Perfect is the Enemy of Good and is Killing me

This post originally appeared on LinkedIn and was my first article there.

Ages have passed since the last post on my blog.

Reading The 7 Secrets to Writing Killer Content on LinkedIn I figured out what the real problem is. I've been following all the tips and tricks by (1) generally talking about the arguments I know, (3) thinking of my audience, (4) devoting attention to the headline, (5) getting plenty of inspiration from surroundings, (6) giving proper credit and (7) abundantly sharing.

There's just one secret that I cannot follow. It's rule number 2. I don't write often.

Perfect is Killing me. 

I've plenty of draft posts saved in Blogger on arguments like outcome-based (gain-sharing) consulting projects, Hadoop and MongoDB, managing a distributed team, working with partners and many others. That said, I never press the share button as there's always something more to include. More details to add. More corrections. More thoughts.

More and more is resulting in nothing.

"Dans ses écrits, un sage Italien Dit que le mieux est l'ennemi du bien. (In his writings, a wise Italian says that the best is the enemy of the good)" -- Voltaire

There will be a day when all the words will become flawlessly interwined and generate a laudable argumentation. But maybe not. I won't wait anymore for the perfect moment. Partially completed stories can be perfected together. Unpublished thoughts are useless.

And you? Do you face the same issue?
(Photo: Arielle Fragassi, Flickr)

Mailbox for Mac Beta -- Betacoins

Mailbox is arguably one of the best mobile email clients. They've recently released a new Beta version for Mac and managed to create a viral initiative to ensure adoption. Betacoins are needed to try the version and you get three betacoins to distribute when your copy is activated.

To begin, download the Mailbox beta here. After launching Mailbox for Mac you will be prompted for your betacoin - drag and drop the image found at the links below into Mailbox (note: coins can only be used once).



Enjoy! p.s. Don’t know what Mailbox is? Click here: http://www.mailboxapp.com/

Leaders with a Different Opinion

This week has been extremely busy and I'm sure airlines are happy to have me as a customer. I've been in London, Madrid, Paris and Milan. Spoken with lots of people, ranging from CEOs to SVPs to CTOs of medium sized as well as Fortune 500 companies. I've learned and got inspired in each and every meeting, but there's one that I found particularly interesting.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffsmallwood/

I've met a brilliant leader, working for an extremely large and fast growing organization (yes, that possible) who started his pitch telling me why they are different. That's an effective way of grabbing the attention and being remembered.
We're surrounded by noise and need some tips to understand what are the things that matter most. Additionally, the conversation wasn't one way, but instead a lively exchange of opinions on why our companies can make even a greater difference together.

Sometimes leaders have a vision and are very enthusiastic of what they do. So much so that they take for granted that people understand and share that vision. Taking the time to explain why something is different makes a big difference (pun intended).

On Transparency

It's been a while since the last post in my communication-related blog. I've changed job at the beginning of last year and the journey so far has been fast-paced and fantastic and that's my official excuse. I'm lucky enough, however, to draw inspiration from what I do for a living. I've just been through a great week as we've had our kick-off with the executive team and the rest of the organization. This prompted me to reflect on transparency.

According to the Cambridge dictionary, transparency is: "a situation in which business and financial activities are done in an open way without secrets, so that people can trust that they are fair and honest"

This is what I've seen in this company. Executives speaking openly, clarifying the reasons for their choices and making the entire team part of the decision process. I've seen issues being addressed and fixed frankly. I've seen entire groups rejoicing together of great results as they feel part of this.

Transparency wins. It secures hearts and minds. It conquers individuals, teams and companies. Ultimately, it'll be the key to succeed.

Elizabeth Gilbert: Your elusive creative genius

Inspiring.



Some noteworthy quotes: 

•  “‘Ole!’ to you, just for having the sheer human love and stubbornness to keep showing up.” — Elizabeth Gilbert 
• “I have had work or ideas come through me from a source that I honestly cannot identify. What is that thing? And how are we to relate to it in a way that will not make us lose our minds, but, in fact, might actually keep us sane?” — Elizabeth Gilbert 
• “Maybe [artistry] doesn’t have to be quite so full of anguish if you never happened to believe, in the first place, that the most extraordinary aspects of your being came from you. But maybe if you just believed that they were on loan to you from some unimaginable source for some exquisite portion of your life to be passed along when you’re finished … it starts to change everything.” — Elizabeth Gilbert