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Free Marketing Wisdom Report 2007

2007-04-01T07:14:00.000-07:00

Marketers from 110 organizations contributed test results and lessons-learned stories for our fifth annual Wisdom Report, including: BMW, Motorola, GMAC and Savvy Tot:

* Email campaign segmentation tests and results
* Blogging, podcasting and mobile marketing tips
* Search marketing tactics and offline advertising
* Web site design and social networking done right

Click here to get your free 2007 Wisdom PDF

2006-10-17T23:36:00.000-07:00

globeandmail.com : Decision making:

Decision making
Video games: More than child's play for leaders
VIRGINIA GALT
From Friday's Globe and Mail

Nuclear power plant managers are hardly your stereotypical video gamers.

Yet, there were a couple of dozen of them recently, alternating between elation and meltdown over an educational video game that Ontario Power Generation Inc. asked them to play as part of a leadership-development exercise.

Their mission: to turn around a failing technology company. As the day-long gaming session progressed at OPG's plant in Pickering, Ont., the competing teams clustered closer around their computer screens, decibel levels rising as they shouted their delight, or dismay, over each advance or setback.

Grownups indulging in child's play? Only in part, says Judy Wood, an OPG manager specializing in organizational effectiveness who sent the workers to play.
There is a serious intent behind these play-and-learn sessions: to teach managers to become better decision-makers through computer simulations where, as in life, every choice has a consequence, Ms. Wood says.

The immediate reward for players: successfully advancing to the next level of the game.

The longer-term reward for those who master, and later apply, the strategies and lessons learned: the prospect of taking their careers to the next level.
Employees tend to absorb more by actually working through problems than by sitting through dry lectures on theories of managing change, Ms. Wood says.

The technology allows players to test their analytical, decision-making and management skills in “a safe environment” — safe in that there is no risk to the bottom lines of the organizations that employ them if they make a mistake, adds Dan Ondrack, a management professor and academic director of executive programs at the University of Toronto's Joseph L. Rotman School of Management.

OPG is among a growing number of companies that now supplement traditional management courses with video games to enhance the skills of their executives and fast-track the next generation of leaders.

The technology has also been incorporated into leadership-development programs at companies including Bombardier Inc., Royal Bank of Canada and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.

The United States Navy has used video-game simulations to increase the ability of its leaders to make the right decisions under time pressure, as has the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the United Nations and the Central Intelligence Agency.

Rotman and other business schools were among the earliest adopters, reinforcing classroom lessons with video games that simulate real-life business scenarios.
The use of video simulation as a management training tool is still so new there have not yet been any conclusive academic studies about its effectiveness.

But there is no question about its growing popularity. “Video games have captured the attention of training professionals, and are emerging as an increasingly popular training tool,” according to a discussion paper by researchers Janis Canon-Bowers of the University of Central Florida and Karin Ovis of George Mason University presented this year at the annual conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Deborah Hurst, a professor in the centre for innovative management at Alberta's Athabasca University, has used the technology in her on-line MBA courses.
“The students really develop a new level of insight. They just come back [after playing the simulations] and are able to discuss things on another level and they love it. It just provides a little variety into the learning environment.”

The North American executive-training market is served by a handful of “boutique players.” There is not enough money in leadership development simulations to attract the big gaming companies, such as Nintendo Co. Ltd., says Lawrence Suda, chief executive officer of New York-based Palatine Group, which developed a project-management simulation for NASA.

However, the big video-game companies have certainly primed the niche market for simulations as an adult training tool, he says.

“We have this new generation of people coming into the business field who have played these games, and they don't want to just sit still and listen to all these people talking about leadership and management,” he says. “They want to actually have some hands-on experience. They want to be promoted faster, and they want to have challenging assignments faster.”

In the change-management game at OPG, teams chose from 50 tactics in their race to save the fictitious tech company from insolvency and return it to profitability. Their success hinged on identifying the problems, developing a strategy, making a compelling case for change and getting buy-in throughout the ranks.
Among the lessons learned: to create the sense of urgency needed to make the necessary changes, do not bring in the chief executive officer midway through to make an upbeat speech.

Click on that bring-in-the-CEO option and, immediately, shop supervisor “Ralphy Jones” pops up on the screen, saying: “I guess I can relax now, I was getting worried.”

The sense of complacency that sets in after the boss's don't-worry speech threatens the success of the turnaround attempt, says James Chisholm, co-founder of Toronto-based ExperiencePoint Inc., which designed the game.

Players also decide when and if to fire “resisters” to the proposed changes. (Hint: Pulling the trigger too early in the game can backfire and create anxiety throughout the organization.)

They decide whether to shock their virtual employees into compliance by presenting the worst-case scenario if they do not participate in the turnaround effort. (Worst-case scenarios have a surprisingly galvanizing effect).

And they call the shots on rewards for good performance. (Frequent offerings of such recognition are always a good strategy).

Back in the real world, simulations “have become an integral part” of the training and development strategy at computer services company Electronic Data Systems Corp of Dallas.

Combined with traditional class-room lectures, on-line courses and podcasts, the simulations give participants a feel for actual problems they will encounter. Before they log off, players are debriefed on what they could have done differently and where they were successful — “things to think about when you are in that circumstance in real life,” says Dave Arcemont, vice-president of global work force management for EDS.

Mr. Arcemont himself has tried his hand at an adapted version of the project-management game first devised by the Palatine Group for NASA.

The game plays out over four days, taking participants through all the complexities of managing a major project — in this case, landing a spaceship on Mars — from start to completion.

It is just one component of the “advanced project leadership curriculum” at EDS, which aims to take talented employees from the point where they can manage a single project to a level where they can manage “multiple global projects at one time,” Mr. Arcemont says.

“I believe, and what we have seen through our measurement and feedback sessions with participants, is that simulations really accelerate learning by modelling real-life experiences.”

The simulations draw on business-school theory for their content and video-game technology for their fun factor, he says.

