Part 1

After following the primaries thus far I’m quite concerned with the negative aspect coming from individuals who claim that John McCain should not count on true conservatives voting for him this election.  Some even going as far as saying that there is little difference in picking a McCain over Obama or Hilary.  I find this quite presumptuous and while there may be some aspects to their hypothesis I don’t believe it’s one to take as a “coffin sealer” in this election and am quite disappointed in the reasoning’s for their choices.

Now it’s true that those from our party probably cannot count on McCain to cut federal agencies or to champion wide-scale economic deregulation but, is it the same or even more so that these small government principles honored by us conservatives will be upheld by a Barack Obama or a Hilary Clinton? 

I think not!

While this is only one example, there are countless other aspects I could go into on why a vote for McCain is correct but then we get heavily into ideology which is more so a battle of principles/beliefs than a debate among conservatives. Just for example, take a look at McCain’s health care plan vs. Barack’s and Hilary’s or even the Iraq occupation.  With this aside (which we can get more into later), conservatives know their platform and I’ll assume our principles are aligned and so does not need to be argued here. 

Now, just to be clear, I don’t have any qualms with these differences, it is quite understandable for me that conservatives are leveraging their power by voicing their concerns with candidate McCain.  Political noise is of course the by-product of a true democracy in action. And, for that matter I too am not 100% satisfied with some of McCain’s stances, which have been brought up clearly by these antagonists but surely they are also aware that he can’t win the presidency with conservative support alone (Bush could not in 00 and 04).  Just looking at the election so far, it has clearly shown a “For Change” / moderate mentality as noted by the 2 to 1 voting ratio of Democrats to Republicans.  As far as the election goes McCain’s moderate appeal is probably doing him more good than bad.  Which is key for conservatives to secure the presidency regardless whether we know he’ll adhere to conservative beliefs.

Let’s also be reminded that Ronald Reagan was a moderate.

So, for those conservatives reading who honestly believe that it makes little difference whether a John McCain or a Barack Obama or a Hilary Clinton runs the Executive Branch, I ask that they reevaluate.   There is a difference, a difference rooted in a big spending big government party we know will cost taxpayers and a candidate that wants the full support of his party to uphold their platform as best as he can.

To be continued….

John Boyd; pilot, businessman, military strategist and designer of the f15 fighter pilot developed the OODA loop.  The OODA loop or principle as it was often referred to, was the process by which someone reacts to an event.  The cycle was comprised of Observation, Orientation, Decision, and Action or OODA – to observe, orient, decide, and act.  According to Boyd’s idea, the key to victory was the ability to solve dynamic situations more quickly than one’s opponent.  The victor would be the one who could cycle through the loop the quickest.  

I’ve often referred to the OODA loop in various discussions as an essential quality of leadership.  Recently and interestingly enough the loop came into a conversation of mine around a lunch topic question -  “What makes someone smart, how do you define intelligence?”   Of course the topic is a loose one but the best answer was from a colleague of mine who said “I think someone is smart when they have the ability to execute given active change”.  I instantly thought of the OODA loop.  Could she be referring to this?  If not, what a pleasant surprise to introduce the OODA principle to her.  As we probed deeper she explained her reasoning.  She said, “After years of study and practice one should be able to execute remarkably well in their relevant area of study.  However, taking someone out of their comfort zone and he or she being able to execute well, shows ability beyond the teachings of academia.  This in itself is natural smarts and intelligence.  The ability to apply oneself in different situations and execute” Absolutely brilliant I thought to myself.

Taking her ideas to thought I immediately began thinking if I could measure this.  Being able to define someone’s ability to execute given rapid change would become invaluable, maybe even more so than standard testing in and out of academia.  While this is a hefty subject and by no means solvable just yet, it serves as a great thought exercise.  

I initially think the best way to measure this rating, would be to administer over time several problems varying in complexity, design, and subject.  The person’s ability to complete these tasks successfully would determine their scoring.  We can call this score the OODA quotient since it seems to me the end result of x solved problems / total problems.  

I imagine this could be a very valuable tool for mangers and leaders in assessing their team.  Judgments being made around promotions and advancements can all be taken by evaluating this score.  Since the score is dependent on existing knowledge and productivity you can always be certain of selecting the brightest and most productive individuals.

