Once upon a time, a dysfunctional company in NY hired a new VP of Marketing. I’m going to call him Mancy, because that is only one letter from his real name. This is the true story of how Mancy introduced himself to the company. Mancy walks into a conference room packed with developers, product managers and…
Category: Communication
Rule 64: Pros shake hands like they mean it
In the brief moment of an introduction, both people have created (whether they know it or not) a construction of the other in their minds – made up of their gut instinct, past experiences and small bits of truth – all wrapped up into a stereotyped persona. For some, this first impression is the only…
Rule 37: A Pro stays sober-ish at the holiday party
Treat the holiday party as an enforced meeting where your goal is to be as charming as possible while remaining utterly forgettable. You are not charming when you are drunk, you just think you are. You are not forgettable when you are drunk, you just forget the things you did. No one, and I mean no…
Rule 39: A Pro doesn’t put bumper stickers on their car
Almost all bumper stickers fall into two categories: In truth, all bumper stickers might as well say the same thing: “I can’t keep my fucking thoughts to myself.” Since a Pro won’t discuss the forbidden, and wouldn’t make the same joke every single day, a Pro gets no benefit from a bumper sticker.
Rule 26: Don’t underestimate inspiration
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Here’s a controversial statement – as a leader, your energy and belief in the project vision is more important…