Red bush shedding

It is a good thing I took this picture when I did.



Going by the bush yesterday, the red leaves lie in a ring around the ground below the bush.

Life can be fleeting. Make your moments count.

Start today

Evocative

Another in the series from Tom Asacker in his Opportunity Screams series. Worth the few minutes to watch!

Red leaf

A red leaf stick out from its surroundings.



Separated from its branch and tree, it moves into a new phase of life.

How much do you stick out?

Are you distinct?

"What happens if you don't open the door to engagement?"

Yes, I am going backward. This is the first of a series of videos that accompanies Tom Asacker's new book "Opportunity Screams".



I don't think I'll post all of them. Two should be enough to get your attention. If the 'closure principle' matters, you'll follow the links and subscribe to find the remainder of the videos as they get posted.

You may even go so far as to pick up the book itself. I plan to!

Unexpected = distinct

Insightful short video from Tom Asacker.



His concept of 'unexpected' is very much like being 'distinct' that Scott McKain has talked about.

It also looks like Tom has a new book paperback version of his book: Opportunity Screams. I'll need to add this one to my list of things to read. Put it on your listing too. You'll be glad you did.

Making your mark

On the fresh snow fall, rabbit tracks. Who knew how many creatures there were in the neighborhood? These are common and there are dozens of others.

Different birds, squirrels, mice, chipmunks... others undefined?

What mark do you leave when you meet someone?

Collapse of Distinction - Scott McKain

Take some of Tom Peters thought, a healthy dose of Seth Godin, sprinkle in some of Dan Pink, add the twist of Scott McKain's good story telling and you have a compelling case to find what it is that makes you You.

How can you be distinct to succeed in the marketplace? You need to be clear, creative and compelling.

Was I influenced by his reference to one of my blogs as a source of further information? No. Well, maybe a little to read the book but that is as far as it went. The recommendation was earned by the well crafted presentation.

The Book: Collapse of Distinction by Scott McKain

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I have posted several quotes from Scott 's book. You should be able to find them here. You need not go beyond June 2, 2009 to find them all.

Scott also wrote a sherku although he may not have realized it at the time. You can find that on quiet poet.

What is the bigest problem for education?

"Scott, I believe the biggest problem in education today is 'Sesame Street'." I immediately responded with a profound, "Huh?"

Calmly my former educator asked me, "Scott, who taught you your ABC's?"

I answered truthfully, "Well, my mother and my grandmother."

"Of course," she said. "However, for the past thirty years, young people have been taught their ABC's by Big Bird, and Pert and Ernie. That means they arrive on the steps of this school for their very first day of formal instruction expecting to be entertained as they are educated."

From the Collapse of Distinction by Scott McKain

I'll grant that this is a problem.

I also think that the current funding method for education is a bigger problem. The property tax restrictions for MA is creating such a problem for education that we may never "fix it". In the mean time, the children coming through the school system are being deprived of the competitive edge they could have with better funding.

job search notes: being distinct

The truth is you don't have the time or energy to create highly distinctive customer experiences for a widely varied assembly of widely diverse customers.

From the Collapse of Distinction by Scott McKain

So how many resumes do you have?

I have one primary resume with a changeable focus. If within the world of Information Technology, I am applying for a project management position, I can highlight my project related accomplishments

If I am applying for a support operations role, I can highlight those aspects of my experience.

The basics are all there. The action word phrases don't change.

The positioning on the cover letter to show how I meet several of their listed requirements will change for each company. At least to the extent that I rarely see two companies asking for the same listing of qualifications for similar positions.

How do you differentiate yourself?

The Ebert Effect

The Ebert Effect: When people, from their perspective, are inundated with indistinguishable choices, they perceive a product, service, approach, or experience with a specific point of differentiation to be superior.

From the Collapse of Distinction by Scott McKain

"the singularly worst place to be in all of business"

If you cannot find it within yourself to become emotional, committed, engaged, and yes, fervent about differentiation, then you had better be prepared to take your place among that vast throng of the mediocre who are judged by their circumstances solely on the basis of price. It is the singularly worst place to be in all of business. If you aren't willing to create distinction for yourself in your profession -- and for your organization in the marketplace -- then prepare to take your seat in the back, with the substantial swarm of the similar, where tedium reigns supreme.

From the Collapse of Distinction by Scott McKain