What if I were tell you that today in this country, there are more Latinos in America than Canadians in Canada? What if I were to tell you that the Latino birthrate outpaces the Anglo birthrate by 20-1? (Actually, it’s closer to 25-1.) And what if I told you that for the last few years, the Anglo death rate has been outpacing the Anglo birth rate? (Yep, Anglos are not multiplying fast enough to replace themselves.) Now take all that in, and what if I asked you do you know, literally and figuratively, where your audience is coming from? Or your co-workers, for that matter?Show Notes:* There’s a big difference between Hispanic Marketing and marketing to Hispanics* Hispanic Marketing uses outdated stereotypes and anecdotes to try to explain nuances* Marketing to Hispanics means treating people as people, using data and insights to better serve the Hispanic community* History may not repeat itself, but it certainly does rhyme. — Mark Twain* There are many similarities between emerging communities of today and those of the past* Knowing what binds us all is as important as noticing the differences* America will become a minority/majority country sometime near 2043, but it already has a multicultural mindset* Diversity is more than a demographic. Diversity is a mindset.* Ethnic segments are leading lifestyle trends. We choose to start with the ones who are setting the pace. – Neil Golden, Former CEO, McDonald’sTranscripts: Welcome to Episode 12 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the love/hate world of creativity and marketing.My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, and whether you work in advertising, design, gaming, fine art, commercial art, content creation, whatever it may be, we’re here to talk about Multicultural Marketing.Surprisingly, Multicultural Marketing is something this white kid from Wisconsin actually has quite a bit of experience in, especially Hispanic.Full confession, I hate Hispanic Marketing. That said, I love marketing to Hispanics. Here’s what I mean, Hispanic Marketing is the old, stereotypical way of trying to reach Hispanics. Speak Spanish and stick a soccer ball and an abuela in your messaging and you’re good. Sounds funny to you? Still happens all the time.Marketing to Hispanics, on the other hand, is like marketing to anyone. Dig into the data. Mine the insights. Be relevant. And guess what? That may even mean communicating in English.This may all sound kooky, but the secret sauce ain’t much of a secret: treat people like people.How, you may ask, did I get involved in Multicultural Marketing?Many moons ago, Mike Johnson, at the time the brand manager of Miller Lite, called my friend, mentor and boss, Tom Hansen.You guys are my problem solvers, Mike said, and I have a problem.Sure, Mike, we’re always here to help, Tom said.Well, I’m not happy with the Hispanic resources we’re finding.Tom replied, No problem, Mike, we’re here in Texas, we’d be happy to hook you up with some guys we know who specialize in that.Nah, I’ve got something else in mind, Mike said. I want you to start a new Hispanic agency.Well Mike, we responded, we’re really flattered, but we don’t know Spanish, and even though we live here in Texas, we don’t pretend to be cultural experts. So, thanks so much, but for your sake, we’ve got to say no.Mike stayed silent for a beat. Then another beat. Tom and I looked at one another. We were afraid that we may have pissed off our largest client. Finally, Mike spoke:What if said we’d pay you X?Tom and I looked at one another again.Then we both faced the phone, and in stereo replied… Si’!After we got off the call, shaking my head, I looked at Tom and said, Well, there’s another fine mess you’ve gotten us into.

