Suzan Bond

Honesty was on my mind a few weeks ago. It stuck with me. Turning it back on myself I realize there's a confession I should make. Now, I'm not Catholic so I've never really done this before. Bear with me.

The thing is…

I'm an idealist. One of the things that drives me the most is impact. Empowering people is a huge part of my life. I'm an idealist that wears a business blanket around her. I love making people and organizations more effective, happier and just better people. Or groups of people. I love taking this mushy stuff like intuition, empowerment, learning and making it tangible and accessible so that things happen.

You know, strong companies, more effective people. All that stuff that lives in the real world. 

My end game? Results. I am driven by tangible things like deadlines, results, impact and anything you can count. I just start with a bit of good old fashioned idealism.

Now the confession starts to get really good
Somewhere between worrying about makin' the donuts and paying those bills there was a time when I lost a little of that part of myself. Not "I'm gonna die in the jungle lost." Just enough to make me a wee bit well, less me. And I believe we're all our most effective when we're truly ourselves. It's actually ironic given one of my favorite quotes:

If you ask me what I came here to do I will tell you. I came to live out loud.

                                                                                                              Emile Zola

The slow leaking away of this part of myself wasn't obvious for a while. Over time I just became a bit stiff. And unlike myself. I started focusing only on results–not the way to get there. Misalignment starting showing up in my life at times. Things got harder and just didn't seem to work as well as they had before.

Why did I lose it? There are the usual suspects but the biggest reason is that I focused on the wrong goal. I had this idea that my main goal in life was to make money and pay my bills. Yes, those are realities. But focusing on them for me were akin to being on a hamster wheel where the object became keeping that cycle going. It was a gradual slipping away and a gradual awakening. Then there was a day when I just decided it was time to change my focus. I chose a deeper, more sustainable goal. That focus? To be myself. Idealist and all.

Allowing my natural preferences and my vision to guide me actually helped me find better opportunities are truly aligned with who I am. It's also given me much more stability in the good old financial department. Huh. Fancy that.

We all lose our way sometimes

There's lots of pressure around results and that sometimes means we drop a little part of ourselves along the results highway. We forget that it's actually one of the fastest ways to results.

I see startups do this all the time as they grasp for their early clients. Growing companies can fall into this trap as they seek to keep the ground they've gained. As a CEO of a scrappy little startup it can be easy to get caught up in all those darn logistics and lose sight of your vision. For me, finding my way back wasn't like waking up on pile of soft pillows and I had to make some real choices but once I got there it felt amazing. To live any other way is well, just kind of crazy.

So tell me.

What part of yourself or your company have you dropped off on the side of the results highway? 

And how will you pick it back up?

Resolutions became extinct for me a number of years ago. I got tired of laying out sky high goals in a NYE champagne induced fever. That never worked out. Shocked right? Instead I started doing a Theme for the year. This set my intention and focused me without setting unattainable resolutions that only served to make me feel worse about myself when I didn’t reach them.

Please understand. I’m not criticizing you if you make resolutions. I know they work for some people. It’s just that through my work as an Org/Biz Strategist and Executive Coach I’ve spent a lot of time helping people create intentions and set goals. I’ve watched lots (I mean crowds) of people fail at this. In order to reach your goals you need to follow the SMART rule: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-boxed. This is when resolutions are most effective. But what if you want to create a more encompassing transformation? This is where setting a Theme (or Word) for the year works far better.

How does setting a Theme work?

I think back about the previous year–what I’ve transformed and what I’m still longing for. I then come up with a few words that articulate the transformation I’m looking for in the coming year. Usually I start with a couple and then one emerges as the clear winner. Let me give you some examples to illustrate this a bit better. Here are a few of the words I chose for the past year.

2005: Money (self-explanatory)

2oo6: Grown-up (also pretty explanatory)

2007: Love (self and otherwise)

2008: Focus (how I used my energy, thoughts & time)

2009: Freedom

2010: Align

Photo Note: The sign in the photo was made by a dear friend who wanted to give me a reminder of my align theme last year. I highly recommend reminders of the visual and other sort.

Doing a Theme for the year has allowed me to create amazing experiences and growth. When I look back at each year I am amazing and all the transformation. It feels good.

