The Brand of Carpe Factum

I'm very fortunate to know, not one, but three amazing brand consultants all living right here in Des Moines.  I've talked about Mike Wagner and Drew McLellan plenty of times, and have shared how much they have done for me and my career.  Last week, I had the opportunity to have lunch with Mark True of REL.  Little did I know that the lunch was going to begin with a pop quiz.

"Tim," he began.  "I thought I knew what you did with this project management stuff.  But you focus on accomplishment and a whole lot of other issues.  What is your brand story?  How do you tie all these things together?"

It's pretty simple.  Carpe Factum is about accomplishment - always has been, always will be.  But there are three elements of focus here:

• Systems Thinking - How do you design your accomplishments?
• Project Management - How do you achieve your accomplishments?
• Office Politics - How do you remove obstacles blocking your accomplishments?

All three are interdependent.  All three are interrelated.  All three help you seize the accomplishment.  I think Mark gave me an 'A' on the pop quiz because my answer seemed to appease him (and when it comes to branding, he's not an easy man to appease; he asks really tough questions and expects good answers).

What about you?  Do you know how all of your products and services tie together to support your brand story?  How would you do with Mark's pop quiz?

It's a Mall World After All

I'm a big fan of dichotomy and paradox.  The more opposite and contradictory things appear to be, the more they seem to appeal to me.  I've always been drawn to contrast, though.  Not conflict, mind you... contrast.  Maybe that's why the only TV show (at least, the only show that is purely driven by entertainment) that's grabbed my attention in the past five years has been Dexter... imagine, a law enforcement forensics expert who's also a serial killer.  Like I said, it's that kind of paradox that just grabs my attention.

For those who have been reading my blog for a while, you may remember the disastrous experience my students and I had with Merle Hay Mall last year during an exercise for my Creativity class.  The security guards and the mall's general manager couldn't have been any more unpleasant if they'd tried.  So I have to admit I was holding my breath when the class exercise came around this year.  I decided not to give Merle Hay another chance to win me over, so I thought I'd give Jordan Creek Town Center a try.

Wow!  Was I bowled over by the difference in reaction.  Martha, a delightful person in the mall management office, was not only friendly about my request to let my students hold their scavenger hunt at her mall, she simply effused enthusiasm.  Then she sent me their "Electronic scavenger hunt permission request form," and I almost fell out of my seat.  Instead of chasing away potential customers like Merle Hay Mall did, Jordan Creek proactively anticipated the need.  Within one business day, I had another positively enthusiastic response.

During the exercise, the security guards were friendly and helpful with my students, providing them with direction and assistance.  The mall's store employees joined in the fun as well.  The result?  My students this year felt like the experience was a great enhancement to the classroom learning experience.  By contrast, my students last year felt defeated by the experience.  Same exercise.  Very different results.

What is my point of sharing this story?  Well, Merle Hay Mall is asking the government for tax-funded grants to upgrade their mall so they can "stay competitive" against places like Jordan Creek.  Maybe they are trying to solve the wrong problem.  Perhaps a replacement of mall management might be a good first step to draw in customers and make the place more inviting and fun.  I know enough community stakeholders who have had equally dismal experiences in dealing with the mall staff.  It could be that a shift in focus would better serve the mall - and the taxpayers - in seizing their desired accomplishments.

What do you think?

Eh... Whatever

This morning I groaned as the thermometer read a whopping twelve degrees BELOW ZERO.  Hence, after dropping the girls off to start their day, I decided to treat myself to a bagel before my morning conference call.  I stopped into my friendly neighborhood Panera, and was mildly annoyed to see a CENERGY van parked lopsided across what normally would have been 2-3 parking spaces in front of the building.  I parked further out than I cared to in the coma-inducing arctic cold and trekked into the building to get my morning treat.

On my way out, the driver of the van in question was getting into his vehicle.  "Nice parking," I commented to his obvious lack of skill.  I tried to make it sound playful and teasing, but I'll admit there was probably an underlying tone of annoyance.  His response?  "I slid on the ice on the way in and just figured... eh... whatever."  Then he was in his van and off and running, oblivious to any inconvenience he may have caused anybody else.

Now, I don't know what CENERGY does.  I don't recall ever spending money with them.  However, if I'm representing my company's brand in any capacity, it's certainly NOT going to be accompanied with an "Eh... whatever."  While I'm a law-abiding citizen and a fairly even-keeled guy, if I'm wearing Drake gear or Carpe Factum wear especially, I make sure that I'm on my absolute best behavior.  My brand is showing to the world, and the last thing I want is somebody thinking that "eh... whatever" is good enough for me.  Brian Phillips has a great article about quality and apathy and making claims.  He makes a good argument that there are times when good enough is, really, good enough.  But I'd be willing to bet that not even Brian would let his clients hear him saying "Eh... whatever."

