Taking Time to Celebrate

What a party! The launch event was a tremendous success. It is difficult to describe how I felt seeing family, friends, former colleagues and new acquaintances together to celebrate the launch of Change with Confidence. It was overwhelming in a great way.

It looked like a 70's poster where celebrities and music icons from all eras are combined into one image. This was my celebrity poster and I was proud and honoured to have so many wonderful people be in my life.

I had first discussed my launch event with the Wiley team in August. When I asked for advice, in unison they said, "Keep it short, thank people for coming, get off the stage." It seemed like good advice, just like when speaking at a wedding. Got it.


I had thought a lot about what I would say in my speech. My goal was to thank everyone for their support. I also wanted to share what I had learned about myself and what I had realized about change management. On a lighter note, I also wanted to share some fun facts about the last two years. 


I don't know what happened, but my son Sam told me that I had talked for ten and a half minutes. It only seemed like four. What were the Wiley folks thinking?

Thanks to Mel Barnett for the photos

Before I knew it, two and a half hours had flown by. The caterers were cleaning up and Ben McNally, the owner of this amazing bookstore, was packing up with his daughter. It was a great night. 

Barb, Sam, Charlie and I went out for dinner to end of the night in a perfect way. The Earl's waitress even brought us a complimentary "book launch" family dessert, which we devoured.

It is important to take time to celebrate. This is not a strength of mine, but I am working on it. It allows you to thank those who have contributed to your accomplishments and strengthens you for your next challenge. Mine is marketing my book. With the support of my family and friends, I am ready to roar.

Thanks to everyone who attended my launch event!

Phil

When the Big Day Finally Arrives

Like most big events in our lives, we think more about planning them than what we will do when they arrive. They can seem like surreal experiences where the elements are known but how they play out are not. This is how I felt when I received my first hard copy of Change with Confidence. 

A thoughtful Editorial Assistant at Wiley had sent me an email saying that the first copy had shown up on his desk and that he was couriering it to me. I was on assignment in New Jersey, which meant it would arrive home twenty-four hours before I did. 

The package was waiting for me on our front table as I opened the door. I maneuvered around it as a golfer does when sizing up a putt: I needed to study it before moving into action. It was late, dark and I was exhausted, so I decided to wait until the morning for the big moment. I didn't want to compromise something that I had waited for so long to arrive. 

I am glad I did. The sun was shining and the promise of a new day matched my excitement. Without hesitation, I opened the package. It was an incredible feeling to hold my book in my hands. Barb was there too, which made it more special. 

Like a new parent who points out that their baby has ten fingers and ten toes, I said things like, "Look it's the cover...and look, it's the table of contents..., and the back cover, too."  After scanning the pages I flipped them like a deck of cards and even smelled them—they smelled like paper—it was a sensory experience. 

The cover blew me away the most. It is striking in person, especially the tones of blue. E-books are convenient and portable, but they can't beat the physical beauty of a hardcover book.

Last Sunday, my dad said he wanted to buy the first copy of Change with Confidence. I can't wait to give it to him. Phil

Ten Things I Didn't Know About Great Publicists

This week I met my publicist team members at their office in Manhattan. It was a great experience. Even getting there was an adventure: a 4:45 a.m. taxi ride to the Toronto airport, a 6:30 a.m. flight to Newark, an 8:30 a.m. train to Penn Station, and a 9:15 a.m. taxi ride to Mid-town East. I stood at the corner of 57th Street East and 2nd Avenue feeling like I belonged there.

It was good to meet David, whom I had spoken with by phone. I also met Steve and Eric who had complimentary areas of expertise. Our ninety-minute meeting flew by. We talked about my goals, their impressions of my book, strategies and possible tactics, and how they would partner with the Wiley publicist team. We also talked about the publishing industry and the changes it is going through. I couldn't help becoming absorbed in the discussion, forgetting for a few minutes the purpose of our meeting.

I left the meeting refreshed and a lot more knowledgeable  about publicity and what the team will do for Change with Confidence and me. Here are the ten things I didn't know about great publicists. They:

1. Come highly recommended
2. Work in teams
3. Ask for and listen to your goals
4. Read your book before writing a proposal
5. Are realistic about expectations
6. Are honest about what benefits should not be focused on
7. Are well connected
8. Provide advice on areas beyond publicity
9. Call in personal favours on your behalf
10. Are confident in their abilities

Most experiences are better when shared. This is true of my trip. My friend Peter made the journey with me before we both headed to New Jersey to work through the night on a consulting assignment. As we boarded the train back to Newark I thought to myself, "I'm in good hands."

Phil

Is Enough Ever Enough?

I find that strategy and execution don't go well together. I wish it was different, but when I am planning I plan, and when I am executing, I execute. It's not ideal because you need to do both to be successful and you miss opportunities when the balance is off. I realized this (again) when I stopped executing and started thinking about what comes next. I had been busy making final "typo" edits, discussing cover design options and loading content onto the changewithconfidence.com website. 

"Next" is the book launch that will be supported by marketing efforts by the Wiley team and me. My questions were, "Are we going to do enough to get the word out about my book?" and "What happens if it isn't enough and we miss the critical launch window?" I am having a party and wondering if anyone will show up.  

Jane Russel once said, "Publicity can be terrible. But only if you don't have any." I was aware of authors hiring publicists but wasn't clear what they did or whether it was a good investment. 

I asked a couple of authors with successful book what they thought, One author said, "It's important to invest in the right publicist – a publicist with teeth who can build awareness for you and your book." Right. Got it.

My initial discussions with book publicists have been intriguing. I am drinking in their knowledge and experience and developing a clear and realistic picture of how they can help. Now I am reviewing proposals and soon will be starting a new partnership. After a quick strategy session, it will be time to execute again. 

Each phase of my journey has involved experts that have helped me find my way. Why shouldn't this be true for my launch? There is never enough marketing and promotion because you can only know the answer when it's too late to change the outcome. That probably holds true for parties, too.

Phil

When Push Comes to Shove

Things are heating up as my March 11 launch date approaches. I met the Wiley marketing and publicity team this week, which was a highlight. The pieces of the marketing mix are coming together, including contact lists, press releases, sales team briefings and a launch party. Plans are being worked, milestones are being set and my to-do list is growing.


I am feeling the heat as my book and consulting commitments rub against each other. Both are important and both must be done well. Sleep has suffered but I am staying on track.

At the top of my book-related list is the 'changewithconfidence.com' website. My web designer and I mapped out the site and selected a template that will be customized with my content. 

Now it is up to me to write the content and for my designer to organize it in a clear and engaging way. The bulk of my work is to write chapter summaries and record videos. Each one will be accompanied by blank versions of the templates in my book that people can download for their change projects. The e-version of Change with Confidence will include embedded links so that people can retrieve them as they read. 

I am excited by the work that is before me. Often I do my best work when push comes to shove. 

Phil

If it looks like a duck...

A Duck

At a meeting I facilitated last week, someone mentioned that she had referenced the 'duck test' (if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck,  and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck) to her team and no one knew what she meant.

I feel like I am going through the duck test now as the hard cover version of my book is being assembled. I asked my Wiley production supervisor if she could send me a sample of the layout design and she kindly sent me a few pages. 

Fonts: Blumner MTStd, Minion Pro 

and Ocean Sans

Here's where the duck test comes in. The layout looks like a hard cover business book, the fonts are similar to other hard cover business books, and the dimensions are common to most hard cover business book. Therefore, Change with Confidence will look and feel like a hard cover business book. I am getting more and more excited as I see the physical elements come together. Each one is a 'pinch myself' moment, a small win that needs to be celebrated. Celebration is an important factor of successful change management and I am seeing my motivation spike every time I have one.