Clearly, it takes much more than the mastery of a game to rise through the ranks and become a more influential player in the real world, Palatine Group's Mr. Suda says.
“That's what we tell them upfront. We can't guarantee success, but we can set you up for the probability of being successful. Even in a simulation, as in life, there are elements of luck,” he says.

“Some people get lucky, and some people can do all the right things and be unlucky.”
But, hey, that's reality.

The outlook remains bright for Canadian small- and medium-sized businesses in 2007

2006-10-17T23:28:00.000-07:00

globeandmail.com : Small Business:

Outlook remains bright
Canadian Press
Toronto

The outlook remains bright for Canadian small- and medium-sized businesses in 2007, say two separate economic reports released Wednesday.

The first, a Scotiabank survey, suggests that small-business owners in B.C. are the most optimistic about the Canadian economy, with 38 per cent saying it will improve over the next year.
Nationally, about 28 per cent said they believe general economic conditions will see a boost in the next 12 months. But Canada seems to be on an optimism upswing.

Last year, fewer small business owners said they expected the national economy to deteriorate, dropping to 23 per cent from 45 per cent of those surveyed a year ago.

Nearly half of respondents said the economic climate would likely stay the same.
"Small-business owners have indicated their optimism about Canada's prospects in the year ahead and that will go a long way toward reinforcing the economy's forward momentum," said Scotiabank deputy chief economist Aron Gampel.

In Western Canada, many small companies are benefiting from work they do for the booming energy sector, especially the natural gas industry in northeastern British Columbia and the oilsands of northeastern Alberta. High metal prices have also spurred growth in mining companies across Canada.

Heading eastward from B.C. and Alberta, some provinces are a little more pessimistic. In Quebec and Atlantic Canada, only 22 per cent of those surveyed predict a bright immediate future for businesses.

Even if not everyone is boasting about Canada's growth potential over the next year, about 46 per cent believe their own businesses will see increased growth during the period.

Another 47 per cent expect their business's results will stay the same, with the remaining seven per cent predicting lower results. Those numbers were equivalent to last year's responses.

A second study by TD Bank's economics department also suggested Wednesday that prospects remain positive for small- and medium-sized enterprises.
The study found that despite the deteriorating outlook for the U.S. economy, the Canadian small business sector is poised for continued growth. That's because most businesses of that size don't engage in as much international trade as larger firms and will likely be insulated from the U.S. slowdown.

A small business is one that employs less than 100 workers, while a medium-sized business employs between 100 to 500, the report said.

"Most SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) are concentrated on the domestic economy with particularly large footprints in health care, construction, and consumer and business services," said senior economist Derek Burleton, who co-authored the report.

"The good news is that these domestic areas of Canada's economy should hold up well over the next few years, supported by a strong labour market, an increase in government spending, relatively low lending rates, and cuts to small business income tax rates implemented by severalprovincial governments."

The TD report, however, warns of "regional variations in conditions" facing SMEs, noting that central Canadian businesses are more closely tied to the country's beleaguered manufacturing sector than their counterparts in Western Canada.

Meanwhile, Scotiabank's annual review of small businesses asks owners about their concerns and priorities for the year ahead, as well as possible trends.
Respondents most frequently mentioned concerns with the financial, government, labour and competition issued, the bank said.

Financial issues, like taxes, fuel prices, and interest rates were named as major issues by 60 per cent of those polled.

The survey results are considered accurate within 4.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

TNS Canadian Facts conducted the survey using the firm's online financial panel. E-mail invitations were sent to 3,158 members of the panel, made up of more than 32,000 Canadian Internet users who have agreed to participate in survey research from time to time.

In total, 573 on-line interviews were completed between Aug. 17 and Aug. 31, a completion rate of 18 per cent. Small business owners were defined as those who were an owner or a partner in a business with annual revenues under $5 million.

They also had to derive their primary source of income from the business and be involved with the business on a full-time basis. Final data were weighted by region and business revenue to reflect the small-business population in Canada.

2006-10-12T23:46:00.000-07:00

Honda Ad

2006-09-20T23:11:00.000-07:00

Cingular presents: YouTube Underground!

A competition hosted on You Tube for musicians.

2006-08-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

Get LinkedIn!

A very cool use of video to feature her LinkedIn profile.

The new executive: Chief Networking Officer (CNO)

2006-07-05T08:17:00.000-07:00

by Octavio Pitaluga

I have once written about CNO - Chief Networking Officer and debated if this position would be suitable for the new corporate world where long term relationships and win-win partnerships are gaining more and more importance on daily basis. I entitled myself Chief Networking Officer and created a new business - Net-bridges - offering services on business networks coaching, training and executive networking events. In the meantime, I was very glad when I discovered that there are a growing number of professional CNOs worldwide. I decided to interview a pioneer in the field, Selma Prodanovic, CNO of brainswork (TM).

What was your previous experience before you become a CNO?

After studying international marketing, I worked in Headquarters for Central & Eastern Europe of worldwide advertising networks where I developed our offices but also coordinated the market entries of 25 different multinational clients in 15 countries. The most fascinating part of my work was to connect with individuals within the worldwide network, and locate transferable knowledge and experience on each specific client. By the way, one of my favourite contacts was in your home country Brazil.

Later on, my international work continued as I coordinated the work of film crews while shooting TV commercials for example in Venezuela, Germany, New Zealand and South Africa at the same time. But I also worked in investment consulting, teaching, training, lecturing, strategic marketing consulting and communications. In short, after 15 years of new business development I started my own business end of 2003.

What motivated you to become a CNO? When/how did this happen?

I am a passionate networker and I am personally devoted to progress achieved through networking and brainsworking.
I lived in several countries in Europe and Africa, and was educated in four different educational systems, so while moving from one country to another, I had to learn already as a child, how important social networking was, especially when starting from scratch.
The interest in networking started as a personal conviction - every one of us can make a positive difference, but it works best if we make our diversity connected - and later on it developed to be a professional and academic interest.
Also, I did not have a "straight" career. This seemed to be a disadvantage at one point because I did not fit in the already existing "boxes" but then I realized that exactly this diversity of experiences and people I met, is my biggest asset and greatest strength. I enjoy connecting these various aspects of my life and business. My passion for networking culminated when I started brainswork™ the creative business development group now already working in three continents, and became Chief Networking Officer.

