Presenting to executives with CIA
Posted on | July 12, 2011 | No Comments
One of the things that I love most about working in a large organization, is the availability of tremendous amounts of knowledge and wisdom that lies in pockets of people throughout the vast expanse of human resources. Much like tide pools by the shore, in these individuals you can find a rich spectrum of experience, and if you are willing to dig a little and pay attention, you will be pleasantly rewarded with nuggets such as this one.
I was in a meeting yesterday, discussing an upcoming presentation to our executive, in which I was advised to employ a certain methodology for framing my content for an executive audience. This type of audience is typically dealing with the broader strokes of the situation, looking at Interactions between different threads of action, as they weave the fabric of business activity in an organization. Given this approach, they typically want information presented to them in more succinct ways, thus allowing them to prioritize action and make choices about who is the most appropriate resource to deal with a situation in a way that will most closely deliver desired outcomes.
I do have a love for mnemonics in acronyms, so I have chosen CIA for this one. Aside from the obvious Central Intelligence Agency meaning of the acronym, in Spanish, it is also short-form for company (which may well be why they call the CIA “the company”).
Now, here is the breakdown for CIA as a framework for presenting to executives:
CONTEXT – what is the situation, and what is the context in terms that are relevant to me? What are some of the key things I need to know, and perhaps some of the key players?
IMPACT – this is the “so what?”. How will this situation and it’s potential outcomes impact me? What potential do the players in the situation have to impact me or my domain of authority in the organization? What are the relevant risks that the situation presents to me and my delivering against objectives and expectations?
ACTION – what are the recommended next steps in terms of what needs to happen? What are some of the mitigation strategies that you suggest to deal with the impact of the situation and its associated risks?
I have used this methodology in the past, but have never quite put it into words. I have employed it with much success, giving executives just the right amount of information to make decisions at a strategic level that can then be actioned at an operational/tactical level.
The moral of the story is, we are all busy, and if we take the time to synthesize information in a way that is appropriate to our intended audiences, not only will we have a better chance of them reciprocating with information that we need, we will also be valued for our appreciation of the fact that time is a limited and precious commodity.
Content as enabler
Posted on | June 2, 2011 | No Comments
One of the things that I have noticed as of late is that a lot of the literature out there talks about the importance of good content in terms of fulfilling objectives for your target audiences. I would like to build on that.
When I think of content, I like to think of it as an organizational output. Mary may spend 30 hours producing a report on her particular knowledge domain, but at the end of that, what we as audience members interact with, is the final product, the output. We may not even know that it took 30 hours to produce, and in fact, that part of it may well be irrelevant. What we care about as the audience for that report, is the value that the information within it provides, and how it helps us to fulfill our own objectives. In this sense, content is an enabler.
What comes out of all of this, is the realization that content is really the expression of value by an individual and/or an organization to their clients, stakeholders and audiences. In the same way that we may use other people’s content to support a hypothesis of our own, others will be doing the same with our content. We like good content with high value because it supports and enables us to produce our own good content with high value.
As a sometimes webmaster, I remind myself of that fact whenever I get a content publish request from a subject matter expert or content OPI (Office of Primary Interest). By enabling their request to update their content, I am enabling them to provide better/more valuable content, and in doing so, enabling their professional and personal objectives of being a valuable employee… Which in turn enables me to further my own brand as an enabler.
The moral of the story? We all want to produce something of value. So let’s enable each other to enable each other.
Creating is good for the soul
Posted on | April 10, 2011 | 1 Comment
As I sat on the couch this morning, I began to realize that a general sense of wellness arise within me as I played guitar. Then I began to realize that I get that same sense of well-being when I paint, write, or play other musical instruments. In other words, when I create.
So what is it about creating (in all its forms) that does that? Perhaps it’s the direct connection that we get when we create something beautiful through our own doing, something that would otherwise not have existed had we not willed it into being through our actions. In a way, it is by having that causal connection with our means of production that we feel a more accomplished sense of purpose, and therefore well-being.
Next time you’re at work, think about what you’re doing, and what you are producing. Then, think about how it makes you feel. Do you feel connected to what you’re doing? Does it make you feel more connected to yourself? If so, then keep doing it. If not, then think about what you could do to change that. It could be as simple as changing your approach to your work, modifying your process of production, or in extreme cases, changing what you do altogether.
The moral of the story? In an world in which we are continually told that we are always connected, make sure that you do not lose a connection to self for the sake of connection to devices.
You are not your smartphone.
Users vs. Clients
Posted on | April 1, 2011 | No Comments
The Netizens that contribute to the web typically refer to those who consume our contributions as users. I recall attending a workshop with Edward Tufte in which he commented on the fact that there are only two industries that refer to their clientele as users, the web, and the illicit drug industry.
These days, relationships are the killer app. So this got me to thinking, is the use of the word “users” conducive to relationships between service providers and clients, or does the syntax create the type of relationships in which the provider of the service is seen as ultimately replaceable and of ultimately low value? In other words, we engage in a discourse of valuating relationships based on roles. So if my role is that of a user, then it is up to me to use, not necessarily connect.
I think we should change the syntax and refer to users as clients instead. That way, the notion of value can be retained in the relationship in that it denotes a more meaningful connection between provider and accepter.
Users vs. clientsWhen we treat our customers like users, they use us. When we treat them like clients, we develop relationships.
VAMPIRES: FROM ACADEMIA TO MAINSTREAM
Posted on | March 8, 2011 | No Comments
While this article is meant to highlight the topic of vampires as discussed in both academic and mainstream published media, it is by far not a complete overview of the topic, as the research databases are replete with all manner of entries on vampires, vampirism, and the ilk. I think that at this point it is also useful to present my operant definitions for academic and mainstream.
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Ritual as a cultural lens
Posted on | January 2, 2011 | No Comments
As humanity searches for meaning and purpose in its actions, it creates a series of perceptual frameworks upon which to make sense of the world around it. It is perhaps these frameworks that Clifford Geertz referred to as “webs of significance”. Read more
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