I could debate for hours about how the difference between things that work and the things that don’t is the presence of “Accountability”.  In my reading adventures the past couple years, I have assembled a group of books that I have enlisted to hold me accountable and guide me in my actions.

This book describes exactly who I want to be as a leader.  It is, by far, my favorite leadership book and a great foundation for anyone leading in today’s world.  According to Andy Stanley, leadership is about understanding your competence, having the courage to move forward when your idea scares the people around you, recognizing the importance of clarity amidst uncertainty, the need for having coaches and why character will determine your leadership potential.  When I am struggling, I turn to this book and ask myself, “What would a Next Generation Leader do?”

Now that you know who I want to be as a leader, the Go Giver is how I aspire to be as a person.  A friend sent me this book a year or so ago and it reinforced my approach towards building strong relationships and friendships.  It’s a fun story about a young hustler who can’t seem to get ahead until he is mentored by a Go Giver.  The Go Giver introduces him to several people who make a priority out of helping others and consequently have all the success they can handle.  Plus, helping people is lots of fun.

They say “Attitude determines Altitude” and the Energy Bus is a story about a good person who was simply missing one key ingredient to accomplish his goals.  This book keeps me the most in line because I struggle with maintaining great energy on occasion yet I demand it from the people in my life.  This will be the toughest mountain to climb for me despite it seeming so simple.

So now that I am ready to lead, have an outlook about giving vs. taking and am loaded up with energy, Creating Magic lines up with my vision for how Sixthman will operate.  We all can benefit from the wisdom of Disney and this book centers me when it comes to finding the balance between flawless execution and growing amazing people.  Execution is not a natural strength for me so I share this with our operation leaders at Sixthman and tell them this is what I am thinking, although I could never do it myself.

This is not a retirement book.  It does one thing very well.  Work Sucks makes it very clear that the if leaders define the way team members can impact the company and measure it with them, then the energy they put into micromanaging and keeping up with people’s hours and vacation days will disappear.  The end game is R.O.W.E., a Results Only Work Environment.  I can’t tell you how often I ask myself when faced with a people issue, “Have I clearly shared the expectations to this person and how it fits with the big picture at Sixthman?”

Just when you think you know what business you are in, Seth Godin delivers Tribes.  Young people crave community as it helps reinforce their identity and adults are drawn to community for security and validation of the choices they make.  Tribes outlines the potential of communities when they are guided with care, heard and inspired.  Sixthman is in the business of facilitating thriving Tribes.  We did not know this at first but it is clear today that our ability to do this well will define our company’s potential.

What keeps you accountable?

Andy

Check out our latest episode on Sixthman TV – Roller Derby Day:

Roller Derby Appreciation Day

Happy Friday everybody!

-Steve

On this week’s podcast, we venture back to Cayamo 2009 where Steve interviewed Glen Phillips who then performed “You Will Always Have My Love.”  Afterward, Lauren and Mike talk about Mike’s big proposal weekend (no grizzly bears were involved), and then run down how you can be involved in the pre-sale of our latest cruise – Kid Rock’s Chillin’ the Most Cruise!

Sixthman Podcast #33 [ 17:53 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

My last blog “Listen. Did you hear that?” has kept me on my toes the past few weeks.  The idea of hearing the next “U2″ on a random Tuesday night is a pretty cool possibility.  So I didn’t run into the next Bono, but I did find this video on a Tuesday afternoon.  I will admit that I have watched my fair share of American Idol but can honestly say I’ve never viewed an episode of Britain’s equivalent X Factor. That is until I found the above video being passed around Facebook.  Skeptically I clicked on the link and watched the 6 min video.  I watched as young British drama teacher, Danyl Johnson, went from being an idol to his students to receiving a standing ovation from a theater full of strangers hearing him for the first time.

I’m a sucker for a good and sappy story but this one gave me a bit of a the “holy crap” chill.  Within a few minutes Danyl’s performance was spread across the internet on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter etc. reaching the World before he crawled into bed that night. Since his Saturday performance over one million people have viewed his rendition of “With A Little Help From My Friends” on YouTube alone.  Next week he will be on his way to the States for an appearance on the Today show. Thanks to technology, networking sites and the value of a good buzz he has had more press in his first few days of fame then most up and coming musicians could dream of.