What's your routine as CNO?

I spend part of my day at the computer managing contacts and preparing content for clients, and the other lecturing in networks, meeting network members, or participating in networking events. I consult more than a dozen various networks worldwide, but also consult and coach individuals and companies on how to profit from networking and to be more efficient. I am currently working on various research projects, developing a course on business networking with an international university, preparing a book, writing articles, or giving interviews as this oneJ.
It is important to note that my primary business is new business development, and networking is on one hand a tool I use to efficiently and successfully reach my business goals, and on the other hand, simply my way of being.

Who are your major networks today (please mention some industries and level of contacts, e,g., airlines and Marketing Directors)?

My network includes international top management and government officials but also contacts I made in my kid's kindergarten (which turned into fantastic business cooperation). I love the variety of my networks which gives me the freedom to choose both the people I work with and the projects I work on. In general this approach delivers top results which mean happy clients, who then lead to more recommendations, and more business… Although I have an international and very diverse network, and clients ranging from USA to Ukraine the majority of my contacts relates to the South-East of Europe, and to entrepreneurs especially in creative industries. I work with innovative technology start-ups, but also work on development strategies of cities and even countries.

How do your work with media?

An efficient relationship to the "mightiest" network is very important. I have direct and regular contact with a relatively small but selected number of journalists, opinion leaders. They need the information I have and I need the impact they can provide - a classical win:win networking relationship.
But today, working with the journalists is not enough. You also have to be aware of independent bloggers, and well connected network members; their number and power is growing. Even many journalists use weblogs, blogs, or podcasts as sources of information or inspiration; not to mention the growing relevance of buzz marketing campaigns.

What is the profile of a CNO?

CNOs must have brainsworking skills. This means they have to be able to use their "networking intelligence", their connected thinking skills, to share and create new knowledge with the goal to foster business development (which also includes personal development, creativity and innovation). It is a person who facilitates and develops communication of all stakeholders. CNOs must have excellent people skills and entrepreneurial spirit.

How does a CNO aggregate value to his/her organization?

The CNO leads and facilitates the development of the social capital (social networks) of a company and works directly with the CEO. The facilitation of both tacit and implicit knowledge exchange, a higher level of brainsworking skills within the company, leads to higher and more efficient both individual and overall business performance. On corporate level it could mean: more turnover and less costs; more efficiency through synergy effects; easier new client acquisition / business development; better and longer client relationships; more efficient knowledge sharing & management with all stakeholders; higher intrapreneurship skills; more innovation and creativity; more positive and inspired environment; easier sharing of company values and building a sense of community; easier recruitment of high potentials; better reputation & image transfer on clients

How well does the corporate market understand the CNO position today in Europe and worldwide?

Business today is more and more about people's relations. The relationship a corporation has with their consumers in Europe will also influence the relationship this same corporation has with consumers in Brazil. Why? Because consumers talk to each other directly more and more, be it through weblogs, blogs, or on-line networks. This is a small world. The management far too often sees employees only as statistical data and forgets the individuals behind. We need to better understand people’s relations and realize the force behind it. We need professional networking skills.
Let me give you an example. Imagine the quite, introvert employee in the last corner office, a good worker but with no power within the corporation. And now imagine this same person is a 5.000+ contacts networker within an online network. Due to technological advancement and the development of online networks, this is possible. If we assume that each person has a social network of 500 contacts (family, friends, school friends, former colleagues,..), your employee can reach 5.000 x 500 people! Imagine the power and the potential consequences.

Is CNO position getting popular in Europe and worldwide? What´s the trend?

Yes, it is gaining importance, and I am positive we will see an exponential raise of CNO is the next 3-5 years.
I started as CNO in 2004 and at that time it sounded a bit strange. Even in November 2005 at a Vienna Hub round table on networking with professional networkers like Bill Liao from OpenBC, I was the only CNO. In January 2006, OpenBC appointed a CNO, and today the number of networks and companies relying on CNOs is growing. Exceptional networkers existed long before the internet, but the profession itself is developing only now.

Free web seminars featuring top authors and business leaders

2006-04-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

Just thought you might be interested in this amazing resource. No catch! It's perfect for people that don't have enough time (or don't like) to sit down and read.

Archives
http://main.placeware.com/demos/web_seminar_archive.cfm

Partial List of Speakers:

Brian Tracy (Author and Presenter)
Bo Burlingham, Inc. Magazine (Editor)
Donald Trump
Daniel Pink, A Whole New Mind (Author)
Dr. Ken Blanchard, One Minute Manager (Author)
Scott Blanchard, Leverage Your Best, Ditch the Rest (Author)
Steve Levitt and Stephen Dubnerm, Freakonomics (Author)
Steven Little, The 7 Irrefutable Rules of Small Business Growth (Author)
Tom Peters, many many books (Author)
Tom Sant, Persuasive Business Proposals (Author)
Zig Ziglar (sales guru)

Fyi, I have NO affilation to this site or the contents. Just thought it was a good resource.

Regards,

Tats

Art as a Role Model for Business

2006-04-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

By Linda Naiman

As organizational life becomes increasingly complex, chaotic, and confusing, leaders are searching for solutions outside the traditional spheres of business. We cannot find all the answers to our problems in the world of the rational, logical, and scientific. We need to bring other competencies into the equation: creative, artistic, imaginative, symphonic, and mythic. These competencies have been largely ignored in contemporary organizations. There is growing awareness, however, that they are vital to organizational success, and consequently the arts are emerging as a role model for business to adopt.

