Disqus - Latest Comments for OwenC

Re: What next for the Isle of Man Code Club?

OwenC — Tue, 17 May 2016 11:45:48 -0000

Hi Lauren,

Thanks for your comments. You have hit the nail on the head (and you can see this theme across my own posts): I'm lucky to have a number of options available, so it's down to me to decide where I want to take it. The reality is that I am where I am because of circumstance and opportunity, now if I had to take mindful control I can certainly make it bigger and take it places. I guess the question is, do I want this to remain a hobby, or is it my calling? That's probably one I'll have to decide on first.

Re: We need you

OwenC — Mon, 16 May 2016 04:07:35 -0000

Dan, thanks for sharing that with us. You described that beautifully, and in a way only someone who went through the same journey can. Thank you for being there, for providing us with feedback, reassurance and a safe haven if we needed it. You have helped make us who we are today.

Re: The Health Benefits of…..Tofu

OwenC — Mon, 16 May 2016 04:04:45 -0000

Emily, thank you for sharing your guidance and your wisdom with us. You eased us into this world and held a shining light that we always knew was there if we needed it. It wouldn't have been the same without you!

Re: Thinking about opportunity

OwenC — Sat, 14 May 2016 09:59:30 -0000

Ha! The conundrum of the irrational hat :) I think of doing that sometimes but while I'm fine breaking other people's stuff I hesitate before trying to break my own. Maybe it's something I can grow into.

Thanks for the feedback!

Re: Thinking about opportunity

OwenC — Sat, 14 May 2016 09:58:13 -0000

Hi Dan,

Thanks for your comment. SU was a lucky moment, really lucky actually, I won the seat on the EP through a local contest ( https://www.gov.im/news/201... ). Even if I deserved to win, the timing of the contest and the fact that the SU EP was up for grabs was a massive flash of serendipity and one I was immensely grateful for. SU changed me, made me appreciate what I had and gave me the impetus to start giving back (hence the Isle of Man Code Club, the new Fab lab etc).

I think you've struck a chord with your question. Where can you get if you added some effort and rigour. I'll translate that to: What if you stopped playing Candy Crush all evening and started blogging again, started building apps just because that's what you love doing, started being generous with adding value to other people's work.

Thank you for your comment. Together with all the others on the page they have helped me add see that I can add some zest to what I do without having to make a new start.

On an aside, I'd love to give back to SU, but being on the wrong side of the world I'm not sure how. If you're ever there and there's a gap that my talents can fill, let me know, maybe I can contribute in some shape or form.

Owen (skype: owencutajar )

Re: Jack’s Camp

OwenC — Fri, 13 May 2016 14:37:08 -0000

Hi Emily,

Great post.. in fact, it's so well written I've been struggling to see how I can add value to your thoughts and ideas. I particularly liked the way you reshaped your goals, from something that was a linear progression from where you were, to a revolutionary change that could give you exponential returns. Good work.

The prompt gave you a good structure to explore your ideas and you've used it well. There was however one thing that struck me as missing. You talk about the site and business model, what needs to be done, where it needs to go, but there isn't much mention of your audience. How will you engage with them, reshape your efforts based on their feedback and provide value to them in a way that can sustain and grow your ideas? It could be that you already have this figured out, but keeping your audience at the forefront of what you are doing has to be paramount in terms of setting direction.

Hopefully this will help you define 'what it is', but you seem to have made substantial progress in how you are going to be delivering it.

Re: Bookmaking

OwenC — Fri, 13 May 2016 14:21:03 -0000

Hi Ian

I loved the passion in your post. It's funny, but it evoked a picture of my wanting to stand besides you cheering you on! I think the workbook is a valid goal and reminds me of the 'Do Something Pinciple' - http://markmanson.net/do-so... and I'm sure it will bear fruit.

Back to your original idea for your book. Once you get your workbook out of the way, do you think you'll have created the inspiration you need to work on the book? If not, what do you think it would take? Why do you think you're finding it so hard to start? If you were your own boss, how would you make yourself deliver?

Re: My Head in the Sand

OwenC — Fri, 13 May 2016 14:05:21 -0000

Hi Richard,

Funny how your post kinda echos with some of my thoughts, in that where I am today was largely driven by circumstances, and this course is forcing me to examine options. Loved your point about how fear impacts us. Very insightful. (and yeah, love the picture you used)

It might be worth mapping out your options, the paths that are available to you and where you would like to be. Start with your goals, but also map your skills and abilities to try and create some decisions that you can act on. Remember, "fear is the mindkiller", so try to keep it at bay by generating more options that you need. Good luck!

Re: How I didn’t get the hint the first, second, or third time

OwenC — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:58:07 -0000

Hi Eric,

Great post! It's interesting how towards the end of this process we're re-examining what we think is important in our lives and how mentoring has come up on your radar as something to focus on. It might be worth exploring why it took so long to get the initial meeting undersay. Where did the resistance come from? Was it due to lack of time (what we choose as important) or just other things getting in the way. Who knows, this might be the start of a brand new career for you!

