Life Beyond Code » Quought for the Day

Ways to distinguish yourself #201 – Tell the right story to the right people.

Rajesh Setty — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:41:36 +0000

Only few people will have story that is so grand as the story of Taj Mahal. Or the beauty of the Niagara. Or the size of the Grand Canyon. That won’t prevent us from telling stories everyday. We are telling stories to others and we are telling stories to ourselves. We are even telling stories to ourselves about stories we are telling stories to others. We live in our stories.

The point is – whether you want or not – others are expecting that you will tell them stories. Good stories. Stories that will mean something to them. If those stories ALSO mean something to you, it’s good but that’s really not their concern – they just want to hear good stories. Plain and simple.

This is a good thing because if you know how to tell a good story, you will have a big audience. But remember that if they don’t get to hear stories that are relevant to them, they also switch off. And, they switch off – FAST!

So, what’s the big deal, you might ask.

The deal is that when you have a “good” story, you want to tell this to anyone and everyone that might want to listen that story. If you tell that story in all that excitement, people won’t want to curb your excitement so they might “pretend” to listen to your story with great enthusiasm but in their mind they are probably thinking you are wasting their time.

This is all the more important during tough times as “time” is at a premium for everyone during these times. However tempted you are tell your “cool” story – pause and think – “How is this story relevant to the person that I am trying to tell this?” or better yet – “How can I make this story relevant to this person?” If you don’t have a good answer, skip the story and have a great conversation without that story.

Stories are powerful, but ONLY if you use them wisely.

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Note 1: Here are links to the other 200 articles in the series
Rajesh Setty: Best of Life Beyond Code – Distinguish Yourself #1 – #50
Rajesh Setty: Best of Life Beyond Code -Distinguish Yourself #51 – #100
Rajesh Setty: Best of Life Beyond Code -Distinguish Yourself #101 – #100
Rajesh Setty: Best of Life Beyond Code -Distinguish Yourself #151 – #200

Note 2: The first 25 entries in the series have been packaged in a ChangeThis manifesto that was published on September 07, 2005. You can download that manifesto here:
ChangeThis Manifesto: 25 Ways to Distinguish Yourself (PDF, Free)

Note 3: My latest manifesto on ChangeThis was published on August 6, 2008. This is a photographic manifesto featuring 15 of my mini sagas (stories in exactly 50 words). Here is the link:
ChangeThis Manifesto: Mini Sagas – Bite Sized Lessons for Life and Business (PDF, Free)

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2008 Quought for the Day #17 – Mike Kanazawa

Rajesh Setty — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:00:13 +0000

Background:

This is part of the Quought for the Day – 2008 Series.

Quought = Question that provokes thought!

The question I asked thought leaders and my very smart friends is:

What is ONE question that you wish someone had asked you when you were young? And, Why?

I will be posting answers (which will be Quoughts) one by one.This one is from Mike Kanazawa

Michael Kanazawa, chief executive of Dissero Partners, serves as a business advisor to executives on the topics of corporate transformation, strategy, business execution and leadership.

He is also co-author of BIG Ideas to BIG Results (FT Press / Pearson Hall – 2008)

He has worked with organizations including Silicon Valley start-ups, private equity investors and global corporations, such as AT&T, Anadigics, Intel, PG&E, Schlumberger, Symantec, and Verizon
.

Mike’s Quought

Why wait?

Mike’s reason for choosing that Quought

We spend so much time building ourselves up with education and titles to bring our ideas into the world, when all along much of our power to influence the world was already there. This holds true at all stages of life.

More from Mike:

1. http://www.gobignetwork.com/wil/

2. http://blog.guykawasaki.com/

3. www.bigideastobigresults.com

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2008 Quought for the Day #16 – Liz Strauss

Rajesh Setty — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:00:14 +0000

Background:

This is part of the Quought for the Day – 2008 Series.

Quought = Question that provokes thought!

