Timing Is Everything
Tuesday, October 7th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
If you don’t think timing is everything, think again. If you’ve learned anything as a result of the events of recent weeks, it should be that timing matters…We’ve all recently witnessed that it doesn’t really matter whether you’re a politician, investment banker, CEO, or just an average citizen, when it comes to making a simple decision, managing a crisis, or attempting to exploit an opportunity, timing is everything. I’ve often heard people quip that they would rather be lucky than smart. While intelligence and good fortune are certainly both valuable traits to possess, neither of these traits holds a candle to having a great sense of timing…Luck is a hit or miss proposition, and we’ve all known many a brilliant underachiever. However it has been my observation that you will rarely come across someone who possesses a great sense of timing that is anything other than successful. In today’s post I’ll take a look at timing as key success metric…
Dealing with Tough Times
Thursday, October 2nd, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Few would disagree that we’re in tough economic times…however it’s not the tough times, but how you choose to deal with them that’s important. There has been no shortage of unsettling news over the last few weeks. With disequilibrium in the capital and credit markets, tough times for the average American aren’t usually too far behind. Some of you reading today’s post have already felt the constraints associated with tough economic times. However rather than pen assuaging platitudes in an attempt to provide comfort, I want to provide you with simple and clear direction; Don’t panic, don’t quit, and most importantly get your head back in the game. I’m going to rely on the video above to communicate what I believe is a sound approach to dealing with the tough blows that life can dole out. If you find the above video inspirational, you might also enjoy a previous post using Michael Jordan as an example of the benefits of enduring and pressing through tough times…
Read The Full PostRecession Proof Your Business
Friday, August 22nd, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Want to recession proof your business? Increase your marketing expenditures. If you’re the short-sighted CEO who cuts back on marketing, branding, and advertising budgets in an attempt to reduce costs, shame on you…Top CEOs recognize that economic slow-downs are not all doom-and-gloom. In fact, the smartest executives understand that swimming upstream against the conventional wisdom of the risk adverse can actually create significant opportunities for growth. By making heavy operating investments into marketing, advertising, business development, and sales initiatives, the aggressive enterprise can create significant competitive separation during a time when many are pulling back on such expenditures. In today’s post I’ll make the business case for applying contrarian thinking by becoming very bullish in the face of a waning economy…
Focus on Performance
Thursday, August 7th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
While many of my posts tend to be motivational in nature, today’s message is going to be direct, and to the point…focus on performance. One of the drawbacks of being a professional advisor is that I’m bombarded by voluminous amounts of incoming rhetoric and jargon on a daily basis. Sometimes I just get so tired of all the management speak and self-help propaganda floating around that I want to choke someone. Fear not, rather than resort to violence I’ll just do what I do best…simplify the complex. You see, the formula for success is really quite simple…PERFORM.
Why Coaching Works
Sunday, August 3rd, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
If you watch this video clip and don’t walk away with a complete understanding of why coaching works then there may be no hope for you…All kidding aside, we all need a coach whether we realize it or not. As a CEO Coach my mission is to help clients become better and accomplish more than they could if they were left on their own. The simple truth of the matter is that coaching works. Regardless of how some people spin their story, there are no self-made individuals, and everyone is better-off with someone in the corner pulling for them. I hope this video encourages you to move past your comfort zone and be your best…
Read The Full PostFamous Failures
Friday, July 25th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Famous Failures
The response to the Michael Jordan piece I posted earlier today was overwhelming. Most of the e-mails I received asked for more inspirational videos to be mixed-in amongst the more traditional posts. In that vein, I thought I’d offer the above video on famous failures as a follow-up piece for your weekend enjoyment.
Read The Full PostMichael Jordan and Failure
Friday, July 25th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Michael Jordan “Failure” Nike Commercial
In a previous post entitled “Don’t Quit” I espoused the benefits of staying the course and not giving up. In today’s post I wanted to share a short video with you in support of the concept that it is acutally those who have the fortitude to work through failure that often have the most noteworthy success. While this video is just a Nike commercial it nonetheless proves that when you look behind the public face of success you will most often find quiet determination, persistence, and a refuse to lose attitude…
Read The Full PostSuccess vs. Significance
Saturday, July 19th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Success vs. Significance…some would say that any discussion along this topic line is nothing more than a semantical debate. However, it is my opinion that those who hold this view truly don’t understand the difference between the two, and are simply attempting to blur lines in order to feel better about themselves. I believe “success” can be a very dangerous thing in a vacuum…You see, success is in the eye of the beholder, whereas significance is a view of you that is held by others. Complicating matters further, I believe few successful people make the transition to significance, but every person of significance is successful. In today’s post I’ll attempt to clearly lay out the differences between success and significance, and where your sites should be set…
Influence and Personal Branding
Friday, June 27th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
I’m often asked how to tangibly measure personal brand equity and my answer is quite simple The value of a personal brand is directly proportionate to its ability to create and wield influence. When it comes to the subject of personal branding much has been written about authenticity, transparency, marketability, thought leadership, etc., but it is the ability to leverage the sum of these individual brand components for influence that determines the true strength of a personal brand. Put simply, a personal brand that cannot open doors or influence actions and decisions is not much of a personal brand.
First Impressions
Thursday, June 19th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
So, do first impressions really matter? While they shouldn’t, the reality is that they most certainly do. As the old saying goes “you only get one chance to make a first impression,” and often times it is the perception of appearance that determines whether or not you are even afforded the opportunity to get up to bat. The truth is that most people when first meeting someone will quickly attempt to size them up. Whether consciously, or unconsciously, they will make quick value judgments in an effort to assess your credibility and flesh out your agenda. In today’s post I’ll examine how managing appearances can have a substantial impact on your personal brand and your success.