Sprinting (revisiting the Heroic Worker)

A while back I posted a blog about "heroic workers". These are the well intentioned folks that work 12+ hour days for days on end. Companies becoming addicted to them like a drug and dysfunction abounds. I want to return to this idea with a twist. I do believe there are times when we all need to sprint and essentially become that heroic worker for a week or two since opportunities arise and stuff needs to get done. 

Let's follow this running theme (not that I know much about running beyond being chased). In a long race, which is life/work/etc, we need to find and keep a workable pace. One that doesn't completely exhaust us physically and emotionally. But there are times we need to pick up speed and sprint. The challenge is working in such a way to lay the foundation during that sprint that allows you to quickly and smoothly return to that sustainable pace- not getting stuck in heroic worker mode. We all have the potential, and I think need, to feel heroic from time to time. Finding the balance between meeting that need and living a healthy, fulfilling life is the trick.  

Quality is fixed, Quantity is variable

"Fast, Good, Cheap- pick two"

No thanks.

This classic agency statement assumes that quality is a variable. In the past I accepted this logic- sure we can do something fast but it may not be as good!

I would excuse an outcome thinking "well we had to do it quickly".

What I was really doing was signaling, unwittingly- "hey, what we really care about is money, pay us and we will do something poorly if you want it done quickly."

That creates an inconsistent product which then creates market confusion. Even worse it creates culture issues- Who are we? What do we believe in? Where is the bar set?

I'm not saying that everyone should use the same measurement for quality. Our measure of quality may be lower or higher than other firms. There is space in almost every market for different quality products. What I'm advocating is to know your standards and stick to them which will mean passing on "cheap, fast" work when it can't meet your standard of "good".

So now when a client approaches us looking for quick turnaround we never put quality on the table. It's non-negotiable. Instead we negotiate around the quantity of the engagement which mostly comes down to two things- the scope of the project (features and content) and client engagement ("you will need to say 'yes' often and quickly to meet your deadline").

This focus on a consistent quality product has really changed the way we work. It has created better outcomes. It has improved the client experience. It has given the team something to be proud about. It has enabled us to hold each other accountable.

Do we always bat 1000? Heck, no. There is still much to be improved. But I'm ok with that. Perfection is, and should be, always out of reach. The goal is to keep reaching.

Connecting the Indie Rock and Tech scenes

There was a great article at NPR.org about the goings on in Omaha, Nebraska. 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/06/03/136896920/the-indie-rock-club-behind-omahas-100-million-creative-boom

As many of you know Omaha has been a rising star in the tech/start up scene over the last few years. Big Omaha, a yearly event that this limited to about 600 people and attracts some of the best and brightest tech stars as speakers and attendees. I haven't gone but many friends have and they all rave about the experience. But back to this NPR article. 

The gist of this article can be summed up in this excerpt:

"While I was there, I met several architects and web designers who all said they moved back to Omaha, at least in part, because of this club (Indie Rock club The Slowdown) and the movie theater (Film Streams) next door."

I know my buddy Rebecca Ryan from Next Generation Consulting wouldn't be too surprised. This is what she, and others like Richard Florida, have been preaching for years. "Cool" cities attract and retain top talent. What makes a city cool? There is nothing, that I can think of, cooler than Indie Rock. I'm talking Pitchfork.com stuff here. If you have a city that has venues where Pitchfork bands regularly play then you basically have the foundation for a cool city. 

Here in Indy we have seen a local promotion company start to actively fill that void - MOKBPresents.com. This is an offshoot of MyOldKentuckyBlog.com, which is actually very much an Indiana blog but started by Kentucky native Craig "Dodge" Lile (who coincidentally works for Raidious a web content company here in Indy) when he moved to Indy in the early 2000s. Running the blog and a Sirius radio show lead naturally to booking shows. MOKB Presents brings a wide diversity of mostly Indie Rock acts to Indy. About 50 shows a year. I don't think you can find any entity that is changing Indy's national brand (at least for 20 somethings) as much as MOKB. Think of all the bands that come play Indy and then go tell everyone else about what a great experience, hopefully, they had here. Think of all the fans that see Indianapolis show up again and again on tour schedules, YouTube videos, etc. Word is getting out. Indie's coolness increases with every MOKB show. There are others doing great work in this area but I'm singling MOKB out since they are the clear leaders. How many of you reading this article know about MOKB? Did you go to a show this year? Chances are they were the promoters.

At the same time we are seeing a huge boom in the tech scene here. Monthly Verge meetings fill up almost immediately. Start Up Weekends are becoming regular, very successful events. New tech companies are popping up everywhere like mushrooms. Develop Indy and Tech Point are noticing and doing what they can, often behind the scenes, to help create the right conditions. 

Many of these tech startups are populated with 20 something kids that have grown up on Indie Rock. MGMT, Sufjan Stevens, My Morning Jacket, Wilco, Arcade Fire, etc. These tech "kids" love music almost as much as code. 

So you have a bunch of fans on one side that want to go to shows (local and national acts) and on the other side you have bands (local and national) that need tech help and fans. When you start to bring these two scenes you have some amazing synergies. This is what Omaha is witnessing and it is an affordable, effective tactic that Indianapolis should pursue as well. 

How do we do this? 

We need venues and we need audiences. Mostly audiences. Tech companies need to consider sponsoring bands, helping them with their tech and marketing needs. If Exact Target, for instance, wants to attract and retain top talent then they why not send out of state prospects a mix of local music? Why not sponsor a showcase at the Vogue? There are endless creative ways to cross-pollinate and collaborate between the tech and music scenes. So let's tear down the wall and start making it happen. Connecting the Indie Rock and Tech scenes will create new jobs and grow our economy. 

Screens, Screens Everywhere!

I just went to the post office. The clerk and I never met eyes. We spent the entire time looking at our respective screens. 

Same thing when I go to the grocery. If I don't pay in cash there is almost no human interactive whatsoever. Sometimes they don't even say hi or thanks.

I wrote a post a year ago about my experience of going off the grid at SXSW- Connectivity vs Serendipity. In brief my eyes were opened up to how much our eyes are constantly focused on screens. I became convinced that we have been trading down for a more connected but often inferior experiences. Trading a huge wide 3D world for a small 3" screen.

Maybe screens are transitional objects, to be replaced with fully augmented reality via my contacts, glasses or, gasp!, brain implants. 

But as we transition I worry that we are forgetting our manners and humanity. When we arrive at this promised, augmented land will we be living richer lives or just busier lives? I fear the latter and hope for the former. 

Please & Thank You opening in Louisville

My once Indy still buddy Jason Pierce (former manager of Luna Music) has been in Louisville for a while. His design firm MPerfect does great, opinionated design. Now he is opening a very cool coffee/treats/record shop called Please & Thank You in Louisville. Jason Yoder and I helped populate some of his record inventory.

Looks like it's time to for a Louisville visit soon! If anyone is down there in L'ville please stop by and say hey to Jason, have some coffee and pick up a record or three.