Tag: nametagscott

The Nametag Manifesto — Chapter 14: The End of Mass Formality

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“Everyone should wear nametags, all the time, everywhere, forever.”

That’s my thesis, philosophy, dangerous idea and theory of the universe.

My name is Scott, and I’ve been wearing a nametag for past four thousand days.

And
after traveling to hundreds of cities, a dozen countries, four
continents, meeting tens of thousands of people, constant
experimentation and observation, building a enterprise and writing a
dozen books in the process, I believe, with all my heart, that the
societal implications of wearing nametags could change everything.

This is my manifesto: 
14. The End of Mass Formality

If everybody wears
nametags, personal is the new professional.

Instead of allowing the feeling of formality to keep us from
communicating fully and freely, now we can address each other personally. As
people.

Not as objects, integers, trophies, machines, categories,
dollar signs, commodities, abstract entities, means to an end, bloodless
statistical entities or impersonal facets of production. People.

We talk friendly. We talk how people talk. We ante up the emotional
temperature instead of sacrificing interpersonal value on the altar of
professionalism. Nametags make this moment, right now, a more humane, pleasant
passing of time. And it helps us forget about the fact that eventually, we are all
going to die.

If everybody wears
nametags, no more impersonalness, no more outdated formalities and no more
robotic communication.

# # #

You can read The Nametag Manifesto, in full, for free, right now, here. 

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your manifesto?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “7 Ways to Out Leverage Your Competition,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting

[email protected]

My job is to help companies make their mission more than a statement, using limited edition social artifacts.

Want to download your free workbook for The Brandtag Strategic Planning Crusade?


Meet Scott’s client from Nestle Purina at www.brandtag.org!

How Do I Break Someone’s Heart Without Feeling Like An Asshole?

There’s nothing more painful than knowing you have to break
someone’s heart.

Whether it’s the end of a relationship, the termination of
an employee, the delivery of a verdict, the cutting of a player, the dismissing
of a volunteer, the rejection of a candidate, the reporting of a diagnosis or
the conveyance of bad news, at some point in life, we all have to put on a pair
of heartbreaker’s shoes.

I’ve done it a few times before. Both right and wrong, both
coldly and compassionately, both personally and professionally. And I learned
that I could insure myself from the devastating guilt and self-torture that
accompanies the process of severance if I asked (and kept asking) one question:

How will I need to
feel when this is done to still be okay with myself?

That’s the filter. That’s what I need to answer before
delivering the death stroke.

Otherwise it will be very hard to sleep that night.

Years ago, I reached a point in a relationship where I knew
I had to end it. I couldn’t take it any longer. My stomach was tied in knots,
and I knew that if I waited another day, terrible things would happen. Plus the dog was seriously onto me.

And in the eleventh hour, I remember sitting in my car, clutching
the wheel like a life preserver, refusing to go upstairs and end my broken
relationship. At that point, no matter what I said, it would break her
heart. No matter what I said, she would hate me for it. And there was nothing I
could do to change that.

But I also knew that I could live with myself if I communicated
in a way that was kind, honest and clear. Those were my parameters. Kind, honest and clear. Do that, and you’re not an asshole.

Ten minutes later, I dragged myself out of the garage,
walked upstairs, took a few deep breaths and dropped the biggest bomb of my
life. I told her it was over.

Then she vomited for twenty minutes.

It was the lowest moment of my life. Sitting on the floor of
the bathroom, rubbing her shoulder, pretending to cry, wondering how long I was
supposed to fake it until she took the dog and walked out the door. Horrible, horrible.

But there was nothing left to say. The bomb had dropped, the
bell had rung and the relationship was dead.

As soon as her car was out of sight, I immediately called my
best friend and said, “I need you to tell me that I’m not an asshole.”

You’re not, he
said.

I thanked him, hung up and passed out.

Slept like a log that night. Ten straight hours. No dreams.

And when I woke up, part of me wondered if I should have
felt more devastated, more disturbed, busy counting dots on the ceiling,
tossing and turning until the sun came up.