Let’s focus on focus. Great ideas are bouncing all about. Figuring out which ideas should move forward and how to turn them from the ideal into the real is another matter. Show Notes:* The Sun is a Powerful Source of Energy. Every Hour the Sun Washes the Earth with Billions of Kilowatts of Energy.  Yet with a Hat & Some Sunscreen You Can Bathe in the Light of the Sun for Hours at a Time with Few Ill Effects. A Laser is a Weak Source of Energy.  A Laser Takes a Few Watts of Energy and Focuses Them in a Coherent Stream of Light.  But with a Laser You Can Drill a Hole in a Diamond or Wipe out a Cancer.  – Al Ries, Focus * We Live in the Distraction Economy. – Wegs* Bright shiny objects have overtaken substance* Too often technology distracts us from the task at hand* I Have a Device in my Pocket that Gives Me Instant Access to the Entirety of Human Knowledge. I Use it to Look at Funny Pictures of Cats and Share Pictures of my Breakfast. * There’s a War Between the Urgent and the Important. – Wegs* Long-term needs too often take a backseat to short-term tasks* We’ve got to prioritize what we’re doing* The Two Pizza Maximum* Amazon’s Jeff Bezos won’t allow more people in a meeting than 2 pizzas can feed* Too many people can become a distraction* Breaking the Chains of Keynote* Don’t allow slides to distract from your message* There are alternatives to projected presentations, Amazon has their people prepare memos that the group reads together and discusses* Men Have Become the Tool of Their Tools. – Henry David Thoreau* Said this back in the 1800’s* Technology can’t cover for fundamental human issues* If It Keeps Up. Man Will Atrophy All His Limbs But the Push-Button Finger. – Frank Lloyd Wright * I Would Trade All of My Technology for an Afternoon with Socrates.– Steve Jobs* Technology is amazing, Mankind is even more so* Technology brings ideas to life, but the ideas still have to be good* Study the big ideas and you may just come up with some yourselfTranscripts: Welcome to Episode 11 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the love/hate world of creativity. My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, and whether you work in advertising, design, gaming, fine art, commercial art, content creation, whatever it may be, we’re here to talk about focus today. Yes, we’re going to focus on focus. I’ve always loved this focus quote from Al Ries… The Sun is a Powerful Source of Energy.  Every Hour the Sun Washes the Earth with Billions of Kilowatts of Energy.  Yet with a Hat & Some Sunscreen You Can Bathe in the Light of the Sun for Hours at a Time with Few Ill Effects. A Laser is a Weak Source of Energy.  A Laser Takes a Few Watts of Energy and Focuses Them in a Coherent Stream of Light.  But with a Laser You Can Drill a Hole in a Diamond or Wipe out a Cancer.   That’s the power of focus. However, if you have a business or practice it’s easy to want to do it all. To offer both the high and low end. Have a 20-page menu that takes 30 minutes to read. It’s just too tempting for most people. Classic movie star Mae West said that she could resist anything but temptation. I love that line, but for our purposes, let’s see if we can show a bit more restraint. Because without doubt, focus is the way to go. Yep, focus is an immensely powerful force, yet we live in… The Age of Distraction and —Hey! Look! A Puppy! We Live in the Distraction Economy. — WegsThe Industrial Age gave way to the Information Age, which gave way to the Social Age, which has now given way to the Distraction Age.  From ads to apps, games & gossip to fashion & political cheerleading, there are people dangling shiny bright objects and catchphrases that keep your eyes off the ball and away from what really matters.

Change after change after change. The creative industry is seeing more change and faster every day. If you’re not careful, all this change could leave you behind. The following are some tips on how to stay ahead of the game. Show Notes:* We’re Drowning in Information, While Starving for Wisdom.                       — E.O. Wilson* The world henceforth will be run by synthesizers, people able to put together the right information at the right time, think critically about it, and make important choices wisely. — E.O. Wilson. * Become Friends with People Who Aren’t Your Age. Hang Out with People Whose First Language Isn’t the Same as Yours. Get to Know Someone Who Doesn’t Come from Your Social Class. This is How You See the World. This is How You Grow. — Rotary Club* Diversity is forming the future* It opens your mind* Bake it In, Don’t Bolt it On* Mix in diverse insights and technologies right up front* Failing to do so, will only create a Frankenstein later* Fall Seven Times, Stand Up Eight. — Japanese Proverb* Perseverance is worth more than intelligence* Can’t be afraid to move forward and fail, or you’ll fail for sure* Prepare for Free Agent Nation* The gig economy of Uber and Lyft is overtaking creativity* You may want to create 3-4 revenue streams for yourself* Nothing Is Harder on Your Laurels than Resting on Them* Creativity Requires the Courage to Let Go of Certainties. — Erich Fromm* Be Stupid. — Renzo Rosso, Founder of Diesel Clothing Line* Stay open to life* Dump your assumptions* No One Else Knows What They’re Doing Either. – Ricky Gervais* Relax, we’re all figuring this stuff out* But do be figuring it out!* Courage is the Ladder on which All Other Virtues Mount.           — Clare Boothe Luce* All Progress Depends on the Unreasonable Man.