I often visit Tom Peters blog and I really liked his lessons learned while baking cookies, that he first wrote back in 1998, and referenced again today. This is one of those times when I shamelessly provide someone else’s content … but give full credit to one of the business gurus I most admire … Tom Peters. It is interesting how these lessons stand the test of time.

Lessons About Life, Enterprise, from Baking Christmas Cookies

Peters on Excellence

A couple of hours in a hot kitchen can teach you as much about business and management as the latest books on re-engineering or total quality management. That’s my take, anyway, after a bout of Christmas-cookie baking. Here are 11 lessons for life (and enterprise), fresh from the oven:

1. Engagement. Watching others helps, but you’ve gotta get your hands dirty. I hadn’t made cookies for years, so I observed a friend do a few batches. I thought I was learning something, and I suppose I was—but nothing really clicked until my hands were covered with flour.

Lesson (for trainers especially): Cut the lectures. Get folks involved in “real stuff” very quickly!

2. A plan. I’m not keen on planning in general, but a time-tested recipe is a godsend. First, it’s roughly “right.” More important, it gives you the confidence to get started.

Lesson: Any plan is a help; it gives folks the sense they aren’t aimlessly flailing.

3. Art. The plan is an outline—not Holy Writ. Plans, including recipes, are made to be tinkered with—and eventually torn up. Cookie making, software design, and real-estate lending are art. And it’s the artists, not the slavish followers of others’ recipes, who land in the world’s halls of fame.

Lesson: Blind devotion to any plan is downright dumb!

4. Trial and errors. Yes, I’d watched a master at work (or at least a pretty good cook), but in my first hour of hands-on work, with instructions close at hand, I made dozens of mistakes, large and small. And in business life, real life, and cookie-making life, error is the fuel that drives you.

Lesson: Don’t “tolerate” mistakes. Embrace them!

5. The same mistakes. “Mistakes are OK,” some concede, “but don’t make the same mistake twice.”

Rubbish! I made virtually the same errors, in something as relatively simple as cookie making, over and over … and over.

Lesson: Nobody ever did anything (interesting) right the first, or 51st, time.

6. A sense of humor. I was awkward at the start. (And at the finish.) I turned the kitchen into a disaster area. Kids and adults made their day laughing at me (or so it seemed). Experimentation—the nub of life and business—depends on learning to laugh at yourself.

Lesson: Learning is precisely about making a fool of yourself—often in public.

7. Perseverance. An ability to laugh at yourself and suppress your ego is key—but so is steely-eyed determination. Sure it was “just” cookie making. But I did want to do it right.

Lesson: Winners want to do everything well, no matter how trivial; and that takes focus and unrelenting drive.

8. Perfectionism. Certainly, the kitchen was a mess. Yes, I was the object of ridicule. But to master one’s craft requires nothing less than pain-in-the-butt perfectionism. Most see artists, and creative types in general, as scatterbrained. I’m sure there are scatterbrained artists (and bakers), but their work doesn’t end up in museums (or cookbooks).

Lesson: Creativity and perfectionism are essential handmaidens.

9. Ownership. It was made clear to me: I was responsible for the Christmas Eve dinner cookies. There were no backups available—and a long ginger-cookie tradition hung on my frail (i.e., incompetent) shoulders. The monkey was ensconced squarely on my back. So I did the job.

Lesson A: No ownership, no passion.
Lesson B: No passion, no perseverance.
Lesson C: There is no half ownership.

10. Accountability. When I’d helped with some previous cookie making (the day before), I’d screwed up the baking time twice. Now I was on my own. That should have made things more difficult. But, to the contrary, I was so attuned to the task that I didn’t come close to blowing it.

Lesson: Until you’re engaged in all aspects of a job, you don’t fully engage.

11. Taste. OK, I’ll brag: I made good cookies. Greatness takes practice—and exquisite taste. I may or may not practice more, but I doubt I’ll ever become to baking what Tom Clancy is to techno-thrillers.

Lesson: If we want great products, we need to find, attract, and retain great creators. Period.

