Scott Monty

Innovation by Perspective

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"You're doing it wrong."<br />
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"We've always done it that way."<br />
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"That'll never work."<br />
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Universal refrains from people who don't want to take responsibility for something. Or who don't have imagination.<br />
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It's effortless to blame someone else. We're comfortable to remain grounded in what we're familiar with. It's painless to shoot down a new idea.<br />
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Any time we put forth a new idea, it's a risk. We stand the chance of running into opposition, being rejected, or failing. Those are all valid fears, but they shouldn't deter us from trying.<br />
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Or perhaps you think it's too difficult or not worthwhile if you work in a staid, conservative environment, or you've got an old set of tools, or a limited budget.<br />
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I was reading Preet Bharara's <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2M0eS2w" target="_blank">Doing Justice</a></i> and came across a story of criminals who evaded police simply by being too quick, but it was the creativity of an employee, working with items at hand that put a stop to things.<br />
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There were a string of burglaries at a high-end clothing store. Every few weeks, criminals were breaking in at night, scooping up armloads of clothes off the racks, and dashing off before the police could arrive. They set off the store's alarm, but they knew the cops wouldn't be there for a while, so they were able to flee the scene in time.<br />
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The store decided they'd try to fix it with technology. They installed motion-sensor cameras that, in addition to the alarm, would capture the thieves in the act and provide some sort of visual evidence. The presence of cameras did not deter the criminals, as they were back and committed the same felony once again.<br />
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But it did give one employee an idea.<br />
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After watching the footage of how the criminals went about their business, this employee simply reversed every other hanger on the rack. The effect: it slowed the criminals down, who, driven by greed, stopped to take each garment off of the rack one by one. The police arrived and caught them in the act.<br />
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In this case, innovation didn't take tens of thousands of dollars in new technology, or some breakthrough product. All it took was an employee who looked at a problem from a different perspective.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>"Common sense and cleverness go a long way, even in the most mundane settings and circumstances." </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">– Preet Bharara, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2M0eS2w" target="_blank">Doing Justice</a></i></span></div>
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When it comes to challenges, customer experiences, or your daily way of doing business, try thinking differently. Apply a known and trusted tool in new and innovative ways. Invite others to the process and observe them. Trust your instincts.</div>
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All it takes is a willingness to shift your perspective.<br />
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<i>Disclosure: Amazon links are affiliate links. </i><br />
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<i>Image credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marketplace_in_Haarlem-Gerrit_Adriaensz_Berckheyde-MBA_Lyon_B446-IMG_0427.jpg#/media/File:Gerrit-Berckheyde_Le-Grand-marche-Haarlem.jpg" target="_blank">Le Grand Marché à Haarlem</a> by Gerrit Berckheyde, 1673 (Wikimedia Commons - public domain)</i>

Innovation by Perspective

"You're doing it wrong." "We've always done it that way." "That'll never work." Universal...

