On Tuesday, May 14th at 12:00 Noon EST, I will be airing my interview with Alisa Maclin, who is Vice President of Marketing for IBM’s Smarter Commerce Initiative. During the 30 plus minute broadcast, we will be talking about IBM’s upcoming Global Summit 2013 in Nashville and Monaco.

IBM’s Alisa Maclin

Here is the link to the interview: IBM’s Smarter Commerce Global Summit 2013 Preview

On Friday, May 17th at 11:30 AM EST, Xchanging’s Director of Solutions Kaushik Dasbiswas will join me live to talk about his company’s recent white paper Unlocking value from indirect spend through a sourcing maturity model.

Xchanging’s Kaushik Dasbiswas

Has many of you already know, my research into the area of managing indirect spend through the development of an Internet platform structured around an agent-based as opposed to equation-based model was funded by the government’s Scientific Research and Experimental Development program back in the late 90s.

The results of that research led to my launch of this blog in May 2007 as well as numerous articles and white papers including Acres of Diamonds: The Value of Managing Low-Dollar, High Transactional Volume Spend. The Acres paper is now for the first time available to the general public.

I am very much looking forward to gaining Kaushik’s perspective on the maturation model to which the paper refers. Especially in the context of the past decade.

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One of the most troubling aspects of the gun debate in America is the amount of misinformation and half-truths being offered by people on both sides of this contentious issue.

Two of the greatest offenders in this regard are CNN’s Piers Morgan and Ted Nugent.

With Morgan he bandies about study results pointing to declining crime rates, attributing them solely to the impact of gun control legislation.

With Nugent, who as a guest on the Glenn Beck show talked about neutralizing watermelons as a means of preparing for armed response, the impassioned rhetoric makes one wonder?

Click to Listen to Morgan – Nugent Commentary

Even though Morgan is British, both his and Nugent’s vociferous defense of their positions make one wonder Why Do Americans Hate Each Other! rather than seek understanding and ultimately consensus on these important issues.

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I did not read the rules, nor examine the data or even for that matter take anytime to really analyze my player selections.  I basically went with my gut and fancy.

Here are the results . . . in week 1 I scored 68 points and ranked amongst all players 452,978. In week 2 I scored 160 points improving my rank amongst all players to 224,027. In this last week’s games I scored 245 points and improved my rank to 4,281.

Let’s face it, a John madden I am not.  Yet here I am rocketing up the leader board.

So here is the question . . . is success with on-line games based upon skill or just plain luck?

Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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Click Image To Play . . .

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If you have been following the case between Noah Kravitz and PhoneDog, read on anyway because this might provide a take on the situation that has not previously been presented.

Even though the case has now been settled, the fact that it went as far as it did should raise a few red flags.  Especially taking into account the pre-existing agreement which stipulated who would retain the Twitter account in the event that Kravitz left the company.   This speaks volumes in terms of why it is critical to ask yourself the question;  to whom do my followers belong . . . my employer or client or, me?

It seems clear to me that if indeed content is king, then the one who creates (and continues to create) the quality content will inevitably draw the followers and build the lasting relationships.

But here is the question . . . if you are paid either as an employee or as a consultant to build a company’s following then logic dictates that you delivered a service for which you received fair remuneration.  Look at the individual who created the Post It Note for 3M.  He was employed with 3M who provided him with the vehicle to develop the product.  If this person decided to leave the company, to who should the product belong?

Now I know that this is a considerably more complex case re what if a popular columnist leaves a major newspaper to go over to a competitor?  Does the previous employer have a claim on the columnist’s readership?  To me the key is to first and foremost outline an agreement that clearly stipulates what happens when the relationship ends . . . and in today’s ever changing marketplace it likely will.

The next step is to honor the terms of the agreement.

The problem with the Kravitz – PhoneDog case seems to be that PhoneDog went back on its original agreement and attempted to use the Twitter account as a means of dealing with a back pay issue.  In this instance the company blew it.  Not only because they went back on their word but, what is the likelihood that Kravitz will now “send the occasional tweets from the account” on behalf of PhoneDog?

In the end, this is as much a practical question as it is a legal question.

