Web Line, Part 5: RAP2: Stand Out 1

Web Line, Part 5: RAP2: Stand Out 1

Derived From
Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, Trust Agents
Book Website
www.trustagent.com
Previously:
RAP1: Trust Has Changed

RAP2: Stand Out - Part 1
PROFIT : To be a Trust Agent you need to be noticed. Playing by the old rules is no longer enough. With new tools and new channels you can now create your own rules and your own game.


Actions: Gate Keepers
Define the Gate Keepers in your industry AND your organization.

• Who are they?
• What are they owning, controlling or protecting?
• Define the rules they play by.
• How can you jump over them?

Actions: Gate Jumpers
Search for these Gate Jumpers on the web :

• Arctic Monkeys
• Perez Hilton
• Huffington Post
• Radiohead
• Gary Vaynerchuk
• Robert Scoble

How did they break the rules? What results did they get?

Web Line, Part 4: RAP1: Trust Has Changed

Web Line, Part 4: RAP1: Trust Has Changed

Previously
Book Rapper Review of Trust Agents

Derived From
Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, Trust Agents

Book Website
www.trustagent.com


RAP1: Trust has changed
PROFIT : Who we trust has changed. Previously we trusted TV, the news, PR, Advertising and even politicians. Now we don’t. We do trust our friends. And, online we have Trust Agents.

What’s a Trust Agent?
They’re digital natives, non-sales oriented, genuine, transparent, connectors of people and power users of the new web tools.
They experiment with new things, humanize business and they help us make sense of the world.
They’re likely to have multiple online channels: a potent blog, a website, be active in social media, post videos on YouTube, have a photostream on Flickr and recommend stuff on Digg and Delicious.

And, you don’t call yourself a Trust Agent. It’s a title others defer to you.

Why is Social Capital Important?
Capital is any form of wealth capable of being employed for generating more wealth.
Social Capital is the power we generate from knowing and working with other people.
It could be in the form of a referral, collaboration, advice, keeping up with what’s hot or just chilling over a cold beer.
Think of your network as a resource for getting things done.
And, for spreading your ideas.
And, remember your social capital is built on trust.

Human Business
Business was, is, and always will be about human’s interacting with each other.
And, sometimes it’s more human than before.
Now, with two-way conversational marketing and personal media channels through blogs, etc. the human touch has just got stronger.
We have the power to connect with many and still keep it personal.
It’s time to leave the supermarket and head back to the corner shop!

One-way marketing and BIG media meant the mass approach lightened the personal touch. We were all treated the same. Did you feel less human?

Trust Agent Qualities

1. Stand Out : If you’re not outstanding you won’t stand out.
2. Belong : Be ‘One of Us’ to gain credibility and trust.
3. Use Leverage : Do more with less with the new web tools.
4. Build Relationships : Be at the centre of a wide social network.
5. Be Helpful : Use your soft skills to help, understand and partner.
6. Assemble an Army : To create massive results inspire others.

Actions: Start Here!

• Listen : What are people saying about you? To listen get a Gmail account and start an RSS feed of your name and key words via Technorati.
• Blog : Start blogging or post more. This is your main channel! See Book Rapper issue We Blog
• Comment : Read blogs and value-add with comments.
• FAQ : What does your audience want to know? Start answering their questions. Instant expert!

Web Line, Part 3: Book Rapper Review

Web Line: What You Need to Succeed Online, Part 3
Previously: Web Line, Contents, What's New

Book Rapper Review: Trust Agents

Précis
The internet has changed the way we do business. The info sources we used to trust, well, we no longer do. Trust, like attention is now at a premium. And, building it is the key to your success online.

Features

• A neat 6 part model for becoming a Trust Agent
• Clear and concise commentary on what’s happening by seasoned experts
• Oodles of actions for you to take
  
• New York Times best seller and one of Amazon Best Books of 2009.

Benefits
Learn the new rules and the new actions you need to take to make it happen online.

Who’s It’s For
Any expert, thought leader and leader wanting to be successful in today’s world.

