11 simple ways to become a better leader

11 SIMPLE
WAYS TO
BECOME A
BETTER
LEADER
Essays On
Inspiration,
Marketing
and More
by Dave Kerpen
Page 1
Chapter 1
11 SIMPLE
CONCEPTS
TO BECOME
A BETTER
LEADER
Being likeable w ill help you in your job, business, relationships, and life. I interviewed dozens of successful business leaders for my last book, to determine what made t hem so likeable and t heir companies so successful. A ll of t he concepts are simple, and yet, perhaps in t he name of revenues or the bottom line, we often lose sight of the simple t hings -­‐ t hings t hat not only make us human, but can actually help us become more successful. Below are the eleven most important principles to integrate to become a better leader:
1.
Page 2
Chapter 1
11 SIMPLE
CONCEPTS
TO BECOME
A BETTER
LEADER
1. LISTENING
“When people talk, listen
completely. Most people never
listen.” - Ernest Hemingway
Listening is t he foundation of any good relationship. Great leaders listen to what their c ustomers and prospects want and need, and t hey listen to t he challenges those c ustomers face. T hey listen to colleagues and are open to new ideas. They listen to shareholders, investors, and competitors. Here’s why t he best CEO’s listen more.
2. STORYTELLING
3. AUTHENTICITY
4. TRANSPARENCY
“Storytelling is the most powerful
way to put ideas into the world
today.” - Robert McAfee
“I had no idea that being your
authentic self could make me as
rich as I’ve become. If I had, I’d have
done it a lot earlier.” - Oprah Winfrey
“As a small businessperson, you
have no greater leverage than the
truth.” - John Whittier
After listening, leaders need to tell g reat stories in order to sell t heir products, but more important, in order to sell t heir ideas. Storytelling is what c aptivates people and drives t hem to t ake action. W hether you’re telling a story to one prospect over lunch, a boardroom f ull of people, or t housands of people t hrough an online v ideo -­‐ storytelling w ins c ustomers.
Great leaders are who t hey say t hey are, and t hey have integrity beyond compare. Vulnerability and humility are hallmarks of the authentic leader and create a positive, attractive energy. Customers, employees, and media a ll want to help an authentic person to succeed. T here used to be a divide between one’s public self and private self, but t he social internet has blurred t hat line. Tomorrow’s leaders are t ransparent about who t hey are online, merging t heir personal and professional lives together.
5. TEAM PLAYING
6. RESPONSIVNESS
“Individuals play the game, but
teams beat the odds.” - SEAL Team
“Life is 10% what happens to you
and 90% how you react to it.” -
saying
Charles Swindoll
No matter how small your organization, you interact w ith others every day. Letting others shine, encouraging innovative ideas, practicing humility, and following other r ules for working in teams w ill help you become a more likeable leader. You’ll need a c ulture of success w ithin your organization, one t hat includes out-­‐of-­‐the-­‐
box t hinking.
The best leaders are responsive to their c ustomers, staff, investors, and prospects. Every stakeholder today is a potential v iral sparkplug, for better or for worse, and t he w inning leader is one who recognizes t his and insists upon a culture of responsiveness. W hether t he communication is email, voice mail, a note or a t weet, responding shows you c are and gives your c ustomers and colleagues a say, allowing t hem to make a positive impact on the organization.
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There is nowhere to hide anymore, and businesspeople who attempt to keep secrets w ill eventually be exposed. Openness and honesty lead to happier staff and c ustomers and colleagues. More important, t ransparency makes it a lot easier to sleep at night -­‐ unworried about what you said to whom, a happier leader is a more productive one.
Chapter 1
11 SIMPLE
CONCEPTS
TO BECOME
A BETTER
LEADER
8. PASSION
“The only way to do great work is to
love the work you do.” - Steve Jobs
Those who love what t hey do don’t have to work a day in t heir lives. People who are able to bring passion to t heir business have a remarkable advantage, as t hat passion is contagious to c ustomers and colleagues alike. Finding and increasing your passion will absolutely affect your bottom line.
11. GRATEFULNESS
“I would maintain that thanks are
the highest form of thought, and
that gratitude is happiness doubled
by wonder.” - Gilbert Chesterton
Likeable leaders are ever g rateful for the people who contribute to t heir opportunities and success. Being appreciative and saying t hank you to mentors, c ustomers, colleagues, and other stakeholders keeps leaders humble, appreciated, and well received. It a lso makes you feel g reat! Donor’s Choose studied t he value of a hand-­‐written t hank-­‐
you note, and actually found donors were 38% more likely to g ive a 2nd t ime if t hey got a hand-­‐written note!
