11:11 - A Simple Reminder Twice Per Day

A little over an hour ago, at exactly 11:11, I sent the following text to my wife - "11:11"

Between the two of us we probably send this exact text to each other anywhere from 50 to 100 times per year. Sometimes we send it when one of us is having a bad day, sometimes it's sent because one of us glances at the clock and feels like sending it but most of the time it is sent as a simple reminder.  For us the sending and receiving of this text reminds us just how fortunate we are to have our oldest daughter, who was born on November 11, 2004, with us today.

At eight months old our oldest daughter was diagnosed with Nueroblastoma, a form of cancer that affects roughly ten percent of all childhood cancer patients. As individuals and as parents the experience impacted us more than words can ever describe and to this day, nine years later, it continues to shape just about every aspect of our lives including: who we are, how we parent, where we spend our time and what we do for our children. However, 11:11 takes on a special meaning each and every fall because its when we do the bulk of our fundraising for the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, an organization committed to funding childhood cancer research.

During the months of September, October and November we raise money by participating in an annual 5K race called the Lemon Run.  Our team, aptly named Team Payton, is made up of our family and friends who know Payton's story and who are committed to helping raise awareness and funds to help find a cure, or at least answers, to the mystery behind childhood cancer.  It's because of this that each fall I am reminded of four important life lessons:

1. The gift of life is an incredible yet delicate opportunity and every moment should be celebrated and embraced.

2.  There are individuals in our lives, both family and friends, that make a difference in our lives and no matter how hard we try there simply isn't enough ways to tell each one of them how important they are to us. However, letting them know every now and then is important.

3.  Children deserve every opportunity to experience life to the fullest, free from worry and illness and we should work hard to give that to them.

4. Life isn't easy and is often frustrating, irritating and sometimes even depressing but there is always hope and there are always people willing to help.

I suspect that 11:11 will always have significance for us because it reminds us of our experience, to always have hope, to give back when possible and to always appreciate the people that mean the most to us.

Three Tips for Public Speaking

1. Speak slowly - Your nerves may drive you to speak fast but try to keep them in check. Normally if you speak fast people will tune you out and by speaking slowly you will calm yourself down.

2. You are the expert - no matter how nervous you are the people in the audience respect you for actually getting up there and doing what you're doing. Public speaking ranks second as everybody's worst fear; deat is first. Trust yourself that what you say matters and that your knowledge and experience is relevant.

3. Engage the audience - chances are if you are up there then you are a people person. Don't put that talent on the shelf. Engage your audience.

Team Payton & Childhood Cancer Research

  Payton Riggs

A letter from Jennifer Riggs, my wife and Payton’s Mom: 

My daughter, Payton, is the sweetest, kindest, most amazing little girl who has great aspirations to help others and who has already fought harder at her tender age than most of us will ever have to.  When she was eight months old she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma.  The tumor was removed two weeks later with great success, removing more than 90% from her body. This type of neuroblastoma is essentially cured by removal, and fortunately for us radiation and chemotherapy were not necessary. Doctors say that out of 650 cases per year that are diagnosed, only about seven are presented this way. Payton’s oncologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia says that her cancer coming back is "highly unlikely," but it doesn't stop us from testing and worrying.

However, we do realize how fortunate we are. Payton's little scar reminds us of this. We have been so fortunate that Payton's neuroblastoma was found early on and removed by surgery. So fortunate that an amazing doctor found a tumor during a diagnostic urinary reflux test. So fortunate, that a remarkable team at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia removed all of Payton's tumor so that chemotherapy or radiation was not necessary. So fortunate that my baby is still here and so fortunate that research continues to search for a cure.

Payton will turn nine this November and we are grateful for everything her experience has taught us.  She has the biggest, most sensitive heart you will ever find in a little girl. Her Dad, younger sister Jordyn, and I are so proud of her and are always amazed by her!

My family and I participate in the Lemon Run every year to raise money to help researchers find a cure. We support Alex’s efforts and her family by continuing what their daughter started.  Through Alex's inspiring story and her parents’ dedication, doctors are making life changing breakthroughs every day.  We are thankful for them and all they have done for Payton and other children. 

Please consider joining us on November 10, 2013 for the 5^th Annual 5K Lemon Run. We would be honored if you would become a member of Team Payton and help us raise awareness for childhood cancer research. You can register and donate by clicking on our fundraising page.