For many of us the holiday season means a break from work and a focus on the family. Its a time for spending a little more time resting, maybe eating a little much, getting a few presents and generally having some fun family time.

It can also be a good time to take a few minutes and reflect back on the year … was the year everything you would have hoped? What might you have done differently? What achievements can you point to with pride? What “hiccups” did you have?

It is a time when you are away from you daily work and can perhaps look at your world a little more critically and see how your life plan is working out. I have written several blogs about setting goals and thought I would “put them out there” again for those who might want to get some ideas.

Back in July 2006 I wrote about Goals … the way to take charge of your life.Just about a year ago I wrote about the year end wrap up and new year planning process, which is just a relevant today.In May this year I nagged people again about the power of goals and pointed out that it can start any time, so “just do it”.
Finally in June this year I did my last nagging on the subject of goals.

None of us is perfect at this stuff, so its very like the analogy of being chased by a grizzly bear … you don’t have to be faster than the bear, you just need to be faster than one of your friends running next to you! If setting goals makes you a little better than the next person it can be the difference between getting a job or not, being promoted or not; getting the deal or not etc.

Have a super holidays and treat yourself with a few minutes planning your life!

“The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives” … Robert Maynard Hutchins

The concept of Lifelong Learning has been around for a long time now … not only is it documented in Wikipedia, but people talked about it when I went to school (when Moby Dick was a guppy!). It should not be a new concept to anyone and there are so many reasons why it is essential that if you do not subscribe to the concept then you are a dinosaur!

I can remember being told that in the modern world (late 2oth early 21st century) we would all experience several career changes in our lifetimes. I have been an aircraft mechanic, a computer programmer, a customer support person, a sales person, a sales manager and had several senior management roles. I don’t think I am atypical.

The pace of change in the world today is phenomenal! Raymond Kurzweil is a leading author in this field and has written numerous books and articles on the subject of the accelerating pace of change. We only need to look around in our own lifetimes at men on the moon, computers (even the size of computers), automobiles or any other technological invention to see how far they have come in just a few years.

So … if we agree that we are likely going to change career sometime “soon”, and that our world is changing around us as we speak … then surely we need to do something to remain current! I think it is absolutely unreasonable to expect to be relevant if you are not prepared to invest in yourself.

Here are some of Kevin’s theories on the subject:

- School gives you a grounding in knowledge and is the place where ideally you should learn how to learn!
- Everybody should develop the habit of reading … if you do not read the you cannot effectively keep up! I don’t care what you read as long as it is “real” … newspapers, novels, biographies, fiction or fact. Relevant material will have a bigger impact but reading keeps the brain alive!
- Everybody should set aside time for personal development every year … a specific amount of time dedicated to learning a new skill, or at minimum updating a skill.
- If all you ever do is stay focused on your own profession or business area then you are missing a huge opportunity. We can all apply principles from other businesses, industries and professions to our own worlds.

If you do not invest in yourself, you become less relevant because other people pass you by, you are not even keeping up with the basics … and you will be replaced.

In my world Lifelong learning is not a “nice to have” it is a necessity!

Eight Business Technology Trends to Watch
By James Manyika, Roger Roberts and Kara Sprague (McKinsey consultants)

One of the sources I use to try and keep up with trends is the McKinsey Quarterly. It is a relatively low cost source of information from experts in many different areas. In addition to the nice magazines that arrive in my office each quarter I also get articles in my email. This particular article caught my attention because as a business person I am always looking for creative and innovative business ideas.

This article about eight business technology trends to watch distills the ideas into three primary areas; (1) managing relationships; (2) managing capital and assets and (3) leveraging information in new ways.

