On my flight back home last week I was sitting next to a woman who had her laptop out most of the flight.  She was a Microsoftie no doubt, and I knew this as she was working on her yearly commitments.  Commitment setting at Microsoft is a ridiculously long and tedious process that involves multiple pages of countless sections and sub-sections of big words talking about what you are going to do in the upcoming year.  I never really found it very useful to my job in any capacity, but it was a necessary evil.  I felt an immediate sense of relief that I no longer had to go through this process any longer.  It also made me realize what I love about working at Strategies 360; we specialize in getting shit done.

It seems silly to imply that producing results requires some sort of “art”, but I can tell you first hand, that there are plenty of large organizations that get in their own way when it comes to doing so.  It was one of the most frustrating things that led me to move on from Microsoft.  Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of incredibly talented and smart people that work at Microsoft, and I enjoyed my time there thoroughly.  But I just got tired of all the process, layers of bureaucracy, and all the roadblocks that got in the way of actually getting work done and making progress.  Great ideas on the front lines would never see the light of day.  (Side note, I exclude Xbox from this opinion as I feel they’ve killed it from day one.)

Of course some people thrive on that sort of environment, but I didn’t.  I hunger for the satisfaction of getting things done on a daily basis, an environment that encourages taking good ideas and acting on them instead of waiting for 17 different managers to review and approve.  We certainly have to have some process and systems of checks and balances, but for the most part, we are laser focused on producing results for our clients and finding creative ways to do so, many times on the fly.

I suppose it’s pretty systemic for companies as they grew incredibly large to fall prey to more process, layers of management and slower innovation.  However I feel like there are larger companies that continue to innovate and thrive as they grow.  Some of my favorite brands such as Google & Apple continue to do so.  I’d be interested to know how their internal workings have allowed them to continuously push out innovative products and services despite hyper growth.

I suppose the moral to the story is don’t get so caught up in spending countless hours on how you are going to do something, and just get in there and do it.  Don’t let over planning and analyzing get in the way of progress.  I believe the best results often net from learning through a bit of trial and error anyway.

It’s working for us, and I’d love to hear from you and what you might be experiencing.

I love Netflix. I think their service is fantastic, prices fair, and their integration across a variety of hardware choices is top notch. It’s one of those monthly fees I have no problem paying even when I don’t consume very much in a given month. I’ve followed their ascent to greatness burying Blockbuster in the process, and also paid close attention to the realities they have begun to face with increasing operating costs. It was just a matter of time before the major studios demanded a bigger piece of the pie. And of course it was just a matter of time before those operational cost increases effected their pricing structure.

I’ve always thought $10 bucks or so a month for unlimited streaming AND 1 DVD out a month unlimited was a terrific deal. So much so that I could never understand how they were making any money. So when Netflix recently announced they were raising their prices, I wasn’t really that fazed by it. In fact, I was expecting it. But boy did Netflix drop the ball on their communication strategy.

Straight from their announcement:

By offering our lowest prices ever, we hope to provide great value to our current and future DVDs by mail members.

and

Now we offer a choice: Unlimited Streaming for $7.99 a month, Unlimited DVDs for $7.99 a month, or both for $15.98 a month ($7.99 + $7.99). We think $7.99 is a terrific value for our unlimited streaming plan and $7.99 a terrific value for our unlimited DVD plan.

Really Netflix? I know there are plenty of people in the world that you might think this would fly with, but most people can read between the lines. This isn’t about offering added value or choice, it’s about you having to raise your prices because the studios are increasing your operational costs.

Netflix does a lot of things right, but not being open and transparent about their subscription changes are currently hurting them as they are taking a beating in the public’s eye. What Netflix should have done was just been open about the increase in operational expenses they are experiencing due to the studio’s demands, and that in order to continue to provide the same level of service, they have to pass some of those costs on to their customers.

People understand that the prices of things go up. It’s a part of life. Sure they would have still experienced some backlash, but nowhere near the level if they had just come out and had not try to hide it behind silly statements like the ones above.

Transparency and authenticity always reign supreme when it comes to communicating to your audience, and when you don’t, people tend to call bullshit. Netflix is learning that the hard way.

I’ve had a hell of a time writing regularly on my blog, and I finally decided to get a little help in the matter by subscribing to Chris Brogan’s Blog Topics.  At first the idea of actually paying a nominal monthly fee for access to some blog topic ideas seemed silly, but word on the street seemed pretty positive on the quality so I decided to give it a spin.  Time will tell if I find the value high enough to continue the subscription, but I already found an idea I really liked in the following post.

