Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell

Publishers Weekly describes this book as…

“Best-selling author Gladwell (The Tipping Point) has a dazzling ability to find commonality in disparate fields of study. As he displays again in this entertaining and illuminating look at how we make snap judgments—about people’s intentions, the authenticity of a work of art, even military strategy—he can parse for general readers the intricacies of fascinating but little-known fields like professional food tasting (why does Coke taste different from Pepsi?). Gladwell’s conclusion, after studying how people make instant decisions in a wide range of fields from psychology to police work, is that we can make better instant judgments by training our mind and senses to focus on the most relevant facts—and that less input (as long as it’s the right input) is better than more. ”

My notes on what I found to be of particular interest…

The “thin slice” is the way that our unconscious minds can make what are in many cases highly accurate assessments in a very short amount of time, often a matter of seconds.
Too much information can hamper our decisions.. In each of the examples that he discusses — including emergency room triage, improvisational comedy performances, and military war games — the consideration of too much data can sidetrack decision makers and mire them in a state of confusion.

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Getting Things Done by David Allen

Booklist describes this book as…

“Allen, a management consultant and executive coach, provides insights into attaining maximum efficiency and at the same time relaxing whenever one needs or wants to. Readers learn that there is no single means for perfecting organizational efficiency or productivity; rather, the author offers tools to focus energies strategically and tactically without letting anything fall through the cracks. He provides tips, techniques, and tricks for implementation of his workflow management plan, which has two basic components: capture all the things that need to get done into a workable, dependable system; and discipline oneself to make front-end decisions with an action plan for all inputs into that system. In short, do it (quickly), delegate it (appropriately), or defer it. While an infomercial for the author’s consulting practice, this road map for organizational efficiency may help many who have too much to do in too little time, both professionally and in their personal lives.”

My notes on what I found to be of particular interest…

Allen’s philosophy is that to be one’s most productive self, one must be able to think clearly. In order to think clearly, one must have completely downloaded from one’s short-term memory or RAM (like computer RAM) all the “open loops” — unfulfilled commitments one has made to oneself. This frees the mind to do naturally what it does best — think about things rather than of things. Allen gives pointers for using one’s critical thinking skills, including three methods for making decisions about what actions to take, in Chapter 9.
Once one has everything off his mind and written down, in paper or electronically, one has to decide, “What’s the next action?” This is THE critical question. Once this is decided, the action must be completed or tracked in a trusted system, such as a Personal Digital Assistant or PDA.
Allen also has a two-minute rule, which states that as one goes through their in-box and determines next actions, any next action that can be completed in two minutes or less should be completed immediately. In this way, a lot of items are touched only once and are forever cleared from “psychic RAM.”
Allen outlines a process for getting RAM cleared in the first place and then for keeping it clear on a daily basis, as new things come into one’s “in” box. The “What’s the next action?” question must be asked on the front-end, when the item from the “in” box is first reviewed.
Applying Allen’s system is put forth as a way for today’s knowledge worker to have a competitive edge in the new millennium. His system is as applicable to one’s home environment and projects as it is to one’s work. He also claims it can help procrastinators.
Getting Things Done is part tools and techniques, part psychology. Allen says that mastering your time enables you to live in the present moment. This may be the true gift of this book.
One must write down the outcomes they wish to achieve. Then, for every outcome, one must determine the “next physical action” required to move the situation forward. This next physical action must be organized in a system one reviews regularly.
Any task that requires more than 2 minutes to complete is considered a project.
Allen states that the brain goes through five steps to accomplish most any task and that this Natural Planning Model is also the most effective for project planning. These steps are:
 1. Defining purpose and principles — In defining purpose, one asks “why?” Answering this question provides the following benefits: it defines success, creates decision-making criteria, aligns resources, motivates, clarifies focus and expands options. Principles create the boundaries of the plan and define the criteria for excellence of behavior.
 2. Outcome visioning — A vision provides a picture of the final result. Allen discusses the Reticular Activating System within the brain and how it acts like a search engine. In defining the desired outcome, this filter in the brain brings to one’s attention those things that match the vision. In addition, Allen states that you won’t see how to do it until you see yourself doing it, and his advice is to view the project from beyond the completion date, envision “WILD SUCCESS”, and capture features, aspects, qualities you imagine in place.
 3. Brainstorming — Brainstorming identifies how one gets from here to there through the generation of lots of ideas. Allen recommends writing down these ideas to help generate many new ones that might not have occurred had the brain not been emptied by writing down the original ideas. Writing ideas down also provides an anchor to keep one focused on the topic at hand. This idea of writing to spur thinking has been labeled as “distributed cognition”. Keys to effective brainstorming are: don’t judge, challenge, evaluate, or criticize; go for quantity, not quality; and put analysis and organization in the background.
 4. Organizing — Allen describes the key steps to include: identify the significant pieces; sort by components, sequences and/or priorities; and detail to the required degree.
 5. Identifying next actions — Allen states that a project is sufficiently planned when every Next Action has been decided on every front that can actually be moved on without some other components having to be completed first.

