Читать книгу Your Next Big Thing - Matthew Mockridge - Страница 22
ОглавлениеHere’s a mental equivalent of the bench press: try to write down three to ten ideas. The first few come easily, of course, but just like in training, the growth, the stimulus, the muscle building comes later, in the last repetitions. So, go where it hurts, where you think you can’t push on, to the place where there seem to be no more ideas, no strength. Go beyond your boundaries, and you will grow!
By the way, all the other concepts from the gym can also be transferred to training the creative brain. Find a training partner who believes in you and can motivate you! Sports also teach you how to lose, emphasizing that a loss is simply feedback—it is not the end. The pain passes, the muscle heals—in the biceps, sure, but also in business and in life. Train regularly, note your progress, make a plan, eat well, don’t skip training, educate yourself, read literature, and take breaks to recuperate. Never stop, be patient! Results don’t happen overnight. When you try to integrate a whole new dimension into your life, you will only see the results in years, not days. Enjoy the journey, and don’t fixate on your eventual arrival! Expose yourself to ideas, generate new ideas, and talk about ideas. Read, write, listen, and look. Keep going until it hurts and you’ll eventually become really fit. No pain, no gain!
In the best teams, the members can get really loud with each other, not out of disrespect, but because each member is really prepared to defend their own opinions. “Yes-men” and pleasers can be quiet and uncomplicated, but they don’t bring added value to the journey on the way to the best possible result. Our team gets rowdy again and again. Differences of opinion are quite normal, and every idea is immediately thought about, attacked, turned inside out, tested, and provocatively countered. Truly good ideas arise when the current status is challenged, when someone wants more, everyone critically questions your thoughts, and not everyone is satisfied with seemingly acceptable compromises. Always surround yourself with strong personalities and construct a team with a variety of skills and outlooks!
The Typical Candidates for All-Star Teams
The Trend Scout
They travel a lot, browse, read everything they can get their hands on, talk to everyone, know everyone, have a good eye for things that work or they sense could soon work. An analytical hipster, a lateral thinker, not conventional but emotionally intelligent. A people connector with a black belt in small talk kung fu. They have lived abroad and sense the flow of trends. They’re the first to spot the “next big thing,” and they need a team to bring this observation to life. They say things like, “Infinitely scalable!”
The Creative
Horn-rimmed glasses, ultra-intelligent, draw freehand photo-realistic portraits, and understand art better than anyone else. Eloquent, a rhetorical sniper with an impressive specialist vocabulary from all sectors. They use artistic impressions from all over the world—which they’ve absorbed from museums, books, blogs, and studios—and mobilize them with perfection to create the face of a new idea. It’s never only about what this face should look like, but—above all—it’s about the “Why?” They do sharp-edged positioning and add almost imperceptible nuances which clearly set the product apart from anything familiar. They’re freethinking artwork ninjas and can create gripping portraits from what previously were only ideas. They say things like, “Nice font!”
The General
Brief, choppy sentences in both speaking and handwriting. Crystal clear announcements, brutal honesty. Primarily entrusted with the company’s finances. They speak fluently about tax models, correct invoicing, and general accounting issues. The “Bad Cop” in every negotiation! They request missing bank statements and receipts and threaten consequences. They scrutinize each new idea through the lens of the finance department: What will it cost? Is it affordable? Realists, they use facts to bring every initial bout of euphoria—no matter how great—back down to the ground. Typically Excel professionals with an ultra-tidy desk and a color-coded, perfectly sorted document filing system. They say things like, “Yes, we’re still in time for the 2% cash discount!”
The Work Horse
The idea is on board—it already has a face and is financed, now such people arrive! Fit, strong, a leader and a go-getter. Fast, unerring, a game-maker and motivator. Organized and sympathetic, they represent the front line. They’ve got entire teams under them and bring the idea out onto the streets. Their plate is always too full because they’re bombarded by everyone else, meaning they must control the flood of requests in order to be able to implement them. Like master bricklayers on the construction site, they erect one load-bearing wall after another. They dirty their hands, and move around. They’re always there; everyone knows them and like them. They say things like, “Wow, I’m completely worn out!”
Marketing Maverick
They have the “Four Ps” tattooed on their forearm (product, price, place, promotion). A cool nerd with a smart dressing style. They understand behavior patterns, anticipate the customer’s perspective, juggle target group jargon with accuracy, and live on social media—both the backend and frontend. They attend seminars and understand the importance of A/B tests, research, and reach. They are not interested in sales, but in conversions and CPOs (Cost per Order). They don’t argue with emotions, but with CTRs (Click-Through Rates), and drum together a following of loyal fans both online and offline who can really get the ball rolling. They say things like, “Call to action!”
