We’re looking forward to co-hosting tonight’s #BEaLEADER Twitterchat as @PrPinkPonies/@PrettyPinkPro and our networks from Meetup.com, Etsy, USC et al…
As you may know, Pretty Pink Ponies has a successful and accomplished team of over 100 small local merchants with online shops.
If you ask people who’ve met me in passing somewhere out in the scene, you might hear my personality described as “dramatic”, “loves attention”, “loves the limelight”, etc…
“How do you manage people who are better than you?”
There Is An I In Team: HBR Presentation w/ Mark De Rond and Angela Herrin
Marvel comics, team, Xmen
I listened to a recent web presentation provided by the Harvard Business Review titled, “There Is An I In Team”.
I’m fascinated by collaboration among team members as a result of having had a couple of long term boyfriends who played Division I sports (Hot!).
It made very little sense to me in college that men can experience anger and frustration with a teammate or rival, duke it out, then grab a beer and hang out as friends the following day.
They seemed to be able to separate their roles on their teams from who they are off the team. But, how?!?!?
These abilities — a) getting over setbacks and moving forward, and b) separating one’s role on and off his/her team — are paramount to one’s chances of success in large organizations (i.e. Professor Xavier’s school for the gifted, or if you prefer reality, large world class corporations).
Marvel comics, team, Xmen
The HBR presentation I mentioned is one of the better studies on how the best teams function, what makes teams effective, and how to manage teams to accomplish wins. De Rond takes his observations of university rowing teams and boat races to examine coordination between team members.
One insightful observation De Rond discovered in the results of team surveys is that high performers typically underestimate their own teammates**. And, as we all have experienced, this makes high performers or those who are highly intelligent dismissive of others.
If this is true, what can we do to exploit the value high performers can provide while mitigating the risks these high performers’ behavioral tendencies often cause?
Surprisingly, the answer isn’t found by forcing all team members to get along. It turns out that expressing emotional experiences and venting to teammates create winning performance***.
While most of us define team harmony as an absence of competitiveness between members, this is only half of the story. Competition (“lack of harmony”) cannot truly be forced out of individuals because it is innate. If suppressed, competition resurfaces in more destructive forms under the radar of team leaders and creates more dysfunction than if they were acknowledged, accepted and resolved in a psychologically safe and moderated space.
My favorite take away from this presentation is this:
Harmony cannot be forced in teams. Harmony is created naturally when teams experience wins and achieve great things through collaboration with one another.
Metropolis II (Installation by Chris Burden @LACMA).
I’m often cut off mid-sentence and asked, “But..what do you wanna do?”.
Fair enough question.
(SPOILER: There are no images in this post)
I suppose operating from the gut can make sense to one’s self but not necessarily to others.
It isn’t as if I responsibly mapped out my professional trajectory like I was taught to do…Instead, I followed my heart (whatever that means) and learned important lessons along the way. But, that doesn’t help clarify things, does it?
Unfortunately, passion can lack the efficient jargon demanded by those who wish to make a quick assessment of another’s perceived added value.
How silly was I to add “passion” to the bulletpoints on my resume? The entire Dalek population would explode attempting to grasp this concept.
Passion is tough to quantify. Just ask any successful entrepreneur.
That said, using a wordcloud tool has failed to capture the essence of the value I can add to any organization – instinct, experience, heart, loyalty, intuition, perserverance, empathy, connection, et al…These terms are not trending on LinkedIn — Google alerts would’ve informed me, and I just checked.
So, since my unorthodox list of accomplishments are invisible to search engines (and, incomprehensible to Daleks), I decided to explicity define “success” for myself as a courtesy to my new friends and acquaintances.
Here is what my point B looks like:
*You’re having your A.M. coffee while reading about the biggest networking event of the year on a page in the WSJ.
(Blurb for one of many well-known international events)
The text reads:
Notable Speakers include:
Abby Joseph Cohen one of the most respected figures in investing circles and is the chief US investment strategist for Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief, Vogue
Carrie Fisher, Actress best known as Princess Leia
Meg Gomez, Makes handmade stationery & sells them on Etsy
Sarah Blakely, CEO & Founder, Spanx
Genevieve Bos, Founding Publisher, Pink Magazine
Sheila Kahanek, former Accountant, Enron.
*end scene
I hope that helped clarify some things for you.
Have a great weekend!!!
Best,
Meg
*end scene
;P(SPOILER: To be continued…)
Bridget is a friend, mentor, inspiration, advisor, twitter follower, confidante, et cetera…
I learned a lot about self-acceptance from Bridget’s writing advice during my years as an undgrad (and afterwards).
As it turns out, writers view words as instruments by which individuals connect to others. I learned that writing can be formatted in any way as long as the message and the spirit of the message are successfully transported to another — carrying with it the essence of its source.