Given how the civil court system “works” (and yes this is a sarcastic jab), it seems to me that in the end the best policy is one that is centered on common sense and a mutual or shared benefit mindset.

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So what are you most thankful for this 2012 Thanksgiving?

As you ponder all the blessings of this past year here courtesy of Ancestry.com is a link to Thanksgiving poems throughout the ages.

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It was an interesting discussion to say the least, especially since I had in the past viewed those who sought the purity of organic foods as being the wear socks with sandals granola eating set.  How wrong I was, and how smart they have been.

Since August I have made the transition to eating healthier food as opposed to the factory junk that comes pre-packaged and has a shelf life well into the next millennium.  Okay may be not the next millennium, but you get my point.

I have to tell you that in making the change I seem to have more energy.  Given the fact that Jennifer and I have four children under the age of 7 having more energy is a big plus.

There have also been a number of other benefits as well.  For example, I have noticed that I suffer less from my seasonal allergies – I no longer have to take antihistamines.  Even a recent cold seemed to be less debilitating despite the fact that I eschewed the usual OTC remedies such as Nyquil.

The problem with making these kinds of changes is that outside of the above examples one tends to lose context relative to measuring the improvement in general overall well-being.  Or to put it another way, our “before” memories are frustratingly if not thankfully short.  What I needed was to find a means by which I could experience the before so as to gain a better of appreciation of the new me.

Enter that venerable fast food chain McDonald’s!

Like most parents with a busy family the day can slip away very quickly.  While I accompanied our oldest Savannah on a 6 hour school outing yesterday, Jennifer had the three boys aged 1, 2 and 4 at home.  Even though both Jennifer and I enjoy cooking – Jennifer is especially adept at preparing amazing meals, we decided to try McDonald’s.

Outside of the occasional chocolate shake and small french fries, I hadn’t really eaten food at McDonald’s for some time.   As we approached the drive through, I quickly scanned the overly business menu and decided to have two crispy chicken wraps.

Within hours of eating the wraps I began to have a heavy, bloated feeling in my stomach accompanied shortly thereafter by heartburn.  And then it all started coming back to me.  This is how I used to feel before moving to a more natural, dare I say organic food diet.

Now do not get me wrong, I have not made the move to a socks with sandals attire.  However I cannot deny the fact that after being off of the factory food for the past 2-months there is an undeniable improvement in the quality of life.

So here is the question . . . has factory food such as that which is churned out by a McDonald’s diluted our taste to the point that we no longer notice the fact that we might be slowly poisoning ourselves?

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In his book titled “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” Dr. Robert Cialdini offered six principles you must follow to become a skilled persuader.

The six principles are as follows; Reciprocation, Commitment/Consistency, Authority, Social Validation, Scarcity and Liking/Friendship.

There is no doubt that after more than 40 years of what has been referred to as “rigorous, evidence-based research along with a three-year program of study on what moves people to change behavior,” Dr. Cialdini is as the book claims the seminal expert in the field of influence and persuasion.

But here is the question that immediately came to my mind . . . what about authenticity?

If it looks like a duck . . .

I am not suggesting that any one of the six principles listed by Dr. Cialdini is disingenuous.  In fact, they all reflect important relationship building values.

My point is simply this; attempting to apply these six principles if they do not truly reflect who you are and what you value will ultimately undermine your efforts.

For example, in discussing Dr. Cialdini’s principle of “Authority,” the SellingandPersuasionTechniques.com website had this to say:

“People are more willing to follow the directions or recommendations of a communicator to whom they attribute relevant authority or expertise. One study showed that 3 times as many pedestrians were willing to follow a man into traffic against the red light when he was merely dressed as an authority in a business suit and tie.”

While people followed someone into traffic against a red light merely because the individual wore a suit and tie, the end result is that they would have in following this person ended up getting hit by a car.  This is hardly an outcome that would build sustainable creditability and influence.

I believe that merely learning a few parlor tricks relative to human conditioning does not imply the existence of true influence.  True influence is something that is both built and earned over time through producing consistent results that are beneficial to all stakeholders as opposed to just the individual that can best play the game.