Danyl isn’t the most talented artist I’ve ever heard, but he caught my attention, I liked his stuff and now among all of the other press he’s getting, he has a Sixthman Blog dedicated to him.  He has made it! At least for now, or until the next really amazing audition.  The power of media and technology which has enabled a school teacher to become a minor superstar overnight is either the best or worst new version of  modern day A&R.

Watching Danyl have his moment should be inspiring and encouraging for all aspiring musicians. I think true talent is true talent no matter where you find it and I can appreciate the hard work as well as pure luck that leads to being discovered. Either way technology, networking and media are playing a larger role in creating over night superstars and it’s almost impossible to ignore these “Danyl” sensations and it seems to be easier to forget whats hiding in music clubs and not splashed across your computer or TV screens.

So where do you think networking sites, the media and technology will lead us as we search for true and inspiring musical discoveries?

So, yes, we are brand conscious. Who isn’t these days really? It got me thinking—about a few things. When did the word “brand” and its many uses come into play, as a noun, as a verb and as a marketing tool? It seems fairly recent to me. Does anyone remember when he or she first started hearing the term regularly?

Secondly, what really pushes a brand over the edge? What really gets something to “The Tipping Point”? What exactly made Pokemon all the rage? What brought Twitter to the front of the social media pack? Why did Beta, videotape that was actually better quality, falter over VHS? Did VHS have a better marketing team?

Is it the accessibility? Is it the need? The presence? The buzz? Perhaps it is the perfect storm, the confluence of all factors that meet perfectly at the right time in the right way. They merge and the next thing you know, kablam! Cabbage Patch Doll mania! What else could explain a phenomenon like THAT anyway?!

–Carla

Last week, I went to the premiere of “I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell,” a movie based on a book of the same name, and I left extremely impressed…not so much with the movie, but with everything else.  Allow me to explain.

For those who don’t know, Tucker Max is a Duke Law School Graduate who had so many stories about drunken escapades and random crazy nights with friends and females that he decided to start a website with his stories.  These stories are vulgar, offensive, politically incorrect, and absolutely hilarious.  Not surprisingly, once somebody reads his stories, they forward a few to their friends, who then forward it to their friends, and so on.  Here’s a link to his least offensive story (full of profanity and slurs but still really funny).    I started following Tucker’s stories a few years back because I couldn’t get enough – the guy is an absolute riot and writes with such humor and passion that it’s almost impossible not to laugh out loud.  In fact, I wrote a blog for Sixthman last year about the book, saying it was the only one I’ve ever read that had me laughing out loud on every page.

Tucker essentially became a celebrity without spending a single dollar on marketing or advertising.   After his website got enough hits, Tucker compiled these stories into a book called, “I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell,” and then went on a nationwide book-signing tour, all the while blogging about his adventures at each book signing stop.  Shortly thereafter, Tucker received private financing (from those who truly believed in him) to write and produce a movie based on the book.

Now, to promote the movie, rather than an ultra-exclusive, expensive, one night premiere in L.A. with celebrities, Tucker decided instead to have 30 premieres in 30 nights throughout the country (similar to his book tour).  For only 10 bucks,  you got to screen the movie a month before it hits theaters, a free t-shirt, a bag of swag, a pint glass, a Q&A with Tucker and the producers after the movie ended, and the opportunity to meet Tucker and some of the other actors at the end of the night.  When I found out there was a premiere in Atlanta, my friend Joe and I figured this was worth the 10 dollar risk.

The movie was pretty good; it’s not going to win any Oscars, but it was better than expected and I laughed pretty much the entire time.  After the movie was over, Tucker came out and did about 20 minutes of Q&A with the crowd, humorously answering good questions with good answers and answering dumb questions with offensive responses.  After the Q&A, Tucker sat there and met every single person in the theater, signed autographs, answered questions, and took pictures with anybody who wanted one (which was pretty much everybody).

Based on the amount of stuff they gave away compared to the cost of the ticket (10 bucks won’t get you a movie ticket on a Friday night anymore), I bet these premieres are costing Tucker and his financial backers quite a bit of money.  However, I can almost guarantee that this movie will be a success due to the hard work of Tucker’s team and the sincerity behind Tucker’s actions.  Sure he may be an a**, but you can tell that Tucker truly believes in this movie and recognizes that his fans are the reason he has both a best-selling book and now movie.