All great art pushes boundaries beyond established norms and thus can teach us about aesthetics, ambiguity, diversity, chaos, change, courage, and complexity. (The arts encompass the visual art forms of drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, electronic media, design, and video, as well as the performing arts, which include dance, story telling, poetry, music, film. and theatre.) Brandweek (1998), a publication for marketing and branding professionals, notes that "to understand the process of creative genius it is valid for business people to look at the model of the artist. The business of the artist is to create, navigate opportunity, explore possibility, and master creative breakthrough. We need to restore art, the creation of opportunity, to business."

A growing number of companies in the UK, Europe, the US and Canada are using the arts to enhance organizational performance, including: American Express, BBC, Boeing, British Airways, Coca-Cola, IBM, Kodak, Lever Faberge, Pfizer, Shell, and the World Bank. Canadian and US government agencies are also using the arts as a tool for transformation in leadership development initiatives. Learning Lab Denmark (www.lld.dk) is being funded by the government of Denmark to study what business can learn from the arts.

What can business learn from the arts?
Deborah Jacroux, a work/life consultant with the Microsoft Corporation (USA) says, "Over the years the logical/analytical left brain has dominated business decision making. Skills that utilize intuition, inspiration, and active imagination haven’t found a home within the corporate world. Many employees have equally separated their love of creativity and the arts, and a chasm exists between their right and left brains. The arts convey stories and the opportunity to enter a place where all is possible. The major obstacles corporations currently face such as diversity, cross-group collaboration, and work/life balance, can all be met with an increased focus on the arts.

What is art if not the enactment of diversity? All art, whether the visual arts, spoken stories, or the grace of dance, expresses the rich variety of authenticity of culture, a tapestry of humanity already painted for our eyes to read as symbols and understand with our hearts. Work rises from the soul and sculpts our future using creative imagination. Corporations of the future that understand the creative impulse within the human spirit will be the leaders of tomorrow."
Businesses today want to break away from their limitations, aim higher, and be a creative force for the greater good of the world. We need the transformative experiences the arts give us to thrive in a world of change. In ancient cultures, the mystery schools put students through initiations to overcome fear, learn something about their true nature, and gain self-actualization (self-mastery). The arts give us a taste of the mystery and help make sense of the world.
The arts take us on adventures in creative expression that help us to safely explore unknown territory, overcome fear, and take risks. We can transfer these learning experiences to the workplace. Art-making has an alchemical effect on the imagination. It teaches us to think in symbols, metaphors, and to de-code complexity.

Mining Group Gold
In my own work with organizations, I’ve noticed that a shared art experience in an environment of trust and freedom, enhances our sense of belonging, and creates a crucible for deep conversation from which emerge caring, camaraderie, and genius-level thinking. I call this process mining group gold. Participants in my seminars have observed that:

"Art can be part of the process of bridging gaps/polarities."
"Art creates a different kind of conversation than the verbal/ cerebral one of the workplace."
"Painting was an experience of listening with other senses."
"Art gives us new ways to experience each other."
John Seely Brown, former chief scientist at Xerox PARC and director of the PAIR program, (which paired artist with researchers at PARC), says, "The artists revitalize the atmosphere by bringing in new ideas, new ways of thinking, new modes of seeing and new contexts for doing. This is radically different from most corporate support of the arts, where there is little intersection between the disciplines…

There are three ways I look at [the impact of an art experience]. One is the notion that engaging in these types of activities evokes deeper responses, deeper emotions. It brings forth many of the tacitly held beliefs and assumptions that you have. So think of it as evocative of the tacit knowledge. The second is that focused conversations are built and fused together around evocative objects that concern problems that the researcher has on his or her mind. I have said very often, it was the researcher that had the real problem, but the interaction with the artist actually made a big difference. The third concerns the power of simplicity. Simplicity prior to complexity doesn’t mean much. But simplicity, after you pass through the wall of complexity, after you have marinated in a fully nuanced reading of the situation and then rendering it in very simple ways, is extraordinarily powerful."

Knowledge Creation
"Hearing something 100 times, is not the same as seeing it once." Chinese proverb

Art teaches us to sharpen our senses and perceive the world in new ways. Using art/imagery to visualize information is an effective means of knowledge creation. Equiva Services, a support services company for joint venture companies formed by Shell Oil Company, Texaco and Saudi Refining, established a learning lab to study successful new economy companies. Participants in the study embarked on field trips to learn how these companies leverage creativity and high performance. Once they completed their information gathering, their next challenge was to synthesize their findings, and make sense of it all. Participants made sculptural models incorporating words and images to give form to their ideas. Their artwork sparked inquiry, dialogue, storytelling and reflection among the group.

According to Nick Nissley and Gary Jusela researchers involved in this project, these sculptures were the structural capital that “led to the telling of stories about how the energy of imagination and knowledge from the participants’ field visits could be harnessed into intellectual capital.” Using art to visualize information and ideas is a simple and powerful way to make knowledge explicit. The art process made visible what it takes to operate in the new economy. (Equiva ASTD 2002)

Improv as a model for organizing chaos
Jerry Kail, senior OD consultant, LexisNexis, uses the principles of Improv to guide his work in what might otherwise be a chaotic environment. He says, "Actors, especially improvisational actors, have been training their minds for centuries to deal with the unanticipated or, rather, to ‘anticipate surprise.' All of the learnings of improvisational acting apply to learning soft skills in the workplace... It’s very common for me to facilitate the work of a group of people who haven’t worked together before and who aren’t located in the same city, country, or hemisphere. Their challenge can be equated to that of an improv team: to jointly create a coherent narrative from little more than ‘Here’s the goal. Figure out how to get there.' ...Team members must identify promising directions to follow, accept offers for exploration, relate all the various stimuli to the emerging narrative, strike out into risky areas, relinquish trying to control the ultimate outcome, and ultimately create a coherent result that incorporates as many of the threads as possible. In the best improv and the best business teams, there are no stars, no upstaging. The team is the star."