Chris Brogan (Co-Author)

• One of the world’s most popular bloggers
• 13 year veteran of social media
• Conference speaker
• President of New Marketing Labs
• Co-founder of Podcamp
• Founder of Dadomatic
• For more check About on his website
• http://www.chrisbrogan.com
• Twitter: @chrisbrogan

Julien Smith (Co-Author)

• Podcast Pioneer
• 15 year veteran of online communities
• Started out with Bulletin Boards
• Then with Flash Mobs
• Now the social web
• http://inoveryourhead.net
• Twitter: @julien

Book Rapper Thinks...
This book’s got more action than Die Hard 8! Plus some essential frames and perspectives for winning on the web. From rapping this book Book Rapper is changing it’s approach to the web. Consider changing yours!

Book Website
www.trustagent.com

Web Line: What You Need to Succeed Online, Part 2

Web Line: What You Need to Succeed Online, Part 2
Previously: Web Line Speed RAP and Intro

The Web Line
The Web Line gives you a benchmark of what the top web performers, like Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, are doing for their online success.
What it takes to succeed in life is constantly changing - particularly on the internet and with social media.
To reflect this it’s a floating line.
And, to achieve your mission in life you’ll need to stay above the Web Line.

The Plimsol Line
The Plimsol Line is also know as the waterline or the International Load Line.
It displays the legal load limit a ship can carry.

Contents to Follow

• BR Review : Trust Agents
• RAP1 : Trust Has Changed
• RAP2 : Stand Out
• RAP3 : Belong
• RAP4 : Use Leverage
• RAP5 : Build Relationships
• RAP6 : Be Helpful
• RAP7 : Assemble An Army
• RAP8 : Trust Rules
• Companion Pieces
• BR Context : Plopportunity

What's New!
Chris Brogan's New Book: Social Media 101: Tactics and Tips to Develop Your Business Online
Released 22 Feb, 2010

Design Thinking Super Links

Design Thinking Super Links
After putting out a bucket load of thinking around Design Thinking, I've had several requests to put all the links in one place… like a super links page.
So here goes...

The Book and Author
The Book: Roger Martin's The Design of Business
http://www.amazon.com/Design-Business-Thinking-Competitive-Advantage/dp/1422177807

The Author: Roger Martin's Website:
http://rogerlmartin.com/

The Twit Rapper Versions in 26 tweets

First Half
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/02/twit-rapper-design-advantage.html

Second Half
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/02/twit-rapper-design-advantage-part-2.html

The Movie
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/02/twit-rapper-design-advantage-movie.html

The Book Rapper Version

Intro
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating.html

Review of The Design of Business
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_16.html

RAP1: The Business Paradox
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_17.html

RAP2: The Knowledge Funnel
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_18.html

RAP3: Opportunities
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/advantage-secret-to-creating-long-term.html

RAP4: Design Thinking
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_20.html

RAP5: The Reliability Bias
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_21.html

RAP6: Building Within
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_22.html

RAP7: Project Power
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_23.html

RAP8: Design Training
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_24.html

RAP9: Leading Design
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_25.html

RAP10: Designing Yourself
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_26.html

RAP11: Designing with Others
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_27.html

Book Rapper Context: For Future Sake!
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_28.html

Action Plan: Designing Your Future
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_29.html

Companion Pieces
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_30.html

Get the full Book Rapper issue: Design Advantage - includes all the RAPs
http://www.bookrapper.com/

Bonus Bits

Top Seven Design Thinking Books
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/01/design-advantage-secret-to-creating_31.html

The Design Thinking Audit
http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/02/design-thinking-organizational-audit.html

The Design Thinking Audit handout from our Ideas Lunch
http://www.ideaslunch.com.au/docs/Design_Thinking_Audit.pdf

The Web Line: What You Need to Succeed Online, Part 1

The Web Line: What You Need to Succeed Online, Part 1

The Book
Chris Brogan & Julien Smith, Trust Agents

Speed RAP
The web and social media is re-humanizing business and our interactions with each other. Gone are the days of interrupting, talking at and selling to gain attention. Today we need to build trust, be helpful and converse with other human beings.

The Big Idea
The command and control military style leadership and in-your-face selling of the past is dead on the web. To succeed online using social media you need to lead from behind. Build trust, develop credibility and if you help enough people the sales will come.

