A Good Investment of An Hour of Your Time
I just finished watching an hour-long video on YouTube of a panel by authors Marci Alboher - “One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success” and Tim Ferriss - “The 4-Hour Workweek; Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich”. It was part of the Authors@Google series and took place about one year ago in Mountain View.
Some key takeaways resonated well with me. Tim Ferriss emphasized time and time again against focusing on list of items and accomplishing as much as possible as opposed to focusing on the effectiveness of the work you are doing. His pareto analysis approach, i.e. focus on the 20% that achieves the 80%, is spot on. He also said that, when forced to do things from 9-5 in a single location, people will make up things to do to fill the time. While managing organizations, I have found this to be very true . The key is getting people to do innovative, effective things with the extra time.
Marci Alboher talks about “Slash Careers” where you have multiple jobs/pursuits to your life. I can certainly relate to her discussion. In addition to having run a division in a high technology company, I have specific interests in marketing, sales, computers, coaching individuals, writing, presenting, wine and cooking. I am always balancing these different activities in my life. I am truly a “slash” individual.
The video offers a new way to look at careers and life and really reinforces my belief on time management. Enjoy.
Starbucks/AT&T -- Why so complicated?
Incredible hassles this morning trying to register my Starbucks card for free wifi support. Firstly, they obviously did not size the system to handle the demand. Even though I was entering my proper Starbucks login and password, the system insisted on coming back with an error.
Then, finally when I got through, it wouldn’t accept my card that currently has a $15 balance because...get this...I haven’t used it in 30 days!?! What about all the soy lattes that I have bought with cash in the last 30 days? They don’t count.
This is what happens when a corporation treats their customers like criminals. Obviously, some empty suit at corporate headquarters is worried that someone may “free ride” on the wifi network by buying a latte and sitting there for many hours.
Starbucks just doesn’t get it! Simply provide free Internet access like Panera, independent coffee shops, etc. and they will come...and they will drink coffee. Get rid of these absurd hoops to jump through and 2-hour limitations. Particularly since your competition already has!
Starbucks should trust its customers and they will reward it with their business. Especially those who already have their loyalty cards!
UPDATE: I made a special trip to Starbucks to buy a latte on my card. It was accepted finally!
