Management Craft

Slump - Writers Slump or Writer's Block

Things have been a bit quiet here at Management Craft - not as many posts, shorter posts. I'm in a bit of a management writing slump, which is a really bad thing because I am in the middle of writing a new book called, 10 Steps to Management (which will be published by ASTD Press next year, along with an accompanying facilitator's guide).

The next two weeks need to be magical in terms of creativity and productivity. So how do I make that happen? How do you make it happen when you need to? Some things that have worked for me in the past:

1. I need to get my mind into a new context or groove. Sometimes just heading to the Alki Beach Starbucks and brainstorming with a latte works well.

2. I need to skip around a bit - write the fun parts to get on a roll. This approach worked for me when I was a manager, too. When in a slump, I would do anything to get rolling again. Once rolling, I can conquer the obstacles.

3. I need to set better daily targets and goals so that I don't get behind on things. Make each day a success even if it is a small success.

4. I need to take more of my "breakthrough" medicine and share with more people, make requests, and take small actions. One request I need to make of all of you - be patient with me between now and the new year. I am on deadline crunch time for th next two weeks and then will be in New Zealand for three weeks. Management Craft will be back in a strong way come January. I am working on some fun ideas for the blog that I am sure you will like.

5. Remove distractions.

6. See the task in a new way - why did I create this book? What value do I hope it will provide? What's the magic sauce that will elevate this book and make me feel proud to have written it? These types of questions always yield interesting answers that can help me get re-jazzed and focused.

7. Just do it. And love doing it.

Meta Writing - On Being Laconic

This essay is meant to be light and entertaining. Don't read too much into my "woe is me," style. :-) Just messing around with my thoughts. That's fun sometimes, ya know? If you don't have time to read the whole thing, make sure you read the Steinbeck passage, his words are amazing.

What's your business writing style?

On Being Laconic

Hello, my name is Lisa, and I am a chronic laconic writer. In the winter of 1998, my manager told me that I was laconic. I had no idea what laconic meant at the time and took her statement as a compliment. I looked up laconic and discovered that it meant I used very few works. My boss was remarking on my style of writing business reports and presentation materials. She preferred communication that, to me, seemed a bit drawn out and academic. In my defense, I think the attention spans of the leaders whom I was trying to influence were also laconic.

I am a laconic writer and on some level I am proud of my economical use of words. Why take up paragraphs when a sentence will do just fine? Why use pages when well-crafted bullet points help people zoom in on the most important messages? Poets make big and layered impressions with their few words. Even a tiny poem can tell a story. Laconicism is not a bad style when working on a 700-word article or an executive summary explaining why the company should scrap performance appraisals. Leaders have told me that my writing is clear and well organized.

I began writing my first book in 2003. It was to be 60,000 words, which would become a 250-page book. The task was daunting; how could I ever fill those pages? Each chapter went through many blossomings. A day before I was to send in the manuscript I found myself  3,000 words short and thought I could not write another sentence. I was wrong, of course, and found the words. I have written five books and struggled to fill each one.

I wonder if being laconic is a sickness or a learned habit. Does my mind think differently than other, more descriptive writers? And descriptive is not the right word for it either. I don’t know what is the opposite of laconic. Long. I think it might be something a bit more than habit, something about the way my brain is wired. I believe this because I have a hard time reading the anti-laconic style of writing. I can take and appreciate a little bit, but books full of longness are tough to get through. I admire the craft involved in a lovingly composed paragraph, I do. When I think about extraordinary anti-laconicism, a passage in Steinbeck’s The Log from the Sea of Cortez comes to mind:

The wind blew so and the water was so cold and ruffled that we did not stay ashore for very long. On board, we put down the baited bottom nets as usual to see what manner of creatures were crawling about there. When we pulled up one of the nets, it seemed to be very heavy. Hanging to the bottom of it on the outside was a large horned shark. He was not caught, but had gripped the bait through the net with a bulldog hold and he would not let go. We lifted him unstruggling out of the water and up onto the deck, and still he would not let go. This was about eight o’clock in the evening. Wishing to preserve him, we did not kill him, thinking he would die quickly. His eyes were barred, rather like goat’s eyes. He did not struggle at all, but lay quietly on the deck, seeming to look at us with a baleful, hating eye. The horn, by the dorsal fin, was clean and white. At long intervals his gill-slits opened and closed but he did not move. He lay there all night, not moving only opening his gill-slits at great intervals. The next morning he was still alive, but all over his body spots of blood had appeared. By this time Sparky and Tiny were horrified by him. Fish out of water should die, and he didn’t die. His eyes were wide and for some reason had not dried out, and he seemed to regard us with hatred. And still at intervals his gill-slits opened and closed. His sluggish tenacity had begun to affect all of us by this time. He was a baleful personality on the boat, a sluggish, gray length of hatred, and the blood spots on him did not make him more pleasant. At noon we put him into the formaldehyde tank, and only them did he struggle for a moment before he died. He had been out of the water for sixteen or seventeen hours, had never fought or flopped a bit. The fast and delicate fishes like tunas and mackerels waste their lives out in a complete and sudden flurry and die quickly. But about this shark there was a frightful quality of stolid, sluggish endurance. He had come aboard because he had grimly fastened on the bait and would not release it, and he lived because he would not release life.