7. ADAPTABILITY
“When you’re finished changing,
you’re finished.” - Ben Franklin
There has never been a faster-­‐changing marketplace t han t he one we live in today. ‡ƒ†‡”•—•–„‡ϐŽ‡š‹„Ž‡‹ƒƒ‰‹‰
changing opportunities and challenges and nimble enough to pivot at t he r ight moment. Stubbornness is no longer desirable to most organizations. Instead, humility and t he w illingness to adapt mark a g reat leader.
9. SURPRISE &
DELIGHT
“A true leader always keeps an
element of surprise up his sleeve,
which others cannot grasp but
which keeps his public excited and
breathless.” - Charles de Gaulle
Most people like surprises in t heir day-­‐to-­‐
day lives. Likeable leaders underpromise and overdeliver, assuring t hat c ustomers and staff are surprised in a positive way. There are a plethora of ways to surprise without spending extra money -­‐ a smile, We a ll like to be delighted — surprise and delight create incredible word-­‐of-­‐mouth marketing opportunities.
10. SIMPLICITY
“Less isn’t more; just enough is
more.” - Milton Glaser
The world is more complex t han ever before, and yet what c ustomers often respond to best is simplicity — in design, form, and f unction. Taking complex projects, challenges, and ideas and distilling t hem to t heir simplest components a llows c ustomers, staff, and other stakeholders to better understand and buy into your v ision. We humans a ll crave simplicity, and so today’s leader must be focused and deliver simplicity.
THE GOLDEN RULE Which of these
principles is most
Above all else, treat others as you’d
like to be treated.
important to you
By showing others t he same courtesy — what makes you
you expect f rom t hem, you w ill gain more respect f rom coworkers, c ustomers, and likeable?
business partners. Holding others in high regard demonstrates your company’s likeability and motivates others to work with you. T his seems so simple, as do so many of t hese principles — and yet many people, too concerned w ith making money or getting by, fail to t ruly adopt t hese key concepts.
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Chapter 2
25 QUOTES
TO INSPIRE
YOU TO
BECOME A
BETTER
LEADER
2.
Page 5
Great quotes inspire us to change, to grow, and to become our best selves. I researched t housands of quotes f rom successful leaders for my last book, to capture one for each chapter, covering 11 simple concepts to become a better leader. So, I’m sharing my favorite quotes here-­‐ t hose which inspired me enough t hat I published t hem in t he book, along w ith t he r unners up. Here are my 25 favorite likeable leadership quotes. I hope t hey inspire you as much as t hey have inspired me:
Chapter 2
25 QUOTES
TO INSPIRE
YOU TO
BECOME A
BETTER
LEADER
LISTENING
1. “When people talk, listen
completely. Most people never
listen.”
- Ernest Hemingway
2. “The most basic of all human
needs is the need to understand
and be understood. The best way
to understand people is to listen
to them.”
- Ralph Nichols
STORYTELLING
AUTHENTICITY
TRANSPARENCY
3. “Storytelling is the most
powerful way to put ideas into
the world today.”
- Robert McKee
5. “I had no idea that being your
authentic self could make me as
rich as I’ve become. If I had, I’d
have done it a lot earlier.
- Oprah Winfrey
7. “As a small businessperson,
you have no greater leverage
than the truth.”
- John Whittier
4. “If you tell me, it’s an essay. If
you show me, it’s a story.”
- Barbara Greene
6. “Authenticity is the alignment
of head, mouth, heart, and
feet - thinking, saying, feeling,
and doing the same thing consistently. This builds trust,
and followers love leaders they
can trust.”
- Lance Secretan
TEAM PLAYING
RESPONSIVNESS
9. “Individuals play the game,
but teams beat the odds.”
- SEAL Team Saying
11. “Life is 10% what happens to
you and 90% how you react to
it.”
- Charles Swindoll
10. “Alone we can do so little;
together we can do so much.”
- Helen Keller
12. “Your most unhappy
customers are your greatest
source of learning.”
- Bill Gates
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8. “There is no persuasiveness
more effectual than the
transparency of a single heart, of
a sincere life.”
-Joseph Berber Lightfoot
Chapter 2
25 QUOTES
TO INSPIRE
YOU TO
BECOME A
BETTER
LEADER
PASSION
15. “The only way to do great
work is to love the work you do.” - Steve Jobs
16. “I have no special talents. I
am only passionately curious.”
- Albert Einstein
ADAPTABILITY
13. “When you’re finished
changing, you’re finished.”
- Ben Franklin
14. “It is not the strongest of
the species that survive, nor the
most intelligent, but the one
most responsive to change.”
- Charles Darwin
SURPRISE &
DELIGHT
17. “A true leader always keeps an
element of surprise up his sleeve,
which others cannot grasp but
which keeps his public excited
and breathless.”
- Charles de Gaulle
SIMPLICITY
19. “Less isn’t more; just enough
is more.”
