Scott Monty

How to Ensure Your Legacy

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Augie was an unlikely leader. His father died when he was four, his mother remarried, and his stepfather had no use for him. So poor little Augie was sent to live with his grandmother. At the age of 12, he had to give her eulogy. <br />
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Augie suffered from a delicate constitution, and struggled to accompany his uncle on business trips as he learned the family trade. His uncle died, leaving the business to Augie, who was all of 18. <br />
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His uncle's business partners and competitors vied for their control of the fortune. Given Augie's past, many people were surprised when this neglected and frail youth put up an impressive fight for what was rightfully his. Bit by bit, he won over many of the employees and stakeholders of the firm, creating allies in his dispute with the one remaining business partner of his uncle, who would not relinquish his claim. <br />
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It took Augie the next 13 years to ultimately gain victory, as he waged war in courts of law and courts of public opinion, marshalling every resource he had for full control over his family's empire. <br />
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And "empire" is an accurate word to describe the family fortune. For Augie — that is, Augustus — had a internationally-renowned uncle who controlled most of the known world…Uncle Julius Caesar. <br />
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<b>A true legacy</b></h2>
In every leader's career, there comes a time when they're concerned with their legacy, and Augustus was no different. <br />
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This is the third and final installment regarding <a href="https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/the-national-archives-building-temple-to-our-history/xwLywO5TwRFIIw" target="_blank">the statues around the National Archives</a> in Washington, DC. We previously looked at the Past and the Future, and this time, we're looking at heritage. <br />
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The quote on the third statue outside of the National Archives is from abolitionist Wendell Phillips: <br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"The heritage of the past is the seed that brings forth the harvest of the future." </span></i></b></div>
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This quote could be interpreted cynically as "You reap what you sow." But I prefer to think of it as a nod toward <b>cultural memory</b>. We're  constantly moving forward, but it's our traditions and culture that inform what we do, how we act, and ultimately how we'll be remembered. <br />
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You probably have family traditions that you take part in. Maybe they're around the holidays or other  family gatherings.  Or if you don't practice any traditions together, perhaps you occasionally look through family albums or scrapbooks and see what your distant relatives looked like and did. <br />
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Whatever the case, you're creating a narrative about your past that frames how you think about your life today and what you'll do in the future. Your legacy. <br />
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<b>What's your narrative?</b></h2>
Augustus was of the same mind. He went through a decade-long soap opera of an inheritance battle. And at the end of it, he commissioned Virgil to write the <i>Aeneid</i>, Rome's origin story that was borne of the Trojan War. It was a clever bit of propaganda that was designed to make citizens of the Roman Empire feel emboldened about their place in history — a bookend to the proud tradition the Greeks had in the <i>Iliad</i>.<br />
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While Augustus revolutionized the way the Roman Empire looked and ran, he was still a shrewd leader who believed in a powerful communications message. He subscribed to the same philosophy of publicity as Sherlock Holmes:<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">“What you do in this world is a matter of no consequence. The question is, what can you make people <u>believe</u> that you have done.”</span></i></b></div>
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— Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, <i>A Study in Scarlet</i></div>
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Now, this wouldn't have worked if Augustus didn't actually deliver on his promises and do the things he said he would. He made life in Rome palpably better for citizens. But a good story along the way secured his legacy.<br />
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Our habits and work define who we are. And what we <b>do</b> must be consistent with what we <b>communicate</b>. If, like some technology giants, we're abusing our users' privacy expectations while we're asking them to trust us, we're more likely to end up like Mark Antony than Augustus. <br />
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Without consistency, our intent becomes muddled and our legacy ceases to exist.<br />
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How to Ensure Your Legacy

Augie was an unlikely leader. His father died when he was four, his mother remarried, and his stepfather had no use for him. So poor lit...

Smoke and Mirrors

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Have you ever felt duped by a company?<br />
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That is, they tell you one thing and then later on, either they tell you something else or — even worse — you independently discover they've been hiding the truth from you.<br />
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How does that make you feel?<br />
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We know companies are constantly trying to save face, burnishing their reputation by focusing only on the positives. But in some cases that means either completely ignoring or even glossing over the negatives.<br />
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This is nothing new. History is filled with leaders rewriting the course of events or altering their images to be remembered in a way they wanted.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>“History is a set of lies agreed upon.”</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">– Napoleon</span></div>
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Napoleon commissioned a portrait after his march through the Alps to defeat the Austrians at the Battle of Marengo in the spring of 1800. However, he refused to sit for the portrait, instead telling Jacques-Louis David that the painting should represent his character, not his physical likeness.<br />
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The result can be seen here in one of the five versions of  <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:David_-_Napoleon_crossing_the_Alps_-_Malmaison2.jpg" target="_blank"><b>Napoleon Crossing the Alps</b></a></i>:<br />
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Nearly 50 years later, the 3rd Earl of Onslow was visiting the Louvre with Paul Delaroche in 1848 and commented on the implausibility and theatricality of David's painting. He commissioned Delaroche to produce <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Paul_Delaroche_-_Napoleon_Crossing_the_Alps_-_Google_Art_Project_2.jpg" target="_blank">a more accurate version</a></b>:<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e9RMu2iCBeE/W7vw2J_AUYI/AAAAAAABAWY/G6HQL6ZdHVsi71cDjd9p_9Hscv_OcTJ8gCLcBGAs/s1600/Paul_Delaroche%2B-%2BNapoleon_Crossing_the_Alps_-_Google_Art_Project_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="795" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e9RMu2iCBeE/W7vw2J_AUYI/AAAAAAABAWY/G6HQL6ZdHVsi71cDjd9p_9Hscv_OcTJ8gCLcBGAs/s640/Paul_Delaroche%2B-%2BNapoleon_Crossing_the_Alps_-_Google_Art_Project_2.jpg" width="496" /></a></div>
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It wasn't meant to diminish Napoleon's great accomplishment, but rather to bring realism to the hardships he and his troops faced.<br />
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But when you're an active user of a technology, it isn't history we're talking about. This is your daily reality, involving your data.<br />
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Lately, it seems that companies are giving us the run-around all too frequently. We just learned of Instagram <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/04/instagram-location-history/" target="_blank">prototyping a new privacy setting</a> that would allow it to share your location history with Facebook — even when you're not using the app. Now the timing of the departure of Instagram's founders makes sense.<br />
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And <a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-shuts-down-google-after-api-bug-exposed-details-for-over-500000-users/" target="_blank">Alphabet is closing Google+</a> after a bug exposed information of half a million users. But Google discovered this in March 2018, and ostensibly didn't want to attract the attention of the government and the public and the resultant publicity nightmare it would have been.<br />
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In their race to control the narrative and avoid at all costs the truth coming out, these tech companies have created idealized versions of themselves. Facebook, the company that lives by apology and is now begging for your trust, and Google, the company whose motto used to be "don't be evil" (how quaint), both want your very best opinion of them.<br />
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As usual, the exposure of a secret may do more damage than the secret itself..<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>"Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom."</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">– Thomas Jefferson</span> [<a href="https://ctt.ac/wYb2t" target="_blank">click here to tweet</a>] </div>
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The world is a strange place and the truth somehow manages to make its way through the cracks, like water running through stone.<br />
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Smoke and mirrors can be a dangerous thing when the winds of change blow.<br />
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<i>Image credits: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_Crossing_the_Alps" target="_blank">Napoleon Crossing the Alps</a> (Wikipedia)</i><br />
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<br />

Smoke and Mirrors

Have you ever felt duped by a company? That is, they tell you one thing and then later on, either they tell you something else or — eve...