Now I do not want you to think that I am discounting the need to understand how the game is played.  I do believe that politics exist on many different levels within corporations. Becoming more politically savvy is essential in order to survive and thrive in business.  Being politically savvy is a reality of how the world does business.  What I am saying is that being politically savvy or mastering Dr. Cialdini’s six principles in the absence of authenticity of self will eventually come back to hurt you.

This of course leads to another interesting question.  Who is more inclined to apply the six principles in a business setting if it means compromising on their authenticity -a man or a woman?

According to a recent study by Professor Roger Steare, which included 60,000 participants from 200 countries, women are more moral than men.  Steare’s “Moral DNA test” reached many conclusions based on the results that included the assertion that “when it comes to work, men have to grow up, put their ego to one side and show some humility and compassion – qualities they all too often have in their personal lives but put to one side when they walk into the office.”

This last point in particular speaks to the authenticity question.  For some reason, men have qualities they demonstrate in their personal lives but are able to check at the office door.  What is disconcerting is that women feel compelled to do the same.  However, for females, this compartmentalization of character is far more difficult a task.  Women tend to feel torn or even tormented when they believe they can’t express what they are thinking. Perhaps this is why there are only twenty female CEOs that head up a Fortune 500 company.

Does this mean that women have to become more like men when it comes to being true to who they are?

If one is to believe the findings in Hanna Rosin’s newly released book “The End of Men: And the Rise of Women,” the answer is no.  The author’s revelation that a “new state of affairs” in which there is a radical shifting of “the power dynamics between men and women at every level of society” suggests that being authentic and politically savvy is indeed reflective of complimentary attributes.

So what is my advice to you?

To start, remember that if you’re not playing the game, you probably aren’t getting what you want. .  Honor your authenticity but sell your value proposition.  Use some of Cialdini’s teaching  with the purpose of sharing your wisdom.

The above being said I have always believed in Polonius’s last piece of advice to his son Laertes “to thine own self be true!”  And now it appears that the rest of the world is catching up.

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Without going into the details nor attempting to villainize the other child as both girls are just 7 years old, suffice to say that this is not the first incident involving this one student.  Sadly our child as well as other classmates have been on the receiving end of either a hit or a threat of being hit in the past.  In fact the week before the incident, the classmate threatened to ruin the dresses of four girls (including our daughter’s) on picture day.  When my daughter reported this to the teacher, the girl denied it.  However, and I applaud the teacher for her follow through, she asked the other three girls who had been targeted what had happened.  They all confirmed that the  classmate did indeed make the threat to ruin their dresses.  The teacher did take what we believed at the time was the appropriate action to address the issue.  We had hoped that it would end there.

Sadly it didn’t.

The Importance of Documenting

One of the things I learned in preparing for my interviews with leading experts on the subject of bullying is that you must meticulously document every incident as well as report it so as to create an audit trail.

Over the past couple of years we have done this.  We have also saved the copies of the responses we received from the other child’s mother to our e-mails expressing concerns of what was happening at school.  One reply that stands out in particular was the mother’s acknowledgement that her daughter has a problem with her temper and is somewhat spoiled.  It should also be noted that we sent e-mails to the school, as well as called them on more than one occasion regarding the situation.

Based on this and the severity of the injury resulting from the blow, we decided to file a complaint with police.  Much to their credit the officers with whom we talked took the matter seriously and an officer specializing in school situations has since intervened.

Given that our daughter has never been in trouble or has been disciplined at school – she has consistently received glowing comments about her academic ability and positive attitude, we were surprised to receive the following note from her teacher a mere two-days after her return to classes:

“(The classmate who hit our daughter) has been doing her best to avoid Savannah at all times, but Savannah is not reciprocating.  She often stands by the classmate in line or chases her in the gym.

It would be best if Savannah also put an effort into avoiding the classmate.”

As previously indicated, we were of course surprised to receive the note as there had been no meaningful communication from the school since the incident occurred.

I immediately called the teacher for further clarification, and asked her if Savannah was being mean to the other girl or had been taunting her or had otherwise done something wrong.  The teacher assured us that Savannah did not do anything wrong and that she is a sweet girl who does not have a mean bone in her.

The teacher went on to say that they just want to make certain that another situation is avoided in the future.

