jungle jeff

This Fortune article places Apple at the top of it’s list for the Most Trusted Company.

There’s a reason people either love Apple or don’t love Apple.

It’s as simple as the difference between night and day.

Apple illuminates the risky, undiscovered breakthroughs.

Microsoft illuminates the slow and steady, status quo.

Just like there are people who use the treadmill and train for the local 5k race.

And just like those that challenge the odds and the obstacles, for their Country’s Olympic Trials.

We need both, but only the risk-takers get their photo on the cereal box.

Failure Is Not An Option

Tony Morgan.  Never heard of him until a few months ago.  A LinkedIn network update led me to a top ten article.

To read the top ten reasons why you and I will most likely fail at anything, click here.

Tony Morgan’s list isn’t anything new.  Heck, there’s hardly anything that’s ever really new. However, one of the great, underrated keys to success is repetition.

Let me say that again, repetition. Ya with me?

Money Tree?

Look at all these things we have to do:

• Buy Insurance
• Buckle our Seat Belt
• Say Thank You
• Brush Our Teeth
• Be Nice to Others
• Lock Our Doors Before Bedtime
• Do a Great Job at Work
• Blah, blah, blah

But, ask us to think about our personal vision statement, and you might as well ask us if we can grow a money tree.

Why is that?  Am I missing something?

Blog? Are You Kidding Me?

How’s the health of your competitive advantage?

If it is anything less than excellent, then you may want to consider what I’m about to suggest, and here’s why:

1. Has minimal start up costs
2. Can be done virtually anywhere
3. Can be done virtually any time
4. Can be done alone
5. Progress is easily measured
6. Provides multiple benefits when done regularly

That’s the key message today. Why would anyone avoid a low cost, incredibly flexible way to improve your edge.

You absolutely need an Internet presence. If you tune this out, you’re in big trouble. The same kind of trouble if you ignore a bad health report.

The easiest way to enhance your edge is to blog. If you don’t know how, there are tons of free online “how to” articles.

GoDaddy has 35 million domain names registered.  GoDaddy has seven million customers.

I’m one of them.

Will you be?

The Professor did say, “To receive this special MBA”:

• Do think more creatively than ever
• Do involve others
• Do be picky about how you spend your time
• Do be focused on whom you involve
• Do have a purpose much bigger than yourself
• Do have a vision that seems impossible
• Do plan to make a ton of money
• Do plan to change people’s lives
• Do plan to be tested and ridiculed

The professor said, “In your efforts to receive this special MBA”:

• Do not take yourself away from the things you already do
• Do not make extra work for yourself
• Do not spend piles of money
• Do not listen to pessimists
• Do not give up, ever
• Do not copy the status quo
• Do not sell yourself short
• Do not be paralyzed with tough decisions
• Do not fear failure
• Do not play it safe
• Do not compromise your values, ever

But he did say to receive this special MBA, there are specific things that must be done.  That list is for tomorrow.

A comment on yesterday’s jungle jeff post started me thinking.

His question to me was, “No Pixie Dust”?

It was “missing” from my personal Leadership Top Ten List.

He made a good point and I thought for a moment, “How could I have forgotten Pixie Dust”?

Then, just as quickly, if not faster, the answer hit me.

Pixie Dust IS Passion.  Period.

What’s Magic about the way Disney does things is their PASSION to:

1. Create the highest quality products and services.
2. To stay focused on why they are in business – to serve their Guests
3. To stay disciplined to “keep their eye on the ball” – Quality

Passion IS Pixie Dust.

Always was.  Always will be.   Thank you Walt Disney for your vision.

By the way, Vision and Passion are my respective number one & two top leadership values.

Guess what’s number three?   Communication!

Looks like a coincidence, doesn’t it?  The harder you work, the luckier you get.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff  :)

PS.  Does your own Vision send shivers down your spine?

PSS.  What if it did?  Can you comprehend that?  I hope so.  :)

jungle jeff’s top ten list:

Today, my personal Leadership recipe:

1. Vision – number one, it must be compelling, and impossible
2. Passion – passion is unlike yeast, we need a ton of passion
3. Communication – more is better; daily
4. Confidence – people love someone who believes “all the way”
5. Structure – how great work gets done effectively, and quickly
6. Teamwork – together, everyone achieves more
7. Innovation –  fancy word for creativity; implementing creative ideas
8. Measurement – you can’t improve what you don’t measure
9. Results – this is why we are in business
10. Fun – do what you love

Mix with courage, or, an indomitable will, and you have the opportunity to achieve what others say can’t be done.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff  :)

Orlando Sentinel has a feature called Theme Park Rangers.

They write the latest news from The Walt Disney Resort, Universal Studios, Sea World, Busch Gardens, and other Central Florida Tourist Attractions.

By the way, just or fun, here are the top reasons I have spent the past 25 years of my life working in Central Florida:

1. The daily opportunity to make other people happy
2. Palm trees and sunshine
3. The fanatical focus on excellence
4. The fanatical drive to be creative
5. Unwavering belief in the value of memories
6. Great leadership
7. World class team work
8. Our childlike enthusiasm for making work fun
9. Wonderful people and wonderful relationships
10. The cafeteria food  :)

Make it a GREAT day.  Carpe diem, jungle jeff 

What are the big two, three or four key drivers for you and your leadership behavior?

I believe in innovation, technology and global reach.

I’m curious by nature, so let me please ask you, “Did you have an immediate answer”?

Great if you did.  If you didn’t, imagine the unbelievable potential you have to get, and stay, focused.

Curious still.  If you do have a list, how many others know of it? How often do you focus on it?

Bottom Line?  How important is focus?

Million-dollar question……how focused are you?

Today is an excellent day to make your list or revisit your list.  If not today, when?  If not you, who?  Carpe diem, jeff noel