To ensure that conversations and requests for help were productive, Anthony Scampavia kept a question at the top of his whiteboard in his various offices at Cisco for more than a dozen years: What is the problem you are trying to solve? Here are three problems we have identified and capabilities we plan to develop […]
New Capabilities We Plan To Develop in 2011 Read More »
Most powerful insights are simple, and can be communicated in simple terms using practical examples, diagrams, and rules of thumb.
Most Powerful Insights are Simple Read More »
Early adopters have already let go of the past and are looking for near term results that can provide building blocks to better outcomes.
Early Adopters Have Already Let Go of the Past Read More »
Always be collecting data and perspectives; always be connecting the dots you have gleaned from these data points and perspectives.
Always Be Collecting Data Read More »
What’s your story? Entrepreneurs get asked variations of this question a lot: the most important answer is the one they tell themselves.
So…What’s Your Story? Read More »
It’s useful to think very deeply about a situation but beyond a certain level of effort or length of time you need to do some drifting and recharge. I think you need a mental circuit breaker for detecting an impasse and triggering activities that can lead to a change in perspective.
It’s rare for a new initiative to work the first time, at least when I try. I have to “walk around the problem” to look at it from different perspectives.
Take Time to Walk Around The Problem Read More »
For my first post of 2011 I commit to traveling hopefully. I was inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s observation “to travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labor.”
Traveling Hopefully Read More »
You can follow @skmurphy to get these quotes for entrepreneurs hot off the mojo wire or wait until the end of the month when they are collected on the blog. Enter your E-mail if you would like new blog posts to your inbox.
Quotes For Entrepreneurs–December 2010 Read More »
Virtual and On-Line Are As Superfluous As Horseless and Electric I think “virtual team” is rapidly becoming redundant: just as “horseless carriage” became car I think “virtual team” will become just team. Most project teams will have a virtual component (e.g. on-line workspace, chat histories) and geographically remote members, if only to involve suppliers, partners,
Virtual and On-Line Are As Superfluous As Horseless and Electric Read More »
Luck is like snow, a certain amount falls on everyone. But unlike snow, you can increase your luck.
The Snow Lay Round About, Deep and Crisp and Even Read More »
I have been thinking about different kinds of teams and team work. For example a choir has sheet music (“Let Men Their Songs Employ”) that predefines the content and timing of each person’s contribution. In a different way the script for a play outlines the content and sequence of each actor’s part.
Let Men Their Songs Employ Read More »
Here is another excerpt from my September interview with Gabriel Weinberg. This one focuses on why payment and testimonials are so important to differentiate users from actual customers.
If Money Doesn’t Change Hands, You Can’t Call a User a Customer Read More »
Customer Development requires an openness to new ideas from prospects and a willingness to revisit assumptions and to be surprised.
Customer Development Requires a Willingness to Be Surprised Read More »
A couple of quotes for entrepreneurs on the limitations of cleverness. Don’t just be clever, be kind and make things of beauty with care.
Quotes On The Limitations of Cleverness Read More »
An excerpt from “A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek” by Annie Dillard that offers a meditation on grace and beauty.
Annie Dillard on the Appreciation of Grace and Beauty Read More »
“Some buildings need air conditioning because they have air conditioning. Because they were designed to be air conditioned, they have no natural ventilation and would be miserable to inhabit without air conditioning.” John Cook in “Maybe You Only Need It Because You Have It“ I wonder if the same thing happens to some fraction of
The Venture Lifestyle Business Read More »
Keeping the ball rolling with prospects requires a mix of empathy for their situation and a project management mindset.
Keeping the Ball Rolling With Prospects Read More »
My bias is to “narrowcast” in the beginning. Choose websites, forums, newsgroups that are tightly focused on your target market.
Narrowcast Early Product Announcements Read More »
