Allan Tsang

On April the 12th, my friend and partner mentioned there was a 24 hour Code-a-thon in Blacksburg and that I should go check it out. At first I was wasn’t sure but figured it would be cool to see what problems the healthcare industry was struggling with.

The event drew over 75 physicians, scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, students and enthusiasts that wanted to change the world and improve healthcare – all during an intense 24 hours of hacking, developing, innovating and creating…and a lot of pizza. The event culminated in a judging session by Aneesh Copra (previous White House CTO), Matt Holt of Healthcare 2.0 and a representative from CIT (Center for innovative technologies). The top team was awarded $2,500 cash. The next five teams will each receive $500 cash.

I had originally wanted to just listen to the presentations by the Healthcare industry and then head over to my kids soccer games. When Bob Summers called me out to share my idea, I literally formulated the idea between my seat and the podium. I did not expect anyone to join my team.

Before I realized, 4 other developers joined my team. The idea, LivingOrgans, aimed to solve the kidney donor deficit, reduce the cost of patients on dialysis, and increase the number of people receiving kidneys from live donors. My inspiration came from friends who have struggled with kidney problems and the inefficiencies of kidney matching.

At 5pm the next day, we had the chance to present the idea and app we developed. Utilizing a unique algorithm that matched pairs of donor/recipients and created pairs of these nodes and closes the loop so everyone within that loop gets a kidney.

The team was made up of John Kurlick, David Lehn, Jason Riddle, Virquan harold and I. Despite the hiccup we had at the start of the presentation, we came back strong by showing off what we accomplished and answered the questions the panel had.

Although I did not sleep for over 40 hours, getting a runner up prize and knowing we were able to start solving a complex problem was definitely worth it.

Lessons one can learn from this video:
1. Be positive
2. Be creative
3. Innovative
4. Have fun
5. Use what you have
6. Spend time with family
7. Wait for Mr. Luck to show up…and take advantage of social media

This put such a big smile on my face it’s unbelievable. I would hire this guy in a heartbeat!

Cognitive Dissonance is a term used to describe that feeling of discomfort when you have conflicting beliefs.

Examples of cognitive dissonance:  when you wants to start a business.

a. You give up your day job and commit to your idea wholeheartedly. Why? Maybe you believe in the opportunity and you are willing to accept the delayed reward (equity and/or freedom). Once you make that decision, you will continue to justify that decision and accept the discomfort/challenges of a start-up. The “break-through” is just around the corner…You select certain facts and data to rationalize that decision. The truth is, you have no idea whether it will succeed or not. There are just too many variables. More business fail than succeed and new ones are started each day.

b. On the other hand, you may decide not to leave your job to start that business. Your decision to keep the status quo might be perceived as a “safe” one. Once that decision is made, you will start justifying it as well. In fact each time you get a paycheck, that decision is reinforced. You see statistics that show well over half of start-ups fail in the first year. The reality is, that may or may not be the case for you. Companies do go out of business, they have salary cuts, lay-offs, mergers/acquisitions, and have positions replaced (by younger employees/outsourced/off-shored) etc.

We’ve all met that guy who never started any business but boy, does he have a ton of ideas…many that have become successfully launched by other companies <insert the eye roll here>.

In order to resolve that conflict, you need to make a decision. That will largely eliminated that discomfort and you can start justifying the decision with data, experiences, and circumstances. The key is what will gets your emotions to that “tipping point”. It might be experience, know-how, money, or overcoming certain fears. You can either find ways to remove those obstacles or you can use those obstacles to justify your decision or lack thereof.

So, DECIDE already! (insert smiley here). There’s an Aesop fable about “Sour Grapes”…to help avoid/deal with cognitive dissonance. So if you have that killer idea but never had the guts to take the leap, you can tell yourself most companies (about 94%) never make it past 10 years. Or you can take that dreaded leap and find out who can help you develop a plan, work the plan, be flexible, persistent, work hard, stay positive, and take the chance…of succeeding.

*Some resources.

ps: The book really didn’t have anything to do with business, startups etc. It is about the decisions we make (emotionally) and our justification…and as someone who enjoys working with start-ups and have had a few start-ups of my one, it was an interesting topic.

The book “The Tipping Point” talks about ideas and products spreading like viruses in an epidemic. Malcom Gladwell talks about the “connector” and the “Maven”.

