Tag Archives: @ericbandrakim

Takeaway #147: boundaries + landscape, courtesy of Eric B. + Rakim

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Coming out of the building, they set me up

Sprayed wit automatics, they wet me up

In a puddle of blood, I lay close to the edge

I guess I didn’t know the ledge…

Eric B & Rakim ♦ Juice (Know the Ledge)

  Takeaway 107:  Rakim always has been a touch melodramatic with the lyrics, but he’s classic.  I love the word play on “knowledge” and “know-the-ledge.”  True knowledge does help us determine our boundaries.  The perfect economy contains perfect information & the perfect executive player is fully briefed on the conditions of the game.  You are headed to a meeting, do you have the agenda; do you know the stakeholders and their positions?  You are about to negotiate, what’s the other-side’s bottom line?  Are they going to come friendly, or with guns blazing; will you be hit with friendly-fire from your own squad?  BPM knows, do you?

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Keep it simple + keep the competition lazy @ takeaway #41

        You listen to it, the concept might break you

‘Cause almost anyone can relate to…

Whoever’s out of hand, I’m give him handles

Light ’em up, blow ’em out like candles

Or should I just let him melt?

Then give him a hand so they can see how it felt…

Rakim (of Eric B. & Rakim);   ( I Know You Got Soul ♦ Paid in Full)

  The greatest complement to the conceptually innovative idea, process or product is that in its complexity it is easily consumable by the mass market.  You can have the brightest concepts, but if you cannot make it easy enough for a six year old to understand, how brilliant is the concept?  This is the BPM manager’s mission.  The results of six sigma analysis and market comparisons must be boiled down to an executable plan that can be achieved by all levels of the organization.  Keeping in the mind that the strength depends on that weakest link, the communication must penetrate all skill levels.

 The other BPM gem in this note is recognition of the competition.  Acknowledge and compliment the competition’s strengths.  It makes them lazy and causes them to rest on those laurels.  Praise stalls innovation, and BPM says that leaves you time to arbitrage that competition lag by developing your alternative course and making sure your team can execute this plan.

 BPM TAKEAWAY#41: 

  • GIVE THEM THE ROPE TO HANG THEMSELVES

  • MASTER THE ELEGANCE OF SIMPLICITY

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