Last time I was in Florida, I passed a woman on the beach wearing a shirt that read:

“Pregnant is the new skinny.”

I was beside myself. Not just because of the shirt itself, but because of the overall ridiculousness of the fashion industry.

HERE’S THE REALITY: Fashion isn’t about your appearance – it’s about your approach to life.

Straight from my monthly column at American Express Open Forum, today we’re going to explore a collection of trends that aren’t going away:1. Inspire is the new motivate. You can’t motivate anybody to do anything. All you can do is inspire them to motivate themselves. Find out what fuels people – then fill the tank.

Like the Saturday Night Live character, Matt Foley. He convinced us that a boisterous man in a plaid blazer, hopped up on twelve cups of coffee – who lived in a van down by the river – could motivate another human being. Yeah no. Who are you inviting to do something great?

2. Join is the new buy. Este Lauder once said, “Women don’t buy brands, they join them.” When I first heard that quotation, my inner geography changed forever. And I eventually came to a conclusion that has yet to be disputed: Good brands are bought, great brands are joined.

Otherwise, people are just giving you money. And I don’t know about you, but I’m not interested in making money – I want to make history. If you want your brand to last, it has to connect on visceral level, engage on a human level and unite with it on a personal level. How joinable are you?

3. Judgment is the new access. When information is infinite, people don’t need information, they need people who can explain the information they’ve already found.

The point is: Curators aren’t just for museums. In an increasingly commoditized marketplace, service is the key differentiator. And if you can make your customers smarter by explaining the world to them, you win. Can you interpret and translate better than anyone?

4. Love is the new black. As long as you’re unfair about it. As long as you find the people who don’t deserve and offer to them freely and fully when they least expect it. Like the Sofitel. When I arrived last month at their New York property, their system showed no record of my reservation.

A bit annoyed, I ended up staying across the street at a competing hotel. No problem. But when I got my credit card statement, Sofitel still billed me. Later, after speaking with his reservations manager, he decided to refund the charge immediately. The Sofitel earned a fan for life from a guest who never even stayed there. They rewarded my mistake. Are you loving people don’t deserve it?

5. Naked is the new uniform. Wearing a nametag twenty-four seven is a risk. But it’s also good practice. Practice being vulnerable, that is. And as I continue to reflect on the past ten years of adhesive adventures, I’m slowly starting to realize the connection between vulnerability, approachability and profitability.

But when you open yourself to the world, the world will opens its wallet to you. But only if you’re willing to strip away the superficialities and occupy your vulnerability. Are you willing to lay it bare?

6. Offline is the new online. Although Watson the computer not only won Jeopardy – but, was the first to buzz in on twenty-five out of thirty answers – he did manage to answer one question wrong: The question about art.

Lesson learned: Having access to two hundred million pages of content still doesn’t mean you know how to feel. The heartbeat of the human experience is a function of emotion – not information.

Face to face is making a comeback. And we can’t solely filter our lives through pixels. Not if we want those lives to matter. Are you talking to people with your mouth or your thumbs?

7. Playful is the new professional. Retaining childlikeness makes you more approachable, more relaxing to be around and more relatable to all ages. That’s what my nametag does: It makes this moment, right now, a more humane, pleasant passing of time.

From my handwritten nametag to my trademark philosophy card to my daily fill in the blank exercise, my goal is create simultaneous engagement and entertainment, both online and off.

What does your brand do for people? And do those people care enough about your brand to take a moment, take a picture and make a memory? I hope so. Because you have to let people into the moment.

Induce participation. And intuitively respond to the human thirst for connection. People won’t just buy you — they’ll join you. Forever. Are you providing an opportunity for people to participate in a way that speaks to their individual needs?

8. Transience is the new permanence. The Internet is forever. Every tiny moment now lasts forever. Better be careful what you publish. Dishonesty has a limited shelf life. According to a recent study from the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, eighty percent of divorce lawyers have reported a spike in the number of cases that use social media for evidence of cheating.

Still, this problem isn’t the computer – the problem is the character of the person using it. People don’t get divorced because of Facebook – they get divorced because dishonesty is written all over their face. Employees don’t get fired for blogging – they get fired for being stupid.

Organizational leaders don’t go to jail because some intern squealed – they go to jail because they’re morally bankrupt cracker-honkeys.

If you choose to live a dishonest life offline – there’s going to be a huge echo online. And your digital footprint will slip on the technological banana peel and destroy the things that matter most in your life. Do you want to become known for what you’re about to do?