Fundraising page: http://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/117338

Santa, Fire Trucks and Waiving to the Past

It was later than expected. In fact, I totally forgot about it until I heard the sirens just after 8:00 p.m. on Saturday evening.  Then it hit me. It was Saturday, the 8th of December; the day Santa was to arrive in our neighborhood followed by the trucks of our local fire department.

Once we figured out what was happening our household was on red alert - coats, shoes, camera... are we ready? Let's go! Out we went to the end of the driveway to wave hello to Santa as he, the red lights and the noise served as another reminder that Christmas and the holiday season have arrived.

As I stood and watched my daughters wave to the big guy (pictured above) I couldn't help but think of traditions and what they mean to us.  As a product of divorced parents my traditions were somewhat complex, not-so-traditional and for the most part ever changing. There wasn't anything wrong with it, and my folks did their best to maintain the traditions of their past, but it was an effort to maintain consistency from year to year. Which brings me back to firetrucks and Santa.

As a kid I remember running as fast as I could to get to the curb to make sure I saw Santa and to make sure he saw me. I remember getting candy canes from the firemen, seeing my neighbors, and going to bed with a level of excitement unmatched until the next pre-Christmas reminder came my way.

As we enter the days of crowded malls, holiday parties and excessive eating (at least for me), I plan to embrace whatever traditions I participate in and whatever traditions our families create. After all, traditions are great and meant to be shared. They are reminders of our past and doorways to our future and are a big part of every family, community and holiday season.

Tonight my daughter and I picked out our tree as my wife and my other daughter stayed home and baked cookies. Perhaps we're starting our own tradition.

It's About Time to Give Thanks

I've never once considered writing about giving thanks. At least not until now. And it's not that I have never been thankful, it's just that I usually thank those that I think I should and thank the powers that be when...well, I feel I should. Other than that, I'm usually too consumed with work, life and everything else to think about who and what  I should be thankful for. However, this year is different and I couldn't think of a better way to revive this damn blog then to write a quick post about being thankful.

The clean up, Somers Point, NJ

First I'd like to say that I'm thankful for my family. Our house is crazy. It's populated by me (enough said), my wife, my two daughters, my mother-in-law and two popcorn-eating hermit crabs. We're involved in sports, CCD, gymnastics, soccer, dance, art class, we work full time, enjoy wine and we're constantly on the run. However, I wouldn't have it any other way. It's crazy, and at times pure madness, but it's home and I'm thankful for it.

I'm also thankful for immediate family and extended family, who most recently helped us clean up my mother's home in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. It's been years since we all got together, and unfortunately I didn't get to see them, but somehow everyone managed to come together when my mom needed help most.

Finally, I'm thankful for a group of friends that I consider to be family. Throughout the year they provide constant support and companionship and have always been there for us. Each and every year they demonstrate their generosity by participating in our annual fundraising event to help raise money for childhood cancer research and each and every year I'm reminded just how fortunate I am to have them in our lives.

Team Payton 2012, Kicking Cancer's Butt
(http://www.facebook.com/teampayton2012)

As we head into another fun-filled Thanksgiving Day week I'm thankful I've got my health (for now), my family and a group of friends that just don't quit.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Making Something More out of "Going Global."

For the past 18 months I've been working on a globalization strategy on behalf of my company. Ultimately the strategy resulted in a partnership with a company based in Italy with dual headquarters in both Rome and Milan.

In November 2010, the "Alliance" was ratified and our organizations began to work together; with our team traveling to Europe twice and members of their team coming to the United States last year. However, in between the email, Skype, virtual calls, business plans and time zones, an opportunity developed that has changed the meaning of "Going Global," at least for me.

Several months ago a colleague from our global partner informed me that she would like to take her holiday here in the United States, working at our office for the entire month of August. Her plan was endorsed by her company but mostly driven by her own interest to learn our business from our perspective. She also insisted that her 20 yr. old daughter and husband remain at home. This was to be her experience.

She arrived this past weekend and is spending the first week in my home with my wife, my two daughters and my mother-in-law. We've only spent two days together but so far she's been exposed to my niece's sixth birthday party, my two daughters knocking on her door at 6:30 a.m., and a day in-the-life of me at work, which isn't all that exciting.

