Matt Bailey’s Post

Want to know the secret behind winning the Lovie Agency of the Year Award?In our latest feature article, Lovie Winner DEPT® shares its 10 Rules for Winning the Lovie Agency of the Year Award. Discover the strategies and insights that propelled them to the top and learn how you can apply these winning principles to your own entries. This article is packed with invaluable advice to elevate your work, whether you're a seasoned agency or a fresh face on the digital scene. Read the article here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gdnhjAEt

in·er·tia /iˈnərSHə/ definition-   a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged. A few years ago, my wife and sister wanted to do an “untraditional” Thanksgiving Dinner.  They just wanted to change things up…. It did not happen. Each person in our family said…That is a great idea, but I want us to still make (Insert each person’s favorite Thanksgiving dish) (as an aside my wife makes a fantastic Sweet Potato Pie with Jack Daniels and a Pecan Crumble on top that is almost desert that was my personal keeper). Unsurprisingly……Everyone had their own favorite keeper dish, and we ended up having the traditional Butler Family Thanksgiving Dinner. How does this apply to tradeshows and a national gathering in the Outdoor space? No one stakeholder seems willing to give up their favorite dish. Retailers and Vendors alike crave the efficiency of the Grassroots and Regional Shows. For existing relationships, these events have measurable metrics in appointment hours and orders booked that create an easily justifiable budget and time expenditure. HOWEVER Retailers want/NEED to see new products from new vendors. Vendors want/NEED to prospect new retailers. Absent a compromise among the stakeholders regarding dates and show content, a national tradeshow will only occur if one stakeholder is willing to take on the risk and financial burden of organizing it independently. I do not believe the "go it alone" approach will work. Selfishly, I want a national show for the cross pollination of ideas and perspectives. I believe this is beneficial to the entire outdoor ecosystem. Presently each segment lives in its own world with its own biases and beliefs that are rarely challenged. The cost of not having a national show is not easily quantifiable.  There is a loss from the introductions that never take place, the simple misunderstandings resolved and the passion that is not transmitted because there are no face-to-face meetings. Prospecting and collaborating with new retailers and vendors will grow the industry. Overcoming the inertia will only get harder. Andy Welling Peter Sachs Gabe Maier Todd Frank Wes Allen Jeff Turner #Paddlesports #Outdoor

👋🏻 Introducing Matt Rooney, Zund's Midwest Graphics and Packaging Regional Sales Manager. Since joining us in April 2016, Matt's dedication to our products has only deepened. Not just a colleague but a mentor, Matt embodies Zund's commitment to excellence. We appreciate Matt's stellar contributions. Your efforts are truly appreciated, Matt! Explore Matt's interests beyond Zund below. Q: If you could master any musical instrument, which one would you choose and why? A: The guitar. I’ve always been fascinated with the guitar but after buying a few and doing some lessons I just can’t seem to get it. Maybe someday when there is more free time, but I applaud everyone out there that is even remotely good at playing it. Q: What's your favorite season of the year and why? A: Summer, no question. Living in the Midwest offers a nice change of seasons, but nothing is better than summer in this area (and I can attest having lived in other States along the way). Q: What's the most memorable vacation you've ever taken and what made it special? A: I’ve traveled to many countries and locations, but one of my favorite trips was when my wife and I took 10 days to drive around Germany (pre-kids of course!). We saw many beautiful and interesting sites, stayed in large cities and very small towns, and of course did two nights at Oktoberfest. I sure hope to go back to 🍻 Oktoberfest again – a pure blast! Q: What's your favorite board game or card game to play with friends and family? A: Monopoly has always been a favorite with the family. After figuring out how to play a “fast” version of the game (no more 2-3 hour events) we’ve had a lot of laughs playing this game. Q: What's your favorite outdoor activity or hobby? A: Anything to do with boats ⛵. Living in IL is probably a poor choice for someone that would rather “live on the water” but I’ve been a boater for 25+ years now and enjoyed every moment I can be out there. Retiring on a boat is a goal and I think I have my wife talked into it, for part of the year anyway! #meetzund #employeespotlight #zundcutter

Y'all, the good folks at Chief made a 🤣 / 😭 game. In it, you too, can play a woman in an executive role who has to choose between your well-being and likeability as you're handed impossible situations at work. Thank you, Chief, for renewing my inspiration to head into 2025 helping women play the game and still get what they want from their careers without suffering. Want to laugh/cry? Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gfJ8DNbP And that, my dears is the last Unserious Friday post from me for 2024. What flavor of goofy or heartwarming would you like to see more of in 2025? [alt: screen capture of a video game with two-bit graphics, inspired by The Oregon Trail. At the top, character name (Megan) and two health meters- likeability and well-being. Question is posed to the player: "You're offered a highly visible role leading a struggling division with minimal support." The player chooses the option: Your plate is full. As a result, they lose 1 point for likeability but gain one for well-being.]

