Creativity Meets Courage

I had an interesting discussion Saturday with playwright (and producer, director) Del Shores just before seeing his newest work “Yellow”. Del is known for comedy with a southern twist and has several hit plays and movies plus a TV series (“Sordid Lives”) under his belt. He is a creative wizard who also has the chops to successfully produce his work.

Listening to his story, I was struck by how much courage is required to put his work on display. Noted playwrights draw noted critics. And yes, their critical acclaim can fill the house. But the right thumbs down can also tank a fledgling project.

Del was exceedingly candid about the challenges of putting his work out there every day for others to critique. And—while most of us work from a quieter stage—I found his lessons worth sharing.

Let your work evolve. Del is known for comedy, yet his newest work deals with heavy emotional issues. What makes it so “Del” is weaving his unique brand of southern comedy into a tragic story: we were alternating deep belly laughs with copious tears. Dramedy anyone?

Be confident. Oh, and if you aren’t always feeling it? Take a deep breath and put your work out there anyway. Most smart, talented people doubt themselves at some point. Combat that by surrounding yourself with inspiring allies--you’ll catapult yourself just to keep up. Nobody benefits when you keep potentially great ideas under a rock.

Touch everything important. Del drops by the front office to check ticket sales. He gathers his actors before every performance for an inspiring huddle. He gives memorable press interviews—no shrinking violet here. And he stands at the exit (think Father of the Bride), listening to outgoing comments and connecting with theatre lovers. He promotes with gusto and an open ear.

So. Has your creativity met with courage yet?

What Do Award Winning TV Commercials and Consultants Have in Common?

You can learn a lot in a year. I sure did.

This week marks a year since I started blogging weekly (initial audience: 3.) Lessons learned are worth sharing, which I’ll do in a future update.

Instead, this week, I’d like to re-share my first post (with apologies to the much-appreciated initial 3) because I think the message still resonates a year later.

Click here to take a look.

Let me know what you think…….

Launching The Emergency Slide

There’s been lots of chatter last week about a certain flight attendant launching the emergency slide inappropriately. Which begs an interesting question: When should you deploy yours?

Drama aside, sometimes it’s appropriate to make a hasty exit from your client.

You (or your team) don’t get no respect. I’m not talking about checking a blackberry during a meeting, but hard core bad behavior to you, your team or your client’s team. Belittling, berating or threatening are not OK. Cut those folks loose if you can’t immediately turn them around.

Ethics have taken a holiday. Sometimes, big change (think mergers, layoffs, bet-the-career lawsuits) tempts clients to do things they’d never consider under other circumstances. Help them get their bearings back and coach them through hard change but don’t follow (or tacitly support) their ethical lapses.

The dog ate my homework. You’re working on a critical project that requires collaboration with your client—data access, emails, approvals, meetings. There’s always an excuse why something can’t be done by the due date (often including getting your bills paid.) This is a client who frequently fails—don’t let them torpedo your work.

Launching the emergency slide—sometimes, it’s the best option.

Backwards In High Heels

Famously said of Ginger Rogers: She did everything Fred Astaire did but backwards and in high heels.

Not so different from boutique firms and independents competing against the big guys. Like Fred and Ginger, the best make it look effortless while working constantly on their footwork.

The key is to play to your strengths and highlight the things you deliver that the global behemoths can’t touch. For example:

Make technology work for you. Gone are the days when big meant the best technology. Small means nimble (not to mention you can squeeze a nickel until the buffalo screams.) Embrace new (cheaper) technology while the big guys waste months hammering it out in committee. You—if you’ve got the chutzpah—can now be first to market.

Inject your personality. You can afford to be a little cheeky in order to stand out. Don’t fall into the trap of saying “it’s our service, our people, our technology”. Blah, blah, blah. Show them instead. Let potential clients see you and your team as real people. Demonstrate who you are and what they can expect from you.

Put your stamp on everything. Whether you work solo or lead a group, make sure your beliefs and practices are woven into everything you do. Proposals. Social media interaction. Blogs. Referrals. Billing. Making calls. Responding to help requests. High touch means high regard (and deeper relationships).

So give it a try: release your inner Fred or Ginger.

Are You Just Clucking?

There is an old farm expression: “I can hear you clucking but I can't find your nest”.

The 2010 version: There is a whole lot of clucking going on instead of real, move-the-needle conversations. Social media seems to goad us into speaking when we have nothing—really—to say. Beware of three cardinal sins:

Shameless self-promotion. You have information that will help clients and prospects solve problems. That is NOT shameless self-promotion. We veer into shameless territory when we lose sight of how the reader will benefit. Give them wisdom or make them think—or laugh—but don’t bore them with your irrelevant minutiae (give foursquare the boot.)

Ignoring publishing standards. Self-publishing is a great invention, but not if you don’t hire yourself a rock-solid editor to save you from yourself. Editorial gaffes scream amateur. And your blog or newsletters? Typos demonstrate that you don’t pay attention to detail, or worse: that you don’t care about the quality of your work.

Incivility. Snarky can be lucrative (Bill Maher anyone?) but it’s a niche suitable for very few. Engaging in spirited—but respectful—conversations forges new relationships and creates break-through ideas. Your mother was right—manners matter.

So go ahead: promote, write, push the envelope. Just don’t be clucking with the other chickens.

Boost Your Presence

Presence. That indefinable but immediately recognizable quality that compels you to pay attention.

It’s not about being loud or self-centered, but about quiet confidence. Clarity. And knowing your value without having to convince everyone you meet.

Increasing your presence is actually easier than it sounds. Master these simple habits to boost your presence:

Speak thoughtfully. Instead of--live or online--jumping into every conversation with your point of view, choose wisely. “A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks”. Being thoughtful is good, perhaps more so with so many channels now surrounding us with noise.

Engage. When you do speak, make your primary goal to understand the other person. Even if they never ask you a question, they will remember you as “that brilliant conversationalist”. That’s how rare and valuable it is to have someone listen to and understand us.

Align your outside with your inside. Quiet, studious, technical professional? Wear sober, great-fitting clothes (no wrinkles, spills or tatters) appropriate to your industry. Add one unusual detail as your signature. An eye-catching pair of glasses. The perfect pair of statement shoes. A bold pocket square. Just be sure it truly fits you.

Boost your presence, boost your impact, boost your audience.

Your Edge: Not Always What You Think

Your edge. It’s what the marketplace values most about you (and your firm). It’s why clients hire you and your tribe refers you. Are you clear on yours?

A lot of professionals assume their expertise is their calling card. You are an amazing corporate bankruptcy attorney. The expert on executive compensation. The wizard of SAP implementations.

You may indeed be a genius in your field, but few clients refer you solely on your expertise. One notable exception: when they need a “bet the company” solution and personality becomes secondary to immediate, tangible results. Or, you’re a brain surgeon.

So unless you're in that rarified territory, your edge is not your expertise. It's just the price of admission.

Your real edge is how you do what you do. Not your methodology but your humanology. Are you genuine? Do you really care about the results you’re creating? Are you likable (but not a sycophant)? Do you use humor effectively? Do you get clients the answers they need and help them feel good about working with you? Even when—especially when—you’re doing tough, game-changing work?

What's your edge?