Writing is a vehicle.
And, unlike perfectly formatted bullets on a memo, the musings of a good writer isn’t only concerned with getting you to point B –– she wants to take you on a ride!!!
Congrats on your beautiful book, B. And, thanks for the ride.
Love,
Meg
@prettypinkpro @4KM @padma8376 @sanchezjb We’ve quoted you on our #HBRchat Highlights page – thanks for joining in! s.hbr.org/MNHjdX
@prettypinkpro @4KM @padma8376 @sanchezjb We’ve quoted you on our #HBRchat Highlights page – thanks for joining in! s.hbr.org/MNHjdX
— HBR Exchange (@HBRexchange) May 25, 2012
[<a href=”http://storify.com/hbrexchange/hbrchat-overcome-your-work-addiction” target=”_blank”>View the story “HBRchat: Overcome Your Work Addiction” on Storify</a>]
Deets:
HBR Twitter chats: #HBRchat
Host: @HBRexchange
Without cheating (and, without any jokes about Deep V-neck shirts) please share with us the contents of your purse right this second….
Can you tell a lot about someone’s personality based on what they tote around in their handbags???
Thanks everyone!
3P
So you still think style’s just a bunch of fluff?
Katy Perry’s photographs by Jannson in Interview mag beg to differ.
When you’re in the media’s eye and every step you take is scrutinized, publicized and tweeted, it’s tough to create a brand without your audience’s approval and agreement. It could be even harder to break out of your teeny-bopper persona … unless you’ve got the right tools and strategy to to make your desired new message clear.
The photographs of Katy Perry below successfully reposition the celebrity and communicates a clear message. What’s the message???
Take me seriously; I’m a talented and professional performer.
3P
(Blk/Wht Photography by MIKAEL JANSSON)
If you follow LinkedIn and/or collect great apps, you’re probably already using your iPhone to *automatically* capture + digitize + connect to the professionals whose business cards used fill your handbag like a struggling restaurant’s attempt to market itself by strategically placing a “win-a-free-lunch” entry box on its counter…
Never heard of it (CardMunch)? Here’s some backstory:
LinkedIn acquired the company last year and it’s the only iPhone app I’ve ever recommended to friends — so far.
I. What’s great about CardMunch:
1. It helps connect with acquaintances immediately without having to manually enter and sort through piles of business cards; (hours and hours saved!)
2. It automatically (if given permission) sends a LinkedIn invite to said acquaintance.
3. Sync…
II. Instructions for the new user:
STEP 1. SNAP* A PIC OF CARD.
STEP 2. RID YOUR NEW 😉 BOTTEGA VENETA (<<< See what I did there? I look forward to my new purse, BV! 😉 OF CLUTTER TO MAKE ROOM for essentials like — the new BOBBI BROWN Spring kit (<<< Hi, Bobbi Brown *winks. See how clever I was there?!).
Step 3. Randomly choose a card from the pile you’re about to toss and take the winner to lunch!
Anyhoo, below are links I’ve included in case you wanna get geeky about CardMunch… Also below are links to my current Bottega Veneta & Bobbi Brown wish lists (Hello?!?! Your appearance and style are valuable networking tools! Didn’t you read our previous posts?!?). Xo!
Best,
Meg + 3P
As promised…Links:
Bottega Veneta – A beautiful leather case — my iPhone deserves it!
Bobbi B. – Foundation stick shade range: 3.5 > 4.5
Source: Uploaded by user via Pretty on Pinterest
Look at the last thing you bought, what problem did it solve, what benefit did you buy?
— Ronald Skelton (@ronaldskelton) May 6, 2012
How much thought do we put into where we spend our time, energy and money? Do you consider how the product in your shopping basket got to your hand? How was it manufactured? Whose idea was it to create this? What was intended when the decision to produce the product was made?
Let us know — do you think it matters???
We encourage you to pause and think about what message you’re helping create each time you make a purchase or decision. What you buy makes a bigger statement than you think — it supports ideas, practices and institutions. Be smart. Choose wisely.
Thanks for stopping by.
All the best,
3P
#3PCstyle details: https://myprettypinkponies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/3pcstyle.pdf
Join our Twittter/Pinterest conversation with Fashion Designer, Lando Ortega tonight at 6:30 (PT).
Lando provides us with his expert opinion on the following:
Resources: Edith Head's How to Dress for Success Sasha Charnin Morrison's Secrets of Stylists: An Insider's Guide To Styling The Stars
Below is a link to the recent #HBRchat (Twitter discussion forum) with Harvard Business Review.
This popular weekly chat is moderated by @HBRexchange. One of the more engaging chats on Twitter.
If you have a moment to follow the transcript from yesterday’s chat to see how it works, we’ve provided a link below.
