Be Different or be dead

May 25, 2020

Why copying weird people is necessary for a winning career

Source: Unsplash

Why copying weird people is necessary for a winning career.

The world today revolves around benchmarking; determine who does something really well (as judged by the experts) — call them best in class — and copy them.

The objective of benchmarking: to improve some aspect of your organization or your life based on the experience of others.

In business, benchmarking has been useful in improving process related issue — billing, ordering, fulfilment, human resource methods and the like. In one’s personal life, benchmarking might help in matters such as physical fitness routines, yoga practices and school courses to take.

But at the end of the day, although benchmarking may result in productivity or efficiency improvements, it does little to help either the organization or individual stand out from the crowd.

If everyone copies best in class how can specialness ever be created? All you get is a crowd of bench-markers who all share something in common.

Creating something that is unique and unmatched by others can’t be done by copying anything or anyone. Strategic advantage can’t be achieved by doing what other organizations do; a unique persona cannot be created by copying how others conduct their lives.

The lure of benchmarking is that it’s relatively easy and generally humans like easy stuff. And we also like to fool ourselves into believing that what is easy to do will somehow make us special.

The truth is that copycats are not special; they are their own herd.

I know this sounds axiomatic, but uniqueness is not spawned by copying what other do. The source of innovation and creativity to stand out is the incessant — almost subconscious and involuntary — drive to do things differently than everyone else.

Here are some descriptors of individuals who spend their life trying to be the ONLY ones that do what they do: crazy, delirious, contrarian, edgy, weird, borderline, careless, risky, absurd, eccentric, freaky, funky, creepy and eerie.

The point is, highly creative people don’t attract standard adjectives explaining who they are and how they approach problem solving.

If you’re a normal person and want to be abnormal because it will help make you more creative, here are 5 things you can do.

Never benchmark anything again

You need to dispel the notion that is the antithesis of being different, and that is copying. This means never asking “What do they do?” as a means to doing something creative.

Copying is the straight jacket that will forever prevent you from coming up with something truly new and different.

Bury the copycat. Have a funeral for it and say goodbye.

If you can’t rid yourself of the copycat beast you will NEVER be capable of generating an original thought.

Try doing a 180

A simple way to deviate from what everyone else is doing is to ask:  “What if I were to go in the opposite direction to common belief?”.
This essentially declares that whatever the crowd does you will do the opposite. If you start out with a contrarian view, you are at least able to moderate it to something less extreme — but still different.
The 180 starting point is critical to a creative mindset; without it, crowd forces will suck you in to their mediocre and commonness.

This is one of my favourite examples of going against the flow with an outrageous proposition for customers. I’m not advocating it, but it is one example of a thought process that bucks the trend.
In this scenario let “What if I were to go in the opposite direction?” guide your ways.

Hang around weirdos

Not everyone has the same take on stepping out of the crowd; creative people have their own fingerprint on an approach they find that separates them from those around them.

To find your BE DiFFERENT signature, venture out and discover people who live on the spectrum between “normal” and special; between people who are average and those who are unlike no other. They’re around us if only we pay attention.

If you’re going to benchmark anything, benchmark weird because I guarantee that in the process of following their ways you will discover a sliver of what they do that you can twist to make it your own.

Follow your feelings

The world operates more on feelings than ever before. People buy things on the basis of how they feel about a supplier and the engagement experience they have with them.

They actually expect the product to work the way the manual says; the actual product or service is a commodity where generally price separates competitors in the short run.
The reason to choose one supplier over another doesn’t depend on their product portfolio.

The only thing that differentiates competitors in the long run is their brand — the value they consistently provide which, in the case of major market leaders who perform consistently, is a feelings oriented attribute.

So use how people would feel as the main criteria for deciding whether one of your new ideas might work. Let your intuition trump your logic.

Do stuff with no end game in mind

Activity rather than purpose may be the best guide to follow.

The problem with having a specific destination in mind, is that you engage your logic to try and figure out how to reach it.  And as we all know, once our left brain is engaged, it doesn’t like to consider a myriad of possibilities once it lands on its primary route to achieve the goal.

I was infatuated with The Inner Game of Tennis at one point in my past.

The premise offered by the author was that it is almost impossible to be a good tennis player if you allow your mind to control how you play the game.
Trying to return a ground stroke to your backhand has a high probability of not succeeding if you think “Rats, here comes another shot to my backhand! I know I’m going to screw it up!”