Your Challenge
Stay above the Web Line! Build a followership. Become a lighthouse leader. Attract people to you, help them avoid the rocks and give them something to look out for.

Twit Rapper: Four Hour JOLT! - The Movie!

Twit Rapper: Four Hour JOLT! - The Movie!

Here it is… our Twit Rapper video/slideshow summary of Book Rapper's Four Hour JOLT! and all derived from Timothy Ferris' The Four Hour Work Week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkx0zTPgLyk

Twit Rapper: Four Hour JOLT! - Part 2

Twit Rapper: Four Hour JOLT! - Part 2
Twit Rapper: A Book Rapper Book Summary in 26 tweets…
Numbered tweets, 1A= first book, tweet A.
Read all 26!

Back to our first half of these Tweets and our previous post.

Here's the second half and remaining tweets from Book Rapper's Four Hour JOLT!

2K TIM’s DEAL: DEFINE what you want, ELIMINATE everything extraneous, AUTOMATE income streams & LIBERATE yourself - live your way

2L DEFINE the rules you’re living by. Want a new life? Live by your new rules.

2M ELIMINATE anything that doesn’t contribute to your dream. Time is limited. Time wasting is your archenemy.

2N AUTOMATE your cash flow. Put it on autopilot and stop turning up to earn it. Start a business to reap your income rewards.

2O LIBERATE yourself! If you weren’t chained to your current location where would you live? Be mobile to be free!

2P Dear Boss, I know you want to hide this book. Don’t be an ostrich! Help me achieve my goals and I’ll help you get yours.

2Q Retirement is your worst-case scenario. Keep planning for this AND have some fun along the way.

2R The New Laziness: work smarter rather than for work’s sake.

2S Information Underload: Eliminate your futile attempt to keep up to date with too much stuff. TV, newspapers, web surfing, twitter…

2T Don’t manage your time. Manage your focus. Only do the things that impact. Eliminate the rest.

2U What’s your time worth? Outsource anything that can be done for less per hour by someone else – anywhere in the world – virtually.

2V One of the simplest ways to autopilot your income is an online product. Pick a niche. Select a product. Test. Roll out. Automate.

2W Get out of the office! Start with a trial one-day per week. Keep adding a day until you’re in total remote control.

2X Stop taking vacations! Start taking 3-6 month mini-retirements every year. Earn dollars, live where it’s cheaper. Asia, South America…

2Y WANT MORE? Get the complete Book Rapper issue: Four Hour JOLT!

2Z Want even MORE? Follow @tferriss and buy his book! It’s the real DEAL! New Expanded Edition: #FourHourWorkWeek

More

1. Visit TwitRapper.com
2. Previous Twit Rapper issue: Design Advantage: Roger Martin, The Design of Business
3. Tweet with us http://twitter.com/twitrapper
4. Read the Book Rapper Issue: www.bookrapper.com
5. Read Timothy Ferris's The Four Hour Work Week

Twit Rapper: Four Hour JOLT!

Twit Rapper: Four Hour JOLT!
Twit Rapper: A Book Rapper Book Summary in 26 tweets…
Numbered tweets, 2A= second book, tweet A.
Read all 26!

Here's the first half of the tweets from Book Rapper's Four Hour JOLT!

Four Hour JOLT!

2A The Four Hour JOLT! – Derived from: @tferriss #FourHourWorkWeek, Vermillion, London, 2007. Newer edition now available.

2B Big Idea: Our live-to-work culture is obsolete. The Industrial Revolution’s 40 hour a week Deferred Lifestyle has reached retirement age

2C Speed RAP: The Three currencies of this global, digital revolution are: TIME, INCOME and MOBILITY. Tim’s TIM! LOL!

2D Your Challenge: JOLT the way you think about work and metamorphose the way you live.

2E Book Review: Tim’s Deal may not be your deal. It’s action-filled. And, it’s the best selling JOLT you need.

2F Book Rapper Thinks... OMG! I’ve been doing it all wrong! Working to get by, working to die. Time to rework my work!

2G The 3 Keys to #LifestyleDesign: TIME, INCOME and MOBILITY. Design your life around them! Got it?