The Maven are those that know extensively about a certain subject matter. In consulting, they are called subject matter experts (SME, not to be confused with “small-medium enterprises”).  They are the go to guy if you need to know about a certain subject. The connector on the other hand are those that are looked on as hubs…they make friends quickly and know a lot of people.  These two types of people can help make an idea “sticky”…eventually getting to that tipping point.

Well, when I read that book a few years ago, I found that fascinating and started looking around for things that initially may be just an idea (good or bad) and then evolve to the point where they become adopted by the masses.

So…when and how did words like “Worchester” in Massachusetts gets pronounced like “Wooster”. That really threw me off when I was on the train passing through that town.

Recently I had a conversation with Jim Flowers of VT KnowledgeWorks. and we spoke about the pronunciation of a town in Southwest Virginia called “Buchanan”. I have always pronounced it “Bue-kanan” (like the president) but the locals at Buchanan corrected me can says it is “Buck-Kanan”.  Now there is also a town in West Virginia not too far away pronounced that way and spelled “Buckhannon”. Could there be a relationship there?

How about this one…Featheringstonehaugh? Jim says it is pronounced “FannShaw”!

The question is when did they get pronounced that way? Who started it? How many people did it take to accept the new way of pronunciation?

So think about this for your ideas and business. Are there influencers and mavens in your industry you need to connect with to create stickiness?

It all started with 178 companies on September 6th…

On September 13th, Blinkmatchapp.com got selected as one of Top 20 to go to the next round.

and the close up of that trophy…

On October 5th, we presented to five esteemed panelist at the PBS Station who then asked questions for 10 minutes to help decide who advances to the final round.

(Pam practicing for her 60 second opening in the waiting room…and did a fantastic job)

On October 11th, Blinkmatch was announced as one of the Top 5 Finalist:

1. BlinkMatchApp.com
2. Skill-Capped.com
3. Engagn.com
4. The Mommy Doctors Bakery
5. Nature’s Nectar

What was funny was while we were being announced as the Top 5 at the Expand, we were announced as the top 22 at the Distilled Intelligence 1.0 contest. It was way too exciting for 1 day.

This is the Trophy we got. Pam Tsang had to go accept this for the team.

On October 27th, blinkmatchapp.com went to Super Synergy to present to an audience of about 200 alongside the other Top 5. Lynette Mutter, my supportive mentor,  gave a flattering introduction and off we went. We gave it the very best shot but lost to Skilled-Capped.com and Nature’s Nectar.

These two contest helped up solidify our business concept and crystallized our ideas. We barely did our soft-launch 1 month prior to these contest so it was great validation…

Now back to work and develop more features for our app.

On October 11th, blinkmatchapp.com was accepted among other 55 other start-ups to present to an audience of over 100 including VC’s and investors.

We had the opportunity to do a 60 second pitch and was selected as one of the top 22 companies to go to the next round. All the companies there were innovative and had dynamic teams.

Distilled Intelligence 1.0 – First Rounds (we are at 0:08:20 into it)

Blinkmatchapp.com went first on both rounds (alphabetical) and was nerve wracking to say the least.  I gave it my best shot but the journey for this competition ended at blinkmatchapp.com being on the top 22.

I would honestly say we should have made the top 11 but I blew it. On the day of presentation, the slide deck I practiced to for over a week and brought with me could not be accepted. I had to present to a set of old data points and slides I thought was just a place-holder. That said, the Top 5 were great companies and they all deserved to be there. I seriously doubted we would have made that round.

The incredible thing was the learning experience presenting to a group of panel experts and VC’s, meeting other companies and making some great connections. We have since been in doalog with a couple of the companies there with possibilities of some collaborations.

Work…

Why are people so averse to it?

I hear that quite often. “Work smart, not hard!” as though just saying that makes one “smarter”. This is not a zero-sum game. It’s not one or the other.  I want BOTH. I do BOTH and I teach my kids to work hard AND smart.

What I have noticed is that the so-called smart workers are using that as a veiled reason to be lazy. That’s right, lazy! Why can someone not work hard and smart? In fact, the hard workers usually become smart workers. When I consult for a company, I make a habit of interviewing as many key employees as possible. Management generally thing they know more than they really do. The workers generally know more and it is their input that makes the difference. For whatever reason, employees tell me what they think more than they would to management. Probably, management have not listened, took credit or have been dismissive – essentially a trust issue.