Repeat after me. Themes, not Resolutions. Ready, Set…Transform!

Boundaries are very good things. They delineate what’s ok and what isn’t. I always like to say that everyone (adults, children, dogs) needs boundaries. It lets them know where the line is for what’s acceptable. It makes them feel safe. And in some cases, actually makes them safe.

In my work I see many companies with organizational and/or business issues where the lack of strong, articulated boundaries were the culprit. In some cases they didn’t have enough business experience to know what kind to set. In other cases, they had boundaries they wanted to set but didn’t for fear of losing clients or valued staff. Or worse? They set boundaries but then didn’t enforce them. This eroded their credibility and built distrust because others didn’t know what to expect of them. This = not good. The founders became frustrated. Left to the whims of others. And? The business was less profitable.

An epic fail.

When Boundaries are Bad
I’m having a hard time coming up with a time when at least some basic boundaries aren’t good. One of my friends, thinks that not all boundaries are good. Especially in extreme sports.

I think what he’s actually talking about are limits. These, I think, are different than boundaries. You set limits for yourself but boundaries for others. When I’ve been in extreme situations I still have limits. For example, on my first hike up two 14ers in a day my limits were mostly around altitude issues.

If my lungs rattled, down I went.

If I started getting sick to my stomach, it meant stop.

Getting a little frustrated or scared meant I still continued forward. That’s how I got to the top of the mountains safely. I saw some people coming down the mountain who were just wrecked. They either didn’t have limits or, had pushed way past them. I kept thinking we might see a Medevac on the mountain. Not good. Note: The fabulous jumpers in the photo are my friends Betsy Doughty and Emma Nicoletti participating in the Warrior Dash, an extreme running/obstacle course event. Their limit was sticking together through the entire course. They did and both came through the course with their well-being intact.

Although these examples are from the sporting world, it applies to the professional as well. An example is having a limit around how much money and time you’re willing to pump into your business as a new entrepreneur. As I mused on this topic there was a pretty furious volley going on about boundaries on Twitter. Here are some of the juicy tidbits:

@iamkendal: …one area of life tends to reflect others. Even in the extreme sports context, there’s more going on.

@heizusan: I keep my boundaries very broad, but iron-clad steel. You get lots of wiggle room, but 0 tolerance for “leaving the premises”.

@campsteve: People who say they don’t have boundaries don’t know themselves.

I agree with @campsteve’s comment. And? It’s also true about limits. You have to know yourself. Know what’s ok. And…what’s not. To know that you actually have needs that need to be respected in your business, your relationships and with yourself.

If you don’t have boundaries and limits you’ll get hurt in life–metaphorically and literally. The lack of the them can breed frustration and conflict with others if they’re not well set AND articulated.  Pretending you don’t have boundaries or repeatedly ignoring them will raise your cortisol levels. Otherwise known as the stress hormone, elevated levels of cortisol are associated with a weakened immune system, impaired brain function among other yucky stuff you don’t want.

Save yourself from inner and outer conflict and just set some boundaries and limits. Your business will thank you. Your friends, family and colleagues will thank you. Your soul will thank you.

The Equation

Being an engineer, my dad’s pretty much a math genius so even though I’m not I like to express things in terms of equations. So for the math nerds out there here it is:

Boundaries = well-articulated external rules for others

Limits = clear internal rules for yourself

Boundaries + Limits = a well-articulated business and life that supports you. And that = happiness in my book. Without boundaries and limits, life is just a roll of the die.

What kind of boundaries do you have?

What limits do you set for yourself?

Ok, ok. I know for most of you it’s not Monday. Even though it’s Tuesday I’m posting this because I was away in Santa Fe this weekend and just got back yesterday so today is my Monday.  On to the stuff I found interesting this week…

Chris Brogan: Not Time Management
Why: This is actually a vlog post. I included it because he makes a simple but really important point about the biggest key to managing our time.

Reuters: If Women are Good at Running Businesses Why Does it Take Them Longer to Start One?
Why: As a female entrepreneur I’m always fascinated with this topic. And? It points out how the “system” can adjust to suit potential entrepreneurs just a tad outside the traditional profile.