- Milton Glaser
20. “Simplicity is the ultimate
sophistication.”
- Leonardo daVinci
18. “Surprise is the greatest gift
which life can grant us.”
- Boris Pasternak
GRATEFULNESS
LEADERSHIP
21. “I would maintain that thanks
are the highest form of thought,
and that gratitude is happiness
doubled by wonder.”
- Gilbert K Chesterton
23. “Management is doing things
right; leadership is doing the
right things.”
- Peter F. Drucker
22. “The essence of all beautiful
art, all great art, is gratitude.”
- Friedrich Nietzsche
24. “If your actions inspire others
to dream more, learn more, do
more and become more, you are
a leader.”
- John Quincy Adams
25. “Leadership and learning are
indispensable to each other.”
- John F. Kennedy
Page 7
Those are my favorite
leadership quotes. Now it’s
your turn. Which of these
quotes speak most to you?
What are your favorite
leadership quotes? And
which qualities make you
a likeable leader? Here’s to
all of us becoming better
leaders!
Chapter 3
HOW TO
TURN YOUR
WEAKNESSES
INTO
STRENGTHS
We all have weaknesses, and we tend to t ry to work on eliminating t hem -­‐ on changing ourselves in order to become „‡––‡”Ǥ—–…Šƒ‰‡‹•†‹ˆϐ‹…—Ž–Ǧ˜‡”›
†‹ˆϐ‹…—Ž–ǤŠƒ–‹ˆ‹•–‡ƒ†‘ˆ–”›‹‰
to eliminate our weaknesses, we embraced t hem for what t hey were?
Several months ago, my f riend Ben Rosner, CEO of e-­‐home and a fellow member of Entrepreneur’s Organization, led an activity on weaknesses and strengths w ith my EO Forum g roup, based on t he excellent Freak Factor manifesto by David Rendall. I found t he activity to be so insightful and inspiring, I did the activity w ith my team at Likeable Local-­‐ and t hen w ith our team at Likeable Media. I t hought I’d share it with you here as well:
3.
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Chapter 3
HOW TO
TURN YOUR
WEAKNESSES
INTO
STRENGTHS
Think about your biggest weaknesses at work and in life. W hat qualities are you most unhappy about? Of t he following list of 16 t ypical weaknesses, look carefully and choose t he t hree that resonate most w ith you:
1. Disorganized
9. Boring
2. Inflexible
10. Unrealistic
3. Stubborn
11. Negative
4. Inconsistent
5. Obnoxious
12. Intimidating
13. Weak
13. Weak
6. Emotionless
14. Arrogant
7. Shy
15. Indecisive
8. Irresponsible
16. Impatient
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Chapter 3
HOW TO
TURN YOUR
WEAKNESSES
INTO
STRENGTHS
Got your t hree biggest weaknesses? Great. (Don’t be too depressed, t he rest of t his activity is more f un). Next, look ƒ––Š‡„‡Ž‘™Ž‹•–ǡϐ‹†–Š‡•ƒ‡–Š”‡‡
weaknesses, and look at t he t raits to the right of each of your t hree biggest weaknesses:
1. Disorganized
Creative
2. Inflexible
Organized
3. Stubborn
Dedicated
4. Inconsistent
5. Obnoxious
6. Emotionless
7. Shy
8. Irresponsible
Flexible
Enthusiastic 9. Boring
Calm 10. Unrealistic
Responsible
Positive
Reflective 11. Negative
Realistic
Adventerous 12. Intimidating
Assertive
13. Weak
14. Arrogant
Humble
Self-Confident
15. Indecisive
Patient
16. Impatient
Passionate
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Chapter 3
HOW TO
TURN YOUR
WEAKNESSES
INTO
STRENGTHS
The t hree qualities to t he r ight of your three weaknesses are all strengths.
Hidden in your
weaknesses are
your strengths.
Every weakness has
a corresponding
strength.
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The idea here is simple: Instead of trying to change your weaknesses, ƒ……‡’––Š‡Ǥ‘ǯ––”›–‘ϐ‹š–Š‡Ǧ
‹–ǯ•–‘‘†‹ˆϐ‹…—Ž–Ǥ•–‡ƒ†ǡ„‡•—”‡–‘
leverage your associated strengths. You can look to colleagues, direct ”‡’‘”–•ǡƒ†‡˜‡•—’‡”˜‹•‘”•–‘ϐ‹ŽŽ‹
the gaps where you are weakest. Don’t be afraid to ask people for help-­‐ t hey can add value where you are weaker. But be sure to embrace your strengths, and build upon t hem. A fter all, your strengths (even t hose disguised as weaknesses) -­‐ w ill get you far in your career, and in life.
