The Fink Tank

I held hands at a concert with a blind man named Andrew. What happened next was hilarious.

Should I feel bad about that clickbait headline? Probably, but I stand by it.

I’d gone to the Ocean Alley concert on my own, at the wonderful Forum Theatre in Melbourne. I love going to gigs with friends or my brothers, but the solo outing does leave room for serendipitous encounters.

And so it was.

I’m so glad I got to experience the show with Andrew, a warm and friendly man with the courage to ask for what he wants. In this Fink Tank Col and I laugh about the cultural norms that were comedically broken that night.

Unspoken in this conversation are the gendered safety issues around this topic. Patriarchy and misogyny have a lot to answer for here.

I asked Andrew for consent for the photos, and to share the story.

And I won’t forget that night anytime soon!

If you’d like to hear Col’s ocker go-kart bogan accent circa 2009, head to 4:05.

George Bernard Shaw said “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place”.

Regardless of what your job is, effective communication is critical. Being an influential, compelling communicator amplifies the value of almost every other skill you've got.

We discuss this idea at length, and by the end of this five-minute Fink Tank episode rather ironically reach the conclusion that until you can communicate your idea in 30 seconds, you should practise more.

Colin Ellis modelled great multi-channel communication in 2018. Special nod also to Chad Littlefield for being a great communicator and generous elevator of others.

If you want to be a great communicator, consider this motto:

“If everything is practice, nothing is wasted.”

In this episode we delve into Jehan Casinader's rule for growth from his excellent recent LinkedIn post.

Jehan says the only way to grow is to say yes to opportunities and try new things.

He’s definitely right, but we also don’t want to fail spectacularly!

We want to:

⚖ Push our boundaries AND respect our audience

🍾 Bring unrefined fizz AND remain professional

💪 Take opportunities AND protect our ego

We risk momentum if we bomb too many times. But waiting until you feel "ready" is a recipe for stagnation. So don't wait too long, and don't say no too often. Do the thing.

As Stephen Wright said beautifully "Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it!"

And if it goes wrong, as Jehan says, it was practice.Go you good things!Jehan's post: https://lnkd.in/g6nwDQSU

Lisa O'Neill says your energy introduces you before you do. Col says people buy your energy before they buy your services.

Last night, The Fink Tank went to Lisa's ENERGY book launch in Melbourne and sat with an enraptured crowd as Lisa held court for 90 minutes.

As funny as Taylor Tomlinson, as charismatic as Angelina Jolie, as flamboyant as Elton John and as approachable as Graham Norton, Lisa epitomises the efficacy of the ideas in her new book Energy.

She really does shift the energy of a room when she enters it. She really does shift your energy when you're in her presence. And you really do want to buy whatever she's selling whenever she offers it!

If you're running a business and wondering how to get more sales, think carefully about the energy transaction... no-one buys your services without buying your energy first.

Most of us give applause far more often than we receive it. This lack of practice, combined with a lifetime of humility conditioning, means when we DO receive applause we suck at it, suck the life out of it, and ruin the moment.

Many of us have a similar aversion to receiving compliments.

Tall Poppy Syndrome has us terrified of being torn down, and our risk-averse brains want to hide and deflect.

When we shy away from those moments - be they raucous applause or a gentle compliment - we stymie joy for the giver of the praise. We shut down connection and appreciation.

That’s a bit of a waste, isn’t it?

And a bit egotistical. We prioritise our own cautious safety over receiving another’s joy.

Rude!

You just spent five hours agonising over the fine details of but your audience are incapable of noticing the difference, even if they wanted to.

I wrote that because it’s what I WANT to believe, but I DO believe extra polish is often worth it.

In this Friday Fink Tank, Col makes the logical point that your audience are unlikely to be the small percentage of experts who are even CAPABLE of discerning that level of detail.

In retaliation, I adjust a camera to an exaggeratedly poor position because IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE, DAMMIT!

How are you going with your perfectionism??

Is growing your business a good thing?

Are knives more deserving of the name chopsticks?

Col recalls our teenage mockery of chopsticks. How could inefficiency be a good thing, our adolescent brains mused??

Maybe if the goal ISN’T to shovel as much food into your face as quickly as possible.

If you’ve been operating a small business successfully, it’s tempting to chase growth. Hire staff, get more clients, delegate work. Expand the operation! Build an empire!!

If you value happiness, money, and freedom, maybe stick to the business chopsticks.

Also, cutlery should only refer to knives. Forks and spoons should be pokelery and scooplery.

The question is not whether you suck at one of these things. The question is "which one do you suck at?"

1. Getting started

2. Getting finished

3. Keeping on going in the middle

Col is currently beleaguered in number 3 with his book writing. I finished my MC showreel weeks ago. Have I sent it to people I know who might book me? Or posted it here?

Nup. My promotion "plan" is stuck at number 2!

Humans are curious creatures. Where are you right now?

PS. Head to 3:20 if you'd just like to hear Marcus Romer's incredible 7 step summary of the creative process. Genius.

Tiritiri Matangi Island: Come for the endangered Takahē, stay for the emergency medivac helicopter!

After a peaceful day exploring the island and it's diverse native bird species, things took a dramatic turn when Chris' shoulder exploded.

Chris was in serious pain and unable to walk. With limited phone reception and the last ferry gone, things were stressful.

Less than an hour later, Ross Aitken repelled out of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and exuded the calm confidence we desperately needed.

Chris was whisked off to hospital for emergency surgery, and I hitched a ride home with some friendly locals.

Col and I reflect that while most jobs are less spectacular than repelling paramedics, the principles are similar.

Vanity metrics aren’t a problem. Vanity is.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to increase visibility and reach. Just don’t be icky or out of alignment.

Agonising over the success of a post you care about is no fun, but having no clients or work is no fun either!

In this Friday Fink Tank, we discuss “vanity” metrics, our susceptibility to fall for their allure, and what we can do about it.