– George Bernard Shaw* a) Original thinking is the coin of the realm* b) It’s what your clients pay for* Here’s to the Crazy Ones… (Full Copy)Transcripts:Welcome to Episode 10 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the love/hate world of creativity. My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, and whether you work in advertising, design, gaming, fine art, commercial art, content creation, whatever it may be, we’re here to talk about how to futureproof yourself. It’s a rapidly changing world out there, and you’ve got to be prepared to ride the waves. So just how exactly can you futureproof yourself. There is no one way, but here are a bunch of ideas that will point you forward. They say that the best way to predict the future is to create it. With so many positions being made obsolete, training yourself in new areas could make the difference between a promotion or a layoff. You may even discover a new career path that you enjoy even more. Become a lifelong learner, because your education doesn’t stop with your degree. As my good friend Arnold Penney used to say in his 90’s, “Here’s the future!” We’re Drowning in Information, While Starving for Wisdom.                                      — E.O. WilsonToo much of a good thing. That’s what today’s abundance of data has become. Too much. In fact, the more we come to know, it seems the less we actually do know. It’s like a book full of random words that fails to tell a story. Then again, it may also be your opportunity: The world henceforth will be run by synthesizers, people able to put together the right information at the right time, think critically about it, and make important choices wisely.  — E.O. Wilson. Bottomline: data without analysis and insights is nice and worthless. Become Friends with People Who Aren’t Your Age. Hang Out with People Whose First Language Isn’t the Same as Yours.

Picking up from Pt1, here are some additional concrete ways to improve how we work together. Show Notes:* Two Ways to Improve to Improve Your Brainstorms* Roundtable* Back-and-Forth* Clients as Collaborators* Creative Tension: In Italy, for thirty years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance.  In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, they had five hundred years of democracy and peace – and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.          – Orson Welles as Harry Lime, The Third Man * Great creative often takes some friction* Great teams respect one another enough to accept this, so they get too sensitive* Don’t Spare Your Darlings* First ideas are rarely your best ideas, let them go* Don’t just put lipstick on a pig, sample what you like about that idea and create something new.* Seek Criticism. Not Praise. – Paul Arden* Overcome your insecurities* You won’t get better if all you seek is temporary validation* Honest Criticism is Hard to Take, Particularly from a Relative, a Friend, an Acquaintance, or a Stranger. — Franklin P. Jones* Criticism vs. Feedback* One comes from a negative place, the other is genuinely aiming to help* Don’t be overly sensitive, don’t be a jerk* Just Because Someone ‘Says What’s On His Mind’, Doesn’t Make it a Good Thing. Drunks Say What’s On Their Mind, Too.* Be honest, but don’t be an ass* Being rude and crude makes it harder to take you seriously* Teddy Roosevelt on the Critic Transcripts: Welcome to Episode 9 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the topsy/turvy world of creativity. My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, and whether you work in advertising, design, gaming, fine art, commercial art, content creation, whatever it may be, we’re back to talk about how to better work together. How to collaborate. On this episode we’ll pick up where we left off last time, taking on some of the issues of collaboration, or the lack of it. And as we promised, we’ll be leading off  with two fresh spins on traditional brainstorming that will take you well beyond wasting those giant Post-its everyone uses these days.RoundtableMore engaging, and with fewer distractions, this modified brainstorm brings out more ideas. And more importantly, leads to better ones.* Combine just enough tables to keep your group shoulder-to-shoulder* Unfurl a roll of butcher block paper* Give everyone something colorful to write & draw with                                    * Big and bold, in the center of the scroll, write out the question to be solved* Start playing music* Each person starts writing down as many ideas as possible* After 5 minutes, stop the music and have everyone take a step to their leftNow things start to really happen…* Start the music again, and now give everyone 2 minutes to build off of their neighbor’s ideas* Repeat these steps until the whole roll of paper is covered in ideas* Use stickers and have everyone dot their 3 favorites* Record the most popular on a wall and discuss* Find potential territories and list related tactics beneath them* Record and distributeAdd your own touches Roundtable. Do what works for you.Back-and-ForthThis method is best used by 2-7 people who should be presented the question at hand 1-2 days before the session.* 5 min: generate ideas individually* 20 min: Get together in the group to share your ideas with each other* 20 min: The best ideas are then developed together by the group through regularbrainstorming* 5 min: After the sharing and development of the best ideas is completed the group separates to further ideate individually for 5 minutes more* During this time, you can either focus on coming up with new ideas or build ...