Chapter 4
3 AMAZING
LIFE LESSONS
FROM A
CHANCE
ENCOUNTER
I have a story to share, about a short ϐŽ‹‰Š––Šƒ–…Šƒ‰‡†›Ž‹ˆ‡ǡ™Š‹…Š
I’ve never w ritten publicly about. Before I tell you t he story, I’ll warn you – my last lesson learned may be a controversial one for some people.
4.
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Chapter 4
3 AMAZING
LIFE LESSONS
FROM A
CHANCE
ENCOUNTER
Anyway, t wo years ago, one rainy ‘”‹‰‹‡™‘”ǡŠƒ†ƒϐŽ‹‰Š––‘
…ƒ–…Š–‘‘•–‘Ǥ›ϐ‹”•––™‘•…Š‡†—Ž‡†
ϐŽ‹‰Š–•™‡”‡…ƒ…‡Ž‡†ǡƒ†ƒŽ‘•–
decided not to go, but I gave it one more •Š‘–ǡƒ†–Š‡–Š‹”†ϐŽ‹‰Š–™‡–‘—–ƒ•
planned. I was sitting in t he f ront row ‘ˆ…‘ƒ…Šǡƒ†Œ—•–„‡ˆ‘”‡–Š‡ϐŽ‹‰Š––‘‘
‘ˆˆǡƒ—…Š‘Ž†‡”ƒ‰‘–—’ˆ”‘ϐ‹”•–
class, which was actually a lot more crowded, and sat down in my row, just across t he aisle.
As the plane went into t he air, I had a rare moment when I couldn’t stare at my electronic device of choice, and so I peered to my right, and saw t he older man reading some paper, w ith large print t yped on it. I couldn’t help but notice the words on the page: “My dear friend, the late Ted Kennedy…”
Intrigued, I read on, and saw t he following words soon t hereafter:
“When I w rote t he new GI Bill…”
I was sitting next to a Congressman! Excited, but still not k nowing who he was, I put out my hand and said to him, “Excuse me. Sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to say it’s an honor to meet you. I’m Dave Kerpen.”
“Great to meet you, Dave. I’m Senator Frank Lautenberg,” he replied.
We proceeded to t alk for t he next 45 ‹—–‡•Ȃ–Š‡‡–‹”‡ϐŽ‹‰Š–—’–‘‘•–‘Ǥ
It t urned out t hat he was on his way to g ive a speech at his g randson’s school – and having nearly run for ’‘Ž‹–‹…ƒŽ‘ˆϐ‹…‡›•‡Žˆǡ™ƒ•ƒš‹‘—•–‘
learn f rom him. I did learn a g reat deal about t he Senator – over his illustrious career, t he oldest living senator (at 89!) had authored t he legislation to ban smoking on airlines – legislation t hat has affected us all, in a positive way. He also authored t he Ryan W hite Care Act, serving AIDS patients, and fought for stiffer drunk-­‐driving penalties. He has had what anyone of any political party would argue is a g reat career in government – and he had gotten it all started late in his life, at 58 years old.
from its start, in 1949, when he had just graduated f rom college, and f rom 1961, when he took t he company public.
But t he incredible t hing I learned was that before politics, Lautenberg had had another career – in business – as –Š‡ϐ‹”•–•ƒŽ‡•’‡”•‘ƒ†Ž‘‰–‹‡
CEO of a payroll company you may have heard of – ADP. Today, Automatic Data Processing (ADP) is a $10 Billion company on t he Fortune 500 – but Senator Lautenberg shared stories Senator Lautenberg gave me his business card, told me he really enjoyed meeting me and learned a lot f rom me about social media, and said he’d love to get together again. I wasn’t sure I’d see him again, but I t hanked him profusely, and told him he’d g iven me a lot to think about in terms of creating a legacy as he had done.
Page 13
We t alked about business, and politics, and social media, and family. I told him how interested I was in g rowing our social media business, and then perhaps going into politics, as he had done. I also told him my w ife and I were considering having a t hird child, but we weren’t sure, because we were both so busy with work and other priorities. It was great conversation, or at least I thought •‘Ǥˆ…‘—”•‡ǡ–Š‡ϐŽ‹‰Š–ˆ”‘–‘
‘•–‘†‘‡•ǯ–Žƒ•–Ž‘‰ǡƒ†–Š‡ϐŽ‹‰Š–
landed almost as quickly as it took off.
Chapter 4
3 AMAZING
LIFE LESSONS
FROM A
CHANCE
ENCOUNTER
“One more t hing, Dave,” Senator ƒ—–‡„‡”‰•ƒ‹†ǡƒ•–Š‡ϐŽ‹‰Š–ƒ––‡†ƒ–
welcomed us to Boston. “I want to show you a picture of my g reatest legacy.”
