I have always been an early adopter when it comes to media and technology and early in my career spent 4 years working at Best Buy. So it was exciting to attend the Minnesota High Tech Association Annual Spring Conference to hear Keynote speaker Scott Durchslag, SVP of Digital and Marketing and President of BestBuy.com and e-commerce. Despite the company’s challenges in the past year, they have had a lot of exciting things going on.
Last November we published an academic paper called Best Buy Strategic Management Analysis as part of the Executive MBA Program at The University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business. (I’ll be Graduating in May). Being a person who loves the process of discovery and learning, it was fascinating to uncover companies and brands they own, observe how the Board of Directors and Dick Schulz, the founder and former CEO interacted as he was making attempts to buy back the company.
It was intriguing to learn what has evolved over the past few months and hear how everything is unfolding. Best Buy has a new initiative called Renew Blue which was presented at their shareholder meeting in November. Based on MBA learning, and the information Durchslag presented, it felt like they are facing a revolutionary change which is a rare, dramatic transformation that shifts mindsets and culture in the business.
I have a unique background that blends Marketing, Social Media, Digital and Project Management (IT and Business), so it wasn’t much of a surprise to see that early the same morning a press release was posted saying “Best Buy to Sell its Stake in European Business to Carphone Warehouse.” I understand why they did it and think leadership made a good call based on the research done in the assessment we published. Best Buy is using a mindset of “Test, innovate and learn” which is good because it encourages people to take risk and become part of creating a new culture. And Innovation is more important now than ever, so it is definitely going to remain on my radar.
I would love to hear your thoughts! Please share below.
It feels like I have had my head down for nearly 30 months while pursuing my MBA. Graduation is just around the corner, putting me into a reflective mode of excitement and gratitude, while leaving me to wonder where my “road to awesome” is headed. Regardless of the destination, I am optimistic because my faith that there is more has never failed.
Introspection got me thinking, if I could have any job in the world, it would the one Robbie, a.k.a. “Kid President” from Soul Pancake has. He started a movement when the video “Pep Talk” (below) emerged a while back. This little man is giving motivational speeches, telling people how amazing they are, that nobody is perfect, we are all more alike than different, encouraging participation and reminding us that we are all on the same team. I love the re-enforcer that we can all make things better for one another if we just look around and recognize because it all starts with just one person. When we give, we get.
Sowing seeds of wonder and hope? Sounds pretty good to me. I told them a great campaign slogan would be: “Kid President – Restoring Wonder in the World.” I really hope they use it because we all could use a little more marvel and awe in our lives.
Enjoy the video and then come back and tell me: How will you go out and make the world more awesome? Start by just being authentic because I believe that is what makes us our very best.
Please comment below and thanks for joining the conversation.
Learn about the revolutionary Google Glass. The video speaks for itself, but I would love to hear your thoughts and comments below. Another #Innovative way technology is changing the how we do business. Thanks for joining the conversation.
The innovative #Hashtag started on Twitter and is now being used across multiple social media platforms. I have seen people asking about it on Facebook and thought this might be helpful.
#Hashtag defined: A word proceeded with the [ # ] symbol, which is used as a keyword or topic in a Tweet. It helps categorize words or phrases so users can follow a stream. It can also be used to search for others who use the same hashtags.
. Information about using #hashtags on Twitter:
The symbol [ # ] before a keyword or phrase, with no spaces. These hashtags are then categorized, which makes them easier to find in the search function.
Click on a #hashtag word in any message and you will see the most recent tweets using that hashtag.
Hashtags can be included within the 140 space limit (Best practice only 2-3 hashtags per tweet.)
Hashtag words become popular & can be Trending Topics.
Hashtags are also used at conferences, on live video streams or at a large presentation during Q&A.
Some groups facilitate moderated conversation at set times, using hashtags to discuss topics of interest or share best practices.
If another tweeter searches for a hashtag you have listed, they may follow you!
Live Stream example: Every Sunday the Oprah Winfrey Network ( @OWNTV ) channel has a program called #SuperSoulSunday and viewers can go to http://tweetchat.com then enter the hashtag to see what everyone is talking about in real-time. Below is a response I received from the OWN Network.
If you have any other tips, please share them below!!
My friend Pete K Wong is shooting a movie this Saturday in St. Paul. He is looking for extras and runs in good circles. His explanation of the project along with RSVP information is below:
.Have fun!!