We’re better together. And together is how we need to work. But it seems like we’ve hit a wall in the creativity we put into our creative development.Show Notes:* None of Us is as Smart as All of Us* Cheaper, Better Faster Must Now Be Cheaper, Betterer and Faster* Clients want it and they’ll get it* How do we move in a more agile way that makes the work just as good or better? (I just felt your sigh. Honest.)* Advertising Hasn’t Seen A Major Innovation in Creative DevelopmentSince Bill Bernbach Brought Together Creative Duos in the ‘Sixties* Forward-think creatives are stuck in a rut when it comes to creative development* Maybe our greatest creative challenge is to get more creative in how we create creative* Bureaucracy Is Sort of Like a Cancer, and It Functions Sorta Like a Cancer. – Charlie Munger, Billionaire Investor and Partner of Warren Buffett* Agencies need to run leaner with more agility* Most agencies are way too top heavy, but the people who choose who to fire, amazingly, don’t fire themselves* Focus…The Sun is a Powerful Source of Energy.  Every Hour the Sun Washes the Earth with Billions of Kilowatts of Energy.  Yet with a Hat & Some Sunscreen You Can Bathe in the Light of the Sun for Hours at a Time with Few Ill Effects.A Laser is a Weak Source of Energy.  A Laser Takes a Few Watts of Energy and Focuses Them in a Coherent Stream of Light.  But with a Laser You Can Drill a Hole in a Diamond or Wipe out a Cancer.  — Al Ries, Focus * 1+1=3* A great collaboration can create exponential results* Together, The Beatles’ Lennon & McCartney are the world’s bestselling songwriting team. Apart, they weren’t nearly as good.* The Difficult We Do Immediately. The Impossible Takes a Little Longer. — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers* It Takes a Lot of Milk to Make Cream* It’s not quality over quantity, it takes quantity to get to a great idea* Too often, we fall in love with our first idea* Brainstorms Don’t Produce Enough Precipitation – Wegs* Either we change the way we do brainstorms, or…* We need new ways to collaborateTranscripts:Welcome to Episode 8 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the love/hate world of creativity.My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, and whether you work in advertising, design, gaming, fine art, commercial art, content creation, whatever it may be, today on Navigating the Fustercluck, we’re here to talk about collaboration. And the underlying principle of collaboration is something I found on the wall of a Potbelly’s Sandwich Shop…                                          None of Us is as Smart as All of Us.The lone wolf may still have its moments, but these days, you have to learn to work together. Collaborate. Co-create. Crowdsource. And whether you’re standing alone or standing together with those who share your particular point of view, knowing how to get people together and ask the right questions is often half the battle in getting to the right answers. Not necessarily your answers. So, when others confront you with proof that doesn’t support your point of view, the real question is: Are you willing to change your mind?Cheaper, Better, FasterIt used to be that clients could expect two out of three of these: Cheaper. Faster. Better. Now they want it all. They want all three. And they’re going to get them. For too long that’s been done by piling more hours on the backs of younger talent. But there’s only so many hours in the day. And people are finally fighting back. Quitting if they’re pushed too far. That means there’s a need for more productivity. Efficiency. New processes and techniques. The creative industry needs to get more creative.Advertising Hasn’t Seen A Major Innovation in Creative Development Since     Bill Bernbach Br...