As he reached into his pocket, I wondered what he’d show me –a leader so accomplished in t wo totally different careers. A piece of paper w ith the idea for A DP? A section of a law he’d w ritten? A picture of him w ith a President?
Senator Lautenberg pulled his phone out of his pocket, and proceeded to show me a picture w ith a whole bunch of people.
“These are my four k ids, and seven grandchildren, Dave. T his is my greatest legacy.”
What I Learned
From That Flight
1. You can learn from anyone.
Start up a conversation
whenever possible.
3. Our ultimate, most
important legacy is our
children.
Life g ives us so many opportunities to strike up a conversation w ith a •–”ƒ‰‡”Ȃ‘ƒϐŽ‹‰Š–ǡ™ƒ‹–‹‰‹Ž‹‡
at t he supermarket, and on t he t rain to work, to name a few. We can keep to ourselves, or say hello w ith a smile and meet someone, and maybe even learn from t hem.
The end of my conversation w ith Frank Lautenberg had a profound impact on me, and eventually helped my w ife and me make t he decision to t ry to have a third child. If a man so accomplished in both business and government could argue t hat his g reatest legacy is his family, how could I not?
I learned so much f rom Frank Lautenberg in just 45 minutes – and the crazy t hing is, he actually said he learned f rom me.
I k now t hose of you who do not have children and are not planning on having children may not like my last lesson here. But I really, strongly believe t hat it was an important one for me to learn. A nd even if you don’t have children of your own, t he impact you have on nephews, nieces, students, and other young people -­‐ IS your legacy. I’ll close w ith one more t hing Senator Lautenberg shared at t he end of our conversation, t hat I t hink about nearly every day today:
2. It’s never too early – or too
late – to pursue a dream.
Frank Lautenberg built one of t he largest companies in t he world – A DP – and began when he was just 25. T hen he became a United States Senator – at 58 years old – and w ill have served for over 30 years. W hatever our dreams are, it’s always t he right t ime to go for it.
“ADP, and t he US Senate won’t be on my tombstone. My k ids’ names all w ill be.”
Page 14
Do you agree with these
lessons? What lessons
have you learned from
chance encounters in
your life? And most
importantly, what will be
on your tombstone?
Chapter 5
IT’S EASIER
TO BE
HONEST
Four college students missed an important exam. T hey went together to their professor t he next day, and said, “We’re so sorry we missed t he exam. ‡Šƒ†ƒϐŽƒ––‹”‡‘–Š‡™ƒ›–‘…Žƒ••Ǥ•
there any way we could possibly t ake a re-­‐test?”
“Sure,” replied t he professor. “Come on in tomorrow, and you can all t ake a retest. It’ll be Pass/Fail t hough.”
The four students arrived t he next day to t ake t he retest, and all of t hem sat down in t heir seats. Before handing them t heir exams, t heir professor told them, “I’ve got good news and bad news. T he good news is, t here’s only one question on t he test. T he bad news is, if any of you fail, you all fail t he test.
5.
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Chapter 5
IT’S EASIER
TO BE
HONEST
The students sat t here, a bit worried from t his professor’s strange introduction to t he exam. T hen t he professor handed out t he four exams, and each student stared down at t heir papers, which contained just one simple four word question:
“Which t ire was it?”
Lying Makes Life
More Difficult.
Transparency
Makes Life Easier.
We all k now t hat it’s r ight to tell t he truth, and w rong to tell a lie. A nd yet, somehow, so often, in business and in life, we end up telling “ little white lies.” Or omitting t he complete t ruth. Or even telling outright lies. Corporate lies and secrecy has been going on since corporations have existed.
My argument here isn’t t hat you should be honest and t ransparent because it’s t he right t hing to do (although obviously it is). My argument is t hat it’s the easier t hing to do -­‐ even if doesn’t ƒŽ™ƒ›•ˆ‡‡Ž–Šƒ–™ƒ›ƒ–ϐ‹”•–ǤŠ‡
you’re honest and t ransparent, you never have to worry about what you said to whom. You never have to worry about keeping secrets. You never have to worry about getting caught in a lie. You never have to worry about your integrity or reputation. It’s f reeing and more comfortable to tell t he t ruth.
It’s easier to be honest.
Our companies use Verne Harnish’s 1 Page Strategic Plan (from one of my favorite business books of all time) to g uide our business planning and execution. Transparency has always been a core value of Likeable Media. But t hree years ago, we took the concept to a new level when we began posting an enlarged copy of ‘—”•–”ƒ–‡‰‹…’Žƒƒ†ϐ‹ƒ…‹ƒŽ•‘ƒ
specially-­‐designed whiteboard n t he ‘ˆϐ‹…‡™ƒŽŽǦ™Š‡”‡ƒŽŽ…‘—Ž†•‡‡‹–Ǧ
employees, interns, clients, prospects, and t he janitorial staff. I even posted a copy of t he plan in my last book.