“My short film is a drama/comedy fictional story I wrote, but also based on something similar I had experienced. It is about a motivational speaker who is early in his career going through training but each time he’s tested he fails, eventually he comes to realize something he never expected!
. The scene on the 23/24 are the presentation scenes. You would be in the audience listening to the speaker speak and in one scene he gets the crowd upset and they rush the stage after him and the other on Sunday he gets nervous and runs out!”
DAY 1: St. Paul
Saturday Feb. 23, 2013
Location: Recovery Church 253 State St, St Paul, MN 55107
11-4:30pm
Wardrobe: Casual
DAY 2: Bloomington
Sunday Feb. 24, 2013
Location: 8120 Penn Ave S 1st floor next to Wally’s Restaurant
12:30pm-4pm
Wardrobe: Business attire and Casual option
This is not a paid position. Credits, Copy, and Meals will be provided. If you are interested please send a confirmation to petekwong@gmail.com as we’d like to know how many people are signed up and for which date is more suitable for you.
There are people who will say Valentines Day is a novelty, but I think it’s an opportunity to reflect, create a memory or perform a random act of kindness, because sometimes even the smallest gesture can go a long way.
My mom never forgets a Valentines Day. Last night she came over with the tulips you see in the background of the picture, made dinner and then did some religion homework with my son.
She gave me the red heart ornament in the picture years ago on a February 14th. It says “Kakie” and on the back Love, Mom. Time has worn the ink from changing the oil in the decanter.
The faded letters on the ornament and the flowers are both signals for me. One, a gentle reminder about being present, new life, spring and what lies ahead. The other is to pause, step back, appreciate those around me and celebrate the journey. We didn’t get here alone and couldn’t have accomplished all that has been without others. Look how far we’ve come. For many of us it can seem quite remarkable.
Life puts gifts at our feet which we don’t recognize at first. Sometimes we stumble over them or we get in our own way. It’s okay because we are all flawed and I think there is beauty in that. Somehow we always manage to get back up, brush ourselves off and move ahead.
We are exactly where we are meant to be at any given moment and we have all of the tools we need. Today, give yourself permission to slow down, take a deep breath, find gratitude and share it with someone.
I would love to hear stories about small gestures that meant a great deal to you Share them below and thanks for stopping by. Happy Valentines Day.
Last night in President Obama’s State of the Union Address, he issued an executive order which proposes to make our technology infrastructures stronger. The idea would initiate and encourage cross-sector information sharing. History has repeatedly demonstrated bringing professionals and information together merges ideas, creates knowledge and sparks innovation. This concept is not new, it is a form of open architecture that has allowed our technology to emerge to where it is today.
As an I.T. project manager I can attest that this topic is intriguing and its complexity is wide and deep. This morning I was listening a story on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition and I felt compelled enough to share. I encourage you to listen to it.
Please click on the link below and after you have heard what they have to say, come back and share your thoughts!
February is Black History monthand each year as a family, we look for historical documentaries to watch and seek out biographies of people who have played important roles in our evolution as a country. When I was young, information was limited and we didn’t learn much about itin school. I want to be sure we honor those who went before us because it is OUR history.
A few years back, instead of viewing the Super Bowl, we watched the movie “Boycott,” which is about the events which occurred in Montgomery Alabama after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in the “Whites Only” section of the bus. Black Americans pulled together to demonstrate their economic power by refusing to use public transportation. The program is good and sends a compelling message about the impact peace and non-violence can have.
In the movie, there is a scene where the fire department sits across the street and watches the home of an African-American man burn to the ground. My son, who was eight years old, looked at me with puzzled eyes. He asked why the firemen were not helping put out the flames. I explained what life for black and white people in America was like during that time. Then, he turned to me and asked;
“Capitalism, in its current form, no longer fits the world around us. A global transformation is urgently needed and it must start with reinstating a global sense of social responsibility.” -Klaus Schwab
This past week over 2500 of the most important business, political, religious, academic and other leaders in the world gathered for the annual World Economic Forum (WEF). The World Economic Forum is an international non-profit organization that addresses important issues, some of which include economic growth, environmental sustainability, financial systems, health, humanity, ecosystems, gender equality, social development and more.
I would be fascinated to attend this event someday and have put it on my bucket list of things to do before I die. In today’s business environment, it is more important than ever to be informed about issues that affect and influence economies, our environment, human rights issues, etc. I believe anyone who works in strategy or management would benefit by paying attention to the many issues being discussed at the World Economic Forum and use the rich research issues, reports and studies it produces.
