Burning Boats or Burning Bridges
As I sat in my office to prepare for the week, I was reminded of two metaphors I hear all the time. They are “burning bridges” and “burning boats.” When I hear those terms many things come to mind.
Burning bridges implies severing ties and cutting off any possibility of return. It’s a decisive, often negative move that can leave relationships damaged and opportunities lost. In professional settings, burning bridges can mean leaving a job on bad terms or ending partnerships in a way that prevents future collaboration.
While there are moments when it’s necessary to leave certain situations behind, burning bridges should be a last resort. We should aim to part ways respectfully and professionally, keeping doors open for future opportunities and maintaining positive relationships.
On the other hand, burning boats is a bold strategy where retreat is not an option. This concept comes from the story of Hernán Cortés, who allegedly burned his ships upon reaching the New World to eliminate the possibility of retreat. In modern terms, it means committing fully to a course of action, ensuring that all your energy and focus are directed towards success.
Burning boats can be a powerful motivator. It requires courage and confidence in your vision and capabilities. By removing the safety net, you force yourself and your team to innovate, adapt, and persevere through challenges.
When to Burn Boats:
Starting a new venture: When launching a startup or embarking on a new career path, committing fully can lead to remarkable breakthroughs.
Strategic pivots: When making significant changes in business strategy, it’s essential to be all-in to inspire confidence and drive success.
Personal development: Committing to personal growth and improvement often requires leaving old habits and comfort zones behind.
Balanced Decision-Making: Understanding when to burn boats and when to preserve bridges is crucial. Each decision requires careful consideration of the context, potential outcomes, and long-term impact.
As leaders, let’s strive to make decisions that foster growth, innovation, and positive relationships. Let’s be bold enough to burn boats when necessary but wise enough to preserve bridges whenever possible.
What are your thoughts on these two approaches? Have you ever had to burn boats or bridges in your career? Share your experiences in the comments!
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The Layoff Is The Beginning
Ever felt like your layoff was the end? Think again!
Studies reveal a surprising trend: many successful entrepreneurs kick-started their businesses after facing a layoff. It’s not just a coincidence; it’s a testament to resilience and opportunity.
So, if you’re dreaming of a job that lights up your soul, a layoff might just be the push you need to make it happen. It’s not the end; it’s your chance to rewrite your story.
Instead of viewing layoffs as roadblocks, see them as stepping stones to something greater. You have the power to turn adversity into opportunity.
Ready to turn your layoff into a launchpad for success? Let’s chat about how you can leverage your passions to create your own path.
Whether you’re currently facing a layoff or simply seeking more fulfillment in your career, remember: your setback could be the start of something incredible.
Age Is Nothing But A Number
You’re laid off and think, “I’m too old to find another job.” It’s a common worry, but let’s face it head-on.
Imagine this. You’ve got years of experience, but every job post seems to scream “young and tech-savvy only.” Frustrating, right? You start to feel invisible in the job market, like your years of hard work don’t count anymore.
Here’s the twist. Your age isn’t a barrier; it’s a bridge. Think about it. You’ve navigated through challenges, adapted to changes, and gained wisdom that only comes with time. That’s gold!
Companies are starting to realize the value of experience. They need your leadership, problem-solving skills, and ability to mentor younger colleagues. Your age is an asset, not a liability.
Here is what you are going to do:
- Redefine Yourself: Your experience is a treasure trove. Use it.
- Learn and Adapt: Pick up new skills. There are tons of resources out there.
- Network Smartly: Connect with people who value your experience.
- Be Confident: Walk into interviews knowing you bring something special to the table.
Remember, every stage of life brings new opportunities. Your next chapter could be your best one yet. Let’s turn that fear into action!
You’re not just looking for a job. You’re showcasing a lifetime of expertise.
Let me help you get started.
Content Indigestion is a Real Thing
Coming off a great weekend of eating whatever I put my eyes on I came to this realization: indigestion is a real thing.