Communication is key. In working together. In selling ideas. In moving up into leadership. The key is to touch people. People are emotional creatures first, thinking creatures second. Keeping people emotionally invested right off the bat is key. Here are some additional ways to leverage what you got from the previous episode of this podcast.Show Notes:* Rose-Tinted Glasses* The Primacy Effect says people remember best what they hear first* A strong start places a Halo Effect on the rest of what you show* Tell a Great Story with Numbers* Data dumps suck* No eyecharts* Need to know vs nice to know* Wrap numbers up into a story and as the legendary Tom Hansen said, you will become King S*#t of F%#K Mountain* Two Guys at a Bar* Doesn’t matter how large or small your audience is, your presentation ought to feel natural, like two friends at a bar talking* You don’t gain authority by trying to appear and sound like a god on a mountain. Don’t try to sound smart, be smart.* If You Can’t Explain it to a Six-Year-Old, You Don’t Understand it Well Enough. — Albert Einstein* Stop Reading the Telemprompter in Your Head* Enthusiasm trumps perfection* Don’t over-script your talk* You’ll come across as a bad actor, robotic and stiff* No TLA’s!* Jargon is the refuse of the lazy and insecure* Jargon confuses people, stop it* Breaking the Chains of Keynote* Slides are supposed to serve you, don’t be a slave to slides* Beyond slides, there are other ways to get across an idea* People Will Forget What You Said, People Will Forget What You Did, But People Will Never Forget How You Made Them Feel.— Maya Angelou, Poet, Speaker, Activist, MuseTranscripts:Welcome back to the Episode 7 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the love/hate world of creativity.My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, and whether you work in advertising, design, gaming, fine art, commercial art, content creation, whatever it may be, we’re here to talk some more about talking. Presenting. And performing. What it takes to sell in more ideas to colleagues and clients.On this episode, lucky #7, we’ll pick up where we left off last time, knowing that we’ve got to start with the heart before we can plant an idea in someone else’s head.And to do this, it really helps to get off to a great start, so people see you through rose-tinted glasses.Rose-Tinted GlassesThe Primacy Effect says that people best remember what they see first. That’s why first impressions often create a halo-effect. A positive glow that makes everything that follows look even better than it actually is. That’s a big part of why a strong start is so critical. You want your audience to put on their rose-tinted glasses upfront and look forward to the rest of the show. Which is why I always favor presenting your best work first. Now how else do you get off to a great start?Tell a Great Story with NumbersThe best storytellers today know how to weave numbers into their stories. Not dull stats and factoids, but insightful numbers that paint a picture:According to the Dailyinfographic.com, the U.S. uses 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides a year, but only 0.01 percent actually reach their intended targets.The rest end up contaminating our food, air and water.Now if you’re an environmentalist or manufacturer of a cleaner pest control system, those numbers paint a picture. A very vivid picture indeed. Which is why a numbers can be a great way to open your story.Two Guys at a BarWhether you’re speaking with one person or a stadium full of people– minus the profanity– keep things as simple as two guys talking at a bar. And if you’re presenting creative, leave the stage directions to Steven Spielberg. When you’re bellying up,

Communication is key. In working together. In selling ideas. In moving up into leadership. The key is to touch people. People are emotional creatures first, thinking creatures second. Keeping people emotionally invested right off the bat is key.Show Notes:* Great Work Sells Itself as Long as You Don’t Unsell It* Sorry, everything is selling. Internally, externally. Not everyone simply gets it.* Selling is not beneath you.* Get On the Good Foot!– James Brown, The Godfather of Soul, Soul Brother #1, The Man Who Never Left, Mr. Dynamite, The Hardest Working Man in Show Business* Getting off to a good start is half the ballgame.* That’s why I focus on the start. It’s your lift-off.* You’ve Got 5-10 Seconds to Defeat Their Phones* Once upon a time, you had 5-10 minutes before your audience locked in or drifted off, but with phones, not anymore* Every second counts. The clock starts before you even make introductions* Get Out of Intros* They’re awkward speed bumps* Like a Tarantino film, start in the exciting middle of the story and come back to the beginning later* Most of Us Think of Ourselves as Thinking Creatures that Feel, But We Are Actually Feeling Creatures that Think. – Jill Bolte Taylor, Brain Scientist* This is why you start with the heart and move toward the brain* No amount of data will overcome a client’s predispositions unless you make them feel the need for change* Try Not to Vomit* Literally, try not to vomit. It’s memorable in the wrong way.