Author: Scott Asai

Helping people develop their leadership skills to advance in their career

What Makes Apple Work

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Guest post by Josh Allan Dykstra

A couple months ago, the lead designer of Apple, Jony Ive, did a rare interview where he talked about why Apple does things the way they do.

Apple doesn’t behave the way they do to increase market share, raise the stock price, make the company bigger, or boost profits.

No, the reason Apple does things they way they do is for one simple reason:

To make a better product.

Jony says that if Apple can’t make something that’s better, they won’t do it.

This remarkable simplicity is a big reason why Apple is so successful. They have this “noble cause”* which allows them to say “NO” to the millions of pathways that don’t end up at a “better product.”

The truth is, unless we can say “NO” to the majority of good things, we’ll never find the great things.

Your noble cause doesn’t have to be “making a better product,” but you do need one. Try these questions on to figure it out:

* What’s the big problem your group is trying to solve?
* How will you somehow make the world better?
* If your organization were to disappear tomorrow, what hole would be left?

More than ever before, leaders and leadership teams must focus on prioritizing and making decisions — saying “NO” to the good in order to say “YES” to the great. If you want this for your group, a relentless focus on WHY you do what you do is unavoidable.

3 Stages of Stuck

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Guest Post by Ben Arment
My guess is that when it comes to pursuing a dream, most people get stuck in one of these holding patterns:

 1. Don’t know where to start.

The learning curve is too steep.
Never done anything like this before.
Are intimdated.

2. Can do the work, but don’t know how to launch it.

It takes money they don’t have…
Connections they can’t make…
Just waiting for a breakthrough.

3. Launched but hasn’t taken off.

It’s bringing in little to no revenue.
Seems to be ignored.
The equivalent of a box of unsold books in the basement

The good news is – there’s a way. There’s always a way.
And finding it is your necessary rite of passage.

Franchise It!

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The Franchise model is one of the strongest business models out there, but why? 

How does a single location become multiple ones and reach a larger geographic area?
The short answer: a repeatable system.
All successful businesses are run by an organized system. A single business location multiples when processes are documented and recorded. Basically every activity is written down in a handbook so it can be taught to someone else in the future.
Once this training manual is completed, the systems can be taught to new employees. Remember the “…for dummies” book series? They teach the basics so you can do it on your own. The more simple, repeatable steps there are, the easier it is to replicate. Clear instruction leads to easy implementation.
To open another location, follow the steps above and repeat!
In one of my favorite business books “Built to Sell” the author illustrates how to make your company sell-able. Your goal might not be to sell your business, but you’ll never know how much it’s worth until you build it to sell. When you streamline your processes by documenting them, it gives your company the opportunity to scale and function without your direct involvement. To all you control freaks out there, this concept may be scary to consider, but if your idea is dependent on your participation it will never grow to reach its potential without the help from others. 
As a new father, think of your business like a child. It’s your responsibility to train and guide him/her to be independent enough to launch and leave the nest. 

There are plenty of successful franchises around to learn from. You don’t have to copy what they do, but study their model to build your own franchise!

Accelerator University

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Unemployment rates are still high and graduating with a college degree guarantees you nothing…but what’s the alternative?
The current 20 something workforce has abandoned their hope in corporate America and turned to entrepreneurship. The learning curve is steep and the risk factors are high, but you do have more control than if you worked for someone else. 
When starting a business, experience is what you need. If it’s your first company, you need mentors to help you avoid mistakes and advice to help you succeed. Where can you find that?
First, turn to your network. If you don’t have a strong network, you better start building one. Success in your career depends on who you know, not what you know. 
If your idea has the potential to scale, now you can turn to investors. If accepted, one of the greatest learning environments in business is to be a part of an accelerator. 
An accelerator is usually a 3 – 4 month business incubator where you receive a free shared workspace and initial financial investment in exchange for a small percentage of equity in your company. Where the real value lies is with the accelerator’s owners/sponsors who become your mentors. Their experience and guidance is invaluable. 
The concept of mentoring is what is lacking from the traditional education system. Listening to a professor lecture isn’t how we learn. Visual or hands-on training is the best way to retain information and learn new skills. 

