Stop Yelling, Say Thank You & Put Down That iPhone

I sprained my ankle yesterday while out for a run with my dogs Ringo and Dazy and so I'm spending the day with my foot propped up, catching up on some email, reading and writing a few belated Thank You postcards.

I thought I'd share this insightful, quick read from Peter Madden at Advertising Age: Twenty Things I've Learned After 40 Years Living and 10 Years Running an Agency.

Here's a few that ring true for me:

1. Realize what you're great at and do it all the time. Realize what you suck at and stop doing it completely (and put the right person in place to do it).

5. Trust your instincts. You can interview a prospective employee or client 10 times, they can say and do all the right things, but if your Spidey sense is tingling, something is amiss.

8. Do pro bono work for non-profit organizations that are trying hard to make the world a better place. You'll get more out of it.

14. Did someone working for you just disagree with a decision you want to make? Good. Keep her around as long as possible.

16. Throw parties at your office, no matter how humble or grand the space, for no reason at all. It's all about the people in the room, good music, and not running out of booze or ice.

17. Put your f***ing BlackBerry/iPhone down when you're meeting with me.

And of course -

20. Write personal notes thanking people you meet with and who are in your life. Besides death and taxes, the only other sure thing in life is that no matter who you are, it's exciting to get a handwritten note.

That's right,

HMK

Thanks again to Peter Madden at Ad Age.

The Wandering Mind

My best ideas seem to surface when I'm working on an illustration, cutting the grass, vacuuming, walking the dogs or playing Snood.

And a couple of rounds of good coffee after a good night's sleep are always a good idea.

By most measures, we spend about a third of our time daydreaming, yet our brain is unusually active during these seemingly idle moments. Left to its own devices, our brain activates several areas associated with complex problem solving, which researchers had previously assumed were dormant during daydreams. Moreover, it appears to be the only time these areas work in unison.

"People assumed that when your mind wandered it was empty," says cognitive neuroscientist Kalina Christoff at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, who reported the findings last month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. As measured by brain activity, however, "mind wandering is a much more active state than we ever imagined, much more active than during reasoning with a complex problem."

The above is from Robert Lee Hotz latest article: A Wandering Mind Heads Straight Toward Insight in the Science Journal from the Wallstreet Journal. It's a really insightful read that goes great with morning coffee and Cliff Kuang's recent Fasct Company piece:Hard Work's Overrated, Maybe Detrimental.

That's Right,

HMK

Innovation & Creativity Rule

According to Advertising Age, in 2008 Marketers' ingenuity will continue to expand as the competitive marketplace challenges brands to devise ways to reach their audiences online and via other "out-of-the-box" avenues. Targeting consumers using unconventional methods in creative places will be the gold standard for outstanding creative. Marketers won't run away from traditional media -- but will leverage technology and new media to accentuate message delivery to consumers and customers. There is no turning back -- and creativity will rule.

Read the rest of Bob Liodice's insight: Trends to Watch in 2008

That's Right,

HMK