The Future Has Already Been Here

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Technology. It's everywhere. And it's increasingly infringing on humanity. <br />
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The physician Conrad Gessner was one of the first people to raise a concern. He was respected by his colleagues and his professionalism made him a serious thinker. <br />
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So when he warned us about the effects of information overload, the world took note. In one of his five books, he described how the modern world overwhelmed people with data and that the human mind would be confused and irreparably damaged if something wasn't done. <br />
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Today, as we're in the midst of oversaturated algorithms, the prospect of fake news, and constant interruptions from notifications, we see how Dr. Gessner's concerns were real. We bemoan the unprecedented risks of living in digital world that doesn't seem to have an off switch. We look for digital detox opportunities and quiet spaces. This unique problem must have unique solutions. <br />
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Oh, and what happened to Dr. Gessner? Well, he took his own advice to heart: he never once used e-mail and didn't even own a computer. <br />
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That's not because he was a curmudgeon about technology. You see, his landmark book was the <i>Bibliotheca universalis</i>, and it was published in 1545. For Conrad Gessner the physician, naturalist, philologist and bibliographer wasn't concerned about Facebook updates, selfies, text messages, emails, or even the Internet itself. He was warning the world about the impending flood of information in "<a href="https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/3228379/blair%202003.pdf" target="_blank">confusing and harmful abundance</a>" that was about to be unleashed with the advent of Gutenberg's printing press. <br />
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<b>Other early skeptics</b></h2>
Socrates famously <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1636/1636-h/1636-h.htm#2H_4_0002" target="_blank">warned</a> Phaedrus against writing because it would "create forgetfulness in the learners' souls, because they will not use their memories." <br />
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In the 1700s, the French statesman <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillaume-Chr%C3%A9tien_de_Lamoignon_de_Malesherbes" target="_blank">Malesherbes</a> railed against the trend of getting news in print, arguing that it socially isolated readers and detracted from the spiritually uplifting group practice of getting news from the pulpit.  <br />
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The point is we've been through these arguments before, and yet we still seem to find our way back to them through modern technology. The same principles apply, even though the tools are more modern. <br />
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The world of retail is no different. We're watching one of the most fascinating battles happening daily on a massive scale: Amazon versus Walmart. But as you watch it, the funny thing is that as Walmart tries to become more like Amazon, Amazon tries to become more like Walmart. <br />
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We're seeing Amazon becoming <a href="https://medium.learningbyshipping.com/amazon-4648bdf511c" target="_blank">more like a traditional retailer</a>. What do retailers typically have? A loyalty program (Prime), generic or house brands (Amazon Basics), and the ability to run advertising or placements. <br />
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Also, Amazon's free two-day shipping - once their defining feature that amazed every consumer who shopped on line - <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-prime-effect-how-amazons-2-day-shipping-is-disrupting-retail-1537448425" target="_blank">has become the price of entry for online shopping</a>. And yes, it's not "free," but bundled into their $119 annual Amazon Prime fee. Two-day shipping is now the expected standard, and other retailers have had to respond. <br />
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<b>How Sears and Montgomery Ward changed American shopping and shipping </b></h2>
But decades ago, long before Amazon Prime, the American shipping industry nowhere near as developed. At the time, it was the mail-order catalog companies <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/sears-postal-service-catalogs">Sears & Roebuck and Montgomery Ward</a> that changed the face of commerce. <br />
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When they first printed catalogs in the late 1800s, the companies capitalized on the growing mail and package delivery process in the United States. At issue was how the postal system delivered to rural addresses. This was also at the same time that the American shipping industry began to rise. <br />
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Montgomery Ward took advantage of the rail system. As long as you could get to a train station, you could pick up your goods. But in the early 20th century, 65% of America's population was rural, and didn't have access to mail or parcel delivery. <br />
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Sears and Montgomery Ward had to lobby for parcel delivery - it was called "rural free delivery." Infrastructure grew to support it and the U.S. Postal Service eventually expanded its parcel service to postal delivery as well. <br />
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Does this strike you as similar to any other modern merchant and its impact on logistics, delivery, and commerce? <br />
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As we saw on the sculpture <i>The Future</i> <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2018/09/why-you-need-to-put-past-in-context.html" target="_blank">in front of the National Archives</a>: </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>"What's past is prologue."</i></b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">— William Shakespeare</span></div>
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Stories like those of Gessner, Socrates, Sears, Shakespeare and others are not just history.</div>
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They are in many ways, a travel guide for the future.</div>
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<b><i><a href="https://soundcloud.com/fullmontyshow/episode-49-whats-past-is" target="_blank">Listen to this article</a>:</i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Hey, can you do me a favor? If this struck a chord with you, please share it with your network</span></i>.</b><br />
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The Future Has Already Been Here

Technology. It's everywhere. And it's increasingly infringing on humanity. The physician Conrad Gessner was one of the first pe...

Do You Want to Repeat History or Make History?

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This entry is a little different.<br />
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If you're a regular reader and subscriber (first of all, thank you!), you'll know that I lead with a classical painting and I reference a time-honored philosophical or literary quote, making it relevant to what you do each day.<br />
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I'm still going to do that, but I'd like to tie in something from a friend and colleague. <b>Jay Acunzo</b> launched his <i>opus magnum</i> yesterday: his book <i><a href="http://jayacunzo.com/book" target="_blank">Break the Wheel: Question Best Practices, Hone Your Intuition, Do Your Best Work</a></i>.<br />
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Jay's premise is simple: for years we've been hearing about "best practices," and if everyone moves toward best practices, you end up with too much sameness. And what's right for you isn't necessarily right for me.<br />
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By applying your experience, your creativity, and your understanding of your customers and market, you can get at better solutions, better content, and better products. Jay has interviewed dozens of leaders and told stories about them on his podcast, in his newsletter, and now in <b><i>Break the Wheel</i></b>.<br />
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Simply put, it's a book that you need to pick up if you create anything or oversee a team that does.<br />
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<a href="http://jayacunzo.com/book" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="http://jayacunzo.com/book" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1079" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F6AEZEoLcjQ/W7LynzmvBJI/AAAAAAABASg/HWYI_9OamyMuJz-_txW9Ybq7GcCtg6togCLcBGAs/s400/BtW_Cover_Art.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
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<b>Where's My Classics Lesson?</b></h2>
I'm not just telling you about Jay's book because I believe in it enough to disrupt my own cadence of posts (that alone would make it noteworthy). I'm doing it because it's consistent with what we've been talking about here and on <a href="https://www.fullmontyshow.com/p/show-archives.html" target="_blank">The Full Monty podcast</a> regularly.<br />
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In this case, I'll turn to my old friend Sherlock Holmes:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>"The old wheel turns, and the same spoke comes up. It’s all been done before, and will be again."</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">– Sir Arthur Conan Doyle</span></div>
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Just as Sherlock Holmes reminded us in <i>The Valley of Fear</i> that history repeats itself, Jay's book cautions us to be mindful of that wheel and to make our own independent choices as the spoke comes around again.</div>
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Holmes was adept at <i>recognizing</i> patterns to predict what would happen next. Jay knows how to <i>create</i> your own patterns and avoid getting trapped.<br />
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<b>As You Like It</b></h2>
Back in my agency days, I developed a concept based on this new 'social media' craze that was in its infancy. I eagerly and proudly presented the idea to my client, and they responded with this <a href="https://www.bartleby.com/380/prose/344.html" target="_blank">retort courteous</a>:<br />
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"Do you have a case study?"<br />
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"A case study?" I replied. "The technology launched last week. No one has even thought of this, let alone tried it," went the quip modest<br />
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I paused for maximum effect, and then asked:<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"Do you want to <u>read</u> a case study, </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">or do you want to <u>be</u> a case study?"</span></i></b></div>
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"We want to <i>read</i> a case study," was the reply churlish.</div>
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Sigh.<br />
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<b>Break the Wheel</b></h2>
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The world is filled with paths that are well-worn by others. </div>
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The question is: do you want to be part of someone else's pattern or do you want to create what's best for you?<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HXVIvuUgBWQ/W7Lvyf1xpsI/AAAAAAABASY/qXJ2mBiRJmEaA-gM_rnHfC0wqY5Oy1BZwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Think_for_Yourself.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HXVIvuUgBWQ/W7Lvyf1xpsI/AAAAAAABASY/qXJ2mBiRJmEaA-gM_rnHfC0wqY5Oy1BZwCPcBGAYYCw/s400/Think_for_Yourself.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="http://jayacunzo.com/book" target="_blank"><br /></a></div>
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<i>Image source: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vincenzo_Giovannini_Via_Appia_all%27altezza_del_IV_Miglio.jpg" target="_blank">Via Appia at the height of Quarto Miglio</a>, Vincenco Giovannini, 1884 (Wikimedia Commons, public domain)</i><br />
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Do You Want to Repeat History or Make History?

