefit too?

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