Yesterday’s chat was especially interesting in that everyone had varying perspectives on whether or not and how much rivalry affects productivity in professional teams. Good exchange by all.
Have a wonderful weekend!!!
3P
Deets:
HBR Twitter chats: #HBRchat
Host: @HBRexchange
@prettypinkpro @mikepweiss @ECGreaves We’ve quoted you on our HBRchat Highlights page – thanks for joining in! s.hbr.org/Ixg2pf
— HBR Exchange (@HBRexchange) April 27, 2012
What 3P had to say:
@UneFrancofille @MikePWeiss re: competition should stay “on the field”. Separate professional from personal. #HBRChatRivalry is selfish; Your responsibility is to do what’s best for your entire team — not undermine it. #HBRChat
@svsashank : #Agreed. Leaders are obligated to create a culture of professionalism and integrity. #HBRChat
HBR:Workplace rivalries can be so destructive, it’s not enough to simply ignore, sidestep, or attempt to contain them. Instead, effective leaders must turn rivals into collaborators—strengthening their positions, their networks, and their careers in the process. In fact, it’s important to think of these relationships not as chronic illnesses you have to endure but as wounds that must be treated in order for you to lead a healthy work life.This week’s #HBRchat is based on the HBR article “Make Your Enemies Your Allies” by Brian Uzzi and Shannon Dunlap. http://hbr.org/2012/05/make-your-enemies-your-allies/ar/1
Q1. Have destructive workplace rivalries affected your career? How?
Q2. How can you redirect a rival’s negative feelings towards you?
Q3. Have you ever had success working with a one-time rival or seen others?
Here’s the link to HBR’s chat, Turn Your Enemies into Allies: http://storify.com/hbrexchange/hbrchat-topic-april-26-turn-your-enemies-into-all
[View the story “#HBRchat Topic, April 26: Turn Your Enemies into Allies” on Storify]
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| “Cool, Determined and Under 30” (via Inc. magazine) |
Tonight we met inspiring local entrepreneurs who create and sell handmade goods via their online store on Etsy. These Los Angeles creatives utilize technology and the platform provided by Etsy to lead teams of like-minded sellers.
We don’t necessarily think about the handmade goods seller when the word “entrepreneur” is used, however, these small business owners aren’t sitting around bedazzling for nothing — they make it rain!
Stay tuned for more feedback and some background on the L.A. – based Etsy Entrepreneurs in an upcoming post!
3P
The funny thing about mentors/mentees is that…we’re ALL each other’s mentors. And, we are all mentees. #Collaborate #PinkPonies
— prettypinkponies (@prettypinkpro) April 20, 2012
Connect … in fancy high-heeled shoes (“pretend” high-heeled shoes are okay, too)!!!
Don’t be shy – reach out and connect!
… in fancy high-heeled shoes (“pretend” shoes will do)!
Happy networking!
3P
“To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure, but risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.”
Leo F. Buscaglia
Wishing everyone a beautiful week!
3P
Can a high-ranking woman official expect respect from male counterparts and direct reports while carrying a baby and a D&G bag?
Spain says ‘yes’. This is not new news, but a great example that illustrates how to execute balance while serving as a high-ranking political official:
When Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero’s new cabinet members took their oath of office before King Juan Carlos on Monday, one of them, the recently-appointed Defense Minister, stood out from the rest. Literally. Carme Chacón, 37, is not only the first woman to head Spain’s armed forces. She is also seven months pregnant.
Article take from Time.com
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1730927,00.html#ixzz1s3tSNwKr
Introduction
Some consider the art of dressing, fashion and styling as a superfluous use of one’s time and energy. They’re right. Fashion can be overthought and when combined with the forces of retail marketing, fashion can result in addiction to consumption.
The Hollywood cliché of the teenage girl’s obsession with her image, shopping with her friends and becoming an over-accessorized one dimensional version of her true potential stems from a very real power fashion magazines, shows and other media have on our values. It can be a limiting existence to live life pursuing an impossible opportunity to become another Kardashian sister.
However, if taken seriously without being obsessively vain, the art of dressing becomes a tool for the sophisticated individual. Fashion – or, in the case of our topic, dressing – is akin to a product’s packaging in that it serves several important roles.
We liken the importance of dressing to the importance of a container; both are extensions of the product itself and both help create a product’s appeal, ensure its preservation, and operates as a means of communication between the brand and its target market.
Packaging 101
If you open most books about packaging, you’ll learn that an effective package provides a product with the following:
As a professional possessing valuable skills and talent to offer the world you, too, are a product that needs to be packaged appropriately to appeal to the audience you aim to reach.
Think about it. If a product’s packaging didn’t accurately reflect its contents, how would the buyer react upon discovering that the delicious marshmallows he brought home from the store were instead a package of raw tofu???
Being inappropriately ‘packaged’ will result in disappointments.