"Unfreezing" the Story
Theatre is also being used by organizations to explore problems that might be difficult to discuss, especially if the situation is emotionally charged. Having professional actors 'playback' the story, externalizes the situation, and makes it safe to discuss. Lena Bjørn, co-founder of The Decapo Theater (Denmark) says "We often work with companies in a period of transition. I think basically what we can do with the theater is to open up the dialogue. Maybe it has never been there; maybe it has been frozen for some reason. We activate their issues but we do it in a safe way because we come with this fiction. Theatre can effect a kind of relief because we use a lot of humor—Ha-ha! Look at what they are doing. It's like us. So we can bring relief by being able to look at our-selves and we can bring reflection."
Art is a means to learn about ourselves and our relationships with each other, to uncover truth, knowledge, to sense emerging futures, to encourage dialogue that embraces many points of view, and to develop skills in logical and conceptual thinking —crucial for achieving success in any endeavor.
For organizations to flourish, we must create environments that foster creativity in all its diversity. We must bring together multi-talented groups of people who collaborate and orchestrate the exchange of knowledge and ideas that shape the future. The question to ask your organization is “What can we learn from the arts that we can apply to business?" A growing number of organizations in business and government are doing just that!
This essay was adapted from Orchestrating Collaboration at Work: Using Music, Improv, Storytelling and Other Arts to Improve Teamwork, by Arthur B. VanGundy, and Linda Naiman. (Wiley/Pfeiffer/Jossey-Bass, 2003)

© Copyright 2004, Linda Naiman & Assoc Inc. All rights reserved.

Linda Naiman BFA, is founder of Creativity at Work, a Vancouver BC consulting coaching and training group, at the forefront of transformational change in organizations. Linda may be reached at 604.327.1565 or through www.creativityatwork.com.

Linda's book "Orchestrating Collaboration at Work" is available for sale through the www.creativityatwork.com site.

Join LinkedIn Canada

2006-02-28T21:39:00.000-08:00

Linkedin Canada is a discussion and networking group for professionals seeking to do business in Canada or with Canadians located outside of Canada proper.

Canada is one of the Top Ten Regions for Linkedin networkers. Thus, it is proper for Canada to have a discussion group centered on its needs and business opportunities.

LinkedIn Canada

globeandmail.com : Small Business

2006-02-26T14:40:00.000-08:00

globeandmail.com : Small Business:
A real computer solution for small businesses

DAN MCLEAN
From Thursday's Globe and Mail

Self-healing computing could be just what the doctor ordered for small businesses.

Nitix, described as an 'autonomic server operating system,' comes with a made-in-Canada label. Developed by Net Integration Technologies Inc. of Markham, Ont., the autonomic part of Nitix has computing functions such as self-management, self-configuration, self-optimization and the aforementioned self-healing capabilities -- all part of a Linux-based system specifically designed for small businesses.

(Click on the hyperlink above to view the entire article)

globeandmail.com : Small Business

2006-02-26T14:36:00.000-08:00

globeandmail.com : Small Business:
"A real computer solution for small businesses

DAN MCLEAN
From Thursday's Globe and Mail

Self-healing computing could be just what the doctor ordered for small businesses.

Nitix, described as an 'autonomic server operating system,' comes with a made-in-Canada label. Developed by Net Integration Technologies Inc. of Markham, Ont., the autonomic part of Nitix has computing functions such as self-management, self-configuration, self-optimization and the aforementioned self-healing capabilities -- all part of a Linux-based system specifically designed for small businesses.

(Click on the hyperlink above to view the entire article)"

globeandmail.com : Small Business

2006-02-26T14:32:00.000-08:00

globeandmail.com : Small Business: "
Who is Canada's best small or medium business employer?

For the first time, small and medium businesses will be able to compete for the title of Best Employers in Canada in the annual ranking of companies conducted by Hewitt Associates.

Organizations are now being sought to participate in the eighth annual study by the global human resources services firm, and Report on Business magazine.
The 2006 winners of the Hewitt survey will appear in the Spring issue of Report on [Small] Business magazine, included in the Globe and Mail on April 12. Meanwhile, the full list of 'Best Employers in Canada,' will be published in the Jan. 2007 issue of the Globe and Mail's Report on Business magazine and in the French daily newspaper La Presse.

The study will be conducted by Queen's School of Business and Queen's Centre for Business Venturing in conjunction with Hewitt Associates.
'We are excited by the addition of a small and mid-size organizations list to this prestigious ranking, as all Canadian organizations - regardless of their size - can now see how they stack up against the Best Employers in the country,' said Hewitt Associates' Neil Crawford, leader of the 'Best Employers in Canada' study.

'Many organizations leverage this list as an opportunity to learn what other organizations are doing and work on ways to enhance their own human resources and people programs.'

Companies with 50-399 Canadian-based permanent employees are eligible for the Best Small & Medium Employers in Canada study. The study is free to enter and is open to all employers that meet these criteria, whether public or private sector, charitable or not-for-profit.

Registration closes at the end of May. All participants, regardless of ranking, will receive complimentary access to Hewitt's Engagement Check-Up website to view their individual results benchmarked against those of the year's Best Employers.

For more information and to register to participate in the Best Small & Medium Employers in Canada 2007 study, please visit http://business.queensu.ca/qcbv/sme"

globeandmail.com : Small Business

2006-02-26T14:19:00.000-08:00

globeandmail.com : Small Business: "
Entrepreneur publishes on-line for free
OMAR EL AKKAD
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
Bruce Judson is putting his latest book on-line free of charge, a move he and his publisher hope will drive sales, increase exposure and prove a new model for book delivery in the digital age.
Mr. Judson, a successful entrepreneur and senior faculty fellow at Yale University's school of management, is the first HarperCollins Publishers author to put the entirety of his latest book on his website. Users don't have to pay a penny to read Go It Alone: The Secret to Building a Successful Business on Your Own. Instead, each digital page is bordered by Yahoo Inc. and Google Inc. text ads based on keywords in the book. The new business model isn't just a first for the author, it's also a first for his publisher. If successful, it may be embraced as a viable new strategy by traditional book publishers, long considered the media managers with the most to lose from the Internet...
(Click on the hyperlink above to view the entire article)"

globeandmail.com : Communication more than just sending e-mails

2006-02-26T14:14:00.000-08:00

globeandmail.com : Communication more than just sending e-mails: "

Communication more than just sending e-mails

Sometimes, face-to-face is the best way to get the message across, Virginia Galt writes

From Saturday's Globe and Mail
We're so hooked on e-mail that we sometimes send electronic notes to the person sitting in the very next cubicle, instead of having a conversation. The recordings we leave on our answering machines are often so vague that a caller has no idea whether we're actually in the office or enjoying the second week of a vacation in Hawaii.

