(6:00 AM August 16, 2010 - REfilling cup of coffee, second time.)
I try to write my blog the week prior, not the morning of. However work at STIR-Communications and my other ventures have been excitedly busy and time got away from me. I am trying to be REsourceful and find a direction for some quick thoughts. Sorry for the brevity. If this doesn’t move you, REread one prior.
I admit it. I am an internal optimist. I love the new, the uphill, the challenge and the underdog. I believe in a bright future, where dreams come true and anything is possible. I wake up daily filled with joy, count my blessings and ensure I engage in life. This is not to say I am not faced with counter emotions of sadness and even tragedy, but even in those moments as well as in my daily business life, I lean on the power of “RE.”
“RE” allows me to change a point of view, fail and begin again, succeed and strive to become even better. “RE” gives me hope, allows me to wish. “R” and “E” are the two most powerful letters in the English language when placed together. “RE” should be a staple in your business and life’s arsenal.
I recently spent some time in New York City with family and friends REconnecting, REabsorbing and REdiscovering the city I called home the majority of my life. REtracing old patterns, I visited some of my favorite spots, REenacting days gone by and REincarnating emotions I had long thought buried. I spent private moments with my father REacting and REaddressing his current life battle. I REassured him I would stay close to family members who were in the middle of REassessing their personal directions. I left my vacation with a REdivivus spirit and REkindled sense of purpose.
My return home was met with all business, I needed to REfocus and the power of “RE” helped me through. First stop was with the President of a development company, who, when it’s all said and done, will deliver the most significant property in the entire Southeast. This has not been an easy task and in many ways mirrors the exact development patterns and hurdles of the famed Rockefeller Center in the early 1900’s. I admire this man, if for nothing else, his determination to succeed. To wake each day facing the slings and arrows from all, with the only hope of one day basking in a REfutable state is not easy. He has never once REcoiled from public perception, even if most has be pure REgurgitation of inaccurate hearsay. Our talks ending with a decision to REevaluate current direction and possibly REcast anew.
Much of my time last week was spent with the Chairman of a national consumer product company. We have been hired to REcreate a product and sector category. To REvive a brand and REestablish market dominance and move the masses to REthink about their current way of life. I will be telling you more about this in the coming weeks.
Whatever you may be faced with this week be confident in your success, get REenergized.
For now, I need to take out the garbage and REnew, REuse and REcycle.
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
Monday, August 16, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
Funny things are everywhere.
Everything that mattered to me in life, much of which formulated my directional existence, I learned from Theodor S. Geisel. He showed me life has a glorious rhythmic cadence. Life’s laughter should be loud, uncontrollable and often. Words are powerful and emotions more so. Life’s levity should be taken seriously, and seriousness, with a touch of levity.
Ted did much in his life, but the areas that touched me greatly were born below deck on a battle ship, while Ted listened to the rhythm of the ship’s engine in an attempt to distract himself from the terrifying storm. Ted began to write nonsensical poems to the motors pounding beat. With the rhythm still persisting in his head about a week after leaving the ship, and as a form of personal therapy, he began to set words to the beat. When completed, instead of signing with his real name, he opted instead to use his middle name as well as take the liberty to bestow a doctorate to boot. At that moment, the world welcomed Dr. Seuss, and my life was forever changed because of it.
His words were unpredictable and grouped in unusual combinations. Often his words were his own creations all together. His sounds resonated in the phonological loop of working memory with echoic retention. He never bounced outside the world of propriety, but also never paid attention to established rules. He never worried about what was, but concentrated on what was not.
I admired his sensibilities and fall back on them often.
He decided he would publish his works. However, he was rejected by the first 28 publishing houses he encountered. Their reasoning was that the writing, “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” was just too different from the other books on the market.
Sorry my blog wasn’t around back then …
Luckily, the 29th publisher realized that different was the point, and by the time of his death in 1991, the 46 books written and illustrated by Ted had sold more than 200 million copies and translated into 20 languages.
This week, bring a little “Suessian” to your life and business. Buy a book or two or go online and read them again. If you have the opportunity, read one to a child and watch their synapses fire. Remember that its fine to think out OR inside the box, as long as you do it with a fox, wearing oranges socks and eating bagels and lox.
Mostly, just be creative. Here, there, and everywhere.
