Why BlackBerry Failed -- And It's Not What You Think

Last Friday BlackBerry announced the axing of 4,500 jobs and that they were taking the company private to restructure the troubled smart phone maker.

We've seen, heard and read about the ongoing problems sinking the once golden child of Canada's tech industry.

The Ottawa-based company just can't seem to get it right, every new product they release is ripped to pieces in the press.

Recently, news broke about how the company purchased a private jet, despite lagging sales and constantly falling stock prices. The story shocked us -- who goes out and spends millions on a private jet, when your company is tanking?

We shake our heads upon another sob story in the press about BlackBerry, and instantly blame that company's leadership team. It must be all their fault. 

To a degree, the leadership team is to blame. To a degree.

Whenever a company fails or succeeds, part of that failure or success can be directly attributed to the decisions at the top.

But there is more going on here than bad management -- there's a whole lot more which is actually well beyond the leaders, the managers, or even the staff.

It's public perception, driven by a media machine which is designed to kill successes.

Our news media loves a great story, and many successful stories are sexy enough to sell ad spots as they scream their successful headlines.

But those success stories aren't very common and don't have legs. Once you report on a company's success, it becomes stale news. Who wants to keep hearing about the millions Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has made, or the wonders coming out of Tesla Motor's Elon Musk mind?

BORING!

But tell the world about a tech giant's fall -- that's hot! That story can be spun for weeks, months, and even years.

Think about it -- what draws more of a crowd -- a crane hauling metal up to the floors of a building being built, or a man counting down the detonation of a building about to be blown to pieces?

We like watching things blow up. Watching things go "boom" is fun. It's part of our DNA.

SO when the vulturous media gets hold of a story about a company that's about to go "boom" they drop everything and feed that destruction.

No one wants BlackBerry to fail. But because things that go "boom" are more exciting than anything else, once a company enters that slippery slope towards doom, the media will continue the push down that slope.

BlackBerry has come out with some remarkable pieces of new tech over the past few months, but not if you read the reviews of their new tech.

Every tech reviewer has biasly slashed the wrists of the once popular smartphone company, even if their new tech is pretty good, by harping on the tech's failings.

BlackBerry itself was rebranded -- it was originally known as Research in Motion or RIM -- in an attempt to distance itself from it's negative about to go "boom" image.

But once labeled a problem child, it's hard to unstick that label, and the media continued to focus on the newly minted BlackBerry's troubled past.

And so regardless of what BlackBerry does, it will fail.

It can't win.

Which is really unfortunate, because BlackBerry has been working hard to change things around.

But perception is reality.

Even it it isn't.

The Five Most Powerful Words In Business

Business is all about people and problem solving. 

It doesn't matter what your business, it's made up of people, solving problems. Be it a doctor healing the sick, a burger joint feeding the hungry, or a bicycle courier getting your product to the customer, all businesses are made up of people solving problems. 

It's all about giving others a hand.

So it makes sense that the five most powerful words in business are:

How can I help you?

These simple words, when strung together as above are more powerful than any supercomputer program.They are more powerful than anything you'll ever Google. And they are more powerful than anything anyone else tells you.

Because all business is about people problem solving. 

I was reminded about the power of these five teeny-tiny words when I was at a networking event and after the usual small talk, my new connection asked me:

How can I help you?

I'm always looking for help from friends and colleagues, but when someone you just meet says those five little words, they powerfully resonate louder than anything you've ever heard before. 

Because hearing them from a complete stranger isn't common in our inclusive individual universe. 

At first I was in a state of delighted shock. Then I remember reading how the best way to network in business, is to offer to help wherever you can. 

Being bewildered.

Even if it means offering to help the competition.

YES -- even the competition.

Before his death, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates became friends, yet they both ran highly competitive companies against one another.

Though you don't have to be networking with the competition to see the power of these five extremely powerful words.

Try it for yourself the next time you meet a potential customer, client or colleague. Ask them

How can I help you? 

At first they may look uncertain, bewildered even. The look of bewilderment disappears quickly to that of joyous understanding and warmth, as your offer -- if genuine, as it should be -- is warmly accepted. 

The request won't be rocket science, and will be something which forges and strengthens your working relationship. Which is the whole point -- to build a stronger relationship with those you work with -- or against -- or want to work with or against. 

And remember, what goes around comes around. 

So if you can help, do. 

You'll WOW the person you helped, and they will reciprocate back tenfold. 

That's human nature. 

All just because of five little words.

5 Tips to Win Over a Crowded Room with your Elevator Speech

I've been crafting a new business, which is really an amazing process. 

Going out and talking to people to find out what they like and don't like about the current products and services, and then working to resolve those issues is an incredible journey for my new company and my own self-discovery.

There's more to networking than business cards.

A wise person once told me, the best bosses don't command their staff to do their jobs, they ask them how they can help their staff do their jobs better.

But what happens when the uber boss -- mainly moi -- is looking for someone to assist me in doing my job better?

It's an interesting paradox, because part of being a good leader is to always -- always -- remain confident in your abilities to lead. 

I'm not saying when in doubt, make it up. When I don't know the answer, I say so -- but I always follow-up with: "I'll find out."

No one knows everything. 

Which brings us back full circle -- who's the boss go to for help?

For years, I've been a big fan of the whole meetup phenomenon. A handful of years ago, I stumbled upon meetup.com for a social group related to one of my many hobbies.

I was instantly impressed at finding people in my neighborhood, interested in the same things I was, and even more impressed that they were interested in getting together to swap stories and experiences.

I've made some great friends through meetup.com -- which really is amazing, because not to knock the fabric which this blog is written on, but most people online are crazy.

Well, okay -- not most. But there are a lot of whackos out there in the cyberworld.