I imagine a laconic version of this passage and know it would not have conveyed Steinbeck’s image and the power of this scene. The lengthy description slows down the timing of the passage, which mimics the shark’s long waiting and death. While reading it, we feel the shark’s determination and the horror of those onboard.

What is my writing is missing by being laconic? Is my bluntness a disservice to you, the reader? Probably. Reflecting on the Steinbeck passage, I can see that his breath by breath commentary and anthropormorphization of the shark’s feelings are compelling and fascinating and there’s no way to do this in an abbreviated way. He’s there, he’s feeling the pain, hate, and guilt. I have been doing an efficient job observing scenes but have not become emotionally entrenched in them.

This business of laconicism is all very interesting to think about. As I tap out these words, I notice an urge to bring this essay to a close. If I did so, my part of the essay would nearly be eclipsed in length to Steinbeck’s quoted passage. Laconic indeed. Perhaps my ailment has been exasperated by experiences on high school and college debate teams. During one-on-one speech competitions, being expeditious and efficient with words helped me win. I relished delivering the single stinging sentence that hammered the last nail in my opponent’s coffin. In summary, because the intent of this law is unambiguous and the positive aim of the company has been conceded by my opponent, there is only one logical conclusion; the company’s action were in good faith and in accordance with the spirit of the law.  I won a lot.

Perhaps my focus is askew. Instead of zeroing in on the end points, conclusions, or grand finales, I ought to linger in the journey. Get into the thick of the tale, whatever it is. When I think of my favorite books, the endings are often anticlimactic and unwelcome. I prefer getting to know and love or hate the characters and the circumstances in which they struggle and thrive. Carl Hiaasen’s Tourist Season is a masterpiece of quirky and colorful scenes. I hoped the book would go on forever, but all great stories must end. The best anti-laconicists linger in the journey and enjoy taking side trips that add color to our story.

Is it enough to write: the fourth generation chile farmer prayed for just enough, but not too much, rain because this balance affected the yield and heat the peppers. Or would it be better to note that in four generations, Paul had learned that the best peppers were just a bit starved. The stress from dry conditions heightened the pepper’s heat. Last season’s 13 inches of rain improved yield of the popular Big Jim green chile peppers, but it also reduced his pepper’s spiciness. His customers craved heat. He could charge more for a hot Big Jim; much more.  With only 8 inches of precipitation this year, the tomatoes would suffer and the peppers would be amazing. Just enough rain to ensure a good yield and extraordinary flavor.

OK, I get it. I’m ready to jump on a plane and order up a green chile cheeseburger, heavy on the chile. The antidote for a chronic laconic writing affliction is patience and play. Color, texture, and complexity do not pop onto the page in neat and tiny packages; they need to be fed, watered, and given the room to grow. This is an interesting metaphor to use to describe great writing because I very much like propagating seeds and raising tender little plants into lush expressions of their kind. I talk to my seedlings and encourage them to be brave and invincible. Ironically, I have only tried and failed when it comes to my beloved chile pepper. Basil, lavender, parsley, and cilantro have been much more responsive to my coaching and coaxing.

Now you see, I am feeling positively chatty.

Heading Back to School

The blogging will be very light over the next 8 days because this morning I am heading back to school. I am starting an MFA program at Goddard College out of Vermont. Today begins an 8-day residency intensive in lovely Port Townsend, WA.

I am excited to be on a new learning path! I started but never finished my master's degree and this is something that has gnawed at me for over ten years. I started two programs actually, but then was moved out of the state for work. And recently, I found that I had no interest in getting a business related masters degree. Each program I looked at seemed boring and uninventive. If I am going to invest my time and money to get another degree, I want it to be something that excites me.

And I found it in the MFA program at Goddard. I is a low residency program, but there are two 8-day residencies each year for two years. I get to mold and shape my experience and work with some incredible people.

I might pop in to do a quick post here and there, but maybe not. I will have podcasts for you on Monday and Thursday.

Wish me luck!!

Will You Help Me Make a Difference?

I was talking to someone from the UK today. She asked me if love writing and if I always knew I wanted to do that.

YES and YES.

Even so, it took me a long time to start writing and I am hardly done learning. In my case, my natural talents and my calling were not perfectly matched up. Each book, article, post, paragraph, sentence, word, and letter furthers my journey.

And at times I am at a loss for words. This is one of those times. So I am just going to write it like I feel it and risk coming off a bit weird/emotional/salesy/self-absorbed.

In two weeks, my book Focus Like a Laser Beam: 10 Ways to Do What Matters Most comes out. I am achingly in LOVE with this book. It was fun to write and my publisher let me make it mine. It's the first management book that I know of that includes excerpts of full blogs posts as examples (aside from books about blogs). It's fun, at times funny, and has lots of examples and information.

