How to Manage Publicity for Time Sensitive Political News - Matt Curtis

In Chapter 5 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, public affairs and communications strategist Matt Curtis answers "What Has Your Publicity Experience Taught You About Making Swift But Effective Decisions?" Curtis notes the importance of preparation when working publicity in the public sector. Often, something happens quickly and, with timing of the essence, Curtis tries to match the right story with the right news and media outlet, including mainstream news and alternative media such as blogs. Curtis is the communications director for Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell. Curtis' charity work includes affiliations with Capital Area Food Bank, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Students of the World, the Rainforest Project and the Art Alliance. In 2011, Curtis won "Austinite of the Year" in the Austin Under 40 Awards. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

How to Stay Composed During a Crisis - Matt Curtis

In Chapter 6 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, public affairs and communications strategist Matt Curtis answers "How Have Your Learned to Stay Composed in Crisis?" In his years working for elected government officials, Curtis has learned different ways to focus, prioritize, and respond based on urgency and relevancy. He learns preparation from his current boss Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell's experience managing crisis from his Air Force pilot days. Curtis is the communications director for Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell. Curtis' charity work includes affiliations with Capital Area Food Bank, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Students of the World, the Rainforest Project and the Art Alliance. In 2011, Curtis won "Austinite of the Year" in the Austin Under 40 Awards. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

What Makes Failures Great Learning Experiences - Matt Curtis

In Chapter 8 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, public affairs and communications strategist Matt Curtis answers "Why are Failures More Meaningful Learning Experiences Than Successes?" Curtis recalls a political campaign where one of his favorite candidates lost the race due to one small error. He notes how losing the race ultimately amplified the learning experience for those involved with the campaign. Curtis is the communications director for Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell. Curtis' charity work includes affiliations with Capital Area Food Bank, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Students of the World, the Rainforest Project and the Art Alliance. In 2011, Curtis won "Austinite of the Year" in the Austin Under 40 Awards. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

How to Manage Personal Bandwidth and Be More Effective - Matt Curtis

In Chapter 9 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, public affairs and communications strategist Matt Curtis answers "Where Has Learning to Say No Been Most Impactful in Your Own Professional Growth?" Over time he learns to help people in the most effective way possible. This includes saying "no", especially when asked to volunteer time for non-profit board activities. By limiting his commitments, Curtis finds himself making a more substantive contribution in the causes and groups he does support with his time. Curtis is the communications director for Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell. Curtis' charity work includes affiliations with Capital Area Food Bank, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Students of the World, the Rainforest Project and the Art Alliance. In 2011, Curtis won "Austinite of the Year" in the Austin Under 40 Awards. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

How to Champion a Community Service City Culture - Matt Curtis

In Chapter 11 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, public affairs and communications strategist Matt Curtis answers "How Has Winning Austinite of the Year Validated Your Approach to Community and Public Service?" Winning the award as part of Austin Under 40, Curtis connects his experience serving the community to promoting community service as a lifestyle option. Curtis sets a life goal to create more community service centered lifestyles by promoting the positive change volunteering creates. Curtis is the communications director for Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell. Curtis' charity work includes affiliations with Capital Area Food Bank, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Students of the World, the Rainforest Project and the Art Alliance. In 2011, Curtis won "Austinite of the Year" in the Austin Under 40 Awards. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

The Power of Positive Political Communication - Matt Curtis

In Chapter 13 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, public affairs and communications strategist Matt Curtis answers "Why Do You Feel Positivity is an Effective Means to Making a More Effective Contribution?" Working in government, Curtis sees both positive and negative constituents and finds positivity a great enabler of increasing government engagement and action. Curtis is the communications director for Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell. Curtis' charity work includes affiliations with Capital Area Food Bank, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Students of the World, the Rainforest Project and the Art Alliance. In 2011, Curtis won "Austinite of the Year" in the Austin Under 40 Awards. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

How Austin Maintains Culture As Local Economy Grows - Matt Curtis

In Chapter 15 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, public affairs and communications strategist Matt Curtis answers "How Do You Support Community Culture as Your Own City Becomes an International Economic Center?" Curtis notes how Austin has been doubling in size every 25 years. He meets the challenge maintaining culture while growing local economy by embracing change while keeping a steady way of life and state of mind. It comes down to supporting state of mind and understanding neighborhoods and businesses will change. This allows Curtis and Austin leaders to keep Austin weird and grow the local economy. Curtis is the communications director for Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell. Curtis' charity work includes affiliations with Capital Area Food Bank, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Students of the World, the Rainforest Project and the Art Alliance. In 2011, Curtis won "Austinite of the Year" in the Austin Under 40 Awards. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