By taking the time to meet every single person, sign posters, give away t-shirts, do Q&As, and so on, I know Tucker has managed to win some new fans for life and created a groundswell of momentum for a major motion picture without a single television commercial.  Most people will leave these premieres and go tell everybody that they met Tucker, then they’ll go on the internet and read the stories about what happened after each premiere, and then they’ll convince their friends to go see the movie next month when it opens nationwide.

Rather than spending a million dollars (or more) building fake hype for a movie (the traditional Hollywood way), Tucker has spent a fraction of that to build real hype and momentum with these premieres, and I can’t wait to read the stories about what happens next.  You can read about each premiere and the adventures afterward over at www.ihopetheyservebeerinhell.com.

Tucker, you’re a funny man, you write one hell of a story, and you know how to promote a movie the right way.  For your sake I hope they serve beer down there.

-Steve

Everyone seems to be talking about “Special Interests” groups influencing government in the midst of the great Health Care reform debate.  A simple search on Google revealed that many of our senators and congressman’s election campaigns are largely funded by the financial and health care industries.

So the idea of eliminating this practice is probably much to idealistic but I don’t think it is to much to ask that it be disclosed publicly and prominently.  Perhaps politicians could wear logos on their suits when they were speaking publicly so we could understand who is supporting them?

Can you imagine a Senator at a Town Hall Meeting with a big “United Healthcare” patch on his suit coat and a “Goldman Sachs” patch on his tie?  I bet that might curb this abuse a little.

Recently, I was at a lunch and a friend of mind was raving about this new band.  She suggested that I consider them for one of our cruises and then I asked how she had discovered the band.  She let me know she recently began co-managing the band.  I told her that I was more interested in the band when I was under the impression that she was just a fan of the band.  As the co-manager, she has the responsibility to sell me on the band vs. the idea of sharing her unbiased passion for the band as a fan.

It is the main reason that Sixthman does not manage artists anymore.  If we did, then our guests might think that the only reason our artists performed on our cruises was because we were managing them.  Stephen Kellogg did not end up on The Rock Boat because his manager told us he was great.  We invited Stephen after his fans assaulted us with e-mails and message board requests.

I think deep down we all want to follow an idea that we can “buy into” versus be “sold on” and when someone is being influenced, it feels like we are being “sold”.

Have a great day,

Andy

*Note- I voted for Obama and am not trying to disparage him with this image.  It was the only one I could find of a politician in a NASCAR suit that demonstrated my point.

Have you ever known people for a short period of time, but felt that you totally trusted and connected with them?  That is the way it is with the Sixthman family (including you).  I’ve only been with the company since February, but already I’ve made some awesome friendships.  Likewise, I’ve only been on a handful of Sixthman events, but have really connected with people on the ships this past season. 

Bringing people and communities together is our thing, so I wanted to let you guys in on a little secret.  After all, who wouldn’t tell their family what I’m about to tell you?  Shhh, you really can’t tell.

(wisper) This weekend, I’m headed up to a cabin up in Blue Ridge, GA where I’m going to propose to my girlfriend. 

This is going to be an exciting new chapter in my life and I couldn’t imagine not sharing it y’all.  I feel truly blessed to have been adopted by such great family, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.  Woo hoo!!

-Mike

Check out our latest short film on Sixthman TV starring Sister Hazel’s Ryan Newell:

Ryan the Consultant

Ryan was a great sport and we all had way too much fun filming these scenes.  Speaking of Sister Hazel, make sure you pick up their new album “Release,” now available in stores and on iTunes!

-Steve

Steve and Andy sit down with Ed Roland of Collective Soul on Cayamo 2009 to discuss his experiences on the cruise, his plans for Collective Soul’s new album which comes out next week, and his major influences in the earlier years of the band.  Andy then suckers Steve into playing guitar while Ed sings ‘December.’  After the interview and performance, Steve and Lauren talk about Lauren’s trip to Elvis Week and some exciting developments that we can’t quite take the lid off yet.

Sixthman Podcast #32 - Ed Roland [ 21:10 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download