Managing Relationships

1. Distributing co-creation. We see this when companies develop products and services in conjunction with partners as opposed to doing it themselves. This is considered to be a growing trend made more possible by the advanced communications available to all today. One example they cite is Locin, a Chinese motorcycle company that creates the specifications for its products and then lets its suppliers work together to create the components, ensure they work together and keep the costs low! (Not sure how I feel about traveling down the 401 at high speed on one of those … but it works!)
2. Using Consumers as Innovators. Very similar to above but using the client as opposed to partners and this phenomena has been helped with the introduction of web 2.0 tools. The obvious example here is the online encyclopedia Wikipedia. Another less known idea is the online South Korean newspaper Ohmynews which is written with more than 60,000 contributing “citizen reporters”.
3. Tapping into a World of Talent. This is definitely in my world … and relates to the ability to tap into resources anywhere in the world, be they free agents, specialists or talent networks. The people can be anywhere in the world. I know of businesspeople in Ottawa who have used small shops in India to develop websites etc. This will spread to many industries.
4. Extracting more value from interactions. This is the next level of offshoring and taking full advantage of the types of interactions mentioned above through the use of technology such as wikis, videoconferencing and collaborative tools. The suggestion here is that these tools will become as commonplace as the computer on your desk today and will improve productivity immensely.

Managing Capital and Assets

5. Expanding the frontiers of automation. For the last 30 years or more companies have been investing in their core systems. These have become very integrated and very sophisticated such that companies are now going to the next level and using these systems beyond internal needs. The authors talk about the way in which suppliers (eg. Fedex and UPS) allow their customers to track parcels through the supply chain, and they talk about the increased use of RFID technology and what that may bring.
6. Unbundling production from delivery. This is another way in which organizations are making more and better use of their technology infrastructure. Amazon.com for instance will allow other retailers to use its logistics and distribution systems. It is the creative use of the resources available. Other examples include fractional ownership of jets or high-end sports cars. It allows the owners to have a sophisticated infrastructure but share those costs. Could we make better use of school buildings during holidays and evenings?

Leveraging Information in New Ways.

7. Putting more science into management. As our systems have become more sophisticated so we have gathered more and more data, which if well used can improve productivity and ROI. It doesn’t even need to be about volume, Google uses a technique of innovation where employees present ideas, which are reviewed by other employees and ideas worth pursuing become identified and put forward for consideration. Many online suppliers have advanced algorithms that examine buying patterns and make recommendations for other purchases (Amazon etc). The options are limitless.
8. Making businesses from information. As companies gather more and more data, the available information can spawn new business opportunities. If you can aggregate data and provide value to a customer base then you have the basis for a new business opportunity. One example given was digital security cameras which prevent shoplifting could also be used to analyse shopping patterns and traffic flows through stores.

The great thing for me about these type of articles is that they become just one more input to that creative process. They make me think and question the status quo, which is ultimately how businesses can innovate to pass their competition.

You can probably access this article at the McKinsey website but if you want the full thing you will need to sign up … not a bad investment for about $150 a year.

This is a time of year when we focus on our families and on enjoying a break from work. For many of us it is also a time to give a little extra back to those who are less fortunate. One of the groups that falls into that category is the homeless community.

Yesterday I had a call from a friend, and successful business person asking me to join a local group that is going to fix this problem for the chronically homeless here in Ottawa. I have known Howard Grant for a lot of years, he is an expert in the area of government procurement and has operated his company Partnering and Procurement Inc. (PPI) for many years. Howard is a no nonsense kind of guy (and he and I have kicked each other many times over the years while playing soccer) … so if he thought this was a good idea who am I to argue!

Here is the deal … the chronically homeless are a drain on our community resources, they take health care time, police time, community services time and studies in the US would suggest each one might actually cost a community $100,000 a year when you add it up! That same study suggests that a small self-contained place of residence could be provided for perhaps $15,000 a year! One side benefit being … no vagrants lying in the streets and a better, safer community. Another side benefit being these individuals actually get a chance to address the issues that put them on the street, and get their lives back!

The US is ahead of the curve and has already achieved some great strides in this area, through their Interagency Council on Homelessness. They have a dynamic leader in the person of Philip Mangano who is quoted as saying “Instead of serving homeless people endlessly, our mission is to end their homelessness.”

The reason it works in the US and the reason it will work here is that the problem is being tackled by multiple stakeholders. Business and government, non-profits and local citizens, all working towards a common goal. So … I am on the Ottawa team and I kinda like Mangano’s mission! I will keep you posted every now and then as we solve this one!