Now, a small parking indiscretion on a frigid day really doesn't warrant a major chastising in my book.  But I wonder about the values of this technician.  Does he approach his job with an "eh...whatever" attitude?  Or (to his defense) was it just too cold in his book to fix the problem for a quick trip into the shop for breakfast on-the-go?  I can understand that.  But I really hope it is not indicative of a larger organizational-cultural issue.  I'd hate to think of an entire organization of "eh... whatever" drones serving the public at large.

There Are Some Who Call Me "Tim"

I've always taken issue with my name.  Tim Johnson.  There's only... what... a zillion of us on the planet?  No offense to my parents... they sort of came with the name "Johnson" so that wasn't really up for debate.  And the name "Tim" was a relatively commonly regularly-overused name back in the mid-sixties... why not?  Actually, as I've gotten older, I have found I prefer my given name, Timothy, over the shortened version, but still... not helping much in the distinguishing factor.

Let's review, shall we?  In the Tim/Timothy Johnson category, there are a Senator from South Dakota, a Congressman from Illinois, the Director of Antz and Over The Hedge (now I know why I liked that movie so much), the producer of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, the medical editor for Good Morning America, and the Correspondent for the Washington Bureau's Beijing Office.  A few of the lesser known in the all-inclusive club of Tim Johnsons are an associate music professor at Ithaca college, a linebacker (for either Baltimore or Oakland, but he's not showing up on either roster), the captain of the New Zealand Wheel Backs Wheelchair Rugby Team.  And let's not forget the rabid dog in To Kill a Mockingbird... his name was Tim Johnson also.

Growing up, there was a Tim Johnson a grade ahead of me who managed to get into more trouble than Imus at a Diversity conference.  During my undergrad years, there was a sociology professor, and we got each other's mail on a regular basis.  There's around two dozen of us in the Des Moines metro phone book, with whom I've been confused on the basis of credit ratings, arrests/legal issues, mail, and death (yes, I supposedly died a couple of months ago, prompting a plethora of ads for memorial stones to arrive at our house).

AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRG!!!!  How does one develop a personal brand in a crowd this large?  (Minus, of course, the recently deceased one.)

Two things:

1. I blog.  This alone has catapulted me to the top page Google searches on both Tim Johnson and Timothy Johnson.
2. I am who I am.  Before I was hired on at Drake, I ran into Dr. Delaney Kirk (who was instrumental in my hiring).  She was my professor way back when, and we had not seen each other or talked in about six years.  When I commented my surprise that she remembered me among all the names and faces, she gave me that deadpan look for which she is famous and simply replied, "Tim, when somebody rides a skateboard into my classroom as part of their final presentation, I don't soon forget them."  I guess my personality creates its own unique brand...  (lest we forget the bunny suit)... enough said.

What about the rest of you?  Even those with less-than-common names... what are you doing to promote your personal brand?  Will people remember you in six years?  What about in six days?  Six minutes?  Just some thoughts to ponder on a Saturday night.

Thinking Out of the Box Set

During last night's lecture in the Creativity for Business course, the conversation shifted to story-telling as a means of getting in touch with your creative side.  We're all story-tellers, whether we know it or not.  Every time we create a PowerPoint presentation or write a status report, we're really telling a story.  One of my favorite blogospheric story-tellers is Valeria Maltoni.  Maybe it's her Italian heritage or maybe it's just her natural self... whatever it is, each of her blog posts weaves a fascinating story, allowing us to see the fabric of her soul as well as the business point she's making.

One of Valeria's posts from last November continues to jump around in my mind.  In it, she describes some of her favorite musicians from her native region in Italy.  I loved her introduction to her post:

"Each conversation follows a rhythm. There are the exchange of the speaker's tempo, which includes pauses, the listener's attention range, and the pitch of the words to the tune this rich combination stimulates. When we connect with someone, the rhythm seems effortless as we are immersed in the flow together. Every so often, there is a special someone who manages to arrange a different kind of experience and the result changes us forever."

Anyway, back to last night's class.  As we talked about the role of story-telling, I asked my students if their life were made into a movie, what would the soundtrack sound like?  What artists and songs would be included?  My personal soundtrack CD cover might look like this:

The next point really surprised them.  What would happen if they were asked to create a sound track for their project?  For their department?  For their division?  For their company?  What songs would be included?  What genres?  What artists would they select to represent their culture?