My personal recommendation…

Many people have thrived under David Allen’s productivity principles and I recommend him cautiously.  His approach is VERY highly structured and definitely not for everybody.   I personally find more value in managing my goals, mission, vision and priorities that I do managing my paperwork.

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Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Publishers Weekly describes the book as…

‘The premise of this facile piece of pop sociology has built-in appeal: little changes can have big effects; when small numbers of people start behaving differently, that behavior can ripple outward until a critical mass or “tipping point” is reached, changing the world. Gladwell’s thesis that ideas, products, messages and behaviors “spread just like viruses do” remains a metaphor as he follows the growth of “word-of-mouth epidemics” triggered with the help of three pivotal types. While it offers a smorgasbord of intriguing snippets summarizing research on topics such as conversational patterns, infants’ crib talk, judging other people’s character, cheating habits in schoolchildren, memory sharing among families or couples, and the dehumanizing effects of prisons, this volume betrays its roots as a series of articles for the New Yorker, where Gladwell is a staff writer: his trendy material feels bloated and insubstantial in book form.’

My notes on what I found to be of particular interest…

Our modern culture means that new ideas are being introduced constantly.
Gladwell asserts that most trends, styles, and phenomena are born and spread according to routes of transmission and conveyance that are strikingly similar.
The tipping point is where isolated incidents become a trend.
The Law of the Few contends that before widespread popularity can be attained, a few key types of people must champion an idea, concept, or product before it can reach the tipping point. There are 3 key types:  Connectors -sociable personalities who bring people together; mavens – who like to pass along knowledge; and Salesmen – adept at persuading the unenlightened. If individuals representing all three of these groups endorse and advocate a new idea, it is much more likely that it will tip into exponential success.
Mavens are people who have a strong compulsion to help other consumers by helping them make informed decisions.
Salesmen are people whose unusual charisma allows them to be extremely persuasive in inducing others’ buying decisions and behaviors.
Connectors are individuals who have ties in many different realms and act as conduits between them, helping to engender connections, relationships, and “cross-fertilization” that otherwise might not have ever occurred.
The Stickiness Factor as the quality that compels people to pay close, sustained attention to a product, concept, or idea. Stickiness is a unique quality that compels the phenomenon to “stick” in the minds of the public and influence their future behavior. Often, the way that the Stickiness Factor is generated is unconventional, unexpected, and contrary to received wisdom.
The Power of Context is enormously important in determining whether a particular phenomenon will tip into widespread popularity. Even minute changes in the environment can play a major factor.
There are unusual properties tied to the size of social groups. Groups of less than 150 members usually display a level of intimacy, interdependency, and efficiency that begins to dissipate markedly as soon as the group’s size increases over 150.
Focus, Test, Believe.

