Tom Asacker

Dustin Hoffman on a good review

"A good review from the critics is just another stay of execution."

Our first GuruBBQ review is in, from the accomplished Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer of the very popular MarketingProfs website.  Here it is:

"It's too long!"

Thanks a lot Ann! We've made it shorter. Okay?  She also wrote:

"Tom is at his best here – his delivery is sharp, punctuated by his dry sense of humor and enriched by his New England accent. Think Rocketboom meets marketing."

What New England accent? I was born in Louisiana. ;)

Any way, I've been doing a lot of thinking about humor; why it comes so easy to some, and is non-existent in others? Why experienced, confident people (and businesses) take themselves lightly and can poke fun at themselves, while the inexperienced try to impress everyone?  Why some people bark orders and rant and rave, while others calmly and confidently educate and encourage?

The word "humor" comes from the Latin "umor," meaning fluid.  And having a sense of humor - the ability to flow around obstacles - is critical in today's marketplace driven by innovation.  Richard Koch wrote in The Natural Laws of Business:

"In ideas, so much is produced that only a small fraction can survive.  Failure is a normal condition."

The bottom line is this: if you want the "aha's" of discovery and great ideas, then you must have the "ha ha's" that come with the process of trying and failing.  Humor binds people together more tightly than anything else.  It eliminates fear and stress, which allows for flexibility, creativity, and risk-taking.  And those with the greatest cognitive flexibility today, win! So do yourself and those around you a favor; follow Rosabeth Moss Kanter's 5 F's of successful organizations:

Fast.  Focused.  Flexible.  Friendly.  And . . . Fun!

Anna Quindlen on becoming yourself

"The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself."

I consciously began my work about thirty years ago, and I continue to work hard at it every day. It's not easy, but it is transformative. For example, tomorrow I'm launching a tongue-in-cheek weekly webisode called GuruBBQ. Why? Frankly, I'm not really sure. Perhaps to let my inner child out to play. How will it evolve? Who knows? That's the fun of it.

"Angels fly because they take themselves lightly." - G. K. Chesterton

I've always found humor in the seriousness of our western world of business, work, money and consumerism. Sorry, but I simply don't see it as a serious thing. I'm certainly sincere in my approach to business. But serious? No way. I've also noticed a lot of people who seem to take themselves very seriously (increasingly so since blogs hit the mainstream).

Open your eyes and take a long, hard look around. If you're reading this, you are one of the luckiest people on the face of the planet. Fifteen percent of the World's population is without running water. Forty-two percent don't have flushing toilets! And as far as taking yourself seriously, all I can say is . . . enlighten up! Trust me, you arent that important (that includes you T.P. . . . and me). ;)

George Bernard Shaw wrote, "I have no more right to consume happiness without producing it, than to consume wealth without producing it." Sure, you're smart. Yes, you write, speak, market, design, manage and sell supremely! But are you equally adept at producing a smile, consoling a coworker, helping a stranger, laughing until it hurts, soaring with the angels?

Tune in tomorrow. I sincerely hope that you like the show, that it makes you smile. But if you don't and it doesn't, I'll simply remember what Steve Martin said: "I've got to keep breathing. It'll be my worst business mistake if I don't."

Thomas Jefferson on questioning

"Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear."