Mike McRitchie | Mike McRitchie | Resume and LinkedIn Profile Writer | Telecom Marketing Content Writer

Trump Train Tramples Conventional Wisdom

May 3, 2016 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

Tonight Trump won Indiana, Cruz dropped out, and nomination is locked up.

So in celebration of Trump’s big victory and why he’ll do the same in the general election, here’s some of the posts I’ve written about the Trump Phenomenon over this nomination cycle.

Hopefully you’ll understand what has made Trump’s campaign work when there were so many who doubted or couldn’t see beyond the conventional wisdom or politics as usual (which went out the window in this campaign season).

Trump Defies the Pundits

Here you see the early disdain for Trump’s approach and his early versions of attacking the character of those who say bad things about him. In this case it is Senator McCain. This is also one of the first examples where the commentators are shocked that there isn’t more of a backlash showing up in the polls.

Hand Raised Alone

After showing his early staying power, the establishment starts to get nervous. And so the first Fox debate brings out “The Pledge”. They ask who won’t pledge to support the eventual nominee of the Republican Party. Trump is the only one who raises his hand. This became an eventual wedge issue between Trump and the Republican Establishment. A bargaining chip that Trump used to his advantage throughout the campaign both to keep the opposition off balance and to keep him in the news cycles.

Secret Jedi Mind Trick

This article walks you through the persuasion principles that Trump was using in his campaign to great effect. Principles that all politicians use but Trump took it to a new level and applied it from a different tack.

Dynamic Double Team

How Trump got Carson to support his position and renegotiate the terms of the CNBC debate. An interesting look at a high level negotiation. And how trump has learned to use the media to get his way.

Success or Mess

A look at Trumps ventures – successes and failures. This was a big issue that the media and his competitors for the nomination tried to play. But everyone knew Trump had successes and failures. They didn’t really care about that as evidenced by his continued victories. They wanted someone who was willing to take the bull by the horns and knew the good and bad of business and was willing to get messy.

What’s In A Brand?

Trump got the brand out early, “Make America Great Again!” Simple, to the point, and something with a strong emotional connection after eight years of Obama. Here I compare the front-runner brands.

Why Trump Has Locked Up The Nomination

And finally, how the nomination was locked up. Now to be fair, Trump had some missteps after this post came out. And he could have imploded. But like a good negotiator and businessman, he learned from his mistakes and got better advisers to help him through that rough patch and then kept on winning.

Some of the biggest takeaways I got from this process was…

Just because a poll shows you’re losing doesn’t make it happen.

Polls are wrong – sometimes the data they’re based on or the assumptions from the data are just not accurate. This was proven over and over in a large chunk of the state races.
Polls will change as momentum shifts – people can be persuaded by new information and momentum changes.
You can’t extrapolate that when someone drops out of the race that all their voters will go to someone else. I can’t count how many times a pundit said that someone who dropped out would have their votes go to anyone but Trump. When Trump started getting over 50% of the votes on a regular basis, that notion went out the window.

America IS fed up with the business as usual climate of Washington.

They’re tired of not being listened to.
They want jobs. And good paying jobs.
They’re tired of everyone else’s interest in the world being put before ours.
They’re not stupid and sick of politicians manipulating them.
They aren’t voting blocks that vote like robots. They can see beyond their particular group.
They want to be part of a movement (both Trump and Sanders played this to great effect).

So how will things go between Trump and Clinton? Hillary starts with a lead but that could have been said in the Republican nomination contest early on too. But with quite a few months to go, that will surely shift. Will Trump win? Will Clinton win? Only time will tell.

But it will be a fun race to watch.

3 Must Know Tips from Project Manager Experts

April 28, 2016 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

Guest Post by: Bryan Phelps (Workfront.com)

Project managers are a valuable asset to business to keep things running smoothly. Today, the role of project manager has grown to encompass many hats. To be successful, project managers must develop various skill sets, including leadership, cheerleader, and the ability to work well in a high-pressure environment.

Whether you’re seasoned project manager or just starting out, here are 3 important skills to help you succeed:

1. Effective communication. Things will change throughout a project. Help keep everything on track and the project moving forward by taking time to practice effective communication. As project manager, it is your responsibility to ensure all the communication lines between clients, shareholders, executives, managers, and your team are open and everyone is on the same page.

2. Build relationships with your team. Even after the project is over, take time to maintain a working relationship with your team. Set up a lunch, happy hour, coffee date or something else to talk about how things went and what kind of challenges they ran into. Was there something you could have done better to help them?

3. Don’t lose your cool. In the world of project management, things can come up and leave you feeling overwhelmed. Take a breath and don’t lose your cool because people will question if you’re cut out to be a project manager. Remember, not everything needs to be fixed right now and your team may need a sounding board with someone they trust.

When it comes to project management, there are various approaches to being successful. Learn more about what you can do to be successful by checking out Workfront’s article, How To Be a Project Manager: 81 Tips from PM Experts.

Bryan is right on about how to walk that fine line between pushing the project and not pushing away your team members. At times Project Management can seem like a blood sport. Be careful not to implode your team in the process. Here are 5 Keys to Successful Project Management that dovetail into what Bryan discusses.

If you are in the wireless telecom realm, you probably know more than others how challenging it can be. I especially like these tips from the 81 Tips article.

#8 – Set Clear Action Items
#11 – Be Transparent
#29 – Show Gratitude
#48 – Share Why the Due Date is the Due Date
#51 – Pay Close Attention to Detail

And sometimes you get at wits end and need a change. If that is you, let me know how I can help.

