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CLEAR SPACE THINKING - the original - lipscombe.richard@gmail.com
Thursday, 28 March 2013
We need to talk about new taxes.
Topic: DigitalCore.

 


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 11:04 AM NZT
Thursday, 6 October 2011
high quality - low cost....
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

Want to be successful today?  Make sure what you do or produce or sell or market is high quality.  Then make sure that the distribution of it is low cost.  The service or product can be expensive but the distribution cost must be low or zero.  This is the new way.......


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 12:16 PM NZT
Friday, 2 September 2011
Integrity
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

There is one thing that is in short supply today.  It is not scarce but it is definitely in short supply and, it can not be bought or sold.  

Integrity.......


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 6:06 PM NZT
Updated: Friday, 2 September 2011 6:09 PM NZT
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Dumb luck
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

Most, if not all, the great success you see around you is due to 'luck'.  The problem with that assertion is not that it is not true, it is, but that we can not accept it.  We can accept that the other guy was smarter,  imaginative/creative, gifted/talented, and even worked harder than me. We do not, can not, will not accept that the other had more 'dumb luck' than me.


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 2:41 PM NZT
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Seven things to learn from Steve Jobs.
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

See http://goo.gl/ucse3


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 2:03 PM NZT
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Learning from Steve Jobs.
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

Steve Jobs was the ultimate outsider who made 'the user' the core of Apple. His passion was to make superior products for you and me rather than boost his bottom line. His genius was to become 'the outsider' within the Apple Tribe. His role was to remove 'complacency' from all Apple design efforts. His passion was to surprise and delight an Apple user with some new ways of doing the same old things. His gift was to bring a sense of urgency to Apple even as it became more and more successful.


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 10:54 AM NZT
Monday, 29 August 2011
Groups
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

Individual mindsets, habits, and actions are what we all tend to focus on.  But group mindsets, habits, and actions are probably far more important today.

Social media is a product of groups not individuals.  It is a networking phenomena and so it is sustained by groups not individuals.  Individuals do lead, facilitate, and energise these networked groups but successful networks are group activities.

Unlike many, I believe in the wisdom of groups.  There is wisdom in 'groupthink' although it is often held to be a negative.  Groupthink underpins the cohesion, collaboration, and coordination needed for networked activities to succeed.  But groups can also thrive with diversity of views when they have good facilitators who insist on a free flowing discourse.  Within these groups conventional wisdom is always being challenged.  Finally there are groups that form for a singular purpose for a day, a week, a year, a decade, etc.

Groups are the bedrock of the C21 as they have been for centuries past.  The challenge for all of us is to better understand the impact of groups on us as individuals.  How do they impact our lives?  How can they make us better at what we do?  What are the positive/negative aspects of groups in our workplace, community, or nation?


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 9:39 AM NZT
Updated: Monday, 29 August 2011 10:20 AM NZT
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
A month of creative design
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

Most change happens quickly. In just a month my framework for digital process and culture change can be in place.

I establish an online and on-site incubator where creative disruption can be rigorously tested and refined. Creative disruption comes from new content, branding methods, revenue models, consumer interaction cycles, or feedback loops.

New content must be relevant and remarkable. New branding relies on lessons I have learned about how, when, where, and why Clusters, Clans, and Tribes form on the web. Digital revenue models often come with a 'free' component which disrupts the 'value adding' notion embedded into analogue models. Digital consumers are encouraged to become viral marketers and product/service innovators. Feedback loops add rigor to this 'launch and learn' approach to digital transformation.

Posted by richard-lipscombe at 6:00 PM NZT
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Healthy workplaces
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

How's life?  How's home life?  How's worklife?

Your workplace can be fun, productive, financially rewarding, and challenging but is it healthy?  Standing in front of a blast furnance all day can be all of the above but is it healthy?

The job at the blast furnance can be healthy if it is not stressful, if you eat well, if you can control the quality of the products you produce, and if you enjoy being there. If you do all that it can more healthy for you than being in an office where the culture is toxic.