I'm not going to tag specific people and make a new meme virus.  But I'd like to challenge a few of my fellow bloggers to track-back to me and share with their readers their personal or their project soundtrack.

Muy Logo

Those who have exchanged emails with me recently have noticed a different look and feel to my tag line.  Yes, I have a new company name, new logo, and new title.  We'll get to those in a second.  First, let's back up.  I have a little story to share.

Almost four years ago, one of my former students approached me with an opportunity to do some leadership training at her company.  While I'm an independent consultant, I had been subcontracting to the same company almost exclusively for a couple of years.  However, I had not given much thought to branding my own consulting.  With this opportunity to do something on my own, I figured I'd better get a logo.  After all, that's all brands are, right?  Just find a cool logo.  (Boy, did I have a lot to learn.)  Anyway, Delta Project Solutions was born.

Fast forward a couple of years.  I had the opportunity to meet Mike Wagner.  We were both friends with Delaney Kirk, and she just knew the two of us would hit it off.  She (as always) was right.  One day, after Mike and I had become better acquainted, he asked me about how I had arrived at Delta Project Solutions.  I sort of hummed and hawed and wasn't really able to articulate a solid answer about it.  He then challenged me about some of my passions... what really made me tick as a consultant?  That I was able to answer quite easily.  I enjoy project management because of the thrill of completing something big and complex.  I'm passionate about creativity because of the excitement of seeing somebody create something new and fun and innovative.  I'm fascinated by office politics because of their impacts in helping (or hindering) people who are seeking to reach a goal.  And I love systems thinking and process improvement because it's rewarding to see my clients evolve into something better, using all the "parts and pieces" at their disposal.

Mike scrutinized me for a minute, as if he were a doctor trying to diagnose a patient.  Then he said one of the most profound things I've ever heard in my career, "Tim, you are wasting your time marketing yourself as a project manager."  At first I was offended.  After all, I'd been consulting in project management for ages.  I'd served on the local PMI board.  I was certified in project management.  Who was this guy to tell me I wasn't a project manager?  Before I had a chance to argue with him, he finished his thought, "You're an accomplishment manager.  You love accomplishing things and helping other people accomplish things.  Sometimes those accomplishments are projects, but not always.  Now go think about your story in the context of accomplishment."

Wow.  My company was barely two years old, and already it was having an identity crisis.  So I played with the idea.  I got out my scented markers.  I did some mind-mapping.  I toyed around with some concepts.  Mike's words played around in my head, haunting and taunting me.  What was my story?!?!  Who said I needed to have a story?  I just wanted a cool logo and some customers that could help me earn a living.  However, in my gut and in my soul, I knew Mike was right.  After all, the projects on which I'd been working up to that point had mostly been cubicle-dwelling.  The few projects which had really excited and energized me had encompassed all of my passions... all of which culminated in... well... ACCOMPLISHMENT.

That's when the concept of "Carpe Factum" was born.  I was having a conversation with friends about the idea of accomplishment.  How it brought life and energy to people.  Then somebody made an interesting comment about something in Latin, which another person jumped on to tease him about using a "dead language."  As you've read before in this blog, my synapses connected in an odd and unusual way.  Living concept.  Dead language.  What an amazing paradox.  To express the idea of pouncing upon an accomplishment in Latin.

Quite a few months have passed.  The blog began.  My first book was published.  My second book is on the way.  It became time to let Carpe Factum become the identify of the company.  It was time to really give it the overhaul it deserved.  After going through all of the paperwork with the state, I worked with a wonderful design company who really gave visual life to my story.  As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.   You'll be seeing a few changes to this site over the coming weeks, but I wanted to give you all a glimpse of the story behind the changes.  A brand isn't about a logo (if you think it is, then you are "muy logo").  It's about a story.  More specifically, your brand is about your story.  You're the story-teller, and your customers are your audience.  The logo is merely a backdrop.  I owe Mike a lot more than he knows in helping me discover my brand.  If you find that your career, your professional life, your company, and your brand are lacking something, you might want to attend Mike's workshop on the Branding Imperative this Saturday.  Who knows?  You might find you have a really cool story to tell as well.

What Does A Good Evangelist Go For These Days?

I read one of Mike Sansone's recent posts with keen interest.  It seems his love affair with Panera is coming to a rocky end.  Of course, I could have told him that they were all a bunch of WUHOTs, but it's an unspoken rule around guys that you don't diss another guy's "significant other" to his face... even if that significant other is an underperforming restaurant that doesn't care about its customers.