Regardless…my point is that the so called “smart worker” don’t always work hard and the hard workers eventually work smart. Which would you rather have or be. What is funny is, the one that give the advice/suggestions are usually right. I just don’t agree with their following statement…”Dude, work smart, not hard”.

I want my kids, my clients and myself included to work both smart and hard. Is that easy? No. Smart workers are generally lazier, if I may use that term. They try to find a faster and/or easier solution to the current problem. But that doesn’t mean you should rest. I say find the next problem to solve and get on it.

Sometimes you need someone you are accountable to in order to do that. We all do. We can all benefit from having someone we respect and look up to for some sort of motivation, support, and accountability.

As an employee, if you can do a 40 hour job in 30 hours, don’t sit around and collect a paycheck, do more, ask for a raise – EVERYONE WINS!

It’s not surprising for me to just sit with friends, family or even strangers and in a very short period of time, come up with solutions to abstract problems or ideas for a new business.

So what next? What does it take to turn that idea into reality?

This is what I notice of those that have the ability to execute. I want to list just a few of the attributes:

Drive  - They have this internal drive to take action – to “Activate”. Some call that “impatience”…
Leadership – They don’t shy away from leading, and taking the reins.
Making key decisions – They are not afraid to make bold decisions…to take risks. They move up the ladder of inference quickly. They don’t get bogged down by details or regulations. They are willing to aim and shoot and then re-aim and re-shoot.
Achieving results – They are very results oriented.
Overcoming obstacles – Obstacles don’t discourage but rather energize. They may even see that as opportunities.
Keeping things moving – They have a knack for maintaining and taking advantage of momentum.
Promoting innovation - They embrace new things, ideas, technology. They try almost everything once. They also encourage others to do the same.
Working towards challenging goals – They enjoy getting people on board to solve problems together.
Convincing others – One of the most important attributes is the ability to sell, convince, negotiate and persuade others to their point of view.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. If you have these traits, chances are you are probably making things happen, otherwise, try to surround yourself with those that do.

Good luck…

Action is the foundational key to all success.
Pablo Picasso

I received a strong reaction from my previous post on Facebook and accused of being on an anti-intellectual binge or something like that…

So I re-read the blog and I still didn’t see how that reader got that impression.  My point is that, accumulating knowledge or information in order to impress people or become a walking dictionary is not impressive…at least to me. At one time, that trait might have been valuable. The ability to recall information, data or references when books were scarce or where there are no internet access might at one time been useful. Okay…if you a trivia game fanboy, then yes.

I am sure you have been in the presence of the Monday night Quarterback (I am not a football fan but I thought that description/label was spot on for many). They are so knowledgeable. They can recall stats, plays, and give you a run down how the team should be managed, how a play should have gone down, who should/should not have been drafted, and why. They question is how many of those have built and coached a successful team?

I was recently in a retreat where the attendants were divided into 4 groups – the Activist, the Reflectors, the Theorists, and the Pragmatists. Your truly was in the Activist group (they enjoy new experiences/problems/opportunities, like to generate new ideas, love to take action, solve diverse and difficult problems and take risks). Well they other groups took turns introducing their traits but took the opportunity to take pot shots at the activists for their impatient trait…the trait that drives them to generate results.

Well, that is okay because I am balanced with other traits, the ability to Ideate, Strategize and communicate (according to Gallup’s Strengths 2.0). I guess that is why quote like the following catches my attention:

How many of us have heard that again and again? That knowledge is power. There is nothing wrong with knowledge…accumulating knowledge, surrounding yourself with knowledge, being around knowledgeable people or accumulating degrees etc…

Personally, I believe real value/power comes when that knowledge is put to work. These days, there is not much I cannot find on google, on a online book store or from other experts. Literally, knowledge is at my finger-tips! This is unlike when I was growing up in Africa. The biggest library I had access to was in my high-school with maybe ten book case of books, if that much. These days, there are an over-abundance of knowledge and knowledgeable people.

Knowledge should lead to execution!

So why do I consider knowledge as a weakness? Because those that accumulate knowledge for knowledge sakes in in the wrong century…trying to be a repository of info or a walking dictionary/encyclopedia is such a waste of time and storage space. More often than not, people go to seminars, workshops, and accumulate more knowledge instead of focusing on doing and executing what they already know.