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
By. Dr. Seuss
Funny things are everywhere.Here are some who like to run.
They run for fun in the hot, hot sun.
Oh me! Oh my! Oh me! oh my!
What a lot of funny things go by.
Today is gone. Today was fun.
Tomorrow is another one.
Every day, from here to there.
funny things are everywhere.
Ted did much in his life, but the areas that touched me greatly were born below deck on a battle ship, while Ted listened to the rhythm of the ship’s engine in an attempt to distract himself from the terrifying storm. Ted began to write nonsensical poems to the motors pounding beat. With the rhythm still persisting in his head about a week after leaving the ship, and as a form of personal therapy, he began to set words to the beat. When completed, instead of signing with his real name, he opted instead to use his middle name as well as take the liberty to bestow a doctorate to boot. At that moment, the world welcomed Dr. Seuss, and my life was forever changed because of it.
His words were unpredictable and grouped in unusual combinations. Often his words were his own creations all together. His sounds resonated in the phonological loop of working memory with echoic retention. He never bounced outside the world of propriety, but also never paid attention to established rules. He never worried about what was, but concentrated on what was not.
I admired his sensibilities and fall back on them often.
He decided he would publish his works. However, he was rejected by the first 28 publishing houses he encountered. Their reasoning was that the writing, “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” was just too different from the other books on the market.
Sorry my blog wasn’t around back then …
Luckily, the 29th publisher realized that different was the point, and by the time of his death in 1991, the 46 books written and illustrated by Ted had sold more than 200 million copies and translated into 20 languages.
This week, bring a little “Suessian” to your life and business. Buy a book or two or go online and read them again. If you have the opportunity, read one to a child and watch their synapses fire. Remember that its fine to think out OR inside the box, as long as you do it with a fox, wearing oranges socks and eating bagels and lox.
Mostly, just be creative. Here, there, and everywhere.
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
Monday, August 2, 2010
The Meaning
We, as a society, try so hard to fit in that we have forgotten the power that lies in standing out.
Firstly let me say, THANK YOU ALL. Since starting this blog, we have grown twofold with those requesting to be placed on our email list. In addition, many of you have written comments to me directly. Those have been unexpected and nothing short of touching. When I decided to write this blog, the hardest part was to determine the subject matter I would tackle weekly. I was advised to stick to areas directly tied to my vocation in a linear, a “how to” approach or discuss business issues in general and then try to tie them in with our company, STIR-Communications, seamlessly showing you all the high level services we provide to drive business. Ultimately, neither felt true to my own personal brand. I didn’t what to use this to be a shill OR some expert blogger.
I have no truths, only opinions. I wanted to place perspectives on paper, insights into my personal life lenses. I hoped it would resonate, but I knew more often I would be judged, ignored, or ridiculed. I wanted to feel the pressures of deadlines, new ideas and introspection. I wanted to shed facades and I needed to break predictability.
We, as a society, try so hard to fit in that we have forgotten the power that lies in standing out.
Claude Monet was the Impressionist Movement. His blurry, bright, slightly inaccurate and short of complete detailed paintings broke all traditions prior. His idea was to capture an image on first impression and prior to the lens of focus. He said he was striving for “instantaneity.” He also determined life was color and eliminated black from his pallet. Instead, he created shades with varying contrasting colors being influenced by surrounding other colors.
This blog is an attempt to eliminate the empty space and black from sentences. Like Monet, we believe words are influenced by surrounding words.
This blog, like my life may:
a) Ignore details
b) Exaggerate color
c) Remove the black
At times, it may not make perfect sense nor should it. I hope its left brain conceived, but with right brain language, impressionistic and dazzling.
We, as a society, try so hard to fit in that we have forgotten the power that lies in standing out.
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
Firstly let me say, THANK YOU ALL. Since starting this blog, we have grown twofold with those requesting to be placed on our email list. In addition, many of you have written comments to me directly. Those have been unexpected and nothing short of touching. When I decided to write this blog, the hardest part was to determine the subject matter I would tackle weekly. I was advised to stick to areas directly tied to my vocation in a linear, a “how to” approach or discuss business issues in general and then try to tie them in with our company, STIR-Communications, seamlessly showing you all the high level services we provide to drive business. Ultimately, neither felt true to my own personal brand. I didn’t what to use this to be a shill OR some expert blogger.