A real elevator speech?

I've been looking for people to share my experiences with professionally. I've joined professional development organizations in the past -- great people, but the most dull and dreary events.

It's one thing to find someone you can spend hours talking shop with, it's another if the venue or the event you are at is so dull, you're about ready to roll up in the corner and go for a snooze.

So I was hesitant to join any meetup groups for professional purposes. I prefer to sleep in my own bed thank you very much comfy corner.

But I've since attended a handful of professional meetup events, and been quite impressed. They were well run, well managed, and definitely not dull.

I can talk shop, and even more interesting, by simply listening to others, often solve my own issues.

And I'm learning -- I'm always learning -- but from these meetups, when we're asked to give our 30-second elevator pitch, I am learning from others what works, what doesn't, and that there are still a few crazies on the net that make their way into the room.

Like the guy that began to chew out one of the presenters in front of everyone in the middle of his presentation, simply because he didn't agree with the perspective of the presenter.

Awkward.

But in honor of yesterday's iPhone 5S and 5C release, as Steve Jobs used to famously say, but wait, there's more . . . 

Here are 5 things I've learned so far about winning over a crowded room with your elevator speech:

1. Be Front and Centre
   We were in a packed room of about 250 people, and I was constantly cramping my neck trying to see who was speaking, as most just stood up wherever they were to speak. Then, this one guy got up, started giving his speech, and while talking, waked up the middle isle, and right to the front of the room. Then he began to go back, again down the middle isle, as he wrapped up his speech. BRILLIANT! All eyes followed his every move, and made him all the more memorable.
   
2. Wear Bright Bold Colors
   I'm no fashionista, but even I washed out in my black suit and colourful tie. I noticed I paid more attention to men and women in bright red, blue and yellow as they stood out from the rest of the group.
   
3. Be Bold and Brief
   Half the room appeared to be developers and SEO specialists at one event. Then this guy stood up and declared: "I'm the best developer in this room, want to know more, I'm here." Got my attention, and showed some moxie.
   
4. Be Generous
   Of all the speakers, aside from the organizers, only one stood up, and thanked everyone for coming, sharing their stories, and then he thanked the organizers for a wonderful event. Not all business is rough and tough conquer and divide, a lot can be said for leaders that show some humility and humanity.
   
5. Love Bacon
   A woman concluded her introduction with: ". . . and I love bacon." Everyone laughed. Actually, later at the start of another elevator speech, a guy said: "and I love women that love bacon." Humour goes a long way in winning over people, especially if you want to be the one with the long line of people awaiting to talk to you during a break or at the end of the schedule of events. No, you don't have to love bacon, but it certainly doesn't hurt.

Lesson Learned from Verizon: Canadian Telecom Leaders are Wimps

There's much to be proud of in being Canadian.

Being a third-generation Canuck, I'm fortunate to live a country free of the oppressiveness of corrupt totalitarian governments, civil war, and anarchy such as the current state of Syria -- for example.

Canada only has three primary wireless
carriers -- Rogers, Bell and Telus.

However, that doesn't mean we Canadians are completely free of the corruption from politicized governments and wealthy corporations.

As murmurs trickled down about American telecommunications giant Verizon's interests in expanding north into Canada made there way up here, our Canadian telecom companies began shaking with fear.

Or more correctly, they began plotting a politically charged, purely self-interested campaign to cry like babies in need of a good spanking.

Aside from the dis-information Rogers Communications, Bell and Telus spread through television, radio and newspaper advertising about the impending doom and gloom for consumers, should their monopolies be finally broken by a foreign competitor, a far more sobering lesson was learned.

Canada's telecom leaders are wimps. 

Leadership.

The word conjures up images of strength balanced by wisdom. 

Great leaders energize their teams by demonstrating the best characteristics of humanity at work -- they lead by example. 

The greatest of leaders inspire not just those who directly report to them, but even those who don't, because they are so great -- we just want to be like them.

American telecommunications company Verizon
was showing interest in coming to Canada.

Great leaders are brave in the face of challenge, running headlong into everything that comes their way, no matter what.

They don't cry wolf.

Which is what Canada's telecom leaders did, when they petitioned the Canadian government to block Verizon's entry into their turf. 

Rogers, Bell and Telus joined forces to fight Verizon before they even landed on Canadian soil, claiming the Canadian government was showing unCanadian favoritism by allocating a highly sought after wireless frequency to a foreign competitor. The big three Canadian telecom companies claimed Verizon's entry into Canada would cost Canadians more money as their wireless bills would increase, and would cost Canadians jobs as a foreign company entered the market.

Ironic, as all three of Canada's telecommunications companies either have or currently do outsource their customer service call centres to non-Canadian companies operating outside of Canada.

Canadian telecom companies either have or currently
do outsource their call centres to "offshore" foreign
countries, which does take jobs away from Canadians.

Rogers, Bell and Telus wimped out. Or rather, their leaders did, by acting on some of the WORST characteristics of humanity -- fear, deception, pettiness, and greed.

Through deceptively worded ads, they tried to scare Canadians into joining their fight to keep their monopolies. Instead of running headlong into a challenge, they ran away from it, hiring an ad agency to do their dirty work.

Good doesn't always triumph over evil, and Canada's wimpy-led telecoms won, as Verizon announced over the weekend they decided not to come to Canada, and all three Canadian telecom companies stock prices rose with the news.

However, Canadians lost as the monopolies held by the big three continue. Canadians lost, as the big three continue to outsource some of their services to foreign contractors. Canadians lost, as the wireless spectrum continues to be dominated by companies which believe in using fear and deception instead of bravery and transparent honesty.

And far worse, Canadian leaders lost, as we are all made to look like fools, by the lack of true leadership of our telecommunication's leaders.