9. Waiting is the new working. I love waiting in lines. I’ve accepted the reality that: Life is the line. There’s nowhere to get to. There’s no future. All you have is right now. And I don’t know about you, but if I’m waiting, I’m writing. Even if only for twenty seconds at a time.

You’d be amazed how easily a year of lines turns into a box of books. Instead of looking at your watch, huffing and puffing and trying to enlist the other people in line to join your pity party, make love to the present moment. Then take notes. Because if you don’t write it down, it never happened.

If you build portable creative environments for yourself; you can leverage every micromoment that presents itself. And I guarantee you’ll triple your output. Are trying to find time, make time or steal time?

REMEMBER: The trends that have nothing to do with clothes are the ones that matter most.

Keep these new fashions in the front of your mind.

Stick yourself out there today.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What trends do you think aren’t going away?

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For a list called, “18 Lessons from 18 People Smarter Than Me,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

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I’m no futurist.

But some trends are too pervasive to be denied.

THE COOL PART IS: You don’t have to kill yourself doing more – you just have to challenge yourself to do different.

Consider these twelve trends, and how your organization might adapt to them:1. Beta is the new post. You’re never ready. Aiming is overrated. And fire burns people. Instead of “ready, aim, fire,” try this formula: Try, listen, leverage. Now that you have this, what else does this make possible?

2. Contact is the new content. We don’t need more access to information – we need more access to each other. Holster your thumbs and open your mouth. Are you bragging about the content you have or the contact you enable?

3. Class is the new quality. Competitors – when treated like partners – can become your power source. Be willing to share in almost every direction. Even with the people who hate you. How many referrals did you give this week?

4. Crazy is the new sane. Insanity is the lifeblood of innovation. What’s more, crazy invites momentum, which produces velocity. And money is in love with speed. Are you nurturing the nuts?

5. Curation is the new creation. You don’t always have to provide the good stuff – sometimes all you have to do is signal people where to find it. If you can’t produce, what if you just pointed?

6. Feeling is the new function. The only thing people can form a judgment about is how interacting with you makes them feel. Create an emotional vibration and win. Are you delivering a palpable presence of something real and true?

7. Execution is the new innovation. Woody Allen was wrong. There’s more to life than just showing up – it’s also about following through. Have you developed a relentless bias toward taking action?

8. Gratitude is the new glamour. Thankfulness looks good on every person during every season. As long as you don’t bastardize it into a technique, the fashion police will tip their hats. How do you thank the people who matter most?

9. Great is the new good. Competence is assumed, enthusiasm is expected and passion is the price of admission. People expect to be blown away. Stop proving them wrong. Is excellence your difference or your default?

10. Heartshare is the new marketshare. Percentages are for math teachers. The level of emotional responsiveness your brand commands is what matters. Are you selling to people who want what you sell or believe what you believe?

11. Honesty is the new marketing. The truth is a powerful word of mouth motivator. As long as it’s not a policy. Because if you have to tell your people to tell the truth, you need new people. How many lies did you tell last month?

12. Imperfect is the new beautiful. Don’t be the one who never shows any real ugliness. Boldly flaunt your imperfection. Show them the snag in your rug. What would happen if you were known as the biggest imperfectionist in your company?

REMEMBER: It’s not about doing more – it’s about doing different.

Explore the possibility of living differently in some way.

Otherwise you might get left behind.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are your predictions for the future?

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

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

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Not everyone is looking for an answer.

When people turn to you, sometimes all they want is a response.

Here’s the difference:

When you give answers, you fix.
When you give answers, you offer advice.
When you give answers, you try to be right.
When you give answers, you add unnecessary value.
When you give answers, you dominate the discussion.
When you give answers, you impose your own direction.
When you give answers, you rob people of the learning experience.

You speak from a place of information.

But.When you offer responses, you dance in the moment.
When you offer responses, you acknowledge their truth.
When you offer responses, you leave people feeling heard.
When you offer responses, you practice emotional restraint.
When you offer responses, you let people learn things on their own.
When you offer responses, you reflect people’s immediate experience.
When you offer responses, you get out of the way and give people space to process.

You speak from a place of affirmation.

Decide which one you’re going to give people.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you dispensing answers or offering responses?

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For a list called, “13 Roles of The Listener,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

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It only takes one missing ingredient to ruin the whole batch.

This goes for cookies, pancakes or any other baked goods you might enjoy.