How many people do you know need to lose weight? Ask them whether they know what they need to do, how to do it and compare that number to those that are in the same predicament and actually “do” it.

Maybe that is why I like the Nike slogan…”Just do it!”

Consultants have this rap about them…that when asked what time it is, they simply ask you back for your watch and tell you the time. Well, in an overly simplified world, yes, that is done everyday and sometimes, it’s the only way.

Why you ask? Well, after working with well over 100 companies by now and experiencing what managers, business owners, founders do…they have an idea what they want and they want to make sure they are not making a mistake. It could be that there is simply an overload of information so no decisions are made. The consultant comes in and assist with a few things. One, find out what they want to achieve, what the problems/pain really is and what they have tried and what works and what doesn’t and to offer options. The key most times is not what they know or not know…the secret is what they are WILLING to do.

If they are not willing, it doesn’t matter how cool the idea is or how practical it is, it will not be embraced. However, once they commit to moving positively, a consultant can help identify bottlenecks, implement a “system”, tweak it, and help them avoid the potential problems may be around the corner. This is where experience helps a lot and cannot be found in a book. I believe 30% of what I do as a consultant is canned – and right out of a book, the other 30% is what the client knows and want to do, the rest of the 40% is my experience and knowledge.

Depending on the type of consulting, I prefer not to tell clients what to do. Why? Because to be honest, they can find that in a book and it is much better for me to just point them to it. Most time, I find more satisfaction and the client will get more achieved if I walk with them to the destination, instead of pointing the way…

So if a client wants me to tell them the time and that is “all” they want, I will. Most time, they need more and I prefer to be the clock builder. I want to get my hands dirty and also see things moving and working like they should. Although it doesn’t always go 100% the way I would like to see it, getting close enough is good enough for me.

Perhaps this desire to be the clock builder and not simple a time-teller is because I have more energy than I know what to do with.

About a week or so ago, I was asked by Lynda Foster of Synergy Sessions to give a workshop on negotiations. The title of the workshop was called “Profitable Communications”. That could easily have been a month long workshop but I had only 2 hours and I had to make sure the participants had some solid take-away, something they could put to use right away.

The following are a couple of points I focused on. These are basic in business and leadership communications and I believe they are applicable even in running a country:

1. Have a valid mission and purpose statement – It is critical to go into a negotiation with a mission and purpose statement. This should be in alignment with the corporate mission and purpose. If Mubarak was in touch with his people, or in this case, if he had a valid mission and purpose statement, the situation would not have descended into this state of crisis. The leaders are simply disconnected with the people…they have an invalid mission and purpose, at least not one that addresses the other party’s needs/wants. The mission and purpose of the leaders are NOT in alignment with the people’s. I would love to address the way the people went about protesting and attempting to remove Mubarak from power but it would take too long. They also have an invalid M&P and have no strategic plan – resulting in chaos! Simply removing Mubarak does not solve the real problem for them…
2. Ask for, invite and be ready to hear “No”. It is a fundamental human right. It is a matter of respect. The “No” invites the next step of dialog (contrary to what most belief, it is not the end of a negotiation, simply the beginning) which is…”Why?”There is no better way to start a fight than to remove or seemingly remove the other party’s right to say no. This includes being dismissive, shutting the other party down, being dominant etc. This is what the Egyptian government is trying to do – isolate, command and control (remove cell phone and internet services…). Whenever possible, I encourage leaders to invite and listen for “no” from their followers. It fosters dialog, displays respect and results in collaboration and coordination.

I covered many other techniques used in effective negotiations but I wanted participants to have something they could work on. Within days of that workshop, I got an email from a participant that said she was able to get what she wanted in a negotiation by employing just the few principles I taught. That was quite rewarding.

Ok…so what have I been up to? Well I have been consulting for an engineering company. It was a 4 month project that was suppose to end mid December. Today was my last day of transitioning my responsibility…Another successful project!

I am going to have some more time to write and do other consulting. The new company I launched with my long time partner Mike Greening and a new partner Joshua Eckstyne won a grant so that has been keeping us busy as well. It’s pretty exciting because of the potential this new project has.  We were able to licence out our software to a major State University and have been contacted by another University to help them with branding using our online platform.