We telephone each other from the gym, the road, the checkout line, distracted as we struggle to get everything done -- all to the detriment of effective communication, says consultant Jo'Ann Alderson, president of Toronto-based Progressive Communications Inc.
'Today, over 80 per cent of our business is actually conducted without ever seeing the people we work with,' Ms. Alderson told the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario convention, held recently in Toronto.

But even though we may be faceless, we still leave an impression -- good or bad -- on the very people we need to persuade, cajole, serve and team up with everyday, says Ms. Alderson, who advises clients on how to use telephone and e-mail technology to their best effect.
'How do you come across when people can't see you?'

The most basic, but frequently neglected principle, is that the other person's time is just as important as ours, communication consultants say.

(click on the hyperlink above to view the full article)"

Networking Coach - Networking Workshops, Advice and Consulting - Home

2006-02-26T11:00:00.000-08:00

Networking Coach - Networking Workshops, Advice and Consulting - Home: "

Network more efficiently and with more fun!

Take a look at this website for some very good information on effective networking.
At the top of the page click on "Get your FREE e-course !" for a detailed course at no charge."

The Networking Game by Octavio Pitaluga, MBA

2006-02-17T08:40:00.000-08:00

The Networking Game by Octavio Pitaluga' MBA

Every January, I celebrate my anniversary concerning online networking activities since I was invited to join LinkedIn first and joined Ecademy soon afterwards. As a result, I have been keeping a leading position in Brazil concerning all my preferred international platforms: LinkedIn, Ecademy, openBC and more recently successBC. My conclusion is very simple and straightforward: there is a networking game and that the great majority of professionals do not know that (a) there's such a game, (b) its rules and procedures and (c) how to play it effectively. This article complements some ideas expressed before and is the starting point of my homonymous book. (Publishers, watch out !)

Let me start by quickly proving my point showing some figures found on LinkedIn, the most populated among all my preferable platforms:

A) Worldwide: Top networkers (number of connections = number of persons)
10,001+ = 18
5,001-10,000 = 26
1,500-5,000 = 270
1.160-1,500 = 170
Total: 500 out of 4.6 Mio

B) Brazil: Top networkers: (number of connections = number of persons)
10,001+ = 1
5,001-10,000 = 2
1,500-5,000 = 7
1,000-1,500 = 10
Total: 20 out of 117,000

My status
Using online networking tools, I have been experiencing a good number of new contacts given that I connect with basically the same people in all of them. A great majority of my today's business (70-80%) was initially discovered in these platforms. In addition, I went to Europe in Sep/Oct 2005 and met many of those people in person just to make sure that they are exactly who I thought they were during our Skype calls. Many of them became good friends and business partners.

However, there was also another number of people who I truly helped, put time and energy on it, believed in what they said and even met some of them in person. They pretended to be nice just for the time I was helping them. When I asked for compensation, they turned their backs and went away. This fact also happened with old friends (10-20 years+) when I returned to Brazil in a very bad economic period after 3.5 years in Europe.

Networking is really about oneself and one's own values, moral principles, ethics and nature. It is not that related to number of contacts, education, years of experience, personal encounters, previous working experience, etc... If one is really reliable, one will act correctly online and offline, in Brazil or anywhere in the world. Then question is how do you know who is good or bad for you? Well, whenever I interact with somebody, I use my own checking list based on 5 basic points:

1.Identification: looking at my key words and profile, what do we have in common?
2.Complementarities: how can our skills, knowledge and experiences complement each other?
3.Synergies: how can we sum up our skills, knowledge and experiences so that 1+1 = 3?
4.Leverage: how can we accelerate our growth and wealth exponentially by working together at a minimum effort?
5.Resonance: how much do our values, principles; beliefs, passions, purposes, energy resonate at the same frequency?

All these points are important but the major one is resonance. Resonance is music, love, passion, own mission and purpose in life. Have you ever felt that you do not like someone but you do not know why? That's bad resonance. Sometimes, you feel that the music is ok but after a while something changes and you stop resonating. And that happened with some people who caused me a terrible experience, people I worked with and helped a lot. No hard feelings but I just know that it was time to move on with a clean and light heart. And forget about everything else.

My approach
In these online platforms, I disclose my e-mail and give the benefit of the doubt to everybody who invites me to connect. From my end, I invite people based on 4 major criterions: (a) have met in person, (b) friends of friends (very important), (c) MBA alumni and (d) very interesting profiles who are in line with my professional interests. I address everybody in a very courteous and polite manner. I even include a nice slide show audio and reveal my Skype id to those who are willing to see and contact the me before accepting my invitation. I have nothing to hide and am not afraid of anyone in this kind of environment.

Answers
Normally, I receive 9 basic types of answers:

1. Simple accept - 78%
2. Accept with "thank you" note - 10%
3. Accept and ask me to represent them in Brazil - 3%
4. Accept and send a CV - 2% (please do not do it as I am not a head-hunter)
5. Simple refusal - 7%
6. Refusal with unpolite message - 2%
7. Refusal with a polite explanation - 1%
8. No short term decision but asking for a reason politely - 1%
9. No short term decision but asking for a reason aggressively - 1%

It's amazingly interesting to see different reactions before the same situation. Another remarkable point is that about 30-40% of invitees do not care to answer invitations. Not even when they are asked for a 2nd time. Either they put the invitation in a "decide later" list, simply delete it or forget it. I have no idea on what happens. However, these findings support my pool results.