Prince and iFLY – How Joy and Collaboration Create Success

April 23, 2016 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y[/youtube]

Although Prince’s passing a few days ago brings a sadness, his body of work is an incredible testament to how joy and collaboration can create beautiful music.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame video of his collaboration with Tom Petty and others, and the joy that just makes you smile and keeps you spellbound, is ample evidence – as is what those who’ve seen him live in concert can attest to. I’ve seen the responses from friends on Facebook whose lives have been impacted by his contribution to the soundtrack of their lives.

In a similar vein, a week ago I experienced a business that demonstrates how joy and collaboration combine in a great business model.

At iFLY you get to experience skydiving indoors in a safe and fun environment. Here’s me in the flight chamber…

[youtube]https://youtu.be/7r9HLabS2DI[/youtube]

What was really cool is that the environment is set up as a really fun, iconic experience. And a lot of what makes it that way is the instructors. They have really great instructors who you can tell really love their jobs.

I even talked to one as I was leaving and he shared that he liked it so much himself that he took a job there so he could enjoy it that much more.

And part of what makes it fun for them and for the participants is that in addition to helping a group skydive for the first time, the instructors also get the opportunity to do their own freestyle show at the end of each group’s session. It is fun for everyone to watch and the instructors get to do something other than plod along day in and day out with newbies. They get their adrenaline fix too several times a day.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpDd–VubQQ[/youtube]

And that then brings me to my own experience the last couple days with a company regional management session.

The goal was collaboration to improve results and provide best practices across the various markets. It is kind of funny how the work functions that are not all about work often get the best results.

After the first day’s meetings were completed we had an offsite dinner as a group. That is where you really get to know people and work and non-work related ideas and stories just pop up randomly. And from that random discussion, future collaborations and business growth and alignment opportunities spring forth.

Hanging out with Nick, Holly, Katie and Ryan was awesome. And it was fun and collaborative that then spilled over into the next day’s session.

Thank you guys for a great couple of days.

So as you look at your work life, home life, or play life, what are you doing to get the most from your days and nights? Are you bringing joy to the party? Are you being open, contributing, and collaborating with others? If you are, like Prince and iFLY, you will bring out your best talents, contribute more, and just have more fun.

Now get out there an enjoy!

Do You Believe Like Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors?

April 13, 2016 by Mike McRitchie 1 Comment

Win #73 – the new NBA Single Season Win Record!

What is it that makes this so special? Is it that they set the record in the final game of the season to pass the Chicago Bulls’ record?

Is it that the game is at home?

Is it that the team is just so likeable?

Is it that it is a West Coast team that isn’t L.A.?

A team that is the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Having been to several Warriors games watching Jordan, Magic, Kareem, etc. play and the years when the Warriors sucked badly, it is fun to see them win and win big. And break all kinds of records along the way.

It is kind of how I felt when the Oakland Raiders had their winning ways winning Superbowls.

A little East Bay pride.

So besides the obvious excitement that comes with this big win for East Bay and Bay Area fans, what else can we learn?

We certainly there are a couple big takeaways I see.

#1 – Teamwork Wins

We’ve seen this time and again. The Warriors have a deep bench and a ton of players who can all step into the mix and perform. And they all work well together.

Why?

Because they are all pulling toward a common goal. They don’t deviate. They don’t let petty squabbles get in the way of their mission. They win as a team.

#2 – Nice People Can Finish First

The are just nice. They don’t have egos out of proportion with the roles they play. Yes, they do have egos but being a professional athlete at the top of their game has to have some kind of ego to perform night in and night out.

What it really is though is confidence in their ability to deliver. And that confidence results in personas that are comfortable within themselves and aren’t intimidated by others. So they don’t have to prove they are better by putting others down. They just perform and let their game show off.

#3 – They Don’t Get Complacent

At this stage of the season it would be easy to coast. To put in the 2nd team to just get to the playoffs. But winning #73 isn’t something that anyone has done. And to pass the Chicago Bulls of the Michael Jordan era and gain bragging rights, that is something they find too hard to pass up.

So you find all the team members giving it their all game in and game out.

That is why you see them come back from down multiple double digits to win games with half court three pointers at the buzzer. Steph Curry’s bread and butter.

#4 – The Bay Area IS A Good Place For Pro Sports

With championships by the A’s, Giants, Raiders and 49ers, and now the Warriors, it is a great place to be from – despite the fact that the East Coast often ignores the West Coast.

They may think we’re too laid back or too nice or too far away from what the East Coast thinks matters (the Beltway is their center of the Universe). But that can be deceptive as the West Coast overcomes all that and still wins.

So whether it is your business, your career, or you’re just basking in the glory of another monumental sports milestone being created out of our corner of the world, take these to heart…and prosper!

Is This Your New Beginning?

March 27, 2016 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

Happy Easter!

For Christians this is a great time of year. The Lord is risen and our sins are forgiven. It is a time of new beginnings. Being that it is springtime the flowers are in bloom here where I live in Northern California. Sun was shining. The aromas in the air were amazing. And it was a time for family get togethers. Sharing food and drink.

Watching my Facebook feed it was clear there was a lot of love and family time happening. There were babies being born. And kids enjoying seeing what the Easter Bunny had hidden for them.

The last week for me was a fun time too as I was able to help some people with updating their resumes and find jobs.

For me there is nothing more satisfying than being a part of someone finding opportunities that fit their skills and passions.

So where are you on your life journey?

Is this a time of new beginnings for you? If so, what does that look like for you? Is it a new place to live? Or a new relationship? A new job or career?

Wherever that passion you have leads you, I wish you the best.

And if you find you need help on your journey. Particularly if it involves a job change or career guidance, contact me and maybe I can help you.

And as we look at the challenges that life brings us. And danger out in the world. Know that you can always make a difference. By bringing your unique gifts. And the passion behind it. As Jesus Christ has done. To share yourself with the world.

Happy Easter.