Ever run into people that seem to get a kick out of making others feel bad about themselves?  Maybe they don’t realize it; but often it seems that they emphasize things they can do better, or perhaps highlight the inadequacies of others.  Sometimes it’s subtle and other times it just seems a blatant disregard for another human beings feelings.   

If so, you’re probably much like me and obviously don’t take kindly to these individuals.  For sake of maturity I would hope you leave these people alone and choose to relinquish any anger they may cause you.  I personally am not confrontational when presented in these situations but I definitely feel a pity toward the assailant.   To me, this disregard for human emotion is most likely stemmed from an inadequacy they themselves must have and if coming from a position of power only flushes their credibility as a leader, damaging any respect they may or may not have had.   

These thoughts have been floating around in my mind lately and I wanted to relate this into my subjects on leadership here.  I think the trickiest portion of this thought exercise is to be sure you don’t become the assailant.  It’s often said success breeds hubris.  And, if you’re a competitive aspiring individual in any motive you will be most susceptible to this ailment.  

I’ve always tried my best to steer clear of any verbal or emotional output that may seem to be hurtful to another person in or out of a joking context.  Sometimes I’ve been successful and other times not so much but no matter how many times I’ve “lost my top” - so to say, I’ve never felt good nor has it helped the situation relating to it.  In hindsight, it’s just not worth it.  

Now, in my past works on leadership I’ve mentioned the likes of General Patton and Thomas J. Watson.  Each were very well known to be overly eccentric and to the point of derogatory inflammations on a more than recurrent basis.  You may be asking yourself what of them?

Let’s analyze, General Patton was a military man and in the course of warfare, stupidity will cost you your life.  Patton was well known to whip his combatants into shape no matter the cost (verbal/physical).  The rules of leadership are the same here however; the game is distinctive.  

Thomas J. Watson, founder of IBM had his share as well but his story culminates to a distinctive point.  With Watson his downfall was during his acceptance of honors from Adolph Hitler as the president of the ICC.  Here historians have noted that hubris and self-promotion led to his loss as a world leader.  Watson was well known to want the control of the highest seat in the world – The United States Presidency.  But, due to his inability to calculate the feelings of his constituency (perhaps commonsense) he relinquished any chance as a possible successor to the executive chair.  

I’m sure there are many more examples but I think what we need to take away here is that there is a fine line between being aggressive and being thoughtless.  There is no excuse to damage anyone’s personal feelings, self-confidence and self-esteem; especially in a leadership position where your task is to raise them.  Now, there is room for criticalness and honest evaluation.  It’s a fine line when being walked.  So, the next time you catch yourself being over critical, joking around, or evaluating your team take note of your behavior and rhetoric to ensure you’re never casted in the wrong light.  Great leadership is respected and revered and is not easily gained back when it’s lost.

Building a business is an exhaustive experience.  Especially early in the game when all that you have is your idea.  Generally speaking, to get your idea off the ground you start piecing together your plan into an executable goal which always revolves around the people who are going to make this happen.  I believe these people – your team - will and will always be the lifeline to achieving success in any endeavor.  Unless of course you think you can build your business entirely alone.  Although possible, historically for the most part, the greatest companies and for that matter the greatest leaders have always had a great supporting team that established their success.  Just look at Apple bringing the personal computer to market in the late 70s, MasterCard when they took Visa on in the 90s, and the reclaimed mantle of best automobile for the Ford Taurus team in the 80s. Each of these magnificent feats weren’t the sole product of one man but the fruits of labor of a productive team.

Keeping this in mind, I’ve always valued teams.  Having the right team working side by side with you makes all the difference in executing fast, productively, and efficiently.  Of course this isn’t always the case.  Often teams fall apart for various reasons.  Everything from founder differences, to management inabilities, all the way to simple group dynamics has cost the multitudes of entrepreneur’s setbacks and losses. 

But, when the right team is intact your business machine can become a lethal weapon. Together, you and your team work unitedly on a single purpose out maneuvering the competition.

