Christmas Is A Time For ...Being Happy

So Happy Christmas

Christmas Is A Time For ...Loving

We don’t show love very often.
It’s not our way
To praise
To hug
To kiss
So Christmas is a good cover to get some emotion on
Try it on for size
You might find that it’ll fit all year
But hang on to the receipt just in case

Christmas Is A Time For ...Arguing

Sad but true
The thing is, we’re spending time with family and very old friends
They know the person we were, not the person we’ve become
They’d like to keep who we were in a box
Preserved for posterity
No wonder that we often feel like those celebrities who stand outside a nightclub saying “Don’t you know who I am?”
Can’t Dad see that I own my own house, that I’m pretty successful?
Can’t Mum see that I’m raising my own kids, that I can cook?
Of course they can
This is not about you, it’s about them
They want to slip into the old familiar, comfortable ways
To remember how it felt to be needed
So go on...
Give them that gift for Christmas

Christmas Is A Time For ...Old Films

Why do we watch the same old films over and over again?
Because we love the comfort of the familiar.
It’s the same reason why all McDonalds restaurants look the same
We crave the reinforcement (and the fries)
And we only get the message after we’ve experienced something a few times
However, there’s a big difference between the familiar, and the same
We still enjoy new discoveries
Spotting something we never noticed before
That’s the gift
It’s like my walk through the park everyday – there’s always a new detail to identify
But in the context of something familiar
No matter how many times you do something, there’s always the chance to turn in to something unexpected
That’s where the magic lies

Christmas Is A Time For ...Leaving

I was in a meeting with our MD, Julian, the other day, and as the snow began to fall our conversation turned to Christmas.
It didn’t take long for a seasonal depression to descend as we discussed how many marriages tend to break up at this time of year.
And all the people who leave their jobs in January.
Not to mention the spate of suicides.
It’s that end of year thing.
We take stock of what we’ve done, what we should have done, and what we should be doing instead.
It’s all thrown into sharp relief by the new date at the top of the calendar.
My advice: don’t look at it as the end.
See it as a time for new beginnings.
Decide what it is that you’re going to do differently.
This is not about “I’m giving up chocolate” resolutions.
You need to think big picture.
So I’ll let you into a little secret.
Here’s mine: I’m going to win the biggest client account for the agency in 2011.
That’s my focus - everything else that happens will be as a result of that one thing.
The smaller client accounts, the one-off projects, the networking and the conference speaking.
It’ll all be as a result of driving to my one simple objective.
I’ll let you know how it goes.

Is There An I In Team

I admit it, team work isn’t always easy.
But there’s a trick to it.
It all comes down to the assembly process.
You need to identify colleagues with complementary skills.
Then manage them so that they’re each able to focus on the things they’re best at.
Just watch out for the people who volunteer to do the things they’re not so good at.
A few simple decisions at the point of kick-off can make all the difference.
The task gets completed quickly.
Everyone gets their chance.for recognition
Who knows;And
It will be a lot more enjoyable

And The Winner Is...

What’s the point of submitting work for awards?
Other than the ego stroking of course.
I think they teach us to show off.
To sing the praises of our clients and colleagues.
Celebrate the things we do well, and acknowledge those magic moments when it all comes together.
More importantly, the submissions process is a great chance to brush up on our storytelling skills.
What we say and how we say it.
It brings out the anecdotes and the inside scoop.
It forces us to be compelling because we want to win.
That way, even if we don’t win, it can help us win more business.
And remember, of course it’s an honour just to be nominated.

Helter Skelter

It's so easy to slip into a spiral of negativity.
When the pressure's mounting, it seems like the only way is down.
And down and down and down.
We start to moan.
We say no instead of yes.
And we worry about the stuff that's not getting done, rather than focusing on the things that are.
Of course, we're all unique snowflakes.
No-one's ever gone through what we're experiencing.
At least, that's what we tell ourselves (it helps with the spiral).
But the human condition hasn't really changed in hundreds of years.
As Aesop, that most illustrious of fable spinners, once said:
"Be content with your lot; one cannot be first in everything"
Take comfort in the fact that you're not alone.
And remember that no-one expects you to make the right decision.
Just a decision.
Then move on.
And up.

It’s Not Just A Job’

For the longest time, I’ve been arguing that sales is a ‘real’ job.
Not in the way that Pinocchio was a real boy.
I mean that it has its own tangible skill-set and place within the agency world, alongside creatives, planners and account directors.
(Repeat after me – new business is the life blood of the agency...)
Anyhoo
Today I’m focusing on the sales attitude, rather than the sales function
It’s always answering with ‘yes’
It’s ensuring everyone understands that nothing is too much trouble
It’s agreeing to a meeting even though it may go nowhere
It’s understanding exactly what’s needed and how to get it done
It’s believing we can win, no matter how dicey the odds
It’s recognising that ‘no’ really just means ‘not yet’
It’s never wasting a single contact
And it’s never letting your ego get in the way of the right course of action.
No-one said it was going to be easy, but believe me, it’s worth the effort

Speaking For Myself

Everyone knows I like to talk.
Give me a podium and a radio-mic and I’m as happy as a Russian football fan.
(Congrats to Russia by the way!)
Obviously, I enjoy addressing crowds, and I love telling stories.
So I’m delighted that I’m getting booked for more and more speaking engagements.
But it’s not just the adrenaline of being up there that I cherish.
The opportunity to speak publicly enables me to sense-check the things I believe in.
It’s like inviting someone round to dinner for the first time.
You do a ‘walk-through’ to check that everything’s in order.
You clean and tidy the house.
You make extra effort on the menu.
You break out the good crockery.
In short, you view the experience through your guests’ eyes.
And that’s exactly what happens when you’re booked to speak.
You interrogate your story.
Check your references.
Rehearse your performance.
By the time they’re calling you on-stage, you’re utterly convinced.
Then it’s much easier to do the same with your audience.

As Good As It Gets?

Like many words in the English language, ‘masterpiece’ has been repeatedly misused.
So much so that its very definition seems to have evolved.
The origins of the word may surprise you.
Rather than representing the culmination of a life’s work, the masterpiece was the art you created to prove your value.
Struggling artists would present their ‘masterpiece’ to would-be patrons, in the hope of securing their investment and support.
It was a way of proving that they were worthy of trust, respect and patronage.
Think of this next time you’re working on a great project.
When you take a look at your work and feel immensely proud.
Ask yourself, “Is this a masterpiece?”
Not because you think you’ll never improve on it.
Quite the opposite.
If it’s a real masterpiece, then everything else you do will be an improvement.