Page 16
Many people questioned t his -­‐ couldn’t …‘’‡–‹–‘”•ϐ‹†‘—–†‡–ƒ‹Ž•ƒ„‘—–
‘—”ϐ‹ƒ…‹ƒŽ•ǫ‹†‡˜‡”›‘‡ƒ–
the company really need to k now our strategy and each manager’s accountability? Dozens of employees personally told me how much t hey appreciated our openness. It helped to build a more positive working environment (Crains Top 30 place to work in New York!) It made recruiting easier. For me, it came down to t his: Honesty and transparency breed
trust. And trust makes it easier
to build a business.
Chapter 5
Of course, t ransparency around t his particular strategic plan ended up being a bit more challenging t han usual. You see, each quarter we have a theme, a team challenge, and a reward. That quarter, we had a sales challenge, and each t ime someone made a sale, money was put into a pot, which we then planned to use to host a party at t he end of t he quarter. A nd if you look closely at t he photo above, on t he bottom right, you’ll see our reward in print: “Pot Party.” T hat picture ended up in print, for many t housands to see. But it was just a party, f rom a pot of money earned by sales. I swear. Honest.
Three weeks ago, I was t aken out of a management meeting when my assistant came in and said, “ There’s a ‰—›…ƒŽŽ‹‰ˆ”‘ϐŽƒ…™Š‘•ƒ›•Š‡Šƒ•
an appointment w ith you.”
I didn’t recall an appointment, but I begrudgingly left my meeting to t ake the phone call. I put t he g uy on t he phone, and asked, “Did we have an appointment?”
It was a salesperson who t hen replied, It’s easier in t he short term because of how you’ll feel. It’s easier in t he long term because integrity and t rust are everything, and both breed business.
We all are tempted to lie occasionally, or hold back f rom telling t he complete truth. T hat’s okay. But next t ime you’re tempted, just t ake t he easy way out, and be honest.
IT’S EASIER
TO BE
HONEST
The Risk To Your
Brand Isn’t Worth
Being Dishonest
“No, but I just wanted to ask you a few questions.”
The g uy had lied to both our receptionist and my assistant in order to get on t he phone w ith me. I called him on t he lie, and he promptly got off the phone, in order to go after his next victim.
Now, I’m in t he process of building an inside sales team for Likeable Local, ƒ†—•–ƒ†‹–ǡƒ•Š‘””‹ϐ‹‡†ƒ•™ƒ•ǡ
there was a part of me t hat t hought, “He must make a lot of sales t his way, if he’s still lying to get in f ront of a decision maker. Could it be worth it?” I asked my sales coach what he t hought, and he told me,
“This g uy might occasionally get through using a lie, and it might even (less) occasionally lead to a sale. But what about t he r isk of brand damage to ϐŽƒ…Š‡†‘‡•™‹–Š‡˜‡”Ž‹‡ǫ†–‘Š‹•
own personal integrity?
It’s easier to be
honest. It’s easier
to be transparent.
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Chapter 6
HOW
SUCCESSFUL
PEOPLE
THINK
I love to g ive t he following puzzle to new team members at our companies, Likeable Media and Likeable Local:
Using four straight lines and never –ƒ‹‰›‘—”ϐ‹‰‡”‘ˆˆ‘ˆ›‘—”•…”‡‡ǡ
connect all nine dots below:
It’s easy, of course, to connect t he nine dots w ith just t hree lines, if you t ake ›‘—”ϐ‹‰‡”‘ˆˆ‘ˆ–Š‡•…”‡‡Ǥ—–‹–ǯ•ƒ
much harder problem to solve w ith t he rules I gave. Scroll down for t he answer to t he puzzle, if you can’t solve it or wait. In t he meantime, here’s a clue and a story:
6.
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Chapter 6
HOW
SUCCESSFUL
PEOPLE
THINK
Now, t he story behind t he picture at the top of t his post: Today is my seven year wedding anniversary. 7 years ago today, I got married to t he love of my life Carrie -­‐ at what most people would consider an unusual setting -­‐ a baseball game.
Think outside
of the box.
Several months prior to July 8, 2006, when we got engaged, we had a problem. I really wanted to have a large wedding -­‐ t he k ind of wedding where I could invite everyone I k new to share in our joyous celebration. But Carrie and I didn’t have enough money to host a t raditional New York wedding and invite everyone we k new.