When I got off of the phone with the teacher both Jennifer and I talked to Savannah and we discovered that in addition to the note, she was called from class so that the principal could talk with her.  The principle, without consulting us on what they planned to do, asked Savannah to stay away from the other girl.  While we do not believe that it was the intent of the principal to make Savannah feel that she had done something wrong, she nonetheless felt that she had.

What is particularly troubling about the school’s plan of action is that is has confused Savannah in that by following the principal’s direction she may be put into the position of having to disobey other rules.  For example, you are not allowed to move ahead or back when you are standing in line in the hallway.  What happens if the other student ends up beside Savannah.  If Savannah moves while in line to get away from the other student she can get into trouble with the teacher.  However, if she stays put she is going against what she was told by the principal.  Remember, we are dealing with a 7 year old not an adult.

After a great deal of discussion and what can be considered a reasonable night’s sleep for parents with 4 children under the age of 7, I sent in the following note to both the teacher and the principal:

Dear Teacher:

Thank you for taking the time to talk with me by telephone yesterday.

As we had discussed, and despite what has happened to her, Savannah is a gentle, sweet and forgiving child.  Therefore it goes against her nature to purposely ignore another person.

While Jennifer and I believe that we understand the intent of your note, we take issue with the manner in which this course of action was introduced.  Specifically, the principal’s decision to pull her from class to tell her to stay away from the other student!  This made Savannah feel that she had done something wrong – which she did not.  After all she is the one who, without warning and provocation, was injured.

Over the next few days we will research the effectiveness of putting a demand such as the one being placed on Savannah in terms of preventing future injury as well as the impact on academic experience.

In the interim, we have instructed Savannah as follows:

1. Given what has happened in the past, she should be more aware or mindful of the other student and,
2. That she is not being mean by not engaging or responding to the other student
   

The above being said, Savannah will not be reduced to walking on egg shells or be forced to mute what has been an otherwise enjoyable experience at school.

For example, if the other student approaches Savannah while she is talking with her classmates, Savannah will not flee from the scene.  Conversely, Savannah will not avoid interacting with other classmates just because the other student may have been in line before her.   In situations such as these we have told Savannah that she should, in a polite but firm voice, remind the other student that they should not be talking and ask her to leave.  If the other student does not respond, we have told Savannah to immediately see the supervising teacher or adult.

We look forward to following up with you once we have completed our research.

Sincerely,

Jon and Jennifer

In the end our concern is that action was taken without our being consulted and, it appears that Savannah is being made to feel responsible for what had happened.  Despite the promise of a meeting we have yet to receive a call from the school’s principal to discuss the situation.  Nor have the other child’s parents given us the courtesy of an apology for what had happened.  I can assure you that had the roles been reversed Jennifer and I would have called the injured child’s parents to see how she was and apologize.  Furthermore, we would have had Savannah write a get well note to the classmate.

Instead, the only contact we received from the parents was in the form of a police officer visiting us at home and telling us that they had received a call complaining that we had been harassing them by way of our postings about the incident on our personal Facebook pages.  We of course did not mention names and after a few brief and concise words with the officer I initiated a meeting with his superior at the station.  The matter was immediately dropped.

So here is the question . . . are our schools properly equipped to deal with bullying?  Do the schools to a certain extent make the victim responsible for bearing the bully’s burden in that they have to modify their behavior, even in those circumstances where they have done nothing wrong?

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I don’t know about you but to me the term “the art of” is getting tired and old.

Donald Trump’s book notwithstanding, references such as these tend to provide people with a reason not to do something they do not like re I do not have that skill or if there is an art to it there is no way that I will ever master it.

The fact remains that good advice is simple, sound and accessible. It doesn’t need to be elevated with flowery prose. Nor does it need to assume a pretentious air.

Or to take a phrase from a popular sports advertisement; when it comes to providing useful advice “Just share it and do it!”

What do you think?  Does the above have merit or is it the bombastic ranting of someone who has just recently given up caffeine?  Weigh in with your thoughts in the comment section below.

Note: the following is just one of the far too many articles that stoop to the “Art Of” headline . . . http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2012/10/01/how-to-master-the-art-of-productivity/

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