I have no truths, only opinions. I wanted to place perspectives on paper, insights into my personal life lenses. I hoped it would resonate, but I knew more often I would be judged, ignored, or ridiculed. I wanted to feel the pressures of deadlines, new ideas and introspection. I wanted to shed facades and I needed to break predictability.
We, as a society, try so hard to fit in that we have forgotten the power that lies in standing out.
Claude Monet was the Impressionist Movement. His blurry, bright, slightly inaccurate and short of complete detailed paintings broke all traditions prior. His idea was to capture an image on first impression and prior to the lens of focus. He said he was striving for “instantaneity.” He also determined life was color and eliminated black from his pallet. Instead, he created shades with varying contrasting colors being influenced by surrounding other colors.
This blog is an attempt to eliminate the empty space and black from sentences. Like Monet, we believe words are influenced by surrounding words.
This blog, like my life may:
a) Ignore details
b) Exaggerate color
c) Remove the black
At times, it may not make perfect sense nor should it. I hope its left brain conceived, but with right brain language, impressionistic and dazzling.
We, as a society, try so hard to fit in that we have forgotten the power that lies in standing out.
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
Monday, July 26, 2010
Choices
What would life and business be like if everyone took full responsibility for themselves?
If they didn’t pass the buck, if they extended themselves beyond their job description, realized their paycheck was not a right but an earned metric, created solutions rather than extending issues, served rather than portrayed entitlement?
“Indecision is debilitating. It feeds upon itself; one might almost say, habit forming. Not only that, but it is contagious; it transmits itself onto others … Business is dependent upon action. It cannot go forward by hesitation. Those in executive positions must fortify themselves with facts and accept responsibility for decisions based upon them. Often greater risk is involved postponement than making the wrong decision. ‘One of these days,’ is none of these days,” said Harry A. Hopf.
It was 20 years ago when I first read Mr. Hopf’s words on business management. What struck me than was that this was written in the early 1900’s and it resonated eloquently in the 1990’s.
(Then again, Michael Bolton had a number one song that year so anything of substance would have stood out.)
Fast forward to present time and businesses are more dependent on acute action and unwavering accountability, but now it’s no longer solely in the hands of executives. If you agree with me that “everything communicates,” nothing “communicates” worse than inability of action.
I am positive that many people have no idea where they’re going these days. Not in life, love or business. Worse, I get the feeling they just don’t care. Lewis Carrolls' Cheshire Cat famous from Alice in Wonderland remarked, “If you don’t care very much where you are going, any road will get you there.”
Are we an “any road” society?
Faith Popcorn wrote about the danger of too many choices, “We used to believe we can become anything we wanted to be. Now we tell ourselves we can be everything we want to be.” Problem is that most people are afraid to choose because they don’t want to leave anything out or worse will make the wrong decision.
At STIR-Communications, we work hard at empowering all to make choices on their own, sometimes manufacturing decision making opportunities even when not necessary, simply to reinforce the importance of decisive action at every level.
My experience is most decisions (ending wrong) are not nearly as monumental as not making the choice to begin with. Later today, you will be forced to make a decision. I hope you take a moment to think about the options and then do what needs to be done, no waffling. Pull the trigger and ride the bullet.
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
If they didn’t pass the buck, if they extended themselves beyond their job description, realized their paycheck was not a right but an earned metric, created solutions rather than extending issues, served rather than portrayed entitlement?
“Indecision is debilitating. It feeds upon itself; one might almost say, habit forming. Not only that, but it is contagious; it transmits itself onto others … Business is dependent upon action. It cannot go forward by hesitation. Those in executive positions must fortify themselves with facts and accept responsibility for decisions based upon them. Often greater risk is involved postponement than making the wrong decision. ‘One of these days,’ is none of these days,” said Harry A. Hopf.
It was 20 years ago when I first read Mr. Hopf’s words on business management. What struck me than was that this was written in the early 1900’s and it resonated eloquently in the 1990’s.
(Then again, Michael Bolton had a number one song that year so anything of substance would have stood out.)
Fast forward to present time and businesses are more dependent on acute action and unwavering accountability, but now it’s no longer solely in the hands of executives. If you agree with me that “everything communicates,” nothing “communicates” worse than inability of action.