Two observations came to mind when studying the layout: It will be easy to flip through my book to find specific information, which has always been a must-have requirement. Also, the templated examples are shown exactly as they were created during big change projects, which reflects the experience-based, practical nature of my book. 

 The cover is the final element of the design phase. As long as it looks like a business book (the duck) then my book will be in good shape.

Phil

What's on the Cutting Room Floor?

I was excited to see my edited manuscript in my inbox, which kicked off the next step on my path - making publisher edits. My editor said there were no  major changes, which was a relief, but how many edits would there be? There were 152, which isn't that many for a 257 page (52,000 word) book. Or is it?

I felt like a kid getting back a test. Did I pass? I decided to jump in and read through the changes before making the edits. My first impression was that the edit comments were really well written. It makes sense that publishing professionals would be excellent writers but I kept saying, "that's a really good way of explaining the point. This is really well written." Here is a breakdown of edits:

• Clarification of meaning                 52
• Reword/word substitution              31
• Quote source                                 22
• Formatting                                     13
• Request to add text                       10
• Confirm spelling of name               12
• Define term                                      6
• Bullet point order                             5
• Compliment  to the author               1

I was asked to comment on each edit and make changes using Microsoft Word's "track changes" feature. I usually find this way of editing a file to be messy but this was a high-end version which worked really well. There were only five edits I did't make because they would have changed my intended meaning. That seems like a small number and is a sign of amazing editors. 

It took twenty hours to make the changes and by the end of the process I felt I had a personal connection with my editors. The final editing phase was a good one: I had a better manuscript and had learned a few tips on writing. It doesn't matter what's on the cutting room floor. What's left on the table is what counts.

Phil

If He Can Do It So Can I

A universal truth of change management is that leaders must model the new behaviours they ask for before their team members will adopt them. Leaders define organizational cultures through their actions, inspiring people to think "If she can do it so can I." If they don't, however, little will change for the better and some behaviours may change for the worse.

I witnessed this leadership dynamic when I discussed Skyfall, the new James Bond movie, with a friend. He said that Daniel Craig's high level of fitness had inspired him to increase the intensity of his workouts (he's already a rock) and that he downloaded Daniel's Skyfall workout regimen to incorporate into his. 

It had a similar effect on me. Although I hadn't thought of downloading his plan, I did add a few exercises to my morning routine, calling it 'Project Skyfall' (hey, whatever works). When I did search for the Bond workout, I was surprised at how many sites came up - we were not alone. 

Leaders, both at work and in the movies, have huge influence on how people behave. What they do (versus what they say) encourages others to take on mindsets and behaviours that may be new, uncomfortable and difficult to master. 

Leaders who share their challenges adopting behaviours are more inspirational than the ones who do so with ease. James Bond's struggle to get back into shape intensified my "If he can do it so can I" conviction. My additional exercises won't give me Daniel Craig's fitness level, but it will change it for the better, and changing for the better is what counts.

Phil

Small Things Aren't So Small After All

You can tell a lot about a company's culture and where it is headed by how it celebrates. This week I had the opportunity to experience a new organization celebrate Halloween. They celebrated it well. Here is what I saw and heard:


- The office was well decorated in all areas
- Most people dressed up
- The CEO and the rest of the leadership team dressed up
- A party was held and everyone who wasn't on a call attended
- Employees were invited to bring their children for "trick or treat"
- Parents got the opportunity to introduce their kids to their colleagues
- The emcee was fun and considerate about the children ("Let's not clap too loudly in case it scares our little ones.")
- There was audience-based voting for best costume contests
- Premium parking spots were raffled off to employees who were nominated by peers for being helpful
- People had a great time and were smiling a lot
- Next year's party is on the 2013 calendar

In a meeting I was facilitating, someone noted that a company's culture is defined by thousands of small things that shape how people feel about the company. Not long afterwards, a person came into the boardroom asking if she could take the team's picture in costume. She wanted to add it to a recruitment brochure with the caption, "Do you want to work for a company like this?" Small things aren't so small after all.