The office can be toxic because decision-making is drawn-out, slow, political, and full of personal gamesmanship.  There are office workplaces that are not healthy situations for you or me.  Some people thrive there others do not and still others do not realise what damage is being done to their health.

You, and only you, can make your workplace a more or less healthy situation for you to be.  Change those little things that stress you, make sure you eat well, and take regular breaks from the pressure.  Ensure you do not get caught up in any type of workplace games that have in the past, or may in the future, make the situation toxic for you.


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 3:46 PM NZT
Updated: Tuesday, 23 August 2011 4:01 PM NZT
Use value
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

2011 is a transition year.  As with many other tranistion years (1945, 1973, 1980, 2000, etc) there are themes in this one that seem to be common to its predecessors. But those who spend time analysing these common factors often miss the disruptive new elements that bring about substantive change.

The big change is the emergence of a global economy that is integrated via the web and digital technologies. This is a new economy in many ways but it is not yet the dominant economy.  It is like the change over from horse-drawn buggies to horseless-carriage. It was not until we talked about the horseless-carriage as an entity in its own right that we saw the big changes that the automobile enabled.  Urban sprawl.  Mobility of labour.  Mass-production techniques.  Mass marketing.  Consumer based economy.  

The next change will not take place in the world, I believe, unless and until we stop using the term 'value adding'. That is the language of our old nation-state based manufacturing economies.  The process of value adding is a serial or production line concept.  It fits well within a mass assembly or mass distribution model of economics.  But it is not appropriate for a web-based digital economy.  

In a web-based digital economy demand is not created by mass production but by individual consumers grouping together.  Consumers are no longer impressed by value added goods because they can dis-intermediate that process.  They can request what they want directly from suppliers.  The value chain that they had to wait on and pay for is no longer of 'use value' to them.

Today's consumer wants use value not value add.  If you think about where, when, and why you buy what you do today you will note that you too now want 'use value' from your goods and services.


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 1:52 PM NZT
Updated: Tuesday, 23 August 2011 2:58 PM NZT
Thursday, 16 June 2011
Daily events.
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

Events have always been popular.  People flock to see a champion perform. Fashion has also always drawn a crowd. Web-based technology has increased the number of opportunities for events.  Groupon is growing because it provides daily events around the globe of discounted prices for products/services.

Events will soon becoime a major part of the digital workplace too.  Being able to collaborate with purpose requires a facilitator who uses events (global and local) to build commitment and engagment from workers.  Being able to present a narrative for the workforce at an event will become an increasingly valued skill in workplaces.  

Each day at work is an event for you.  What event do you have planned for tomorrow?  How much use value does it provide to your colleagues/customers?


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 12:02 PM NZT
Updated: Thursday, 16 June 2011 12:16 PM NZT
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Over-extended?
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

You are over-extended - right? You love your work - right? You are never bored - right? See


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 4:02 PM NZT
Thursday, 19 May 2011
Social Media and business.
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

This is an exciting time for social media.  People love it.  It has become the entertainment media of our times. Yet it is still a fledgling medium. It is like the early auto that had to have a man walk ahead of it with a red flag to warn people it was coming.  Perhaps we need a red flag for social media when it comes to its use in business.

Business is naturally trying hard to work out where and how social media fits with it.  But, at present, this is like a black smith tying to find out how the auto fits with his business.

First, business has to move from analogue to digital formats.  Primarily businesses have to change their revenue models to fit in with web-based sales and delivery.  Second, business has to realise that much of social media is noise in their system. Until you can enable your business to become a viral marketer through social media then go do it. But most business can not.  Third, businesses need to go back to basics and ask a simple question "what business are we in?"  Then they need to see if that type of business is viable in a world where social media is becoming a dominant medium.   


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 10:58 AM NZT
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Work attracts talent
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

If "the work" is truly challenging (cutting edge, exciting, fulfilling, innovative, etc) then people will relocate to almost anywhere - even if they think the city is less than a cultural fit with the way they want to live outside of work.