I didn’t get indigestion after eating turkey, dressing, collard greens, sweet potatoes, barbecue, macaroni and cheese, honey-baked ham, shrimp, fish, corn on the cob, and slaw (that was exhausting remembering everything I ate.). I did think that if I were not careful I could easily get sick and feel miserable.
Today I thought about how much content I inhale. Just like that delicious food I ate, here are the things I had to think about:
Do not consume content for the sake of consuming content
There are pie-eating contests and hotdog eating contents where you race to stuff as many servings of something in your mouth and down to your stomach (don’t try these at home by yourself.). At a given time it may be okay to flex your gastro superpowers. However, you don’t eat like that every day unless you are training for an event.
Consume the content that helps you achieve what you want to accomplish
Some people like buffets. Some people like fine dining. Some people like to go to casinos for the food. Some people like to eat at the state fair. It doesn’t matter where you eat but if you want porkchop on a stick (paying homage to the Minnesota State Fair where I ate porkchop on a stick for years) you have to go where that is served. Do the research to find the best content that is applicable to what you are trying to do and consume that.
Implement the Content You Consume Before Consuming More
You can’t eat all the food I ate for Thanksgiving and then go somewhere and sit down. You have got to go outside and walk around the neighborhood after that meal. If you don’t the pounds will find you. Just like real food, you have to work off the content you consume and then go for more after you have digested and implemented it. How many times have you read that article on how to write a post to sell a product or set up a business and you still haven’t done it? You need to go on a content diet until you get your muscles built up to consume more.
Hopefully, everyone has come out of their food coma and is now back to their routine. Take some time to do the same with the content you consume. Go work out what you have taken in and learn from it. Follow me for more ideas like this.
Why Eucalyptus Spearmint is my Favorite Product from Bath and Body Works
I know everyone is going crazy about AI and how computers will take over the world.
One thing they haven’t figured out yet is how to replicate good-smelling aromas in the digital world. We can create things we see and we can create things we hear – but smell, feel, and taste are lagging behind.
Until we can tell Alexa to make something smell like a fragrance we like, I’m going to keep buying and using eucalyptus spearmint products from Bath and Body Works. Here’s why:
The Product Comes in Dark Green Packaging
I don’t know if you have had an art appreciation class in high school or college but I did. I first learned about color psychology in one of our sessions. Green is one of the cool colors – like blue and purple. It has a calming effect when you see it so having a product in green packaging it a great way to market this fragrance.
The Smell Reminds Me of Good Chewing Gum
Growing up my mom wouldn’t let my brother and I have a lot of candy. But one thing she did let us have is chewing gum. Juicy Fruit chewing gum was one of my favorites but my all-time favorite gum is spearmint. I love spearmint gum, spearmint candy, and mints that taste like spearmint. Having that love for that flavor of gum set me up for liking the spearmint essence of the product.
The Product Comes in An Air Freshener for My Car
Not only can I use the eucalyptus spearmint body wash, lotion, oil, and room spray products, but I can also put the fragrance in my car with the air freshener containers. I kept the anti-bacterial spray and a small lotion in the glove compartment. Now when I get in for a drive I am welcomed by the beloved aroma I enjoy.
There you have it. This was not meant to be a commercial for Bath and Body Works but I will say you might want to try this product for yourself. If sales go up I will be asking for my royalty like Mr. Wonderful Kevin Oleary does on Shark Tank.
If you like this post follow me for more.
The Coolest Thing I Did in High School that Helps Me Today
When I was just 15 years old, I entered a contest to do something I had never done and it ended up giving me an awesome life lesson.
Here’s the story:
I was a part of a student engineering club that had different events to explore engineering as a career. We had speakers come in, we went on field trips, and we had projects and challenges to keep us prepared for applying to engineering colleges.