The Four Powers of Stories that Unite Us

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It's the Monday after the <i>Game of Thrones</i> finale, and you know what that means: every marketer and communicator alive is thinking about Tyrion's speech.<br />
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Yes, I'm going there, but I've got a story to share with you along the way.<br />
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In case you didn't get a chance to see it yet (or simply don't care about it), here's the lowdown: in the series finale of <i>Game of Thrones</i>, Tyrion Lannister gave a monologue in which he said:<br />
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“What unites people? Armies? Gold? Flags? Stories. There’s nothing in the world more powerful than a good story. Nothing can stop it. No one can defeat it.”</blockquote>
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It was a fine speech — one that moved leaders to set a bold new direction for the realm. And I'm guessing that your inbox or timeline will be deluged with a marketing hot take on it.<br />
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The power of storytelling is certainly worth spending time on. But more than acknowledging that stories do in fact work, we should try to understand <b><i>why </i></b>they work. More on that in a moment.<br />
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But first, a story.<br />
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<b>PR and Founding Fathers</b></h2>
Of all of the leaders of the ancient world, there are very few who stand out: Alexander the Great, Ramses II, Hammurabi, Julius Caesar. But there was one central figure whose reign gave way to the <i>Pax Romana</i>, a sustained period of relative peace and the firm establishment of the Roman Empire.<br />
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But Augustus had an issue as he rose to power: following the violent death of his uncle and a vicious battle for his place at the helm, he had to show that he was worthy and capable of the position, and that Rome claimed its place in the world.<br />
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Until then, Rome was forever in the shadow of Greece, that bastion of civilization and philosophy. Romans were more engineers than philosophers, creating the infrastructure that allowed cities to thrive (We Classics majors have a saying: "The Greeks had the brains; the Romans built the drains."). And Greece had its origin story in the <i>Iliad </i>— the classic tale of the Trojans kidnapping Helen, and the vicious dispute between Agamemnon and Achilles. <br />
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That epic poem was known for centuries throughout the Mediterranean. Every Greek and Roman citizen knew its content and its significance. And Augustus knew that the secret to every good society was an origin story.<br />
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So, what did he do? He commissioned the poet Virgil to craft a national epic that would speak to Rome's illustrious beginnings, make the connection between Augustus and the gods, and serve as a common point of pride for all Romans. Thus the <i>Aeneid </i>was born.<br />
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The <i>Aeneid </i>was a powerful set of stories that picked up at the close of the Trojan War, followed Aeneas to the shores of Carthage (Rome's archenemy), Jupiter's command to found a new city, his marriage to the daughter of King Latinus,  and the eventual prophesies of Rome, Augustus, and his ancestors.<br />
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In sum, it was a great piece of propaganda for Rome, giving it a founding father (Aeneas) at the same time another founding father (Augustus) was making drastic improvements to the empire.<br />
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So, with that bit of history behind us, let's look at four powers of stories that bring us together.<br />
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<b>The Four Powers of Stories</b></h2>
Virgil was able to put into 12 books of the Aeneid the facts (okay, they were presumed facts) about the founding of Rome. With any story, we're trying to get a point across. That is, we want to convey something about ourselves to someone, whether it's part of our origins or making them aware of something new. Rather than just blurt out a series of specs or features, if we put a story around them, we make it more likely that someone will retain those facts. <b>Stories carry information for us</b>.<br />
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The delays, challenges, and victories that Aeneas experienced would have been relatable to Romans. They probably even knew some of the scenery of his travels. When we tell stories, we do so in a way that captures the essence of a scene, action or person. The better we are at being descriptive, the more likely we are to simulate actual events and make someone else feel something. And when you provoke feelings, you're easier to relate to. <b>Stories create an emotional connection with others</b>.<br />
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If anything, Virgil laid out the national culture of the then-modern Roman Empire: a prophesy as dictated by Jupiter himself, victorious despite many challenges, and embodied in the current leader. The stories we choose to tell over and over create a unique aura about us, showing others what matters to us and why we're different. This is how culture is set, and culture essentially is the result of stories we tell about ourselves. <b>Stories help create and showcase our culture</b>.<br />
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History can seem like a jumble of facts. But put it into a series of harrowing tales and derring-do, all in dactylic hexameter, and you've got a blockbuster on your hands. If you've ever been bored to tears at a business presentation or a family gathering, you know how unlikely you are to want to attend again. But think of how pleasantly surprised you might be if the presenter or dinner companion told you a series of riveting or raucous stories. Suddenly, getting you to attend another is more likely. Why? <b>Stories provoke action through enjoyment</b>.<br />
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We each hold within us the ability to tell stories. It's been part of the human condition for millennia. Some of us are better at it than others, but practicing it — or <a href="https://www.scottmonty.com/p/consulting.html" target="_blank">bringing someone in who can help</a> — will make your firm more successful.<br />
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<i>Image credit: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil#/media/File:Virgil_Reading_the_Aeneid.jpg" target="_blank">Virgil Reading the Aeneid to Augustus, Octavia, and Livia</a> by Jean-Baptiste Wicar, 1790-1793 (Wikipedia - public domain)</i><br />
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The Four Powers of Stories that Unite Us

It's the Monday after the Game of Thrones finale, and you know what that means: every marketer and communicator alive is thinking ...