New York Times: But Will it Make You Happy?
Why: Happiness is always a fun topic. It also talks indirectly about a topic I’m very interested in: simplicity vs. minimalism.

Home Grown: Earthship Biotecture
Why: This weekend I had the opportunity to visit the original Earthship community just outside of Taos. When I was going to get my PhD I studied environmental risks and community response to it so sustainability is a topic that’s always close to my heart. The photos below are of completed and still in the works Earthships.

It’s investor day today for TechStars companies. The latest crop of companies from this mentorship-driven seed stage investment program was impressive. That’s Josh Fraser introducing Adstruc who have a pretty brilliant idea that’s sure to have an impact in the outdoor ad industry. Some of the founders for those companies are from Boulder (like Spot Influence) while others came here specifically for the TechStars program (such as Adstruc who are from New York–a billboard & advertising mecca. Which of course, is a natural fit for their company). 

Under30CEO.com just came out with the results for their survey on the best cities for young entrepreneurs. The list included the usual suspects that appear on many “best of” lists.  Chicago, Seattle, New York and the like. While some of the choices are dead on I disagree with some of their choices. And, more importantly. Their methodology.  This got me to thinking about how to choose a city for your startup.

Choose Your Criteria Wisely

The criteria they include on this survey include: resources available, schools, social atmosphere, weather and networking opportunities. While these are good things to think about there are some other things they’re missing. For example: What is the climate like for entrepreneurial ventures? What is the city known for industry-wise?  They’re also missing the boat on what’s going to make an new entrepreneur successful.

Let’s take my former hometown as an example. Chicago may be a very large city with lots of fun things to do. I know. I lived there for 12 years. Is Michigan Avenue with its expensive stores really going to be a draw for a debt-ladden/low or no income entrepreneur? Are they going to be lounging on the shores of Lake Michigan? Somehow I doubt it. This is probably good information for say an under 30 professional but less so for someone who’s running and gunning to get a new business off the ground.

Yes, But What Kind of Startup?

The kind of business you want to start is key in making the “What city should I start my company in?” decision. Let’s go back to the previous example. Chicago is well suited for professionals who like large companies–in fact many have their headquarters there including Kraft, Boeing, Sears and the like. The biggies there are financial services, management consulting and pharma. Now if your startup directly serves those industries by all means–go there. Starting a professional services firm? Yes. A technology startup? Not so much. There just isn’t a large community there for it.  Deanna and Brett, former Chicagoans moved to Boulder to go through the TechStars program with Rent Monitor. And they’re staying.

For the tech startup world I’m gonna go with the Bay area (natch), Austin or my current hometown of Boulder.  Why? They’re magnets for some of the best technical minds in the our country.  You’re more likely to find people with money to spend on these ventures there.  And? They all have great indicators for quality of life: easy access to the outdoors, good weather and a high concentration of smart, educated folks. From the 2010 TechStar class, Boulder’s own RoundPegg is a good example of a company that’s a good fit with a city with a high concentration of tech talent AND all the amenities that attracts good talent.

So…

One size really doesn’t fit all when it comes to making a huge decision like deciding where to found a startup venture. A big city isn’t necessarily better than a small one. Bars, beaches and boutiques probably shouldn’t be a big part of the decision making criteria for an entrepreneur. In order to be truly useful you need to identify the right criteria to get the most pertinent information.

Other things entrepreneurs need to consider in selecting a city:

• Amount of entrepreneurs in the area. (indicates support you may receive from other entrepreneurs and the community)

• Access to venture capital, angel investors and other funding options.

• The presence of incubators and mentorship-driven seed programs like TechStars.

• Where your co-founder is located and wants to be located. (because co-located teams can be difficult in the early stages)

And one that is hard to quantify but incredibly important: Does it feel like a city that I can thrive in?

What do you think makes a city a good choice for an entrepreneur?

Hiring and job hunting are some of the most stressful and time-consuming business activities.  They’re also some of the most critical for success for a business–especially during the startup and growth phases. And, for an individual. The hiring process can sometimes seem like a magical black box. And, you can’t always count on that magic box giving you an accurate or reliable answer. This is equally frustrating for companies as well as for the job seekers looking to work in them.  This frustration translates into hard dollars and cents. It’s estimated that it can cost 2 – 5 times the annual salary for just one new hire. That’s a whole lot of money. And time. The costs are just as high emotionally and financially for the employee. This, is not a trivial problem.