I am positive that many people have no idea where they’re going these days. Not in life, love or business. Worse, I get the feeling they just don’t care. Lewis Carrolls' Cheshire Cat famous from Alice in Wonderland remarked, “If you don’t care very much where you are going, any road will get you there.”
Are we an “any road” society?
Faith Popcorn wrote about the danger of too many choices, “We used to believe we can become anything we wanted to be. Now we tell ourselves we can be everything we want to be.” Problem is that most people are afraid to choose because they don’t want to leave anything out or worse will make the wrong decision.
At STIR-Communications, we work hard at empowering all to make choices on their own, sometimes manufacturing decision making opportunities even when not necessary, simply to reinforce the importance of decisive action at every level.
My experience is most decisions (ending wrong) are not nearly as monumental as not making the choice to begin with. Later today, you will be forced to make a decision. I hope you take a moment to think about the options and then do what needs to be done, no waffling. Pull the trigger and ride the bullet.
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
Monday, July 19, 2010
Heroes
I have made you do it. Controlled you to buy it, forced you to go, and convinced you to think it was wonderful or that it wasn’t. I created hype, hyperbole and hysteria. I built greatness when the truth was mediocrity. If the truth was greatness, I turned it into superhuman. My ideas have caused you to purchase sneakers you thought made you more fit, soft drinks that gave you instant energy, technology you didn’t know you couldn’t live without and much more. I did and do these things brilliantly, piously hiding behind the veil of advertising and marketing.
However, it hit me somewhere along the way; our industry’s actions have contributed to a seismic societal shift, a pandemic deficiency of reasonable reasoning. An advertising inverted shift alongside the space/time continuum where people now have clearer relationships with “brands” and their supposed meanings than real life activities.
A week ago, millions of people world-wide tuned into ESPN to view “The Decision” by NBA player LeBron James to hear him announce where he would be playing the game of basketball for the coming years. When the decision was made for him to go to the Miami Heat, fans of that team and city rejoiced to a degree near frenzy. I saw a father holding his twin boys proclaim, “This was the happiest day of his life!” Sad thing is I believe him. Others were jumping on each other, kissing strangers, lighting fireworks and fits of random dancing.
Conversely, the fans of other cities in the running, especially the Cleveland Cavaliers where James would be departing, reacted with hysteria. People began to cry, scream, and publicly burn pictures and jerseys bearing James’ likeness. The Cleveland NBC News interviewed a family where the mother explained, “My kids will be devastated; who will they look up to now?” The father quickly added, “Our heroes are letting us down.”
Really?
Have we lost all sense of irony? Are we wading in the shallow end of a spiritual poverty pool? How is it possible that a recent poll shows Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag and the Kardashian’s with a more favorable Q-Rating than Stephen Hawking? (Pause for effect.) Hello People?!?!
My job has actually become harder to convince people to focus on reality than Reality TV. We must break this cycle!
As I've said, I helped cause a lot of this. I too represented many void of substance, heavy on narcissism. I made you believe.
I spent sometime this week with a friend of mine who is a pediatric opthamologist. He was explaining to me the numerous procedures he and his partners perform on children. Each one of these procedures creates positive life altering effects for the child and the child's family. One disease in particular effects preemies: (ROP) Retinopathy of Prematurity. Very few doctors perform this type of surgery, and without the procedure, the child will be blind. He does, they don't.
I sit on the Board of Directors for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida. Two amazing men and a dedicated staff lead the organization here. They help change lives daily. That's not hyperbole, I've seen it firsthand.
My neighbor down the block is a "First Responder." A job that has him vow to risk his life for the well being of yours.
The two guys running the charity, the doctor and the neighbor down the street may never become household names. You will never wear their jersey's or have reason to burn them in effigy. However, they will also never be famous for arbitrage and that means something to me.
When I point my children in the direction of a hero, those aforementioned and others that walk among us in our daily lives are where I will look. Who will you point to?
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
However, it hit me somewhere along the way; our industry’s actions have contributed to a seismic societal shift, a pandemic deficiency of reasonable reasoning. An advertising inverted shift alongside the space/time continuum where people now have clearer relationships with “brands” and their supposed meanings than real life activities.