Is it perfect - NO, not even close. But the object of our love is rarely perfect, right? In fact, it's the idiosyncrasies that makes it more charming, I think.

This is going to sound egotistical, but here goes. I think I took a really unique perspective to writing about focus. It's emotive and highly relational. Extremely relationship focused. I believe that what keeps us from being able to focus has more to how we deal with people than how we keep our day planner. Focus comes from energy, excitement, passion, and dialogue.

I love this book and I poured a lot of my soul into it. Here's a quote from the introduction:

Laser beams are beautiful. Each bit jazzes to the max in harmony. Its complicated inner soul creates an outer appearance that is elegantly simple and straightforward: literally straight-forward. Forward an inch wide and mile long. Strong, intense, and determined to reach the target with precision. The beam persists of one mind, one purpose, and one direction. And while the laser is not the brightest light in any one moment, it goes farther, farther, miles farther and faster on track. Crazed, long, pure, and smooth. Lasers are one of the best and most practical applications of quantum mechanics. They are special and their properties hold secrets for today’s busy leaders.

Yeah, there's some stuff about laser beams, too. I feel intense and crazed right now. I want to scream at the top of my lungs and share this book with everyone. Will you help me? In the world of business books, I am a relative unknown. Management Craft is popular and I thank you all for reading. Compared to the big names - Peters, Collins, Covey, and Blanchard - I am unknown. This is not about money, really it is not (anyone who has written a book knows this).

I love this book.

I will be doing a free recorded webinar and a few podcasts in late June and July and I will provide links for those here on the blog. In the mean time, I would love it if you would preorder Focus at Amazon.

Order one for yourself and one for your favorite colleague - click here now to order.

It would make a big difference to me if you helped me get this book into lots of hands. And I would love to hear from those of you who read the book. Tell me what you like, hate, and your questions.

Focus is so important. Here's another quote from the book:

The show begins and you feel a rush of sensory stimulation. Swashes of vivid color dance and fly at all corners of your eyes. The lights play hide-and-seek to reveal intriguing scenes and painted people. The music is full and intricate and pushes out any unrelated thoughts you might have had. Five, ten, or maybe twenty performers are each doing their own things flawlessly and simultaneously. It’s chaotic but perfectly choreographed. The air buzzes and hums, and you can feel and smell the passion. You feel the chills of excitement. Looking around, you can see that others are amazed too. Your visual field is so stimulated you cry.

And another:

Human Resources professionals may rush to read this chapter to ensure that it does not say what they fear; that bosses should have sex with their employees. They can rest easy because the word, “sex” will be and has been mentioned only twice and this chapter has nothing to do with that kind of intimacy. With that said, some of you might still be uncomfortable discussing business relationships as being intimate. The goal of this chapter is to help you get over this objection and get excited about the benefits of deep work relationships.

What does intimacy mean? How do we know when a work relationship is intimate? In her book The Dance Of Intimacy, Harriet Lerner, Ph.D. offers this provoking definition of intimacy. "Let’s attempt a working definition of an intimate relationship. What does it require of us? For starters, intimacy means that we can be who we are in a relationship, and allow the other person to do the same... An intimate relationship is one in which neither party silences, sacrifices, or betrays the self and each party expresses strength and vulnerability, weakness and competence in a balanced way."

An intimate relationship is one where people feel comfortable being themselves. Think about this from a business perspective. As a leader, you want to tap into the intelligence, drive, and uniqueness of each of your employees. You hire people to contribute to the organization and to make an impact they need to share their thoughts, ideas, and experiences. If you want people to share what they have to offer, you need to create an environment in which doing so is comfortable.

Here's what I want. I want the preorders for Focus Like a Laser Beam to go through the roof. I don't want to do any funny tricks like asking you to buy the book on a certain day. Now is great, two days from now is great.

If you enjoy reading Management Craft, please let me know that with your support of this book. Thanks so much.

Here's the Table of Contents:

Foreword – Keith Ferrazi                                    
Introduction                                    
Section 1: Excite and Energize
Chapter 1: Know and Feel the Power of Laser Focus
Chapter 2: Get Intimate with Your Employees
Chapter 3: Have Fun and Be Fun
Chapter 4: Relax to Energize
Section 2: Tune Your Dialogue
Chapter 5: Turn Meetings into Focus Sessions
Chapter 6: Invite a Challenge
Chapter 7: Huddle
Section 3: Zoom In
Chapter 8: Stop Multitasking, Start Chunking
Chapter 9: Do One Great Thing
Chapter 10: Let Go            
Chapter 11: Conclusion
References               
Index               

P.S. Did I mention I LOVE this book? I will be getting an advance copy from my publisher on Friday and I know I will likely cry like a girl when I hold it. I know, guys cry too, they just wear shades.

Here's the cover art. Pretty cool, huh?

No, that's not me with the bow and arrow. I WISH I were that skinny.