How Transportation Planning Affects Big City Development - Matt Curtis

In Chapter 16 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, public affairs and communications strategist Matt Curtis answers "What Did Working in Big City Transportation Teach You About How Big Cities Operate?" Curtis frames his answer in history and the changing community infrastructure and resource requirements. He notes transportation is "the vein of our existence and the key to our future." He advises people to be patient and to invest in diverse transportation solution that blends mass transit, roads, and bike and pedestrian infrastructure investments. Curtis is the communications director for Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell. Curtis' charity work includes affiliations with Capital Area Food Bank, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Students of the World, the Rainforest Project and the Art Alliance. In 2011, Curtis won "Austinite of the Year" in the Austin Under 40 Awards. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

How to Create Private Sector Jobs - Matt Curtis

In Chapter 17 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, public affairs and communications strategist Matt Curtis answers "How Has Your Community Participation Allowed You to More Effectively Navigate the Political Process?" Curtis shares how by engaging the community across several levels - grassroots political groups, basic needs organizations, and non-profits - he's able to better understand needs and identify opportunities. He then connects this to larger Texas state-level relationships to get help to recruit new companies and create nearly 15,000 new jobs in Austin. Curtis is the communications director for Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell. Curtis' charity work includes affiliations with Capital Area Food Bank, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Students of the World, the Rainforest Project and the Art Alliance. In 2011, Curtis won "Austinite of the Year" in the Austin Under 40 Awards. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

How Learning to Negotiate Advances Career - Matt Curtis

In Chapter 18 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, public affairs and communications strategist Matt Curtis answers "How Has Better Understanding How to Negotiate Advanced Your Career?" Early in his career, Curtis thought negotiation was about pushing people over and getting his way. Working in politics, Curtis notes this end result typically creates a public good or positive outcome for the community. Over time, he learns to find a resolution point where both sides feel good about the outcome. Curtis is the communications director for Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell. Curtis' charity work includes affiliations with Capital Area Food Bank, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Students of the World, the Rainforest Project and the Art Alliance. In 2011, Curtis won "Austinite of the Year" in the Austin Under 40 Awards. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

How to Make a City More Startup Friendly - Richard Moross

In Chapter 9 of 13 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, Moo.com CEO and London entrepreneur Richard Moross answers "What Do You See as the Key Enablers of Success in the London Startup Culture?" He shares how Europe in general is more pessimistic than optimistic. This fear of failure impedes startup culture development. Moross notes how startup incubators such as Seedcamp and structured entrepreneur network programs can facilitate more supportive risk taking. Moross is founder and CEO of Moo.com. Before starting Moo.com, an award-winning online print business, Moross was a senior design strategist at Imagination, the world's largest independent design company. He graduated from the University of Sussex, where he majored in philosophy and politics.

How Paul Graham Essay on Cities and Ambition Inspires Austin - Bijoy Goswami

In Chapter 12 of 15 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, leadership philosopher Bijoy Goswami shares how essayist, programmer, and Y Combinator founder Paul Graham has inspired both him and the city of Austin. In 2008, Graham wrote an essay, "Cities and Ambition" - http://paulgraham.com/cities.html - that led to helping the city of Austin, Texas understand its personality and what makes it a unique place to live. Goswami lives in Austin, TX, where he develops models, including MRE, youPlusU, and Bootstrap, to help others live more meaningfully. He teaches his models through community activism, lectures, writing, and online communication. Previously, he co-founded Aviri Software after working at Trilogy Software. Goswami graduated from Stanford University, where he studied Computer Science, Economics, and History.

Jane Jacobs and What Makes Cities Great - Bijoy Goswami

In Chapter 13 of 15 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, leadership philosopher Bijoy Goswami shares what the late author Jane Jacobs has taught him about what makes cities great. Goswami notes another influential relationship with Richard Florida and his work on cities on their lives. Jacobs talks about a city as the place where innovation happens, where new ideas are created, where new concepts are brewed. Goswami applies this in his community development work in Austin. Goswami lives in Austin, TX, where he develops models, including MRE, youPlusU, and Bootstrap, to help others live more meaningfully. He teaches his models through community activism, lectures, writing, and online communication. Previously, he co-founded Aviri Software after working at Trilogy Software. Goswami graduated from Stanford University, where he studied Computer Science, Economics, and History.

How Scenes Build City Culture and Community - Bijoy Goswami

In Chapter 14 of 15 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, leadership philosopher Bijoy Goswami shares how the emergence, acknowledgement, and nourishment of scenes shapes a city culture, identity, and ambition. He shares influences from Jane Jacobs' "Systems of Survival" and reflects on what he learned helping to develop Austin's entrepreneur scene. He notes how scenes develop off a mix of participants, collaborators, and contributors how the mix affects scene strength. Goswami lives in Austin, TX, where he develops models, including MRE, youPlusU, and Bootstrap, to help others live more meaningfully. He teaches his models through community activism, lectures, writing, and online communication. Previously, he co-founded Aviri Software after working at Trilogy Software. Goswami graduated from Stanford University, where he studied Computer Science, Economics, and History.