It's still shocking that Panera would treat someone like Mike so poorly, though.  Don't they realize who he is?  The King of Conversation.  The Lord of Links.  The Duke of Dialogue.  The Prince of Pings.  The Baron of Blogs.  And more importantly, he's been one of their chief evangelists for many months.  He's been the pulpit-pounding preacher of the Panera gospel.

This reminds me of a past situation with one of my Drake MBA classes.  We had the opportunity to pilot some new whiz-bang software.  The owner of the company was anxious to break into the educational market, and the software had some functionality that my students could leverage, so it seemed like the perfect fit.  I worked with the owner directly for weeks prior to class.  We communicated expectations to the students, and all of the stakeholders were excited about the possibilities.

Then disaster struck.  On the first day of class, the software company owner decided he was only going to support one of the project teams, instead of the entire class.  Hence, 80% of my students would be without technical support on new and unfamiliar software (which turned out to be not nearly as intuitive as originally claimed).  When I communicated workarounds to this issue for my students, he flew off the handle (publicly), accusing me of undermining the integrity of the pilot and his own credibility.  His unprofessional communications soon became evident to the students (by his doing, not by mine), and all of the students quickly ceased using his software and also ceased all conversation with him.  That's when it got really interesting.  He started name calling, accusing Midwesterners of being stuck in their ways and not willing to embrace change.  Over all, he just left a bad taste in everybody's mouth.

During the final class debrief, we talked about how we had turned the pilot-gone-bad into some great teachable moments for the students.  We talked about how this owner could have turned things around by acting professionally, apologizing, and working collaboratively with me and the other stakeholders.  Moreover, many students commented what a lost opportunity this company had.  Some of them said they initially liked what the software had to offer, but the owner's behavior changed their minds.  This was a class of over 30 students who represented Des Moines' largest employers.  And many of them went back to their employers and communicated never to allow this software to ever darken their doorways.  One comment in class summed it up best, "(He) had the opportunity to make 35 evangelists; he did that but they're all communicating a different gospel."

One comment.  One screw-up.  One action.  One offense.  Credibility and customer commitment are delicate balancing acts.  We'll see if Panera can pull their collective heads out of their (ahem) ovens before the evangelical movement passes them by.

Do You Own Your Project?

My blog buddy, Phil Gerbyshak, is moving into his new house today after years of apartment dwelling.  Congratulations to Phil and Kim for taking that big leap into home ownership, and I wish you both many years of happiness and prosperity as you "make it great" at home!

Phil's move from renter to owner started me thinking about project managers and other project team members.  How many people on projects are "just renting space" rather than actually owning their projects?  Ownership is at the heart of the Carpe Factum mentality.  One cannot seize an accomplishment if one doesn't have a feeling of ownership over the results and the process to get there.

Borrowing a page from Mike Wagner's play book on brand ownership and also looking at the four phases of the project life cycle, let's see how well you're doing on project ownership.

1. Is your Project Initiation RELEVANT?  Have you done the due diligence to select a project that is important enough to the organization to be on the books?  Many organizations have a lot of "really swell ideas" that are merely renting space on the project radar screen but nobody seems to care because they don't contribute to the organization's mission and strategy.  Make sure that your project fits BEFORE it becomes a project.
2. Is your Project Planning DIFFERENT?  Too many project managers and executive sponsors rush into the execution phase, barely armed with a task list because the perceived pressure to get things done is so great.  When writing Race Through The Forest, much energy was spent detailing the initiation and planning phases.  If a robust project plan is created, a strong risk management structure is implemented, and a mature infrastructure of documentation and standards and change management is communicated and followed, your project will be noticed for being different from the others.  You'll be managing your project instead of merely reacting to it.
3. Is your Project Execution TRUTHFUL?  Because few people spend time on adequate planning, considerable fiction-writing talent is wasted on project issues logs and status reports.  A true project owner will admit when things are not going well, not to "indict the guilty" but to identify the problem and solve it.  Be up front with your project stakeholders; your integrity and reputation depend on it.
4. Is Your Project Closure INVITING?  You and your team have spent all this time managing the project and now it's time to implement it.  Have you adequatly involved the users and stakeholders of this project solution so that they feel involved and invited to indulge in the bounty of your efforts?  Many projects fail during this phase because the project team forgot to invite those who would be using the project solution by providing change management, communication, and training.

Is Your Project YOURS?  Do you own it?  Or are you merely renting space in a cubicle until something better comes along?