The question I asked thought leaders and my very smart friends is:

What is ONE question that you wish someone had asked you when you were young? And, Why?

I will be posting answers (which will be Quoughts) one by one.This one is from Liz Strauss

Liz Strauss has worked over 20 years in print, software, and online publishing, and strategized with publishers in Europe, Australia, the UK, and Ireland. Her blog, Liz Strauss at Successful-Blog has been called both a destination and an event. She has worked with entrepreneurs, small businesses, companies in crisis, and corporate giants to uncover the high-touch connections that make business relationships long-lasting and unforgettably positive. Liz led the vision behind last year’s SOBCon07 — THE Relationship Bloggers’ Conference that gained the attention of BusinessWeek, the Chicago Sun-Times, and the Innovation Initiative of the Kellogg School of Business.

Liz’ Quought

“When you look back on your life on that very last day, what sentence do you hope people will use to describe it?”

Liz’ reason for choosing that Quought

I wish someone would have asked me that question, so that I would have learned to ask it of myself sooner. It’s a question that puts us fully in charge of our own path. In that small group of words, what my parents did, what the kids in school said, what my teachers might have written or my colleagues might have conjured about who I am or who I was falls into context. I am left with living up to my own truth, to what only I might know.

The question is filled with potential, responsibilitiy and choice. It bringsd home the fact that, though we cannot control what happens to us, we always have a choice in how we respond.

More about Liz:

1. Change the World: One World-Sized Idea

2. 1.2 WHY Doing What We Love Is Solid Business Thinking

3. 5 Steps to a Community of Fiercely Loyal Customers

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2008 Quought for the Day #15 – Dave Taylor

Rajesh Setty — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:00:02 +0000

Background:

This is part of the Quought for the Day – 2008 Series.

Quought = Question that provokes thought!

The question I asked thought leaders and my very smart friends is:

What is ONE question that you wish someone had asked you when you were young? And, Why?

I will be posting answers (which will be Quoughts) one by one.This one is from Dave Taylor

Dave Taylor has been involved with the Internet since 1980, has written twenty business and technical books, launched four startups, and is widely considered a leader in the social marketing and blogging universe.

He has a Masters in Education and an MBA and current acts as a strategic marketing consultant to companies large and small.

Dave’s Quought

Are you keeping the big picture in mind?

Dave’s reason for choosing that Quought

As you travel through life, the day-to-day vicissitudes have a way of taking your attention off the long term goal, your “mission”, if you will. We all have to deal with our daily lives, but what I constantly wrestle with is the bigger picture, the ability to see beyond the trivial and mundane and understand how what I’m doing will impact myself, my family, my community and the world at large. Being able to remain conscious of these larger issues is a wonderful way to stay aware and maximize your joy and sense of accomplishment.

More about Dave:

1. http://www.intuitive.com/blog/ <– The Business Blog @ Intuitive.com
2. http://www.askdavetaylor.com/ <– Tech Support at Ask Dave Taylor
3. http://www.APparenting.com/ <– The Attachment Parenting Blog
4. http://twitter.com/FilmBuzz <– (sneak peek) FilmBuzz: Movie News for a
Mobile World

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2008 Quought for the Day #14 – Steve Shapiro

Rajesh Setty — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:00:35 +0000

Background:

This is part of the Quought for the Day – 2008 Series.

Quought = Question that provokes thought!

The question I asked thought leaders and my very smart friends is:

What is ONE question that you wish someone had asked you when you were young? And, Why?