During my junior year, we had a contest where all the student groups participated. The contest was to develop and launch a car that was powered by the spring of a mousetrap. We had several entrants but my design won the contest. I competed at the regional level and won a scholarship for college.
Use what you have
The car could be made from anything just as long as the spring made the car move. I went home and tore up the house to find things to use. I ended up using 2 records for the back wheels, 2 canning jar lids for the front wheels, and clothes pins for the suspension.
Don’t be afraid to try something new
I had never built a car before, except for those wooden box cars we used to build and race as Cub Scouts. What qualified me to do it wasn’t that I did it before. What qualified me to participate was my creativity and enthusiasm to make it happen. Experience sometimes isn’t everything.
Iterate Until You Get the Results You Want
At first, I used a fishing line to tie the axles to the spring to power the car. Then I tried a rubber band but the rules said you couldn’t use them. Then I tried taping a string to the axle and rolling the axle until the bar from the mousetrap was set. That works the best. I would trigger the trap, the bar pulled the string, and then the string detached when the bar from the trap came to a rest.
The car went 70 feet which was a record for the contest.
Those three lessons taught me a lot and I still refer to them today.
What were you obsessed with when you were younger? And what life lessons did it teach you?
Let me know in the replies!
A Proven 3-Step Framework to Unlock Your Full Potential with OKRs in Personal Development
The OKR framework is a powerful tool to help achieve great results within companies. Many have adopted this approach for their strategic goal-setting process and performance management system. The system doesn’t have to stop with organizations. You can use it for your own growth and to achieve results.
There are 3 steps you need to follow in order to create a great OKR for your own personal development:
1. Clear and measurable objectives
I have a clear objective for the Ship 30-for-30 program I joined. It was to become a better writer. But that wasn’t enough to be a good OKR. A better-stated objective is “To increase my ability to produce and publish content on all my social media platforms consistently.”
2. Specific and actionable key results
Now I can write the results that will help me measure my progress. The program requires that you write a 250-word post every day. Also, it is recommended that you set aside a specific time to write consistently. So my key results are 30 pieces of published content.
3. Time-bound deadline
It is not a smart goal if it doesn’t have a deadline or time limit. We have 30 days to publish 30 pieces of content. We are required to publish 1 piece of content each day. I’ll state the results like this: publish 1 piece of content per day by 12pm for the next 30 days.
That’s it. I think I have all the pieces to have a good OKR. Now I need to keep shipping to make it happen.
A Simple 4-Step Ansoff Matrix Framework To Ideate Your Next Groundbreaking Offering
Is your innovation pipeline empty or overflowing right now? Are you struggling to come up with the next big thing for you and your company.
I would like to introduce you to one of my favorite tools that I learned about during my MBA studies that I still use today. It is called the Ansoff Matrix. It will help you come up with ideas of what to do next for your company. It is a 2×2 matrix showing where existing and new products intersects with existing and new markets.
Market Penetration (Existing Products in Existing Markets)
This is basically figuring out how to sell more of what you make to people who already buy your product or service. You can do things like increase brand awareness, strengthen relationships, improve service delivery, and/or look at competitive pricing
Product Development (New Products in Existing Markets)
What you want to do here is figure out what is something new that you can make and sell to existing customers. For example, if you offer recruiting services then look at creating courses on how to interview that you can sell to your clients. You want to create things that are complementary to your main offering.
Market Development (Existing Products in New Markets)
This strategy involved taking what works and trying to replicate that success in a new market. It could be a new geography or demographic. See if a new customer gets value from the things are you already doing for others.
Diversification (New Products in New Markets)
This is always a fun one to experience. Here you are getting into a different market with a new product that you may have little experience or traction with. You could acquire a company or product from someone else that works with your company. You could buy a stake in a new emerging technology or a new process for producing goods and services. This is a way for you to get into a business different from yours.
I’ve used this framework for my executive search business and doing adjunct work for universities. You can use it for anything. If you would like help figuring this out follow me and let me know.
