- PRIMARY NAVIGATION ZONES
Issue 5 : August 2009.
'Excellence, all the damn time.' Be good to yourself, and others.
Amid a downturn it's easy to blame the economy, and conveniently overlook that many of the current failures can be directly attributed to just how crap a lot of business is.
There's those who're well-meaning but don't know how to operate effectively. And others who don't care about decent ethics.
So 'get good at what you do, and be decent about it', let's not forget Jobs' guide of:
Expose yourself to the best things that humans have done and then try to bring those things into what you're doing.
Smart entrepreneurs (and Innerpreneurs) know to look beyond their business for solutions, ideas, and best practices—which are often to be found in the most unlikely places.
So then, with that in mind, here's this month's quota of build-yourself-and-your business stuff.
Some of it may be unfamiliar, and encourage the doing of things which might be considered wholly unnecessary. But, of course, they're not.
Remember… we build the issue throughout the month. Adding stuff almost daily, by month-end (maybe sooner) there'll be the usual 40+ items.
This page should automatically update, as will our RSS feed. Here's the story so far.
August 24 update: Finished.
'Don't dumb me down… too much.' Eric Blair reminds us of 'language as an instrument for expressing, and not for concealing or preventing, thought'. 
How to avoid communication barriers. Nido Qubein outlines 'the high art of plain talk'. [1255 words]
Seven unwritten rules for social media newbies. Jonathan Fields offers 'here's better' advice. 
Five characteristics of a professional. Patricia Fripp shows how to 'stand out' (in a good way). 
Why indifference is as important as passion. Bob Sutton with more about 'not being an asshole'. 
The starting point to being bodacious. Mary Foley explores 'garner your self-esteem and protect it like a jewel'. 
Using failure to further your future. Chris Widener advises: 'The greatest thing to overcome is the fear of failure. Most of the battle is right between our ears.' 
Fifteen things I wish I had known when I started my first blog. Neil Patel explains what he's learned. 
Is being inner-focused hurting your business? Ben Edwards considers reader-oriented advertising. 
Three tips for staying positive in a negative business environment. Regina Barr with downturn-oriented wisdom. 
Knock, knock… who's there? Your target market, are you listening? Catherine Franz on 'connect and begin building a relationship with your market'. 
Formatting fun, or why the computer ate my homework. Soni Pitts shows how to keep your copy intact, in shape and looking good. 
Sales success: four critical steps. Chuck Gallagher outlines the route to consistent sales. 
Blogging is dead? According to whom? Hugh MacLeod looks at where 'blogging' has been and where it's going. 
Do you have an enemy? Here's why you need to find one. Brian Clark explores forming a bond with your readers. 
Building an audience for your internet marketing business. Tim Whiston shows how to reach those who want to buy from you. 
Great product, lousy brand. Laura Ries moans about her shoes. [1420 words]
Does your message rise above the market noise? Richard Fouts on differentiation. [406 words]
Knowing how to think. Royal Bank of Canada explain how by thinking more clearly we can eliminate baseless self-doubts and fears. 
Don't duplicate… differentiate! Michel Fortin encourages 'Be unique. Be different!' [1639 words]
All 'brand power' to the consumer. Martin Lindstrom proposes 'multi-way, reactive, responsive, receptive, and active communication'. 
Coaching in business: what you need to know. Wally Bock outlines how to do it well. [631 words]
Writing ad copy: how to talk to your reader. Shaun Crowley details how to grab readers' attention. 
Fail fast. Michael Licenblat riffs on 'tiny tug-boats, moving you forward'. [527 words]
The new power of advertising. Jay Conrad Levinson declares 'advertising fuels the online flame'. 
The critical importance of integrity. Bill Cohen reminds us of 'the most important principle that any leader must follow'. 
The essence of duct tape marketing. Guy Kawasaki details how effective small business marketing is a system of simple, effective and affordable techniques. 
Is assertiveness the only way? Robin Chandler & Jo Ellen Grzyb consider 'less nice'. [2122 words]
Call-killing phrases and 'I'm not interested'. Wendy Weiss works out what's behind negative responses, and suggests alternative openers. 
The eight free things every website should do. Seth Godin explains some stuff we all should know. 
Developing yourself to your highest potential. Monica Wofford with what seems like mumbo-jumbo but which is really quite sensible. 
Appoint yourself the expert! Ali Brown urges a dose of bravado to boost your bottom line.
Getting to 'we'. Chris Haddad on building bonds. [785 words]
From rah-rah! to ah-ha! Tom Asacker on customers, brands and marketplace success. [1027 words]
Integrity first: living the honor code in business. Waldo Waldman declares 'make the correct choice and do what is right despite the consequences'. 
Overload? Beth Dargis considers the choices we face and make. [1457 words]
Testable credentials. Dan Heath suggests 'let the audience judge for itself'. [456 words]
'Fierce conversations' can change your business. Jo Donovan argues the benefits of straight talk and offers seven steps to approach authenticity. 
Ten questions with David Vinjamuri. Ben McConnell on effective entrepreneuring. [1011 words]
Eight startup insights inspired by Seth Godin. Dharmesh Shah considers 'I'm impatient and shamelessly unafraid of failing.' 
Who built the box? Molly Gordon advises on 'not being bound by barriers'. [564 words]
The language of accountability. Gregg Thompson encourages 'listen to what's being said, and how'. 
Dangerous conversations: the leader's tool to coaching for exceptional performance. Susanne Biro on words that change performance rather than helping us slide through the day. 
You are a marketer: deal with it. Kathy Sierra says 'learn and grow and kick ass'. [679 words]
The twenty commandments of making a name for yourself. Scott Ginsberg delivers a practical how-to guide. 
A top fifty 'have you?'s. Tom Peters weighs in with a barrage of 'get off your a**' advice. 
Wanted: world-teller. Spread the word, market the bejeezus out of our brand.
Advertise onsite. It'll help you build a better business.
RSS? Grab our feeds.
Questions? Fyi… the 'who, what, why, how?' etcetera.
Notes. Propaganda, feedback, queries, etcetera.
Twitter, and us. How we use it.
How to increase subscribers and reader engagement. Darren Rowse.
I've got a secret: the law of attraction is a lie. Jonathan Fields.
Seven tips to write an effective business blog. Debbie Weil.
Living up to your potential is bs. Penelope Trunk.
The architecture of delight. Christine Kane.
The art of bootstrapping. Guy Kawasaki.
In praise of perfectionism. Stephen Diamond.
The caveat. David Straker.
The stuff champions are made of. Beth Burns.
The inner wingman: trusting yourself. Waldo Waldman.
Yeah but no but yeah. Mike from Twenty Steps.
The brand called 'You'. Tom Peters.
Getting to know yourself. David Bohl.
Communication and self-management to reduce stress. Joshua Uebergang.
The starting point to being bodacious. Mary Foley.
The top ten changes in my business thinking. Rob May.
All 'brand power' to the consumer. Martin Lindstrom.
Marketing is something you never get good at. Chris Haddad.
Yuck to shallow relationships. Ford Harding.
Stop hitting the wall. Mark Winder.
Five stages of dealing with failure. Tim Stevens.
Where do babies come from? The power of the 'question'. Gregg Thompson.