Ed Batista

Three Questions with Mark McGuinness

Mark McGuinness is an executive coach based in London who specializes in working with artists and creative professionals and who writes regularly at Wishful Thinking.  He's also the most tech-savvy coach I know, and he's found a number of innovative ways to integrate technology with his interpersonal work.  As another fan of technology who happened to spend two years in art school as an undergrad, I was thrilled when Mark agreed to do a Three Questions interview with me--thanks, Mark!

1) You describe yourself as "a poet and a business coach," but which came first? Were you writing when you saw an unmet need for coaching among artists and creative professionals, or did you begin to write as a form of personal expression to complement your coaching practice?

Poetry came first. And it will last longest. I never planned on being a coach, I just wanted to write poetry. I got interested in hypnosis as a way of tapping into creativity, and as I like to do things properly I trained as a hypnotherapist. I found myself being consulted by writers who were stuck on their latest novel and actors with stage nerves - they were great fun to work with, and of all the clients I worked with they seemed to get the most out of the sessions. So I started looking for ways of working with more artists and creatives, and developing it as a niche. Most of them weren't really looking for therapy, just a way of kick-starting their creativity, so I started offering professional coaching instead of therapy.

After a few years another coach invited me to do some work with him at Vodafone, which introduced me to the world of coaching in business. One assignment led to another and I ended up doing a lot of work with various organisations, mostly helping managers to become better coaches for their teams. After a few years of that, I decided to put the creative and business coaching together and focus on companies in the creative industries - advertisting, marketing, TV, computer games, web development etc.

I felt reasonably confident of my coaching skills, having been doing it for around 10 years, but I wanted to get more of a sense of the big picture of the industry sector. So I took the MA in Creative and Media Enterprises at the Unversity of Warwick, which was a fantastic course - we studied the usual core business topics like strategy, marketing and organisation theory, alongside intellectual property law, theories of creativity and theories of the creative economy. A great mixture of inspiration and business knowledge, that made me look at my business and my poetry in a different light.

2) Your recent e-book on Creative Management for Creative Teams does a great job of explaining coaching, but I'm also curious about how working with your particular clientele affects your approach. What do you think you might do differently as a coach because of your focus on creative people?

Well two things I might do differently are not to wear a suit and not to call myself a coach! It's probably no surprise that creative types don't feel comfortable with suits, but I discovered through my work and via my MA research dissertation that a lot of people in creative businesses really don't like the word 'coaching'. They associate it with corporate management-speak, so the image doesn't work for them at all. But when we get down to work, the label doesn't matter, we're too absorbed in looking at the situation and finding new options.

Image aside, a lot of what I do with my creative industries clients is no different to what I would do with any other client. People are people after all. There are a lot of issues around communication, collaboration, teamwork, management and generally dealing with other people that are the same, whatever industry you're working in.

The obvious area that is different is working on the creative process, which we can approach from several different angles. Sometimes we focus on fine-tuning creative thinking strategies. Sometimes people have difficulty getting into the right state of mind for creative flow, so with my background in hypnotherapy I can help them find the right triggers for a particular emotional state. Time management doesn't sound like a particularly creative topic, but I show people that if you don't manage your workload it can play havoc with your creativity. Other times we might focus on the craft element - using your critical faculty to appraise and revise your work. And for me the creative process doesn't end until you've reached an audience with your work, so sometimes we're focused on presenting it to others (boss, client, public) in an engaging way.

Another nice thing about working with creatives is sharing what I've learned from my own practice as a poet. I find that a lot of clients are quite intrigued by poetry, so it can be very fruitful to look for the common ground between poetry and graphic design or singing opera or writing a film script or whatever it happens to be. Clients seem to find that helpful and it's fascinating for me - I get a window on all these creative worlds that I can never enter properly, but I can have a look inside as a visitor and see some of the amazing things people are doing.

3) One of the reasons I've enjoyed your work is your effective use of technology--photos from Flickr, a Facebook group, a Tumblr link blog, prominent links to your feed, etc.  I wish more people in the field did the same, but I know that many coaches and consultants are daunted by the prospect.  How do you decide which new tools are worth using, and how do you implement and support them?

I discovered blogging by reading Seth Godin's e-book Who's There? (PDF, 2MB) and it was such an exciting idea there wasn't a decision to make - I was going to do this and I was prepared to learn all the techy stuff I needed to get it up and running. So I immersed myself in the blogging world out of sheer enthusiasm, reading sites like ProBlogger and CopyBlogger and devouring what they were teaching.

A lot of the other tools came about by seeing cool things on other people's blogs and thinking 'How do they do that?' and investigating from there. These days time is a big factor for me. E.g. I wanted to do a links blog for a while but looked around for something that wouldn't add to my workload. I was already bookmarking pages on Delicious, so I wanted a Firefox extension that would allow me to simultaneously post to Delicious, my Tumblr links blog and StumbleUpon - I found the Mahalo share extension [for Firefox] which does a great job. It means I'm creating a whole new blog without any extra work - result!  [On a related note, see Mark's e-book on Time Management for Creative People.]