* Don’t vomit out all your thoughts at once, either. No one can keep up with an explosion of words and thoughts that only you inderstand. You may as well be speaking in tongues.* Questionable Tactics* Not shady tactics, tactics that revolve around the power of questions* Questions can get you off to a great start* Light Up Their Brains Like a Christmas Tree* Scientists have placed electrodes on people’s brains to see how they react to questions vs statements* Statements flatline the mind, questions light them up and make people want to not only listen but participate* Storytime* Stories are tools for living* They reflect who we are and inspire who we want to be* Stories are memorable ways to get your point acrossTranscripts:Welcome to Episode 6 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the love/hate world of creativity.My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, and whether you work in advertising, design, gaming, fine art, commercial art, content creation, whatever it may be, we’re here to talk about talking. Yep, Presentation skills. If you’re like most people and hate presenting, remember this: It’s a great opportunity to shine. Star. And succeed.Now when it comes to presentation skills, let’s begin here: Start with the heart and work your way towards the brain…Start with the heart and work your way towards the brain…We’ll expand on that shortly…After 3 episodes focusing on leaders, it’s no coincidence that those who rise up the leadership ranks are almost always your best presenters. They may not be your smartest or your hardest working, yet their communication skills are what it takes to sell. Your agency. Your work. An idea. Hope. Now some simply have the gift of gab. Most, however, paid attention. Learned from the best (and the worst.) Then they put all those things into practice and added a twist or two. There are many ways to be a dynamic speaker. There are only a few miscues that upend most of us.Great Work Sells Itself as Long as You Don’t Unsell ItThere’s nothing sadder in the creative world than great work dying due to poor presentation. What a waste. Of time. And opportunity. The first thing to remember is this: Selling is not a dirty business. At least it doesn’t have to be. Yet many feel that selling is beneath them.

In this, our final installment of our 3-part episode on leadership, we’ll talk a little more on how to relate to people. How to listen to them. How to make sure that you’re all on the same page. We’ll also clear dispel some of the myths of what leadership really is.Show Notes:* Follow the Platinum Rule* The Golden Rule tells you to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.* But not everyone is like you.* Don’t Confuse Obedience for Loyalty* Blindly following orders doesn’t make you loyal* Loyalty is a shared commitment to a set of values and principles, not the everchanging whims of an individual* Don’t Confuse Climate for Culture* Taco Tuesdays and team happy hours don’t really define your culture* How you work together and live out your values are* How Many Leadership Teams Would Survive a Vote of Confidence?* Leaders get to choose you, you don’t get to choose them* Take surveys seriously, don’t just let people slide because they’re nice or you don’t want to make waves* Take the Crap Sandwich Off Your Menu* Two pieces of praise with criticism in-between* Tries to soften the blow* But comes across as less than honest* Welcome the Hard Conversations* No one wants things to come to a boiling point, but you can’t let things faster* Look forward to relieving the uncomfortable awkwardness behind, moving forward to better things* It’s Not a Principle Until It Costs You Money. – Bill Bernbach, On the Mount Rushmore of Advertising if Advertising Had a Mount Rushmore* You Spend the First Fifteen Years of Your Career Trying to Get Into Meetings and the Rest Trying to Get Out of Them. – Tom Goodwin* Meetings tend not to be productive, but they make some people feel important* Prioritize and be productive* Two Pizza Maximum* Too many people in a meeting means too much productivity lost* Shouldn’t have meetings where you need more than 2 pizzas to feed everyone* I’ve Searched All the Parks in All the Cities and Found No Statues of           Committees. – Gilbert K. Chesterton* Collaboration is important* Yet we must respect the individual contributions of peopleTranscripts:Welcome to Episode 5 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the love/hate world of creativity.My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, and whether you work in advertising, design, gaming, fine art, commercial art, content creation…whatever you’re pouring your heart & soul into.In our last 2 episodes we focused on leadership, and man-o-man, I think we struck a nerve. So, let’s keep