How much more effective would education be if mentors were assigned to each student?

It’s something to seriously think about…

Pete Carroll on Sticking With a Vision

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At a recent Nike WinForever Workshop, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll spent a few minutes talking on the topic of sticking with a vision. Specifically, he talked about putting forth this WinForever philosophy that we preach every day–and sticking with it.
“You can do whatever you want to do with yourself,” Carroll explains. He urges that you take the WinForever vision to your work, coaching staff, family, etc.
“I promise you’re going to be thrilled about what changes,” Carroll says. “It may not come easy.” We know that if it were easy, it wouldn’t the real deal.
He ended the workshop with one strong statement to the audience, which you can grow from as well:  “I want to challenge you to compete. Battle. Fight your way through this. Stick with it. Don’t let up.”
“There’s nothing you can’t do.”

Follow WinForever on Facebook and Twitter as we continue to inspire a community of individuals to perform at their best every day. If you are ready to take the next step to maximizing your potential sign up here to Join the WinForever Movement.

Can You Fix Your Weaknesses?

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Gallup’s short answer is no. “There are no weaknesses, just overdone strengths.”
This applies to your performance, not your character (which needs constant development).
 
Here are 3 reasons why:
The “Myth of Balance.” You can’t be good at everything. When you try to be a “jack of all trades, ” you end up being a “master of none.” Take pro athletes as an example. They stick to doing one thing really well and get compensated for it. Generalists don’t get hired, specialists do.
Mediocrity. There are some things you’ll never be good at. For me, I like to move at a fast pace, so I hate waiting for other people. I can try to be more patient in certain situations, but overall I’ll always be somewhat impatient. It translates to my career because I want to take action. I’d rather delegate research and analysis to someone else because I hate it and also suck at it.

Overdone Strengths. There’s a dark side to every personal strength.

If you’re loyal, you can become blind to a fault. 

If you’re analytical, it can paralyze you from taking action. 

If you’re extroverted, you might talk too much. 

When you’re potentially great at something, remember there are situations where you need to dial down the intensity. Your strengths can become a weakness if you’re not self-aware of their implications.

This question comes down to focus. Would you rather work on developing your strengths or fixing your weaknesses? The choice is to: go towards (strengths) or away (weaknesses) from your desired target. Which will you choose?

Do What Matters Most

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Guest Post by Charles Lee

#LiveForward

Life is Short. Do What Matters.

I know that we’ve heard it many times before. Life is short.

Yes, one out of every one person dies and none of us can predict when our day will come.

Since most idea-makers live in the realm of optimism (which is also one of our greatest strengths), it is quite possible that we may feel fairly invincible at times. The main drawback of this is that we may find ourselves doing things that may urgent in the present, but takes away from things that really matter to us at the end of the day. This may be as day-to-day as accomplishing daily goals or as significant as spending time wisely with those we truly love.

I’ve been trying to be more intentional of late to spend the majority of my time doing things that ultimately builds the things that matter most to me. This means that sometimes I have to say “no” to good opportunities. (I don’t know about you, but this is extremely hard for me!) Staying focused is difficult and yet necessary. 

I know you know this. This is just a simple reminder for all of us to do what we know we ought to do.

The Power of No

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Saying YES may be easier, but there’s much more power in saying NO.
Here are 3 reasons why saying NO benefits you:

Prioritizing – Time is valuable, so how you spend it is crucial toward reaching your definition of success. Saying NO puts what is important to you on a list. When you say NO it means you are saying YES to something more valuable. Saying NO helps you spend your time wisely.

Boundaries – Imagine a game of tug of war, but you’re on both sides of the rope. When you always say YES (even to things you don’t want to do), your life is pulled around by others. It’s like being in the passenger seat of a car and not having any say on where you’re going. Draw a line between the things you want (YES) and don’t want (NO). Determine what’s inside and outside of your boundaries to help communicate and clarify your core values and desires.