In 1996, through a beaten up old radio, I listened to Oasis play their most iconic tunes to a record breaking crowd at Knebworth. In 2024, I hope that either Noel Gallagher will return the favour and be tuning in to my Knebworth RecFest performance, or some eager TA folk will be interested to hear me talk about the application of predictive analytics to talent pipelining. Can't wait to find out next week! #recfest2024 #predictiveanalytics #talentintelligence

I was genuinely surprised how competitive the #accountants were, when offered this challenge. Some contestants even returned to compete a second time when they realised their high score had been beaten. Others observed from afar, quietly assessing the techniques of other accountants in order to refine their own modus operandi. And, I was a little dissapointed to see a small minority were quite happy to eschew the rules, stuffing sheets into their pockets or - on at least one occasion - their #underwear. [Yes. You know who you are, madam] Of course, the whirlwind was intended to represent chaotic IN boxes, swirling with email. An emotive way to illustrate a serious problem facing most folks in professional services. It was a visual metaphor to explain how Workiro captures vital emails automatically, and appends them to client documents, avoiding costly errors and omissions. However, many just saw this as an opportunity to have fun, and to publicly outperform fellow accountants. Some valuable lessons learnt, I think. #professional #financialservices #competition

14 years after its debuts as a movement, Software Craft is still alive and well, with more and more company adoption and with the best conferences even having "Craft" in their names! But the world changed since 2009, with new technologies now mature or mainstream, and even more disruptions coming in. Moreover, the success of Craft also comes with some fetishism which can be worrying. In this session, we'll review the history of Software Craft so far and what's been accomplished through it. Most importantly, we'll suggest how to reconsider your attachment to it, how to fully embrace and get the best out of each shinny novel thing, and where to invest learning in an increasingly post-craft universe! Watch https://buff.ly/3wiKBnr with Cyrille Martraire and join us in May at NewCrafts 2024!

As someone who has interviewed many developers, I can tell you that I know when you’re fake laughing. But I don’t care. I know many of the best developers are extreme introverts. During an interview they’re about as comfortable as they would be if their skin was inside out. I find this discomfort to be indicative of how inwardly focused their mindset typically is. I value such a mindset as it thrives in the minutia of writing and editing code. I seek to put them at ease enough that they can be themselves and nerd out with me about a topic they truly find interesting. Not as a test, but to help them get comfortable enough to reveal their brand of genius. If I can’t do that, I’m not very good at managing people. I’m probably rushing through the interview too focused on their technical skillset, and not focusing enough on how we might enjoy working together daily. I’m sharing this so that you, job seeker, can understand that a good manager looks past your nerves and awkward laughter and sees your talented and true self. You’re not just being evaluated, you’re also sizing them up. Do you want to work with people that make you feel awkward and small? Or in an environment where you leave the meeting feeling ten feet tall? You’ll do your worst work in the former and your best work in the latter, so this matters a lot. Managers, I know you hear a lot of nervous laughter in interviews. How much you care about cutting through the veneer and empowering the candidate in that moment says a lot about you and your company. Job seekers, pay attention to whether you feel like you’ll be able to bring your full and authentic self to the table in this role. Ask bold questions and test to see if your perspective would be valued or minimized. In my experience, nothing matters as much to your professional success as being comfortably yourself, empowered in moments of stress, and truly listened to by upper management. Happy hunting! 🐰

Check your calendar this week for where you can join and learn from dozens of skilled operators (and get a sense of what is coming & how to prepare) Starts tomorrow 6/25 Wraps on 6/27 Sign in here: https://lnkd.in/ejkf_tq9 #PavilionPalooza

A little Friday humor… 🏖️🫣 … just set my OOO, printing the last handouts and notes for presentations, packed last night … Flight at 7 AM tomorrow ✈️… cannot wait to see SPARC, Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative friends in Scottsdale 🌄🌵🏜️! Any travel rituals you have? Any reactions to my picture? 🤣 Have a great weekend and safe travels for all heading to the conference or other adventures! #ProfessionalDevelopment #LeadershipDevelopment #AuxiliaryPrograms #SummerPrograms