But what about life? What about work? What about love?

These things have ingredients too.

But sometimes we forget to include certain essentials. For example:1. Art without risk, isn’t. Safe work is rarely celebrated. Let go of the fear that your work is too revealing of your inner world. Be bloody or be broke. What system can you put in place to remove the restriction of your creative expression?

2. Courage without fear, isn’t. Self-doubt is highly underrated. Let go of need to hide the fact that you’re completely terrified and have no idea what you’re doing. Be scared or be screwed. When was the last time you doubted yourself?

3. Creativity without community, isn’t. It’s hard to be creative alone. Let go of the myth that self-expression is a solo act. Be surrounded by creative people or be suffocated by creative drought. Are you still trying to play basketball without a backboard?

4. Friendship without forgiveness, isn’t. Love wasn’t designed to be fair. Let go of the insistence on treating people equally. Be unfair or be unpaired. Whom do you need to give a lifetime pass to?

5. Happiness without circulation, isn’t. Some things shouldn’t be kept to yourself. Let go of the misconception that you need to keep your joy bottled up. Be public about what you love or be pitied. When something amazing happens to you, how many people do you tell?

6. Humor without humanity, isn’t. If people are laughing, people are listening. Let go of the lie that you have to make jokes to be funny. Be yourself or be faced with crickets. Are you artificially injecting laughs or speaking the universal language of human absurdity?

7. Life without witness, isn’t. Everyone needs a good mirror. Let go of the belief that you don’t need an audience to thrive. Be visible or be winking in the dark. Who bears witness to your story?

8. Love without ache, isn’t. If everything’s perfect, somebody isn’t being honesty. Let go of the fairytale that relationships should never have problems. Be struggling or be single. When was the last time your lover annoyed the hell out of you?

9. Marketing without permission, isn’t. Interaction trumps interruption. Let go of the illusion that you can bother people into buying from you. Be respectful or be ignored. Do you feel entitled to yell at people, or have you earned the right to whisper to them?

10. Opportunity without leverage isn’t. There’s always time to kill two stones with one bird. Let go of the lie that luck is real. Be listening for the knock or be left behind. Now that you have this, what else does this make possible?

11. Revolution without ridicule, isn’t. Brace yourself for the waves of antagonism. Let go of the assumption that everybody has to love you. Be a little hated or be a lot forgotten. Will you accept the bullets as the price of winning?

12. Selling without solving, isn’t. When you’re the answer, you can name your price. Let go of the fantasy that your customers are stupid. Be the answer or be the adversary. What pervasive, expensive, relevant and urgent problem do you solve?

13. Service without soul, isn’t. True power comes from personhood. Let go of the desire to outsource the human function. Be a real person or be picked last. How does your brand bring its humanity to the moment?

14. Success without significance, isn’t. Contribution trumps currency. Let go of the dogma that making money is what matters most. Be contributing or be consigned to oblivion. Are you making sales, making a point, making a mark, making a difference or making history?

15. Work without play, isn’t. It’s nothing but drudgery. Let go of the delusion that there’s a separation between professionalism and playfulness. Be a kid or be kicked to the curb. Are your growing younger?

REMEMBER: When you skip key ingredients, something is going to taste off.

In work, in life and in love, make sure you’re not overlooking what matters most.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you overlooking?

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

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

Rent Scott’s Brain today!

There is a language crisis going on.

Buzzwords are so abundant in our professional vocabularies, I’m pretty sure they’re getting their own channel on Oprah Network.

HERE’S THE REALITY: Language that limits, loses.

Today we’re going to explore a collection of dangerous words, their real definitions and a few suggestions for what you can focus on instead: 1. Advertising is just a word for people who don’t have enough friends. Instead of interrupting customers with annoying, treekilling drivel that’s going to be ignored and forgotten, create an act. A moment that deepens the emotional connection over time. Otherwise prospects will take their attention elsewhere. Do your interactions matter?

2. Aspiring is just a word for people who don’t want to commit with both feet. Instead of shirking the responsibility to go full time and go pro, stop waiting to be who you are. Life doesn’t have a preheat setting – you’re either on you’re off. Otherwise you’ll never become what you need to become. Are you still amateur?

3. Compliance is just a word for people who want you to edit yourself. Instead of putting a ban on individual expression, give people permission to let their personal brand shine. Petition them to inject personality everywhere. Otherwise employees will take their loyalties elsewhere. Who are you trying to make just like you?