I had the privilege of giving a negotiation workshop to a group of business owners through Synergy Sessions a week ago. I will write about that soon and share some insights.

So last Thursday I had the privileged of moderating the Social Media Seminar For the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Business Expo. The panel is listed on the previous blog.

When I had spoken with Catherine Sutton from the Chamber a month ago, the panel was going to each spend 10 min giving a presentation. After forty to fifty minutes, there would be a Q and A session.

That just didn’t seem to sit right with me so I made a few suggestions and Catherine was very willing to try them out. I wanted the interaction to mimic social media. I was not sure that Catherine would go with it. It was going to be a risk because it was the first time we met and we had never worked together before.  Apart from the faux pas I made addressing her when it started, I think it went rather well. This is what we did:

• Instead of me introducing the panel, it was much more effective having the panel introduce themselves briefly. It saved me from memorizing or making a statement about their achievements and credentials only to have them say “Oh, if only half of that was true…” in order to be modest. This panel would never do that but why take that chance.
• We nixed the podium. Rather we sat comfortably and interacted with them at a peer level. Sharing information. It was an attempt at mimicking social media.
• I gave out my mobile number (should have used google voice’s instead) and my twitter account. Attendants could tweet,  text or simply put their hands up. This way they could take their time to formulate it and not interrupt the panel of other attendants. It also prevent them from simply giving up when they failed to see an opening to ask their questions. That went very well and NRVLiving broke the ice and tweeted…
• I am sure you recall a time when you spoke and did not realize the time. In order to prevent boring the audience, I gave the panel a hands signal which essentially meant ” wrap it up” and pass the mic back to me. The panel was exceptionally responsive to that made my job very easy and enjoyable. We even had many instances of some friendly banter.
• I had the privilege of knowing most of the panel and we had the chance to have lunch earlier at Jane Dalier’s of the Valley Business Front. She was an exceptional host and the food and conversation was very stimulating.
• During the event, Anne and Lynda suggested texting people at the expo and the first one that came in won a $10.00 prize. It was spontaneous – and the audience and panel had  fun with that.

I am looking forward to moderating more events open to this kind of response, energy, humor, and interaction. It was definitely a social event! The hour and a half went so fast we hardly noticed it. We forgot to take a break!

One word to describe the event – “Extemporaneous”.

Social media the last few years have gone viral…pun intended. It seems everywhere you turn, there it is. I was asked to be on the social media panel for the NCTC (New River Corridor Technology Council) a couple weeks ago. This week I will be moderating a panel consisting of bloggers, SEO experts, social media experts for the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce.

You think you know “social media” till you have to be on a panel or have to moderate one. I have learnt more in the last couple weeks than I have in the last year. I am not an expert nor do I claim to be one. It is just an intriguing area for me and I use it often. As an entrepreneur, a business advisor and coach, I have to ask myself and others that are experts in this area some tough questions:

1. What are the security issues surrounding social media

2. How to create an effective social media strategy for your company

3. How to leverage it effectively and efficiently to get your message across and to interact and dialog with the group of people that COUNT

4. Finally with regards to marketing – what is the ROI and how to measure it…

The panelist are:

1. Anne Giles Clelland is the former founder of business new site Handshake 2.0 (www.handshake20.com ) and the President and CEO of Handshake Media, Inc., which is a new media PR firm.

2. Janeson Keeley is the owner of JTKWeb in Roanoke where she specializes in Web site development and search engine optimizations. She is also the founder of TweetVA (www.tweetva.com ).

3. Dan Smith is the editor and co-owner of Valley Business FRONT.  He has been a journalist for more than 40 years and is the founder of the Roanoke Regional Writers Conference.

4. Lynda McNutt Foster is with Fast Training which is a one stop source for small business. They utilize Synergy Sessions (www.synergysessions.org) that focus on tools and techniques that promote education and collaboration for small business owners.

I am looking forward to asking some tough questions and learning from these experts. Feel free to let me know if you have anything you would like me to ask the panelists.

By following the acronym S.M.A.R.T., one can avoid setting oneself for failure. S.M.A.R.T. stand for specific, measurable, attainable, result oriented and timely goals. This subject of goal setting inevitably comes up as I work with companies and their executives. It seems to be the exercise of choice for a strategic planning session, yet many of these goals go unmet.

