Val Wright's Blog, page 2

Why This Sport Is Called The Beautiful Game

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney would be envious of the story that played out at LAFCs Banc of California on Saturday at the MLS Cup Final LAFC vs. the Philadelphia Union.  It could have been a script from any Hollywood movie!

Reynolds and McElhenney developed a love for the beautiful game when they bought Welsh Football Club Wrexham AFC in February 2021. If you haven’t watched the Welcome to Wrexham documentary you are missing out! Ted Lasso has nothing on the heart warming show about the history and present day of the former mining town along with the players, staff, and fans of Wrexham AFC.  

LA resident McElhenney was even at the LAFC game on Saturday along with the Biebers, Magic Johnson, and many other celebrities. 

So what made this game so beautiful? (- apart from the fact LAFC won on penalties after 3-3 at extra time) It was the so-good-they-must-be-from-a-cheesy-movie moments that made this game so beautiful:

Knowing when to switch out the right players
It was a bold move to take Captain Carlos Vela off the pitch and bring on Gareth Bale.  But when Bale scored the crucial equalizer to bring the game to penalties that move well and truly paid off! He’s only played a handful of minutes since LAFC signed him but he scored right when it mattered. 

Being ready even if you think you might not be needed. 
It’s the stuff Hollywood movie storylines are made of…when substitute goalkeeper woke up on Saturday could he have ever believed that he would win the MVP Most Valuable Player award - against his former club and home town team the Philadelphia Union too? It’s rare for a substitute goalie to be needed but when Maxime Crepeau broke his leg after a foul that also earned him a red card, it was time for LAFC John McCarthy to take over. McCarthy saved two penalties and won the MVP player award. 

Keeping your ego in check, especially when others make mistakes
You read a lot about egotistical footballers and sports players, but keeping that ego in check isn’t always as simple as it sounds. LAFC’s Kellyn Acosta showed everyone how it is done at a pre match press conference. A Philadelphia reporter asked him what the vibe was like in Philly with the World Series and the Eagles undefeated, (even though he had an LAFC badge next to his name plate!!) Acosta handled the question perfectly, first trying to gently reposition the question, but as the reporter persisted with his question, Acosta told him “I don’t play for Philly, it is exciting for them I guess…” I happened to met Acosta’s Grandmother at the game and I shared with her how proud she can be of her grandson not humiliating the reporter and just calmly correcting him. 

Random fact:
Pelé made the phrase “The Beautiful Game” popular, but it was originally coined by English commentator Stuart Hall as early as 1958. 

Maybe you are reading this from outside the US and can’t believe that an MLS game could be this exciting. I challenge you to watch the highlights and decide then. 

Maybe you are reading this from inside the US and can’t believe I am calling soccer football, but my British upbringing makes that hard for me to adjust to!

Cheers to a great week.  

Dedicated to growing your business, 

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Will Elon Musk Succeed Or Fail With Twitter?

If you are a fan of reality tv documentaries like Back To The Floor or Undercover Boss I suggest you start following Elon Musk on Twitter as you don’t need a tv subscription to watch the latest corporate drama unfold real time. 

A video of Musk walking into Twitter HQ carrying a bathroom sink with the caption “Entering Twitter HQ – let that sink in!” was how many found out that the sale of Twitter to Musk was complete. It was a rapid conclusion to the endless “will-he won’t-he?” buy Twitter question last week.  

The deal got done and Musk immediately fired CEO Parag Agrawal, finance head Ned Segal, and head of legal policy Vijaya Gadde. But the real question is will Musk succeed or fail with his $44B investment? And will this be a distraction from Tesla and SpaceX that neither business can afford?

Musk’s first few days at the helm of the social media giant have been as frantic as the legal battles to determine the fate of the 7,500 Twitter employees. 

During the acquisition phase, Musk told investors that he could double Twitter’s revenue in 3 years and that he believed 75% of its workforce was not needed. Lofty goals and certainly claims that will put many current employees on edge even if the headcount cuts are being downplayed internally. 