Phil 

Answer All Questions Before Handing In

Completing questionnaires is not one of my strengths. I find it mind-numbing and challenging to remain focused as I work through the questions. Since this is one of my least favourite activities, I repeatedly count the number of questions remaining, like someone who watches coffee percolate, hoping that it will go faster by doing so. 

I had mixed feelings when I saw an "author's questionnaire" in my inbox. On the positive side, I was excited by seeing "author" and "Phil Buckley" in the same sentence. On the less positive side, I thought of having to work through the questions, repeatedly checking the number remaining.  


I had answered many of the questions in my book proposal, such as "Who are the audiences for my book?", "What are the benefits and features?", "Who are my competitors?", and "In which countries is my book most relevant?". Some, however, were new to me, including "What media contacts do I know personally?", and "What organizations would want to buy my book in bulk?" 

These new questions are opportunities that I need to champion. Perhaps the answers will have the highest yield within my Change with Confidence marketing plan. As most questionnaire instructions state: Answer all questions before handing in.

Phil

The Eagle Has Landed!

We did it! Last Tuesday, I met with my executive editor and editorial assistant to sign a global rights contract with Wiley for Change with Confidence. From their website: "Wiley has evolved into one of the world's more respected publishing and information services companies. We strongly believe in the enduring value of collaborative relationships, built in a solid foundation of trust and integrity." Perfect fit.


My book with be under the Jossey-Bass imprint. 
"Jossey-Bass publishes books, periodicals, and other media to inform and inspire those interested in developing themselves, their organizations and their communities." Another perfect fit!

Change with Confidence will be available worldwide in 6 x 9 trim size hardcover (and e-book) in March, 2013. I couldn't be more thrilled!

My new team members were very gracious and understanding about my excitement. I laughed when my executive editor said that in her twenty-seven year career, I was the first author to request a picture of the contract signing. Hilarious!

As I left the office, I was overwhelmed by feelings of gratitude for everyone who has helped me along the way, including those who have read this blog (you!). The intensity of appreciation is hard to capture in words. Perhaps it is best just to say "Thank-you from the bottom of my heart."

A new phase of my journey has kicked-off and I have a lot to do. Firstly, I need to read my manuscript one last time before I hand it over to the Wiley team on Monday. There are a few insights I have learned during my recent consulting assignments that I am keen to share with my readers.  The heat is on!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Phil

Things Are Going Well

This week, I noticed a change in how I was updating friends on my progress. After listing my accomplishments I qualified them by saying things like "Nothing is certain until the ink is dry." This is true but saying it changes my focus from steps gained to the steps to go. What an energy drainer. Why do we do things like this to ourselves?


Dan Sullivan discussed this phenomenon in his book The Gap. He said that people who measure their achievements against the ideal "will always come up short. You will always feel deficient. (Contrarily) when we measure our achievements by where we have come from, we always have a sense of progress. There is an overall experience of increasing capability and confidence. With each new success, there is a heightened sense of optimism because the future has always turned out to be better than the past."


Claude Bristol, in his book The Magic of Believing, shared a similar insight. He said, "Our thoughts determine our carriage, our facial expressions, our conversation, for what we are outwardly comes as a result of what we think habitually. Whatever you fix your thoughts upon or steadily focus your imagination upon, that is what you attract." Yikes! By qualifying my achievements, I have been sapping the energy I need to earn new ones. 

This is unacceptable and I am stopping it now. From now on I am going to celebrate little wins. Did I mention that recently I had a promising conversation with a publisher? 

Phil

Looking for Connections

I was reminded the other day of a guest post I had written at Pivot Communication's blog site about my habit of saying hello to strangers as I pass them. This practice extends to waving at fellow runners. No matter how many times I have done this, I haven't been able to correlate the responses I received − smile, minimal acknowledgement, no expression at all or frown - based on traits of the people I was waving at − age, gender, etc. Why did some people respond positively and others not?