on keeping on down the leadership track. Because if it’s important to you, it’s important to us.Now, I generally I hate rules. Rules of any kind. But sometimes, rules can be pretty freeing. Here’s one that if you can follow honestly and consistently, and that’s not easy, you’re probably 90% of where you need to be as a leader, and a person, for that matter…Follow the Platinum RuleThe Golden Rule tells you to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. But not everyone is like you. They don’t like everything that you do. You may like continuous feedback. Someone else may prefer a bit more space. You may want a promotion. Someone else may want more vacation. You have to get used to one another. Get to know each other. Walk in their shoes so you can understand where they stand and where they want to go. That’s what empathy is all about. That’s when you get the most out of everybody.Don’t Confuse Obedience for Loyalty       Loyalty. Perhaps the most abused word in leadership. Too many so-called leaders believe that since they’re “good people”, all their actions must also be good. Even when those actions require the rationalization that “the ends justify the means.” This need to bridge the gap between their self-image and their real-li...

In this episode, we’re going to pick up from where we left off last time to talk more about office politics, because, unfortunately, there’s always more to talk about. And we’ll focus a little more here on how to deal with them.Show Notes:* The Difficulty Lies Not So Much in Developing New Ideas as in Escaping from Old Ones.* People are creatures of habit* Uncertainty scares folks* You Never Change Things by Fighting the Existing Reality. To Change Something, Build a New Model that Makes the Existing Model Obsolete. – Buckminster Fuller, architect, author, designer, inventor & futurist* Cab companies were never going to change, so Uber filled the void* Clear alternatives are the only ones that have a shot of making more than just incremental change* If You Want to Make Enemies, Try to Change Something. — Woodrow Wilson* The irrational anger people have around change makes it tough to implement* As superior as whatever change you’re offering might be, don’t expect to be greeted as a conquering hero, there will be resistance* 8 Steps for Leading Change* Harvard Megabrain, Professor John Kotter, came up with this simple process, and I’ve been using it to my advantage for years* Consider this process your blueprint for change* Make People Part of the Change. If They Don’t Create It, They’ll Feel Threatened By It. And if They Feel Threatened, They’ll Fight Back. – Joe Brown, IDEO Portfolio Director* If You Want to Make Everyone Happy, Don’t Be a Leader—Sell Ice Cream. – Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple, Nudger of the Universe* What Are You Willing to Give Up to Get What You Want?* Strategy is choice* When you say yes to one thing, you’re automatically saying no to another. Accept it.* When They Discover the Center of the Universe, a Lot of People Are Going to be Very Disappointed that They Are Not It* You Will Never Truly Be Successful Until You Learn to Give Beyond Yourself. – Will Ferrell, Comedian & Provocateur* Be Who You Needed When You Were Younger* Back in the day, you probably didn’t receive half the help you could have used. Now you can rectify that.* Pay it forward. You’ll help others and yourself by reminding yourself of the things that helped you in your success or held you back from it.Transcript:Welcome to Episode 4 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the love/hate world of creativity.My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, and whether you work in advertising, design, gaming, fine art, commercial art, content creation, whatever it may be, we’re here to talk about leadership, or at least what passes for leadership these days.On this episode we’ll pick up where we left off last time, taking on some of the issues of leadership, or the lack of it. It’s a huge issue, so there’s a lot to cover. Hold on to your seats, my friends.Last time, we talked about the role vision and change play in leadership. How core values never change, but their definitions do. For example, the American Founding Fathers declared that “All men are created equal.” Except people of color worth only 3/5ths a white male. And women weren’t exactly equal either. (Sadly, we still have equality issues.) But again, values stay put, but there definitions change. That’s why established companies often stop moving forward. They haven’t refreshed their values. As legendary economist John Maynard Keynes said…The Difficulty Lies Not So Much in Developing New Ideas as in Escaping from    Old Ones. Have you ever waited anxiously for your leadership team to introduce the “new way” forward, only to hear what sounds quite familiar to what you’re already doing? No surprise, we love the familiar. It’s comforting. It’s understandable. It works. Or at least, it used to work.