Proper Packaging: clothing that serves its purpose
So, how exactly do we package ourselves? Glad you asked.
Dressing up or down (or not at all) can be fun. However, when functioning in society, there are responsibilities we must honor before fulfilling our desire to amuse ourselves and do whatever we’d like without regard for rules.
Like a product’s container, our clothing must serve its primary functions before it acts as an extension of our individuality and brand’s message. Typography is useless on a box that doesn’t properly secure the eggs on its way to your kitchen from the grocery store.
In other words your clothes have responsibilites. Your clothing need to fulfill their responsibilities before they can scream, “Louis Vuitton!”.
As a courtesy, we’ve developed a guideline in the form of a checklist to make sure your outfit is at the very least serving its primary purpose.
Checklist:
1. Containment – Does it sufficiently contain and cover its contents?
2. Protection – Is your outfit appropriate for the environment, weather, social context you’ll be wearing it to? (i.e. flip flops outdoors during a snowstorm, etc…)
3. Convenience – Does your clothing allow you to move comfortably and with ease? Does it fit you properly? Will you have difficulty performing at your optimum level in these clothes?
4. Information – What message does your clothing communicate to society as a whole?
5. Marketing – Are you wearing any symbols or styles that will connect with the specific group you wish to appeal to? Will your market be attracted to you given how you are presented?
(To be continued…)
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I receive applicable and straightforward career advice by listening to the Manager Tools, LLC podcast.
One of the topics I found most useful is what hosts, Mark and Mike, refer to as “behavioral diversity”. In simple terms, behavioral diversity refers to the concept that our tendencies are some combination of four broad categories represented by the letters D,I,S & C in the DiSC model.
I won’t go into DiSC theory here as it is lengthy and there are better resources of information for this behavior identification model. You also have to take a test to better understand your own behavioral profile.
That said, if you’re already somewhat familiar with DiSC, the outline we provide in this post (below) of the basic behavior types may serve as a useful communication reference guide.
As Mark often says (via Drucker, perhaps), “communication is what the listener does”.
Cheers!
Meg & the Ponies
Please note: the DiSC information was published and is owned by
© 2012 Manager Tools, LLC. All rights reserved
Source: tumblr.com via Pretty on Pinterest
That said, it was always so refreshing to become “un-pretty” during weekends.
What does it mean to be “un-pretty”? First, let’s take a look at what “pretty” means:
I define ‘pretty’ as being polite, pleasant and polished. “Pretty” is the very essence of being a lady — coiffed hair, a manicure, a poise presentation, warm, approachable and socially graceful. (Think of a house party’s hostess – friendly and sociable). Someone “pretty” offers you coffee and cookies when you visit their homes. The “pretty” girl tells you how great you look (to simplify the concept); she is concerned about whether or not you’re comfortable and considers what your preferences are.
When I use the term “un-pretty”, I’m not implying that I made an effort to look unattractive (although, a lot of times, this was the case). What I mean is, my style of presentation was less ladylike and lacked the polish and niceties one would expect from a pageant-trained woman.
How does one achieve a “pretty” look?
Feminine make up highlighting the shape of one’s eyes + full lips + groomed brows and hairstyle + polished ready-to-face-the-camera style + tailored and put-togehter – any piece of hair out of place
I love the “un-pretty” side of my closet as much as the polished and tailored pieces I own. It’s necessary, at times, to wear wrinkled shirts, athletic shoes, cotton tees and unruly hair. I say this because I think it’s an advantage to be comfortable even without having to project the socially-constructed version of “girl”. You can be attractive in various ways — wearing pearls and a tiara or sneakers and a baseball cap.
To me, an un-pretty style can convey the gritty sexiness of Marlon Brando’s Stanley Kowalski.
Un-pretty means dressing with style without having to make a lot of effort — in So Cal this laid-back style is one that many non- L.A. natives try very hard to emulate. It’s the confidence in one’s self without having to look like a doll who took two hours to apply make up.
It’s an image that actors and models (who spend their working days in full make-up) naturally have on their days off. A look that conveys the understanding that if they wanted to, they could very well shave their scruff and be as pretty as they come. The “unpretty” girl doesn’t necessarily say ‘please’ or ‘thank you’ in a bubbly voice. She may give you a smirk or a nod of acknowledgement if she’s pleased with you.
Simplified, the “unpretty” girl asks you for a smoke without taking into consideration whether or not you approve of her smoking. She is not as self-conscious as her socially-graceful “pretty” girl counterpart.
How does one achieve this un-pretty too-cool-to-care style?
“undone hair” + cotton tee + element of relaxed or athletic gear – bubbly persona – string of pearls – “matchy-matchy” accessories + grit + attitude…
HBR Exchange@HBRexchange
Pretty Pink Ponies 