To Be Heard More, Speak Less

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0W6ntrjMyao/XNm_FwLFsuI/AAAAAAABE_k/5XEzhcwiAt8g3fQkTs69PUYXjiwJykRmQCLcBGAs/s1600/William%2BBradford%2B-%2BArctic%2BSunset%2B1874.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0W6ntrjMyao/XNm_FwLFsuI/AAAAAAABE_k/5XEzhcwiAt8g3fQkTs69PUYXjiwJykRmQCLcBGAs/s640/William%2BBradford%2B-%2BArctic%2BSunset%2B1874.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19968006#/media/File:RISD_Bradford_Arctic_Sunset.JPG" target="_blank">Arctic Sunset</a> by William Bradford (Ad Meskens - Wikimedia Commons)</span></i></td></tr>
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You don't have to have something to say constantly.<br />
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You don't always need to be on.<br />
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Sometimes, your audience simply might not want to hear from you.<br />
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And other times, the power of silence can convey something even more powerful.<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">“I will begin to speak when I have that to say which had not better be unsaid.”</span></i></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">—</span> Cato the Younger (via Plutarch's <i>Lives</i>)<br />
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We're told that we need to post X number of times a day on Instagram, or keep up a certain cadence on Facebook. Snapchat creates the ultimate incentive for this behavior with <a href="https://support.snapchat.com/en-GB/a/snapstreaks" target="_blank">Snapstreaks</a>.</div>
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Why are we trying to convince each other that more is better? We're trying to make up for the crowded newsfeeds by shouting our way to relevancy, which seems to be the only alternative to using paid media to be seen, now that organic reach is nearly gone.</div>
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Imagine if you decided to say something only when it was worth saying something, rather than constantly caving in to the pressure to produce. That pressure is creating burnout for producers and consumers of content alike.<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">"It isn't only famous movie stars who want to be alone. Whenever I hear someone speak of privacy, I find myself thinking once again how real and deep the need for such times is for human beings…at all ages." </span></i></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">—</span> Fred Rogers, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/325lIHe" target="_blank">The World According to Mister Rogers</a></i><br />
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More isn't better. Sometimes more is just more.<br />
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Imagine how much more consumers would appreciate your work if you created fewer, better things. Imagine how much more you'd enjoy creating those things if you were able to create them with more deliberation.<br />
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You can create anticipation and interest with scarcity.</div>
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To Be Heard More, Speak Less

Arctic Sunset by William Bradford (Ad Meskens - Wikimedia Commons) You don't have to have something to say constantly. You don&...

The Need for Serenity

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RIwdctqQFrc/XMsEiou2sXI/AAAAAAABEt8/WxJK7MzdleAwdwxgqJHwm6IgGiBZukKwwCLcBGAs/s1600/Jean%2BVictor%2BBertin%2B-%2BClassical%2BLandscape%2Bwith%2BFigures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="600" height="504" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RIwdctqQFrc/XMsEiou2sXI/AAAAAAABEt8/WxJK7MzdleAwdwxgqJHwm6IgGiBZukKwwCLcBGAs/s640/Jean%2BVictor%2BBertin%2B-%2BClassical%2BLandscape%2Bwith%2BFigures.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/438623" target="_blank">Landscape with Classical Figures</a> by Jean Victor Bertin, 1803 (The Met - public domain)</span></i></td></tr>
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I just returned from a week away, a good portion of which I spent without WiFi. The remainder of the week, I spent less time on Facebook.<br />
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And you know what? It felt good. Really good.<br />
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I recently put the newsletter on hold, after being overwhelmed with it each week. The scope had gradually crept up over the years, to the point where it just became too much: too many topics, too many links, too unwieldy to read and to write.<br />
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In doing so, it made me realize that there's so much more joy to be had and richness to experience offline. From reading and reflecting to interacting and observing. So I'm going to be making a few changes here.<br />
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The new version isn't as dense. Fewer topics and fewer links, with more commentary and analysis.<br />
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Plus, there's at least one other update each week with insights and advice on leadership in the field of communications and marketing—with my bent being toward embracing calmness and rational thinking amid a sea of shiny objects and never-ending trend chasing.<br />
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We need more serenity, at work and at home.<br />
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Serenity—or tranquility—is perhaps the greatest virtue in life.<br />
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To be tranquil is to be able to sit quietly and enjoy today without a nod to the past or a glance toward the future.<br />
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That observation is trite, I know. But aren't all the great truths of life trite?<br />
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Sadly, not many people can achieve the related mood of perfect serenity. When they are young their eyes are on a distant horizon. When they grow older their memories play tricks with the past.<br />
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I've written about the <a href="https://www.scottmonty.com/2019/03/the-secret-of-good-futurists.html" target="_blank">past</a> and the <a href="https://www.scottmonty.com/2019/03/the-seeds-of-time.html" target="_blank">future</a> frequently. It's interesting to think about both, because they fascinate, bemuse, beguile and churn the blood.<br />
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But the <b><i>present</i> </b>has an even greater compensation — if you know how to enjoy it.<br />
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That compensation is serenity.<br />
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Serenity is a precious compound. But because it only exists in the present, it is fleeting.<br />
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It is hard to capture in the imagination. It's even more difficult to capture in daily motion.<br />
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So I hope you'll commit to joining me for a slower, deliberate approach amidst the knee-jerk reactionaries of the online world.<br />
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Together, we'll parse out what matters and what will make you a better leader.<br />
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<b><i>Less dot com. More dot calm.</i></b><br />
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The Need for Serenity

Landscape with Classical Figures by Jean Victor Bertin, 1803 (The Met - public domain) I just returned from a week away, a good portio...

Scott Monty - Strategic Communications & Leadership Advisor

Innovation by Perspective

The Four Powers of Stories that Unite Us

To Be Heard More, Speak Less

The Need for Serenity

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