A MLS Lifer Looks Forward

As a lifelong fan of Major League Soccer, today is my opening day. It's Release 18.0 of First Kick version 2013 and the league has achieved a respectable level of success. I remember heading back to Ohio in 1996 to watch the MLS opener with a high school friend that I played with. I also recall the thrill of being at the 4-0 home opening win of the Columbus Crew over DC United in Ohio Stadium and thinking that the sport had finally arrived.  I even met Brian McBride after that match and later interviewed him for a weekly column that I wrote for at the now defunct MLS Review website called 'Comments from the Corner.' I remember the excitement and buzz around that evening like it was yesterday.

The dog days are over
I also remember being part of sparse crowds of matches at Mile High Stadium and Arrowhead stadium and seeing "the contraction" of Florida with the folding of the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion franchises. There were plenty of times I also had to defend my league in front of fellow soccer (or football) purists.

The path ahead
Since then we've advanced to a league comprised of 19 healthy franchises with the majority playing in soccer specific stadiums and Commissioner Garber talking about the goal to be one of the top ten leagues in the world in the next ten years. Tomorrow I will take my place in the Timbers Army as my Portland Timbers reboot the mission for their third campaign with a great deal of optimism. From here the path forward looks very positive.   Here's my bold predictions for 2013 as Los Angeles betters Kansas City for another MLS Cup.

Eastern Conference

1. Kansas City
2. Houston
3. New York
4. Chicago
5. Montreal
6. Columbus
7. DC
8. New England
9. Philadelphia
10. Toronto

Western Conference

1. Los Angeles
2. Seattle
3. San Jose
4. Portland
5. Real Salt Lake
6. Dallas
7. Vancouver
8. Chivas USA
9. Colorado

Reliable Sources: Nicholas Bate & ChangeThis Manifestos

The importance of finding and cultivating reliable sources is one thing that has stayed with me from  my Journalism School days at Bowling Green. A reoccurring theme in class that was quickly put into practice was recognizing and cultivating these dependable assets.

For me these are the trusted places I find myself going back to for practical, useful, and insightful information. I also end up sharing them with others with positive results.

1. Business of Life + Life of Business by Nicholas Bate - Nicholas Bate is an expert on change and how it impacts business culture. His insight is right on regarding the importance of work life balance and is prolific in terms of generating insightful content on a regular basis.   On of my favorite posts is Be Bold 101.  You can subscribe to his RSS feed here and you won't find him tweeting on twitter but he is often mentioned there.
2. ChangeThis Manifestos by 800-CEO-READ - If you're like me you really enjoy a good manifesto and they deliver a monthly set of manifestos that focus on supporting and spreading great ideas.  The collection this month (Issue 102 in a collector's series) includes Guy Kawasaki & Shawn Welch on the Self-Publishing Revolution, Ninja Innovation by Gary Shapiro, and recognizing Vulnerability in today's business environment by former CIA Officer J.C. Carleson. You can see the archive here of past manifestos as well.

I hope that you benefit from the insight provided by these reliable sources.   What are some of the trusted places you go back to again and again and why?

He Got The Job!

I really enjoyed The Candidate piece at the Inspiration Room.   

They take the interview process and break it down into three areas:

1. The Kick Off
2. Medical Assistance
3. Fire Drill

It's an example of great storytelling illustrating how important it is to think on your feet and the potential result. Congratulations to Guy Lutching as well for landing the job.

How far do you go to stand out in the interview?  What language do you use to distinguish yourself or what is your elevator pitch?

Even before the interview, how does your resume set you apart from the rest of the crowd? Have you considered a different approach then the traditional resume?  Here are three that I saw recently that were very inventive:

1. The Infographic approach of Simone Fortunini @mr_simonsays 
2. The Amazon Shopping Cart by Phillipe Dubost @pdubost
3. The "Resume Bar" Candy Bar of Nick Begley @nickbegley

There's plenty more clever examples as well - It made me realize that I need to update my resume so it tells a better story and at least gets a longer look. 

What are you doing to distinguish yourself from the crowd?

Remembering 'The National'

As Super Bowl XLVII was coming to a close last night and the wraps were being put on an exciting and surreal game, I was thinking about The National Sports Daily and how they would have covered the event.

'The National' was a US attempt at an all-sports daily newspaper back in 1990 and it's Editor-In-Chief was Frank DeFord of NPR.  I remember the quality journalism, tabloid format and the thrill I got (as a Journalism major) of seeing people carrying the folded issue under their arm and sharing the paper and its contents as they revisited last night's game with fellow sports fans.

The venture was a short-lived and expensive one, ending after 18 months and losing by most accounts over 100 million dollars during that time. If you want to know more you should read the pieces in Grantland and mental_floss written by some of the writers that were part of the paper. 

Will we ever see something like 'The National' again in some different approach? I like to think it would work as an app or mobile platform and then I remember 'The Daily' and wonder what's next as I read about last night's game on the web.  

Thanks for the memories....

Holiday Music - Christmas Wrapping & Fairytale of New York

'Christmas Wrapping' by The Waitresses and Fairytale of New York  by The Pogues (featuring Kirsty MacColl) are the two songs that put me in the holiday spirit and are staples for any Holiday Mix.

Today I read the background story on how 'Christmas Wrapping' came to be which is well worth reading.  I did not realize that this was the 25th anniversary of The Pogue's classic.  Beat Surrender has compiled an impressive collection of covers and the original as well at their site that is definitely worth a visit.

"So "Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Couldn't miss this one this year!" and 'I've got a feeling, This year's for me and you, So happy christmas."

It's the music that matters....

Tear Down The Walls

I am a huge fan of The Clash. They were one of the seminal bands of the 70's and 80's and their music still has a timeless quality and a resonance that has influenced so many bands since then. I was fortunate enough to see them live and still remember how they left everything on the stage.

For me there are two simple messages that make what The Clash stood for so important today. The first was the brashness of their personal mission statement which was "The only band that matters."  To this day when I hear that I find it so fitting because of their swagger and attitude showed that they believed it. The other message was pointed out to me by my high school friend Mark Smith, who showed me in the 'London Calling' album dead wax (the blank space in an album between the label and the actual recording) were the four words on each of the album sides "Tear Down The Walls."  For me these four words were a rallying cry  that still have meaning today.  In this time of twitter and simple straightforward messaging, can you sum up your own brand in four words?

12/20/12 - Great update on the impact of Joe Strummer of The Clash on the tenth anniversary of his death.

Be Here Now

I've had the opportunity to work on some interesting projects with some quality clients during the time I've been consulting. For me, there are always lessons learned and specific messages that resonate. 

From the nearly two years I spent at USAA, that take away message is 'Be Here Now.'  As an organization that takes great pride in providing the best possible service to those that serve our country, this meant taking the time to focus on the task at hand and perform at the highest possible level.  

When I now talk to USAA members and share with them my experience working there, the conversation most often goes to them sharing a positive customer experience story or two.  It make me realize how important the commitment to 'Be Here Now' is. In a time where so much time is spent multitasking and not always being fully engaged, it's a simple message to revisit.