“Retail Mentor’s Roundtable” by Dan Bolton (Specialty-Coffee.com, September 2009). Someone please put a star next to Mr. Bolton’s name for this one. This is pure genius!

Answers to these two questions neatly sum up the situation:

— Do you believe the retail coffee business is harder now than it was two years ago?
— Do you believe it is going to get any better in the next two years?

Whether you were asked these questions last year (when times were bad) or this year (as times got worse) or next (as things improve), the answer is the same. “Yes, it’s getting harder. No, it’s not going to get any easier.”

So here’s another question: If the coffee business is not going to get any better in the next couple of years, then who has to get better? The answer: “You.”

If you can’t inspire you then who can?

“Decoding Leadership” by Norm Smallwood (HarvardBusiness.org, 15 September 15, 2009). And where do you stand? Where do you wish to stand? Better yet, where do you need to stand? Something to ponder this weekend as you indulge in some downtime, eh?

Design matters. Why? Because it is one of the first things to effect The Guest Experience. It establishes the tone of the on going relationship. Whether it’s your store, your club, your restaurant or your web site, these impressions matter. If you have any doubts about the value of investing in good design, and thus The Guest Experience, these two articles should help reorient your compass.

“Environment Plays a Huge Role in Member Retention” by Bruce Carter (Fitness Business Pro, August 2009).

When you spend on your club’s environment, you are spending on marketing. Think about having an environment that is so exciting, fun and stimulating that people actually love being there, and it makes them want to tell their friends about it.

“Turning Up the Juice” by Garrett Peck (Sante Magazine, September 2009)

No matter the size or demographics of your bar, creating and sustaining a successful vibe requires tuning (and sometimes retuning) the sensory experience and physical layout to match your clientele’s expectations and, above all, affording each customer personal and professional service.

The key is empathy. Stop thinking about what you see, or what you think you see. Now look at your company from the outside in. What do they, The Guest, see? And what impression(s) does that make on their experience?

“Influence Others To Take Action” by Stacey Hanke (Business XPansion Journal, September 2009). Another page from the School of When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Revist, Refine & Re-Attack. If things are slower today than you’d like use that time wisely, use it to invest in the future. Even if tomorrow isn’t that much better than today at least you and your company will be. Relatively, that will translate into better times.

While we’re on the subject of influence… “Influencer – The Power to Change Anything” by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillian & Al Switzler (McGraw Hill) raises some interesting points. I won’t say I’m thrilled with the quality of the writing itself (i.e., how well the ideas are presented) — just stick to the ideas / concepts. If you believe what they say then there’s the potential for  some simple game changing lessons. Worth a go if you’re looking for something to stir the gray matter a bit.

“Life Pursuits: Chris Gardner” by Marta Bright, Bobbie Hartman, Christopher Null, Kate Pavao, Joe Shepter, Lia Simpson, and Tara Swords (Oracle Profit, August 2009). More words of wisdom to keep you going from Chris “The Pursuit of Happyness” Gardner.

Profit: What are you encouraging people to do in these uncertain times?

Gardner: One of the things I’ve encouraged people to do is to just turn the TV off. Use it for entertainment purposes only. All of the smart-guy pundits you see on television are saying, “The feds should do this. The Treasury should do that. Credit markets need to do this.” The truth is nobody really knows. Too many of us allow what we do to define who we are. If you’ve been laid off, fired, downsized, outsourced, or pushed out of a job, you really need to ask yourself, “Who am I?” It’s important not to confuse your self-worth with your net worth. Net worth is going to fluctuate, because that’s what markets do. They go up, and they go down. Your self-worth, who you are as a person, what’s important to you, and what you care about, those are the things in life that won’t fluctuate.

The entire interview will take you about 90 seconds to read. But you must invest the time to get the payback.

“6 ways to train your employees on the cheap” by Mary K. Pratt (Computer World, 10 August 2009). It’s official — common sense is finally back in style. The best stuff here might come from the sidebar (on the first page) titled “3 ways workers can get their own free training.” Let’s be honest, if you’re not going to make an effort to keep yourself sharp then it’s not really fair to complain when management is neglectful and your skills become dated or even obsolete. There is one person in charge of your career and that person is you.