But then I remembered the promise I made to myself: Kind,
honest and clear. That’s how I needed to feel when this was done to still be
okay with myself. And I did. I made the right decision.

The point is, the only person you’re truly with forever is
yourself. And if you can’t go to sleep feeling content with that person, you’re
in trouble.

If you have to break someone’s heart, ask yourself how you need to feel when it’s over to still be okay with yourself.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

Whose heart do you need to break?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

Ask yourself,”How will I need to
feel when this is done to still be okay with myself?” and then go do it.

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting

[email protected]

Yes, I do more than just wear a nametag all day.

My enterprise is actually quite robust. I add value to my clients in several cool ways.

Explore the myriad ways you, your people and your organization can leverage my talents.

The Nametag Guy Live: Are You The Answer?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

What are you the answer to?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

For the list called, “62 Types of Questions and Why They Work,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg


That Guy with the Nametag


Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting


[email protected]



Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.

Now booking for 2012-2013.

Watch clips of The Nametag Guy in action here!

There Will Always Be Another Excuse Not to Create

Any excuse to not create is dangerous.

I’m not ready. I can’t find the time. I don’t know what I’m doing. I have
nothing to say. I’m not good enough yet. I don’t have the right tools. I’m
afraid of revealing too much. I’m scared my parents will see it. I’m sure my ex
will hear about it. I know my friends will laugh at it.

Even if every one of those things is true, they’re still not good enough reasons
not to create. Especially since it’s impossible to fail at self-expression. When
we tell our story, we’re always successful, even if we’re not successful.

I recently got email from a reader
whose concern wasn’t about finding the time, but losing the time. She was
afraid to create because it would take time away from work, family and other
life obligations.

Who says we can’t do both? Why all the
compartmentalization? Seems to me, there’s time for it all. Even if we only
create in small spurts, that still counts.

Because no matter how good we are, no matter how successful
we get, there will always be another excuse not to create. There will always be
a chorus of voices trying to bury our music, trying to keep us from becoming
what we are.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

What have you avoided creating this week?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

For the list called, “12 Secrets of Supremely Successful Writers,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting

[email protected]

Do you need an expert who tells you what to do, or a mentor who lets you tell yourself what to do?

“After investing in your mentoring program, I’ve become centered on
who I am and what I have to offer. Now, I am attracting clients I want
to work with. Life is great and I just wanted to thank you from the
bottom of my heart.” —-Melanie Jatsek, Diet Busters

Rent Scott’s Brain today for 2 hours, 30 days or 3 months!

Are Your Obsessions Societally Useful?

[ Buy prints to inspire your office! ]

I had no intention of turning my personality disorder into a career.

Consider my resume:

“Obsessive compulsive anal retentive control
freak attention whore who over-thinks everything and has zero patience, no
social filter, limited work experience and no organizational skills who can’t
follow simple directions, can’t share, doesn’t work well with others and has
serious identity issues.”

Get that man a corner office.

But that’s what happens when you hire yourself. You have no choice but to
leverage your limitations. You play the ball where it lies and make the most of
what you’ve got. Otherwise you go out of business.

This approach has served me well. By
creatively channeling my liabilities, by making good use of everything that I
am, I’ve made money, made a difference and made a name for myself, while having
a lot of fun in the process. Everything I got made fun of for, I now get paid
for.

I wonder what the world would look like if more people embraced the entirety of
their personalities, not just their strengths.

Perhaps our obsessions could become
societally useful.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

What personality disorders could you leverage?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

For the list called, “11 Ways to Out Market Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg


That Guy with the Nametag


Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting


[email protected]



Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.

Now booking for 2012-2013.

Watch clips of The Nametag Guy in action here!

Are You a Consumer or a Creator?

There’s never been an easier time to consume.

We have more choices, more ways to obtain those choices and
more devices with which to enjoy those choices. Plus, throw in the power of
free, and those numbers multiply exponentially.

On the other hand, there’s never been a better time to
create.

