In my experience working with clients and business coaching, I find they usually know what they want. The big three are:

Whilst these are all desirable things for any business, we risk failing when we pursue them for the wrong reason.

If all we’re trying to do is fix a current problem our interest, motivation and efforts will be short-lived. We might solve our problem in the short term and it’s more than likely to come back sometime soon after. For business coaching, this is a big fail.

A classic example of this is the boom and bust cycle of small businesses. We go on a marketing drive to attract new clients, get really busy servicing them and then look up one day to find all the work has dried up. Then we repeat the process. Drought, flood, drought…

The solution is not to fix our problems; it’s to transform them so they no longer happen.

An important reference for this idea comes from the book The Three Laws of Performance by Dave Logan and Steve Zaffron – which we did a book summary of as Frog Power at Book Rapper.

In Episode 96 of the Ideas Architect Podcast, we have the fourth chapter and second of the seven rules from my book Project Passion.

Some of the things you will learn from this episode include:

Project Passion Book Introduction

Project Passion Introduction Part 2

3 Project Passion #3 How not to Plan Your Project

Seven Rules of Project Passion

Project Passion

Wes Towers is the principal of Omnific Design, a website design and development company based in Melbourne, Australia. They love to work with underperforming existing websites to improve their ability to generate leads and boost sales.

In Episode 95 of the Ideas Architect Podcast we talk with Wes Towers about five website trends for 2017.

Previously, on our podcast we spoke to Wes about Website Marketing. Today, we’re talking with Wes about five website trends for 2017.

As part of Omnific Design’s website services, they offer a free website review. This has allowed Wes to review hundreds of sites and it’s this experience that has shaped his recognition of these five website trends.

Some of the things you will learn from this episode:

Wes Towers: The New Rules of Website Marketing

Jon Yeo is an Executive Speaking Coach who has worked with over a thousand people to communicate a more powerful and influential message.

He is the curator and license holder of TEDx Melbourne, which has created some of the best speaker based events in Australia. At the 2016 event around 1500 people attended.

Jon is also a former President of the Professional Speakers Association for the state of Victoria, plus a past National President.

Further, Jon is also an accomplished presenter who has on the international stage, consulted with multi-national corporations and has been featured in a wide range of well-known media outlets.

This is our second interview with Jon. Previously we spoke with him about turning your passion into a profitable purpose.

In Episode 94 of the Ideas Architect Podcast, we talk with Jon Yeo about speaking, the speaking industry and how to communicate like a TEDx speaker.

Some of the things you will learn from this episode:

Jon Yeo – Turn Your Passion into a Profitable Purpose

http://www.saguity.com/events-tedx/

The traditional message about how to plan your project is flawed.

You’ve probably heard the old adage: to fail to plan is to plan to fail. And, if you only plan you will also fail.

We are told to plan our project by only focusing on what we have to do. Typically we write down all the tasks we need to complete. And ideally, in the order, they need to be completed. This is crucial. We need to know what to do to win our projects. And, it’s not enough.

To plan to fail is to plan to fail. And, only planning will also fail – You need project design.

It’s not enough because the major reason that we fail to finish our projects is not how we plan your project. It’s a lack of motivation. We run out of puff, we get distracted and we lose focus.

Planning is not enough. Instead, we also need design. In particular, we need to design and embed our motivation into our project plan. To plan your project you need to include your motivation, your passion and your inspiration.

It’s not enough to merely hope that the excitement you being your project will continue from start to finish. And, likewise, you can’t rely on your willpower and discipline to pick up the slack when the inevitable obstacles appear.

In Episode 93 of the Ideas Architect Podcast we have the third chapter and first of the seven rules from my book Project Done.

Some of the things you will learn from this episode:

Project Passion focuses on how to bring your ideas to life. But how do you do that? If only it was as easy as going to Mcdonald’s and putting in an order… This would guarantee a quick response and only cost a few bucks. Plus you’d know exactly what you are getting regardless of where you shop.

Unfortunately, birthing our ideas is a less predictable process. We don’t know how long it will take, how much it will cost and often even how to make it all happen.

One thing is certain though. If we simply stick to our same old same old way of doing things it isn’t going to happen. More of the usual stuff is not going to bring about anything new and interesting.

Instead, we need to create a project – with a distinct focus to bring it to life.

Projects have a distinct structure. They usually have a specific start and end date, plus a particular result that you want to achieve.

There are two types of work and only one them is for innovation.

Today, in Episode 92 of the Ideas Architect Podcast we have the second chapter and part two of the introduction from my book Project Passion. It’s all about how to bring your ideas to life.

Some of the things you will learn:

Whilst I read a lot of books, I’m also writing them too. I’ve already written and published six books and I’m currently writing a new one around Project Passion.

Project Passion is our Group Coaching Program. It’s all about how do you bring your ideas to life, get more done and finish your projects.

It’s based on the idea that the major reason our projects fail is a lack of motivation. And, in most Project Planning frameworks this is almost completely missing.

Instead, we shift the focus to Project Design and include your motivation, your habits, your social situation and your environment to give you the best possible chance of success.