Well guess what? Your control side acknowledges your weakness and gets in the way of your body reacting to the shot and indeed your mind’s prediction comes true!

If you can unhook from your controlling left brain and let your body do what it is naturally equipped to do, your performance will improve immeasurably.
So, focus on the activity not the end game and follow your gut.

These 5 proven ways will help you be a member of the abnormal herd.

They will guide your ways to a highly successful career. Give ‘em a try. They worked for me!

Cheers,
Roy
Check out my BE DiFFERENT or be dead Book Series

• Posted 5.25.20 at 05:31 am by Roy Osing
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May 11, 2020

Hungry people do these 10 simple things to win

Source: Unsplash

Hungry people do these 10 simple things to win.

What separates the individual who has a rewarding career from those that merely show up for work every day and leave unsatisfied?

My experience shows that successful individuals are more hungry than their competitors; it’s as simple as that.

Certainly there are other factors at play that influence performance and success such as education level, practical experience, reliable mentors, and good old fashion luck, but I have seen that “being hungry” is the one single thing that stands out from all others.

In fact, many individuals manifest the common traits and capabilities of success yet don’t rise to the top of their game. I have seen highly educated people, for example, with a deep experience profile and excellent skill set fall short of their potential while others who possess less emerge to finish first.

Those “qualified” individuals who fell short lacked the desire to finish; they didn’t seize and apply the raw power of emotion to grab the opportunity presented to them and drive to capture it like no one else.

The hunger drive to succeed isn’t an intellectual matter; it’s a visceral one which is a fundamental part of who they are.
People don’t think about applying their hunger, they do it involuntarily just as you don’t have to tell your heart to beat.

This is the profile of “the hungry one”.

1. They’re the first one in

They are the first one to put their hand up and volunteer for a new project. They are driven to find a way of being part of new horizons rather than perpetuate the status quo. They want to be known for coveting uncharted waters.

2. They love change

They are always leaning in to conversations that address a different direction the organization should take. They are at ease with personally introducing the necessary discontinuities required to force current momentum to another path. They are a true change agent.

3. They don’t talk about the past

They talk about what needs to be done, not what yesterday achieved. They don’t suffer “custodians of the past” lightly. Dwelling on what worked yesterday frustrates them to no end. They see reflection on the past as an impediment to taking action and moving forward.

4. They are mindlessly focused

They are extremely focused on the critical few things that need to be done in order to achieve the end objective. They are not a fan of brainstorming and see it as only a way of defining what COULD be done as opposed to what MUST be done.

5. They never stop learning

They are voracious learners who pursue knowledge paths that are consistent with the new competencies the organization needs to adopt to perform at high levels. A shift from a monopoly business to a competitive one requires adopting marketing and customer service expertise; the hungry person acquires the knowledge and skills necessary.

6. They take risks

They are extremely proactive and never have to be told to do anything. When they see that something needs to be done that gather the expertise around them they need and they just do it. While others around them ask for permission, the hungry ones assume the inherent risks of taking action and are confident they can achieve positive results.

7. They execute first; plan second

They monitor execution relentlessly. They understand that the plan isn’t good enough to achieve results; rather flawless implementation is required. They are fanatics about ensuring that people assigned tasks complete them on time and on budget.

8. They have spider senses

They are restless, waiting to be on the move. They are anticipatory people who are always poised to act. Some might describe them as impatient and frustrated when they are hovering and waiting as opposed to acting. Their “spider senses” are alive to spot the opportunity to jump.

9. They have ridiculous goals

They have ’unrealistic’ career goals. They declare a bold audacious goal without any idea of how they will achieve it and they go for it. They trust that they will find a way to get to where they want to go.

10. They value what you’ve done not what you know

They are proud of their practical achievements and don’t dwell on what they have accomplished at school. In fact they rarely mention their intellectual strengths, but love to discuss a tough project they successfully implemented despite the roadblocks, barriers and impediments the organization threw in their way.

Successful people have competencies that go beyond the normal. They are based on the instinct to survive and win by standing out from those around them.

They don’t win by being the smartest.

They win by being the hungriest.