We have few barriers to entry, fewer restrictions on what we
can publish and fewer limitations on how and where we can share it. We can give away every book we’ve ever written, for free, no strings. Plus, throw
in the power of permission, and those numbers shrink exponentially.

Lately, I’ve grown bored with consumption. I’ve read enough
books, seen enough shows and inhaled enough ideas to last me for a lifetime.

Which doesn’t mean I plan to stop, just switch gears.

Now, I’d rather write a book than read one. Now, I’d rather
publish a podcast than listen to public radio. Now, I’d rather have the mic in
my hand than a drink in my lap.

And I couldn’t be happier.

Life is short. Consumption can wait. For now, I’d rather go
out into world and seek adventure beyond my limited imagination.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

What did you write today?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

For the list called, “17 Behaviors to Avoid for Effective Listening,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting

[email protected]

How boring is your company’s online training?

For
dozens of free video learning modules on sales, frontline service,
entrepreneurship and marketing, spend a few minutes or a few hours
growing your brain and growing your wallet.

Tune in to www.nametagTV.com!

The Feedback Fetish

Feedback has become a fetish.

Businesses plead with customers to keep their seven-inch receipt,
go to their website, fill out a short survey and enter their name for the
chance to win free drinks, gift cards and other cash prizes, all for the low
price of their email addresses, which will most likely be spammed with future
offers of the same ilk and potentially vulnerable to online privacy violations
from hackers.

Meanwhile, customers don’t feel special, don’t feel heard
and don’t feel part of a community. They just feel like statistics. 

And don’t get me wrong, I’m all for building a listening platform. But surely there are other, better, cheaper ways to gauge customer sentiment
than wasting paper.

My friend Janelle is the social media director for a large
grocery chain. When her customers have feedback to share, they don’t use
surveys – they use cell phones. Whatever question, comment, complaint or
suggestion is on their mind, they publish it online. Instantly. For all the world
to see. And no trees have to die.

No wonder her company was ranked in Forbes magazine as one of the best in the nation.

The thing is, people have always had opinions, but now they’re
delivered to our face. Right now. From all around the world. For free. Forever.
Whether we like or not. And if you’re trying to decide which technology to
invest millions of dollars is, just so you can relentlessly tug customers on
the sleeves and trick them into liking you, think again.

Asking what survey to use is the wrong question.

The real question is, where are people are already giving their opinions
– whether you’re asking for them or not – and how can you convert that into a
smarter conversation?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

Are you making feedback a fetish?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

For the list called, “194 Books in Scott’s Success Library,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting

[email protected]

Yes, I do more than just wear a nametag all day.

My enterprise is actually quite robust. I add value to my clients in several cool ways.

Explore the myriad ways you, your people and your organization can leverage my talents.

What’s Your Portable Sales Force?

The other day my client from Disney Destinations remarked, “I can’t believe there’s only one of you!”

Technically, he’s right. As a
freelancer, my enterprise solely consists of me, slogging it out, every day,
until the work is done. But that doesn’t mean the work goes unassisted. When
you hire yourself, you build a portable sales force. People and resources to
help to make it rain when you’re not around.

Here’s an overview of mine:

There’s my clients, whose condition I
try to improve every time we work together. That way, they won’t keep me a
secret. There’s my audience, whom I try to inspire every time they consume my
work. That way, they’ll come back again and again. There’s my suppliers, whom I
try to be easy to interact with every time we do a new project together. That
way, they won’t shy away from showcasing me in their portfolios. There’s my
content, which I publish every day with substantial volume, value, velocity and
vitality. That way, my daily gifts to the world contribute to an ongoing
body of work.

There’s my competitors, whom I try to
speak respectfully of every time we’re up against each other. That way, they
won’t mind referring me if they don’t fit the bill. There’s my colleagues, whom
I try to share resources with every time we’re brainstorming together. That
way, they won’t hesitate to extend same generosity when I ask for help. There’s
my editors, whom I try to make look like heroes every time they run my stuff.
That way, they wont forget about me for future issues. There’s my collaborators,
whom I try to be accountable to every time we work together. That way, they
won’t leave out my name when others are searching for partners.