4. Fearless is just a word for people who are afraid to be human. Instead of ignoring reality and pretending like nothing scares you, accept fear as a regular part of the life experience. Instead of fighting with it – bow to it. Otherwise you’ll never reach your full potential. Are you ignoring your fears or investing them?

5. Feedback is just a word for people who don’t trust their voice. Instead of subjecting yourself to unsolicited discouragement from people who don’t matter, stick your fingers in your ears. Ignore everybody. Otherwise one piece of information will fill your entire identity screen. How will you stay on the path of your own heart?

6. Hopefully is just a word for people who lack faith. Instead of using negative, acquiescent language that cripples your ability to win, speak in a way that leaves people no option but to believe you. Otherwise the things you hope for will never turn into the things you actually experience. Are you wishing your life away?

7. Impossible is just a word for people who choose not to believe. Instead of assuming that every obstacle is insurmountable, dive deep into the reservoir of human potential. Trust your abilities. Otherwise you’ll never tap into the resources available. Are you willing to greet the resistance with a welcoming heart?

8. Interesting is just a word for people who are afraid to say how they really feel. Instead of being so damn diplomatic, give the truth a shot. Be completely honest where most people would say nothing. Otherwise the world will start to expect sugarcoating with every message you deliver. How are you branding your honesty?

9. Professional is just a word for people who seek sanitize the soul out of business. Instead of delivering emotionless, forgettable non-service, bring your humanity to the moment. Put heart first. Otherwise customers will take their business elsewhere. When does the feeling formality keep you from communicating freely?

10. Recession is just a word for people who sleep too much. Instead of crossing your fingers and praying that the winds of opportunity will fill your sails, get up one hour earlier and take daily massive action toward what you want. Otherwise your dreams will stay dreams forever. What consumes your time but isn’t making you any money?

11. Ready is just a word for people who are afraid to jump. Instead of waiting for the perfect moment when your strategic plan is in total alignment with your personal vision statement, just go. Take the plunge. Otherwise you’ll trap yourself on the treadmill of preparation forever. What is waiting getting in the way of?

REMEMBER: When you limit your language, you limit your life.

Don’t get sucked into the buzzword vortex.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What word are you tired of?

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For a list called, “10 Ways to Make the Mundane Memorable,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

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I totally get it.

Outsourcing reduces production costs, helps you stay focused, improves overall product quality, expands your knowledge base, accesses new talent, mitigates risk, has greater tax benefits, enables scalability, creates more leisure time and transfers liabilities to third parties.

What’s not to like?

THE ONLY PROBLEM IS: People have become so in love with the idea of outsourcing, that they try to outsource things you shouldn’t outsource.

Here are eleven of them. Feel free to add your own:1. You can’t outsource reputation. If you don’t make a name for yourself, someone will make one for you. Do you want to become known for what you’re about to do?

2. You can’t outsource presence. If you have to resort to gimmickry to let people know you’re there, you’re not. Does your open door policy actually work?

3. You can’t outsource revolution. If want to change the world, you’d better be ready to lead when your followers show up. Is your tribe waiting for you?

4. You can’t outsource luck. If you want to be in the right place at the right time, you have to be in a lot of places. How could you exponentially increase activity level?

5. You can’t outsource blood. If you want your art to matter, you can’t paint with another man’s palette. Are you trying to get into the hall of fame by playing covers?

6. You can’t outsource responsibility. If you’re searching for someone else to take ownership of your misery, good luck. Do you admit you’re the result of yourself?

7. You can’t outsource experience. If your brand dies a virgin, you did something wrong. If you can’t find the time, what if you tried compressing it?

8. You can’t outsource courage. If your fire comes from anywhere other than within, the embers won’t last. Are you waiting for someone to turn your key of ignition?

9. You can’t outsource friendship. If you don’t know how to talk to people with your mouth, you will be alone. Are you filtering your life solely through pixels?

10. You can’t outsource compassion. If it’s your heart, you don’t have to prove to people that you can’t live without it. How do you make people feel seen and heard?

11. You can’t outsource personality. If you don’t have time to do your own social media updates, you shouldn’t be on it. Are you paying strangers to tweet for you?

REMEMBER: Beware of turning outsourcing into a fetish.

Stay human. Stay real.

And make sure you’re not contracting out the human function.

Customers will notice.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you trying to outsource that shouldn’t be outsourced?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “14 Things You Don’t Have to Do Anymore,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

Rent Scott’s Brain today!