Anyway, as we sat around the dinner table tonight, sharing stories of work, family, and of course, favorite dishes, it occurred to me that we, as a global community, have yet to integrate the "personal" element to going global. We've successfully discussed the notion of work-life balance across several disciplines; we've spent ample time on the diminishing walls between the public and private spheres; and we've embraced the notion of personal and professional brand and how they've almost become one. Yet, when we consider "going global" we rarely entertain the notion of how we can integrate the "personal" with our global colleagues to the point where it assists or strengthens our global strategy.

There was never a question that our colleague from across the Atlantic would stay at my home and the home of several members of our team. It's the culture we've developed at our company - professional yet personal, and it's what we prefer. However, and even after just under 48 hours, I've begun a journey toward gaining a better understanding and perspective on our global partnership, as well as our partnering company's approach to business, through this personal approach; a perspective that could not possibly exist had this person not been in my home, with my family, under my roof.

I have never been involved in "Going Global" discussion or strategy session that has involved a mandatory colleague exchange program or an element, objective or tactic that included the "personal" piece but perhaps it's time we re-examined our approach. After all, there's nothing that replaces the in-person meeting and there's no better way to solidify a relationship than at a kitchen table.

If anyone has experienced a personal element to a going global strategy please share your experience here. In the meantime, I'll continue to listen and learn as my house guest continues to share and work alongside my wife and I at 10:08 p.m. - laptops open.

Spring Ahead With a Fresh Look

Day one of daylight savings means you moved your clocks ahead by an hour and switched the batteries in your fire alarms. At least that's what happens in my house. It also means that you've got a good cleaning on your mind, renewed enthusiasm at work and at play, and a fresh look at life - and this goes for your website too!

Here are five quick steps to make sure your website doesn't look like the last vestige of winter:

1. Double check the "In the News" section of your site and move everything older than two weeks to your "archive" page. (1-A - create an "archive" page if you don't have one)

2. Read through EVERY page of your site to ensure accuracy, clarity, and consistency. If your website is anything like most it wasn't created in a single day by a single author which means the tone and consistency throughout may be slightly different. Check for spelling and grammatical errors too. (My biggest challenge.)

3. Click through every page and every link. Some links may be broken or no longer be available and this is a huge pet peeve for me and many others. There's nothing worse than not being able to access what you want.

4. Changed your logo lately? Then you better make sure the old version has been completely removed and the updated version everywhere it needs to be.

5. Changed staff or leadership lately? Update the "Contact" or "Board" page. Chances are you'll need to.

In our quest to stay on top of technology we often forget to do those things that matter most so take some time to walk through your site and make sure your house is in order. Your clients, members, and visitors will appreciate your efforts.

Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of www.public-domain-photos.com

Cornerstone Communication

Don't let a fear of the past or a fear of technology keep your organization from moving forward with its communication initiatives.

I was recently asked to share my thoughts as to whether or not contemporary communication tools (Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare) are just fads destined to fade away or realistic replacements to the old ways of communicating (telephone, email, newsletter). My response even surprised me.

During the interview, I repeatedly found myself referring to what I was calling an organizations' cornerstone communication pathway, which is the method of communication preferred most by its respective community. For example, some organization’s members prefer to receive their news via newsletter mailed to their doorstep. Before I realized what I was saying, it occurred to me that I was actually restating what I’ve been told over and over again: “don’t abandon your old way of communicating but at the same time don’t be afraid to experiment with emerging technologies.”

There is no real way of knowing what communication tool will be here tomorrow. This doesn’t mean we have to a) rush right in to the newest fad or b) be so paralyzed by fear that we fail to experiment with emerging technologies. Find comfort in what works best for your organization and slowly test and implement additional methods and you may soon uncover that another cornerstone of communication lies right beneath the surface.

Photo credit: This image was borrowed from http://www.senate.michigan.gov/Virtualtour/statecapitol.htm. The cornerstone featured in this photo was used to construct the third State Capitol and contained historical documents and memorials.

Cash (Not Goods) is King When it Comes to Supporting Relief Efforts

Yesterday I wrote about an idea that encouraged Super Bowl attendees to bring relief items with them to Miami in hopes that this could assist in providing aid to the Haiti relief effort. However, after reading this post (Haiti:Help With Money Not Stuff) it became apparent that donating cash, and not goods, is the best way to help.

