Number 2

The company I work for recently lost first place in a technology announcement to one of our competitors and we are in the position of (if all goes well) being in second place.

What is it about being number two, versus number one that really matters? It isn't like you didn't 'place' or that your efforts weren't almost neck and neck with number one.

If you look at traditional competitions, number one wins the gold, the big check, the adulation, the endorsements and the glory. Who remembers who won the olympic silver or was second place on Survivor in season one?

In technology being number 2 (at least for a period of time) isn't the worst thing a company can do. Sometimes (maybe not in the case with Google) being number two means you learn from number one's mistakes. You watch as they go to market with new technology, new IP and then you take the best practices and the worst and you learn from their successes and their mistakes. Think about the browser space, the search space, the internet in general. Companies that reigned in the '90's (Mosaic, Alta Vista, even Yahoo!) are not the leaders of the new millineum.

As we grow as individuals, can we apply this process or principle in our assent to the top in our careers? Can we look at our colleagues in roles that have more prestige and compensation and say...hey, today I am going to learn from this person's successes, but also from their mistakes so that next time the opportunity arises, "I" will strive to be number one.

That, I believe, is possible.

Papa Bruce

I have been thinking alot about the departure of my boss and wondering why I am so affected by that departure. What was it about him that struck a chord in me? I have a history of getting along well with my managers and I have long term relationships with just about every manager I have had over the years, but there was something different about my recent boss that made me wonder what it was that drew me and my loyalty to him.

I believe it is because he had a similar outlook and personality to my dad.

You see, my dad, he was the guy who took ALL the shots. He invested (and still invests) heavily in his dreams and he absolutely is better for the journey.

While he didn't have the wanderlust that my boss and I exhibit, he absolutely had the dreams of glory.

Way back in the 80's my dad decided he wanted to start a family 'side' business. I am sure this was not my dad's first great venture, but it is the first one I am aware
He decided he was going to license the Shmoo. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shmoo

We, as a family were then going to build a business around products, programs etc, all starring the Shmoo. Around that time, my grandfather got ill (and subsequently died) and my dad dropped this adventure. It was okay with him though, because he had spent a good 6 months doing the research and creating building the dream.

The next big venture was his eBook reader. This dream extended from the late '90's and is still going strong today. He hasn't made a cent, but his patent is cited in a number of other products including the Kindle. He still has high hopes for who knows what.

Next...BlazeNPaddles. Dad traveled to France with Mom and discovered Tarte Flambes (roughly translated to 'Fire Pie'). Dad did his research and realized that there were no restauranteurs selling or leveraging this yummy french delicacy.He decided to drop this project due to my mom becoming ill. It didn't matter...he had fun thinking about it. On a side note, Ron and I picked up the BlazeNPaddles concept, started our LLC This N That Enterprises with the intent to sell (briefly) Pizza Peels with Tarte Flambe Kits online. I still have a bunch of beautiful, hand made peels in my garage ;)

Mom got better so they traveled to France again (can you sense a theme?), and there he discovered Red Currant Wine. Wow! If he could only grow red currants and make wine here in California, he could market it through his wine broker. He went as far as looking at land in ClearLake California, buying a special refrigerator and importing red currants from France. I think he still has the fridge...

Today...he is writing a mystery novel, has launched a foundation (that is focusing it's philanthropy on the research of communication to Alzheimer's patients) and is still working on the prototyping and marketing of his eBook IP.

My dad is my hero. He is the most successful person I know. Not because he is the wealthiest in things and money.

He has adult children and grandchildren who have been influenced by his dreams and his unfailing desire to try new things.

My dad has never lost sight of what is important: Family first (mom being number one), his integrity, and his desire to ALWAYS look forward.

Too much Gin

Ron sent me this post a month or so back http://www.shirky.com/herecomeseverybody/2008/04/looking-for-the-mouse.html and it has been on my mind since.

I have been metaphorically drinking too much Gin lately.

With the world swirling around me in ways that I can't control and the inevitable boredom of a less then challeging career...instead of extending myself out, doing more, being more and taking advantage of what is available to me I am 'swigging Gin'. My daily grind includes a routine that does nothing to shake me out of this state of 'inebriation'. Get up in the morning (after a night of teeth grinding and uneasy dreams), meet my family obligations, go to work, come home, meet my family obligations and go to bed for another night of teeth grinding and uneasy dreams. My minding numbing routine is my 'Gin'.

I want to contribute and think and develop and research and learn...I really do. I am just not sure where to begin. My own apathy seems to be getting in the way.

I think I need to detox, but I believe I need a program that provides alternative distractions, one that 'replaces' my need for numb with a desire to feel, to be alive.

Really...I hate Gin.

Change Part Deux

I returned to work today after a lovely week with my family in the mountains to find that my 'work world' had been turned upside down. My beloved boss quit and two of my most respected colleagues are also no longer with the company.

I would be dissembling if I said I did not understand why these people were sacrificed

What I realized after the fact was that integrity (capital 'I') comes with a cost. My boss, he has integrity.