Given this, I was excited to learn about Roundpegg, a Boulder based company that provides web-based tools that help predict the cultural fit of a potential employee and employer.  I like to describe the company as where science meets culture. Which, results in better hiring. This is good news all around.  Roundpegg aims to change the paradigm on hiring making it much more neutral and objective than the traditional model. The traditional model of hiring is highly subjective and isn’t typically well-articulated or consistent. The traditional model can also favor the company over job applicants—especially in situations like our current tight job market.  This neutral, scientific model democratizes the selection process allowing both sides of the equation to take an objective look at whether it’s truly a match or not.  It takes a squishy, intangible seeming concept like culuture and makes it, well, tangible.

The other thing I really like about what Roundpegg is doing is that they’re taking the edge out of hiring. There’s not a good or bad here. It’s about whether an individual and a company are a cultural match. This is inherently empowering for individuals.  And, for hiring managers and companies. There’s no need to try to stuff a round peg into that proverbial square hole. (Super clever branding by the way that fits their product well.)

Using a more objective approach also creates more ease in the selection process for both the job seeker and a hiring company. Once you have clarity on the parameters relevant to success for the individual or company, the talent search becomes markedly easier. No more trying to making things fit—like when you try to squeeze yourself into a pair of pants that are way too small.  Or, ones that are designed for a completely different kind of body type so there’s a major misalignment. It fits or it doesn’t. Plain. and. Simple.

Using a scientifically-based model takes the guesswork out of hiring from a cultural perspective. It removes the nerves on both sides of the partnership wondering whether this marriage will work. No more finger crossing hoping you guessed right. No more gaming the system. Searches become easier, more efficient, more accurate and potentially quicker. This is a good thing for both businesses as well as the talent.

It means we can get back to doing the work more quickly. Ultimately, that’s a good thing for everyone.

You’ve been pegged right?

If you haven’t been pegged yet (as the kids call it)–do it today. Even if you’re not looking for a job thisminute–it’s good to know what kind of culture, team and communication style works best for you. The best part? You can get pegged for free.

OK–go do it. I’ll wait. And, I want a hear what you learned about what you need in a culture.

(By the way, I don’t work for the company nor do I get a kick-back of any sort for this post. I just happen to be an admirer who likes to spread the word about cool things companies are up to–especially in my field.)

I’ve recently been at a number of large events–the first one being Ignite Boulder which was held at Chautauqua Auditorium. I recently attended  Word Camp Boulder which was held at the Boulder Theatre. Both were held in large venues that attract crowds. This made them great places for people watching. Given my work in executive coaching and organizational strategy, observing (and commenting on) human behavior is one of my favorite past times.  Since both events are pretty crowded there was a scramble for seats. That scramble got me to thinking about how where sit translates to how we act in group settings.

Most people have patterns. While it may seem so to the outside observer, we generally act fairly rationally and consistently.  There are reasons why we act the way we do and in the case of my above example, why we sit where we do. The more I thought out this phenomena, the more I saw correlations to how people behave in companies. There are generally 3 types of business behavior I’ve observed.

You’ve got those people who like to sit right in front. Be it the front row or even a couple of rows back, these are the Enthusiastics. They come to the event to listen, take part and generally take the whole thing pretty seriously. They tend to get there early and stay late. In companies, Enthusiastics are the dedicated employees. The ones who come early and stay late. They ask good questions and strive to use all of their skills. These are the ones who really want to be an active part of the company and be a part of the solution. These are the kind of folks you want in your boat–they’ll row along with you.

Then you’ve got your folks who like to sit smack in the middle of the auditorium. They tend to come right on time or maybe just a smidge late. They like the safety of being lost in the crowd. These are your Middlings. They like to be anonymous. They’ll show up, listen and generally use their knowledge to be a productive part of the team. They’re the ones who will put in a good effort but may not be your stars. Having your business succeed is important to them but it’s not likely the top priority in their life. They may have other projects on the side or have a really full personal life. Having these folks on your boat means they’ll show up and get the job without alot of work or effort required on your part.

