Why Don’t Seagulls’ Feet Freeze?

Seagulls spend quite of bit of time standing on ice. They don’t wear fleece-lined booties or even warm socks. Why don’t their feet freeze? Or worse, why doesn’t the ice melt from the heat in their feet, then re-freeze, trapping them?

The answer, and the reason this question comes up in a business discussion, is countercurrent heat exchange.

The arteries (carrying blood away from the heart) and veins (carrying blood toward the heart) in the bird’s legs lie next to each other so warm blood coming from the bird’s 104 F interior gives its heat to the blood returning from the feet.

Here’s what interested me: if you have two liquids flowing the same direction, about half the heat is exchanged from the warmer to the cooler.

If they’re flowing opposite directions, though, as much as 90% of the energy can move from the outgoing to the incoming.

And that’s where it relates to business.

Old ways of doing business are dying. Traditional record deals for musicians, for instance. If you’re creating or promoting an alternative, it can be a long slow grueling climb.

It’s almost instinctive to shy away from the traditional when we’re trying to be ‘the new thing.’ But there’s still energy in the collapsing empire. Make use of coutercurrent energy exchange. Work close to the traditional lines, but in the opposite direction.

As they spiral downward and you spiral upward through the middle, you’ll absorb energy. Folks who are tired of the traditional and can foresee its demise will jump ship and join you. Folks who had no idea there was something else will to the same. That proximity makes the difference between the old and the new much more obvious; instead of a new version of the old thing, you can become a new thing. (I’ll write about ‘anchoring’ and how it gives you the advantage another time.)

It can be cold out there. Don’t make your own heat when you can get it ready-made.

The Bucket and the Basket

Ask a business owner what would motivate his unhappy employees and most will answer “More money!” Unless his people are genuinely underpaid, he’s wrong.

Frederick Herzberg’s studies on mental health in business are a sort of practical application of Maslow’s heirarchy of needs (which, by the way, isn’t really heirarchical.) Often called The Two Factor Theory, Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory shows that, as expected, there are things in our work which make us happy, and things which make us unhappy. What’s unexpected is that they’re not the same things.

Certain aspects of work fall into the ‘preventing dissatisfaction’ bucket. Workers need to be paid fairly. They need safe working conditions and reasonable hours. If these needs aren’t met, workers will be unhappy.

Which is very different from saying that if they are met, workers will be happy.

Other aspects of work fall into the ‘creating satisfaction’ basket. recognition, advancement, meaningful work, a sense of achievement—when these things are present, they increase happiness (which, we assume, will increase production and value; this assumption is intrinsic to Herzberg’s work.)

Which, again, is not the same as saying they decrease dissatisfaction.

The ‘preventing dissatisfaction’ bucket gets filled with water. Pay enough money, have a safe workplace, meet the basic needs, and the bucket is full. Add more water (by paying more money, for instance) and it doesn’t pile up—it overflows. Once dissatisfaction has been reduced as far as possible (hopefully, eliminated) there’s no value in trying to reduce it further.

It’s not a long scale with ‘unhappy’ at one end and ‘happy’ at the other. It’s not a zero sum game, where reducing dissatisfaction equals increasing satisfaction.

What you have is two separate containers. Once the ‘preventing dissatisfaction’ bucket is full, you can’t fill it more. But the ‘creating satisfaction’ basket—that, you can pile to the sky.

Recognition? There’s no such thing as too much. Tell every employee, every day, how much you value their loyalty and hard work. Do it sincerely. Read The Carrot Principle and put it into practice.

Achievement? How about helping every employee do as much as they can? It helps fill their satisfaction basket, and fills yours at the same time.

Keep checking the ‘prevents dissatisfaction’ bucket, ’cause sometimes it leaks. But once you’ve got it full (or if it was full to begin with, for you A+ entrepreneurs) focus on creating satisfaction for your employees and customers.

And at the same time, you’ll be creating your own.

Introducing Friends of The Commonsense Entrepreneur

I’d like to introduce you to some friends; a couple dozen, in fact.

Marketing guru Seth Godin’s latest book Tribes inspired a social network where some of the smartest people I’ve met hang out and share business ideas. A small segment of that group have banded together to create a smaller network of business mentoring professionals. We’re going to be sharing business ideas, not just with each other, but with each other’s clients. So when you talk to me, you’re talking to an international team of incredibly talented professionals.

I’ve created a full page to introduce them properly. It begins, though, with our shared philosophy on the state of business today. Please drop by and introduce yourself to any of these fine folks who strike your fancy.

And stay tuned for more developments!

Sacramento Speaker’s Meetup Great Tip Exchange

We meet each month with a group of professional and aspiring speakers who are one of the most inspiring and bright groups we’re part of.

Last night’s meeting was “The Great Tip Exchange.” Members shared two minutes of their favorite books, web tools, business strategies, and philosophies. Sue took extensive notes and posted them at the NorCal Speaker’s social network.

Non-members can read all the info and follow the links, but if you have anything to add feel free to join the group and post your comments.

Next week, I’m hoping to introduce you to a handful of folks from all over the world. I’m excited about the possibilities this group opens and just couldn’t wait ’til next week to mention them, even though I’m not quite ready to unveil them yet.

Why You Should Write an Annoying Ad

James comes home for lunch most days since he only works two miles from home (which is two miles farther than I ever want to commute again.)

One day recently he came in ranting about the incredibly annoying commercial he’d just heard on the radio. “Are they intentionally trying to alienate people?”

Well, sort of.

Some thoughts that emerged during the conversation that ensued:

The commercial was for a fast-food joint I happen to know James won’t eat at. He didn’t find it funny, although it tried to be. The company spokesperson irritates him. The whole tenor of the commercial grated.

They weren’t talking to him, though. They were talking to folks who are already customers, already fans.

Why would they do that? Why would they create an ad that annoys non-fans instead of converting them? Why not find a way to get that non-fan to come in for the new special deluxe extra whatever?

Because it’s not a good business model. That non-fan may try the special, but if they’re already indifferent or, as in this case, antagonistic, you will not create a convert, a promoter. You’ll make a single sale, or a couple single sales, but not a convert.

What about existing fans–folks who already there? Well, that’s exactly who the ad is for.

Existing fans were already thinking about trying the new special deluxe extra. A little nudge today, a little nudge tomorrow, and pretty soon they’ll remember to have lunch there instead of heading home. And if they like it, it’s one more thing to like about a place they’re already a fan of.

And what to fans do when they learn something new about their favorite this, that, or other thing?

They recruit more fans. No, they don’t try to convert the indifferent, they talk to folks they’ve already inspected as to fitness, folks who are likely converts. They’ll share what they love, extend an invitation, and probably make one or two converts in the process.

Write your marketing materials for your existing fan base. Don’t waste time trying to convert the indifferent. Give your fans a flag to rally ’round and a message to go with it, and send them forth.

The result is the Holy Grail of marketing: genuine word of mouth.