10th Human - It's all about adding value

Me: Still alive!

It’s been awhile since I posted but I am, to quote the Croods, “Still alive!”

I have taken a bit of a circuitous path the last two years to get back here but I am here. You will see more from me in the coming days as I get back into the flow.

Systems test

If our systems pass this test, our systems will be that much stronger.

– Cliff Gilmore

10thHuman: of Maslow and security

Life is not so simple as the set of binary choices we are often presented with.

10th Human: of Excellence and Emotional Cost

Are you willing to pay the cost of excellence?

President & Owner of Propaganda Marketing David McGeehan asked this question on LinkedIn yesterday. The question stopped me in my metaphorical tracks (or, in this case, scrolling).

It’s a great, layered question.

What is excellence? Who defines it?

The question parallels my own framework of, “I am willing to accept the level of success (excellence?) that I derive from a laser focus on the same…in the hours after I drop my girls off at school and before I pick them up again.” After I pick them up, I go into what I call “maintenance mode.” In our 24/7 world and in particular as a real estate agent, I can’t reasonably expect my clients to wait until the next day after 4 PM. I make the calls I need to for contractual reasons, if a client has an urgent need, etc. But I hold off on generating new business, extra work, etc.

For me, being an excellent dad is a primary goal. I believe I am an excellent advocate and Realtor® as well; however, I am not willing to put this above being present for my daughters (as a rule).

What is excellence to you?

A Thought on Think and Grow Rich

A friend asked me for reading recommendations recently. She’s recently returned to the entrepreneur world.

There were two books that immediately came to mind. Seth Godin’s Linchpin, on which I have modeled much of my efforts (one need only read the posts on this blog to see how deeply his philosophy molds mine).

The other was Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich. This book also profoundly impacted me. His book is a study of the uber wealthy and the mindset that aided them in achieving this wealth. One takeaway, and the reason for this post, is that the folks he studied all had an intense and sole focus on SUCCESS. They were driven to achieve their goal and would not be stopped.

But.

They were driven to this goal to the detriment of relationships with their children (amongst others). Reading this made me realize that I am not interested in massive success, if that means my children don’t know or resent me.

Taleb: Marketing beyond information is insecurity

I spend a lot of time in my real estate business putting information out there. If you follow me, you know I’m almost daily putting out market stats, average values, talking about trends, giving advice, etc.

When I read this statement in Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s Antifragile, I was metaphorically (and possibly literally) rocked.

Marketing beyond information is insecurity.

It articulates a core mantra I have; that is, “If my marketing as I define my actions – that being advocacy through information and education – doesn’t work to maintain and build my business, I will do something different.”

I rarely talk about my sales metrics, volume, success in negotiation of deals. To me, those aren’t what this is about for me. It’s about helping folks make informed decisions, stepping back and letting them make the actual decision.

10th Human: Guard your yes

One of the hardest things for a giver to do so is say, “No.”

“No, I’m sorry I can’t help right now.”

“No, I’m task saturated and unable to help right now.”

However you say it, it’s hard. But if you don’t guard your yes, you may get overwhelmed.

Negotiation strategy and pain points

Whether it be politics, real estate or interpersonal relationship issues, part of an effective negotiation strategy is knowing the other party’s position and pain points.

If your position is lose/lose for them, it may be more beneficial for them to walk away and lose less than accepting your offer (or demand as they will likely perceive it, if it’s a losing proposition for them).

This is fine if you operate in a zero sum world.

If you want long term success, you may want to consider your strategy.

Frameworks and why are there so many?

“Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again.”
– André Gide

I was reading my friend Andrew Whitehouse’s blog this morning and came across a post he wrote regarding originalism in thought and work. In addition to the quote above, he said (wrote?) something that jumped out at me, articulating the why of what I do here. That is:

That’s what I’m aiming for here. (The “what is it for?” for this blog.): Looking for patterns in the work others have done, applying my own perspective, writing about it, noticing what’s there, and then iterating.
– Andrew Whitehouse

This all circles back to something I’ve asked myself quite a bit, “Why are there so many different frameworks that say much the same thing when you boil them down to basics?”

I think the answer is that:

1) people weren’t necessarily listening at that moment (that framework X was developed)

or (as if not more likely)

2) it wasn’t said in a way that resonated

To the latter point, Seth Godin’s Linchpin hit me like a hammer. It articulated the principles I’ve tried to live by in such a way that it resonated with me. Further, it allowed me to articulate them in turn to people around me. Colonel John Boyd’s OODA loop also resonates with me. However, it doesn’t resonate with everyone. A particular piece of feedback I’ve received about the OODA loop is, ‘It’s too military a mindset for me with it’s talk of opponents and breaking other loops.’ To this I said to the person, “That’s totally ok. There are a number of other frameworks that may resonate with you!”

What’s the bottom line here?

Don’t give up. Your voice may be – will be – the one that resonates with someone.