June 26, 2024
If you want people to see your value, show your work.
I used to wonder how potters could charge so much for their pots, until I took up pottery as a … Read More “If you want people to see your value, show your work.”
Category: Share Promise
May 2, 2024
What is real marketing?
Real marketing isn’t selling. It isn’t transactional. It isn’t manipulative. It doesn’t exploit people’s anxieties to persuade them to buy … Read More “What is real marketing?”
April 26, 2024
What’s the most dishonest form of marketing?
For me it might be this: I click on an advert purporting to be from a comparison service. I give … Read More “What’s the most dishonest form of marketing?”
February 9, 2024
The fourth thing on my Manifesto
for small business growth and productivity would be: As soon as you have worked out how to attract and delight … Read More “The fourth thing on my Manifesto”
February 7, 2024
The third thing on my manifesto
for small business growth and productivity would be: Structure your business around the thing that matters most for it’s thriving: … Read More “The third thing on my manifesto”
January 22, 2024
A new book and a request
This week I begin an 8-week course on writing a useful book. I won’t get it done of course, but … Read More “A new book and a request”
December 1, 2023
A business is what a business does – part 2
What a business does, is what it needs to do to fulfill its the primary activity of making and keeping … Read More “A business is what a business does – part 2”
November 7, 2023
Positioning.
‘Positioning’. It’s one of those marketing terms you feel you should know. When you’re networking with other business owners you … Read More “Positioning.”
November 2, 2023
Word of mouth
We all know that recommendation by an existing customer is the most powerful and the most sincere form of marketing. … Read More “Word of mouth”
September 11, 2023
What is this thing we call ‘The Boss’? The Monster’s view.
I am not a monster.
I’m a gap.
The gap between what you, Founder, have in your mind’s eye, and what you Team, have in yours.
Between you, you fill that gap with a monster. With your assumptions and presumptions, your takings for granted and second-guessings of motivation.
You make everyone owls when they want to be flowers.
You make everyone Hydes when they want to be Jekylls.
You make fog where there should be clarity and purpose.
You make mediocrity where there should be excellence.
You make a straitjacket where there should be a springboard.
You build a pin-factory where there should be an orchestra.
You make noise where there should be be music.
You focus on me when you should be focusing on the people and the world, you serve.
You, Founder, you, Team, between you, you make me a monster.
But you can unmake me.
All you have to do is share with each other.
Founder, share your system for making and keeping promises with the team. Team, share your ideas for doing it better with the Founder.
Everyone, share the work of doing it. Not just the concrete tasks, but the emotional labour, the feelings. Not just the technicalities, but the customer experience, the bit that wows..
Make everyone a Boss, and watch your floor become a springboard, owned by everyone. With enough give to support different people, enough resistance to help them really take off. Watch that pin-factory morph into an orchestra, delivering customer-delighting performances that have people coming back for more.
That thing you all call ‘The Boss’.
It’s not a monster.
It’s just a gap.
When you close it, ‘the Boss’ will disappear.
And everyone will be free.
Discipline makes Daring possible.