This entry is a little different. If you're a regular reader and subscriber (first of all, thank you!), you'll know that I lea...

Why You Need to Put the Past in Context

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<br />
The Declaration of Independence. The Constitution. The Bill of Rights. President Ronald Reagan's speech card from remarks made in Berlin, Germany in June 1987. The arrest warrant for Lee Harvey Oswald. <br />
<br />
These are just some of the artifacts you'll find inside of the National Archives in Washington, DC. <br />
<br />
But step outside, and there's something even more impressive: <a href="https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2018/05/22/the-national-archives-larger-than-life-statues/" target="_blank">four sculptures</a> that tower nearly 25 feet above ground. And three of them are relevant for our story today: Past, Future, and Heritage. <br />
<br />
On the face of the pedestal of each statue is a different quote, unattributed. Each has relevance to what we need to keep in mind in marketing and business today. <br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
How different the world is today – and how little humans have changed.</div>
<br />
<h2>
<b>Step Into My Past</b></h2>
When I was an undergraduate at Boston University, I majored in classical civilization – the study of ancient Greek and Roman culture. I was exposed to the greats of philosophy, history, biography, drama, architecture and more. And yet it's only been in recent years that I've come to deeply appreciate my education. <br />
<br />
One of my courses was "Classical Tradition in American Culture," taught by the venerable <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meyer_Reinhold" target="_blank">Meyer Reinhold</a>, who was already in advanced years at the time. In this class, we explored the various classical works that influenced the Founding Fathers, from the documents they crafted to found the country, to the art and architecture in cities throughout America in the late 18th century. <br />
<br />
My thesis was on classical sculpture in the Federal Triangle in Washington, DC, and that naturally led me to the National Archives building. <br />
<br />
And just as Jefferson, Madison, Adams, Hamilton and others took their inspiration from ancient civilizations and those of more recent history, the statues at the National Archives, carved in the 1920s are also a throwback. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>How different the world is today – and how little humans have changed.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: large;">[<a href="https://ctt.ac/xAca8" target="_blank">Click to tweet this quote</a>]</span></div>
<div>
<h2>
<b>Past. Future. Heritage. </b></h2>
<i>Past </i>is an old man gazing down the corridors of time. On his lap is a closed book representing history. And inscribed on the front of the supporting pedestal is a paraphrase of Confucius that reads: “Study the Past.” The original from the ancient Chinese philosopher is "Study the past if you wish to divine the future."<br />
<br />
<i>Future </i>is young woman gazing forward, contemplating the things to come. She holds an open book, symbolizing a story that is not yet written. On the pedestal beneath is carved "What is Past is Prologue," from William Shakespeare's <i>The Tempest</i>. <br />
<br />
And finally there's <i>Heritage</i>, a woman wearing a snake-bordered robe, holding a child in one arm and an urn of ashes in the other, with wheat in the background. This symbolizes our country, future generations, and past generations. The quote on this pedestal is from abolitionist  Wendell Phillips: “The heritage of the past is the seed that brings forth the harvest of the future." <br />
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In each case, we're told to pay attention to what has happened before our time, for it's there that we can find the key to unlock the secrets of the future. <br />
<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child."</span></i></b> </div>
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<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: large;">– Cicero [<a href="https://ctt.ac/gd8fx" target="_blank">Tweet this quote</a>]</span></div>
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<br />
How many of us marvel at the technology that powers so much of our lives today? The cars we drive. The mini-computers we carry in our pockets. The words you're reading right now that I published over the Internet. <br />
<br />
But behind all of that are time-tested needs and behaviors of humans that we've had since the very beginning of history. If we stop and take the time to understand the underlying motivations and machinations that drive busy consumers, we'll find that we still want the same things we always have.</div>
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<br /></div>
There's no need to reinvent what already exists, whether it's from an ancient philosophy text or a business practice from the 1940s (you'll recall <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2018/08/the-fuller-brush-credo.html" target="_blank">the Fuller Brush Credo</a> from a few weeks ago).<br />
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And then we can dispense with shiny object syndrome, or recreating a process or campaign that's been done before. If we can repurpose historical knowledge and events, giving it context to the world around us today, we can save time – and be sure that we're not just fad-chasing. </div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
Well class, that's it for today's history lesson. In our next installment, I'll be moving on to give you some examples of how all of this plays out in the retail industry today.<br />
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Why You Need to Put the Past in Context

The Declaration of Independence. The Constitution. The Bill of Rights. President Ronald Reagan's speech card from remarks made in Ber...