2H In terms of Time, if you’re still working 50-70 (or more) hours a week, then you’re doing no better than they did in steam driven England

2I What if you cancelled your retirement? Or dropped dead before you got there? What are you working for?

2J Is your lifestyle scalable? Time’s limited. How are you going to do more in less time? Solve this to win your prize.

2K TIM’s DEAL: DEFINE what you want, ELIMINATE everything extraneous, AUTOMATE income streams & LIBERATE yourself - live your way

More

1. Visit TwitRapper.com
2. Previous Twit Rapper issue: Design Advantage: Roger Martin, The Design of Business
3. Tweet with us http://twitter.com/twitrapper
4. Read the Book Rapper Issue: www.bookrapper.com
5. Read Timothy Ferris's The Four Hour Work Week

Design Thinking Organizational Audit

Design Thinking Organizational Audit
Are you ready for the future?
To find out if your organization has the right balance of Design Thinking rate yourself with these nine questions.
Colour in the circle of the response that best fits your view of your organization.

• This Design Thinking Audit was presented at the Ideas Lunch.
• It's derived from Book Rapper's Design Advantage.
• Which is derived from: Roger Martin's The Design of Business

How does your organization rate?
1 How flexible are we? Are we highly prescriptive about how things get done? Or, does our culture allow multiple ways to achieve the same end?




2 How do we organize our work? Are the majority of tasks tied up in continuous work performed by the same person everyday? Or, a lot of shorter, highly focussed projects?




3 How visible is design in our organization? Is design missing in our organization? Or is it something that is championed as vital to our future?




4 How is our staff balance? Do we have an abundance of analytical people and few designers? Or do we have a good balance of designers and analytical people?




5 How do we reward & provide incentives for our team? Is it based upon meeting reliability targets for sales or production? Or, do we promote & reward innovation and new ideas?




6 How do we select and approve new projects? Is it based on what has worked in the past? Or is it based on ‘what could be’ in the future?




7 How do we generally make our decisions? Do we rely on statistics, analysis and automated systems to decide? Or, are we open to subjective decisions?




8 What types of training do we provide for our teams? Is it mostly technical skills or more knowledge? Or, are we providing training to promote creativity, innovation and design?




9 Who has the ultimate say in our organization? Is it the sales department? Production? Marketing? Or, is producing high-quality design the most important thing?




Scoring

• What did you notice about your responses?
• What might you do differently?

Get the full Book Rapper issue: Design Advantage
Download the worksheet from our Ideas Lunch http://www.ideaslunch.com.au/docs/Design_Thinking_Audit.pdf

IdeasCulture interviews Book Rapper

IdeasCulture interviews Book Rapper

On Monday night I presented at National Speakers Victorian Chapter Meeting.
During the break NSAA Vic President, creative thinker and ideas expert Yvonne Adele did a quick interview with me on her flipcam. Here it is...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbCb6p8UnIg

Check out Yvonne's cleverly creative crowdsourcing on her site: www.IdeasCulture.com
And, follow her on twitter, she's a twizard: http://twitter.com/IdeasCulture

Twit Rapper: Design Advantage, The movie!

Twit Rapper: Design Advantage, The movie!
Here it is… our Twit Rapper video/slideshow summary of Book Rapper's Design Advantage and all derived from Roger Martin's The Design of Business.









This is our first Twit Rapper video.
Love to hear your thoughts on how we can improve it for future issues.

Twit Rapper: Design Advantage, Part 2

Twit Rapper: Design Advantage, Part 2

Twit Rapper: A Book Rapper Book Summary in 26 tweets… Numbered tweets, 1A= first book, tweet A. Read all 26!

Here's the second half and remaining 13 tweets from Book Rapper's Design Advantage.

1N: Opportunity 1: Your business solves a problem. Change the way you solve this problem.

1O: Opportunity 2: Take the knowledge out of your employee’s heads and put it into a system for others to run.

1P: Abductive Logic asks ‘what could be’. Dilemma! Cannot prove or disprove a new idea in advance.

1Q: Design Thinking blends creativity and business. It relies on Abductive Logic. Crucial for optimal business performance.