“Leadership should be born out of understanding the needs of those who would be affected by it.”
- Marian Anderson
In my roles as senior project manager, consultant, leader, coach and mentor, I use something called andragogy (adult learning theory) to manage and lead because I have seen its effectiveness. I thought it would be a great blog topic, so please, read on!
Throughout my professional life I spent time designing various formats of training about topics that included marketing, identifying and adapting to social styles, emotional intelligence, client service modeling, referrals, business and marketing planning, new customer acquisition, retention, social media and more.
The process of designing training modules was about working to ensure the content was engaging and adding value for the intended audience. When classes are written and created, the approaches depend on whether it is e-learning, classroom or live web-ex conferencing.
The andragogy method leverages problem solving and collaboration and levels the playing field between learners and trainers. The six principles of adult learning theory asserts that adults are:
Internally motivated and self-directed
Experienced and bring our knowledge to the learning platform
Engaged when the information is relevant to our background
Goal oriented – motivated by intrinsic and extrinsic factors
Practical and need to know why they are learning the content
Learners who place value on being respected
For years I consulted and coached franchised business owners to help them put structure, repeatable and predictable processes into their businesses. Through the leadership development process, my clients learned about knowledge transfer through application. Learn, unlearn, rethink, relearn, innovate and survive.
Success means we practice new behaviors until they feel normal. Sounds simple, right?
That is a frightening concept for people because it means embracing uncertainty as a way to look fear in the eye and push forward. Some of the greatest victories I have seen came when people chose to take a little risk that resulted in success.
There is diversity in learning, we all discover and grab onto ideas and concepts differently.
Everyone learns differently and when we learn about that diversity, then apply adragogy (adult learning theory), the results might just amaze. It works.
What do you think about using and applying this process into your leadership style? Please share below!
Servant leadership is the philosophy and practice that encourages us to participate for the good of society by being of service to others. Many would say it is functional, ethical, meaningful and has the power to change cultures.
As leaders, it is my hope is that we take some time this holiday to reflect on the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,all that he
stood for, and then use our words and actions to carry his message forward. Do something: Volunteer, pay for someone’s coffee, seek out a person who is lonely or family in need, hold a door open and more. Imag
My Question for you: Is that place between wondering what to do and making the decision a safe place? It could be for many people. Making a decision is easy, but I say deciding to decide is where it gets complicated. We’ve all been there feeling frozen with indecision, wondering why and trying to figure out how to get unstuck, seeking the balance between risk and reward.
I had this fabulous professor during studies for my Executive MBA at St. Thomas. His name is Tom Ressler and he helped me think, about the way I think. The class was called “Executive Decision Making.” But it was so much more. We discussed the idea that we are all unique beings and that both our values and our thinking are random variables that breed infinite possibilities. We also had dialogue regarding how learning, is about changing. It seems to me that creates a ton of potential events in our universe.
Robin Dawes became the founder of the Behavioral Decision Research Field. Dawes argues that our minds drive us toward flawed and illogical assumptions because we fall into auto pilot or “automatic thinking.” He and came up with the following conclusions:
8 factors leading to poor decision-making (based on our experiences)
1. Generalizing based on a few select experiences
2. Assuming patterns of history will always repeat
3. Vision-ing our future can bias our experiences and then can become self-fulfilling prophecies
4. Reflecting on our past experiences produces flawed memories, we can’t replay choices we never followed
5. Some of what we go through involves randomness and luck
6. We can’t re-experience what we have already been through
7. Association/Correlation Does Not Prove Causation. In other words, just because two things are related doesn’t mean one caused the other.
8. Research demonstrates our recall is biased. Our Life Events Take on “NEW” Meaning Over Time
Dawes suggests that to improve rational thinking, we should strive for systematic external representation of the judgment or decision that we face. I am still sorting out what it all means and thinking through different ways to do that. To think about things in ways that are distributional, Visual, Symbolical and Technological.
I have been waiting to find the right time to publish this post. Then this morning I began thinking about our decision process and wondering if there was more. In his book; “The New Earth,” author Eckart Tolle defines Ego as; ”an illusory sense of self”[1] based on one’s memories and thoughts. He goes on to indicate that our own insecurities change how we interact with other people and when that occurs we are not coming from a place of authentic being. Ironically reading it made me realize there should be a #9 onto the list of factors that lead to poor decision making above. Ego.
