One of Rich and Ron’s good friends, Brent Peterson, recently completed a book with Gaylan Nielson about this very subject – Fake Work.  The basic idea is that even though people may be working harder than ever, they are actually accomplishing less because their time and energy are not focused on the right actions – actions that are tied to the strategies of the organization.

Let’s take this to a personal level.  I’ve always assumed that being constantly connected and consistently in motion made me more productive, but is the work I’m doing fake work?  What does fake work even look like?  How can I recognize it so I know what to avoid?  According to the book, fake work can include meetings that waste time, meaningless paperwork, empty training initiatives, etc.  Sound familiar?

I took the test on the Fake Work website to determine just how little I am accomplishing.  I must admit I was a little apprehensive – it’s hard to take a test like that and not be nervous, especially when you know your bosses will see the results!  I don’t think I fill my time with fake work, but isn’t that the point Peterson and Nielson and Rich and Ron are getting at – you think you’re busy so you must be accomplishing something significant?  I am happy to report, however, that according to the results, I work in an environment that does very little fake work – that’s good to know!

In these crazy economic times, the companies that are going to survive will be those that are highly efficient and focus employees’ energy on strategic tasks.  There is no time for fake work in today’s economy!

Well I will tell you who….. High altitude climbers!

Ed Viesturs

In preparation for submitting the book to our publisher, I have been having conversations with all of the individuals that I have quoted or told stories about. As part of this effort, I was able to have a great discussion with Ed Viesturs. One of the chapters in the book is titled Climb High Sleep Low. In this chapter I contrast parallels between mountain climbing and what it takes to succeed in the ups - downs and around’s of small business start up. (See excerpt below from the actual chapter of what I said about Ed in this chapter.)

As we were comparing notes, Ed made a statement relating to mountain climbing that I had to write down and share. He used the term The Currency of Toil. Ed said this is what what he and his climbing friends had started terming the exquisite pain and sacrifice that occurs high on the mountain. If that phrase does not describe the GRIT and tenacity to succeed in a start up business I do not know what does.

These words almost allow you to visualize the pain and intensity of each step as climbers and entrepreneurs push forward into the death zone.

Maybe a little to much time without oxygen also occurs when you consume the label entrepreneur. I now also embrace the mantra The Currency of Toil

……….. Excerpt from Chapter 11 Climb High Sleep Low …………..

Ed Viesturs, one of my personal heroes, was the first American to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter summits. He accomplished this remarkable success without the use of supplemental oxygen. Only those who have confronted high altitudes understand the super-human ability required to accomplish this task.

Ed said: “For me and the people I care about, my style of climbing is the right style. Getting to the top is optional, but getting back down is mandatory.” In mountain climbing, it is not enough just to get to the top of the mountain. The goal must be to get to the top and return home safely. In business you must plan for the difficult times. As you reap the rewards of your hard work, build a financial buffer for your future.

I interrupt Sharon’s regularly scheduled blog to inject a quote from my mentor Dr. Peter Horne. I guess I get the right to do that every once in a while.

In preparation for sending the book manuscript to the publisher, the past several weeks I have been contacting the individuals that I have quoted in the book. I wanted to make sure I got it right. This has generated a number of really fun conversations and trips down memory lane.

One of these conversations was with my mentor Dr. Peter Horne. Dr. Horne has a refined British accent, lives in Dartmouth England, and his IQ is so high it does not register on the richter scale. As a side note, Dr. Horne is the only non Japanese person to ever sit on the board of Mitsubishi Electric. However, the thing that most draws me to Peter is his ability to hit the nail on the head with simple, spot on practical advice.

As we discussed a few of his life philosophies (several of which made it into the book), I was reminded of the following statement that Dr. Horne would frequently make.

Be nice to your team members on the way up because you will see them again on the way down.

Ugggggggg …. I failed to put that one in the book, so this post will have to be a second best for now.

What brilliant advice from a very wise man. I know one thing for sure if you spend any time in the entrepreneurship world, you are going to go up and you will certainly go down as well.

We could all do with a bit more of being kind and thoughtful to those around us. Indeed odds are we will see them in a different setting next time around the merry go round.

Our office made it back safely from New York City and we had an incredible experience and learned a lot.  The fast-paced atmosphere and around-the-clock action of the City initially seem overwhelmingly complex.  This is particularly true when you attempt to ride the subways.  Crowds of hurried people rushing and pushing past you, speeding trains in every direction, and subway operators that seem determined to crush as many individuals in the doors as possible, can intimidate even the most determined newcomer.  But when you step back and take a few deep breaths, you see that there is a logic and order to the system.  All that is needed to successfully arrive at your destination is a map, the ability to follow directions, and a little bit of common sense. 

