Why a purpose trumps a plan
January 27, 2012 by Barbara · Leave a Comment
Seth Godin says so much with few words:
There is nothing wrong with having a plan
Plans are great.
But missions are better. Missions survive when plans fail, and plans almost always fail.
What does it mean to have a mission? A vision? A purpose?
It’s the internal engine that keeps you moving forward, navigating the rapids of real life that upset ‘the best laid plans.’ Read more
My year as social media explorer
March 28, 2011 by Barbara · 8 Comments
I’ve been learning about social media for more than a year now, and I keep asking other people how they are engaging with it.
My audience basically falls into two camps: professional service firms, primarily in the design and construction industry, and small and solo business people who are often active in Biznik.
My AEC colleagues mostly still watch, often maintaining personal accounts and blogs while their firms debate how to engage as a firm. In general, LinkedIn predominates, no longer seen as just for job seekers, many believe it is the best place to find and meet other professionals. Jan Flesher’s periodic blog posts about the AEC industry set a good example for using social media to offer value. Read more
Would you like 340º vision?
January 24, 2011 by Barbara · 9 Comments
With eyes on the sides of their heads, horses have 340º vision. As prey animals, they need it for survival.
Whether your business is one person or one thousand people, taking time to learn from the past will help you survive too. We’re all so busy, it is tempting to jump right into planning the brilliant future. I’m speaking as one who has done this – often.
We lose something when the lure of the future causes us to bypass reviewing the past and developing a clear vision for the year. It is like starting your kitchen remodel by knocking down a wall before you have a blueprint, or starting a marketing plan with specific actions instead of big picture objectives and strategies. It can be REALLY fun, but it may not serve you best in the long run. Read more
Appreciating baby steps
January 19, 2011 by Barbara · 13 Comments
It’s 5 pm on January 19th and it is still daylight outside, sort of. It feels like a victory over Seattle’s winter darkness when we only have light for 8 1/2 hours. At the solstice on December 21st, the sun seems to stand still for a few days. Today we have 9 whole hours of light. That is a big half hour to me, but we got here through tiny increases in the light each day.
For some of us (including yours truly) it is easy at the beginning of a project or business to see our end result. It seems so real and tangible: it must be close at hand. In the excitement, we sometimes miss a few intermediate steps. I know I do, and I am very good at translating big ideas into detailed plans of action. Read more
December reflections – looking back at 2010
December 31, 2010 by Barbara · 14 Comments
With the new year upon us, it’s a great time to reflect on the year just ending and look ahead at what we want to create in 2011. If we don’t take time to evaluate and learn from our experiences, we are more likely to miss new opportunities or repeat our mistakes. Reviewing the prior year gives us a chance to connect the dots in our own business (and life) and to notice the pattern of changes from year to year. This process keeps us up-to-date with ourselves as well as the changing marketplace. I offer some questions and invite you to carve out a few hours of quiet time for this valuable practice. Read more
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As a 25-year veteran of marketing professional services, Barbara Breckenfeld is a strategist and a storyteller. She helps helps businesses grow as a consultant, marketing coach, and seminar leader.