On the plus it’s nice to know that there are some outfits who are trying to push forward in spite of the economy. There are however a handful of AU caveats:

— Why cheap? Shouldn’t the emphasis be on cost effective? Cheaper isn’t better if it yields third rate results. Regardless of economic conditions the focus should be on ROI.

— Fact: Nothing like this comes to life and stays alive without full and proper commitment from management. If management sees training and growth as not worth the investment then it’s not going to happen. If that’s the case either update your resume and move on or go into DIY mode, or both.

— The other side of the coin is that employees have to want to learn. If someone wants to coast then they should expect to be run down from behind. Don’t be that guy / gal. You shouldn’t ever assume that someone else knows what’s best for you and your career.

The bottom line… If things are slowing then use that time wisely to improve, because if you or your company doesn’t then someone else cetainly will.

“Opinion: When things go wrong, the truth shall set you free” by John D. Halamka (ComputerWorld Mag, 15 June 2009). It’s never easy when things collapse. What makes it even more difficult is that as emotions increase rational thoughts get shoved aside. In short, being human isn’t easy. Lucky for the rest of us Mr. Halamka isn’t ready to give up yet. Here he offers five steps to take out some of the sting. We recommend commiting these five to memory. They will come in handy no matter what your role / profession. The bonus is, they have value off the clock as well. If necessary, look in the mirror and practice them. Because as we all agree, practice makes perfect.

“How to stay up in a down economy” by Julia King (Computer World Magazine, 25 May / 1 June 2009). Whether you’re unemployed, under-employed, or even over-employed, Ms. King has some pearls to share. One of the best is:

Don’t watch CNN. It just induces hysteria.
- Paul Glen
(ComputerWorld Columnist)

There is one suggestion we’d like to add, as well as one comment to supplement the article’s list.

Suggestion: Start a blog that speaks to your desired profession. One, it will give you an outlet. Two, it will keep you involved and engaged as well as serve as a real live diary that you didn’t waste your downtime watching Oprah. Three, anyone can fake a resume but over a series of weeks that’s not possible to fake a blog.

Supplement to Ms. King’s point 4: Contact a local non-profit(s) and offer them your pro bono talent. This is good for you (for all the reasons lists for a blog), as well as good for your community. NPOs can also be a good opportunity to develop new skills to break into a new field.

“The New New Economy: More Startups, Fewer Giants, Infinite Opportunity” by Chris Anderson (Wired Magazine, June 2009) If you’re trying to make sense of what has happen and of what’s to come Mr. Anderson sheds some valuable light on the matter. As expected, there are two AU caveats:
1) Capital was traditionally only available to fairly large companies. The internet changed that. Investors can not only move money quicker and easier, they now have a tool for mitigating risk by providing a better way to identify and evaluate the smaller companies with the potential to be the next big thing. (Note: This relationship also works in the other direction. The internet provides a platform to companies seeking investors.) The large companies have reached growth capacity, the smart money is looking for better returns, and there are small upstarts lining up to accept that backing. The internet provides the frictionless fluidity to make that happen.

2) From the consumers’ side the internet provides each individual a choice. No longer are consumers forced to consume the me-to, mass marketed products and services that are the by product of the large companies’ cookie cutter (i.e., economies of scale) approach. Also, consumers are no longer at a disadvantage in terms of the availability of information. They know what they want and they know where to get it. Big is out. Small and personal is the new black.

The real question is, will the USA be the next debt ridden, too-big-to-fail dinsaur to fall?

“Does CIO Behavior Derail Intentions?” by Dr. Paul Hertz and Chris Dowse (CIO Insight, May 2009) Part of being human is having a personality, as well as having habits and patterns under particular circumstances. We all admit that sometimes the past causes us to not  act in our own best interest. This is hardly an issue that’s unique to IT. This article is a friendly reminder to pause the next time a bad habit is about to undermine a moment.

http://AlternativeTo.net

Software, software everywhere. Sometimes the question before what to choose is how to choose. This site – and there are certainly others with similar intentions – looks to be a good starting point. Find the app you wish to “replace” (e.g. Dreamweaver) and click on from there. Aside from the major operating systems there is also a Cloud tab for those wishing to live more of their app life online. The immediate downside is there doesn’t seem to be too many comments at the moment but as that changes there will also be value add from your peers. Just keep in mind that just because you read it on the internet doesn’t mean it’s true.

“100 Free Open Courseware Classes on Journalism, Blogging and New Media” from OnlineDegreeWorld.com Simply put… WOW! Even if you only find a couple winners for you, that’s still a wow!

“What Google knows about you” by Robert L. Mitchell (ComputerWorld, 11 May 2009)  One has to wonder if Google isn’t upset with Geiko for stealing their theme song. You know the one… “I always feel like somebody’s watching me…” If this article troubles you – and it should at least a bit – then also invest some time in this:

“6 ways to protect your privacy on Google” by Robert L. Mitchell (ComputerWorld, 11 May 2009)

So much for not doing evil, eh?

Change of pace this time. These two from Wired magazine should get your grey matter jazzed to think a little deeper:

“American Stonehenge: Monumental Instructions for the Post-Apocalypse” by Randall Sullivan (20 April 2009)

“Mission Impossible: The Code Even the CIA Can’t Crack” by Steven Levy (20 April 2009)

Btw, the May issue features guest editor Mr. JJ Abrams.

“Make your own HD movie” by By Suranga Chandratillake (Fortune Small Business, March 2009). While doing some research for a project that might entail some video we came across this round up. FSB might not be a technology bible but this is a good place to start if you’re considering some simple video solutions. At this point, the revolution probably isn’t going to be televised but it will most certainly be on YouTube.

“The Psychology of the Sale” by Marshall Lager (CRM Magazine, May 2009).  No matter how you cut it, we are all in sales. Whether it’s getting someone to buy our product or service, or getting the kids to buy into the idea of cleaning up after themselves, it’s sales.  A sale is establishing a relationship and getting someone else to embrace your ideas.  This is a handy article end to end but this paragraph was worth pulling:

More than mere honesty and comprehensive product knowledge, it’s important to express what your product or service is really worth to the customer, Champy says—what it means to their lives and livelihoods. “Pricing is not it,” he says. “The value proposition is what brings them back.” Knowing why your offer is better—and especially why it’s different—is something every salesperson must communicate. “Zipcar is a highly compelling and attractive business because its value is shared ownership, not car rental,” Champy says. “It changes the frame of reference.”

“When Computers Are Not Really ‘Brains’” by Lee Gomes (Forbes Magazine, 11 May 2009). Just something “fun” to ponder in your free time.

“The No-Stats All-Star” by Michael Lewis (NY Times Sunday Magazine, 13 Feb 2009).  Please pardon the cliche of using sport to discuss business, but this article was particularly interesting. On one hand there’s the element of statistics and using numbers to stud, evaluate and squeeze out that last ounce of victory. On the other, there’s the idea of team – collecting the right people at the right time and producing a result where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Finally there’s the realization that the “HR” departments of many well financed sports teams fail to produce winners. Not only do they have the budget to acquire talent, they have the budget to acquire the talent that helps to pick the talent. Next time you feel like you’re coming up short with your “team” remember that you’re not the only one.

“What Are the Odds a Handy, Quotable Statistic Is Lying? Better Than Even” by Barry Gewen (New York Times, 3 Feb 2009). A must-read article on the new book by Michael Blastland and Andrew Dilnot, “The Numbers Game: The Commonsense Guide to Understanding Numbers in the News, Politics, and in Life.” In short, statistics are often used to bend the truth and sometimes lie. Not only can’t we believe whatwe hear or read, we can’t believe what we see either. Too often the associated graphic representations of the (out of context) data are also often misleading. Unfortunately, as more and more people are “outsourcing” their critical thinking, analysis, and ability to question “the facts”. Thinking is a gift and we should never be too busy to count that blessing.

“10 Web Sites That Will Matter in 2009″ by Mark Sullivan, CIO Magazine (CIO.com, 22 January 2009). It’s hard to say why people put themselves out on a limb with a title like this. Let’s face it, if Wall Street’s quants can’t predict the future then there’s not much hope for the rest of us. Luckily most of us accept that we are only humans in an imperfect world. With that said, the title is an eye catcher. On top of that getting a sense where some web things might be going makes this worth a go. Cocktail party fodder for web geeks.