If you're thinking of taking the plunge with blogging and social media, the key thing to remember is that it's not about technology, it's about people. That's why they call it social media - the tools are designed to connect people and they do a great job, I've met loads of great people since I started blogging, and the tools are getting more user-friendly as they develop.

Bonus Personal Question: Your first New Year's Resolution for 2008 was maintaining a daily meditation practice.  How's it going?

So far so good! I've settled into a rhythm of meditating first thing in the morning for 15-20 minutes and now it feels like the normal thing to do. I'll admit there have been a few days I really didn't feel like sitting, but I found myself thinking 'Well, you promised your readers you would do it - what are you going to tell them?'. And sat down. So there you have it - the power of blogging!

Three Questions with Randal Pinkett

Dr. Randal Pinkett  stands out in a crowd.  Literally--he must be 6' 6" or something--but also figuratively; he's the President and CEO of a company he founded, BCT Partners, he holds five academic degrees from places like Oxford and MIT, and while he could probably name his price if he were working in the private sector, he's chosen to work primarily with nonprofits and other public institutions, helping them with management, technology and policy issues. 

And for such a big shot, he's a really nice guy, too.  So it was great to hear from him on just how you wind up with that many diplomas, technology in the social services, the Ars Portalis project, and track and field...

Three Questions with Michael Stein

Michael Stein is the Media and Communications Strategist at GetActive Software, but that's just the latest hat he's wearing in a long career in the nonprofit technology field.  He's also been Associate Director at Groundspring and co-author of three books (including The eNonprofit: A Guide to ASPs, Internet Services and Online Software, and Fundraising on the Internet: Recruiting and Renewing Donors Online), as well as an independent consultant.

I've worked alongside Michael in the nonprofit technology field for more than four years, and I've always appreciated his insights.  Today's no exception as he tackles personal blogging, blogging for a company, wearing different hats, and Bay Area surfing spots...

Three Questions with Tim Oren

Tim Oren is a Managing Director at Pacifica Fund, a venture capital firm, and a regular blogger at Due Diligence.  That combination alone makes him an interesting guy, but I've particularly enjoyed his thoughtful writing and no-BS attitude.  ("Addicted to Buzz?" on the tech industry's use and abuse of buzzwords is an outstanding example.)  Many thanks to Tim for taking the time to address three questions on VC blogging, startup blogging, and John Markoff's "What the Dormouse Said"...

Three Questions with Suw Charman

Suw Charman is a consultant, journalist and author whose work focuses on blogging and social software.  She writes Strange Attractor for Corante, and maintains a personal blog at Chocolate and Vodka, among other projects.  She was also one of the 50 Honorable Mentions added to the AO/Technorati Open Media Top 100--I've expressed some skepticism about that list, but IMO Suw deserves the recognition.  I'm very grateful for her outstanding responses to my three questions, which focus on microformats, organizational "unclenching," and Internet Relay Chat...

Three Questions with Stowe Boyd

Next up in the series of Three Question Interviews is Stowe Boyd, President and COO of Corante, as well as a regular blogger at Corante's Get Real.  Stowe and Hylton Jolliffe, the CEO and Founder of Corante, were recently named to the AO/Technorati Open Media 100.  (I'm a little skeptical of lists like this, but Stowe, Hylton and their colleagues at Corante deserve the honor--there's something worth reading there every day, and they're launching new blogs all the time.)

1) Corante is described as "the world's first blog media company."  As everyone else in the media world is rushing into the blogosphere, is this a sustainable means of differentiation for you, or will your corporate identity have to evolve?

I guess I have already shifted my description of Corante -- 'a social media company focused on thought leadership in high tech and science and their impact on business and society -- so, yes, we will have to push onto other differentiation.

2) In addition to your work managing and writing for Corante, you also consult to organizations interested in starting blogs.  What's the biggest mistake you see organizations making in this process?

Starting the writing without first reading. We need to start on 'the good foot' -- connection to a community of interested participants in the ongoing conversation about whatever topic. It could take months to get fully 'read in' on that discussion, and most companies aren't willing to wait, to get into the mix. So, they start writing, and are amazed that they have no readers, no connection.

3) You've maintained the personal blog that used to serve as home base for your consulting work.  What role does that blog fulfill for you now?

A Working Model is my personal blog, now, where i write about stuff that doesn't fit at Get Real, like politics, popular culture, and karate.

Bonus Personal Question: You just earned your provisional black belt in Shito Ryu Karate.  What got you involved in karate in the first place?

I decided that it was dumb to bring my kids to the class and sit there reading a book, so I signed up. My kids dropped out (although my older son, Keenan, is back, now) but I kept with it. Its a great physical discipline, and good for the head: very different from what I do for a living. Its also very social, since you are learning with and through the actions of many folks in the class. I recently won a push up contest with some teenagers, and I am 52 in September, so the benefits are really obvious.

stowe boyd corante get real

Three Questions with Grant McCracken

Grant McCracken is one of my absolute favorite bloggers.  His site declares, "This Blog Sits at the Intersection of Anthropology and Economics," but even that broad mandate doesn't do justice to the full range of topics he tackles.  He typically writes an essay each day, and his work is notable for its depth and thoughtfulness--qualities often lacking in the blogosphere.  His readers are equally thoughtful, and his comments section is outstanding--Grant usually jumps into the fray as well.  Here's Three Questions with Grant:

1) You've consulted to corporations and taught at Harvard Business School, but you're an anthropologist by training.  (Having spent my previous career in nonprofits, I found my own experience in business school to be profoundly dislocating at times.)  What's most interesting to you about contemporary business culture?