A week ago, millions of people world-wide tuned into ESPN to view “The Decision” by NBA player LeBron James to hear him announce where he would be playing the game of basketball for the coming years. When the decision was made for him to go to the Miami Heat, fans of that team and city rejoiced to a degree near frenzy. I saw a father holding his twin boys proclaim, “This was the happiest day of his life!” Sad thing is I believe him. Others were jumping on each other, kissing strangers, lighting fireworks and fits of random dancing.
Conversely, the fans of other cities in the running, especially the Cleveland Cavaliers where James would be departing, reacted with hysteria. People began to cry, scream, and publicly burn pictures and jerseys bearing James’ likeness. The Cleveland NBC News interviewed a family where the mother explained, “My kids will be devastated; who will they look up to now?” The father quickly added, “Our heroes are letting us down.”
Really?
Have we lost all sense of irony? Are we wading in the shallow end of a spiritual poverty pool? How is it possible that a recent poll shows Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag and the Kardashian’s with a more favorable Q-Rating than Stephen Hawking? (Pause for effect.) Hello People?!?!
My job has actually become harder to convince people to focus on reality than Reality TV. We must break this cycle!
As I've said, I helped cause a lot of this. I too represented many void of substance, heavy on narcissism. I made you believe.
I spent sometime this week with a friend of mine who is a pediatric opthamologist. He was explaining to me the numerous procedures he and his partners perform on children. Each one of these procedures creates positive life altering effects for the child and the child's family. One disease in particular effects preemies: (ROP) Retinopathy of Prematurity. Very few doctors perform this type of surgery, and without the procedure, the child will be blind. He does, they don't.
I sit on the Board of Directors for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida. Two amazing men and a dedicated staff lead the organization here. They help change lives daily. That's not hyperbole, I've seen it firsthand.
My neighbor down the block is a "First Responder." A job that has him vow to risk his life for the well being of yours.
The two guys running the charity, the doctor and the neighbor down the street may never become household names. You will never wear their jersey's or have reason to burn them in effigy. However, they will also never be famous for arbitrage and that means something to me.
When I point my children in the direction of a hero, those aforementioned and others that walk among us in our daily lives are where I will look. Who will you point to?
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
Monday, July 12, 2010
Harnessing Tenacity
I need to look no further then my 5 year old to point out one of the most important traits in business and life: tenacity. Using the word in a sentence, he asked what it meant and I explained its essence being, “never giving up on something you want or believe in.”
A glazed look, followed by an, “ok daddy,” saw him off to get dressed for a picnic. At the event, kids had an opportunity to win a goldfish by bouncing a ping-pong ball in a bowl. My son was determined to win. In the hot sun, 15 times my son tried, missed, headed to the back of the line and undeterred, tried again. On the 16th try, the ball entered the bowl and he leaped for joy, embraced me and proclaimed, “Daddy, I have it!” “The goldfish” I responded?
“No, I have tenacity!”
Sure, the fish and the win meant something, but he reminded me that the pursuit, the understanding of lessons learned in the journey and an unwavering resolute, were where the magic lied. With each execution, my son was gleaning important lessons he would incorporate in the following attempts. If whenever during that process he allowed my attempts at imposing my will, with suggestions this challenge was out of his reach or we had exhausted our attempts, the final outcome would be entirely different and I would have robbed him and myself of a key life lesson.
Far too often in business and in life, those in leadership positions fail to recognize there is more than one way to get to a final outcome, not to mention the importance of never giving up. Classrooms are the worst example of this and why we must encourage real world learning as a complement. Scholastics and many organizations profess there is only one environment to learn, one correct answer and one process to achieve results. Wrong, Wrong and Wrong! This destroys our exploration, creativity and steadfastness.
At STIR-Communications and our other businesses, I always hire on attitude and enthusiasm and not experience. My philosophy is you can teach someone almost any skill but you cannot teach them passion. I do highly value IQ (intelligence quotient) but not nearly as much as I value EQ (emotional quotient). I strongly believe to achieve great success, knowing how to identify, assess, assimilate, manage and control one’s self emotions is a key to survival and desired results. School, books, teachers and organizations cannot teach you this. Less and less, important work is done in an office. It’s the real world that teaches survival and it is why we push people out the door.
