Daily Creative Juice

Is Sheryl Sandberg still "leaning in" at Facebook?

I became fascinated with Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, after watching her TEDWomen video. She was criticizing women taking a back seat and not aspiring to their full potentials in the workforce. Her advice: lean in, come to the (meeting) table and lean into the dialogue.

I have been fortunate to have been surrounded by strong women in my professional life and haven't experienced what Sheryl described in her talk. I do respect her experiences in Washington and Silicon Valley. She was very convincing, her delivery authentic. 

Apparently Sheryl spent one year preparing for that TEDtalk and hired her own researchers to get the facts right.

Sheryl later appeared on Makers talking about authenticity, a topic near and dear to my heart. After seeing her interviews and commencement speeches,  I liked her even more.

Sheryl pitched for Facebook's new business strategy in early October . 

http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000119449 

Having followed this convincing woman promoting her thoughts, Sheryl's televised Facebook pitch appeared to lack her usual authenticity. The delivery left me questioning if  Sheryl still believes in the Facebook she is selling.

If you no longer believe in something, and you deliver speeches on authenticity, you best let someone else do the promoting - or even better go find something you believe in and lean into that.

Do you think Sheryl is still leaning in as her authentic self?

The Cardboard Bike Story Art, Design and Heart

Innovation with heart. Thanks Co-design for sharing this inspiring story

Daily Creative Juice

qartoon.tumblr.com

When People Say You're Crazy - You're Onto Something Arabstarts GEW 2012 Series

I can't agree more: When People Say You're Crazy - You're Onto Something

Ghassan Halazon of Team Buy (Canada) Speaks at TedxDeadSea talking about; starting up, pitching on Dragon's Den, punishment as a reward, company culture, the power of a threat, the need for failure and getting people to feel something 

Inspiring talk in English and Arabic

Shy away from people who belittle your ideas!  Big thinkers are those who support you (Mark Twain said it first a little differently - now startup legend speak)

tips on closing an efficient meeting

Inc.com articles usually have fantastic titles but often lack depth and substance.   The article 3 Ways to Keep Meetings Short , however, is brief with some useful reminders of how to set up a productive meeting with some non-obvious takeaways. It speaks to one hour meetings which may or may not meet your "short' criteria for a meeting.  I'll share the non-obvious tips part with you :

How to wrap up a meeting - very similar to closing a sale. I would recommend this approach for a one-on-one or a small group meeting with a client: 

1. "In one sentence, what was your single biggest takeaway from this meeting?
2. In one sentence, what is one topic that should be discussed in our next meeting?
3. Give one word or phrase describing how you feel about this meeting?"

credit:  http://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/3-ways-to-keep-meetings-short-every-time.html

One and three may be repetitive - but try it out and see for yourself. Sometimes repetition is what it takes to get the info you want flowing. 

 This technique certainly reinforces that you care about what your client wants and is a great opportunity for feedback and building trust. 

The Essence of Starting with Heart

I am sharing a work in progress. My designer will cringe as he has not yet seen it, nor therefore touched it. If you click on the link below it will take you to a powerpoint presentation. Images are rough, and the sound is even scratchy - how did that happen? Maybe some kind of intelligence on behalf of the MAC? This is an early communication from a startup hence let's select scratchy garage 1970s recording sound? 

I'm interested to know what kind of content could enrich the presentation. It is meant to help startups find a place to actually start their startup from. I put it together in early early days when the to do lists were overwhelming and impeding creativity and progress.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/w4hcw88qbikutf1/startuptoolbox%20-%20start%20with%20heart%20.pptx 

If you don't feel like going to the presentation a synopsis of the notes are below. 

Start with heart – Finding the Start Up Essence 

I am sharing some of my own discoveries and wonderful wisdom of other entrepreneurs that only experience can bring 

• The learning curve can overwhelm:   Business models, financial systems, technology, competition, creating pitches for funding, engaging partners and sponsors, revenue models, corporate tax, how many people will we need to hire, what skills will we need, where will the money come from, … the daunting list goes on

• Business schools are big on teaching how to build business models and business plans….But there are so many reasons why the best place to start is on your idea – the essence of your start up – your product or service.

• Trying to do to many things at once can block creativity.

• Building a worthy product takes some stretching of the imagination, questioning our own idea, testing our ideas, throwing some away, starting over, finding better solutions. 

• And until we have our product prototype designed - most of the to do list will need to be redone anyway.

When you want to bring a start up to market, creativity can be one of your best allies.  To put your best foot forward:

•  Step back and take a long look at your start up 
• Set your own preferences aside and step into your customer or users wardrobe. 
• Live in their space, think about their joys, problems, influencers, inspirations.. 
• Feel how your idea change your customer’s world – even if just a little bit?  
• Or think how would you like to change their worlds?

Find the reason you must bring your idea to your customers. 

There are a lot of people we need to reach, engage and motivate to be on our team: start up partners, investors, clients, end users, collaborators.

Your business model will be essential – but it will not enchant the people around you. 

We typically have about five minutes to convey that our startup is worthy – of partnership, of funding if we are delivering that message personally.

Passion conveys confidence, it is contagious. Get an angel investor excited about your idea and your opportunity for success skyrockets. 

What can you say in a short time to gain interest in your idea? How many words do you need to use to prove your point? How long will you have a key  person’s interest?

Passion and enthusiasm will get attention and it’s infectious – just like laughter. An excited audience pays attention. 

We learn by doing, we remember through activity. Demonstrate and test your prototype. A prototype shows you mean business and are not just batting an idea around, Your business is the real thing. 

Heart and authenticity build trust with your users and investors

 Most importantly – live your customer's/user's life. Understand their desires, their problems, their culture, how they make decisions. Love them. Love to help them. That’s how you will create an authentic business and attract a trusting audience.

You need heart for your clients and for your partners. If you love your customers.. then you will love your solution and this creates passion. 

Passion is contagious and fuels courage and tenacity. 

 If you build your business with heart, if you love it, so will others.