We all like to think that everything would be better if we were in charge. But is it that easy? And until you get your shot, what should you be looking for? How can you spot the kind of people who can help bring out the best in you and your team.Show Notes:* Nearly All Men Can Stand Adversity, But If You Want to Test a Man’s Character, Give Him Power. – Abraham Lincoln* Lots of People Want to Be the Noun Without Doing the Verb. — Austin Kleon, Author, Artist, Poet & Designer     * The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves* As a Leader You Owe Your Team 3 Basic Things:* A Vision of Where You’re Headed* Input to that Vision* The Tools & Environment to Fulfill that Vision* The Vision Thing* 3 Simple Rules to Grow a Great Team:* Support Your Performers* Deal with the Rest* If You’re Not Dealing with the Rest, You’re Not Supporting Your Performers* There’s a Difference Between Leading and Managing* I’ve Got Vision and the Rest of the World Wears Bifocals. – Butch Cassidy, Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid* com, @NavigatingTheFustercluckTranscript:Welcome to Episode 3 of Navigating the Fustercluck—a podcast full of snackable insights to help you navigate the love/hate world of creativity.My name is Wegs, like eggs with a W, joining you from Deaf Mule Studios in Dallas, and whether you work in advertising, design, gaming, fine art, commercial art, content creation, whatever it may be, we’re here to talk about leadership, or at least what passes for leadership these days.We spent our first 2 episodes of Navaigating the Fustercluck talking about office politics. And mastering office politics is how a lot of people climb the ladder. Some by using them for good, most by gaming the game and manipulating people. (Sorry, but it’s true.)Now let’s assume that you’re one of the good guys who managed to survive the gauntlet and grind of office politics in one piece and somehow end up as King or Queen of the Hill. You will now owe it to your fellow survivors to lead them and lead them well. Here are some things to keep in mind for when that day comes. You may also want to see if your current leadership is measuring up.Nearly All Men Can Stand Adversity, But If You Want to Test a Man’s Character, Give Him Power.  – Abraham LincolnWelcome to leadership! After all that time thinking that you could do a better job than those in charge, now you get to prove it! It won’t be easy. It can, however, be rewarding. One of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do. That’s why you take it on. To grow. Yourself, and most importantly, your team. And ultimately, your business. So, when things go wrong, remember this: look in the mirror first. Question your character before anyone else’s. People will respect you for it. And you’ll respect yourself.Lots of People Want to Be the Noun Without Doing the Verb.                                    — Austin Kleon, Author, Artist, Poet & Designer     Some people think a title brings semi-retirement. Two-hour lunches. Days full of finger pointing and pontificating. While in reality, leadership comes with much more than a title. It comes with responsibility. And stuff to do. Lots of stuff to do. That doesn’t mean micro-managing. It doesn’t mean trying to do everything yourself. It does, however, mean taking action. Of course, it helps if you actually have a vision and mission to act on. Lacking that, there’s usually an abundance of busy work created to mask a lack of productivity with activity. The exact wrong kind of action.The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale ImprovesCommand and control. Top-down. Authoritarian. Whatever you call it, old-fashioned management has not gone fully out of fashion. Now not many will admit that they follow this philosophy, but you may well experience it at some point or another. Just don’t practice it.