Tag Archives: Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban Led the Way in CEO Blogging
Books that predict the future are interesting, although perhaps preparing for it, and creating it, usually provide greater returns.
Nevertheless, a new best-seller does just that. Jeanne Meister and Karie Willyerd recently published an HR-focused book, The 2020 workplace: How innovative companies attract, develop, and keep tomorrow’s employees today. (New York: Harper, 2011). I presented a synopsis of that book at the October First Friday Book Synopsis in Dallas, and it is now available at 15MinuteBusinessBooks.com.
Among the many predictions in the book is # 7 – “Job requirements for CEO’s will include blogging.” They state that: “The level of authenticity and concern that can be communicated through a CEO-level blog can’t be matched by press releases or blogs written by the public relations department….Hearing the voice of the CEO through his or her own writing, when it feels authentic, helps foster trust in an organization” (p. 220).
They suggest there are three major styles of CEO blogging: (1) deeply personal, (2) highly opinionated, and (3) product messaging.
If you live in the DFW area, you are well aware that the greatest example of the head guy being highly opinionated through blogs is right under your own nose. Mark Cuban is the Owner of the Dallas Mavericks, and popularized blogs before, during, and after his team’s basketball games. You could read his views on his players, the action, and his favorite target, the referees.
These blogs were highly popular, some of which demonstrate the problems associated with putting opinions in print. A number of the blogs led to huge fines imposed by the NBA, especially those that criticized referees. Ironically, in 2008, Cuban banned blogging from the Mavericks’ locker room. According to Deadspin: “Mark Cuban dislikes bloggers who aren’t him.”
None of that matters. I think that Cuban led the way. His blogging is highly visible. controversial, provocative, and interesting. Go to a game, concert, or even corporate meeting, and see how many people have at least one cell phone or other mobile device in their hand. Some are texting, some are sending e-mail, but some are also blogging. Cuban was the first of his type to do this.
And, if you believe this new best-seller, Cuban was ahead of his time.
What do you think? Let’s talk about this really soon!
A Boatload Of Value – The Fun And Value Of Rework
My blogging colleague Bob Morris has written a number of posts from one book: Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. I am presenting it at the May First Friday Book Synopsis, and have now read it for myself. Now I understand why Bob keeps blogging anew from the book. You find something to comment on and highlight on practically every page, starting with Mark Cubans’s endorsement of the book:
“If given a choice between investing in someone who has read Rework or has his MBA, I’m investing in Rework every time… a must-read.”
It will be difficult to boil down into a synopsis. It is multiple subjects, very fast-paced observations, and very comprehensive – yet very focused. Try this for a partial summary: “get to work, now; don’t hire too many people; you don’t have to work 100 hours a week, just focus and get something done – now!; design products and services that you want and need, and an “audience” will find you;” and the list goes on and on…
Here’s just one quote from the very, very many:
“You should get in the alone zone. Long stretches of alone time are when you’re most productive. When you don’t have to mind-shift between various tasks, you get a boatload done.”
This is going to be a fun synopsis.
“Every minute of the day is selling time” — Mark Cuban on selling
Here’s one I found while preparing to move… (you know, one of those scraps of paper, long forgotten) It is actually a tweet, published in a sidebar on an airline magazine, ripped out for some later use), from Mark Cuban, owner of the Mavericks, a maverick, and a very sharp business mind:
“Every minute of the work day is selling time. Thinking is for night time. 7am to 7pm + is selling time.”
So – I think he is telling us, we all need to get out there and sell!
At this moment, Free is either Free, or Full Price — take your pick (a short post)
You’ve heard the controversy about the new book by Chris Anderson (author of The Long Tail), Free: The Future of a Radical Price. A lot of people have weighed in. (See my earlier post). Add to the list of critics Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban He blogged about it here and here and a few references in a couple of other follow-up posts. At this moment (early morning, July 23, 2009), Free is # 183 on Amazon.com’s best seller list, and # 74 in non-fiction. Very healthy numbers on Amazon.
But here’s the curiosity. Amazon is selling Free at full price (at this moment). I don’t remember the last time I saw a business book on Amazon going for full price with no discount. But you can get Free for free as an audio book on iTunes (which I have done), read by Chris Anderson himself. And Anderson is offering Free for free in Google books and offered it free on the Kindle (for a limited time). (check out his web site for details).
What an intriguing approach…