Strategy and Newton's Laws of Motion

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We've all heard of <b>Sir Isaac Newton</b>'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton%27s_laws_of_motion" target="_blank">three laws of motion</a> in colloquial language ("a body in motion stays in motion," etc.).<br />
<br />
Here they are, taken directly from his <i>Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy</i><sup>1</sup>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Law 1</b><br />
Every body continues in its state of rest, or of uniform motion in a right line, unless is it compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it.<br />
<br />
<b>Law 2</b><br />
The change of motion is proportional to the motive force impressed; and is made in the direction of the right line in which that force is impressed.<br />
<br />
<b>Law 3</b><br />
To every action there is always opposed an equal reaction; or, the mutual actions of two bodies upon each other are always equal, and directed to contrary parts.</blockquote>
<br />
While these axioms specifically address physical objects and their movement, they also apply to how businesses behave.<br />
<br />
For example, a company will keep on doing the same thing, absent any kind of external force on it (<b>Law 1</b>). Corrective actions that a business takes will typically be in proportional response to an external force (<b>Law 2</b>). For example, prices will rise proportional to the level of supplier price increases. And typically companies will retreat in the opposite direction of an impact (<b>Law 3</b>); think of Facebook's constant retreat at public outcry of its privacy policies early on.<br />
<br />
It seems like companies are in a constant state of back-and-forth on following trends, using different marketing techniques, etc. So that for every "let's pivot to video!" there's also a "let's get back to the basics of email." It's like a pendulum swinging from one side to the other.<br />
<br />
Which is why, while I was at Ford, so much of our communications and marketing efforts amounted to zigging while the competition was zagging. As soon as the other automakers picked up on what we were doing, we'd be off in another direction (<b>Law 3</b>).<br />
<br />
But because there will always be external forces, business can't act like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton%27s_cradle" target="_blank">Newton's cradle</a>. Eventually that energy runs out, and the objects settle in the middle.<br />
<br />
Be prepared for wild swings in your industry and your company. But use that center area to keep your strategy grounded as the laws of motion hurl you from one side to another.<br />
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<sup>1</sup>Newton, Sir Isaac, "Axioms, or Laws of Motion," <i>34. Newton Huygens</i>, p. 14, <i>Great Books of the Western World</i>, Mortimer J. Adler, Associate Editor. Encyclopedia Britannica: Chicago, 1952.<br />
<i><br />
</i> <i><br />
</i> <i>Image credit: George Arents Collection, The New York Public Library. "<a href="http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e4-2668-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99" target="_blank">Zig-zag approaches</a>." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. </i><br />
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Strategy and Newton's Laws of Motion

We've all heard of Sir Isaac Newton 's three laws of motion in colloquial language ("a body in motion stays in motion,"...

Emotional Intelligence and the Power of Silence

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<br />
Who's a leader that has influenced you? <br />
<br />
It could be someone famous, like a politician or business executive from the past or present. Or maybe you've got someone in mind who you worked with. <br />
<br />
And what is it that makes them stand out to you? Maybe it's the way they spoke. Or how they were able to take something complex and <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2018/08/simple-vs-complex-ill-take-simple-please.html" target="_blank">make it easier to understand</a>. <br />
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When you consider whatever those elements were, I'll almost guarantee that your inspiration had a high degree of <b>emotional intelligence</b>, or EQ. <br />
<br />
For me, that leader was Andy Ferrara. Andy was my CEO at Boston Healthcare Associates and his leadership style was calm and reassuring. And the one trait that he displayed that captured my attention the most was his silence. <br />
<br />
We'd all be in a meeting – the whole company – and he would just sit there, silently. <br />
<br />
How does silence equate with great leadership? It's part of the makeup of emotional intelligence .<br />
<br />
<h2>
<b>The Emotionally Intelligent Leader</b></h2>
We've discussed <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2015/07/emotional-intelligence-should-be-easy.html" target="_blank">emotional intelligence</a> before – both here and on The Full Monty podcast (<a href="http://smonty.co/fullmonty11" target="_blank">Episode 11</a>).<br />
<br />
You'll recall that taking stock of your own emotions and those of others takes a certain degree of maturity. And your emotional quotient, or your EQ, can be broken down into four key elements for shorthand: <br />
<ul>
<li>Self-awareness </li>
<li>Self-management </li>
<li>Social awareness (or empathy) </li>
<li>Relationship management </li>
</ul>
<br />
Being a good leader means having a sense of the world around you and what your role in it should be. <br />
<br />
And often times, what you <i>don't</i> say speaks far more loudly than what you <i>do </i>say. <br />
<br />
When so many bits of information are flying around, both online and off, and attention seems scattered, it's easy to offer a knee-jerk reaction and spout something off. We've seen "tweetstorms" from various executives. They're not pretty. <br />
<br />
As an emotionally-intelligent leader, you should be aware of yourself, your colleagues, and your environment. Your colleagues and employees look to you to set an example, and when you're able to refrain from mouthing off, it shows that you're in control of yourself, which in turn demonstrates that you have the ability to be in control of your company. <br />
<br />
<h2>
<b>Good Leaders Are Calming Forces</b></h2>
Just this week, I heard Doris Kearns Goodwin on the radio, discussing her new book <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Turbulent-Doris-Kearns-Goodwin/dp/1476795924" target="_blank">Leadership in Turbulent Times</a></i>. She draws conclusions from her previous researches on <b>Abraham Lincoln</b>, <b>Lyndon Johnson</b>, <b>Theodore Roosevelt</b> and <b>Franklin Delano Roosevelt</b>. Namely, they each had the ability to be self-aware, self-reflective, to show humility, and to learn empathy through adversity. All hallmarks of emotionally-intelligent leaders. <br />
<br />
But they also observed the situation around them and listened closely to their advisors – indeed, Lincoln even assembled his cabinet based on differing opinions. Kearns Goodwin's book on that was <i>Team of Rivals</i>. <br />
<br />
So how was it that Andy's silent approach in meetings made him an exemplar for me? <br />
<br />
When there was discussion about some topic that affected the company, Andy let everyone have their say. He didn't interject. He didn't interrupt. He just sat there and observed. <br />
<br />
Only after everyone had spoken would Andy chime in. And he did so with great wisdom, having the benefit of being able to process the input and consider his words carefully. <br />
<br />
If you think you need to have something to say about everything, think again. The quips, retorts, and wise cracks may be good in lighter situations, but when people look to you for leadership, they expect you to be a sage. <br />
<br />
And being the wise one in the room means observing, taking in information, assessing the mood, and knowing how your reaction will be judged. In some cases, your absence of witticisms may be the wisest reaction.<br />
<br />
It's something we've known for over 2,000 years:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"Silence is one of the great arts of conversation." </span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
– Cicero</div>
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Think about that the next time you're tempted to immediately offer your not-so-humble opinion. <br />
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Remaining silent may be the one thing that speaks volumes.<br />
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Emotional Intelligence and the Power of Silence

Who's a leader that has influenced you? It could be someone famous, like a politician or business executive from the past or prese...

The Lure of the Immediate

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<br />
It's easier than ever to be distracted.<br />
<br />
Desktop, laptop, tablet, phone: each contains functions to interrupt us and grab our attention. Notifications, pop-ups, little red dots – each is designed to give us a virtual tap on the shoulder and refocus our attention to something that just happened.<br />
<br />
It's not a new concept. Machiavelli recognized this fact in the 14th century:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>"Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions."</i></b> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
[<a href="https://ctt.ac/281f3" target="_blank">Click to tweet this quote</a>]</div>
<br />
And two pieces earlier this summer reminded me of this: <b>Seth Godin</b>'s advice to <a href="https://seths.blog/2018/07/walking-away-from-fast-twitch/" target="_blank">walk away from the fast twitch</a>, and a <b>Quartz </b>article on <a href="https://work.qz.com/1331152/how-to-manage-your-time-better-by-fighting-urgency-bias/" target="_blank">productivity being hurt by urgency bias</a>.<br />
<br />
You know what you need to accomplish. What's most important. Distractions will only prevent you from focusing on that.<br />
<br />
Sure, it feels good to know that others have liked your pictures, commented on your posts, or want to get in touch with you. But they don't have the benefit of seeing your to-do list or understanding your long-term goals.<br />
<br />
It's easy to succumb to the seduction that some interruptions bring. But it's essential to <a href="https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/eisenhower-decision-matrix/" target="_blank">discern between the urgent and the important</a>.<br />
<br />
Summed up, it's this: <b><i>what is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important</i></b>.<br />
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<i>Image credit: William Richard Gowers (1845-1915) [Public domain], via <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%27Knee_Jerk%27_from_W_R_Gowers%27_Manual_of_Diseases_of_the_Nervous_System_1886.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></i><br />
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The Lure of the Immediate

It's easier than ever to be distracted. Desktop, laptop, tablet, phone: each contains functions to interrupt us and grab our attent...