Finally you’ve got those who like to sit at the back of the bus. They come in late and generally like to leave early. They’re the rowdy ones who heckle you. You’ll rarely seem taking the lead. These people are your Disturbers. They’re distracted and…they can be distracting to others. They seem to be there to have fun, to criticize or some other reason that’s not often productive or connected to the main event. They might not add much value.  Or, they might add great value in fits and starts but can also be a disturbing force if not channeled well. Having these folks on your boat can be very dangerous if you have too many of them AND if they’re not managed properly. Their lack of effective effort and tendency to be back-seat drivers can just tip the boat over if you’re not careful.

I’m no Pollyana. So let’s not pretend that you’re only going to have a boat full of Enthusiastics and Middlings. There are always going to be Disturbers. And, some Disturbers can actually be effective in the right context and if managed in the right way. So why do Disturbers act that way?

1. Because they don’t really want to be there.

2. Because they can.

3. Because they’re bored.

If your Disturbers are acting from #1–the answer is simple. Figure out a way to move them along to where they really want to be–stat. This can be to  a new position in your company or–outside of it.If your Disturbers are acting this way because you allow them too (#2) then you need to set boundaries and work with them to see if they don’t want to be there (get rid of them) or whether they’re really just bored (#3). For Disturbers who are bored, work with them. People who are bored often have great untapped reserves of talents that aren’t being used. Talk with them. Find out what they think needs to happen and how they can become a part of the solution. If you do this well you may actually be able to transform a Disturber into an Enthusiastic.

You will likely have a mix of all 3 types of employee behavior in your business. In a large business, the Disturbers may not matter much due to sheer size–as long as they’re not in positions of influence. However, in a start-up or growing business, their negative influence can be disastrous.  Given the potentially destructive force of Disturbers, that’s why we focused on them in this post. There are things you can do to enhance the performance of the others–but that’s a whole different conversation.

We all have the capacity to any of these 3 types–as an employee or even when we’re in a leadership position.

So, what type are you?

Have you ever been a Disturber? If so, why?

As a leader, how do you handle Disturbers?

What do you do about the Middlings?

p.s. In case you’re wondering…I’m an Enthusiast.

I had a client who decided to make a good sized change in their business model. One of the keys to this decision (which was a good one by the way) was the use of disruptive forces. In their case, the disruptive forces included bringing in outside perspectives. This was in large part what helped them to get clear about their core competency. They got a bit uncomfortable. They disrupted their usual way of thinking.  And viola. The right solution came to them. Pretty easily by the way. Having to reinvent yourself is common–especially in the startup and growth phases of business. Twitter got its start out of a need to reinvent and in their case–do things radically differently. If you don’t know the story of how this innovative, disruptive company came to be, you can read their story here. On a side note, it’s also an interesting case of building a disruptive technology in stealth mode. Who knew you could change the way the world communicates in 140 characters?

Want to have more business? Be more profitable? Create an innovative disruptive technology in your industry? Get out of your comfort zone. Feeling uncomfortable isn’t well–comfortable. But it is sometimes necessary to help you get out of the ruts you’ve developed by habit. And sometimes, changing the standard operating procedure is just what’s needed. Here a few ways to disrupt your thinking:

- Read about innovations in other fields.
- Do a daily task in a very different way than normal.
- Ask for an outsiders opinion. Strangers or those outside your field can often provide surprising & new solutions.
- Work with different people on a project than you normally would.
- Spend time in a completely different environment. (for example, watch children play if you’re normally in an office all day)

If all else fails–stand on your head. That’ll make the world look different.

What are your favorite ways to disrupt your thinking?

And do tell me how things have changed once you disrupted your usual way of thinking and acting. Blog-perators are standing by...

I was fortunate to get some time to talk with Jason Mendelson, one of Foundry’s managing Directors. Foundry Group is a Boulder based venture capital firm which invests in entrepreneurs across the country to help them turn great ideas into sustainable businesses which define and lead markets.  Recent investments include Trada which aims to revolutionize search marketing through crowd sourcing and SendGrid which utilizes a cloud based email platform that makes transactional email delivery easier for companies.