Goal setting has the tendency to bring out the finger-pointing-blame-game in some people. During my years as a consultant, executives and managers would share a list of historical and lofty goals with me…which have usually gone unmet. The general feelings are “if I do not do it myself, it will not get done”…at least not get done properly. I am sure you have seen that. This causes disillusionment and saps moral and motivation.

The reasons companies/executives fail to meet their goals are many. Here are 5:

1. They are not SPECIFIC enough.

2. They are not MEASURABLE or being measured.

3. They are not attainable or ACHIEVABLE. They may be too lofty or idealistic.

4. They have not identified the RESULTS they want to achieve.

5. Finally, they do not TIME or have a deadline for meeting those goals.

Jim Flowers, the Executive Director for the Virginia Tech Knowledge Works at the Corporate Research Center, is often heard saying, “Inherent in every goal is permission to stop trying”. The first time I had the chance to hear it was at an Entrepreneur Summit in 2009. His alternative to “setting goals” was “making commitments”.

This reminds me of the World Cup Soccer games taking place in South Africa. Why does the US team consistently concede the first goal to the other team? Is this the underdog mindset? Even the commentators say, “It seems like the team is still on the bus during the first half.” Can this be a commitment issue? What would be necessary for then to be willing to take and maintain the lead?

Ask yourself the same questions: What is preventing you from meeting and exceeding your goals?

Allan is available for consulting/coaching and can be reached here.

Communicating value can be construed as self-promotion and for most of us, that can be distasteful. I am going to share how that can be done in a modest, honest and genuine way.

com•mu•ni•cate:
1. To convey information about; make known; impart; reveal clearly; manifest.
2. To have an interchange, as of ideas; to express oneself in such a way that one is readily and clearly understood.

val•ue:
1. An amount, as of goods, services, or money, considered to be a fair and suitable equivalent for something else; a fair price or return.
2. Worth in usefulness or importance to the possessor; considered worthwhile or desirable.

Communicating value is therefore about identifying what your audience perceives as worthwhile, and then connects with and reveals it to them clearly. The audience can be your customers, your team, your boss or your client.

There are basic principles to follow whether communicating the value of a company, its products, its services or for that of an individual. Today, I would be addressing that of an executive, or a founder that is facing change (such as re-organizational changes). Knowing the answers to the following 5 questions will help you get started:

What are your Audience’s wants? In our current market, there is the necessity to be more specific, more narrow and with laser-like focus in order to map your distinctive competencies against your audience’s needs. Here your audience may be your boss, the board of directors, your company, or to the community.

What are your Capabilities? Instead of listing all your features or skills, think of what those skills and features have helped you achieve or accomplish. This is the “what” of what you do. Another way to look at it is, “What were the successful outcomes”

What is your Value proposition? (Competitive edge). Develop a compelling set of distinct competencies that will enable you to deliver your product and services that your audience values. What does your audience get by using/hiring/keeping you? What unique abilities do you have that others that could occupy your position do not? Why is it meaningful and relevant to them…today?

How to price to communicate your value? Be sure to price your services appropriately? Would you value your education if it cost nothing? Proper pricing takes into account all of the above – your capabilities, your benefits, your strength, your competitors, your needs, your brand, and your market.

What types of benefits are you communicating? Communicate to your audience the benefits of owning/using/hiring you/your services, whether functional, emotional or both.

Emotional benefits can be extremely powerful and are hard to copy since they have both an intrinsic and extrinsic value. The intrinsic ones makes the customer feel good about working with you whereas the extrinsic ones makes the customer feel good about expressing to others that he owns and uses your product or service (e.g conspicuous consumption or those that have an altruistic value).

This is quite evident with the ownership of luxury cars or those that give to the Sierra Club. However in this economy, financial concerns have buyers running more numbers with ROI always in the forefront so you have to have a positive, measurable, business outcome.
So, go ahead and let others know what you do. Instead of self-promotion, follow the above steps and embrace value-communication by communicating your capabilities, your benefits and value to your audience.

…And finally, make sure your Message is:
1. Simple and easy to repeat, by you and others
2. Effectively conveys your competencies and benefits
3. Meaningful and relevant to audience

Allan is available for consulting/coaching and can be reached here.