Though the deal has been done, I doubt that the debate is over on the mechanics of the valuation as Musk has tasked a team to change the much coveted Twitter blue check to a paid only subscription. A sure way to weed out all of the bots that were at the heart of Musk’s claim that Twitter’s own reporting of users (and therefore their valuation) was exaggerated. While this is a great idea, but if the report in The Verge is true that the team has been told launch this by November 7th or you are fired, then it won’t help to win the hearts and minds of the Twitter teams. 

I do support Musk’s focus on inefficient middle managers, he’s supposedly asked the Tesla Engineers he trusts to identify technical middle managers who haven’t contributed to the code base. Now there could be an opportunity for some productivity gains!

Musk has often been quoted saying he wants to reduce Twitter’s content moderation, and concerning reports over the weekend indicate racial slurs on Twitter has risen since Musk took over the company. Celebrities including Lebron James called out Musk personally on Twitter over the weekend to ask Musk to address this and take it seriously. 

The window into Twitter has been opened as Musk answers LeBron and others questions real time on Twitter; polling if he should bring back Twitter’s short form video Vine; seemingly sharing evidence to support his past legal claims against the Twitter board, and ridiculing automated internal management training prompts publicly. His 112 million followers all following along. 

While everyone else waits for the next season of HBO’s brilliant series Succession to return, we only need to tune in to Twitter to watch the self named Chief Twit himself take center stage for his next performance. I expect Tesla and SpaceX won’t be seeing as much of Musk for a while.

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Three Easy Ways To Get What You Want Sooner Than You Think

“I can’t believe they said yes to everything I asked for, Val!”

That’s what an executive told me Friday morning who had just spoke to the CEO of a company who had offered her a new role. 

This was an example of the first way you get what you want far faster than you think: Just Ask. 

“I laid it out, salary, equity, budget control, executive development support, conferences I wanted to attend and they said yes to every single thing!”

I love hearing leaders talk about the impact of my advice especially when it benefits them personally and professionally. It really is that simple you just ask. Clearly and confidently asking for what you want helps reduce the guessing game and more often than not you get what you ask for. 

I’ve just returned from Las Vegas where I took my three daughters to watch Katy Perry perform her last show in her Vegas residency. A year ago, despite high demands for her to launch another world tour she said no, she didn’t want to travel the world. She wanted to be home more to spend time with her new daughter Daisy. Just saying No is the second way you get what you want. If you don’t say no, you don’t leave space for when you can say yes to what you really want. By saying no to a world tour it allowed Katy to be available to fulfill one of her career goals of performing in Vegas. - which she was paid $168million for! Certainly worth saying no. While many might not be able to command that level of reward, it never ceases to amaze me the money executives leave on the table for themselves and their company for failing to get what they want. 

The third and final way you get what you want is by asking others if your request is realistic and reasonable.  I find in my conversations with executives that too often their requests that they want to make are either overly optimistic or extremely cautious. Having someone who can calibrate expectations, offer comparisons of what is typical in other companies, and reset what you ask for is how you get what you want more often. Whether discussing your strategy with your board, pitching partnership opportunities, or deliberating potential acquisitions, the external barometer of advisors is crucial. 

Finally, if you get a chance to see Katy Perry in concert, her performance is magical. It was a full theatrical performance complete with audience participation, personal stories, and fabulous sets.

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/

How To Immediately Grab Attention When Emails Are Ignored

I’ve received a bamboo toothbrush, arugula seeds, a metal straw, and seed pods for attracting bees.

All from skincare company emerginC. Whose emails I rarely open despite buying from them every couple of months.

I am also on first name terms with their warehouse manager Jeff, as he always leaves me a lovely hand written card in my order with a personalized note. I probably know more about emerginC’s sustainability programs than any other company. Why?

Because:

They don’t rely on email.  

They put their action where their talk is. 

They try creative ways to tell their story. 

Their giveaways aren’t gimmicky - they solve the issues they stand behind - and they are useful!