Luckily for me, Carrie, a marketer by trade, had a brilliant out-­‐of-­‐the-­‐box idea: partner w ith a minor league baseball team to create a wedding-­‐
themed promotion, sell sponsorships and get a ballpark wedding paid for -­‐ a wedding t hat we could literally invite t housands of people to attend. Sponsors could get g reat value in the promotion, which would likely generate buzz and media attention, and we could get a huge wedding paid for. As a diehard baseball fan, I t hought t he idea was perfect -­‐ but it would require willing partners to make it work.
We pitched t he Brooklyn Cyclones, a ‹‘”Ž‡ƒ‰—‡ƒˆϐ‹Ž‹ƒ–‡‘ˆ–Š‡‡–•ǡ
and GM Steve Cohen liked t he idea enough to g ive it a shot. We created t he “Our Field of Dreams” promotion and were off to t he races. We successfully pitched 1-­‐800-­‐Flowers.com to sponsor ‘—”ϐŽ‘™‡”•ǡ‹”‘ˆˆ–‘•’‘•‘”‘—”
alcohol, Entenmann’s to sponsor our desserts, A fter Hours to sponsor our tuxedos, and several other local and national sponsors, totaling about $100,000 in t rade value.
We also asked sponsors to donate cash to t he David Wright Foundation, and we were able to raise $20,000 for t he Multiple Sclerosis Society t hrough our wedding.
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And on July 8, 2006, I got married to t he love of my life in f ront of 500 friends and family members (and 5,000 strangers) at t he end of a baseball game. We walked underneath t he bats held up by t he Cyclones team as pictured above. It was an amazing wedding w ith an amazing partner.
As it t urns out, t he wedding was also an amazing marketing and public relations promotion for our vendors/
sponsors. It generated about $20 million in earned media t hrough coverage on t he CBS Early Show, ABC World New Tonight, CNBC’s On The Money, t he New York Times, and hundreds of blogs. Our vendors were so t hrilled w ith all of t heir ROI, in fact, that a couple of t hem asked us what we could do for t hem next. We couldn’t get ƒ””‹‡†ƒ‰ƒ‹ǡ•‘™‡•–ƒ”–‡†‘—”ϐ‹”•–
company.
Chapter 6
HOW
SUCCESSFUL
PEOPLE
THINK
An incredible wedding took place, and a company was born -­‐ all t hrough one out-­‐of-­‐the-­‐box idea f rom my brilliant wife Carrie. T he lesson here is clear:
Successful people
think outside
of the box.
Successful people don’t just see problems, t hey see opportunities. They don’t just see obstacles, t hey see solutions. A nd when t hey don’t see solutions right away, successful people ‰‡–…”‡ƒ–‹˜‡–‘ϐ‹†•‘Ž—–‹‘•Ǥ
Remember t he puzzle we began w ith? Successful people t hink outside of –Š‡„‘šǡŽ‹–‡”ƒŽŽ›ǡƒ†–Š‡ϐ‹†–Š‹•
solution:
Once you t hink outside t he box, t his puzzle, and your life, get a lot easier.
Happy A nniversary, Carrie, and here’s to all of you t hinking outside t he box, getting t hings done, and becoming more successful.
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Chapter 7
CAREER
HIGHLIGHTS
WON’T BE
ON YOUR
TOMBSTONE
Last Sunday morning, at 8:25 A M, I stood at Gate B5 in Memphis, Tennes-­‐
see, tears streaming down my face as ™ƒ–…Š‡†›ϐŽ‹‰Š–Š‘‡–‘‡™‘”
take off. I had been delayed by weather ‘ƒ…‘‡…–‹‰ϐŽ‹‰Š–ˆ”‘ƒ•Š˜‹ŽŽ‡ǡ
and had arrived to t he gate just t wo minutes after t he doors had closed. So I watched t he plane leave, standing there, k nowing t hat I would be re-­‐rout-­‐
ed t hrough Atlanta now and instead of getting home before noon, I wouldn’t be home until 5PM. I would miss t he entire weekend w ith my family, and I was devastated.
7.
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Chapter 7
CAREER
HIGHLIGHTS
WON’T BE
ON YOUR
TOMBSTONE
I had begrudgingly accepted a business trip to Nashville even t hough it was a Wednesday t hrough a Saturday because it was an excellent opportunity with an important business partner. And although weekends were t ypically sacred w ith my family, I had decided –‘•ƒ…”‹ϐ‹…‡ƒ††›Ǧ†ƒ—‰Š–‡”ƒ–—”†ƒ›
morning dance class t his t ime, k nowing I’d be home Sunday morning.
—–™Š‡‹••‡†–Šƒ–ϐŽ‹‰Š–ǡ
missed camp orientation, and had lost t he entire weekend w ith my kids. I fell apart emotionally. I felt so disappointed in myself. I felt so out of control. I felt like I had made a really bad decision to not be home for a weekend. I felt like t he worst dad in t he world.