NOTE:  Mike Wagner will be presenting a workshop on Owning your Project Brand at the Project Management Institute Central Iowa Chapter's Professional Development Day on October 20, 2006.  I would highly recommend you register for the event and come and hear him and many other great speakers.

Technorati Tags: Phil Gerbyshak, Make It Great, Mike Wagner, Own Your Brand, Project Management, Project Branding, Race Through The Forest, Project Initiation, Project Planning, Project Execution, Project Closure, Different, Inviting, Relevant, Truthful, Project Management Institute, Central Iowa Chapter, Professional Development Day

So... what's his story?

For those outside the Des Moines reading area, this post may not mean much, but I would encourage you to read it anyway.  A Des Moines icon passed away yesterday, fighting a long battle with ALS.  His name is Rob Borsellino.  He was a reporter for The Des Moines Register.  Fifteen years ago, none of us Iowans had ever heard of this brash New Yorker who was about to squirm his way into our lives, our thoughts, and our conversations.

Some of you may be saying, "OK, one less reporter in the world... and this affects me how?"  Rob was more than just a reporter.  His op ed and human interest pieces were as close to perfect story telling as it gets in the journalistic realm.  I can only aspire to have my writing compared to Rob's some day.  He had a style - a brand - all his own, and he wore it proudly.  Steve Farber would call somebody like Rob a "story learner" rather than a story teller, because that's what Rob was.  He learned the heart of a story and just got out of the way to become a vehicle through which the story was told.  With heart.  With compassion.  With sensitivity.  Sometimes with bite.  Rob was a journalist, and a self-proclaimed liberal journalist at that, but to be honest, Rob put meaning and punch into the term "fair and balanced" long before Fox News exploited it to their own gain.

Those of us in the blogosphere are all story-tellers of one category or another.  I would challenge any of you reading this post to purchase Rob's book, "So I'm talkin' to this guy..."  You will see what real story learning is all about.  And you will see darn fine writing.  And you will see journalistic integrity.  And you will see a misplaced New Yorker who came to love Des Moines, with all its quirks.  Rob's pen is silenced, but his legacy is written in the sky.  To his family, my deepest sympathy.  He will be missed.

Technorati Tags: Rob Borsellino, Des Moines Register, Story Teller, Story Learner, Steve Farber, Writing, Journalism

Another Blog Review

Thanks to Mike Wagner for another very complimentary review of Race Through the Forest on his Own Your Brand blog.  For those not familiar with Mike, he carries a very powerful message of brand ownership, from which many project managers and project sponsors could benefit.

Technorati Tags: Mike Wagner, book review, Race Through The Forest, Project Management, Own Your Brand

Those Star-Belly Sneeches

Another semester is ending at Drake University, and I'm deep into grading final exams, final research papers, and final presentations.  The question I always ask myself at the end of a semester is whether my students "get it."  Do they understand that earning an MBA is merely part of a journey as a lifelong learner?  That the degree is a short-term tool that has a limited shelf life, and it is imperitive that they start planning now for how they will USE THIS KNOWLEDGE?  Do they really comprehend that earning the master's degree in and of itself will do nothing for their career advancement?  That the sheepskin and cap and gown no longer automatically translate to promotion and corner office?

Scott Berkun posted a great question the other day about the value of Project Management Institute's (PMI) certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP).  I'll admit I've been a bit of a comment hog on Scott's post, but the use (or misuse) of this certification has alarmed me over the years, and I've become a bit passionate about the topic.  There are organizations out there that promise "zero to PMP in five days."  The PMP, when originated, was not about the test.  It was truly about differentiating yourself from the crowd and earning a sense of accomplishment in the project management industry.  Similar to my comments on Scott's blog, I know uber-talented project managers with no interest in the certification, and I know complete and utter WUHOTs who wear the PMP like a parade sash.  That's what concerns me.  I've had my PMP for 10 years now, and each time I recertify I question the value.  The pride of ownership, of use as part of my personal branding, has definitely diminished in the last decade.

One of my favorite children's books of all time is The Sneeches by Dr. Seuss.  It was originally about class warfare backfiring, but I see many of the same parallels showing up in the project management certification debate (as well as the MBA issue)... especially in hiring and staffing decisions.  Maybe PMI needs a Sylvester McMonkey McBean to show us the folly of our ways.

Thanks, Scott, for raising the issue.

What are your thoughts?

Technorati Tags: Drake University, MBA, Scott Berkun, Project Management Institute, PMI, Project Management Professional, PMP, project management certification, The Sneeches, Dr. Seuss, Personal Branding, WUHOT