The Downside of Risk

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Companies are hotbeds of politics. <br />
<br />
I don't mean politics as in government; I'm referring of course to the high-stakes games of hidden agendas, budget fights, and life-and-death struggles for power that plague the halls of large companies. <br />
<br />
Oh, wait. That kind of <i>is </i>like government. <br />
<br />
Whether you're in product development, communications, marketing, IT, or sales, you'll eventually run across one of the most intimidating and challenging groups any corporate executive has to deal with. These individuals will strike fear into you and make you rethink your entire career path to date. They live to wrangle facts and argue. <br />
<br />
I'm of course referring to the legal department. <br />
<br />
<br />
<h2>
<b>The Legal Department Means Well</b></h2>
The legal department exists to minimize risk to a company. When you're trying to develop a creative program and the legal team comes in and tells you all of the reasons why you can't do something, it's frustrating. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>The legal department's slogan should be: </i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>We Put the 'No' in Innovation.</i></b></span></div>
<br />
I used that line on the legal team at Ford Motor Company in my first meeting with them. They actually laughed, if you can believe it. <br />
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<br />
While at Ford, I realized that the corporate legal team was actually strategic ally, if given the chance. They wanted to help, not be a constant source of negativity. We learned that bringing them in early and engaging them in the creative process led to better outcomes for everyone. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
But it's the unknown or potentially negative outcomes that hold us back. Being <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2018/09/the-upside-of-vulnerability.html" target="_blank">vulnerable</a> haunts us. <br />
<br />
William Arthur Ward summed up our fears in his poem "<b>To Risk</b>," and it goes like this:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,<br />
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.<br />
To reach out to another is to risk involvement,<br />
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.<br />
To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.<br />
To love is to risk not being loved in return,<br />
To live is to risk dying,<br />
To hope is to risk despair,<br />
To try is to risk failure.<br />
<br />
But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.<br />
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.<br />
He may avoid suffering and sorrow,<br />
But he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live.<br />
Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom.<br />
Only a person who risks is free.<br />
<br />
The pessimist complains about the wind;<br />
The optimist expects it to change;<br />
And the realist adjusts the sails. </blockquote>
<br />
<h2>
<b>Risks Taken by Nike, Google, and CBS </b></h2>
<h3>
<b>Nike</b></h3>
</div>
<div>
Nike launched its new ad, featuring the image of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and the words "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything." It of course referred to Kaepernick's protest of police brutality by taking a knee during the National Anthem before football games, which he claims cost him his job in the NFL. <br />
<br />
Wherever you stand on that particular issue, Nike made a clear statement. And in doing so, it risks losing (or gaining) market share and alienating (or attracting) customers. Was it a calculated risk? Almost certainly. <br />
<br />
In the day following, Nike's stock sank, and photos and videos of disgruntled customers burning or destroying their Nike apparel made their way around the Internet. As of September 11, Nike's stock has now erased all of the losses associate with the ad. <br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Google</b></h3>
Google chose not to attend the Senate hearings which Facebook and Twitter attended last week. In between Facebook COO Sheryl Sandburg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey was an empty chair and a nameplate that read "Google." <br />
<br />
In doing so, it showed Google to be either clueless or filled with hubris. Sure, they avoided any difficult questions and the need to take a position on things. But they also run the risk of inviting more government scrutiny and oversight, if Senators think that Google has something to hide. <br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>CBS</b></h3>
And finally, the CBS board took a risk by protecting and retaining its CEO, Les Moones, following an explosive New Yorker article a few months ago. Six women claimed that the executive sexually harassed or assaulted them, and the board rallied around him. <br />
<br />
Then on Sunday, Ronan Farrow - possibly the most powerful man in media now - wrote a second article about six more women who claimed the same thing. Moonves was allowed to resign and the board denied him the potential $100 million package that he was rumored to be in line for. <br />
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Each of those is an example of a risk taken by companies that could have elected to decide otherwise. Did it make them <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2018/09/the-upside-of-vulnerability.html" target="_blank">vulnerable</a>? Absolutely. Was it worth it? <br />
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Well, you'll have to ask the shareholders.</div>
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<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/498900024&color=%232a77af&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=false" width="100%"></iframe><br /></div>
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<i>Image credit: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Voyage_of_Life#/media/File:Thomas_Cole,_The_Voyage_of_Life,_1842,_National_Gallery_of_Art.jpg">The Voyage of Life: Manhood</a> by Thomas Cole, 1842 (public domain, Wikimedia Commons)</i></div>

The Downside of Risk

Companies are hotbeds of politics. I don't mean politics as in government; I'm referring of course to the high-stakes games of ...

The Upside of Vulnerability

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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MGgVfa_sqdw/W5awDihjV_I/AAAAAAAA_50/9uNi0mEj7gUNRNwJUwSL9Dn9qQppQpOpgCLcBGAs/s1600/John_Henry_Fuseli_-_The_Nightmare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1110" height="518" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MGgVfa_sqdw/W5awDihjV_I/AAAAAAAA_50/9uNi0mEj7gUNRNwJUwSL9Dn9qQppQpOpgCLcBGAs/s640/John_Henry_Fuseli_-_The_Nightmare.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We risk so much by putting ourselves out there.<br />
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Experiencing failure or defeat. Admitting our weaknesses and flaws. Showing our more delicate and otherwise private feelings.<br />
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We fear rejection, humiliation, exposure, and "otherness."<br />
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What do we gain by holding back?<br />
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Usually, it's a short-term benefit: a personal sense of victory knowing that we've kept our secrets safe. A sense of strength, in that no one else knows how difficult things have been for us.<br />
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But deep down, we know we're putting up a façade. Perhaps, we think, we can outrun this mirage if we turn things around – no one will be the wiser.<br />
<br />
Alternatively, what do we gain if we're open and vulnerable?<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"When we were children, we used to think that
when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to
accept vulnerability... To be alive is to be vulnerable." </span></i></b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
–
Madeline L'Engle [<a href="https://ctt.ac/H5lCU" target="_blank">Click to tweet this quote</a>]</div>
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If we're not sure when things will turn around for us, we could be eaten up by anxiety at the fear of being exposed.<br />
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More than that though, we miss out on the opportunity to reveal who we are to others. To allow them to relate to us on a more visceral, human level.<br />
<br />
Everyone has had challenges to deal with of some sort. Lost jobs, divorce, death, bankruptcy, failed business, flopped campaigns. By sharing your reality, it's entirely possible that you'll find someone else who experienced something similar and who can offer advice, kind words, or empathy.<br />
<br />
It's easy to find friends, clients and customers when things are going well. It's when things take a downturn that you discover who your most loyal supporters are.<br />
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So maybe being vulnerable <span style="text-align: right;">– </span>some might call it being authentic <span style="text-align: right;">–</span> has its benefits.<br />
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The question you need to ask yourself is: "Am I worth it?"<br />
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<i><b>Image credit</b>: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Henry_Fuseli_-_The_Nightmare.JPG#/media/File:John_Henry_Fuseli_-_The_Nightmare.JPG" target="_blank">The Nightmare</a> by John Henry Fuseli, 1781 (Wikimedia Commons, public domain)</i><br />
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The Upside of Vulnerability

We risk so much by putting ourselves out there. Experiencing failure or defeat. Admitting our weaknesses and flaws. Showing our more de...