During t he next seven hours of t ravel, Šƒ†ƒŽ‘–‘ˆ–‹‡–‘–Š‹ƒ†”‡ϐŽ‡…–
upon my priorities. I t hought about my incredible day w ith t he late, g reat Senator Frank Lautenberg, who taught me t hat my g reatest legacy would be my children. I t hought about t he famous quote f rom John Crudele: “How do children spell
LOVE? T-I-M-E.” I t hought about my priorities.
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It’s easy to get caught up in our hectic careers. It’s easy for men and women to become “ busy” t rying to advance up the ladder at work or build a successful company. It’s easy to check your email, take t hat meeting or call, or attend t hat networking event t he boss invited you too. It’s all too easy to skip t he family dinner in t he name of helping to put dinner on t he t able.
‘‡Š‘™ǡ‹–ǯ•‘”‡†‹ˆϐ‹…—Ž–ƒ––‹‡•
to say “no” to our client or boss t han it is to say “no” to our children. But as Senator Lautenberg t aught me, your career highlights won’t be on your tombstone. Your k ids’ names w ill be.
Chapter 7
CAREER
HIGHLIGHTS
WON’T BE
ON YOUR
TOMBSTONE
I have a lot of career goals and dreams. I want to build meaningful companies that change t he world. I want to ‘‡†ƒ›”—ˆ‘”’—„Ž‹…‘ˆϐ‹…‡Ǥ™ƒ–
to teach, to speak, to invest and to ‹•’‹”‡Ǥ—–ǯ‘–™‹ŽŽ‹‰–‘•ƒ…”‹ϐ‹…‡
weekends w ith my k ids.
You’ll never regret
time with your kids.
You’ll never say on
your deathbed, “I wish
I had worked more.”
That’s my choice, and of course it’s your choice to pursue your career and your goals and dreams as v igorously as you’d like. But my hope, as we approach Father’s Day in t he US, is t hat ›‘—ǯŽŽϐ‹†‹–ƒŽ‹––Ž‡„‹–‡ƒ•‹‡”–‘•ƒ›
no to t hat next weekend conference, evening networking event, or breakfast ‡‡–‹‰Ǥ›Š‘’‡‹•–Šƒ–›‘—ǯŽŽϐ‹†
it easier to say yes to t he k ids. Just think about t hat eventual deathbed or tombstone, and how you’ll feel one day looking back.
By t he way, while I was devastated to miss t he whole weekend w ith t he k ids, I’m proud to report t hat I canceled three evening work activities t his week, to spend t hose evenings w ith my daughters. T he week culminated in an excellent game of R ISK, pictured above. And t he only world I needed to t ake over was t wo little g irls’ world.
Page 23
ABOUT
THE
AUTHOR
Dave
Kerpen
Dave Kerpen is t he CEO of Likeable Local, a social media software startup for small businesses, as well as t he chairman and former CEO of Likeable Media, an award-­‐winning social media ƒ†™‘”†Ǧ‘ˆǦ‘—–Šƒ”‡–‹‰ϐ‹”
with t riple digit revenue g rowth for 4 consecutive years.
Following a sponsored wedding which raised over $100,000 including $20K for charity, Dave and his w ife Carrie started and t ransformed t heKBuzz (founded in 2007) into Likeable, 1 of Facebook’s Top 65 Preferred Developer Consultants as well as t he only 3-­‐time WOMMY Award w inner for excellence from t he Word of Mouth Marketing Association ( WOMMA) and one of t he 500 fastest g rowing private companies in t he US according to INC Magazine for both 2011 and 2012.
Dave has been featured on CNBC’s “On t he Money”, BBC, A BC World News Tonight, t he CBS Early Show, the New York Times, and countless blogs. Dave has also keynoted at dozens of conferences across t he Page 24
globe and webinars for organizations such as WOMMA, TEDx, SXSW, and the A merican Marketing A ssociation. Dave is backed by a team of 60 social media t hought leaders who collectively have managed over 250 accounts on Facebook and other social networks, for brands such as Verizon, 1-­‐800 Flowers.com, Neutrogena, Logitech, The Pampered Chef, G.E, Medtronic, Restaurant.com, and Heineken.
Dave is also a Venture Partner at Gen Y Capital Partners an early-­‐stage venture ϐ‹”ǡ™Š‹…Š‹•Ž‡˜‡”ƒ‰‹‰
‡–‘
support Gen Y.
Dave’s 1st book was a N Y Times bestseller -­‐ “Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook and other social networks.” His 2nd book, Likeable Business, debuted November 2. Dave is proud of his Likeable business accomplishments but prouder of Charlotte and K ate, his t wo daughters at home in New York.
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THANK YOU!
For more inspiration, visit
davelinkedin.com
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