We experienced this first hand this weekend.  Our high school seniors went from looks of horror as we approached our first ride to airs of confidence by the end of the weekend as they navigated the trains.  Lo and behold, the public transportation system really isn’t that intimidating and isn’t out to get anyone (I’m almost convinced of this….).  This concept is directly applicable to starting your own business.  It can be scary, intimidating, and completely overwhelming with all the moving parts.  However, if you breathe deeply and find a good guide, the process can be not only doable, but even enjoyable!   Rich and Ron are really looking forward to helping individuals navigate through the complex system and it will be fun to watch the bootstrap seminars unfold.

Looking ahead, we’re all excited about the direction we’re heading as a company.  We took the time while in New York to create our new list of goals for Q1 2009.  After experiencing how fun and rewarding it is to meet goals, we are all energized to work towards our new targets.  Even in the midst of all our New York excitement, we established goals that were specific and reasonable yet challenging.  Our CastleWave company goals for the 1st quarter include  

• Launch Search Engine Express
• Run 60 new clients through that program
• Engage 3 large clients
• $350K revenue
• $250 revenue/day from website assets
• Book released with online platform established

These goals may not all make sense to you, but it’s the principle that’s important.  We set goals that will require us to be dedicated and focused in our work.  These goals are a critical component of our ’subway map’ - they are the end points we are trying to reach as we navigate through the confusion.  While these goals are achievable, success is by no means a given; we’ll all be working very hard over the next few months.  We haven’t settled on an equivalent reward yet, but you can bet that we’re all brainstorming!  It’s going to take a lot to beat our racing around the subways of New York!

We’ve had a jam-packed weekend in New York City so far and have seen and done tons of fun things.  As a reminder, our whole CastleWave office is spending the weekend in NYC as a reward for meeting our company goals this summer.  Our group has had the opportunity to sample a variety of New York specialties, including Lombardi’s pizza (known as America’s first pizzeria), New York bagels, and even canolis from Little Italy.  I’ll confess that I love New York-style pizza; I think it’s safe to say that everyone in our office does.  And you can’t get it in the West!  Or at least it never tastes as good as it does in the City. 

We also saw a Broadway show, went to the top of Rockefeller Center, and walked through Battery Park – to name just a few things.  And all of this on Day 1!  The weather has been frigid and very windy this weekend in the City, but we braved the elements to see the sights. 

One of the more memorable parts of the trip so far has been our time in the Financial District.  We went to Ground Zero as a group, which was a special experience.  I have been there several times and each time I feel the same sense of reverence and awe for the courage and heroism displayed on September 11th.  We walked past the FDNY Ladder and Engine Co. 10, located directly across from the World Trade Center site.  Company 10 lost a large portion of their crew in the attack on the Twin Towers; the memorial outside of the firehouse reads, “Dedicated to those who fell and those who carry on.  May we never forget.”

And of course, since we came to New York City as an office, we had to stop by the Wall Street bull for a group shot.  The Charging Bull is the symbol of an aggressive financial optimism, so naturally we were eager to pose with it.      

Since I’m majoring in finance, I always love spending time in that area of New York City.  The atmosphere is definitely different than when I was there last, however – a lot has changed on Wall Street in the past few months.  In fact, after some contemplation, we thought this shot might be more appropriate considering the current market….

As you can tell, we’re having a great time in New York.  Only one day left now, and we still have plenty to see!  This has been a fantastic trip so far and a great reward for everyone’s hard work.  As Rich Christiansen and Ron Porter point out in the book, team rewards, when they are special and meaningful, create a community of collaboration and mutual appreciation.  Our little office has definitely experienced that this weekend.

During the time that I was in school and away from the office, Rich and Ron began writing a book documenting the precise process they follow to create a new business, something Rich has done about 27 times.  As they wrote, Ron challenged the principles in the book and insisted they start a business to prove it.  The resulting company, CastleWave, made over $1 million in its first year of business and is continuing to grow.  The book is recently completed and will soon be going to press.  Over the next few weeks until the book comes out, I’ll be blogging the story behind the book because it’s so fascinating and I think you’ll enjoy it.  If you’ve had a chance to watch the video that’s posted on the website, you know a little about the book and the basic story behind it.  If you haven’t, I would encourage you to watch it – it’s a captivating story!

 While my involvement in this story started three years ago, the roots of the venture go back much further than that.  Rich had strong entrepreneurial tendencies even in college but, as he puts it, didn’t think that he had the nerve, background, or funding to start his own company.  After getting an executive MBA, Rich discovered that he had an aptitude for business even though his background was in engineering.  Rich and Ron first became acquainted while they were both working for Novell and then solidified their relationship when they served together in ecclesiastical positions for their church.  They become such an effective team that they could basically read each other’s minds and finish each other’s thoughts.  Even while I was first working for Rich, he and Ron had a side-business going that they later sold for a modest profit.  Little did they imagine, I assume, the partnership that would evolve in the future…