One thing I'm finding about the altMBA is that it gives you an interesting toolbox to apply to problems, whether personal, business or social. Can you use these tools to help the people you are mentoring? And what does this process teach you about yourself?

Re: Add Media to Pitch Change

OwenC — Thu, 12 May 2016 04:23:23 -0000

Hi Terry!

Great video. You did a fantastic job of painting a picture and taking your listener with you on that journey. Your descriptions were vivid and I felt like I was actually with you (even heard your heart thumping in the background). Heck, I might even find a local Toastmasters to see what it's all about!

I like the fact you were in an open space instead of in front of a webcam in a dark room like the rest of us :). This allowed you to use your hands and be more expressive, but there was some background noise that made it harder to understand you. Just a technical issue, nothing to do with your delivery.

Something for your RS. If you had watched that video before visiting Toastmasters, how would it have made you feel. Would it have made the transition easier? Also do you feel you can put yourself into the mindset of your audience (non-Toastmasters) or do you think your experiences have made it harder to do this. Is there a danger that a polished delivery would alienate someone who just feels he cannot speak in public?

Re: Change the way you handle stress….

OwenC — Wed, 11 May 2016 16:03:00 -0000

Hi John,

Great presentation. It hit me while listening to it that, although we are strangers (even though both altMBAers, you're in a different cohort to mine) I still enjoyed listening to what you had to say and even felt that you were getting value from sharing it. So I think your idea has legs and am now following you on Twitter so if there's anything I can do to help I'll be around.

From a presentation point of you, you came across very well. You made your points succinctly and kept my interest throughout. I wish mine was as coherent as yours :) Great work!

Owen

Re: Unlimited Beliefs

OwenC — Tue, 10 May 2016 04:05:18 -0000

Hi Karen,

Great post. I quite like what you did with the Limiting Beliefs/Unlimited Beliefs (limiting constraints vs no constraints) angle and how you use it to help you make a better decision. I feel that the 'unlimited belief' scenario could be a bit naive however, It's one thing to be enthusiastic about an idea but something completely different to jump in it heart and soul without keeping a level head. At the end of the day, your constraints help you keep the decision real.

You mapped your beliefs against this particular technique. Are there any other techniques that you could pursue? What is your belief position on each of those. I know this one is clearest in your mind as you were on a workshop a few days ago but are you ready to bet the farm on it? (I know you're still keeping your day job, but pursuing this avenue is at the cost of not pursuing others).

One final thought. Belief in yourself is probably one of the hardest things to tackle from the list above. Regardless of what route you take facing up to this will give you huge benefits. The idea of running free events to practice is extremely valuable. Even if you don't decide to use this particular technique I would urge you to go ahead with that strand so it's not a limiting factor in the future

Hope this helps

Owen

Re: Prompt 8: Shit! I’m late.

OwenC — Sun, 08 May 2016 04:31:34 -0000

Hi Richard, Really enjoyed your post, the way you let us into your process and impact it had on you. I suffer from the same urge to want to jump in and talk, call it an aversion to silence if you will (I'm so bad that I will finish off people's sentences if I have to!)

I agree with you that composing is really what stops us from listening, but my question to you around how do you propose managing to keep the conversation going? Surely some sort of processing of thoughts is necessary to keep the conversation flowing, to give whoever you're talking to the best of what you can offer? What do you think?

Re: The story of a revolution

OwenC — Wed, 04 May 2016 16:26:29 -0000

Amazing experience! It's one thing to be involved in a decision that can impact people around you, but to be able to effect global change, to be the conduit for such enormous change must be immensely humbling. Thanks for sharing that with us; few of us have insight into how the early days of Twitter must have been like.

You describe the people involved in the decision and what they must have been feeling, but I'm curious: if you were in the room, how would you have voiced your opinion? If you felt strongly about the outcome, did you have a route to make your mark?

Once again, thanks for painting the picture for us. Great story!

Re: Follow the Dotted Line

OwenC — Wed, 04 May 2016 15:28:21 -0000

Nice write up. You mention that external influences had an impact on whether a decision was acted on or not. Your diagrams shows sponsors as having influence on the committee but I wonder if there are other parties that should have made it into the diagram. You seem to allude to other influences that are external.

I hear your point about having key persons (linchpins?) who can control decisions. Did you feel it was worth identifying these if bringing a topic up in a meeting or was the lifespan of the committee too short to bring a strategy like this to bear?

Re: Who let the dogs out?

OwenC — Wed, 04 May 2016 15:21:27 -0000

Fantastic story, and I love your mom! Your drawing was great and told a thousand words too! I would never have thought of going for the 'single person organisation', but you're right, there are lots of influences at play there. I was wondering how your mom balances competing requirements on her time. I would imagine that books are sacrosanct, but what happens if an emergency happens, how do decisions work in that space. Also, do you think her business has the capacity to scale? I know it's a job that comes from the heart and it's not the same when someone else is helping out, but if 2 clients need her at the same time, would additional help allow her to keep more clients happy?

