Rothacker Reviews

Managing With Rosa: Personal Marketing

The essence of marketing is Purple Cow stuff.  Seth Godin says that Purple Cows must be remarkable; that something remarkable is worth talking about; and that something - should be built into your product or service. 

The essence of marketing one's self is getting people to talk about you...in a positive way.  And the people who you need to talk about you, are your customers and people within your company.

                        Why?

Customers - The customers who feel compelled to talk about you in a positive way will return to do more business with you.  And they will tell others about you. 

Your Company - When the effort you put forth gets co-workers to talk about you, you hold the power to influence and set an example for them.  When that effort is recognized by higher-ups, you improve your chances of advancement, or if advancement is not your goal (and there is nothing wrong with this) you improve your chances of an enriched work environment.

                        How?

In her book, Managing With Aloha, author Rosa Say talks about the value of Ho'okipa.  Rosa says Ho'okipa defines the art of unselfishly extending to others the best we have to give.  I am not sure there is a more clear and crisp definition of personal marketing to be found anywhere on the planet than that of Ho'okipa!  Think about it, when you give the best that you can, how can others not talk about you? 

                        When?

All the time.  Begin with a value system, it is what you will build your house of personal marketing upon.  Every author, coach and consultant has an interpretation of what a value system is.  I would like to make this easy for you.  Read Managing With Aloha once.  Do not strain your brain to figure out what values are.  Simply allow the values that Rosa talks about to walk down the street in front of the house in your mind.  Some of these values will walk right up to your door and knock.  Pay attention, these values want to be your foundation.  It's really that easy.

Remember, Purple Cow stuff.  Extend yourself to others with the best that you have to give and folks will want to talk about you.  There isn't a marketing firm in the universe that can shine your light brighter than you can yourself.

Managing With Aloha - The Book
Talking Story - The Blog
Say Leadership Coaching - The Business

Managing With Rosa: Kulia i ka nu'u

Kulia i ka nu'u means to strive for the highest summit.  What is the highest summit in the work that you do?  In your career?  In the world of the pursuit of personal excellence there is no highest summit.  There is the summit you are working on today, the one you are striving to reach, but there will always be another one that is higher.  So the focus is on the immediate climb.  Each toe hold that lifts us and each crevice that is big enough to grab hold of - should be savored.  Our personal development is strengthened on the strive, on the climb.

I have read over the value of Kulia i ka nu'u many times.  And each time I cannot help but to think of Vince Lombardi, the late great coach of the Green Bay Packers.  Vince said, "The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor." 

Many times we are not doing the work that we went to school for.  "My degree is in business communications, not floor sweeping."  "I am not a delivery girl, I hired on to design mechanical systems in buildings."  If you find yourself doing things at work that you believe is below a person of your education and experience, pause for a moment, step back and look at the big picture.  Maybe these intervals of easy tasks crossed your path for a reason.  Maybe they are like wide ledges on the mountain side.  Maybe they will allow you to regroup and put more energy and focus into the climb ahead. 

So, for the time being, sweep that floor as best as you can.  Deliver those blueprints in a timely and friendly manner.  Each action at work today, done as well as you can, will prepare you for the climb ahead.  This way, when you reach the part where you have to swing back and forth to gather the momentum necessary to reach the next hand hold - you will make it.  The earlier practice of always trying to do your best, will have prepared you to make it...anything less would be perilous to your career advance.

Managing With Aloha - The Book
Talking Story - The Blog
Say Leadership Coaching - The Business

Managing With Rosa: 'Ike loa

Managing With Aloha by Rosa Say is one of the best books on management that I've ever read.  It is about how Hawaii's universal values are woven into the art of business.  Rosa's book will help every manager and manager wannabee on the planet - hands down.  It is also an excellent resource for those who lead managers.  It helps to keep the high flyers tethered in reality.  But I'm not so certain there isn't one other group out there who can benefit the most from MWA.  That is, those of you who work for managers.

Bob is the manager. Bob is out there trying to create a vibrant atmosphere for you to work in.  One where learning, challenges, stimulation and satisfaction course throughout the day.  Bob has chosen to use the Hawaiian values talked about in MWA.  As a student of your own personal development, you too can use these values to help yourself and help Bob to help you.

Today we are going to look at the value of 'Ike loa.  'Ike loa is the value of learning.  It means to seek knowledge and wisdom. 

