Sorry For My Absence
I apologize for my long absence from the blog and the forums. I am back.
I'm not couching this as a pure apology, so please don't jump on the fact that I share my reasons. (And who would put a real apology on a blog?) (if that isn't a future regret waiting to happen, I don't know what is.) ;-)
To the 17 of you who have sent notes of concern, thank you.
Mike and I have been juggling our growth over the past few months. Last year, we really did think we were quite close to launching premium subscriptions. We then made a fateful decision to accept a new corporate client, and I have done a poor job of managing the competing demands for content and client service. The addition of the conference has added more work for us as well.
"When is the premium stuff coming out?" is our most frequently fielded question. We're glad to get it, even if our answer is often pretty weak.
The short answer is, this year for certain, and we are hopeful to have it out in early summer. We've developed some mechanisms to speed up the process. And, we will be communicating more openly about it starting after the conference.
We're thrilled with the demand, and we will meet it.
After I sleep in my own bed a few nights.
Ugo- YOU ROCK! How's
Ugo-
YOU ROCK!
How's that?
Mark
Mark, do you have a minute? May I
Mark,
do you have a minute? May I give you some feedback?
Mark... when you write a post like this one, people think you really care.
This motivates them even more, if possible. Also, they might be more willing to take on bigger challenges. This is extremely effective.
Good job. Keep up the fantastic work!
Ugo
P.S. Welcome back, Mark. I am extremely thankful to you and your partner for what you are doing.
By the way, how was my affirming feedback?
Hi Mark, It is good to have you
Hi Mark,
It is good to have you back - and every cloud has a silver lining. Your absence on the forum, and now your stonking return, have brought loads of interesting discussions back up, and I've had a really interesting morning, rereading and reconsidering.
Thanks!
Wendii
Good to have you back Mark, No
Good to have you back Mark,
No apology required
Thanks folks! We love you
Thanks folks! We love you guys!
Mark -- glad to have you back. I fully
Mark -- glad to have you back. I fully understand your need for an absence and I'm looking forward to reading more of your insightful posts and comments.
Welcome back. I fully understand that
Welcome back. I fully understand that you both have a "day job" and accept your apology. As a recent member, I have plenty of older material to keep me busy. See you in April at the conference!
Welcome back. No worries here. I just
Welcome back. No worries here. I just subscribed to the unified podcast, so this was an opportunity to re-listen to the old casts...
Welcome back boss, your presence and
Welcome back boss, your presence and comments were indeed missed.
Edmund
Dear Mark, Mike, I'm a recent
Dear Mark, Mike,
I'm a recent convert to manager-tools, following your presentation at the San Francisco which I found very inspiring.
I have been a manager for the best part of two decades, and have taken part in a variety of manager training course, plus an MBA along the way.
However, I do think that one hour at GDC was more effective at providing practical skills than entire multi-day sessions at the others.
I'd already been running monthly one-on-ones, but have now upped the frequency (and of course they now only take 30mins), and adjusted the content - so was easy to implement and see the benefits quickly.
I'm now working my way through all of the podcasts for the last few years (two a day on my commute to/from London), and the only extra work is perhaps adjusting "British English" prose and culture.
Keep the good work up !
Paul
Mark, I can't speak for everyone,
Mark,
I can't speak for everyone, but I suspect I am not alone in saying that while I eagerly anticipate your premium content I am quite content to wait while you two iron out the issues surrounding your new enterprise. Growth is a two-edged sword and I fully understand that.
From where I sit, I still get immeasurable value in what you provide for free. Just this week I can say that I have used what I have learned in giving handshakes, formatting a PowerPoint presentation, answering quesitons in a presentation, giving adjusting feedback, giving affirming feedback (it was a good week in that the affirming feedback was more common) and conducting a meeting. Oh, let us not forget my automatic response to new people, which is to observe behavior and start seeing where that person might fit in the DiSC model.
And just to prove that there is more value still, I am sitting down with my manager tomorrow to teach her how to give O3's to me and to my peers the Manager Tools way.
I can honestly say that I feel I have already received premium content. I was simply fortunate enough to have gotten it for free. And if this is the quality and usefullness of the free material, then the premium would certainly seem to be worth a few months' more wait.
You say it is a priviledge to serve us. I say that we are also priviledged to be able to benefit from your passion for improving management in the world and from the skill with which you deliver your messages. Thank you both, and I look forward to what is yet to come.
Paul
Mark, Welcome back! Hope all went
Mark,
Welcome back!
Hope all went or is going well with your corporate client.
Looking forward to the conference.
For me, it is indeed a privilege to be part of the community you and Mike have developed.
Cheers,
Steve