Cheers,
Roy
Check out my BE DiFFERENT or be dead Book Series

• Posted 5.11.20 at 05:31 am by Roy Osing
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April 20, 2020

Why being second is absolutely the wrong position to have

Source: Pexels

Why being second is absolutely the wrong position to have.

Seriously, think about it.

When you’re second, you’re staring at a backside; I’ve never found it a pleasant view particularly when you consider what the unobstructed view looks like.
Without the backside staring you in the face you’re looking at wide open spaces, a landscape void of other humans; nothing but untampered dimensionless opportunity.

The backside placed before you is not only an obstruction, it’s the tissue that stands between you and your maximum potential.

I believe we should be encouraged to avoid the backside view, to go for the position that has an expansive view with no backsides in sight.

But the narrative out there today is exactly the opposite: “It’s not winning that’s important, it’s playing the game.” and “I don’t care if little Roy wins the game as long as he is having fun.” is the normal commentary that pervades the conversation when it comes to the notion of winning.

Some schools on sports day don’t want to hand out winning ribbons because it highlights the winners and says nothing about participation. “Everybody should get a ribbon” essentially communicates that you should be rewarded for just showing up.
What a shock when kids in these schools grow up and have to fight for a career among hungry competitors.

And some schools don’t hand out letter grades; rather they introduce a system that recognizes effort and not the result. So, if you put in a ton of effort you might get an “exceeding” rating; if you didn’t try that hard you may get an “improvement needed” one.
Trying is important but the ultimate measure of how effective one is at trying are the results that are delivered.

The fact is, that in the real adult world, where you stand in relation to others matters; it separates you from the other participants.
“I achieved a first class mark in economics” is more important to your life than “I tried hard and enjoyed the subject content.” Like it or not, that’s the way it is.

A job candidate would last about 30 seconds in front of me after uttering such nonsense. What I want to know is what they achieved, scholastically and organizationally not that they “tried real hard”.

Anytime I have been sucked into believing that coming second was ok it was rationalization behaviour at best

It was an attempt to make myself believe that looking at someone’s backside was acceptable.

The problem is that when I find myself accepting a posterior perspective there are some seriously destructive forces at play that can cause personal damage.

Motivation — My motivation to drive forward stops.

Why should I push myself to try and show my backside to the leader of “the race”? And as a result of this logic, I take my foot off the gas because I don’t believe there will be any consequences.

But there ARE consequences. I may not overtake the backside I’m staring at but at least I’m motivated to try which is completely different than accepting the inevitability of being second or third or fourth and being ok with it.

Survival and success in the world requires highly motivated individuals who will do whatever it takes to avoid a backside view.

Creativity — My creativity takes a rest.

Highly motivated people tap into their creative spirit naturally as their heart beats. If I’m driven to see the backside in my rear view mirror, I MUST solve the problem I’m looking at. I MUST look for an opportunity to get by it.

But if I’m ok with second position, I stop looking for a solution; I don’t need to be creative in the moment and I stop my creative juices from flowing.

Success demands creativity; the backside view stultifies it.

Competition — My competitors have an advantage.

Hungry competitors are always looking for an edge, and if they see that I’m complacent and have no motivation to seek the number one position they will gladly step in and achieve it themselves.
It’s a zero sum game to them and it’s the easiest way for them to gain an advantage: whatever I give up, they take. Simple.

So while I suffer this ideological disease, they pump up the volume to put yet another backside in my forward view. Winners NEVER let their competition have an advantage because they pay for it in the long run.

A second best attitude let’s them in when I should be shutting them out.

Rationalization — I’m fooling myself.

I believe I’ve accomplished something when I haven’t, even though people around me say “Well done!” “Good job!”.
A false sense of accomplishment is what it is when I see a backside and feel pleased with my performance. I guess it’s better than seeing 2 backsides buts never as good as seeing none at all. None = brilliant and that’s THE target I’m after.

The reality is that a backside view means I’m not going to grab the brass ring.
The only salvation from a backside view is if I learn something from the experience and never see a backside again.

So if my backside learnings catapult me into an open field in my next competition then second works as an interim step to my final goal.

Teaching — I’m failing my job as a role model to others I care about.

I see myself as a teacher, and being ok with a backside view contaminates my perspective which in turn is manifested in the lessons I teach.
What I want to help people with is how to win, how to be remarkable and how to transform their reality into amazing things.

How can I do that when I am happy with seeing back pockets? I don’t think I can.

