by Caroline Leach | Apr 19, 2016 | Learning
Don’t you love a good paradox? Or what seems like a paradox?
In my April adventure I’ve been reminded of a few things.
First is that the key to establishing a new habit is to do it daily. That way it becomes automatic. It doesn’t require a great deal of thought or effort. On day 19 of my adventure, I’m almost at the magical 21 days to establish a habit. Except that science may tell us there isn’t anything special about that number after all.
The elements of my daily dozen that I’ve enjoyed most of all? Posting to this blog. Spending more time with family. Studying Spanish.
Second is that by attempting to do too much, not everything gets done particularly well. Now that I’ve experienced the power of multiple habit formation, I may set one area of focus for each month. One new habit at a time. Smaller, more manageable steps.
It reminds me of what Seth Godin said about N-1. He asks a powerful question. Rather than squeezing in one more thing, how much better could you do if you did one less thing?
by Caroline Leach | Apr 12, 2016 | Learning
Sometimes it’s all too easy to think about the things you don’t have.
But writing down 3 things I’m grateful for every night has had an interesting benefit. It reminds me to to take full advantage of everything I already have.
Here are a few examples:
Your employer. Are you taking advantage of on-the-job and other learning opportunities at your company? I thought about this today as I completed an online marketing course on building strong brands through my company’s learning portal. It’s a blessing to be in an environment that invests in and focuses on learning and development for the future.
Your professional association. If you belong to a professional group, are you taking full advantage of the many networking, learning and leadership opportunities? I enjoy the webinars available through organizations such as IABC, PRSA and SHRM, plus the great professional networking in the Forum Group of senior-level corporate communicators.
Your alma mater. Are you involved with your college or grad school? There are great opportunities to give back through volunteering, mentoring and speaking. And you have a built-in network at your alma mater. If you live nearby, you can attend sporting and cultural events.
Your library. Many libraries are providing all kinds of new services, from e-books to the Lynda.com online learning platform. I love the “new releases” section of my library, where I can load up on interesting books for free.
Your gym. Is there a new class you could try at your gym? They’re often included with the membership and are a great way to add variety to your fitness routine. I’ve enjoyed sampling a variety of yoga classes, adding stretching and balancing to my cardio and weight program.
Your video provider. What are you streaming these days? I love my DIRECTV app and the apps I can access with my subscription, like HBO GO and TVLand. (Full disclosure: I work for this company and opinions in this blog are my own.) Great entertainment is always with my on my phone or tablet.
Your smartphone. How can your smartphone make your life easier? What new apps can you download? Your smartphone connects you to practically everything and everyone. A good question to ask when starting any new project is how you can do it on your smartphone. Mine is coming in especially handy for my daily 10 minutes of Spanish study on my Rosetta Stone app.
Your community. What’s going on in your community? Are there free concerts coming up this spring and summer? Other information and learning opportunities? These are great ways to connect with your neighbors and get more enjoyment from the community you call home.
How do you make the most of what’s already in your life?
by Caroline Leach | Apr 11, 2016 | Learning, Marketing & Analytics
Since small steps add up to big change, what are some blogs that accelerate learning about marketing analytics and big data?
A great place to start is with this post: Want to Learn Marketing Analytics? Start With These 9 Great Resources.
From that and other searches, these are 3 to check out regularly.
- The KISSmetrics Blog. Here there’s daily content about marketing analytics, marketing and testing.
- Alexandra Samuel’s blog. Here this “technology researcher, writer and strategist” covers how the social web is changing every aspect of our lives.
Is this last one strictly about marketing analytics and big data? No, it’s bigger than that. It’s about life.
And isn’t the point of analytics and big data to enable better decisions and therefore better lives?
My post 6 Brilliant Blogs for Marketers covers more general marketing blogs, including FiveThirtyEight on “using statistical analysis to tell compelling stories.”
by Caroline Leach | Apr 6, 2016 | Change, Learning
Will you sprint, stroll or stumble into a career?
That’s the question a New York Times article posed this week. It coincided with my 17-year service anniversary at my employer. So it got me thinking about my own career entry. I revisited my 20s, with its 5 employers and 2 career paths.
Near the end of that decade I landed my first job in my dream field of corporate communications. A few years later, a serendipitous connection through a professional association brought me to my current employer.
It was a thrill to make the leap from the aerospace industry into entertainment and technology at DIRECTV. It had been in business for 5 years, with just over 1,000 employees in 2 locations serving 5 million customers. With a career change already under my belt, I was sure this transition would be just as seamless.