I was working out on the weekend and had a miscellaneous playlist running through the ipod when Louis Armstrong came on with “What a Wonderful World”. I couldn’t help but smile because that song epitomizes the “glass half full” attitude, and I LOVE that!

I can remember dancing to that song with my aunts when I was VERY young, perhaps 5 or 6 years old in Liverpool. We didn’t have much, it would have been a Sunday visit to my Grandmother’s house and our enjoyment came the visit with family, the home cooked food and listening (and dancing) to the LP records (now we are talking old technology). Life was certainly simple back then and it was good to take pleasure in those simple things.

We really do have a good life these days in our Western Society … there is very low unemployment, accessibility to so much in material terms and no real barriers to success for those willing to work and make things happen. I have written in the past about staying motivated, but really you only have to “count your blessings” for a few minutes to recognize that it really is a Wonderful World.

We can all tend to focus on the problems and negatives in our lives, but a positive attitude achieves so much more. Maybe taking a few minutes to appreciate the “trees of green … red roses too” will get you thinking “It’s a Wonderful World”.

Thanks Louis!

PS. I make no apologies for having this classic on my ipod, its there along with other classics but also Shaggy, 50 Cent, Eminem and a wide variety of genres! My wonderful world has many different ways to stimulate my interest!

As a business owner for the past eleven years I have come across many different kinds of situations and generally speaking it is the people issues that tend to be the ones that cause me to pause most. The situations I have most issue with are when people abdicate their responsibility for their own actions.

Some time ago I wrote a blog entry about personal responsibility and I’m guessing something had got me going that day! I was pretty forthright in my opinions about those people who will blame all around them for anything that goes wrong.

Another blog entry I wrote was inspired by one of Kit Grant’s newsletters and again focused on the FACT … that the ONLY barrier to success is yourself. The focus of his newsletter was that Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life and if you approach it the right way, starting now, then you can have success!

It is a waste to see people who get totally focused on perceived “wrongs” or reasons why things are not working. The very clear reality for anyone who has “seen the light” is that any of us are capable of “more” if we just adopt the right attitude.

Kit Grant also has a little handout that he gives in his presentations … it is called the 10 Steps to Success and if you REALLY study each item and can make that “light” come on, then you have an ability to really change your life.

Too many people are unhappy in their lives. The quick fix to that kind of dissatisfaction is to take charge of your life and make things happen … NOT sit waiting for someone to tell you the answer.

“Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today.” … James Dean

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Kevin Dee is CEO of Eagle (a Professional Staffing Company)

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I am not a big fan of the Christmas season … perhaps more correctly, I am not a big fan of the commercialisation of the Christmas season. It seems that we have totally lost sight of what should be a great holiday.

For many it has become about expecting big presents, about shopping relentlessly to buy the best gifts. Many people go into debt at this time of year in order to meet and exceed the expectations of their families and friends. People worry and fret about what to buy, how to pay for it, where to shop and when to shop. The televisions and newspapers are filled with ads and enticements about the latest, the biggest, the best … and we all rush out and spend money we don’t have buying them.

The holiday season could be a lot simpler and more meaningful. We could focus more on spending quality time with friends and family. We could spend some of that money on supporting charities and people in need of an extra hand. We could teach our children that the “spending frenzy” is not what it is about. We could put less focus on toys for the adults and more focus on our children, but not with mountains of gifts perhaps instead wit a few gifts and a more precious thing … an attitude that is caring about others.

I think the Christmas holiday could be, and should be, the best holiday of the year but I think we have managed to ruin it.

I’m as much to blame as the next person an probably my generation has done more to make this happen than any other generation. So … perhaps it is incumbent upon me and my generation to start to change it for the better.

I hope everyone reading this has a great time and gets to spend some quality time wit their friends and family. I hope you get to relax and enjoy some good food and a change in pace from the regular work environment. I also hope you take a few minutes to do a good deed, support a charity and tell your kids about the importance of “giving” at this time of year.