You Are Not Your Job

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On this Labor Day holiday (in the U.S.), I was wondering: how much of ourselves we pour into our work? <br />
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We spend the majority of our waking hours doing work and in the company of others with whom we work. We identify ourselves by our titles and define ourselves by our jobs. <br />
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Think about it: when you meet someone at an event, what phrase do you usually utter? Most likely, you ask, "So, what do you do?" <br />
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That's kind of limiting, isn't it? We're asking someone to give us a snapshot about themselves that's bound by however their work is traditionally measured. <br />
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I've corresponded with a number of friends recently who have lost or left their jobs, without a clear path for what's next. They seem forlorn. Downtrodden. Even lost. <br />
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This is what happens when we allow the world to define us by our profession, rather than dictating our own terms.<br />
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Work isn't always easy. In the 1960s, there was a television show called <i>The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis</i>. The breakout character was a beatnik, Maynard G. Krebs –  played by none other than Bob Denver. (You did know Bob Denver had a job before <i>Gilligan's Island</i>, didn't you?) <br />
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Good old Maynard. Whenever anyone said the word "work" in front of him, he'd repeat the word, yelling "<b>WORK!</b>" with his voice cracking and a look of fear on his face. <br />
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And that's typical of someone who might think that work means that you work for "The Man" – that ethereal entity that represents corporate life. <br />
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But even in corporate life, as the founder of Walmart knew, you work for a different man (and woman): the customer.<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company, from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else."</span></i></b> </div>
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– Sam Walton [<a href="https://ctt.ac/YP1v4" target="_blank">Tweet this quote</a>]</div>
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When you think about the work you do in the context of serving other people and doing whatever it takes to satisfy them, the Krebsian "WORK!" becomes much less so. <br />
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You've heard the cliché "if you find something you love, you'll never work a day in your life." Well, that's somewhat true. It's a little more complex than finding your passion – advice that recently has turned into something of a cottage industry. <br />
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But you should find what motivates you and what brings you fulfillment. And what will pay you at least a living wage. Because then your job won't be something separate from who you are or what you believe in. <br />
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So rather than asking people "What do you do?" Try asking: </div>
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<ul>
<li>"What excites you lately?"</li>
<li>"What are you passionate about?"</li>
<li>"What problem do you wish you could solve?" </li>
</ul>
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<br />
That gives people much more latitude to answer. And it addresses their intellect, not their job function. It gets to what's in their heart, not what's on their business card. <br />
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And that's something worth working toward. <br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/495403269&color=%232a77af&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=false" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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You Are Not Your Job

On this Labor Day holiday (in the U.S.), I was wondering: how much of ourselves we pour into our work? We spend the majority of our wa...

Pleasure Makes Perfect

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<br />
We just celebrated Labor Day here in the United States. And for many, it was something of a timestamp – a long weekend signalling the last hurrah of summer.<br />
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My kids are filled with a mixture of joy and dread as they head back to school. (Mostly dread for my teenager).<br />
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As humans, we're programmed to want the fun to last, to be put off by encroaching responsibilities.<br />
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But what if you actually had fun doing what you do? What if your job brought you sheer joy?<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." </span></i></b></div>
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– Aristotle [<a href="https://ctt.ac/c0Q95" target="_blank">Tweet this quote</a>]</div>
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"Sure, that's easy for you to say, Aristotle," you say. "You stayed in school until you were 37. All you had to do was listen to Plato all day long."<br />
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Well, that's kind of the point. He loved that. So much so that Aristotle went on, with Plato to be considered one of the fathers of Western philosophy.<br />
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We don't all have the chance to be Aristotle. But we do have the opportunity to take joy in our work. Or pick a line of work that brings us more pleasure than pain.<br />
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Then when you return from a long weekend, you'll embrace Monday and everything about your profession.<br />
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<i>Image credit: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:%22The_School_of_Athens%22_by_Raffaello_Sanzio_da_Urbino.jpg" target="_blank">School of Athens</a> by Raphael, 1510. Fresco, Vatican City (Wikimedia Commons)</i><br />
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Pleasure Makes Perfect

We just celebrated Labor Day here in the United States. And for many, it was something of a timestamp – a long weekend signalling the l...

Simple vs. Complex: I'll Take Simple, Please

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You've probably heard someone older than you in your family yearn for the past. Maybe they see how customers are handled at a restaurant or that movies are too expensive. <br />
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Then they get a far-off look in their eyes and wistfully sigh, "Things sure aren't the way they used to be." <br />
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Of course they're not. Bread isn't a nickel. A movie isn't 10 cents. And your banker doesn't know you by name. <br />
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It's human nature to want to return to what we knew. It's comfortable. It's familiar. It's home. <br />
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But as Nick Carroway told Jay Gatsby in <i>The Great Gatsby</i>, "You can't repeat the past." The past is just that. It occupies an important but distant place in our minds. <br />
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Which is why it's so powerful when we get a glimpse of the way things used to be in the context of a business setting today. <br />
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Amid the flurry of notifications and emails, two-factor authentications and e-commerce, Apple Pay and Amazon, the old-fashioned seems quaint and comforting. Like going home. <br />
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<h2>
<b>The Power of Simplicity</b></h2>
There's a great power in simplicity. Boiling down a complex problem to its core. Making a user experience that's intuitive. Using language people can understand without pulling out a dictionary. <br />
<br />
We've got a temptation to make things more complex than simple. Part of it is a self-preservation mechanism: like academics who use unnecessarily flowery language in peer-reviewed journals, it's a matter of elevating ourselves to seem smarter and "own" the topic. <br />
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I recently heard of a CEO who prefers to be vague and cerebral in his approach. The result is predictable: employees can't get a read on what he's saying, and they don't feel a sense of rapport with him. As a result, morale is down. <br />
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I was fortunate to serve fairly closely with a CEO whose style was all about simplicity. Not in a dumbed-down way, but in a friendly, collaborative sort of way. He ensured that everyone understood the company's mission and how they fit into the puzzle of a global organization. <br />
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He knew that it was his job to meet employees where they were – physically, and philosophically – and bring them to where he wanted them to go. <br />
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That CEO was <b>Alan Mulally</b>, and his strategic plan for <b>Ford Motor Company</b> was called "<a href="https://www.slideshare.net/scottmonty/one-ford-strategy/secret/Hw7Y6RheYkURgl" target="_blank">One Ford</a>." It was quite simple: One Team, One Plan, One Goal – an exciting and viable Ford delivering profitable growth for all. <br />
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Sure, the details below each section made it a little longer. But it was in plain language that fit on an I.D. card. Everyone could recite it, because the message was so simple, and because Alan spent so much time repeating it to everyone. <br />
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Alan recently told me, "If you want to be successful, you have to have a plan, and you have to communicate about the plan." <br />
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Alan knew that simple communication was the most effective. And how refreshing when everything else around us is complicated! <br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">“One should use common words to say uncommon things.”</span></i></b> </div>
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– Arthur Schopenhauer [<a href="https://ctt.ac/eU4go" target="_blank">Tweet this quote</a>]</div>
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People don't expect the common and simple these days. </div>
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They don't expect a handwritten note when they're barraged with emails and text messages. </div>
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They don't expect that you'll remember their name when they're required to give three forms of I.D. to make a deposit at the bank. </div>
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Sometimes, that's all it takes. Say hello. Use language they can relate to. Remember their name. </div>
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It really is that simple. </div>
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<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/492130722&color=%232a77af&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=false" width="100%"></iframe><br /></div>
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<i><i><b>Hey, do you subscribe to The Full Monty on the podcast platform of your choice? It's available on  <a href="http://smonty.co/fullmontyitunes">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.podcasts">Google Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://soundcloud.com/fullmontyshow">SoundCloud</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6Z1mPqKK5HeVaQMuKGzzNi?si=EjKGQGh3QBOjScUCzZawwg">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/i-hear-of-sherlock/the-full-monty?refid=stpr">Stitcher</a>, <a href="https://play.radiopublic.com/the-full-monty-dG4Jm6">RadioPublic</a>, or wherever you find your shows. Also, just for fun, ask Alexa or Google to "play the latest episode of The Full Monty podcast."</b></i></i></div>
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Simple vs. Complex: I'll Take Simple, Please