How do I build the right team?  Nothing can be guaranteed and ultimately it comes down to your ability in selecting smart, honest, genuine, reputable people with the chops for working long hours and the ability to leverage their personal risk.  Aside from these very basic fundamentals focusing on your ability as a leader and to motivate your team is the most crucial part in keeping your business machine primed for the long haul.

I could go on for hours and you could read a plethora of management books on how to be an effective leader but I think the wealth of knowledge can be summed up as follows:

1. Establish yourself as a leader:  Know who you are and present that firmly.  Your team is expecting decisions to be made and if you can’t provide the accountability then the most crucial part of the team – its leader – is missing.
2. Delusions of grandeur:  No one wants to work for small ideals, what’s the big picture?  What are we after?  Dream and dream big; after all everyone wants to be part of something larger than life.
3. Sincere thoughts of purpose:  It’s a psychological fact that people think more fondly of those that confide to them.  We are all infallible and being honest about this only shows your humanity.
4. Give plenty and assume burden:  People will follow you to the ends of the earth if you stand up for them.  Give as much as you can by assuming their burden when possible and reward the team often.  In return, you’ll always have a motivated productive group.

Let’s face it, the current candidates for the Republican nomination is sub par.  McCain, although who I believe embodies the closest to conservative principles lacks charisma and presence, Guilianni’s social views divide the party, and Romney’s side stepping issues fail to truly relate to conservatives.  Enter Fred Thompson, who without spending a dime is already a contender in many polls across the U.S. 

Why is Fred Thompson so appealing?  2008 will be a “change” election and Fred Thompson represents that hope and change.  Much like Barack Obama is perceived on the left, Fred represents this “new blood” let’s change reformation agenda on the right.  He’s refreshing, charismatic, and most importantly an outsider.  By outsider I refer to him as not being a career politician; which I believe is a big plus in the perceptions of the American public.  Being an outsider places Thompson out of the corruption, disputes, and political evils many of these contenders have at one point or another been associated with directly or indirectly.  He’s a breath of fresh air!

Now some say, well what are his policies and what has he done?  Well, honestly I can’t say he’s done anything spectacular in his 8 year stint as Tennessee Senator.  He was chairman of the Committee for Governmental Affairs and a supporter of McCain – Fiengold (which is controversial nonetheless on the right but may help him appeal to moderates). Although this lack of “resume” may seem daunting, I think this goes back to him being a breath of fresh air and to further support his outsider appeal. 

Thompson does have his convictions though.  He has a strong conservative voting record and pretty much embodies the hopes of social, fiscal, and national security conservatives.  He’s a strong supporter of the war and the war on terror, which I still believe will be the number one issue this coming election. He is definitely for immigration reform but opposes the latest bill brought forth by Congress (great move to unify the right).  Want’s to make healthcare affordable while maintaining the levels of service and technology we embrace here.  He wants to continue research and investment in alternative energies to negate our dependence on foreign oil and most of all he wants to lower taxes and distribute that wealth back to the people.  All general of course but the context of his platform is there and it is very appealing.

Can Fred Thompson maintain this appeal and win the candidacy?  Time will only tell but I’m very optimistic in his chances.  Fred Thompson should be able to run a formidable campaign.  Money will not be an issue considering 2/3 of Bush’s Rangers have yet to donate and what appears to be a strong grassroots uprising already forming.  Manpower will not be an issue either, several supporters have already declared captains and offices should he make a run. Overall, I believe Thompson must maintain his down to earth appeal (big red truck) as he did to win Tennessee.  America definitely wants change, but at the same time seeks to be comforted by someone they know and trust and that can be all embodied in Senator Thompson.

For more on Senator Thompson

Fred on the issues - FOX News 

Response to criticism by Michael Moore

Grassroots effort to draft Fred Thompson 

What is leadership?  I find it interesting that many people tend to think that when one is in a leadership position he or she is automatically a leader.  And, that by being in these positions they are destined to do something great.  This is far from the truth and is a sad miss representation of many in business, government, and the military.  You see, I believe there are two categories to breakdown here, one being a “manager” and the other being a “leader”.  Managing and Leading are 2 absolutely different things yet are confused so often.  The latter will prevail.

Perhaps it’s my upbringing that allows me to define the two so easily but I hope by explaining my reasoning it will help others to step out of the management mindset and to become LEADERS in their respected positions. 