This is my portable
sales force. It’s engine of my enterprise, the secret of my success and the
reason I rarely make cold calls.

Thank god.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

What’s your portable sales force?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

For the list called, “22 Unexpected Ways to Help People,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting

[email protected]

My job is to help companies make their mission more than a statement, using limited edition social artifacts.

Want to download your free workbook for The Brandtag Strategic Planning Crusade?


Meet Scott’s client from Nestle Purina at www.brandtag.org!

Offline is the New Online

 [ Email me, buy prints, inspire the office! ] 

The purpose of online is to get offline.

Every time we email, tweet, retweet, direct message, instant
message, write somebody’s walls, upload pictures, publish videos, post reviews,
chime in on message boards, write blog posts, leave comments, press like
buttons and share links, our goal is to get one one step closer to interacting
with other human beings, face to face, in person.

The proof is everywhere.

In the political
realm, we’ve watched oppressive governments crumble, horrifying laws disappear
and war criminals meet their demise.

In the music
realm, we’ve watched performers leverage digital media to create live events
that bring joy to change the lives of fans forever.

In the movie
realm, we’ve watched online microfinancing enable the dreams of a generation of
hopeful filmmakers, whose ideas finally have a chance to make a difference.

In the business
realm, we’ve watched entrepreneurs use the power of mobile technology to hire
themselves, do work that matters and deliver value to their people.

All thanks to the bold people who used online to get
offline.

It’s not the future, it’s the present.

And if we never endeavor to communicate beyond digital, if we
never connect to each other by more than just pixels, we fail to experience the
truest, highest form of human interaction.

Online is the journey, offline is the destination.



LET ME ASK YA THIS…

What have you done offline today?



LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

If
this blog post resonated, perhaps you’d like a souvenir as a reminder.
To buy a print of my “nametaglines” photo for your office wall, send
an email to me, and you’ll have it in a week!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting

[email protected]

Scott has written and published over 1,000,000 words.

But did you know that you could commission Scott to write custom content for your publication, newsletter or blog?

View a sample of Scott’s commissioned work with American Express.

The Future of Human Marketing

There are a thousand ways to kill a startup.

Bad locations, unprofitable niches, sloppy execution,
unremarkable products, inflexible owners, poor hiring decisions, bad timing, broken
business models, the passion paradox, lack of financing, lack of market
traction, premature scaling, poor investor management, fights between founders,
uncontrollable growth, just to name a few.

No wonder half of them die before their fifth birthday.

But we can’t overlook the silent killer. The granddaddy of
them all. The one issue that, if addressed in the beginning stages of building,
might actually wipe out a lot of the other causes of death.

Knowing who you are.

When you know who you are, every moment isn’t a moral
challenge, it’s just a checklist. Decisions are easier, postures are sturdier, interactions
are warmer, relationships are healthier, risks are smarter, transitions are
smoother, failures are faster and commitments are stronger.

In short, your mission becomes more than a statement.

Two years ago, I started helping companies solve that
problem.

Through my strategic planning crusade – not just a process,
but a crusade – we take a company and figure out who they are, what they change
and why they matter. We uncover internal legends that reflect their brand’s
human purpose. And we hang limited edition art pieces as the social artifacts
from that process to remind people of that purpose, every day.

Now, the company brings their values to the forefront. Now,
their philosophy oozes with personality and emotion. Now, they can’t forget who
they are.

It’s not a nametag – it’s a brandtag.

It’s the future of human marketing, company culture and
brand interaction.

And considering the fact that fourteen hundred startups have
already launched since I started writing this blog post, I’m beginning to wonder
what would be different in the world if more companies knew who they were.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

How will you make your mission more than a statement?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

For the list called, “38 Ways to Make Customers Gasp,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting

[email protected]

HELLO, my name is Host!

Did
you know you could hire Scott as your emcee, mobile host, roving
reporter or on camera talent for your organization’s next event?

Watch sample footage of his hosting work here!

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