1R: Employing Design Thinking aims to offset the bias toward Reliability and make room for Valid alternatives

1S: Adding Design Thinking to organizations is like rebuilding a new house from the inside. It’s a cultural change.

1T: Continuous work is consistent. Design work is different work. Create projects to fuel collaboration and innovation.

1U: The best way to learn about Design Thinking is to do it. Design something, anything. Logo, holiday, wardrobe... Make design a habit.

1V: If leading for reliability is like training a dog, then leading designers may be closer to training a cat.

1W: To enhance your design impact, see the world differently. Core driver = create the future. See obstacles as opportunities.

1X: Knowing how to work with non-designer analyticals is crucial to designers who want to make an impact. Learn their language.

1Y: WANT MORE? Get the complete Book Rapper issue: Design Advantage: http://www.BookRapper.com

1Z: Want even MORE? Buy Roger Martin’s book: The Design of Business. It’s designful!

More

1. Visit TwitRapper.com
2. Tweet with us http://twitter.com/twitrapper
   
3. Read the Book Rapper Issue: www.bookrapper.com
4. Read Roger Martin's The Design of Business

Twit Rapper: Design Advantage

Twit Rapper: Design Advantage

Twit Rapper: A Book Rapper Book Summary in 26 tweets…
Numbered tweets, 1A= first book, tweet A. Read all 26!

Here's the first half or 13 tweets from Book Rapper's Design Advantage.

1A: Design Advantage: The Secret to Creating Long-Term Value. Derived from Roger Martin, The Design of Business.

1B: Speed RAP: Key to value creation lies in the development of knowledge. Solve problems. Turn them into business systems.

1C: The Big Idea: Design Thinking is the new competitive advantage. Think both analysis for efficiency AND creatively for innovation.

1D: Your Challenge: Add Design Thinking to your life and your organizational culture. Explore, experience and exercise design.

1E: Book Review: A business strategy book. Why Design Thinking is important. And a key model for making it happen

1F: Book Rapper Thinks: Roger Martin’s my new design hero! He’s put design back in the centre of business conversations!

1G: Business Paradox: Now or future? Be efficient to exploit now. Be innovative to explore the future. Exploirt both!

1H: Example: McDonalds is an efficient system – big scale, big $$$. Artist typically explores – small scale, small $$$.

1I: Move down the Knowledge Funnel: Mystery= solve a problem. Heuristic= rule of thumb. Algorithm= fixed formula

1J: Examples: Mystery= Artist, Scientist, Architect. Heuristic= Trainer, Lawyer, Sales. Algorithm= McDonalds, MLM, Software

1K: Solve a mystery. Use your new knowledge to create new opportunities for you to exploit.

1L: Turn your hunches into rules of thumb to create an innovative service business.

1M: Simply your rules of thumb and create specific step-by-steps for anyone to implement. eg software.

More

1. See the video at TwitRapper.com
2. Tweet with us http://twitter.com/twitrapper
3. Read the Book Rapper Issue: www.bookrapper.com
4. Read Roger Martin's The Design of Business

Launching Twit Rapper…

Launching Twit Rapper…
Every now and then you come across a book that truly inspires you.
And, I don't mean it makes you feel good.
I mean, it puts a thousand volts of electricity in your head and sparks a lightning storm of 'gotta do that' ideas.
Well, this book did just that for me!

It's called 'Twitterature'.
And for the Twitter afficionados you'll instantly guess that it's short for 'Twitter Literature'.
It's written by a couple of college students in the US: Alexander Aciman and Emmett Rensin.
They've taken some of the classic literature books and rewritten them in less than 20 tweets -

• Macbeth,
• Moby Dick,
• Crime and Punishment,
• Wuthering Heights,
• Dracula and even...
• Lady Chatterley's Lover

The language is colourful, contemporary and oh so clever!

It made me realise that most of our classic literature is based upon male power trips and conquering women. C'est la vie! LOL!

So, it got me thinking...
I've had people say to me,

'Yeah, Book Rappers good and can you do a summary in a single page.'

For a while there I thought,

'You lazy $#&%@!'

And, now, I've responded with my own version of Twitterature.

It's called Twit Rapper.
It reframes my mission.
It's given me a different reference point and a knife to sharpen my thoughts around what I'm doing.