Re: Join the Momma-lution

OwenC — Mon, 02 May 2016 16:00:31 -0000

Hi Melissa, Love the video (and the fact that your team jumped in even though you felt you didn't have the experience to polish it). I got the sense of positivity you wanted to convey from the music and imagery, however wasn't sure with the message you want to convey. Yes, you're creating a movement and you express what it's about, but what tangibles did you want your viewers to effect. How would they join the momma-lution? What would they do that's different? Is there a badge or is it just a frame of mind?

Re: Searching for Symbols

OwenC — Mon, 02 May 2016 15:55:11 -0000

Hi Brion. Interesting result. We worked on a similar campaign, aimed at parents with younger kids though we did try to engage the kids rather than the parents. I see that you went straight to the product purchaser and can see where you're coming. I like your symbology 'winning the race to obesity', but felt that it might be a bit on the rational side. The first reaction would be 'of course I want to win', but once you realise what the race was about you reflect on your decision. Do you think there's enough time for a shopper to make that connection as they absorb the message?

I liked how you used this assignment to reflect on the group dynamics (particularly the decision process). Any thoughts on how your first group differed from the second and whether the perceived benefits/drawbacks were down to group composition rather than structure?

Re: Legislative Fizz: The Scoop On Big Sugar

OwenC — Mon, 02 May 2016 15:45:40 -0000

Great positioning of your campaign, very clear mood and clear messaging. I was a bit unclear about your target audience and the value of shock images. I think those images will impact a segment you're trying to influence, but how would younger drinkers react and would they get the message.

One question. Did you consider the impact of graphical images on cigarette packets and the actual change in behaviour? ( http://phrc.lshtm.ac.uk/pap... ) What sort of correlation would you expect with fizzy drinks and this technique? Or rather, what would you hope for? Have you had any thoughts on how to measure the impact of your campaign?

Re: Slurpee. A Cup of Frozen Happiness

OwenC — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 15:23:33 -0000

Hmm .. this is going to be tricky for me to admit BUT I've never tried a Slurpee :( See, we don't have any 7-Elevens this side of the world so I've never come across one; but I'm going to have to keep a look out while travelling to see if I can get Slurp!

You've done a delightful job in your post of setting the scene, describing the product and even creating a desire to try in someone who has never seen it before. One question that springs to mind is: so what about the haters? Are there people out there who oppose the product, even hate it? If so, why? How does Slurpee not fit in their worldview? Your post makes it sound like Slurpee has universal appeal, but surely there are those who don't agree?

Re: Unspecified Requirements – Project 5

OwenC — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 15:03:59 -0000

Hi Richard. It feels like you've put a lot of effort into your post. I think you did a great job of explaining the 'What' part of the question, but you don't really do into much detail as to the 'Why' behind the products you talk about. I'd be curious to hear more about your emotional frame as you went through the decision process and how you feel you grew through the experiences you talk about. I think it would also add value to talk about how you plan to embedd the lessons you learnt through those experiences into future decisions?

Re: Lamborghini Rental in the Pacific Northwest?

OwenC — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 14:07:33 -0000

Fantastic post and it's great to see that you recovered from your initial false start and managed to turn it into something sustainable. I like your assessment of the target market you should have been aiming at. Curious why you didn't try selling it in California for twice the price as you say.

Would be interesting to apply the same critical thinking to Drive Lambo, do you think you're hitting the right market? Are there other areas you can grow into?

Re: Does everyone like lamb?

OwenC — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 14:01:56 -0000

Great post Sandy and I loved the lamb video; not often you get to work for a lamb company :) The analyst in me is curious about the numbers behind the foray. Do you know what real impact it had on customer acquisition or on the bottom line.

I love how you were happy to critique what you had done, a project you feel pretty proud of. Do you have any thoughts on what you SHOULD have done to improve the ad. If you had to go back today, in hindsight, how would the advert have looked?

Re: People are simple, the world is complex.

OwenC — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 10:09:46 -0000

Hmm .. I feel that some of that complexity comes from interacting with people around us. Specifically the need to feel in control and to influence what's going on around us. In a way that complexity is what we call 'society', the set of expectations, demands and drives that govern how we relate to each other socially

I do some consultancy work and tend to see this over and over again in clients (particularly Government). Something that should be simple gets made complex because people try to eliminate risk, pull in biases or simply want to be more comprehensive than the use case requires. It's so hard to persuade people to ask 'Why' and get to focus on what is really important.

Re: What hard battle are you fighting?

OwenC — Wed, 27 Apr 2016 18:43:54 -0000

Hi Kamea. That must be pretty tough on you. Knowing why someone shouldn't pick out your product is one thing; but putting them down and sharing them with others can be quite a challenge. How did that make you feel.

As a reader I almost feel that you should be countering the reasons 'why-not' with your thinking about you would address each of the perceptions. Your USP at the top is quite clear but it would be quite powerful to articulate why the objections aren't relevant to your target market.

Enjoyed reading it though. Well done!