As your manager, Bob is always on the look-out for educational material relevant to your job.  Your job and the fifteen other people in your department, that is.  Bob has quite a task, doesn't he?  What if you assumed some of this responsibility?  The next time that you and Bob sit down to talk, map out a plan for personal learning.  Choose one area of improvement.  Let Bob know for the next three months, you will source out the necessary material.  Because Ted and Alice also need to learn this stuff, you will pass out the material and give them the heads up on relative websites or books that you find.

Think about what your involvement in this process can do.  For one, it will help you to learn faster.  And two, it will free Bob up to help you in other ways.  Finally, by helping Ted and Alice, you will get a sense of real satisfaction.

'Ike loa also means to know well.  Think about who you need to know well during the course of a day at work.  You need to know your customers, your prospects, your fellow workers, your vendors and Bob.  The more interested you become in others, the more interested they become in you.  Ask questions and listen.  Burn information that you perceive as having emphasis, into your brain.  During a conversation with Carol, she says:

"I haven't been able to find a decent class on Excel."

Two weeks later an acquaintance tells you about this great Excel class he took.  Guess who you can hardly wait to tell? 

When you pick up a copy of Managing With Aloha, make sure you check out; Shop Talk and The Daily Five Minutes, two techniques for enhancing associate communication that Rosa discusses in the chapter on 'Ike loa.

Managing With Aloha - The Book
Talking Story - The Blog
Say Leadership Coaching - The Business

The Essence of Nobility

From Managing With Aloha................

"It is my dream to inspire you to seek, possess and deliver nobility in management, to accept your first responsibility in the principles of honor and integrity, paving a smooth road for leadership initiatives that will make a difference."                                                                                        Author Rosa Say's mission with her book, business coaching practice and Talking Story Blog.

As one gets along in Managing With Aloha you can't help but to feel a new-found and invigorating reverence for business and the art of management.  The feeling makes you pause and think, "you know, what I do is important.  By connecting my associates with work they can engage in, I not only help to energize their life, but also the lives of their family and friends...it's inevitable."

Rosa goes on to say, "I fervently believe that to be a manager is to touch another's life in a profound way."  In a manager's work related endeavors, what could possibly be more noble? 

Managing With Aloha - The Book
Talking Story - The Blog
Say Leadership Coaching - The Business

Managing With Rosa: Ho'ohana

Managing With Aloha by Rosa Say is one of the best books on management that I have ever read!  Within my own industry, I am known as the passionate and voracious reader who writes business book reviews.  "Oh, you're the book review guy," I'll hear at a convention when someone recognizes my name.  I tell you this to establish my reading framework and to prioritize MWA (Managing With Aloha) in the grand scheme of my own little world of business.

Rosa will tell you, in order to benefit from MWA, you must weave the language of values into your Hana (work) everyday.  I thought that I would randomly choose one of the values that Rosa writes about and run it through the dave filter and see how it comes out.  Today it is Ho'ohana - work with intent and purpose. 

From MWA - Work can and should be a time where you are working to bring meaning, fulfillment and fun to the life you lead.

I think an entire industry has been devoted to help people find purpose and meaning within their work.  It seems there has been a migration away from, "I punch in at eight and out at five and after that is when I find meaning and purpose."  People realize that with as much time that they invest at work, they might as well connect, engage - and take off the auto pilot. 

Base Camp

In order to climb the mountain of finding Ho'ohana, one must be at the base of at least the right mountain range.  I say range because I am not sure everyone knows exactly what they want to be when they grow up.  For now, let's just assume we are in the right mountain range. 

Climbing Buddies

It is foolish to attempt to climb a mountain alone.  Whether it is your co-workers or manager, you must confide in someone who is also on a mission to find Ho'ohana.  If your manager understands Ho'ohana, he will plug you into the work that you desire and are good at.  In your search for Ho'ohana, it will be necessary that you communicate your desire to the manager.  When you are both on the same page you can say, "now Daaaaavie, you're making it difficult for me to Ho'ohana when you're putting me on routine maintenance calls!"  And as a manager you can work your butt off trying to find worthwhile and challenging assignments for your associates.

Summit

It isn't about reaching the top of the mountain.  It's about the climb man, it's the best part.  Your quest for Ho'ohana must involve others.  Weave the word Ho'ohana into the language of your day...even if it's just you and one co-worker.  Talk daily about your likes and dislikes, how you can strengthen your body for the climb, how you can score better climbing gear and what you'll do when you're on the next mountain.

Mountain Speak

If you would like to learn more about the language of Hawaiian values and how you can weave them into your own world of business, please visit Rosa at her Talking Story Blog.