How to Use Storytelling to Promote a City and Its Scenes - Bijoy Goswami

In Chapter 15 of 15 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, leadership philosopher Bijoy Goswami shares how narrative and storytelling can be used to promote a city and its scenes. By using time, specifically a before, a during, and an after, Bijoy constructs a journey. This narrative allows for people to locate a person or city in their own lives. He continues by using story to create an analogy for a city as a person. Goswami lives in Austin, TX, where he develops models, including MRE, youPlusU, and Bootstrap, to help others live more meaningfully. He teaches his models through community activism, lectures, writing, and online communication. Previously, he co-founded Aviri Software after working at Trilogy Software. Goswami graduated from Stanford University, where he studied Computer Science, Economics, and History.

How to Improve Local Communities and Neighborhoods - Dan Street

In Chapter 14 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, software entrepreneur and Loku founder and CEO Dan Street shares ways communities and neighborhoods can improve. He cites the need for local activists, local news reporting and knowledge sharing, and local prioritization. He notes cultural challenges that often direct support to large issues abroad, such as Japan's Tsunami, reporting infrastructure challenges, and limitations of having outsiders report on insider stories. Street is the founder and CEO Loku (previously named Borrowed Sugar) which develops Internet software to strengthen local communities. Previously, Street worked in private equity at Kohlberg, Kravis, and Roberts (KKR) and management consulting at Bain & Co. He earned a BA in music and business from Rice University.

How to Define Social Entrepreneurship - Louise Davis Langheier

In Chapter 1 of 9 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, non-profit founder and executive Louise Davis Langheier shares what she feels defines social entrepreneurship. She defines social entrepreneurship as the people and work that attempt to use innovation to make social change. Langheier notes how the definition has progressively transcended non-profit organizations to also include for-profits and governmental efforts. Langheier is founder and CEO of Peer Health Exchange (http://www.peerhealthexchange.com ), a non-profit that trains college students to teach health education in public high schools. She graduated Yale University with a B.A. in History and serves on the board of directors of Dwight Hall at Yale, the center for public service and social justice.

Simon Sinek on What the Military Teaches About the Importance of Planning

In Chapter 12 of 20 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, author and leadership expert Simon Sinek shares what working with the military, including the Air Force, has taught him about planning. Specifically, Sinek learns planning is much more valuable as a process than as an event. He paraphrases President Dwight Eisenhower's statement "In preparation for battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable." Sinek learns plans too often go wrong but the process of planning creates more responsive reaction and problem solving in the face of adversity and uncertainty. Simon Sinek is a trained ethnographer who applies his curiosity around why people do what they do to teach leaders and companies how to inspire people. He is the author of "Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action". Sinek holds a BA degree in cultural anthropology from Brandeis University.

Transcript

Erik Michielsen: What have you learned about planning from the military?

Simon Sinek: One of the things that I think is very interesting, the difference between at least the Air Force, and -- and the military at large – and the private sector, is “planning” quote, un-quote, is something that happens in businesses either once a year – it’s either you know, your annual strategic whatever -- or when something goes wrong. We have to have planning sessions. And that’s pretty much the only time there’s planning, right? In reaction to something, or this prescribed annual event.

In the military, and in the Air Force, they’re constantly, constantly, constantly planning. And they will produce thousands of plans a year of which only maybe a few hundred will get implemented. And, you know, Dwight Eisenhower said a long time ago – and I never understood what he meant until recently – when he said, “planning is everything; the plan is nothing.” And basically what that means is the plan is irrelevant the minute you try to implement it because your competition, the enemy, whoever it is, they’re not following your plan, you know? And your plan will go wrong almost as soon as it’s implemented.

And it’s this constant process of planning. That it’s not the plan, per se, but it’s the process of planning, that if something does go wrong, you can react to it. One of the interesting practical applications for this was the housing crisis, the economic crisis. Which was, the actuaries had figured out that there was a 99 percent chance of success for this mortgage-backed security thing. And they thought, “oh my god we’re all gonna get rich, let’s do this thing” and they did, and we all know exactly what happened. The problem is there was no plan for that one percent that happened, which is the housing market collapsed. There was no plan ever developed or thought about if the one percent were to happen.

In the military, I can promise you, they would have thought about that opportunity, if that – “what would … how would we react if that happens?” Um, and panic is what ensued and nobody knew the answer, and things collapsed, and banks collapsed, and people lost money because there was no plan. And now the planning began and we’re still digging ourselves out of the hole, only because planning was an event and not a process.