I spent some time this past week with Izzy Havenick of Magic City Casino. He and his family have a long, illustrious and tenacious business and philanthropic history. This past year they received their gaming license and are poised to operate one of Florida’s most significant attractions owned by a tax paying organization. I am no stranger to the gaming industry as I have helped orchestrate the openings of New York New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Harrah's Casino’s outdoor pavilion in Las Vegas and have created several events for Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Never during that time did I have a warm and fuzzy feeling for a gaming operator or ever felt they were sympathetic figures or even role models, until now. Izzy and his family spent decades battling significant hurdles trying to make their family dream come true. They would try, they would lose, they would be undeterred and they would try again, each time with a slightly different approach but never once with any less passion and belief. As we strolled across the floors, bells dinging, lights flashing and hundreds of people excitedly parting with their money, I suggested to Izzy that he must be proud. Without missing a beat he said, “I am proud for my mother and father (who died during the process) and my family who refused to walk away.” He led me to an area in the casino where a row of all the slot machines would provide a portion of the proceeds to various charities. Izzy explained, “My mother is most proud of this area -- to be able to give to those in need and who never give up hope.”
What a wonderful way of exemplifying and rewarding tenacity.
How do you instill, recognize and reward tenacity at work and in life? Who has shown you great examples of tenacious behavior?
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
A glazed look, followed by an, “ok daddy,” saw him off to get dressed for a picnic. At the event, kids had an opportunity to win a goldfish by bouncing a ping-pong ball in a bowl. My son was determined to win. In the hot sun, 15 times my son tried, missed, headed to the back of the line and undeterred, tried again. On the 16th try, the ball entered the bowl and he leaped for joy, embraced me and proclaimed, “Daddy, I have it!” “The goldfish” I responded?
“No, I have tenacity!”
Sure, the fish and the win meant something, but he reminded me that the pursuit, the understanding of lessons learned in the journey and an unwavering resolute, were where the magic lied. With each execution, my son was gleaning important lessons he would incorporate in the following attempts. If whenever during that process he allowed my attempts at imposing my will, with suggestions this challenge was out of his reach or we had exhausted our attempts, the final outcome would be entirely different and I would have robbed him and myself of a key life lesson.
Far too often in business and in life, those in leadership positions fail to recognize there is more than one way to get to a final outcome, not to mention the importance of never giving up. Classrooms are the worst example of this and why we must encourage real world learning as a complement. Scholastics and many organizations profess there is only one environment to learn, one correct answer and one process to achieve results. Wrong, Wrong and Wrong! This destroys our exploration, creativity and steadfastness.
At STIR-Communications and our other businesses, I always hire on attitude and enthusiasm and not experience. My philosophy is you can teach someone almost any skill but you cannot teach them passion. I do highly value IQ (intelligence quotient) but not nearly as much as I value EQ (emotional quotient). I strongly believe to achieve great success, knowing how to identify, assess, assimilate, manage and control one’s self emotions is a key to survival and desired results. School, books, teachers and organizations cannot teach you this. Less and less, important work is done in an office. It’s the real world that teaches survival and it is why we push people out the door.
I spent some time this past week with Izzy Havenick of Magic City Casino. He and his family have a long, illustrious and tenacious business and philanthropic history. This past year they received their gaming license and are poised to operate one of Florida’s most significant attractions owned by a tax paying organization. I am no stranger to the gaming industry as I have helped orchestrate the openings of New York New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Harrah's Casino’s outdoor pavilion in Las Vegas and have created several events for Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Never during that time did I have a warm and fuzzy feeling for a gaming operator or ever felt they were sympathetic figures or even role models, until now. Izzy and his family spent decades battling significant hurdles trying to make their family dream come true. They would try, they would lose, they would be undeterred and they would try again, each time with a slightly different approach but never once with any less passion and belief. As we strolled across the floors, bells dinging, lights flashing and hundreds of people excitedly parting with their money, I suggested to Izzy that he must be proud. Without missing a beat he said, “I am proud for my mother and father (who died during the process) and my family who refused to walk away.” He led me to an area in the casino where a row of all the slot machines would provide a portion of the proceeds to various charities. Izzy explained, “My mother is most proud of this area -- to be able to give to those in need and who never give up hope.”
What a wonderful way of exemplifying and rewarding tenacity.
How do you instill, recognize and reward tenacity at work and in life? Who has shown you great examples of tenacious behavior?