As a society we seem to have evolved in a strange way … our justice system is a good example of this and it has been front and centre this week, so I thought I would comment on a few current situations.

1. Robert Latimer has been in jail for 6 years for the “mercy killing” of his severely handicapped little girl. This week he was refused parole because he is considered to still be a threat to society … that based upon the fact he still thinks he made the right choice. What a sad case, and what a screwed up system we have. How is this man still a threat to society? Do they think he will seek out other handicapped people and ill them? Here is someone that was seen as a good person before the event, who obviously loved his daughter and made a horrific choice (I don’t know what I would do in the same situation) and someone who everyone who knows says is a good man. What good does it serve the public that he is in jail?

2. Conrad Black jailed for 6 years plus for his white collar crimes. A high profile Canadian figure being tried in the US courts, and the prosecution wanted 30 years!!! The guy treated a public corporation like it was his own and certainly shareholders were hurt … so the guy needs to be punished. Why can he not be forced to work for the public good for some years? Why could the courts just not strip money from him … and those members of his family who also benefited? Does it make sense that these white collar criminals are treated in a similar manner to murderers and terrorists? That really does not compensate anyone nor solve a problem. Deterrent … it doesn’t seem to be working!

3. Robert Picton was convicted of second degree murder in the death of six women. It took 5 years and a 10 month trial at huge expense to the public to get here … and now he is likely to be charged for another 20 women (at what cost). He gets 6 life sentences … so what? Surely our justice system should be able to bring “justice” faster, surely he should never have gotten away with second degree murder … the man is a serial killer. The defence lawyer spoke about the millions of documents involved in the case and the obvious need for our Canadian system to have equal rights for everyone. Still … 5 years, the costs, the result … it all adds up to a broken system. This guy should have been locked away for life, with no chance of parole and deemed a menace to society at least four years ago. At least that would have felt a little more like justice .. and the families could have moved on with their lives that much earlier.

Surely as a society we can find better ways to deal with the various transgressions that happen, and keep in mind what is TRULY beneficial to society.

I wrote a blog entry some time ago about what it takes to win. This is a subject with some great examples in the world of sports that we can look at.

In the National Football League (the kind of football with the rugby shaped balls) there is a story of two teams that may set opposite records this year. The New England Patriots have an opportunity to have a perfect year, currently sitting with a 13-0 record it would not be a surprise for them to win every game and end at 16-0. At the other end of the scale the Miami Dolphins currently sit with a 0-13 record and could well end up at 0-16. Both teams have very capable players, coaches and supportive organizations. Both teams are capable of winning or losing … but New England have an edge in their favour, have the confidence of winners and continue to roll. Miami have lost confidence, are making mistakes, perhaps trying too hard … and keep losing.

In the National Hockey League my home town Ottawa Senators were off to a record breaking start, racing away at the top of the league with a record of 13 wins and 1 loss. More recently they had a 7 game losing streak … and now “seem” to be coming out of their “slump”.

On the weekend two undefeated boxers matched up with Ricky Hatton from England taking on Floyd Mayweather from the USA. Mayweather knocked Hatton out in the 10th round. All of those mentioned are world class in their field, and all are capable of winning … however some are winning others are not. Ricky Hatton can take some consolation that he would likely beat any other fighter in that category, but he wants to beat them all!

The difference between winning and losing is minuscule. It can be a little luck, it can be a state of mind, it can be the smallest of differences.

So what about the business world, and more specifically sales? A good salesperson is always looking to find that “edge” that will allow them to win. My own belief is that it is hard work that most consistently makes the difference … I think it was Jefferson who said “The harder I work the more luck I have”. When I talk about hard work in sales I mean things like ….
- Better preparation for meetings.
- More cold calls.
- More face to face sales calls.
- Working to find ways to bring value.
- Staying a little later to finish a proposal.
- Getting in a little earlier to make extra call to those clients that start early.
All the little things that differentiate a great sales person from a good sales person.

Are you going to be a winner? Do you really want to be a winner more than the other person? Are you willing to make the effort that makes you a winner?