I think the first key concept to take away here is that leadership is not about managing a process.  You don’t manage your way to business, government, or military success.  You LEAD the way.  Leadership is about influence and striking an emotional chord of trust, respect, and assurance with your supporters, coworkers, partners, and troops.  You do this by going above and beyond what others would normally do.  You see a leader stands out; he actively pursues avenues in which to motivate his team, even when that means at a cost to him.

My dad said it best when he referred to these costs as the “burden of leadership”.  Leaders often have to take a step outside of themselves and bear additional work in the name of team building.  Patton, the rambunctious profane general of WWII was always the first in battle and was known to ride atop his tank in a flurry of bullets.  Stupid you may say, not at all when coming from his men.  To them Patton was their savior, their comrade in arms, and the man to rally behind when the going gets tough.  Patton understood this and was prepared to face the cost as long as it meant motivating his men enough to die in battle with him.  That is leadership. 

Leadership is also about embracing the vision.  Can you think of a great leader who didn’t have fanatical ideas good or bad?  Leaders are appealing because they present grand visions of glory whether monetarily in business, ideally in politics, or combatively militaristically.  Leaders have goals to accomplish and will present these goals with unwavering optimism no matter the cause.  Thomas Watson, the founder of IBM refused to give up during the depression.  He refused to believe that he had to cut back, and re think his business in this time of need.  Instead, he rallied IBMers to build the business, seek foreign markets, and most of all - to just find a way.  He in turn provided for them, took care of them, and promised they would see the light.  And you know what, IBM did survive and became a rare sight of success during the darkest days of the depression.

Lastly leaders must fight!  Proactive positive work is the supreme function of any leader.  I can think of nothing more valuable to a leader than a hard worker.  If this is the case, then the worker expects none the less and most often more from their CEO, General, or President.  It’s simple, you have to work hard and fight hard to win. 

I hope this has helped give you a light into my perspectives on leadership and encourage you to practice these rules in your respective positions.  Even if you are not in a leadership role, know that good leadership can come from anywhere – top or bottom.  Just remember, you can’t manage your way to success, you only can lead your way there..

90,000 strong and growing!

We’ve had some great publicity in the past few weeks and thought I’d share.

Namely our Business Week article and our selection last month of top 100 private companies and NewComer of the Year by AlwaysOn media.

For those of you that haven’t been keeping up with us, take a look at our video to learn a little more.

CHEERS! 

What  a year…

I know it’s a bit early to recap this year but as Thanksgiving is now over and Christmas quickly approaching, it will be over sooner than you know it.

Time flies by so fast.  It seems like only yesterday when I packed my stuff to head over to the bay and now it’s the end of year and I’m writing my annual year in review post.  This year’s accounts have been quite interesting.  I feel that this year has opened for me an extraordinary period of growth both professionally and philosophically.  If I was to denote a theme for this year’s occurrences I would label it as “My great enlightenment”, much like the European 18^th century movement (The Enlightenment) of great knowledge and growth in the sciences, politics, and philosophy; I too have grown in much the same aspects and realizations in my life. 

The year did not start off extraordinary; in fact it was quite miserable starting the New Year from 05 to 06.  I’m not one to bring up old wounds, but overall part of me was (is?) still wallowing over a couple past choices in my life – namely a past relationship.  I could go on for hours talking about my feelings and my regrets but I want to bear you the dramatics and instead focus on my learning’s.  I now, after having some very bad tasting medicine firmly believe in nurturing relationships.  I do NOT want to ever put business before loved ones and that life is just much grander when you have your life and opportunities to SHARE with family, friends, and loves.  This realization that may be simple for some of you has only made its way into my psyche the start of this year but has definitely become a mantra in me for building a better person. 

Realizing this some what most obvious aspect of life I continued the beginning of the year searching for, as I’ve always done, opportunities to build upon.  It pretty much culminated in March when I was given a most excellent opportunity to help build an Internet startup in Silicon Valley.  Considering my past attempt in Internet business it was a no brainer in weighing out the value.  I packed my things and left on March 24, 2006.