You've probably heard someone older than you in your family yearn for the past. Maybe they see how customers are handled at a restaur...

The Power of Brevity

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There's great power in keeping things short.<br />
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It's one of the reasons I changed <a href="https://www.fullmontyshow.com/p/show-archives.html" target="_blank">my podcast</a> to be about 5 minutes long each week.<br />
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Of course I could go on for longer. But no one wants to hear that.<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"As great minds have the faculty of saying a great deal in a few words, so lesser minds have a talent of talking much, and saying nothing."</span></i></b> </div>
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<b>– Francois de la Rochefoucauld</b> [<a href="https://ctt.ac/bq6Kj" target="_blank">Tweet this quote</a>]</div>
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When you write or speak, pick the words that matter, say what you need to, and get out of the way.<br />
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If people want to hear more from you, they'll ask.<br />
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<i>Image credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Karel_Dujardin_-_Boy_Blowing_Soap_Bubbles._Allegory_on_the_Transitoriness_and_the_Brevity_of_Life_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg" target="_blank">Boy Blowing Soap Bubbles. Allegory on the Transitoriness and the Brevity of Life</a> by Karel Dujardin, 1663 (public domain)</i><br />
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The Power of Brevity

There's great power in keeping things short. It's one of the reasons I changed my podcast to be about 5 minutes long each ...

What CEOs Do That Sets Them Apart

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When you're stuck for an idea, where do you go? <br />
<br />
If you've ever watched Mad Men, you saw Don Draper, the consummate creative director, try to hammer out his ideas by taking a nap, or leaving his office to head to a matinee at a nearby theater. <br />
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Some people choose to listen to music. Others open a book. And yet others take a walk. <br />
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Whatever it is, we make those choices to break up the monotony or try to jolt our thinking. <br />
<br />
In all of those moments, opportunities present themselves: opportunities to take in and appreciate the creative work of someone else. It might be something centuries old. Or it might be a creation from this morning. <br />
<br />
When you reflect on something beautiful, something deep, something funny <span style="text-align: right;">–</span> you never know where it might lead. <br />
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As a professional, you needn't be consumed by your industry and your industry alone; you should be able to find inspiration everywhere.<br />
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<h2>
<b>Improvisation as Inspiration</b></h2>
I was recently reading a biography of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Shepherd">Jean Shepherd</a> (<i>Excelsior, You Fathead! The Art and Enigma of Jean Shepherd</i>). You may not know Shep, other than his crowning achievement to pop culture: the now-classic holiday film <i>A Christmas Story</i> was based on Shepherd's semi-autobiographical stories in his 1966 book <i>In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash</i>, with some elements from his 1971 book <i>Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories</i>. <br />
<br />
For years, Shepherd had a radio show on WOR in New York, where he was on the air from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. And during those four hours, all he did was tell stories. But he also liked jazz. And from his apartment in Greenwich Village, he had access to some of the best jazz bars in the city. <br />
<br />
So what did Shep do? He found inspiration in the jazz he listened to. He used the improvisational style of music to hone his storytelling, so that soon, he was improvising on a topic in the booth. He became the jazz artist of the monologue. <br />
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It's that kind of cross-pollinating that leads to creative breakthroughs. Where polymaths use their knowledge of vastly different subjects to bring together the unusual or unexpected to produce results. <br />
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As you can imagine, it doesn't happen without the prerequisite inspiration. And you've got to want to seek out other sources to inspire you. What does that take? <br />
<br />
Why, nothing less than curiosity. <br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." </span></i></b></div>
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– Dorothy Parker [<a href="https://ctt.ac/QHDC4" target="_blank">Tweet this quote</a>]</div>
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If you're curious, you're constantly wondering "Why?" or "How?" or "What else?" You want to expand your sphere of knowledge, wide or deep. You want to understand the weak connections, the conditions in which an artist worked, the inner workings of the human mind. <br />
<br />
Adam Bryant has interviewed 525 chief executives through his years writing the 'Corner Office' column in <i>The New York Times</i>. Over those 525 interviews, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/27/business/how-to-be-a-ceo.html" target="_blank">here's what he has learned</a> about those CEOs: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"[T]hey share a habit of mind that is best described as 'applied curiosity.' They tend to question everything. They want to know how things work, and wonder how they can be made to work better. They're curious about people and their back stories."  </blockquote>
<br />
And yet, at the same time, in Digiday's "Confessions" series, an advertising veteran noted that lack of intellectual curiosity and rigor around <a href="http://digiday.com/uk/confessions-advertising-vet-obsession-newness-mess/" target="_blank">shiny object syndrome is ruining the ad industry</a>. <br />
<br />
Shiny object syndrome <span style="text-align: right;">–</span> or GMOOT ("Get me one of those!") <span style="text-align: right;">–</span> is the bane of any industry's existence. Chasing the latest trend and trying to capitalize on it, whether it's GDPR, virtual reality, chatbots, influencer marketing, the latest social network, CDP, DMP, CMS or whatever <span style="text-align: right;">–</span> without the prerequisite expertise in using or running a program on any of those. <br />
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Isn't it time that we took a step away from the desk, like Don Draper did? Maybe we can immerse ourselves in art, music, or literature that pierces the very heart of human nature <span style="text-align: right;">–</span> that evergreen and immutable part of ourselves that is consistent from generation to generation, from century to century. <br />
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<br />
It's one of the reasons you'll see the #pastprologue hashtag here and my social accounts (<a href="http://facebook.com/scottmontyspeaker" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://twitter.com/scottmonty" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="http://instagram.com/scottmonty" target="_blank">Instagram</a>). I'm sharing quotes and other content that identifies timeless wisdom from great figures of the past. <br />
<br />
As Shakespeare wrote in The Tempest, <br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;"><i>"What's past is prologue." </i></b></div>
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If you're curious enough to spend time to dig into the past, you may find you have a whole course charted out for your future. <br />
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And who doesn't need more of that? Taking ourselves away from the digital distractions and looming pressures of life. A chance to be inspired. </div>
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And perhaps to inspire others as well. <br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/488938746&color=%232a77af&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=false" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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What CEOs Do That Sets Them Apart

When you're stuck for an idea, where do you go? If you've ever watched Mad Men, you saw Don Draper, the consummate creative di...