Respect vs. Like – Most people don’t like to say NO because it lets others down. Instead of being known as a YES-man (or woman), wouldn’t you rather be respected because of your honesty to say NO? When you say YES to everyone, you become a hostage in your own skin. You become unhappy with all your obligations, yet have no one to blame except yourself. Saying NO means you understand you can’t please everyone. Choose NO and uphold your values.

People who say NO are respected. Life isn’t a popularity contest. Make decisions for yourself, not others. Practice saying NO now so when more important decisions come along you’ll feel empowered to make the right choice.

Why Bill Gates Matters

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Guest post by Zach Buckley
Leaving Einstein Behind
Albert Einstein has some things going for him, such as the theory of relativity. When people mention a genius, he’s usually the first to come up.
In today’s world Bill Gates brought personal computing to the mainstream. He paved the way for new industries, professions and mindsets that would revolutionize how careers are defined. His influence is most evident among young, tech-savvy professionals seeking career paths greatly different from how their predecessors earned a living.
Technology has created new and different ways of doing business. It’s changed how professionals are fulfilling their job responsibilities. Young Professionals are flocking to the tech industry because of the unique set of opportunities offered. Thanks, Bill Gates.
Here are just some of the draws to tech positions:
Flexible Working Conditions
More often professionals are working remotely and outside of the standard 9 to 5 work schedule. These workers have more opportunities to build their own schedules to accommodate their lifestyle while doing it from home and cutting out the daily commute.
Increased Entrepreneurial Opportunities
Technology has greatly expanded the market for do-it-yourself types to create their own start-up companies. It’s helpful to have a Degree in Information Technology to have a strong understanding of the tech industry. Plenty of professionals are finding ways to focus their own areas of specialty to create new tech solutions.
The low overhead of developing tech-based revenue streams, whether by creating mobile apps, becoming a social media expert or finding other ways to improve upon existing information technology – makes it easier to take risks with new business ventures and even do so without giving up a day job.
Tech Fluency as a Job Market Advantage
The younger generations never experienced a world where technology wasn’t a part of everyday life. As these young professionals enter the workforce, they have an inherent advantage over older generations and will have an easier time acclimating to the continual changes that pervade the tech industry.
Technology has allowed younger professionals to reconsider their main motivations in the workplace, and as a result many are putting quality of life in front of money. Jobs that offer a healthy work-life balance are prefered. Bill Gates may not have had that in mind when he developed the first Microsoft computer, but it’s definitely a by-product of his innovation.
About the author: Zach Buckley is a freelance writer based in the Midwest. He enjoys exploring developing trends in education, technology and culture.  When he isn’t reading or writing blogs, he enjoys sampling good music and good food. Follow him on Twitter! @Zach_buckley

The Startup Baby

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There are a lot of myths out there about raising a child, as well as starting your own company. As a new dad, let me tell you that with a plethora of information available, there’s no better teacher than experience.
Here are some parallels between being a parent and owning a Startup:


Time. Sleep is determined by the baby, so when the baby actually sleeps, you better sleep also. Your schedule for the time being revolves around your newborn because they can’t help themselves. As a Startup company, unexpected events will arise and your schedule can be quite unpredictable. Some days you will have enough time to work, while other nights you will go sleepless working on a project. Time is finite, so spend time on what matters. 

Development. Some days you’ll feel confident as a parent and other times you’ll feel clueless. It’s not about being perfect but putting forth your best effort to help guide and develop your child. In a startup, there will be peaks and valleys. The learning curve is steep. Overall, focus on making progress and look for visible growth.
Adapting to Change. Adults may be older, but try and control a kid and your life will be ruined. Kids evolve at a rapid pace and adjust quickly to new experiences. The Startup World is never calm and flooded with risk. If you’re not ready to “pivot” (business term for switching to a new direction), you may overlook a great opportunity. Being flexible in a fast paced world is crucial to any amount of success.

You can’t learn about parenting or starting your own company without actually doing it. Do your research and talk to others with more experience, but be ready to learn through trial and error. Nothing can fully prepare you for the “birth” of a new child/business, but don’t forget the most important part: starting!