When I speak at conferences and corporate events I give away unusual items that make a point about my talk. Props that I have used on stage that act as a reminder for what I am suggesting the audience does next. Props that the audience takes photos of and shares, further sharing my message and becoming more memorable. 

This goes beyond corporate life.

Last year I was helping out my daughter's school fundraising auction and it was clear that the email communication wasn’t working. So I bought a few boxes of mandarin oranges, created stickers with QR codes for ticket purchases and donations, and gave the oranges away at morning car line. No one really expected to be handed an orange at 8am in the morning, never mind with a QR code attached. It was a conversation starter, it piqued people’s curiosity and the message quickly got out there!

The High School Volleyball team at my eldest’s school just made the playoffs. Go Ravens! Sunday evening I took my daughter to the campus entrance to stick up a poster she had made encouraging people to come to the game. Everyone will drive past it at the car line drop off and see it as they walk through the campus gate. A hand written old school sign. You can go over to my Instagram page to see it. I have to say that seeing her putting up signs in the dark with crows on them gave me serious Banksy vibes! —he who epitomizes eye-catching communication. You can read my Inc Magazine Interviews on Banksy here and here. 

Back to business life, everyone who used to be on the road and traveling for work is now starting to return at various speeds. Conferences are back. Attention spans are short. It is time to get creative. 

How are you catching the attention beyond email?

I too want to make sure my communications are catching attention, it’s why three years ago I started using SuperPhone technology for text messages when I speak at events around the world. You can sign up to text chat with me here and if you text the phrase #goravens before 5pm PT on 10/18 you will have 24 hours to ask me anything as a gift from me. 

This weekly publication will celebrate its tenth anniversary in a few months. Thank you to all of you who have been here since the beginning and those who have joined along the way and are part of several thousand readers who receive this each Monday.  I love hearing you reactions and feedback every week. 

To allow even more people access, I am also launching this VAL-uable Insights publication on LinkedIn as they have invited me to use their newsletter service. You will see added bonus sections there so look out for the invite in your LinkedIn Inbox to never miss a publication. 

How are you catching the attention and getting your message across beyond email? Let me know and I might feature your company in a future publication.

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Why Everyone Needs Realistic Positive Coaching

I’m no fan of rah rah cheer leading. That’s both on sports sidelines and at work, but there is also no need for unnecessary criticism and negativity.

My eldest daughter has recently joined the high school volleyball team and it has been fascinating watching the coaches of different teams and how their coaching style varies. Now I know living in LA for nine years I should be used to extravagant actors around me, but some of the scenes from the volleyball court in the last few weeks could have come from a comedy TV show! From screaming at the referee, complaining about missed points, to making kids actually cry, some of the school coaches have been quite cringeworthy to watch! One recent match, the loosing team coach screamed at the players whenever they were loosing, each time they missed a point the team immediately looked at their coach in anticipation of the reaction he would have and lost concentration of the actual game.

Another coach, in contrast, whether the team was winning or loosing, kept his volume, tone and temperament the same. During the timeouts, players huddled close to hear his advice, and listened intently whether he was praising them, correcting them, or encouraging them. His temperament was contagious. The team paid attention to the plays drawn out on his whiteboard and encouraged each other when missing a serve or winning a point.

I see similar contrasts with leaders as they coach their teams, it’s valuable to observe. It’s not enough to just remain calm or cheer when your team achieves success. Instead, consistency is needed where you remain constant with your advice when the emotional rollercoaster takes over during both wins and losses. Unlike on the volleyball court, coaching inside companies isn’t always so visible, which is why you need to explore how well your teams are being coached.

It’s why just like school teams benefit from a coach who is an expert in the chosen sport, companies too benefit from hiring coaches with specific expertise.

How can you understand how well your managers are coaching their teams?

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Why Wishing Works

What are you wishing for right now?

Do you know what your team is wishing for?