For example, take the case of Google and their Googleplex in Mountain View - it was a fun place to work for most of the early part of C21st but then it got stale so some of the best and brightest talent moved on to Facebook, Twitter, Ning, and other destinations. Sure Google got big. Sure it got successful (but with success it got complacent and lost its sense of urgency and innovation in search). Sure it still had reputably the best culture in the world of work. Sure it still had 20% free time a week to innovate, create, and promote cool ventures. Sure it still had great cafes with free lunches, Sure it still had the buzz that comes from being around smart people. So why did people leave? I content that most left Google because of their dissatisfaction with their work not their displeasure with the Googleplex or life in and around Mountain View. Smart people always want new challenges.

Facebook, Twitter, Lulu, Groupon, etc offered Goolgers and 'would be' Googlers new challenges. Googlers began to leave the safety net of the Googleplex in search of more exciting, challenging, rewarding work. Sure the party at Google is great and sure the lifestyle of Silicon Valley and San Francisco is second to none. BUT in the end it is the work, not the jobs or the culture, that will attract the best and brightest people to a company in this emerging digital economy
 
It is the work not jobs (per se) that will attract C21st digital talent. The culture will evolve with the work not as a separate entity as it became at Google (especially inside the Googleplex). 


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 10:43 AM NZT
Updated: Wednesday, 18 May 2011 10:48 AM NZT
Friday, 6 May 2011
Service with smiley faces?
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

Could 'mobile technology become C21st key to passenger satisfaction with airlines? Service with 'smiley faces'? See


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 11:44 AM NZT
Monday, 2 May 2011
Uncertainty, ambiguity, and risk aversion.
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

2011 brings us a weird mix of uncertainty, ambiguity, and risk aversion.

The uncertainty and ambiguity comes from nature and markets.  The risk averse behaviour comes from us.

Our response to nature and markets is natural but is it the best we can do.

I believe those who do best this year will indeed be risk takers not risk averse.

What about you?  What are you doing?  What will you do this year?


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 10:22 AM NZT
Friday, 29 April 2011
2011 a time to get out of our rut and take a look around......
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

2011 is a special time in the world....  It is a time for observation, contemplation, and action.... But most companies, governments, commuities, and individuals seem to crave continuity... Thus most people feel competent in, and comfortable with, their ability to predict the near term future... They can do this because they are locked into deep ruts, rountines, and continuities.... Yet history teaches us that just when you think you know what is going to happen next you are surprised by what actually occurs... Most people will not predict what is going to happen to them in 2011 because it seems likely this is becoming an inflection point in history....  A point where things change for no apparent reason...  


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 4:02 PM NZT
Saturday, 9 April 2011
Collaborative innovation.
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

Collaboration is a feature of business in 2011 and beyond.  Those that have it, or do it, succeed those who don't fail.  But this is an aspect of your enterprise that has to be designed and built-in.  It has to start with the revenue models which have to become more and more inclusive.

Collaboration is a designed feature of digital organisation.  The first design decision is to focus on the quality of the other party.  Apple is a design house with a great rapport with its users.  It pursues collaboration with its suppliers, application providers, and content producers through the prism of the end user. 

Collaboration can will best shape your innovation if it is squarely focused on the needs and requirments of end users.   


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 11:33 AM NZT
Updated: Saturday, 9 April 2011 11:58 AM NZT
Monday, 4 April 2011
Design or Plan?
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

2011 is the gateway to a digital economy.  An economy built on inclusion not exclusion, networks not silos, work not jobs, collaboration not specialisation, etc.  Success in a digital economy has to be designed not planned. 


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 11:12 AM NZT
Updated: Monday, 4 April 2011 10:04 PM NZT
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Both content and technology changes.
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: DigitalCore.

 

Digital change is here. Both content and technology are changing. Early adopters to new digital formats will win. See


Posted by richard-lipscombe at 11:55 AM EADT

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