That’s where I was wrong. At the end of my first week on the job, I was convinced I’d made a big mistake. The company had all the upside and downside of being in a startup stage.
But I couldn’t quit after only a week. So I decided I could do it for a year. Then I could reassess the situation and move on.
But something about the company grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. I hired my first team member. And then another. I took on another function. And then another. It was and is a world of endless possibilities.
Reflecting on that time, there are a few obvious benefits. They start with building deep knowledge of the business and how it all works together to deliver on the company’s vision. Extensive networks get built over time, making it easier to know who to contact for what and how to get things done.
Well beyond that, unique experiences have brought growth and opportunity.
Working with an amazing boss today and 6 great former bosses has broadened my perspective, leadership capabilities and professional network.
Experiencing 5 different owners demonstrated the value of flexibility and agility. The best came last with AT&T’s acquisition of DIRECTV in 2015.
Working with 6 successive CEOs on corporate and executive communications during dramatic change in the company and the industry was a tremendous learning opportunity.
Starting as an individual contributor and building a team in Corporate Communications was a life-changing experience. I’m proud of the work we did together to achieve record levels of employee engagement and be recognized in The Civic 50 as one of the most community-minded companies in America.
As the company grew from a startup to the Fortune 100 and well beyond, it’s continued to be a world of possibility. My recent career pivot from corporate communications into marketing is a testament to that.
Yet navigating a career ultimately isn’t about the decision to stay put or move. It’s about ensuring there’s learning and growth wherever you are.
by Caroline Leach | Apr 4, 2016 | Change, Learning
Can anything we do be a metaphor for change? What can we learn about change by trying something new? And what is taking up a new sport teaching me about change?
Here are a few parallels between stand-up paddle boarding and navigating change – whether it’s a corporate change initiative, of which I’ve led many, or a change in your family life.
Lean into it. The further forward you lean and put your paddle into the water, the faster you can go. Don’t hold back. Jump into it. Thank you, Sheryl Sandberg, for the universal truth about leaning in.
Stay grounded, yet flexible. When you attempt to hang on for dear life, ironically you make yourself more vulnerable. I had to consciously tell myself to relax and roll with it when a boat left a big wake or when we hit the open ocean for the first time.
Get more involved for more control. This is about putting your paddle deeper into the water It’s a stabilizing move. Who would have thought that steadiness could be found in the water. It’s the counterintuitive things in life that often work.
Try new things and see what happens. What happens if I lean slightly to one side or the other? Paddle backward? Try to turn faster? The only way I’ll know is by trying.
Keep pushing yourself by taking small steps on a consistent basis. Last time out my husband, Kevin, and I reached the end of the rocks in the marina and peered beyond, to see how we could navigate the open ocean. Take small steps – or paddles, in this case – to see what can be learned and then course correct.
This time, the water was relatively flat, so we ventured beyond the rocks. It wasn’t easy figuring out how to navigate, but we tried it.
Even on a “calm” day with 3- to 4-foot surf, it was a lot harder than gliding across the calm waters in the marina. And next time, we’ll go further. Maybe early in the morning, when it’s really calm (e.g., flat).
Enjoy the change of scenery. It’s great to be outdoors. Even in the fog, which is invigorating. Not to mention the terrific feeling of being physically tired at the end of the day. It felt like we’d worked hard and earned a good night of rest.
Notice what’s around you. Boats heading into the Santa Monica Bay. Seals relaxing on a barge. A duck paddling by. That reminded me of the serenity that shows on the surface, with legs likely paddling frenetically below. Just like what we humans do every day. Especially during times of change.
Enjoy the company of others. This is fun family time with my spouse. We’re learning something new together. We laugh about our silly moves as we’re getting up to speed. We’re a team. And we look forward to it every weekend.
Stay calm when crisis looms. As we were coming in for the day, I found myself heading straight for a docked boat. What was the worst thing that could have happened? Running into the boat and falling into the water.
I tried turning. Didn’t happen fast enough. Three more feet and I’d hit it. Finally I remembered about sticking the paddle straight in the water and paddling backwards. I didn’t go quite in the direction I intended, but I did manage to reverse course and avoid hitting the boat.
Don’t be afraid to fail. In paddle boarding, that means falling into the water. Assuming you know how to swim, what’s the worst thing that could happen? You get a little wet or a little cold. Easily survivable. And the learning? Priceless.
Use snippets of time to your advantage. I drafted this post as Kevin was driving us home from the marina. Going mobile is a time hack that will make it possible to blog daily for a month.
Mahalo.
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