That was enlightening for me. It’s all a process. I would love to hear your thoughts below. Thanks for visiting my blog.
These Christmas ornaments are my treasures. For over twenty years, Dode Jandric, my grandma, made at least one for each of her 23 grandchildren and no two adornments are alike.
In earlier days of her ceramic ornament painting, Grandma Dode had the dexterity to write messages, bible verses, our names, her signature and the year each one was made. As time went on, macular degeneration set in, her vision deteriorated and she became unable to continue.
I once heard Oprah Winfrey say that art can be a form of prayer and I think that is an interesting concept. The thing I love and appreciate most about the legacy of grandma’s ornaments is time and creativity she spent paying attention to detail, expressing her faith and love through art. She selected specific colors, styles and designs customized for each of us, painted them, then fired them up in the kiln so they were just right.
As I reflect on the holiday season and my family, I am proud to say I am a 4th generation of oldest daughters. Grandma Dode was born on April 8, 1921 and had 9 children, which is almost seven years of being pregnant. Sometimes it is hard for me to fathom that by the time my mother was 14 years old, she had 8 younger brothers and sisters, all of whom she nurtured and cared for because that was part of the norm.
Grandma Dode, now 91 and legally blind, her hearing and memory fading, yet her demeanor is sweet and gentle.
During our family Christmas party last year, I watched her place both of her hands on the cheeks of one great-grandchild. She said in a thoughtful, kind manner; “I’m sorry dear, I can get a little confused, you will have to remind your name and whose you are.” Then after a response she followed up with; “Oh yes, of course that’s right. So how old are you now?” It makes me wonder; can we choose to age with grace if we think about it in advance? My family history is rich and filled with love and legacy. For that I am grateful.
May you have a holiday filled with peace, happiness and joy.
When I was younger, I belonged to a club that did community service work. There was one specific event that was memorable for me. We spent three or four hours handing out warm dinner to the homeless out in the streets. After that we went to a homeless shelter not far from the Bay Bridge.
I was in high school and at the time and my sister was too young to participate. She wanted to help, so she made four or five dozen chocolate chip cookies for us to take and hand out to people. When we got to the homeless shelter we passed out the remaining meals we had left. Next, we began making sandwiches and pairing them with other goodies and shared them with the crowd. I had the tins with my sister’s cookies in them and began to walk around, offering them to anyone near me.
I approached this older gentleman and said “Sir, would you like a cookie?” He stopped and turned around, looked me right in the eyes and said, “What did you say? Did you call me sir?” And I told him I had, and his eyes watered a little bit and he said, “No one has ever called me sir. Never.” He was completely taken back.
It struck me to my core.
I explained I had been raised that regardless of anything, color, creed, social status, everyone deserved respect It saddened me to think that just because he was homeless, no one afforded him the honor to which every human being should be entitled. It broke my heart, and I couldn’t help but cry. I just didn’t understand why no one ever called him sir? Just because he didn’t have money or a place to live…did that really give anyone any right to be disrespectful to him? I had never thought that anyone was below me because I wasn’t raised that way. Every single person deserves to be treated with dignity and I never realized how ignorant some people can be. Years later, I still carry that memory and the lessons it taught me. Sometimes, what we take for granted as simple gestures can really make a difference in someone’s life.
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A note from Kakie: I often say when we give, we get. Everyone deserves to be treated with honor and dignity. Everyone deserves compassion. At the core, we all have the need to be acknowledged. Whether it is through our words or being of service to others, there is so much power when we look another human being in the eye and say; “You Matter.”
Please, share information about a time you have experienced something similar or witnessed a person who made a difference. How have you seen the action of others impact an individual, a community, the world? If you feel moved by this story, pass it along. Every good deed counts. I am grateful you are here and look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for visiting.
I have always been an early adopter when it comes to media and technology and early in my career spent 4 years working at Best Buy. So it was exciting to attend the Minnesota High Tech Association Annual Spring Conference to hear Keynote speaker Scott Durchslag, SVP of Digital and Marketing and President of BestBuy.com and e-commerce. Despite the company’s challenges in the past year, they have had a lot of exciting things going on.
These Christmas ornaments are my treasures. For over twenty years, Dode Jandric, my grandma, made at least one for each of her 23 grandchildren and no two adornments are alike.