I will be posting answers (which will be Quoughts) one by one.This one is from Stephen Shapiro

During his 15-year tenure with the international consulting firm Accenture, Stephen developed and delivered innovation training to over 20,000 consultants. In 2001 he left the management consulting world to write his first book, “24/7 Innovation: A Blueprint for Surviving and Thriving in an Age of Change” (McGraw-Hill). Drawing on his corporate expertise, Shapiro expanded on his innovative concepts to counsel on how individuals can realize their full potential with less effort and more personal satisfaction. Thus, his second book, “Goal Free Living: How to Have the Life You Want NOW!” (Wiley) was conceived, quickly becoming the #1 Amazon.com “Business Motivation” best seller and the subject of a cover story in “O, The Oprah Magazine.” His latest concept is the fun and educational “Innovation Personality Poker.” He has been featured in Newsweek, Investor’s Business Daily, The New York Times, and The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch.

Steve’s Quought

What matters most?

Steve’s reason for choosing that Quought

There are two reasons for choosing this Quought:

1) Einstein once said, “If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it.” From my personal experience, most people (and organizations) spend 60 minutes finding solutions to problems that don’t matter. So relevance is one aspect of “what matters most.”

2) Recently, I have been asking myself, “Is what I do significant?” I know my work changes organizations. And I like to believe that it also changes lives. But is the change significant? Lately I have been restless. I think the reason is that I want greater significance in my life.

More about Steve:

1) Blog/Website: www.24-7innovation.com

2) Latest Book: The Little Book of BIG Innovation Ideas

3) Product: Innovation Personality Poker

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2008 Quoght for the Day #13 – Jack Hayhow

Rajesh Setty — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:00:19 +0000

Background:

This is part of the Quought for the Day – 2008 Series.

Quought = Question that provokes thought!

The question I asked thought leaders and my very smart friends is:

What is ONE question that you wish someone had asked you when you were young? And, Why?

I will be posting answers (which will be Quoughts) one by one.This one is from Jack Hayhow

Jack Hayhow is founder and “Chief Executive Servant” of Opus, a company dedicated to creating “training people like to take”. Since 1990, Opus has broken the mold of typical corporate training with productions that are as entertaining as they are effective. Today, Opus training programs are used in tens of thousands of businesses and approximately 25% of all public schools.

Jack has been described as a “chronic learner” and is compelled by his passion for helping people and companies improve performance where it matters most. He is the author of dozens of training programs including: The Foundation of Management, Reward and Recognition, Time Management for Managers, Coaching for Performance, and To Be a Leader.

Jack’s Quought

Do you know what makes you happy?

Rock’s reason for choosing that Quought

The question is a challenge to growth – it is profound and deceptively difficult. It requires an understanding of what happiness is (in my experience a combination of contentment, fulfillment, satisfaction and pleasure) AND a self-knowledge that requires real introspection and effort. Finally, it’s my number one question because happiness is not frivolous or self-indulgent as is often believed – it is one of the most important aspects of life.

More about Jack:

1. Jack Hayhow’s website

2. Jack’s Blog

3. Jack’s Company – Opus Training

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2008 Quought for the Day #12 – Rock Clapper

Rajesh Setty — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:00:55 +0000

Background:

This is part of the Quought for the Day – 2008 Series.

Quought = Question that provokes thought!

The question I asked thought leaders and my very smart friends is:

What is ONE question that you wish someone had asked you when you were young? And, Why?

I will be posting answers (which will be Quoughts) one by one.This one is from Rock Clapper

Rock left his professorship at Brown Univ. and came to Silicon Valley in 1994. Basically, this coincided with his first look at an Internet application called a ‘browser’. He knew that his doctorate in applied social psychology was a perfect background for creating web-based consumer and business environments. At the time, Rock had done years of research and published many papers on persuasive communication, and was a sought after speaker in the U.S. and internationally.

Rock holds a BS in Psychology from Arizona State Univ., a Masters and Doctorate in Applied Social Psychology from the Univ. of Houston, as well as an alumnus of Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business Executive Education Program. Rock has been the CEO of several successful Internet and software companies in Silicon Valley. He is a veteran of company acquisitions, having negotiated such for each company he led, as well as having led a company to the position of a public offering.

Rock’s Quought

Why are you a follower?