So for better or for worse I need to aspire to an open field at my feet if I am to be able to help my closest people be the best they can be.

Don’t get sucked in to the playing the game is what’s really important narrative. It’s not the real world and it robs you of the very essentials it takes to achieve rewards in your life and your career.

Don’t look at the backside.

Pass it by…

Cheers,
Roy
Check out my BE DiFFERENT or be dead Book Series

• Posted 4.20.20 at 05:12 am by Roy Osing
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April 6, 2020

Why do great leaders come out in a crisis like COVID?

Source: Pexels

Why do great leaders come out in a crisis like COVID?

The current COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that there are two categories of leaders in the organizational world: those who strut their their academic credentials to the world and who pride themselves on understanding business and leadership theory, and then there are those who have the credentials and theory as a base, but who focus on achieving results by harnessing the purpose and emotion in people.

The ones who think

Intellectual leaders believe that if their solution is based on sound business theory it will be successfully implemented in the field.
And the actions they take to arrive at a solution tend to be analytical in nature: defining potential alternatives, assessing each one of them within a predetermined criteria, and selecting the one that best satisfies the stated objectives and intended outcomes.

Intellectual leaders generally take considerable time in coming up with a solution; the process of pondering, exploration, analysis and decision-making can take copious amounts of time as the leader wants desperately to come up with the “perfect” solution and avoid making a mistake.
Their infatuation with using the tools of analysis chews up so much time that implementation occurs several days/weeks/months after the need for a solution showed itself.

The ones who feel

Emotional leaders salute accepted business principles but place primary importance on how a solution fits the emotional needs of the people who are impacted by it.
Their priority is to find a solution that is “just about right” in terms of applying good business principles, and bear down on the one that appeals to how people feel about it and how the solution will make their job and personal life better today.

Emotional leaders recognize that people are mildly interested in the long term impacts a solution has on the organization but are passionately concerned about how a solution affects the organization and employees TODAY.

The need for immediacy is what enables the emotional leader to rise above their intellectual colleagues and achieve greatness.

Emotional leaders thrive in a moment of crisis.

Crisis circumstances separate the boilerplate leader from the great one for these reasons:

Weekly plans

▪️a crisis forces the leader to think about what action is required over the next 24 hours and upcoming weeks not what’s needed over a longer term planning horizon.

“What needs to be done in the next 14 days?” dominates the conversation, not what should be done to maximize profits over the next three years.
They recognize that if the short term isn’t successfully dealt with, the long term never “shows up”.
24-hour planning forces this leader into action and out of the traditional planning mindset.

Reaction

▪️a crisis forces the leader into a responsive mode; they simply don’t have the luxury of time to carefully plan out what they should do in the face of the unforeseen events.
In a crisis, traditional leadership training is really not helpful except to evaluate the potential actions one could take in the moment.

It’s ironic, really, that more often than not great leadership is defined by the leader’s ability to develop a strategy for their organization as opposed to how well they are able to react to unpredicted body blowssuffered and yet it’s the latter competence that separates the mediocre from the great ones.

People focus

▪️a crisis forces the leader to consider what individuals must have to survive; the needs of the organization are temporarily put on hold.
The leader places each and every individual employee in their organization as the focus of their attention and energy; they under that the broader requirements to grow shareholder value will come once the crisis is successfully dealt with — if the crisis isn’t survived, the longer term is an irrelevant consideration.

Risk taking

▪️a crisis forces the leader to make decisions without having complete information. Making a call that meets the needs of individuals today may in fact have long term negative consequences for shareholders, for example.
Continuing to pay employees while your business is shut down for COVID 19 will reduce profitability for the firm, yet that’s what a great leader does.

Frontline focus

▪️a crisis forces the leader to take care of frontline people; those amazing folks who actually serve the critical needs of others who are threatened by the crisis — hospital workers, first responders, service representatives and delivery drivers.
Getting products and services to the people who need them is the leader’s priority and finding ways to make the frontline job easier in the moment takes all the leader’s energy.
Great leaders do this normally but a crisis brings this action element into focus.

A crisis forces the leader to ACT. NOW. FOR PEOPLE.

Cheers,
Roy
Check out my BE DiFFERENT or be dead Book Series

• Posted 4.6.20 at 04:31 am by Roy Osing
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