Given all these scenarios, I can state firmly that we are in the infancy of the online networking game. Even though many people accept my invitations, the great majority (80%) hasn't even seen it as a game. They do not understand that there's something going on. For good, I strongly hope. People do not clearly see why they should network both online and offline intensively and extensively reaching anywhere in the world.

My reading
When somebody is refusing my invitation by saying "I do not know you" or "what is in it for me" or "I only connect with people in my region", I simply see that this person do not understand the Four Basic Principles of Networking Game listed below.

Somebody will argue that "one cannot refer to a stranger". Yes, it's a good point. However, how many times you trusted in a referral that ended up into a big disaster? I have a sizeable number of stories myself. Referrals from very distinguished people who work for reputed organizations. I lowered my guard; neglect my check-in-list and ... loss. So, from now on, I will consider referrals during my own checking but what I really want to see is PERFORMANCE. It does not necessarily mean something outstanding. I evaluate quickly if I am before a "talk the walk" fellow or a "walk the talk" one. It's as simple as that. Basic start is to do exactly what was agreed upon timely. Otherwise, communication quality is key to show who serious that person is. And there we go... gaining more and more experiences until I really TRUST that person.

Besides, all these online connections are very weak per se. Anyone can easily disconnect at any time both virtually and in the real life. I have done it many times and may continue doing it. But how can I know that this will happen? Resonance is the answer again. I understand that systems are open to be continuously refreshed and that people come and go following their own sounds and guiding stars. I just really hope to serve the great majority of good ones and keep them my life forever.

Why do I network so much? Why is that so important to me?
Thanks to business communities with extremely valuable forums full of wise and generous people, I discovered that I am a Creator with strong Star and Mechanic, which explains why I have so many ideas and strongly need to create my own products/services (Creator), take my own challenges and promote my uniqueness (Star) and have strong preference for technology/value added tools, methodologies, processes and their related applications and benefits (Mechanic).

Misguided by my own communication skills and persuasiveness, I have been wrongly performing as dealmaker. I do not enjoy sales process that much. I want to be totally free to create and deliver my creation rather than sell it. So, despite my large network, please do not ask me to represent anybody. Conversely, I am looking for those who would be willing to represent me. Actually, my preferable partner is someone who complements me. My products and services should fit smoothly into their portfolio and vice-versa. I do want to establish an egalitarian and mutually beneficial relationship.

I am currently building several golden teams in order to move forward with a couple of business ideas. As a result of this approach, 70-80% of my existing business partners and clients were first met online, then we moved to a Skype call once we saw some win-wins. My most valuable business partners are working very hard in order to make some of our dreams come true very soon.

Business Networkh Management Workshops
Given all above and based on past experiences and background, I revised my own value proposition while growing my network randomly inside online networking platforms. I am very glad that there's such huge opportunity/demand to train and coach professionals about the networking game. As a result of extremely valuable feedback from my networks, I created two-day Business Networks Management workshop to the vast majority of executives and entrepreneurs who still have some doubts about managing their networks efficiently in order to reach their goals. We will specially discuss the increasing importance of CNO - Chief Networking Officer role in all sort of organizations, including online networking platforms. Coaching sessions can polish the overwhelming amount of knowledge and ideas that will be generated in these workshops. Let me give you a brief flavor of what is all about by telling my Four Basic Principles of Networking Game

1.Balanced and Win-win partnership:
One must be concerned in proving wins to the partner. When only one side is winning much more than the other, only 2 options: (a) balance will be reached amicably soon or (b) relationship will be broken. One must serve the network before being served by it.

2.Global random connections: Ten very good reasons to expand your network randomly

Looking for new job: we never know when we will need quick help to find another position. An in many occasions, this help will come from the least expected person

Expanding business geographically: hopefully, one will need reliable and competent people to support his/her growth

Building teams: where can I find these guys? Who are they?

Look for new ventures, biz partners, investors: who are the most suitable guys for my business?

One route = no route: in many cases, if one have only a route to reach the person one wants, one may have no route at all if those in between decide to act as gatekeepers. The same is true for someone willing to bring good opportunities

Relocation: People are tending to relocate more and more. It's better to know a couple of acquaintances in the neighborhood to guide us around. Mainly, if you want to live abroad

Unhappy careers/relations: there are times in which we need a new and different move in our life in general. Who will support and encourages us to towards a better future? We can find emotional wealth inside your network

FOAF: remember, the direct connection is as important as the connection with friends of a friend

Next generations: what about leaving a nice electronic Rolodex to your kids? If they start talking to your friends and to the kids of your friends, they can be in business much quicker and for longer period, hopefully

New friends: perhaps one can enjoy meeting like-minded people everywhere. Online tools are a good way to start

3.Networking Formula: My Network X ONE's Network
My relationship with one else is not restricted to one and I but it is much wider than this. It encompasses My network versus One's network. This "versus" means the quality, tenure, reliability and reputation that are built over several EXPERIENCES (another key word) between one and I.

Depending on mutual interests and needs, I can face several experiences with a newcomer and speed up my relationship with this person provided we can define a win-win mode very quickly. The more positive outcomes we both experience, the stronger our connection ("versus") will become. Considering our connectivity strengthens, I can work as a gatekeeper or as a business accelerator for that person inside my network. And vice-versa. That's why it's so important to see the network behind every single contact.

4.Wealth Formula: Value X Leverage (as per my own interpretation)
Value is basically expressed for one's value proposition in general (passion, vision, product/service, delivery, trust, confidence, time, respect etc...). The more sophisticated, the more appealing and seductive the value proposition is, the better for all involved stakeholders.

Leverage is found in teams, networking, franchising, mobility, technology and global approach to name a few. It's applicable to any corporation with global presence to individuals (Stars) of sports, movies, music, media etc...

Provided one refines the value proposition that is a widely appreciated by the crowd, then, one can really enrich more and more as one keeps improving and up-grading that same value proposition whilst expanding the network by all possible means.