You Should Remain Keenly
Aware of the Following Types
The Shark
Tall, mostly good-looking, eloquent, opinionated. Be careful! They are always looking out for themselves—loners who are not afraid to take advantage of the group. The Shark is selfish, narcissistic, often treacherous, and stingy. Possible ways to cooperate: clear contracts, open discussions, clear communication, but in no case shareholding. It’s like in scuba diving: Keep an eye on the Shark, don’t panic, and show no fear. Keep this animal well fed, and the Shark is wonderful to look at, being capable of incredible performance. They often say things like, “I see it differently!”
Everybody’s Darling
A very nice person, but unfortunately a bit colorless. Always busy trying to please everyone, but unfortunately never able to follow through on anything. The following quote from Confucius perfectly describes the dilemma of Everybody’s Darling: “If you hunt two rabbits, you won’t catch one!” Their true nature usually only manifests after a long collaboration because in the beginning their weakness—disguised as niceness—remains under the radar. Since Everybody’s Darling means well, it’s only fair to help them by making it clear that their actual opinion is needed, even if it hurts them to share it. They often say things like, “Hmm, both are correct.”
The Pessimist
“Everything is difficult”—that’s their motto. When things get really hard, their negativity can discourage teams from continuing or even getting started. There is always a fine line between true pragmatism and negative chatter. It’s very important to spot their negative tendency as quickly as possible and either win over the Pessimist (which would also be a good exercise for sharpening your own arguments) or completely avoid working with them. They often say things like, “No, never!”
Chris Normal
The Problem: there are lots like them, and they don’t mean any harm. But Chris Normal is so normal that all the key things you’re into—your visions, your dreams, your plans—are just one size too large for them. They have never gotten out of their hometown, have never thought about seven-digit amounts of money, and prefer to be occupied and bound by instructions rather than by being free-spirited and visionary. It’s an inspiring challenge for the leader to try to provide them with motivating visions that can help them grow beyond themselves. But often their attitude can’t be helped—they’re just “normal.” Not necessarily a problem for them, but they are not valuable to your team! If you can’t dream, you can’t bring a dream into realization. They often say things like, “Really? That actually exists?”
Every Team Has a Coach
—Find a Mentor!
Before we get into the individual mentor types, here’s a quick tip for finding them: add value to your pitch. An email like the following never works, “Hey, I think you’re great! It would be awesome if we could go out for something to eat, and I could ask you some questions!” The key is adding relevant info. Find a person who knows everything you need to learn to get to where you want to go—for example, to where your potential mentor is right now. This is where diligence is required—it’s a good investment: Read everything there is to read about this person, study their appearance (online/offline), watch videos, understand their strategies, approaches, goals, and positioning. Identify a part of his/her operation that can be optimized, and one that you can help optimize, thus saving your desired mentor time and energy.
Then Write An Email Like the Following:
This kind of email is extremely effective, and it’s difficult to refuse because the offered value is so strong. Do your homework and offer real value. What kind of email would you like to receive? Think in reverse!
The Following Types of Mentors
Typically Like to Be in on Things At the Start
The Veteran
They’ve had enough. The Veteran has sold three companies, is a consultant for three more, is on the board of the Chamber of Commerce, is politically active, a great parent, is on the golf course every week, and is a real business veteran. Find this person and imitate them because they can really help you get ahead! Pay attention to their language and vocabulary, behavior, connections, experiences, mindset, values, and viewpoints. They have made countless mistakes from which you can learn, and that you can avoid making yourself. Because they started out like you, they’re happy to share their knowledge. Emotions have become more important than money to the Veteran, and so sharing their knowledge and helping others triggers some of the best emotions they can get. Find them at receptions or at meet-ups (look for the person who knows everyone and who everyone knows), seminars (including the speakers or VIP guests), the golf course (or at tennis), in St. Moritz, in the south of France, at Burning Man, or in Palm Beach, Florida. The Veteran often says things like, “Splendid!”