Sherlock Holmes Knew the Secret to Standing Out

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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QbtzHCIZE-g/W3jclJdJOWI/AAAAAAAA_Qo/2eFqoXDDIZ4BBXp7xR4oHXQAdlJeV5S0QCLcBGAs/s1600/SHOS%2B-%2Bmicroscope.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="620" height="430" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QbtzHCIZE-g/W3jclJdJOWI/AAAAAAAA_Qo/2eFqoXDDIZ4BBXp7xR4oHXQAdlJeV5S0QCLcBGAs/s640/SHOS%2B-%2Bmicroscope.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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No, it wasn't by wearing a silly hat.<br />
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As we're nearing the close of August, it's back-to-school season. That means there are a lot of disappointed adolescents as summer comes to an end.<br />
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While children (and let's face it, many adults) are loathe to see summer fade, it's a reminder that in our own professional lives, there's really no back-to-school season.<br />
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We should always be learning.<br />
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The company or industry you work for today is different than the year you started, and that means you need to stay up to speed too. You need training, <a href="http://smonty.co/execbrief" target="_blank">workshops</a>, conferences, books, articles, <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/speaking" target="_blank">thought-provoking speakers</a>.<br />
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My great-grandfather immigrated from Poland. He purchased hundreds of acres of land and set himself up as a farmer, raising 10 children (<span style="text-align: right;">ostensibly to act as cheap farm labor). So when one of his younger sons announced his desire to go to college, his father, in a heavy Polish accent, said, "<i>School don't buy bread. WORK buy bread.</i>"</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: right;">And so my great uncle had to self-educate, eventually becoming a watchmaker.</span><br />
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There are so many more opportunities available to every single one of us today, from traditional universities to Udemy to anything you'd care to teach yourself on the Internet. There's no excuse for not improving your knowledge.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"Education never ends, Watson. It is a series of lessons with the greatest for the last."</span></i></b> </div>
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– Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [<a href="https://ctt.ac/z8fYR" target="_blank">Tweet this quote</a>]</div>
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Knowledge doesn't always find us; we have to find it. And it may be in unexpected places. Sherlock Holmes knew this, as he created his own profession and educated himself to be the best consulting detective the world has ever known.<br />
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Seek out mentors. Find things that inspire you. Be a student of the world.<br />
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But above all, be a lifelong learner.<br />
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<i>Image credit: "Shoscombe Old Place" by Frank Wiles (1927)</i><br />
<br />

Sherlock Holmes Knew the Secret to Standing Out

No, it wasn't by wearing a silly hat. As we're nearing the close of August, it's back-to-school season. That means there ar...

Influencers Are People Too

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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-agCB9ACQ1M0/W2Bi1e6o1jI/AAAAAAAA-nI/u-eB_Ay2sFsalcaKWqAVSIwyNYC1Ba1KgCLcBGAs/s1600/Relationships%2Bare%2Blike.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-agCB9ACQ1M0/W2Bi1e6o1jI/AAAAAAAA-nI/u-eB_Ay2sFsalcaKWqAVSIwyNYC1Ba1KgCLcBGAs/s640/Relationships%2Bare%2Blike.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
How much money would you say goes into influencer marketing?<br />
<br />
On Instagram – that bastion of vanity – brands are spending $1.6 billion on influencers this year. Overall, one analyst estimates the market may be $5-10 billion by 2020.<br />
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In recent years, advertising teams – who have already ceded control of social media from communications teams – have turned to contracting influencers to spread their story.<br />
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There are a couple of challenges with that: there are plenty of influencers who have gamed the system to arrive at large numbers; and in some cases, brands treat this as a transaction – a media spend.<br />
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It's worth recalling the words of the Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca:<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"Fidelity purchased with money, money can destroy." – Seneca</span></i></b> </div>
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[<a href="https://ctt.ac/EaN4Z" target="_blank"><i>Tweet this quote</i></a>]</div>
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And now there's a call for more transparency and trust in the industry, from some of the largest brands. We're seeing influencer marketing software companies
increasingly emphasize <a href="https://digiday.com/marketing/influencer-marketing-platforms-making-fraud-obvious-brands-identify/" target="_blank">their abilities to detect fraudulent behavior</a>, with some
vendors even redesigning their systems to that end.<br />
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Frankly, this could all have been avoided if influencer marketing were treated more like influencer relations. Yes, brands can (and should) have contracts. But outside of the campaign, regularly and consistently, brand managers should be interacting with influencers on their platforms.<br />
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That means following their activities on a variety of platforms, commenting on photos, perhaps tagging influencers in their own posts.<br />
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Because influencers, just like many people, love attention. And they tend to skew a little more vain than the rest of us, as Rochefoucauld knew:<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">"Flattery is a counterfeit money, but which for vanity, would have no circulation." – François de la Rochefoucauld</span></i></b></div>
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[<a href="https://ctt.ac/_INUM" target="_blank"><i>Tweet this quote</i></a>]</div>
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If you create things, it's likely that you want an audience, not merely customers. The same applies to influencers.<br />
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Consider how you, as a brand representative, can become an active audience member and an influencer of customers – not just another customer of influencers.<br />
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<br />

Influencers Are People Too

How much money would you say goes into influencer marketing? On Instagram – that bastion of vanity – brands are spending $1.6 billion...

What Is Influence?

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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UnsRxQJ4vNY/W2KJTAQR6lI/AAAAAAAA-qg/sPeY7LJBXdASysg5UJrWgZU6mkPgWByygCLcBGAs/s1600/Pythagorus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="985" data-original-width="1600" height="394" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UnsRxQJ4vNY/W2KJTAQR6lI/AAAAAAAA-qg/sPeY7LJBXdASysg5UJrWgZU6mkPgWByygCLcBGAs/s640/Pythagorus.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Influence is not a destination, but a journey. <br />
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It's not a job, but the by-product of doing something well. <br />
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It is not the size of the audience, but what they do because of you.<br />
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<br />
Pythagoras of Samos was an ancient Greek philosopher (whom you likely know from geometry because of his theorem). He was an influencer in various areas of Greek life: science, math, philosophy, astronomy, and art.<br />
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But two students were most influenced by his philosophy. You may have heard of them: Plato and Aristotle.<br />
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And that is how influence works.</div>
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<br />
<i>Image credit: <a href="http://john-petrov.livejournal.com/939604.html?style=mine#cutid1" target="_blank">Pythagoreans Celebrate the Sunrise</a> By Fyodor Bronnikov, (1827—1902), <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2591309" target="_blank">Public Domain</a></i></div>

What Is Influence?

Influence is not a destination, but a journey. It's not a job, but the by-product of doing something well. It is not the size of ...

Scott Monty - Keynote Speaker, Timeless Wisdom

How to Ensure Your Legacy

Smoke and Mirrors

The Future Has Already Been Here

Do You Want to Repeat History or Make History?

Why You Need to Put the Past in Context

Strategy and Newton's Laws of Motion

Emotional Intelligence and the Power of Silence

The Lure of the Immediate

The Downside of Risk

The Upside of Vulnerability

You Are Not Your Job

Pleasure Makes Perfect

Simple vs. Complex: I'll Take Simple, Please

The Power of Brevity

What CEOs Do That Sets Them Apart

Sherlock Holmes Knew the Secret to Standing Out

Influencers Are People Too

What Is Influence?

Interview - Bloomberg TV

Interview - re/think

Interview - Boston University

Interview - Cox Business

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