Thanksgiving Day 2007
All posts by Robert Payne
A Word to Jemima
Jemima, your words are often like warm syrup over a fat stack of flapjacks, but I have to disagree with this post. I hear what you are saying in so far as there are so many people in a money frenzy clamoring for the all mighty consumer dollar that it can get ridiculous. But the fact is, no one is telling you or anyone else what they can or cannot post. Furthermore, if your ego wasn’t slightly involved in this equation then why don’t you simply write in your diary and tuck it under your bed?
The blogosphere and the myriad of channels out there that churn out content offer choices. Don’t like what you are reading or seeing? Click to the next web site or TV channel, cancel your subscription, turn the page, or don’t buy the book after reading the summary.
What you and your blogging buddy attended was a conference. Conferences are often about business. If you want to talk about blogging with your literary friends or others then meet up somewhere for coffee and conversation. Talk about how you can raise the bar for your profession using blogs and blogging tools. Clearly, you don’t need BlogHer to get the most out of blogging. Furthermore, your lack of satisfaction with the conference could have an impact on next year’s attendance. That’s how these things work.
The reality is that business continually pushes the ball forward. Business may be insatiable, aggressive, competitive, and even imperfect, but it also inspires innovation. Right now there are thousands of developers creating new applications for blogging because their egos are involved in the game. Yes, they do it because they love it and the challenge, but they also want to be noticed. They want to show off their skills. They want to work on the best projects, and guess what, get paid for it. Why? Because we all have to eat. And guess who in the end reaps the benefits? You. You get to use a free publishing software that allows you to communicate openly and freely with the world.
But of course you should blog for yourself. And I hope you will continue to do so. You have that freedom and no one is expecting you to do otherwise, not even the Internet. Now, can we please get extra syrup on that next post of your’s?
Go Big in the Biggest Little City
Headquartered in Reno, Nevada, and less than 30 minutes from the nearest ski resort means quite a few of us here at Twelve Horses like to ski and snowboard. In fact, two of Twelve Horses founders, David LaPlante and Martin Gastanaga, were professional ski racers back in the day before they got a wild hair and decided to start a web design and development company.
Obviously, their passions have an influence on the office culture, as well as the type of clients we have. As an indication, Heavenly Mountain Resort, Mountain Sports International, and Reno-Tahoe, America’s Adventure Place are just a few clients we have that are involved in promoting snow sports.
It is the latter client, along with a merry band of high altitude hucksters and several other sponsors, that somehow managed to convince the city of Reno to:
The video speaks for itself. You can also watch more on this YouTube channel. Can you say, Cool!?
Also, here are some awesome Ski Base Jump photos of Shane McConkey doing his thing courtesy of the RSCVA.
Gravity Check in Reno-Tahoe
Anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis knows that I have a certain affinity for Reno and Lake Tahoe. After all, I lived there for almost ten years. The area is big, beautiful, and full of fun things to do. It also happens to be home for a handful of hair ball hucking base jumpers who like to boost it off of high places.
Vegas has their slogan, “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas;” and good for them. Reno should get something going like, Go Big in the Biggest Little City or Go Home…because that is exactly what these guys did.
I love the fact that Reno as a city can pull off something like this. I mean where else are you going to see some guys base jumping off of a giant ramp located on top of a tall building with skis on? Warren Miller should be proud.
Of course, the video speaks for itself, and you can check out more base jumping videos here. I just hope this means Reno-Tahoe is going to have a ripping ski season because I am praying for snow.
Also, here are some sicko pics courtesy of the RSCVA.
Improvisation for Business
“For Twelve Horses, social networking is not just an area of commercial expertise, it also helps employees foster the group mind that is essential for any team to perform at its best.”
A few months ago, Twelve Horses took part in a series of improvisation workshops designed to help employees stretch their minds, and become more adept at strategic thinking and concise communication. The world of web technology is highly competitive and things change rapidly, so it helps to stay in shape. These workshops were led by Michael Bonifer, a dynamic individual who has enjoyed a rich career in new media, entertainment, and technology, and who recently authored GameChangers, a book about improvisation for business.
Improvisation for business draws upon the fact that business is dynamic, ever-changing, and filled with unique moments requiring original responses. Whether you are going through an RFP process, pitching a new product to a prospect, or putting together a plan internally with a team, one must be able to think on their feet and draw upon the collective intelligence of the group.
Bonifer takes the practice of relationship building in the business environment, and carries it to a hypothetical stage. Participants are not equipped with scripts, but instead are given a framework or an idea from which to operate. Improvisation techniques are used to seek out solutions to complex problems. While you do act out certain scenarios, the exercises are not about scripting or acting in the sense of deception. Improvisation for business is about performing at your best.
Does it take courage? Will you feel challenged? Will you at moments feel outside of your comfort zone? The answer to all of these questions is, yes. But in the end you will be rewarded with a greater sense of self and the career in which you operate. You will find yourself in more control of the day-to-day scenes of business and life. You will be able to better understand and guide how the scene is developing before the story is already over.
Business is competitive, erratic, sometimes volatile, and always changing and evolving. To adapt, differentiate, and deliver exceptional results, employees must be able to reach beyond conventional methods of engagement and operate in the moment. Improvisation for business will help your organization identify its strongest representatives, uncover problem areas, and help employees recognize strengths they were not readily aware of or given the chance to explore.
If you would like to hear more about the process to decide if it is right for your company give us a shout. We’ll be happy to tell you more.