Since arriving and to date, my life in the Valley has been quite interesting.  I can honestly say that I’m learning and experiencing a great deal; thanks in part to a set of highly intelligent and gifted entrepreneurs who I have the utmost pleasure in working with.  Because of their experience and tutelage I’ve developed a firmer understanding of Internet business processes, analytical thinking mindsets, marketing methodologies, product management methodologies, and most of all leadership roles.  It’s a fantastic ride and I’m enjoying every bit of it. 

I also feel that I’m growing and learning more politically.  Now, I know what you’re thinking, have I turned to the left?  No, I have not.  I’m still a staunch conservative.  I feel that being immersed in the liberal thinking mindset of smart professionals has helped me in developing a better understanding of the opposition’s ideologies.  After all, what better way to formulate answers to the tough questions then to be inoculated with the people that ask these questions?

All in all, as the year comes to a close, I feel that I’ve grown ten fold; my learning’s of life, business, and politics all contributing highly.  Personally, I’ve managed to stay single again this year but relish in the opportunity to start a loving relationship when the situation presents itself.  I enjoy life as it comes and I continue to seek opportunities to my ever present ambitions of the future.  I look forward to what next year will bring along with the growth and learning’s that will arrive as well.

What does it mean to be an American? 

Lately I’ve been barraged with the liberal thinking mindset of a few, especially with the latest news topics on terrorism and the 06 campaigns underway.  Now, don’t get me wrong I pose no deep seeded anger with other people’s views; I like so many other Americans have my own personal beliefs.  And, for that matter America is a land of many ideals and not just one, or two, or three.

So when I ask myself this question I often go into many different tangents wondering what it may mean to others of these different facets.  I’m sure social upbringing, class, religion, and environment all hold a lot of weight but I really think that no matter how far many of these ideologies are there has to be a common ground all or at least most of Americans can agree on. 

For me, valuing my life in America was brought on at a very early age.  You see, my father was a first generation Filipino – American.  He comes from a very meager upbringing and has earned all he has from the freedoms and opportunities he’s enjoyed as an American.  He like so many other immigrants sought a new life west.  Life in the Philippines for him was tough, he was a farmer, one of the eldest children of 12, had responsibilities and duties I guarantee you no child growing up in America would yearn for.  At the young age of 17 he left without the approval of his parents knowing that in order to help them and himself his opportunities were abroad.  My father joined the United States Navy, became an American citizen and served his country for 24yrs. 

One thing my father always instilled in me was our roots.  He never wanted his children to take what many so often take for granted here in America.  He’s taken me to the Philippines 3 times in my life, each at a different stage in my childhood.  I saw his former life of poverty, hardships, and struggles through the eyes of an 8 year old, 13 year old, and 17 year old.  Each time it was a different experience, and of course would never truly capture what he’s been through but gave me an ever lasting impression of life outside America.

So my views of America have always been grand, thanks in part to my upbringing.  I have a great respect for what can be accomplished here and thoroughly believe just as my father does in the possibilities and freedoms America beholds.

Now, honestly our political system has its faults.  You’ll see cronies, cheaters, and liars make it into the high political ranks of this great country and all I can say is that it’s a shame.  So often too you’ll hear the skeptics and conspiracy theorists, all attack America and in my eyes what it stands for.  It is often disheartening to me to hear such strong words on something I hold very dear. 

Maybe in some way this is why I love politics so much.  I believe among the cronies there are genuinely good men and women out there hoping to make America the best it can. It’s our job to find these people and raise them up to a position in which action can occur.

Yes, I am a Republican.  Yes, I am conservative.  But, for those that don’t share my views, please don’t write me off.  I ask that you take a step outside yourself.  Think about your life; the things you’ve ‘chosen’ to do or have, perhaps your family, your friends, your faith, your work, your beliefs, and know that this was all made possible by what a handful of great men believed a country should be. 

So, what does it mean to be an American?

It’s about the possibilities of achievement, it’s about your freedoms and choices, and it’s about patriotism and believing that although everything is not perfect, America is still a place of hope to many.

Can we all agree?

We just turned around a great MerchantCircle promo video in under 24 hrs.  That’s what I call scrappy.  

Also, if anyone is looking to do some video work, definitely shoot me a comment because I have the best guy to recommend.   He’s the one that put together this promo, that by the way is going to be featured on CBS Marketwatch.