I'm exploring idea modelling and information design.
I think the whole shift to living online, the Apple iPad era, requires a revamp in how we design our information.
Having a page full of text is no longer respectful of your audience.
You seriously can't expect us to wade through a screen full of text when there are some many more appetising ways to digest ideas.

Can you hear your audience chanting...

• I want it now.
• I want it quick.
• I want it easy.

Thus I will continue to layer the ideas from Book Rapper so you can get it in multiple ways:

1. Twit Rapper will be offered as tweets and a YouTube video for you to watch with leisure.
2. Book Rapper will be offered for those who want more details.
3. And the book we RAP will be the ultimate source for more.

Therefore, if Book Rapper is designed to be read in 30 minutes, then let's do a book in 26 tweets.
That's under five minutes.

So, my newly refined and redefined mission is:

To Accelerate Reading.

Or perhaps, 'To Accelerate Learning'.
Or… help me out here.
I'd love to hear what appeals to you…

Tomorrow's post will be our first Twit Rapper issue.

PS: If you can't wait until then, visit TwitRapper.com
And, if you want to stay in touch, tweet with us http://twitter.com/twitrapper

The Four Hour Jolt! Part 11

The Four Hour Jolt! Part 11
Derived from Timothy Ferriss, The 4-Hour Work Week - New and Expanded Edition Now Available!
Tim's Blog: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/

Grey Workers: A Hot New Management Trend coming soon to your workplace
Following from our Review/Context post of The Four Hour Work Week…
In those two posts we put The Four Hour Work Week into a contemporary context.
We suggested…

The way we see it is that the global perception and practice of work has undergone a seismic shift.

Here's a further observation we've noticed recently that supports this view…

One of the ways that global work is changing is the fast moving talent pool.
People join organisations, build up some working knowledge and leave.
Traditionally, employees stayed for a lifetime or at least a decade.
Today, it's more likely they'll stay 2-3 years.
Career advisors today even advocate to enhance your career prospects you're better to move often to multiple organisations to broaden your experience.

This is a major expense for organisations.
The cost of employing people, training them and getting them up to speed can be an additional 20-30% of the employees salary in the first year.
That typically translates into $10,000 to $30,000 in the first year.
To see that investment walk out the door when the talent leaves is to see money walk out the door too.

What's even worse, when the talent leaves for better pastures, the knowledge they gained whilst working in your organisation walks out too.

This can be a disaster!

A few years back I did a contracting role where in the first week my boss quit so I replaced them. Then, a week later the next boss quit so I replaced them too. Within 2 weeks I was leading a project I had no history in and knew very little about - all that experience lost! Three months later the project was complete and I was the expert in the organisation in that specific area. And, my contract finished. I accepted another opportunity and walked out the door without even a debrief! Talk about an organization failing to learn!

Anyhow, what's the solution?
I've been blogging about The Four Hour Work Week.
It points to the breakdown in the traditional 9-5 working week.
And, a quest from employees to work in new ways:

• flexible hours,
  
• mini-retirements,
  
• shorter weeks,
  
• working remotely, etc.

Knowledge will continue to walk out the door because employers continue to straight jacket their employees lifestyles.
A better balance is required.
A response suited to the time is required.
Extending Four Hour Work Thinking, organizations need to think about their employees as consultants and manage their input and their physical presence differently.
We need 'grey employees' rather than 'black and white' employees.
Rather than 'you either work here or you don't', a blend of how you work here will alter the problem of lost knowledge over time.

This is part of the Four Hour Work Week trend.
It's not that everyone will want a four hour work week in the way that Tim Ferris proposes.
And, it is likely they will want to manage their working lives in more flexible ways.

My sense of it is that Australian managers in particular have not grasped this concept of managing out-of-sight team members.
With the rise of outsourcing, contracting, mini-retirements, tele-conferences, webinars and career changes this will become more of an issue.

Stay tuned at your workplace for more flexible roles with more flexible time expectations and more flexible location requirements.
If it's not coming to your workplace soon, I suggest you consider voting with your feet!

Get the complete Book Rapper issue The Four Hour JOLT! derived from Timothy Ferris' The Four Hour Work Week.