Rock’s reason for choosing that Quought

What I didn’t understand when I was younger, without the lens of my doctorate in Social Psychology and the ability of adult reflection, was the power of social influence. If I had made my own way and followed my own passions, I could have accelerated and amplified my growth into the adult I eventually turned out to be.

More about Rock:

1. Band of Angels (Rock is a member of Band of Angels)

2. Rock Clapper’s LinkedIn Profile

3. Humane Society of the United States

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2008 Quought for the Day #11 – Thomas Clifford

Rajesh Setty — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:00:04 +0000

Background:

This is part of the Quought for the Day – 2008 Series.

Quought = Question that provokes thought!

The question I asked thought leaders and my very smart friends is:

What is ONE question that you wish someone had asked you when you were young? And, Why?

I will be posting answers (which will be Quoughts) one by one.This one is from Thomas Clifford

Thomas Clifford is a seasoned, multi-award-winning, corporate documentary filmmaker. For 23 years, organizations like Deloitte, MassMutual, UCONN and the Epilepsy Foundation commission Thomas to create authentic videos to strengthen their brand. His work has been on PBS, MTV, AFC Championship.

Tom’s Quought

Would you like a mentor?

Tom’s reason for choosing that Quought

Because I didn’t have a mentor until four years after graduating college. I would have jumped in a heartbeat to have someone extend their helping hand to help me navigate the confusing “whitewater” noise of post-college life.

More Links to Tom:

1. Tom’s ChangeThis Manifesto: The Client’s Survival Guide to Corporate Video Storytelling

2. Tom’s Site: DirectorTom: Bringing Brands to Life!

3. Tom’s LinkedIn Profile: Thomas Clifford

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Quought for the Day #10 – Brian Solis

Rajesh Setty — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:00:07 +0000

Background:

This is part of the Quought for the Day – 2008 Series.

Quought = Question that provokes thought!

The question I asked thought leaders and my very smart friends is:

What is ONE question that you wish someone had asked you when you were young? And, Why?

I will be posting answers (which will be Quoughts) one by one.This one is from Brian Solis

Brian Solis is Principal of FutureWorks, an award-winning PR agency in Silicon Valley. Solis blogs at PR2.0, bub.blicio.us, WebProNews, and regularly contributes PR and tech insight to industry publications. Solis is co-founder of the Social Media Club, is an original member of the Media 2.0 Workgroup, and also is a contributor to the Social Media Collective and ConversationalMedia.org.

Brian’s Quought

If someone asked you if you knew that the love of your life would eventually leave you because you placed greater emphasis on your career, what would you do differently?

Links:

1. FutureWorks PR – www.future-works.com

2. Blog: PR 2.0 – www.briansolis.com

3. Blog: http://bub.blicio.us

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2008 Quought for the Day #9 – Michael Weissman

Rajesh Setty — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:00:48 +0000

Background:

This is part of the Quought for the Day – 2008 Series.

Quought = Question that provokes thought!

The question I asked thought leaders and my very smart friends is:

What is ONE question that you wish someone had asked you when you were young? And, Why?

I will be posting answers (which will be Quoughts) one by one.This one is from Michael Weissman

Michael Weissman, is founder and president of Fresh Perspectives, the leading value reinforcement marketing company. He is also co-author of The Paradox of Excellence, How Great Performance Can Kill Your Business which reached as high as 24th on Amazon’s business book list and is being translated into 7 languages. As a business leader, Michael has created nearly $700 million in new revenue growth, launched over 30 successful products and has helped his companies win awards for product excellence, brands, promotions and web design. An international keynote speaker and sought-after consultant to high tech giants such as Apple, Adobe, HP and others, Michael has trained thousands to build stronger brands, create products customers love and still deliver the numbers Wall Street demands.

Michael’s Quought

What about your life best pleases God?

Links:

1. Book: The Paradox of Excellence

2. Company: Fresh Perspectives

3. Profile: Michael Weissman on LinkedIn

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