VIP Networking
In addition, in order to increase offline presence, I have also created VIP Networking services. It is offered to the corporate market, to ex-patriates, to associations in general and to groups consisting of business professionals. We also facilitate the optional participation of spouses with partner programs. Our events vary from formal business meetings with presentations and a networking cocktail party to more relaxing activities with workshops and outdoor trainings. Of course a combination of both scenarios is possible as well. We believe that these activities are of fundamental importance to foreign companies that are interested in knowing more about Brazilian business culture. On the other hand, we are looking for business partners worldwide who could provide the same assistance to Brazilian business people who are willing to expand their operations abroad. I sincerely hope that this new approach will allow me to better serve my own networks.

I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed this article as much as I enjoyed writting it. Looking forward to learn from your positive and constructive feed-back.

Best regards,

Octavio Pitaluga

CNO - Chief Networking Officer, International Business and Networks Coach, Trainer and Public Speaker

Free Product Placement

2006-02-16T10:11:00.000-08:00

Thought you might be interested. Just a project we are working on.

What are we asking for?

We'd like to have Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/) to selected images of your products/services in our "soon to be released" board game (see www.gifttrap.com for more details)

Your product/service will be featured as a gift in the game. Gifts are the game's central theme. The game will include 600 unique gifts. We will not include directly comparable/ similar gifts (or competing brands). So the sooner you accept the sooner we can confirm your unique place in the game.

What's in it for you?

18 million potential opportunities to expose your brand before you get to pay a dime. Product placement will be free for the first 100,000 copies with a typical game played 30 times with an average 6 players per game.

Get your acceptance in quick and beat off your competitors.

Email your digital photos to brandedimages@gifttrap.com (cool images of your brand in action). You must agree to grant us a Creative Commons Attribution license. In return your brand could be included in the game. When your image is shown on a Gift Card we will also include a reference to your website.

What will it look like?

Here are a few examples from our existing partners and from our partner charity, www.righttoplay.com. There is a strong charitable theme to the game and we will be donating 1 copy to charity for every 10 copies sold.

http://www.gifttrap.com/index.php/site/products/

Show me more about the game

Are you gifted at giving? Always get the gifts you want to get? If money was no object, what would you want and what would you give?

GiftTRAP is the perfect board game for 4 to 8 players who know just enough about each other to be dangerous. The more controversial gifts lend themselves to an adult audience. When money is no object, and the gifts get touchy, matching the right gift to the right person makes for some very interesting conversations! Get it wrong and the conversations might not end with the game...

http://www.gifttrap.com/index.php/about/

SONI Presentation

2006-02-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

SONI Canada gave a LinkedIn presentation at the Institute of Chartered Accountants event on Feb 1, 2006. There were 180+ in attendence.

http://www.cica.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/17150/la_id/1.htm

Langley Business Clubs

2006-01-19T09:57:00.000-08:00

Progressive Group for Independent Business - Langley Business Clubs
We will be giving a SONI Canada LinkedIn presentation at the PGIB Langley chapter on Jan 19, 2006 at 12pm noon

SONI Presentation

2006-01-10T17:24:00.000-08:00

We will be giving a SONI Canada LinkedIn presentation at SWAN on Jan 19, 2006 at 8:30am.

http://www.swannetwork.com/whoweare/whoweare.htm

LinkedIn goes Guerrilla

2005-12-28T11:29:00.000-08:00

LinkedIn is honored to have the endorsement of this highly acclaimed book (Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters):

"There are many online sites that facilitate networking. LinkedIn is my favorite. For job-hunters this is a treasure trove of leads."

"Before you do anything else, I want you to establish your LinkedIn profile and invite your network of friends and colleagues to join you-right now! I'm serious! Joining LinkedIn is free and not something you want to 'get around to.' It's very likely your next job won't be your last. You must do it now."

"From a job-hunter's standpoint, LinkedIn represents an opportunity of a lifetime to establish a powerful network of influential colleagues and friends."

Download a 77-page excerpt of Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters, compliments of LinkedIn

- LinkedIn.com

IT|Redux: Social Networking

2005-12-25T16:36:00.000-08:00

IT|Redux: Social Networking: "

December 21, 2005

A LinkedIn Success Story

As an avid LinkedIn user, I have had many occasions to appreciate what this great social networking tool can offer, but none come even close to this one experience.

I got married last Summer and had the honor of receiving guests from all over the world. Among them was a contingent of 20 French people made of family members and very close friends.

Being a satisfied frequent flyer on United, I recommended that they use this airline instead of Air France, which they did, booking a direct flight from Paris to San Francisco...
(click on the blue hyperlink above to view the full article)"

IT|Redux: Social Networking

2005-12-25T16:32:00.000-08:00

IT|Redux: Social Networking: "

December 09, 2005
Social Networking

IP networks create connectivity. Social networks create connexity. Metcalfe's law outlined the exponential value of networks, but when disjointed groups of people get connected through social networking sites such as LinkedIn, unforeseen possibilities emerge and the value becomes transcendental, in a mathematical way at least.

With this category, we will explore innovative ways of leveraging business-oriented social networking sites, present unexpected success stories and track the progress of the best players in the space.

As a sidenote, I am an avid LinkedIn user and usually accept invitations from reputable users. Please feel free to take a look at my profile and send me an invitation at ghalimi at intalio dot com."

Networking with LinkedIn - Podcast Interview with Ron Bates

2005-12-17T23:41:00.000-08:00

How to Get a Job by Ron Bates - New Resume Tools: "

Saturday, November 12, 2005
Networking with LinkedIn - Podcast Interview with Ron Bates
Podcast interview with Ron Bates - Networking with LinkedIn:

www.employmentdigest.net/happybooks/Ron_Bates.mp3

Happy Networking!

Ron Bates
Managing Principal
Executive Advantage Group
rbates@executive-advantage.com

www.cv-advantage.com
www.job-search-campaign.com
Connect with me on LinkedIn
posted by Ron Bates at 10:29 AM"