I was walking yesterday through one of my favorite places in Pasadena, Arlington Gardens. I stopped to read some of the minuscule pieces of paper tied to a tree. Each note contained heartfelt hand written wishes from kids to grandparents. 

“I hope I can stay close to my friends”

“I wish that I can find a new job that I love”

“I hope my parents are happy”

…are some of the wishes I read and I wondered how many others wishes are just in their head and never shared?

What if you asked your team to share their wishes with you in your next 1-1 meeting?

Wishful thinking really does work. But you have to give yourself time and space to think about what you really wish for…and then dedicate energy to making it come true. 

My greatest wishful thinking happened when I wished I could start my own business and write a book by the time I was 40. I shared that wish with two close friends while I was still in my corporate career at Microsoft and then asked for their help encouraging me to make it happen. 

As I’m approaching my tenth anniversary in January, my third book Words That Work just won the NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite award in the business category. —so wishful thinking really does work!

Write down your wishes

…Ask for help achieving them

Get curious about others wishes

…Offer support for helping make them happen

Special thanks to Yoko Ono inspired many wishing trees around the world with her art installation in 1996. 

What are you going to wish for next?

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Why Your First And Latest Concerts Are Important To Share

17,500 of us packed The Forum in Los Angeles on Friday night to watch Gorillaz and it certainly felt incredible to be back watching live music again. 

If concert ticket prices in LA are anything to go by, I’m not the only one back at live concerts! My three daughters are now old enough to appreciate live music and so I can’t wait to take them to see Lizzo, Katy Perry, and Harry Styles in the next few months. Meanwhile Mary J Blige and Deadmau5 are all future concerts I’ll be going to with my friends. 

It’s a long time since I went to my first concert, Wet Wet Wet, in England back in the 80’s with my dear friend Victoria Briscoe, yet I still can feel the excitement of standing waiting for them to appear on stage when I hear the first few bars of their hit song “Angel Eyes”

Music connects us, transports us, and allows us to escape. 

Music simultaneously creates and brings back memories. 

Music, if you choose, allows you to sing at the top of your lungs regardless how well you can sing (yes, I’m talking about myself here…)

Music creates an uncontrollable urge to dance (or is that just me?!…)

Music when used at work can have a phenomenal impact on how you connect, tell stories, and bring energy to otherwise flat discussions and meetings. 

It’s time to make the most of the power of music. 

Ready to read more about music?

Remember that Half Time Show?

Want to hear lessons from a jazz club?

How does a musician play with strangers?

Yes, I once went line dancing!

That time when lyrics from a song is all I could share. 

Why not start your Monday talking music?

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Honoring 70 Years Of Service

Can you imagine being in a job for 70 years?

Yesterday billions around the world watched as my home country laid Queen Elizabeth II to rest.

Whether you are a fan of the British Monarchy or not, the dedication and service to her country from the age of 26 to 96 is something to be marveled at.

If ever you wanted to understand the true definition of pomp and circumstance, the last 48hours in Britain gives you a visual explanation like no other. (I recommend going to the bbc.com website and watching the clips of the livestream with British commentary)

The precision of traditions.

The outpouring of love from a nation.

The 10mile queue to file past the Queen's coffin during her four-and-a-half-day lying-in-state at Westminster Hall.

The gathering of world leaders arriving on buses.

The largest global protection operation ever undertaken by the metropolitan police.

There was a lot to marvel at watching from afar.

With all change in leadership, now the question on the minds of many will be:

What will change next?

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Quick Advice For How To Spend More Time With Your Favorite Friends

You can be around people and still be lonely. 

You can rejoice in quiet alone time and still crave company. 

You can be in company and still feel like your social needs aren’t being met. 

As you ascend in your career finding friends who just “get” you becomes harder. 

Executives often tell me that they struggle to socialize and find friends that aren’t extended work colleagues. 

It isn’t just middle schoolers and high schoolers who find it hard to make friends, the older you are the tougher it gets. The more senior you are the more painful it is. 

