Recently, I got my hands on a very interesting book called Rework and I would like to share a few key insights that can help you to revolutionise the way you work. Although others have already discussed this topic at length, it doesn’t hurt to get a fresh perspective from the founders of 37Signals. Look at the core principles and express yourself in the comments section below.

1. Until you start making something your idea is just an idea.
2. The more massive an object the more energy is needed to change its direction – the larger a business gets the harder it is to shift. Less is always more (staff, contracts, equipment, inventory, etc.) The lower the mass, the easier to change anything.
3. Constraints = creativity! Great solutions come out of limitations.
4. Cut out everything that you are merely good at; the art is to leave things out. “Directors cut good scenes to make a great movie.”
5. Focus on the most important part of the product that cannot change and make it the best possible. For instance, if you are running a hotdog stand, focus on the quality of hotdogs.
6. Ignore the details when desiging the product during the first phase.
7. Don’t wait for the perfect solution. Make decisions fast and move forward. Ask yourself “what can we easily do right now that is good enough?” -  no big fancy projects and initiatives, just what can be done right now – do not delay by overanalysing.
8. If something is not working, do less. When 30 meals on a menu at a restaurant are not bringing enough revenue, cut the items to five and make them exceptional.
9. Equipment does not replace skill, it can only amplify what you’ve already got.
10. Meetings are toxic. Consider this: one hour meeting means five people’s time of one hour, which means an opportunity cost of five hours. Is this worth it?
11. Keep momentum by dividing everything into small chunks. This creates small victories along the way and boosts morale. Ask what can be done in two weeks and then do it.
12. Divide problems into smaller pieces until you’re able to deal with quickly and completely. Divide long list into many small lists.
13. Make tiny decisions. You get quick results, and in case of a mistake, you can reverse it easily.
14. Decommoditize the product – put your people in and around it, so clients do not buy from you because of cheap prices but because you are the one selling it. Case in point: Zappos.com.
15. Pick a fight. Take a competitor and directly compare yourself to them. Contrast and polarize to get loyal customers.
16. Do less. Offer a smaller amount of features then the competition and make the few features you have the best in the market.
17. Build an audience by sharing information that is valuable and creates loyal followers who will buy the products later on.
18. Instead of traditional advertising, teach your customers. It builds trust and trust is crucial in today’s economy.
19. Show your customers how the business works.
20. Test employees before hiring them; give them a 48hours mini-project.
21. Speed is of the essence. Get back to people quickly.
22. Culture is the by product of consistent behavior. It is nothing that can be planned.
23. Decisions are temporary and consistency kills. The advantage of small companies is to be flexible and change the course of business in an instant (from dental supplies to dog food in one quarter).
24. Hire people who have a life outside of work, because they will be more effective in getting things done.
25. Inspiration perishes quickly. If you feel inspired work on it immediately before that inspiring moment slips away.

What do you think about the list? What rule do you most agree and disagree with?

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When looking for a book for this weekend I came across the free copy of Lawrence Lessig‘s The Code. This is the second version from 2006 and it’s free for download. Thanks, Google!

We all know that reading is fundamental to success in PR. We also know that there are many books on how to do Public Relations properly. Their problem, though, is their tendency to approach issues from one side. In order to be better at what we do, we must turn to supplemental reading. Here are some books I would recommend everyone to read, because each of them contributes to making you a better PR professional.

1) The Dilbert Principle

Humor is the most powerful tool of making a story stick. Adams has a very powerful idiosyncratic knack to make nearly any story full of fun. Observing his style will make you see the world differently, which is always good.

2) Opening Skinner’s Box

A collection of the most famous experiments from the field of psychology will provide you with insights on how our mind works. This is very much prized in the world of PR. You can follow up on this book by reading more on applying the theory into practice. It is a useful start indeed.

