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January 2003 Flash Points

  • Too Much Information
  • Do you sense that 'old Sillicon Valley optimism' in your industry or town? What evidence is there of booming startups near you?
  • Find out if there any 'support groups for startup addicts' in your area. If so, attend a meeting. If not. have your COF group design one. Who would you target and what would the meetings be like?
  • What luxuries has your business given up and what buzzwords dominate your office? Is 'Sillicon Valley with humility' for real?
  • If private info ultimately trumps public info, does that give unfair access to a select group? How might you reconcile this?
  • FastTalk
  • Discuss general 'turnaround' strategies and the various components of them. What tweaks can you add specific to your industry? How can you innovate through 'your customer's eyes?'
  • Richard Syron banks on clarity and luck. You can't do much about the latter, what can you do for the former? Is there a clear relationship between the two, or is luck always haphazard?
  • Think of the education centers we consider to be 'institutions.' What does it take to achieve that status? Is it prestige, longevity, innovation? Discuss the major learning center in your city and find out what its doing to increase/maintain its status in academia.
  • Keith Blackwell had the unique situation of sueing Microsoft--someone he was dependent on. Have you ever been in a tense situation with client, whether it be a lawsuit, strong disagreement, etc? Did you stick with them? Was the end result worth it?
  • Find examples of the people on the front lines being your enemy and being your ally.
  • Power
  • Is there inherent value of acting like an SOB? Survey the management types in your group and discuss their supervising strategies. How do they deal with conflict?
  • Do you agree that 'envy is the principal reason why men don't get along with women?' Is the rift closing in or getting wider? What other factors might exist?

Daniel Richards contributed this month's Flash Points.

January 2003 Connexus | Flash Points | Next Steps

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