The Four Hour Jolt! Part 9 - Action Plan

The Four Hour Jolt! Part 9 - Action Plan
Derived from Timothy Ferriss, The 4-Hour Work Week - New and Expanded Edition Now Available!
Tim's Blog: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/

Actions: Live Your Dream
PROFIT: So you want to give your lifestyle a JOLT... Are you sure? Well, you’d better take some action then. Complete our Four Steps to Living Your Dream and you’ll be well on your way... JOLT yourself today! Share the process and JOLT your friends and colleagues too!

Review TIM's DEAL: http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/02/four-hour-jolt-part-3.html

Define
Blog Link: http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/02/four-hour-jolt-part-4.html

Start defining your lifestyle today. List the key elements here.
1 ____________________
2 ____________________
3 ____________________
4 ____________________
5 ____________________

Eliminate
Blog Link: http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/02/four-hour-jolt-part-5.html

Make a list of the things you are going to eliminate - starting now!
1 ____________________
2 ____________________
3 ____________________
4 ____________________
5 ____________________

Automate
Blog Link: http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/02/four-hour-jolt-part-6.html

What elements of your life are you going to outsource and automate?
1 ____________________
2 ____________________
3 ____________________
4 ____________________
5 ____________________

Liberate

Blog Link: http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/02/four-hour-jolt-part-7.html

Finally, how are you going to liberate yourself from your current situation?
1 ____________________
2 ____________________
3 ____________________
4 ____________________
5 ____________________

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Get the complete Book Rapper Issue The Four Hour JOLT! including all the blog posts - now freely available in one document on our website: www.bookrapper.com

The Four Hour Jolt! Part 9

The Four Hour Jolt! Part 9
Derived from Timothy Ferriss, The 4-Hour Work Week - New and Expanded Edition Now Available!
Tim's Blog: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/

Book Review and Context Part B: The 4-Hour Work Week
The Edition We Read: Timothy Ferris, The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich, Vermillion, London, 2007.

Back to Part A: http://www.bookrapper.com/2010/02/four-hour-jolt-part-8.html

TIM's DEAL offers each game soul the key to enable them to pursue a personal dream or passion.
You can create a one-off blueprint, a personalised Lifestyle Design and live your ideal life.

The DEAL process is also the perfect lense through which to view changes in industrial, social and cultural evolution over the last 200 years.

In terms of Time, if you’re still working 50-70 (or more) hours a week, then you’re doing no better than steam driven England. It may be that your soul (sic) purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others!

When Absolute Income (hours in/dollars out) is the measure, we’re all better off.
However, the outstanding winners today are those who plan around, and insist on, Relative Income ($$$’s per hour worked).

Finally, if you’re commuting to a cubicle five or six days a week then you’ve only traded tools and method in the Mobility stakes since 1850; you’ve effectively swapped your loom for a computer, and your horse for an engine.

Tim Ferriss insists that you define what ‘work’ is for you.
Why are you doing what you’re doing?
He claims that it can only be one of two things: ‘income generation’ or ‘dream fulfilment’.

‘Work’ is a scientific term; it’s a measure of energy used.
It has nothing to do with generating an income or fulfilling a dream.
Will you choose to generate an income or pursue your passion and live your dream?

What might happen if you re-frame the word ‘work’ to ‘income’ or ‘dream’?

Be mindful that even when you don’t choose, you do!
Life is the original DIY: Lifestyle Design is your own personal ‘how to’ map.

Why should you change?
Family

• What did you miss out on growing up?
  
• Are you leaving the same legacy for your family or pumping for something different?

Career

• Is the cost of what you’re pursuing worth it?
• Are you in a game worth playing; a game worth winning?
  
• Are you going through the motions or training yourself for a better tomorrow?

Self-Image

• Are you holding onto habitual beliefs that keep you from pursuing opportunities to show what you secretly believe you’re really made of?

Listen, really listen, to your internal voice, your instincts, your intuition.
You can’t store time in a bottle.
Drink deeply today, down to the last sip.
Don’t waste a drop.