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Purple Cow by Seth Godin

“Purple Cow:  Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable” by Seth Godin

Publishers Weekly describes the book as “The world is changing ever more rapidly, and the rules of marketing are no different, writes Godin, the field’s reigning guru. The old ways-run-of-the-mill TV commercials, ads in the Wall Street Journal and so on-don’t work like they used to, because such messages are so plentiful that consumers have tuned them out. This means you have to toss out everything you know and do something “remarkable” (the way a purple cow in a field of Guernseys would be remarkable) to have any effect at all, writes Godin (Permission Marketing; Unleashing the Ideavirus). He cites companies like HBO, Starbucks and JetBlue, all of which created new ways of doing old businesses and saw their brands sizzle as a result. ..  His wide-ranging advice-be outrageous, tell the truth, test the limits and never settle for just “very good”-is solid and timely. ”

My notes on what I found to be of particular interest…

The traditional P’s of Marketing:  Product, Pricing, Promotion,  Positioning,  Publicity,  Packaging,  Permission,  Pass-along
According to the popular theory if these elements aren’t all in place, the marketing message is unclear and ineffective.
At a certain point in the evolution of marketing, it became clear that following the Ps just isn’t enough. This book tells about a new P — Purple Cow — that is extremely important to marketers in today’s fast-paced, highly competitive business environment. Purple Cow refers to a product or service that is different from the rest and somehow remarkable. Purple Cow tells about the why, the what, and the how of remarkable.

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How To Sell a Lobster by Bill Bishop

Amazon describes the book as…

 ”Are you looking for new ways to have fun and make more money? Are you searching for innovative ideas to get new ventures started, overcome buyer’s resistance, close prospects, or create a bigger and better business? If so, How To Sell A Lobster is the perfect book for you. ”