My new book Project Passion follows the structure we shared in our recent webinar recording: The Seven Rules of Project Passion. We presented this as episode 90 of the Ideas Architect Podcast.

[Tweet “Here’s the introduction to my new book Project Passion #passion #projects #podcast”]

Seven Rules of Project Passion

Today, in Episode 91 of the Ideas Architect Podcast we have the first chapter or the introduction from my book. It’s all about how the cost of not finishing things and what to do instead.

Some of the things you will learn:

What are the Best Books 2016? I love learning. And, I love to learn by reading books. Each year I aim to read 50 books – that’s one book each week. And, I’m pleased to say this year I made it!

Through Book Rapper, I am known for my book nerd qualities and often people ask me to suggest something for them to read.

To make this easier for you and me, I’ve compiled a list of all the books that I’ve read this year – Best Books 2016.

Plus, I’ve put a comment next to each one in our ebook: Book of the Year 2016.

The ebook shares all 50 books I’ve read, plus a Top Ten and a Book of the Year

In this podcast episode, we’re simply sharing our Top Ten Best Books 2016.

I read a little randomly. I tend to simply pick books that spark my interest. They’re all non-fiction books and most are business-related. Some are best-sellers, some not. Some are hot off the presses, whilst most are older. And others I simply enjoy (of course, some I don’t but they’re not on this list).

To make our list the book had to have two qualities:

Our Top Ten Best Books 2016 include:

Project Passion is all about the big ideas we have every now and then. But, most of them are wasted because we do nothing about them or we fail to finish building them.

This can cost us time, money, effort, reputation and the difference we could be making. Plus, there is an emotional cost. In the short term, this can dampen our enthusiasm and confidence. And, in the longer term, we can rue our missed opportunities.

I know this feeling well because over the years I’ve failed badly in finishing my projects. Whilst I’ve written and published six books – which is pretty spectacular – I’ve also failed to finish more than 25 other books that I’ve started.

In this episode of the Ideas Architect Podcast (#89), Geoff McDonald will be sharing his Seven Rules to Bring Your Ideas to Life. These are the rules that underpin the coaching program Project Passion and the soon to be released book of the same name.

Seven rules for getting more done and bringing your ideas to life #projectpassion

This podcast episode is an edited version of our recent webinar. In it we cover:

Andrew Melville is an Auckland based communications expert. He is a master storyteller and facilitator who has worked as a journalist, radio broadcaster, University lecturer and community leader. His life’s work has been all about bringing people together through clear communication, stories and working with the specific and unique aspects of culture.

In this episode of the Ideas Architect Podcast, we talk with Andrew about his new book: The Weave – The Surprising Unity in Difference.

We start with the role of weaving across cultures including the Hindu, Maori and Balinese. This leads us to explore the power of metaphor as a way to explain life and the universe. Through his deep knowledge and wisdom Andrew takes us on a journey from Aristotle through his unique direct experience with both European and Maori cultures in New Zealand.

Andrew shares his thoughts on the importance of balancing the rights and needs of both the individual and the groups we belong to. This includes creating a powerful vision for personal use, in organisations and in community groups. And, how we can use stories to bring people together and connect to our vision, our values and the things we are committed to.

We also consider the role of leaders and the challenge of making complex things more tangible. Andrew makes some interesting observations about the impact on government from relying on a popular vote versus consensus and our adversary based political systems.

This is a compelling conversation that tackles some of the big issues of our time and presents a simple way forward through the use of the metaphor of ‘the weave’. Andrew also talks about the importance of story through history and how this is morphing and changing as we adopt new technology.

Transparency: Andrew commissioned me to work with him to help create his book, including the design and layout.

Ailsa Page marketing expert for small businesses helps them find and keep customers. She is the author of The Year I Owned A Wine Shop and The Shoe String Marketing Kit. Also, she has been a judge on the Telstra Women’s Business Awards and is a Certified Speaking Professional with Professional Speakers Australia (PSA).

Ailsa has several decades of hands-on experience running award-winning events such as the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz through to working with education, business, corporate, government and not-for-profit clients.

She also has business qualifications from Melbourne Business School and lecturing experience at Victoria University.

Ailsa shares the big mistake a lot of small businesses make with their marketing – particularly with their online channels.

In this episode of the Ideas Architect podcast, Ailsa talks about the importance of building long-term relationships, building profitable business networks. This reflects her number one marketing lesson: the need to love your customers and your products. And, the ultimate goal of doing business with your friends and people you like.

Ailsa is a passionate Western Bulldogs fan and she discusses some marketing and small business lessons from football.

She also talks about how she wrote her latest book. And, the challenge we all face in promoting ourselves and our own products includes the difference between being in front of your preferred audience and talking about your book with your family. How not to be a tosser! LOL.

Using her two decades of experience, Ailsa talks candidly about her use of social media and asks ‘Should you be doing social media or not?’ and ‘What is your model of business success? Her view is that the corporate version of business success is too narrowly focused on business growth, which may not bring fulfilment for small business people.

She is also a prolific blogger, plays in a band and even wrote her first song recently!