I guess the $64,000 question for me is what happens to business culture as it speeds up and becomes more dynamic.  I think the ordinary business is going to have to act a lot like the most daring business today.  I don't think anthropology has ever seen a culture that looks like this. Should be interesting.

2) You just published a new book, Culture and Consumption II.  (It wasn't available on Amazon until yesterday or I'd have read it by now.)  What effect do you hope it has on your readers?

Culture and Consumption II is a chance to get at the anthro and econ thing in a more systematic way instead of the "short order stuff" I am doing on the blog.  I hope the whole thing will look a little less implausible.

3) I particularly enjoy your style of blogging: one extended post, focusing on a single topic, almost every day.  Was this style a conscious choice for you?

I don't know where the format come from.  I think I think in essays and doing more than one seemed like too much work.  Essay, minimum unit.  Essay, maximum unit.

Bonus Personal Question: I notice that Chuck Klosterman's on your current reading list.  Who's your favorite heavy metal band?

I am not really a heavy metal fan.  But I love Klosterman.  What a talent!

grant mccracken anthropology culture and consumption II culture and consumption chuck klosterman

Three Questions with Darrel Rhea

Today I'm kicking off something new: the Three Question Interview (Hat tip to Peter King for the idea.)  First up is Darrel Rhea, Principal and CEO of Cheskin, the market research, design and branding consulting firm founded by Louis Cheskin in 1946, and a guy with a refreshingly dark sense of humor:

1) You wrote recently that "Business demand for design innovation is getting hotter every day," and noted that BusinessWeek had declared design "to be the critical competency for business and the primary tool of business growth."  But I still come across many people--and not just techies; marketers, too!--who think of design as so much superficial "eye candy."  What's your reaction when you encounter this attitude?

I’m pretty good at offering them a measured, controlled response that makes the case for the value and contribution of design. After all, the evidence and the business rationale are quite compelling.

But my emotional response is quite different. I have to repress my desire to pull out my designer club (sleek, well-balanced, brushed stainless, with soft black rubberized grips) and give them a self-righteous clubbing while screaming "Where have you been for the last 25 years? …you idiot!"  I have learned that this approach is rarely successful, it gets blood stains on my designer shirts, and that the rational appeal wins more converts in the long run.  Seriously, it is up to us to educate those who are not yet aware of the benefits provided by design, and to demonstrate the value of our perspective, skill set and tools.  If we can’t help them to see it, then we aren’t as credible as we think we are.

2) In March, 2003, Denise Klarquist wrote, "TED 2003 gave us a feast for thought, including the motivation to begin our own blog. Welcome to the inside track of what we think about. At this point we're not guaranteeing a regular torrent of information, but there's no doubt that there'll be quite a few pearls. And controversy of course. Stay tuned."  With nearly 30 months of organizational blogging under your belt, what's the most valuable thing you've learned from the experience?"

Blogging connects you and your organization to the world in a way that is tangibly different from other forms of communication. Revealing yourself engages you in a broader discourse; you become a participant in the world in a different way.  It is a subtle attitudinal change that has us show up as more responsible citizens.

The other thing is being humbled by the power of words.  While they can enlighten and inspire, the same words can offend.  Blogs are personal, yet quite public when thousands read them.  Again, it forces us to be responsible for the “listening" of others.

3) Your company bio describes you as "a pioneer in incorporating market research into the brand design and product development process." Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink" poses some stiff challenges to traditional market research techniques, and Gladwell has said that he feels focus groups are "a tax on revolutionary ideas."  Is Gladwell right, and if so, how should market research evolve in response?

Market research has already evolved beyond where Malcolm is talking about it.  Focus groups are an easy target because they are misused and over used.  There will be 950,000 focus groups conducted in the world this year, and yes, some real atrocities will result from some misapplications of a perfectly good methodology. But that is only one method used in research, and there are plenty of others that do a great job of informing designers and the design process.  We have been making speeches about this since the early 80’s.

Malcolm doesn’t pose a stiff challenge to traditional techniques; he posed a challenge to the mindless application of one specific technique by clients who demand focus groups and an industry of researchers who don’t know better.  We evolved a highly sophisticated design research practice decades ago, using ethnography and a host of other tools proven to be effective and fully endorsed by design innovators.

You don’t use focus groups to evaluate revolutionary ideas.  They can provide context for them, they can facilitate the generation of them.  This is old news now getting broad exposure, but better late than never.  That’s Gladwell’s welcomed contribution.

darrel rhea cheskin malcolm gladwell blink