My notes on what I found to be of particular interest…

People like specials – it sounds more fun
Customers prefer to visualize small, tidy packages, something quick and easy
If it is part of the menu, then guests have permission to order it
No one wants to be the first. To be the first means you might look stupid (most people are followers). So, create the impression that you already have members.
Replace the fear of being first with the fear of missing out.
Invite 1000s of people and 100s will come.
It is cheaper to give away something of value to get people in the door for the first time. Use excitement and word of mouth. You need to project yourself as vibrant, and successful. Create the impression people are lining up / waiting to buy – it creates an aura of popularity / exclusiveness. You do not want to make it too easy to get your product / service.
If you only have one choice, then it is yes or no. Nothing else to think about so you always focus on price. With two choices, you usually take the small because, (a) save money, (b) play it safe.
With three choices, you start at the large because it is dazzling, beautiful and huge, but perhaps too expensive. Then you consider the small, but it is not sooo great next to the large – it appears cheap and unappealing. So, the middle is juuuust right (and a safe bet).
When you offer 3 choices, it is not about charging too much, it is about giving the customer choice – and marketing is about choice. But, 4 or more choices is bad. It starts to get confusing (it is easily not to decide if there are too many choices to make) and there is no middle (and people like safe).
Look at each situation via the customers eyes. Approach each prospect with no expectations or preconceived notions. Think about the customer’s real problem and educate your prospects about the real issues.
Do not sell the captain of the Titanic more champagne, convince him that his ship will sink and offer him more lifeboats.
Give samples, let the prospect experience your produce / service. It reduces the amount of time and effort you need to explain the product. By giving free things that have value you break the sales-pitch-bunker (where people go out of there way to avoid advertising).
Give a 90 minute free consultation, a free tax-audit, or software with a trial license. Discounts / coupons do not count because they are associated with with a sale. Because you are giving away stuff for free, you get to decide who qualifies for the free value. This exclusivity means that even more prospects will want it. When you build a business around a specific product or service and not around customers, all of your thinking starts with the product – so when the product is no longer popular your business tanks.
Your main focus is to help your customers prosper.
If you don’t know how to service your customers then learn or partner with someone that does.
Choose a customer type, and focus on one at a time
Are you selling the right stuff? To promote you have to do something new
Are you willing to give away value for free?
Develop your marketing process. What steps will you take to attract prospects and turn them into customers. The first step is making the customer aware of you via (a) direct mail, (b) public ads, (c) incentives for regular customers.
The Big Idea is a concept that will get people attention. It can be a contest, a new product, a special program. Just do something, and make it BIG.
You need sizzle.
If you are embarking in a new campaign to promote your business, start by asking yourself : “What is our Big Idea ?”
Take a box and put a big price on it. Now brainstorm on what you could put in that box to justify the big price.
Most of us get caught up in incremental thinking because we can not see beyond the boundaries of our existing industry. But when you put a big price on the box, it gives you the permission to think big. You have to start filling the box with new ideas. Get your prospects to open their wallets before asking for the big sale. Turn prospects into customers by getting them to buy small, to be more open to spending large later. Prospects have no commitments, but once their wallets have been open they do not want to see their money go to waste.
At the free seminar, offer a $300 consult for free if they buy a $50 starter kit, valued at $200. Customers need to get into the habit of opening their wallet. Again, they do not want to waste their investment by walking away.  If they have made an investment of time and money, they are inclined to keep going. Once people have started to behave in a certain way, they want to keep behaving that way in order to reinforce their self-image as a consistent person. That’s why it is so important to get your prospects to open their wallet as soon as possible.
Most people think their problems are quick and easy to fix. To help deal with, give your client’s problem a name. In the financial sector, you might call the issue of buying financial tools on the cheap usually results in you getting the wrong tools, “Tools-Only-Trap”. Having a name means that it is easier to understand and remember.
Next, get prospects to do a self diagnose. We cannot convince them, they must convince themselves. Create a self-assessed score card with questions that ask the prospect to admit their problem and outline how they are going to deal with it.
You may deal with smart people, but most are only smart ni their own domain. Outside that domain they are usually at a Grade 2 level. So, they will have a hard time buying your university grade product / service.
You need people at Grade 12 to buy your stuff. To get them there: give their problem a name, have them complete a self-assessment and do some educational marketing. This marketing is about concepts related to your business. Include key concepts only (like why is it efficient to have a financial plan before making large financial decisions), and refrain so the nitty / gritty.
Even though most people are looking for the quick fix pill, they are willing to buy the bigger solution if you take them through a process of self-discovery.
You cannot just tell clients “what you have sucks”. You have to judiciously apply honesty. Before you criticize, acknowledge what has been done right. Show the prospect how they are half way up the mountain (this pertains to an allegory of climbing Mount Everest – most people can do the first half without must help, but its the second half that is the really difficult part). The prospect will see that you acknowledge their work and will see where to go next (know as the growth edge).
 The growth edge is the point where a person needs help. If you play See Spot Run with an 11 year old they’ll be bored, but if you teach them nuclear physics they will be lost. You must tailor your instructions to match the level of your audience.
 Everyone is half way up the mountain, you just need to look harder sometimes.
 First recognize/applaud what was done right before giving advice.
 Don’t propose marriage on the first date
 Develop trust, intimacy, communication over TIME. The date has to sound exciting. Repackage your first visit with the client as a special event (i.e. help retailers to sell more fireworks instead of simply “hey, we want to sell you fireworks”) and at the event bring in field experts to explain in detail how something (relevant) works.
 Are you coming out too strong on the first date with a new prospect?
 Trees actually grow exponentially. The problem is that it starts with the roots (a problem because you cannot see the growth, you have to believe it). And, in the beginning there is a need for a lot of care. If you go too quickly you will not have worked out all of your systems and processes and it can be a huge bomb.
 Tend to your seedlings, give it time to grow and do not cloud your vision with the disbelief of others.

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