The 4-Hour Work Week could JOLT you to make a paradigm shift in how you relate to yourself and to your world.
It’s about being you first, in designing yourself as a person, who you are and only then about what you do to earn the income you need to practice, act as, behave, experience being who you are.

It’s an inspiring book when read as that - an account of how one person lives an inspirational life.

Tim clearly set out his process and it is a repeatable one.
Otherwise, you know all the stuff in it.
It’s the little brother of 1984 and the 80/20 rule.
Great principles that we all need reminding of now and then – eliminate crap: work on what brings in 80% of your income.

You know all that.
And frustratingly, you don’t follow it.
Why?

Could it be that you’re not being your true self.
Are you acting out of what you have to do – what is expected - and not what you want to do.

Are you being YOU?

The Four Hour Jolt! Part 8

The Four Hour Jolt! Part 8
Derived from Timothy Ferriss, The 4-Hour Work Week - New and Expanded Edition Now Available!
Tim's Blog: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/

Book Review and Context Part A: The 4-Hour Work Week
The Edition We Read: Timothy Ferris, The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich, Vermillion, London, 2007.

Business/Self development books bring to mind sheep in wolfs clothing; they’re a better fit with ‘auto-biography’ than the ‘fix it’ genre.
What they represent is life experience pulled together, bowerbird style, into a personal ethic, philosophy, research paper, manual, etc.
The unifying theme is: ‘buy my book/ebook; CD/DVD; workshop/seminar, and, I’ll show you how you too can get:

• rich/religion;
  
• motivated/thin;
  
• up early/up yourself;
  
• calm/connected;
  
• jailed/free;
  
• colour coded/colour integrated;
  
• multiple orgasms/organised;
  
• the perfect job/the bosses job;
  
• wired/unwired;
  
• a 3rd mortgage/a 3rd bankruptcy;
  
• a dodgy song into Eurovision/a colonic irrigation @ FutureLifeVision;
  
• a cubicle on the window side (when Roger retires)/a $50 million hand-shake (only a few of these)…

Get it?

They are published, for better or for worse, because the author wants us to feel as good as he does when we replicate his life, buy (sic) following his process/rituals/acronyms/advice.

At first reading, he Four Hour Work Week fits this genre: work less/play more; increase income/decrease hours; more freedom/less accountability.
Yeah, yeah...
Move on, you’ve read it all before; you know the drill!

But wait! This time it may be different.

Sure, Tim Ferriss walks his talk (lots do), tells it like it is (very Gen Y), has zero tolerance for ‘idiots’ (envy it), and yet, on second (and third) reading, there is more, much more here.

It’s rests in what Tim Ferriss doesn’t say.

It’s what he, and a few others of his generation, (unwittingly) demonstrate in who/how they connect, commit, commune and communicate with their species; in the way they engage life.
What Book Rapper is flagging is perhaps something that you don't yet know you will want to know.

The way we see it is that the global perception and practice of work has undergone a seismic shift.

We’re in the beginning of an ‘Industrial’ Revolution (we’ve had several of them; a major one was the 40 hour work week) and the 4-Hour Workweek concept makes the Short Time Movement look like an all day sucker!
The Short Time ‘8 Hour Day’ movement grew out of the atrocious conditions of England’s Industrial Revolution’s factories.
With working days of 12-16 hours commonplace Robert Owen launched a plan for an 8 hour day way back in 1817.
His innovative vision was for a 24-hour-day plan comprising 8 hours of work, 8 hours of play and 8 hours rest.
Whilst skilled workers in Australia and new Zealand were awarded a union negotiated 8 hour day as early as the 1850’s it didn’t become a typical day for all workers until around 1920.
One hundred and fifty years later, the end of the 9-5, M-F 40 hours work/live for the weekend lifestyle is rolling into a workplace near you...

Like Owen, Tim Ferris has posted a radical vision – a 4-Hour Work Week – and it’s close to the mark of the promised ideal offered at the beginning of the Information/Knowledge Age.

Remember the Age of Leisure (freedom) with which visionaries of the recent past have tantalised and motivated us?
Well, Ferriss shows us that he has achieved it; he’s pulled the plug on an 80 hour, office bound week and freed himself to live his ideal lifestyle.
Continued in Part B...