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
Monday, July 5, 2010
Reengineer the Machine
I would like to begin this week answering an email I received from a friend who noted even though much of our topics are business related, he can as easily transfer and incorporate them within his personal life. Well, of course and isn’t that really the point? My greatest role is being Co-Chairman of my household and where much of the communications tools discussed here are first test-marketed.
I was recently called by the Chairman & CEO of a Fortune 1000 company seeking my council on the development of “Interpersonal Relationships” within an organization.
He was aware that our company has in the past 24 months, as James Champy wrote, “Reengineered the machine” and took a thriving multi-million dollar company and blew it up (money and lifestyle be dammed!) in order to build a company that would be more suited to the new world of business. (I will write about this in future blogs, in between my therapy sessions and meetings with my suicidal accountant.)
Although he was not looking for those types of extreme measures, he wisely determined that business has changed drastically in the past decade.
I pointed out that in the early 2000’s we began to see the business paradigm shifting from a top-down approach to a bottom-up approach. Employees, as well as customers and clients, were beginning to drive the direction of companies like never before. However, for the same reason, the first approach finally crumbled, we concluded that this is why the “new” approach was riddled with flaws and would soon follow suit.
As such, we created and implemented a different structure: “Circular Communications.” We determined that information had become extremely ubiquitous, speed to market in which businesses would be forced to operate in the future would be on hyper-drive, and why, for many without the benefit of proprietary products, they would become a commodity. As such, if the product playing field will soon become equaled, the way you communicate and deliver your product needs to be more efficient.
In Circular Communications, every person within the organism plays a vital role and is heard, they become an active participant and “ideas” shared and weighted equally. There is still a hierarchy and decisions can still be made at the top, but now with all understanding the process. You would be amazed at how much of a difference this structure will improve business, increase company moral, communication and loyalty. Most importantly, it positively impacts interpersonal relationships.
We determined to best implement long-term change, focus should begin on the following: broadening interpersonal relationships throughout the numerous department channels, sharing knowledge in an open forum, providing tools to encourage discussions, creating metrics to define successes and implementing key findings to guide the future growth of their business.
For my friend who emailed me, all of these are the same channels one can use to build a stronger family dynamic.
How are your current communications structured in your work, relationships and family? Are you operating on a linear or circular format? Are you encouraging, optimizing and empowering everyone within the system?
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: greg@STIR-Communications.com
I was recently called by the Chairman & CEO of a Fortune 1000 company seeking my council on the development of “Interpersonal Relationships” within an organization.
He was aware that our company has in the past 24 months, as James Champy wrote, “Reengineered the machine” and took a thriving multi-million dollar company and blew it up (money and lifestyle be dammed!) in order to build a company that would be more suited to the new world of business. (I will write about this in future blogs, in between my therapy sessions and meetings with my suicidal accountant.)
Although he was not looking for those types of extreme measures, he wisely determined that business has changed drastically in the past decade.
I pointed out that in the early 2000’s we began to see the business paradigm shifting from a top-down approach to a bottom-up approach. Employees, as well as customers and clients, were beginning to drive the direction of companies like never before. However, for the same reason, the first approach finally crumbled, we concluded that this is why the “new” approach was riddled with flaws and would soon follow suit.
As such, we created and implemented a different structure: “Circular Communications.” We determined that information had become extremely ubiquitous, speed to market in which businesses would be forced to operate in the future would be on hyper-drive, and why, for many without the benefit of proprietary products, they would become a commodity. As such, if the product playing field will soon become equaled, the way you communicate and deliver your product needs to be more efficient.
In Circular Communications, every person within the organism plays a vital role and is heard, they become an active participant and “ideas” shared and weighted equally. There is still a hierarchy and decisions can still be made at the top, but now with all understanding the process. You would be amazed at how much of a difference this structure will improve business, increase company moral, communication and loyalty. Most importantly, it positively impacts interpersonal relationships.
We determined to best implement long-term change, focus should begin on the following: broadening interpersonal relationships throughout the numerous department channels, sharing knowledge in an open forum, providing tools to encourage discussions, creating metrics to define successes and implementing key findings to guide the future growth of their business.
For my friend who emailed me, all of these are the same channels one can use to build a stronger family dynamic.
How are your current communications structured in your work, relationships and family? Are you operating on a linear or circular format? Are you encouraging, optimizing and empowering everyone within the system?
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: greg@STIR-Communications.com
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