The KIVA story

I was introduced to KIVA several years ago through a gift from a colleague. KIVA is a great example of how a simple idea and a tremendous amount of passion can truly change the world.

If you aren't familiar with KIVA it is an organization that through donations by individuals (average of around $25 per donation) they provide microloans to "entrepreneurs" in countries throughout the world. These small loans help provide aspiring business owners capital they can use to make an impact in their businesses.

It is an inspiring story of how a person's vision and passion can help ignite a movement of giving back in the new virtual world. Here is a clip featuring the co-founder, Jessica Jackley, telling about KIVA's start and the success story they have achieved.

Jessica Jackley: Poverty, money -- and love Video on TED.com

What is your Brand?

I picked up a Tweet today that I thought was a pretty insightful:  Brand is what you say about yourself; reputation is what others say about you (thanks, Bob Aber, for the RT).  It got me thinking about how organizations and individuals both spend large investments to build their “brand” and how significant the acts and words behind it must be to maintain a reputation.  Brands can take years to build, but reputations can be made or broken in a single act.  It seems like a simple enough balance but I’m amazed at how often teams and organizations can miss how the individual acts determine this much more than dollars invested in branding.

For most of my career I’ve worked in two organizations that have been the pretty low on the public expectations:  rental cars and cable.  Going to social functions and mentioning you work in either of these industries can open up a fascinating stream of discussion.  With rental cars I’d hear the horror stories of long lines, questionable vehicles, reservations that went unfilled, and occasionally a reference to OJ Simpson (for those who remember the Juice) running through an airport.  And cable, need I say more.  Cable and telecommunications providers generally rank the lowest in overall service across industries (here’s a sample ranking) so it has been many a dinner I’ve had to discuss the service issues that friends and colleagues have experienced (which I hope generally I can resolve).  If you haven't seen it, check out this Conan O'Brien clip from his "Day in Cable."  Not a typical day but certainly an entertaining look.

Measuring what makes life worthwhile | Video on TED.com

Chip Conley is the CEO of hotel chain Joie de Vivre as well as an author and speaker.  This video is a little longer (20 min) but if you stick with it he's got a good message about helping inspire all of your employees to achieve a point in their development where they are helping transform the organization. He shares some interesting statistics on the service industry in the world, too. I found those parts of his speech fascinating.

Chip Conley Speech: Measure What Makes Things Worthwhile

Key takeaways for me:

• Organizations that can find ways to measure the "intangible" measure of success are more likely to achieve their long term goals
• It is important as leaders for us to inspire our teams so that every individual finds a point in the organization where they feel they are "transformational"
• There is a need for change in how we measure personal and business success in the 21st century, and organizations that find different ways to inspire and measure that success will be better positioned in the future, service-orientated economy

There are some interesting views expressed in the post's comments on his political views which to some viewers may take away from the overall impact of his message.  That aside, taking his key points for what they are I found it definitely to be a good message reinforcing the importance of every member of the team understanding the significance of what they do.  Those are the organizations that have the cultures that help breed success.

HR Dad Lesson #1: Your Children, like your Team, are always watching You!

My son is four and I have no doubt he will try to be an X-Games athlete.  We have our hands full.

My daughter spoiled us when she was his age.  As is true with most daughters, mine was and continues to be the living picture of a Disney Princess.  Of course I’m speaking as a Dad who still melts every time she busts out the smile and wants a big Daddy hug.  When we ask her to put her toys away, they get put away and are ordered and alphabetized based on color, toy maker, size, and the genus and species of the animal they are modeled after.  Pink ponies on one shelf, Pet Shop toys in descending order of size on shelf two, etc.  All of this is of course followed by an “I love you, Daddy.”  What Dad doesn’t crumble with hearing that from his little girl?  I know, the teenage years are right around the corner, so let me enjoy every moment I can right now.

Dad and Tyler when the Cavs used to win!

My son on the other has figured out that by stacking several kitchen pots, an upside down garbage can from the bathroom, and two living room pillows onto a kitchen chair he can essentially quadruple his reach to just above the refrigerator.  This used to be the hiding spot of all things Mom needed to keep from him.  I’ve seen his designs first hand, and although I don’t think I have a future architect on my hands I do give him credit for his ingenuity and the structural integrity he is able to achieve through odds and ends that have no right doing what he does with them.  When I admire his handiwork, though, somehow I still seem to catch Mom’s ire about letting him do things that during her watch he’s never allowed to do (this will be a future Life Lesson of the HR Dad subject:  How to follow Mom’s rules when you don’t even know what they are).

As a result of the Mad Architect, we have proceeded to move things further out of his reach in our home.  Consequently he has to launch more elaborate plans to achieve his goals.  The most recent object of his attention is to get into our basement storage room that is kept locked for all of the above reasons.  You see, he has learned this room contains all the spare toys which become much more exciting when he doesn’t see them every day.  For him, this room has become his Well of the Souls, and like Indiana Jones he going to break in so he can get the Ark.