The most popular and perhaps the easiest way to do this is to donate funds via a mobile phone by texting "Yele" to the number 501501

(Wyclef Jean's Yele Haiti Foundation)or the word "Haiti" to 90999 (Red Cross).

Super Bowl Challenge and Haiti

Earlier today a friend of mine posted the following message on his Facebook page

"ATTENTION MIAMI PEOPLE: Large truck that will be on the corner of 1st & Alton beginning at 6:00 pm today and will be there 24/7 until it is filled. Items most needed: blankets, tents, batteries, candles, clothing, medicine and canned food. PLEASE REPOST!!!!!!!!!!"

In a few short weeks the city of Miami will play host to the NFL Pro Bowl and then the Super Bowl. By then the relief effort will be well into its third and fourth week and although the needs of the victims, families, relief workers, and others will have changed they will have in no way disappeared.

So if you or someone you know is one of the 76,500 people planning to attend one of these events please check the Internet or with the Red Cross prior to heading to Miami to see what items may still be needed for the relief effort. Or simply pack an extra pair of socks, toothpaste, toothbrush, blankets, or a pair of shorts in anticipation that you'll run across a receptacle like the truck parked on 1st & Alton.

By carrying a few extra items to Miami we will relieve some of the burden on organizations like the Red Cross and extend the life of our own efforts to help those in need. And who knows perhaps the airlines will waive the extra bag fee for travelers headed that way, a cruise line will deliver the goods, and everyone attending the games will play an integral role in helping our neighbor through this difficult time. This is, after all, what community is all about.

God bless the victims and the families of victims in Haiti.

Facilitating in the Age of Motion

Although I have participated in many strategic planning sessions I was recently tapped to facilitate a an internal departments session at Association Headquarters (where I work). I'm excited by the opportunity and know enough about the planning process to pull it off but I want to bring some fresh ideas to the experience. More specifically I'm seeking engagement tactics that will force participants to look at themselves, their responsibilities and their respective departments in a new light.

One sentence comments, references to sources, or thoughtful recommendations are all appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your help and all comments will be added to a follow-up blog on new ideas for strategic planning.

Brian

CMO's Guide to Social Media by Dane Theus of Magus Consulting.

I thoroughly enjoyed this post and thought I would "Share" it through my blog. I found it to be a great examination of marketing and social media through the eyes of the Chief Marketing Officer.

CMO's Guide to Social Media

Posted using ShareThis

Frontier Communities

Back in July I wrote "New Construction and Building Community" a story about how Facebook helped our neighborhood come together, build friendships, and facilitate important news. It was also a story about how our online communities are fast becoming similar to the traditional ones we have become so familiar with.


Not much has changed since that post except that more families have joined our community and many of us continue to grow closer. The evolvement of these relationships and the maturation of our neighborhood over the past three months got me thinking about the two communities I participate in and how a Thanksgiving Day event brought some clarity to the importance of both.

On Thanksgiving a few of the guys in the neighborhood decided we should host our first annual Turkey Bowl. These games are played all of the U.S. and in our case consisted of a bunch of men in their 30's who wanted to relive their glory days by participating in a touch football game. We posted the event on our community Facebook page and simply waited to see who would show up.



The game was scheduled for 8:30 and a few of us committed to arrive early to set up for before kickoff. Two tents, a stand for the kiddos, and a cooler and we were ready to go. Sixteen men showed up for the event with many wives and children in tow to watch. It lasted two hours and everyone had a wonderful time. A short time later over 216 photos were posted on Facebook and contestants were sharing war stories on the group page. It was truly a community event, one that reinforced old relationships and introduced opportunities for new ones.


Once home I posted "I survived my first Turkey Bowl" to Twitter, provided a recap on Facebook, and uploaded a few of my own photos to Slideshare. Why? Because I wanted my other neighbors, those I rarely see but communicate with daily, to see how I kicked off my Thanksgiving. Having read Thanksgiving updates from @sonnygill, @SteveDrake, @knealemann, (and many others) I was eager to share how my day was going. I, like many others, participate in the nexus between two communities and enjoy bridging news from both at every opportunity.

These two spheres now make up my collective understanding of community and I enjoy participating in them equally. Through the use of social media and a healthy blend of interpersonal events, I've come to grow as a person, meet an array of interesting people, and broaden my access to knowledge tenfold.