Which is why holding on to those friends who you hold dear to your heart is so important. Especially after three years of jarring lockdowns that shook up any rituals, hangouts, and routine socializing. 

Auto-piloting your Social life is one of the most rewarding pieces of advice I can share that really works. 

Add social connections to your work trips. - Arrive on work trips a day early and either take some personal space time or let those you have had a past connection with know that you are arriving early and suggest a pre event dinner or coffee. This works well for those you previously have worked with or those who live in the city you are visiting. (LinkedIn is great for location searching your connections)

First Monday of the month dinner dates with your friends - I started this with a dear group of friends in Seattle eight years ago and even though several of us have moved cities, we still gather for vacations, dinners, and have had a continuous text chat that kept us all going through job moves, personal challenges, and the last three years!

Reinstate those weekends away. - I’m just back from four days in Palm Springs with some close friends and it was pure bliss! In my first book Thoughtfully Ruthless I outline how every executive needs a Sensibly Selfish Charter where you commit to yourself your me time, couple time, family time, friends time, and pampering time. Many executives I work with have told me how they need to bring back these habits and routines.

To spend time with friends who energize you and inspire you sometimes you have to let go of those around you who don’t hold you up and support you. It’s why I dedicated a whole chapter in Thoughtfully Ruthless called “Divorce Your Friends” - it might sound brutal but some of you will be nodding right now about those you need to spend less time with or no time with. 

Enjoy your reconnections with friends! It’s worth it.

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Seattle’s Sculpture Park is a spectacular sight

I was lucky that I got to watch it be built brick by brick, bulldozer scoop by bulldozer scoop. 

Our apartment overlooked the whole park, which gave me the perfect vantage point. I’ll admit that I was a little jealous of the workers because at the time I was working in corporate life where it wasn’t always easy to see the immediate results of your work! I longed to stand alongside the groups of workers that gathered every morning in a circle to be told their jobs for the day by the supervisor. I used to marvel as I would see their tremendous progress at the end of each day as the sculpture park began to take shape with its winding paths, slopes, greenhouses, dramatic buildings and bridges. 

The closest I ever got to similar work was when we had just bought our first home in England and we decided to design and build our own outdoor patio and garden. From mixing cement to building walls, laying gravel and building flower beds the work was all ours. It was so satisfying to see the final result. (Though luckily back gardens in England are pretty small!)

Today is Labor Day in the US. A day where, since the 1800s, the contributions and achievements of American workers are celebrated. Usually with family and friends gathering with trips to the beach, pool, and parks. 

Whichever part of the world you are reading this, take a moment to appreciate, and thank the contributions of those workers around you. 

Jim Annes, VP Digital Operations at Ingram Micro published a brilliant piece yesterday about Labor Day and what it means to him. I loved his ideas particularly this part..

So what I propose is this. On Labor Day, set aside some of your time to do some labor. And then set aside extra time to make a few additional trips to Lowes or Home Depot as you make mistakes. Measure something twice and cut it once. Use a lumber crayon and square. Get dirty, frustrated and embrace the feeling of determination as you refuse to stop until you have done it right.

It may give you an appreciation for what labor is. It may make you think twice about the who and how of the next purchase you make. Pass out some cold bottles of water or cups of coffee and say thanks to the team fixing a powerline, busted main or building your retaining wall. Because a lot of work that benefits us all is being done by very few. 

My daughters spent their whole Sunday afternoon and evening building their new desks, chairs, and bedroom furniture. They now know the different types of screwdrivers, the value of carefully reading instructions to save having to start again!, and that manual work is hard work!

How are you sharing what Labor Day means to you? 

Fascinating News Roundup

Do you know why your front line workers are quitting? - if only Air Canada would have listed to this supervisor before he quit after 7 years.

Now you really need to get back to the office. - will this time it be fully enforced? The companies that are taking the flexibility back.

Book Discounts: Kogan Page has all of their books 25% off until Sept 2nd. - Including two of mine! Rapid Growth Done Right and Words That Work use code FLASH25

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/