The focus of our time together was on managing the growth phase of a company, which I like to call the teenage phase of business. Here’s what he had to say.

Once you’ve invested, how far into the life cycle of the business do you go?

All the way through.  However, the roles change over time. In the beginning I focus on the product and building out the management team. Once the product is well developed, I focus on making sure the team is functional and milestones are being met.  In this phase of business I become somewhat of an armchair psychologist. Sometimes.

What is the biggest mistake you see companies make in the growth stage?

Hiring sales people too early. If your CEO can’t credibly sell—you don’t have something to sell. Also in the sales realm, companies can have too much business development but not enough sales.  Meaning—they have lots in the pipeline but they’re not closing enough. From a sales perspective, a business needs to differentiate its audience and determine the top few prospects that are most likely to buy and knock them down. Then go after the next set of prospects likely to buy.

What are other common mistakes you often see?

Holding on to the wrong employees too long. Businesses often need to change out people faster. It’s like love. If you fall out of love, the chance of falling back in love are minimal. So it’s likely you won’t get that love back.  Holding on to people like this can be damaging to the rest of the staff and weigh on morale.

How do you know when it’s time to let someone go? What are the parameters you use?

It’s never easy to do and even less able to determine the right course of action before it’s obvious, but there are a couple of filters that I use.  First, if the person becomes unenthusiastic or disconnected from the business, that is usually a sign of something greater.  Also, if the team around a person becomes dysfunctional, that is also a telling sign.  Changes in behavior, performance issues, etc., are all early signs.  I wouldn’t suggest any of these leading to an instant termination.  Everyone deserves a transparent and open conversation, but it’s rare that you lose confidence in a person and they gain it back.

Which company gets the growth phase right?

Rally Software.  Tim Miller and Ryan Martens have a well functioning team, a great product, they understand their customers and the sales cycle and are willing to make the hard choices. They’re the gold standard.

The transition from a startup to a well-functioning growing business can be tricky. Hence, why I call it the “teenage” phase of business. Some are conscious about the growth of the business, know their worth and adjust accordingly. A good example of this is social media Chris Brogan who wrote an excellent behind-the-scenes post about it called Redrawing.

I see many other businesses who struggle with how to scale their business–especially when it comes to serving clients and adjusting their services or products. It’s a familiar story I hear from founders all the time. An entrepreneur starts a business. Because they’re just starting out they take every client they can get. Typical of this phase of business. Fast forward a couple of years. They’ve been relatively successful and have a steady list of clients. Now comes the tricky part. They’re still acting as if they’re brand new to business. They’re reluctant to raise prices. They continue to act on the whims of their clients rather than setting up a relationship that works for them as well.

Bottom line: They don’t want to demand too much from their current clients. They’re afraid they’re going to scare away that steady cadre of business.

The Transition From Startup to Growing Business Can Be Tough

This is a common problem for businesses that are past the startup phase and moving into (or further into) the growth phase of business. While their skills and ability provide quality services or products has evolved, their beliefs haven’t. The white knuckle mindset (as I like to call it) will actually cause a business to stagnate.  Or worse, the business holds on for dear life to their customers and existing standard operating procedures–white knuckling it all the way into decline. Business is not only about the tangible things like pricing, marketing, product development and feature sets.

It’s also a mental game. You have to know what you’re worth–and ask for it. If you don’t, you’ll miss growth opportunities. You’ll set your prices to low or allow the client to negotiate the price. You might give away too much for free. You’ll run all over town (or the online equivalent) trying to meet unrealistic demands of clients that serve their needs but not yours.  You’ll be resentful or frustrated. Profits will stay the same–for years. Worst case scenario–you’ll go belly up.

Do the other things matter for a company in the growth phase? Absolutely.  But if your business mindset ain’t right–it doesn’t matter what else you do in the business.

So how do you get your mind set for success?

Step1: Know the strength of the business. Figure out what sets you apart (this is also known as differentiation).

Step 2: Plant your flag there. Read: believe in your business. (And yourself)

Step 3: Know what you’re worth.

Step 4: Ask for it.