We all have our immediate communities, those we physically interact with on a daily basis. However, our other communities play a new role in our lives and are shaping the way we see and interact with the world around us. I will likely see my friends from the "online world" at an upcoming conference, Tweet (insert holiday here) cocktail party, or random intersection and when I do we'll be able to comment on these and other pictures, postings, and windows into my life.


We are on the frontier of building communities through virtual and physical relationships and we will continue to build and shape them as long as we remain committed to participating in them.

Social Media Flower for Volunteer Leaders

In my role at Association Headquarters I often assist our client partners in developing strategies that implement social media into their communication plans. Shortly after seeing David Nour map out a communication plan at ASAE 2009, and after several conversations with Maddie Grant from Social Fish, (who I am eternally grateful) I got to work.

With the help of two of my colleagues, Elizabeth Cies and Mark Denato, I came up with the following illustration.

Please feel free to distribute this to your groups and a special thanks to Steve Drake ,whose constant efforts in the world of SM continue to focus on moving forward.

The Six Primary Components of the Social Media Flower

The Seed - Content Leaders: These are the experts of an organization and typically consist of members of the board, but can also include general members who are willing to submit original content on behalf of the organization. They are the seed and are responsible for the cultivation of the social media flower.

The Soil - Your Association: The association or professional society serves as the soil and field for the seed and provides the environment for the content, and future content leaders, to flourish.

The Stem – The Content: When original content is created it serves as the support system (the stem) for the flower. It flows from the content leaders, through the association, and directly to the Web site or blog (the stigma).

The Stigma – The Website or Blog: The website serves as the center of the flower whereby all things emanate. It hosts the original content and serves as the hub or home base for the petals.

The Petals – Social Media Tools: The petals represent the various social media tools that can be used to drive interested parties (members & nonmembers) to the Web site. These tools serve as:
• Communicators – relaying messages to the public
• Directors – pointing your audience to original content
• Marketers – raising awareness for the organization. The main purpose of the petals are to attract raindrops (members) and bumble bees (messengers).

The Bumblebee – Additional Messengers: The ultimate goal is to reach new individuals and new audiences, and social media tools make it easy to have someone else carry and convey your message for you. By creating original content, posting it to the web site, and employing social media tools to attract and direct members to the site, more and more individuals will learn about the organization.

Role of Volunteer Leadership
As outlined above, volunteer leadership plays a vital role in the success of online social media initiatives. It is our recommendation that a key group of individuals are appointed to play a highly involved part in the implementation of the associations social media strategy. This could be comprised of:
• One or two Board or Committee members
• Key enthusiasts from the organization’s Facebook page
• Technologically-savvy members responding to a “call for volunteers”

By having several members initiate and participate, the organization can experience increased success in grassroots awareness of its’ online presence.

Social media to replace first line of tech support?

Over the past few months social media saved me from two computer-related disasters that normally would have sent me to the repair shop or placed me at the will of a tech call center. By employing a variety of social media tools I was able to resolve both issues without a considerable investment in either time or money, something I've come to really appreciate and something that got me thinking about the value of tech support and call centers.

A few months back my wife's cousin spilled an entire glass of wine on her laptop and I thought for sure it was fried. After draining the excess into the sink and wiping up what was still visible, I decided to hop on Google and search for "spilled wine on a laptop." Much to my surprise my cousin-in-law wasn't the only one to carelessly waste an entire glass of good red wine (Boxhead). In a few short minutes I was watching a video on how to save the laptop without a huge investment. Two days and $29 later I replaced my keyboard on my own and my wife was back in business. Thank you techeblog.com.

A few weeks later I received the dreaded "Unmountable Boot Error" message. After several unsuccessful attempts to reboot in "Safe Mode" I called tech support to see what was up. The initial quote was $295 so I hung up the phone and hopped back on the internet. In a few short moments I found the following post on Twitter "@huabs How to Resolve Unmountable Boot Volume Error in Windows XP http://bit.ly/SttaF" and was on my way to recovery. Fortunately, I was able to repair my computer without any issue and was up and running within the hour.

These two examples got me thinking of how valuable social media has become to saving both time and money and how, on certain occassions, it can replace the first line of basic tech support offered by most companies.

