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 Unpublished thoughts are useless.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)

Ogilvy's take on the Social Enterprise

I just stumbled into the Social Media Week 2012 opening keynote from Global Managing Director of Social@Ogilvy. I fully endorse the idea that there's an inevitable shift in the enterprise and companies should leverage that to improve customer relationship, communication and even employee retention. Presentation is embedded below, for all those interested.

The Insidious Plot to Socialize the Enterprise from Social@Ogilvy

Italy could be a great place for start-ups

Italy is famous for its food and fashion, for sport cars and lovely places to visit, for the warm character of Italians and for fine works of art, but could Italy be the perfect place for start-ups? I think so and let me explain why.

Why should I start my company here?

Birth of Venus, Botticelli

What do you need to craft the perfect recipe? And to build the world's most desired cars? What do you need to create a fine piece of art? Creativity and passion.
What do you need to build the next big thing? Creativity and passion.
Creativity, as your idea should be disrupting and challenge the status quo. Passion as you need execution to transform an idea in a business, despite the crisis and the headwinds.

Working surrounded by wonderful sights, in the relaxing and warm atmosphere that only Italy can give, startuppers can focus on their ideas and live a meaningful live. Another important factor is the moderate cost of living, which is relatively low compared to other major European countries.

Let's change what doesn't work
There are some issues that stop entrepreneurs from moving to Italy, like the bureaucracy or the limited amount of VC funding, but that'll change quickly. Government is focusing on a digital agenda, on simplification and growth. To stimulate young talents we should organize events and conferences. We should build state-funded incubators to ensure proper support and money to early stage startups. We already have some great VCs, but many more will come when they smell the renewed energy of Italy's startup scene.

We innovated many times throughout our history and a crisis is the perfect excuse to change our skin again and adapt to the new conditions. Let's make this Country the dream of every young entrepreneur!

How to Build an International Brand

Lately I've been reading articles on how to build international brands. While it's not that easy to transform a syrup into a global brand, there are some steps that should be taken. Smaller firms can benefit from them too.

Begin at the Beginning
First things first, everyone should get it right from the beginning. Global-always-on companies are now the standard and even local brands, sooner or later, should jump into the unknown and embrace the world as a market. If the branding strategy is heading into the right direction since its infancy, time won't be lost afterward trying to re-position the image. Brand is an intangible asset that allows you to ask for a premium on your products and at the end you'll have a good return on your investment.

What Should you do Then?
There are a lot of excellent tips in Inc's article, however I dare to summarize all of them in two words: respect and knowledge. Respect local habits, styles and preferences. You won't be successful in front of a diverse audience if you consider them similar to you. Cultural sensitivity is at the heart of your branding campaign. Know the foreign market, embrace their universe and understand what makes people proud to be citizens of that country. Rely on someone who as a direct knowledge of that market. It could be a local company or a global partner with local specialization.


Success is Never Granted
It's not a given that you'll be successful in front of a foreign audience and there's no recipe that guarantees that. Your brand is a hope. You're making a promise that people are buying into and you need to deliver whatever that product or service is.You need to ensure that your customers' experiences with your product, your business, and your staff are positive and your brand will be enriched. Delude your customers and your promise will vanish.

Will you be successful? Time will tell.

Computers, Humans and Intentions of Speech

I was chatting with a colleague who's culturally aware and he talks to me in Italian whenever he can. We've been discussing how life is always full of surprises and he used an automatic translation tool to say something very deep and profound in my own language. I appreciated the tentative and the end result wasn't too bad from a language perspective. The issue was with the meaning itself.

The lesson for me? Tools can translate words well, but not intentions of speech.

Humans are sometimes affected by the same disease. We get the words. We hear them. However we miss the real sense. The next time I speak/listen to someone who has a different background and culture I'll make sure to dig a bit more into his intentions and reasons.

What are we talking about? What's publicime?

It's the beginning of a new year and along with wishes and dreams, I'd like to start with concrete actions. I've always had two passions: technology and advertising. I devote most of my life to the first one as it helps to pay the bills and care for my family, but I realize that the latter gives me equal joy and kindles my dreams. The first is logical, the second is foolish. The first is real, the second is imaginary. One touches minds, the other moves hearts. Together, they're the essence of me.

This blog is meant to complement the logical side of me and I plan to discuss things like marketing, advertising, public relations and communication. I'm sometimes enchanted by advertisements and I believe I can reach a difficult goal: Making readers love communication and advertising! That's why I've started this blog.

I'm going to move all the non-technical content from my other blog to begin with. They'll be published with the original dates. Feel free to reach out to me, even just to say hello!
Luca

Talent and Genius

Somewhere on the net I've read this wonderful aphorism from Arthur Schopenhauer:

"Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see."

It's really crazy, but a small and simple phrase can stimulate thinking and you can write an entire book on it.

So, what's "talent", do you have definitions of this? What's "genius", can you describe it?

Probably there are many people out there that can be defined talented, but do you know a genius?

I'm thinking more on this, and my conclusion is that, probably, each of us can be a genius in some fields. That's why the new interactive web (web2.0) is now pervasive in everything we do. I can share my mind on a blog, describe something on Wikipedia, connect with friends and share past experience and thoughts on Facebook and create a network of trusted professionals in LinkedIn.

Probably I'm not a genius, but I can share my ideas and if we, as a community, work together on ideas, we can create real innovation. What do you think on that? Feel free to share your comments.

Sincerely,

Luca

We Are What We Do

No, this is not a philosophical or religious thinking about our nature, is just the name of a web site allowing you to track good actions that can change the World!

Too ambitious? Maybe, but at least many of these actions are good for yourself.
A small sample of actions:

2. Read a story with a child
5. Smile and smile back
7. Plant a tree
[...]
100. Fail

I've found some interesting ideas and I'm sure that someone else will find inspiring this site.
Have a look at: wearewhatwedo.org