3) The Definitive Book of Body Language

Non-verbal communication constitutes over 70% of human interaction, yet many people know so little of this fascinating way we connect with other humans. This book will help you to deconstruct basic codes, as well as teach you to be a better communicator. It is a must-read for all PR professionals.

4) Who Moved My Cheese?

We know that change is inevitable, especially in today’s crumbling economy. This book will help you to cope with it as efficiently as possible. It is a good tool helping you to survive in tough environment.

5) Anything involving mythology (I recommend Greek mythology)

Myths and legends are full of narratives that were honed to perfection by constant repetition and refinement throughout the centuries. What remained is the narrative in the rawest, most memorable form. If you want to create great stories about brands, this is the fountain of inspiration you ought to be sipping from.

These are only some of the sources that offer different perspectives on the world around us. What are your favorite non-PR books?

Photo Credit: Paul Watson

I started playing around with narratives and narrative theory recently. After talking to a couple of my geek 2.0 friends, I found out that some of them are afraid of a very dystopian future. The future, where computers will dominate the human race, just like in The Matrix.

Credit: flyingdutchee

To support their claims, my friends list examples from sci-fi literature and their connection to scientific development. It’s quite difficult to establish the connection from an academical standpoint, but we’ll stick with anecdotal evidence for now. In case anyone is interested to turn this topic into a full study, feel free to do so. I will only encourage it.

Here is the outline from the story to unrealistic expectations.

• Perceive the narrative
• Changes happen in the real life
• Uncertainty leads the mind back to the narrative
• Assert its conclusion however bizarre
• Unrealistic expectations and fear of technology

That doesn’t make much sense now, does it? Let’s put it into a narrative for better understanding. We will start from the premise that sci-fi literature influences technology and scientific development.

Perception

The readers perceive the narrative in the sci-fi literature. It seems believable, consistent and follows a logic of good reasons. In plain English: My friend John is sitting in his armchair, reading a book about computers dominating the humanity. Everything flows smoothly in the story, which makes it easy to be remembered.

Uncertainty

Then changes happen in the real life. The scientists create a supercomputer with a processing capacity exceeding the one of a human brain. What used to be only a part of the sci-fi narrative is now reality. That sparks John’s interest in the potential of this invention. “Maybe the sci-fi predictions are becoming reality.” He then recalls the narrative in the novel, and quickly asserts its conclusion.

Explanation

Some humans panic like there were no tomorrow. Why? John doesn’t know what happens next, but knows that these changes were described in the sci-fi narrative. By applying the logic of good reasons he assumes that narrative = reality. However irrational it may be, he may believe that the computers will subdue humanity.

All this happens on the level of heuristics, not logic. Even though we are thinking that we are thinking, we are actually taking shortcuts. What shortcuts do you make?

Jed’s post on reading got me thinking about what is happening with languages and literary forms today. Let me complement his reasoning with my own thoughts.

Language is a dynamic system

Languages change over time. Some words will fade away, and some new ones will appear. We do not use the syntax and vocabulary of the Shakespearean English on a daily basis, although we tend to borrow a lot from it.

Language is only a shell for transmitting meaning

As long as people will understand what “l33t h4x0r” means, and they will use it appropriately, this phrase will stay embedded in the written and spoken form of English. Once the meaning fades away, so will the phrase. Therefore, meanings are in people, not languages. I bet Dr. DeVito is happy to hear that.

Language is relative to age

Every generation takes the current state of the language, transforms it and accomodates it to its own needs. The future generations will do the same, but they will learn the accommodated words and stylistical practices not as ‘accommodated,’ but as ‘normal.’ Try to tell your grandma a story how you “pwn’d dat n00b,” and see whether she will understand.

Therefore…

In my opinion, the tensions between the supporters of the ‘sit down, shut up, and read a book’ model and the digital natives are caused by simple misunderstanding. The older generation never felt the need to adapt to the Internet, information explosion and mass gaming jargon like the current one does. Both sides need to be aware of it, and start thinking before they judge each other.