I spent some time thinking through 10 quality sentences, and the exercise was a really good one for me in that it forced me to assess where I’m at in my life with some things.  It also forced me to be honest enough with myself to admit some opportunities for myself.  I definitely recommend you to give it a try yourself and if you do, leave your link in the comments so I can take a look.

That being said, here we go!

1. As much as I’m able to see things through, I’m very much more an idea guy.
2. I’m fiercely competitive personally/professionally and while I lose gracefully, it never sits well with me.
3. I’m extremely generous, sometimes to a fault.
4. I’m not an emotional person outwards, but definitely internally.
5. The occasional time alone is necessary, but I always prefer spending lots of time interacting with others socially and in business.
6. One of my favorite things in the world is to make others laugh, but I don’t take advantage of it as much as I should.
7. I always need something in my life to look forward to, or I feel like something is missing.
8. I can and love getting in front of a room of countless people and speaking/performing, but I’m terrible at networking events.
9. I’m definitely a procrastinator, but do my best work under the gun anyway.
10. I’m typically embarrassed & humbled by praise, but deep down love it to death.

Every once in awhile I experience something that I feel compelled to share even if it strays from the subject matter of my blog.  Especially when the information doesn’t quite exist.  That’s what happened to me last week when I realized late in the game that I had misplaced my passport 2 days before my trip to SES Toronto.  Oops.

I immediately turned to the web to see what my options were.  I learned that the birth certificate & drivers license wouldn’t get it done so I either had to find a way to get a replacement passport or no trip for me.  Surprisingly, it is possible to get a passport on the same day, but it requires jumping through quite a few hoops.  So here is my step by step process that you can take to get yourself a same day passport.  It’s not a guarantee, but if you take these steps, you have a good shot.

1. First step is to find a passport agency that you can get to.  Without one of these you’re out of luck.  Visit this page to see where the nearest agency you can get to is.
2. Once you have your agency identified, call 1-877-487-2778 to schedule an appointment ASAP.  Take the earliest appointment you can get, because then it’s more likely they will be able to get your passport created before they close.  Obviously if you have more then one day to work with, you have some flexibility here.  However if you need it that same day, your only shot is most likely an early morning appointment.  Be sure to write down your confirmation #.  You’ll need this when you arrive.
3. Okay, here’s where I messed up a bit.  Save yourself the time and waiting longer in line by having whatever forms you need filled out and printed prior to arriving.  Depending on your situation, you may need to fill out a few forms.  You can access them here.  You can fill out online and print, or print and fill out by hand.  Regardless of your situation, you’ll need to fill out the DS-11 Application for a Passport.  I had lost mine so I had to also fill out the DS-64 Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen Passport.  You can get these forms at the office and fill out there, but you’ll lose valuable time.
4. In addition to the forms, you will need to bring your state issued birth certificate, not a copy and it has to be issued by the state you were born in.  You’ll also need your drivers license.
5. You’ll need 2 passport photos in hand at the office.  Honestly, the easiest thing to do here is to just go to a Walgreens, or some local drug store that does these.  It’s quick and easy, and you’ll ensure the proper requirements are met.  If you are ambitious, you can do this yourself by following these directions.
6. You’ll need a check, money order or credit card on hand.  For same day passports expect a fee of around $195 (that’s what I paid).  It is quite a bit more then a normal process, but when you’re desperate, it’s not too bad.  Especially considering their are quite a few websites that are actually charging 3x this much for similar services.  DO NOT use these services unless you do not have access to a passport agency.  You’ll be paying way more then necessary, and will actually not be able to get your passport as quickly as you could.
7. You need to print out your travel itinerary showing that you are traveling out of country soon.  This is important as without this, they will not expedite your passport as quickly as you need it.
8. Try to get to the agency 15 minutes before your appointment.  IMPORTANT NOTE:  Be nice!  It sounds silly but the reality is the people behind the counter are pretty much the ones who can and will dictate whether they will accommodate you.  Seems crazy but it’s true.  Be nice, conversational, and you’ll have a good shot of getting what you need as long as you bring everything required.
9. If they are able to accommodate your same day request, expect to either stick around all day, or come back to pick your passport up.  I checked in at 9am, and my passport was ready for me at 3pm.  Most of these offices will not let you use your cell phone or laptop there, so be prepared if you plan on waiting.

That’s it.  I successfully was able to get my passport on the same day using these steps.  If you have any questions, feel free to comment and I will respond.  And if anyone else has experienced something similar or different, would love to have you share.  Good luck!