A few weeks after I wrote the post, Seth Godin wrote a blog post entitled Waving to Myself  where he suggests that when waving at people similar to ourselves, "we are not waving at the person. We're waving to ourselves." As an enthusiastic waver to fellow runners, I disagreed with his insight: I wave  to acknowledge their efforts and give them encouragement. After a few long runs and many waves, I realized that Seth was partially right. I was waving at people like me because we have something in common and that is what I was acknowledging. 

My first experience of acknowledging connections was on a trip to Florida when I was sixteen.  I was walking across a parking lot by the beach when I heard the song Roundabout, by Yes, playing on a car stereo. I was a huge fan of the band and excitedly approached the two guys in the car, saying "What a great song, aren't they great?" They looked up at me for a second and resumed their conversation. As I made my retreat I heard the DJ announcing the song and realized that they hadn't chosen to play it. Maybe they didn't even like Yes. I was excited by my perceived connection. 

Last Sunday, I continued my 'wave at every runner' pattern when a guy passed me. He was waving at every runner too and received the same random responses. I thought, "He would appreciate the gesture from me." Maybe my readers will feel that way too.

Phil

To Infinity and Beyond!

I always thought my career could go in two directions after my book was published: consulting or corporate. Either I would apply the advice from Change With Confidence at my clients' or next employer's businesses. Robert Cialdini said "He who has the most options wins." Having two options is definitely better than one, or is it?

Having two options gives you choice but it also implies that you have not committed to one. When I shared my two options with someone in the publishing industry, she wondered if the corporate option would limit my ability to promote my book. She was right: I would be absorbed in the challenges of my new role and team. The consulting option is far more flexible. I can blend speaking engagements and other promotional activities with assignments, giving the required time to both.

This week, I committed to the book promotion/consulting option. I incorporated a company called Change With Confidence Incorporated ("Limited" and "Confidence" don't go together) that matches the business cards I purchased earlier.

When the security guard at a client's office asked what company I was from, I belted out "Change With Confidence!" Buzz Lightyear would have been proud. The security guard paused before writing it in his book. Change with Confidence Incorporated became official!

As I walked away, clipping my guest badge to my belt, I thought, "To infinity and beyond. That sounds about right." 

Phil

Where does your confidence come from?

On Monday, our son Sam celebrated his sixteenth birthday by jumping out of a plane. He had been planning it for months and two of his cousins agreed to jump too; it was a family event.

You might wonder, "Why would anyone jump out of a plane?" Sam, Jim, and Sarah's motivations weren't clear when they were suiting up. They were guessing how free-falling would feel. Would there be a sinking feeling in their stomachs like a roller coaster or would it feel like they were on a blanket of air? They seemed to be excited by the unknown, unconcerned that they didn't know what they were about to experience. The only thing they knew for certain was that it would be amazing.

I was struck by their confidence and the similarities between sky diving and leading change. Dan Rockwell said, "Confidence is a product of knowing what to do next." I like this quote and feel that the main benefit of my book is building people's confidence to navigate (and lead) change by helping them decide what to do next. The sky diving experience suggests that it is not enough to help leaders find answers: they must also believe they have the ability to do so. Leaders must do far more than "paint by numbers": they must paint new, powerful paintings. The confidence mindset is essential for long-term success. 

All three jumpers were ecstatic about their experiences. Apparently you don't get a sinking feeling in your stomach when you free-fall or feel like you are on a blanket of air. They were united in wanting to jump again. Sky diving and leading change can be addictive.

When the  Skydive Toronto videographer asked Sam why he was jumping, he said, "I am looking for the thrill." The next question was "How do you think it's going to be?" and Sam replied, "Great." These answers are similar to a leader of change saying, "I am excited about building a new organization. I am not sure exactly what it will look like but I know it will be great." Two examples of the confidence mindset.

I will re-read my manuscript to ensure I reinforce a confidence mindset. They can last forever. I will also say to Sam again how proud I am of him and his leadership abilities.

Phil