In the last post, you may draw the conclusion that steroids is bad. That is NOT what I am saying. Just that a company might not want to seriously evaluate their marketing campaign because it may indicate something is wrong.

So when would one use steroids in real life?

Cortisone is a type of steroid produced naturally in the adrenal glands and is released into the blood stream when the body is under stress. This short acting response helps our fight-flight reaction and enables us to deal with pain in order to perform in extreme conditions.

People experiencing acute or chronic pain can get a synthetic cortisone injection directly applied into the area of inflammation such as the joints or in the spinal and cervical areas. These are more potent and can last from days to months…a way to manage pain or mask a problem. It can help someone break the cycle of pain long enough to go through rehab and/or let the body heal itself.

What does that idea mean in business?:

1. There may be a time for a company to be on “Steroid” – like bringing in an infusion of cash, or hire consultants.  It is like that shot in the area of pain.

2. You can use this idea to help break the cycle of  low productivity, low moral, bottlenecks, stagnation, or even to take the company to the next level of growth (e.g. to manage change).

3. It should be used as a stop gap till the organization finds a long term solution. This is not unlike the current “top-hat” BP is deploying to handle the oil leak in the gulf.

Allan can be reached for a free initial  consultation to determine whether you need that “shot” and how to develop a long term solution.

I hear it quite often. Especially when a company or individual is marketing something. The idea that someone or something on steroids is a great thing baffles me.

Now isn’t that one of the big controversies surrounding baseball? I do not know since I am not a baseball fan. Trust me, I tried. I even went to the local baseball games with my kids. We spent most of out time at the food stands. I also heard last year that a bodybuilding contest was going to test for performance enhancers and almost no one (I think no one but not sure) showed up…

So is it a really a good idea? As for me, whenever I hear:
1. This is selling on steroids…
2. This “insert business gadget” is on steroids…
3. This is networking …you got it…”ON STEROIDS!”

I think to myself, hmmm, wonder what the side effects of attending that, or purchasing that or using that product might be?

How about you? Want some:
1. Baby formula on STEROIDS?
2. Free Range Chicken on STEROIDS?
3. STARBUCKS Coffee on STEROIDS?

Okay, when I was researching on the side effects of steroids, the site that promoted steroids claims most of those side effects are myths. Perhaps you believe them. As for myself, I will stay with the organic approach. Whether that is business or food related.

It is clear that those that use steroids in real life do not really want to publish that fact. So why do businesses and marketing professionals use that phrase?

I am talking about help…in the form of coaching.

Like many chef-wannabe, I love cooking. For me, it is both meditative and creative. I never cook the same dish the same way. Most of the time, they turn out “pretty good”. It helps that while I teenager, growing up in Africa, my parents had me go to local restaurants to learn how to cook.

There are a couple of Chefs I watch on Food Network. Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay, both successful in their own rights and both have a side gig. Gordon would go around to restaurants that are having problems and he executes what I call a turnaround within a couple of days. Jamie came to the US to start a “food revolution”. He started it in Huntington WV because research shows it is the town with the highest level of death resulting from obesity.

As you can see in the Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmare clip here, the food in the restaurant is horrible, yet it is the Chef that is resisting Gordon’s input the most (I agree his delivery might need a little help but he is effective). Those who call him in sometimes end up being the one resisting change – or the manager or the chef. Whereas in Jamie’s case, the head cook of the elementary school started off just resisting and giving all kinds of excuse why that just would not work.  In most cases, they do come around in the end.

This is not much different in businesses advising. What I have seem in my experience is that the “successful” companies and executives constantly look to outside advice and help to improve…whereas those that have chaotic workspace, cash flow problems, dismal internal communication, horrible moral would claim they are “ok” and that they do not need any help. Worse still, they know they have a problem but think they can handle it – but they never do. Knowing that something needs to be done and not doing it is like a crime…we’ve all heard the saying “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”.

However it take maturity to ask for help. No one wants to accept the fact that they need help. Even when a client takes that first step – it takes resolve and character to follow through with that commitment.

Ever notice how professional and Olympic athletes have coaches (sometimes multiple ones) whereas the weekend athlete never do. Those athletes as already successful but to continue to excel, a coach is critical.

Allan is an accredited business advisor, executive coach and talent recruiter and can be reached here. You can follow him on twitter.