Reposting - 11 Top Tips To Build Your Twitter Following : Ink Foundry

This is a terrific article I found by way of David Armano. Hope I'm reposting this correctly.
11 Top Tips To Build Your Twitter Following : Ink Foundry

Hashtags for the association world

Here is a list of hashtags for association exec's who enjoy Twitter. Please feel free to add to this list or recommend to me and the rest of the world where to locate a larger, more robust collection. Cheers!

#eventprofs
#assnchat
#asae09
#MPI
#meetings
#nonprofit
#amgtco
#sponsorship
#nimble
#associations

Camaraderie & Humility at AMCi & ASAE 2009

Here are my three takeaways from two terrific meetings.

1. Camaraderie - As I approach my second anniversary with Association Headquarters I am still amazed at the level of camaraderie, respect, and consideration members of the AMC industry have for eachother. Not only does it make for a terrific meeting where members, who are often competitors, let there gaurd down and share with eachother but it also provides an opportunity for everyone to contribute to a positive culture throughout the industry. It was wonderful to reconnect with those I met in San Diego, have run into throughout the year, and have chatted with over industry-related issues.

2. Humility - I will be the first to say that even after working at a museum for several years and having spent the last two years with association management (AM) professionals, I am still humbled by the amount of energy, creativity, and dedication it takes to run an association or professional society. In my role at Association Headquarters, I often straddle the for-profit and non-profit world, never spending too long in either to fully appreciate the role AM professionals play in their respective organizations, in ensuring their own society (ASAE) moves forward, and in building relationships among their peers. As hard as I think I work I am humbled by what goes into running an AMC, and running a volunteer run organization.

3. AMCi & ASAE 2009 were full of terrific examples of camaraderie, professionalism, and for me, humility.

Team Chemistry Beyond Sports

As baseball inches closer to "October ball," and the NFL gears up for its season, ESPN is screaming about an interesting and often unmeasurable asset to any team, CHEMISTRY.

As an avid hockey fan I live by the notion that chemistry means everything, especially around playoff time. I wholeheartedly endorse the belief that locker room relationships can be the X factor and secret weapon for any organization.

But how does this impact the rest of us nine-to-fiver's who don't earn the big bucks but are often part of a team. In an article on this topic, Tom LaForce explores how building trust with coworkers can often lead to building chemistry and ultimately lead to successful projects.

(coffee break)

So how do you make sure there's chemistry on your team? I'm not entirely sure. My team is made up of anywhere from five to ten members depending on the individual project. When appropriate I try to focus on each of my team members' individual strengths, letting my colleagues shine in front of others which, I hope, allows everyone to develop their own levels of trust within the team.

This approach requires a unique understanding of the personalities that make up my team but that's what I'm good at so it works for me. I'm a people person and have come to terms with how to leverage that crazy talent beyond the "oh you should be in sales" gig. I build my team by making everyone feel so comfortable that they don't even know they're shining, they just see themselves as contributing.

How do you build your team?

Association Paralysis

Today I heard a very interesting term used to describe a very large association that had basically become so comfortable that it was suffering from association paralysis.

This apparently occurs when an association, non-profit, or professional society is engaged in an industry that is insulated from the cruelties of the world and begins to become so comfortable with itself that it no longer becomes innovative. How unique? I never imagined this was even possible but the more I thought about it the more it made sense to me. So after several hours of pondering this phenomenon I began to think of ways for an organization to break free from this stifling state of being.

Five ways to avoid association paralysis:

1. Hold an impromptu conference call with your board and have each member submit one issue that they are dealing with today. Write them down, circulate them among staff and leadership and have a down and dirty strategy session to see if any are worth exploring.

2. An easy one but it has to be on the list - explore the social ocean and make sure you're not missing your audience as the Tweet, join a group on Facebook, or find another way to obtain the information you're not providing. If you are, check out http://www.socialfish.org/ and take some time to learn how to make social media work for you. Please tell Maddie and Lindy I said hello.

3. Host a brainstorming session with your staff, leadership, or whoever you can find to provide you with some insight as to what you are and aren't doing. As in life, we often neglect to self analyze and overlook what we should be paying close attention to.

4. Dig up the last 3 years worth of strategic plans or marketing plans. Guaranteed there's something there that could be worked on.

5. Take an hour or two to explore an entirely different industry and see what you can learn and what can be applied to your own group.

And all while driving home from work.