Need a business idea to start? Create your own media company today
I love to follow folks like Gary Vee and Grant Cardone. They have big personalities and usually have something useful to say on their platforms.
One idea that came to me while listening to a podcast was that everyone could start a media company as their first entrepreneurial venture. I totally agree with this (which is one reason I signed up for the Ship 30 for 30 program) so here is how you can create your own company
Figure Out What Kind of Media/Content You Want to Create
I’m going to use the terms media and content interchangeably here.
There are 3 basic types of media you can create: written, audio, and video. Written content could be a blog, a book, or an article that you publish on your platform and other people’s platforms. If you like to talk you could create a podcast or audiobooks. If you like to be on camera or work a camera then YouTube might be your thing.
Think about which type of content you are comfortable creating and decide to start your media company now.
Figure Out What You Want to Put Out There and Who You Want to Serve
I’m going to be creating content for an audience I developed a passion for: people who are mid-career or mid-life and lose a job or have to make a big change in their career and go a different direction they didn’t plan. For this audience, I want to share my story of how I left engineering and information technology and now own and operate my own executive search firm placing executives in nonprofit organizations. Sharing my process and experience will hopefully help those who struggle with this pivot point in life move forward. All my media and content I create will go to serve them in my media company.
Start Creating and Marketing The Media
Come up with a cool name for your company and start creating the media under that name. My media company is called DEJ Media (because my initials are DEJ) and everything I’m making is now going to be a part of that company. All my writing, my podcast that is in the works, my book that I’m working on, and any videos I capture will be a part of that entity.
Build Your Audience Through Email and Continue to Give Them Value
As you start to share your content with people try to capture feedback and their email addresses for your mailing list. Once you have that you can market other things to that list down the road. For now, focus on creating high-quality content and sharing your message with the world. Make sure you are not just making noise but generating value for those that follow you.
Study the Process of Creating Content and Get Better At It With the Feedback You Receive
This is a shameless plug for the Ship 30 for 30 Program.
I’m almost done with the 30 days of daily writing which has been a tremendous experience. I’m using everything I learned to continue my daily habit of creating media/content and pushing it out there. I now have a library of content, tools, templates, and a habit to keep producing. The better I get the more I’ll produce that I can eventually market as digital products and services. For now, I’m going to continue learning how to write digitally and you should do the same
I look forward to publishing more posts, recording more podcasts, and creating videos as an output of my media company. If you want help with this for your own set up follow me and send me a DM. I would love to talk it over with you.
5 Trends in Executive Search That You Need to Know About To Succeed
Everyone is looking to get the next promotion and possibly ascend to a new level of responsibility. In doing some research I found 5 key things you need to know about how to help with your next steps:
A Critical Skill to Work on is Communication
Communication skills like empathy, active listening, and clear articulation of vision are critical for leaders in hybrid work environments. Adaptability and emotional intelligence are also key.
Those That Drive Efficiency are In Demand
Currently, there is a laser focus on hiring for CEO, CFO, and CRO roles to drive efficiency at companies. If you are one of these people you should start to market yourself as an expert and look for roles at companies looking to do a turnaround.
Leadership development is a top priority for successful companies to empower teams and foster an inclusive culture
People who consistently improve themselves and others are assets to the company. They help the company stay competitive and increase retention. Ongoing learning, coaching, and modeling desired behaviors from the top are important.
Leaders are embracing AI and Leveraging It
AI is becoming more ubiquitous and leaders need to understand how to leverage it to benefit their teams and companies. It is helping emerging competitors punch above their weight and deliver services and products efficiently and effectively.
Soft Skills are Still in Demand
Soft skills like listening, communicating with empathy, and speaking about diversity require constant honing. The best executives commit to continually developing their leadership abilities and improving their communication skills as they ascend to leadership in their respective organizations.
If you are starting to look for the next opportunity in leadership for yourself, remember these tips and follow us for more!