Tom Peters: If You Don’t Fall Over, Then You Weren’t Going Hard Enough

Here’s a 60-second interview of Tom Peters where he talks about leaving it all on the stage: “If you don’t fall over, then you weren’t going hard enough.”

(via The Tom Peters Weblog)

How to Have a Meeting, Google-Style

I saw this reference to How to Run a Meeting Like Google on Micro Persuasion. Interesting points in an interview with Melissa Mayer, vice president of search products at Google, who reportedly holds 70 meetings a week. She offers six pointers on what makes a “good meeting”:

  • Set a firm agenda.
  • Assign a note-taker.
  • Carve out micro meetings.
  • Hold office hours.
  • Discourage politics, use data.
  • Stick to the clock.

    • I’d add one more to the mix: Meetings are meetings, and don’t confuse them with actually DOING things. Meetings are about making decisions. As Sarah reminds us here (in the words of her favorite Jedi): Say not, do.

    The Ultimate Rejection Letter

    I saw this Ultimate Rejection Letter on Chaosmatrix and laughed out loud. I don’t know about the veracity of the letter, but I do like to see things turned inside out:

    Herbert A. Millington
    Chair - Search Committee
    412A Clarkson Hall, Whitson University
    College Hill, MA 34109

    Dear Professor Millington,

    Thank you for your letter of March 16. After careful consideration, I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your refusal to offer me an assistant professor position in your department.

    This year I have been particularly fortunate in receiving an unusually large number of rejection letters. With such a varied and promising field of candidates, it is impossible for me to accept all refusals.

    Despite Whitson’s outstanding qualifications and previous experience in rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet my needs at this time. Therefore, I will assume the position of assistant professor in your department this August. I look forward to seeing you then.

    Best of luck in rejecting future applicants.

    Sincerely,
    Chris L. Jensen

    Here are a couple variations on the “I won’t take this rejection lying down” approach. On of the beauties of the HR business is that we get to see them all.

    Online Education, Berkeley Style

    Berkeley LogoThe Univerity of California-Berkely has quote a few online courses and lectures available on Google video. My favorite series? Physics for Future Presidents.

    To Keep Their Attention, Be Provacative

    competing for AttentionKathy Sierra at Passionate posted an article called Be Provacative and used the graphic at the right to illustrate where attention goes. She writes:

    If we want our users (members, guests, students, potential customers, kids, co-workers, etc.) to pay attention, we have to be provocative. We can moan all we want about how the responsible person should pay attention to what’s important rather than what’s compelling. But it’s not about responsibility or maturity. It’s not even about interest. It’s about the brain.

    She outlines ten elements that are essential to break through the clutter and be provacative. Want to get through to employees? Interrupt the pattern every now and then. Be provacative, not predictable.

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