Knowledge Fulcrum

WARNING -- THIS EDITORIAL CONTAINS LANGUAGE WHICH MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN. 

VIEWER DISCRESSION IS RECOMENDED!

This morning I sat down to write about Demetri Martin.  He combines two things I’m passionate about: Visual Thinking and Humor.  Visual Thinking, because it’s easier to communicate information visually, and Humor, because it’s a universal remedy for crappy moods.  Combining Visual Thinking with Humor is, in Demetri Martin’s own words, “Crazy Awesome.” 

So, I settled into my favorite chair with a cup of coffee in hand and began to search for my favorite Demetri video on YouTube.  If I’ve watched it once, I’ve watched a hundred of times.  My kids have memorized all the jokes.  Hmm…I can’t seem to find the video.  I search my usual key words  “Flip Chart Comedian” (a.k.a. Demetri Martin).   Nothing.   What the %$^&?  I watched the video on YouTube just a few weeks ago.  Where did it go?  After 30 minutes of searching without success, I get this message on YouTube:   This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Viacom International Inc.

Where do I start?  I mean - I’m excited and happy for Demetri, as I’m only guessing that he has worked his ass off touring the country, sharing his “Crazy Awesome” gift with audiences who are looking to laugh.  His videos were all over YouTube.  They made people happy.  Getting his own TV show is a great accomplishment.   Note:  This is the spot were I was going to paste the information about the premier of his new show “IMPORTANT THINGS” on Comedy Central but the lawyers at Viacom International won’t let me copy it from his web site.  So I’ve made my own version for your enjoyment.

I’m happy for Demetri, but I have a hard time with “Win-Lose” situations.  A big part of Demetri’s success was, in large part, a result of the viral nature of social networking, as well as YouTube.  People would record his comedy from the television, and then post it on YouTube where millions could watch.  It was YouTube that put him in a leveraging position to sign a contract with Comedy Central for his own TV show (Viacom).  When he signed this contract, he agreed not to let anyone copy the content because it was now the property of Viacom. 

That rubs me the wrong way.  He used the free viral social network to attract his audience, and then he removed a factor that was a big contributing part to his fame.  This is another example of the natural friction that exists between the World Wide Web and the old regime of old-school media giants (e.g. Napster, and the recording studios). 

 The rules are changing.  In the future, success for companies and artists will look different.  This doesn’t mean anyone (Viacom or Demetri Martin) should stop making money for what they do.  Rather, consider changing how you do it so that everyone wins.   I only wish that Demetri would have tried to find a way where he could have his fame and money and not throw his integrity out the window.  But who am I to judge?  All I want to do is share my gift with as many people as I can.  If I’m able to find success along the way, then that’s a bonus.  

In summary, today made me remember three important things:

1. It’s good to laugh.  Laughing makes us feel better.  It helps to drain daily stresses. 
2. All you need to connect with others is a pen, a piece of paper and your imagination -- with that anything is possible.
3. Beware the ”Me Monster.”  

So, instead of the regularly schedule video clip, I now give you Brian Regan (thanks for keeping it real!).

Someone's Making Money!

Papa Murphy’s – a Vancouver, WA based chain of take-and-bake pizza stores, posted a 17% increase in revenues for 2008 and also announced that they will be opening 100 new stores over the next five years.   Good for them!  They are clearly delivering value to the market place (no pun intended) by saving people time and money on their meals.

We are experiencing the most dramatic shift in consumer behavior since the Great Depression.  Savings are up and consumer debt is declining for the first time in the history of debt.  And, with this shift will also come a shift in consumer beliefs, attitudes and perceptions.  When consumers consume, they are exchanging their money for a combination of time and energy.  This is a calculation that happens in their minds, and consumers are constantly balancing the trade-off between how much something costs and the time and energy it gives them. 

Here’s a simple example: If you were planning a trip between Portland, Oregon and Washington, DC how would you get there?  The majority of you would fly.  Why?  Because flying represents the most efficient means (time, energy for the money) of travel.  You could drive, bike or walk.  But when you place any amount of value on your time and energy, that makes those options pointless.  Below is a chart I made that estimates the amount of time, how much exertion, and what it would cost for each of the modes of travel. 

You would need a compelling reason to travel by any other means than airplane.  This example just illustrates the fact that consumers constantly balance these three things when making decisions about what they buy.  As behaviors changes, so does the need for organizations to adapt.  If your business no longer adds value in the eyes of the customer, then you had better start to find a way to change.  People will keep spending their money, but are likely to place more value on what their time and energy are worth.

If a picture is worth a thousand words -- what’s a video worth? I’ve been a big, big fan of visual thinking for some time now.  Simply put -- visual thinking is communicating information with pictures, symbols and graphics.  I first learned about the importance of visual systems when I started to dive into my Lean journey.  Check out the video below.  It’s a perfect example of how to use pictures, symbols and graphics to effectively communicate complex ideas and information. 

Here are the top reasons why I LOVE visual systems and thinking (in no particular order):

1.  Sometimes it’s easier to show a picture than find the right word.

2.  We process the majority of information through our eyes.

3.  Graphics cross over cultural and language barriers.

4.  Visual thinking uses more of your right brain which has a higher propensity for addressing complexity and ambiguity.

5.  Creativity is a right brain activity.

6.  Using pictures and combining symbols, you can communicate 4x more information. 

7.  People respond better to pictures than to text or data -- why else would facebook have such a focus on photos?

8.  All of our innovations are created in our mind’s eye (hello, visual too).

9.  Using visual thinking you can easily break problems down into the 6 W’s (who/what/how much/where/when/how/and why) by using pictures.

10.  All you need is a pen, paper and your brain to make it work.

If you haven’t read it yet -- go today and pick up The Back of the Napkin.  It’s one of my top 5 books in the past year -- it will change how you communicate.  Dan Roam - if you see this, I want to meet you!  Get it?  See this?  I like funny too.

Panasonic Mood Phone

What if there were a way to systematically gather feedback from people within your organization that would provide you with immediate information on their mood – specifically, the level of energy they are exhibiting, their trust in the company and their peers, and how focused they are on their work at the moment?  Think of it as the ultimate feedback loop for organizations.   

Say you were able to walk into someone’s office and immediately know their mood (based on physiological functions), and then adapt your approach to fit their current state.  Does that seem like a far fetched idea?  Maybe it’s not so far off.

In late 2006, Panasonic and NTT DoCoMo designed a cell phone called the “Feel Talk.

Tags: Collaboration, Culture, Visual Systems & Management
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