The Young Elder
The Young Elder is past his/her peak and essentially finished, but they still want to have another go at it! With a casual leather jacket and sneakers, they don’t quite speak the language of the young entrepreneur kids, but definitely want to fit in. The power of these startup kids is contagious, and should help the Young Elder into their second (business) spring. Very cool because everyone is all fired up! Monthly advisor meetings, unlimited consulting calls, pitch trainings, and contacts are exchanged in return for the mentor feeling needed and able to help and give back. It’s a win-win situation. Enjoy! They often say things like, “Good stuff! And now we’re going out for a drink, aren’t we guys?”
Quick Tips for Recruiting Your Team
In addition to the team member types described in detail above, the best teams tend to consist of two types of employees: leaders and managers. (More on that later.) You must have both in your team. The value systems and approaches of these two types are completely different; therefore, they must be recruited in different ways. You find these people in different places, they have different tastes and expectations, and your game plans with them are 100 percent different.
How to Recruit Managers
•Job postings in the usual forums and magazines. Managers read about other managers.
•Clear task descriptions
•Good salary
•Clear structure and communication channels
The job ad describes what the person will do for the company.
How to Recruit Leaders
•Put job postings in unusual places and keep an eye out for recommendations that consider unusual angles. Leaders read about yachts or kitesurfing, and hang out in ski huts, at startup conventions, or at custom designed festivals in lesser-known places like Tulum, Bali, or the Australian hinterland. A good place to find leaders? In the gym or at yoga class in the mornings during the week. This means they have no conventional job to report to. In other words, they lead their own life. Connect the dots!
•Shares are always more important than salary.
•Keep the task description open, such as “Do whatever you think is necessary, as long as we reach our goals!”
The job ad describes what the company will do for the person.
These differences no longer apply when it comes to motivation. Once the positions have been filled with the right candidates, one all-encompassing motivational philosophy works, as long as the team spirit and corporate culture are strong (more on that later).
Five Unexpected Truths about Motivation
Money Doesn’t Motivate!
The greatest motivator is the promise of what you can become if you work hard enough, closely followed by being truly appreciated. The potential for people and companies to improve their view of themselves—along with serious praise—are the heavyweights of true intrinsic motivation.
People Want Hierarchies!
The common assumption that flat organizations motivate people is questionable. Hierarchical organization ensures clear communication channels. As long as employees are anchored in a functioning structure, they remain motivated. Confusion and uncertainty inhibit motivation, but hierarchies are supportive.
Motivation Through Fun
Is Only Half Right!
Yes, people want to have fun, and fun encourages motivation. This doesn’t mean that the workplace should be a playground. Instead, people should derive enjoyment from doing good work.
The Nice Boss Doesn’t Motivate!
The moment the boss places the interests of employees above the interests of the company, he or she also puts them above the interests of the customers and, thus, violates the basis and raison d’être of the company.
Shares in the Company Are Not Motivation!
I once thought that equity in my companies would motivate my employees, but the opposite is the case. Most people don’t want to be entrepreneurs. Managers want to manage, without risk. So let them do that, and motivate them instead with big visions and real praise (see above). Shares simply do not motivate them. Besides, underperforming employees would never be satisfied with the offered shares. If too many shares are distributed in the minor leagues, and only among the midfielders, the only real result is a group of top-talent players that are not motivated. Game over.
In his classic book, the business bible Good to Great (a must-read!), Jim Collins talks about the “bus” as an important image for visualizing a good team. Put the right people on the bus and keep the wrong people off! Then, put the right people in the right seats! This precaution ensures that the bus arrives, even if no one knows where it’s going. I would go even further, and point out how important it is for the bus to take the right route to pick up new people (see recruitment), and that the bus’ climate, legroom and general comfort are optimal (keyword: motivation).
Start your bus on its journey and go pick up your team—your personal A-Team!
“Necessity is the mother of invention.” An old saying, but absolutely right! When your back is to the wall, you will find a way to get results. Inertia is always a danger to success, especially financial success. Don’t get stuck questioning things when the result doesn’t have to be perfect and there’s nothing at stake.
With my team, the most influential, instructive, intensive, and above all, the fastest period of growth was when we were just starting out and had very few resources. Our original office was a Starbucks café (because of the free Internet). For nights on end, we filled and labeled the first NEONSPLASH–Paint-Party® bottles in my cellar.
We drove hundreds of thousands of kilometers, from party to party. We slept in our cars and lived in the office. We set up, ran, and dismantled the shows, taught ourselves everything, and reinvested every dollar in the company. Our fire was ablaze, not just because we were motivated, but also because there was no other way.
