All in Life

The Point Of (And Problem With) Accelerants

The Point Of (And Problem With) Accelerants

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Management Consulting, Retail, Strategy

There's a trend line that we all live through in any endeavor we’re a part of. That trend line can be positive or negative but it’s a constant - there’s no question that there is no such thing as a ‘permanent’ status quo, that things will inevitably progress in some direction to a redefined (temporary) equilibrium.

Most of the time that trend line is drawn out over some material period of time. If we are on the ascent, that ascent can continue for years, driven by a mix of factors both internally driven and externally influenced.

Are You The Voice Or The Echo?

Are You The Voice Or The Echo?

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Management Consulting, Marketing, Personal Codes, Strategy

We tend to give more thought to the competition than we really should - and I say that with the full (and practical) understanding that our competitors can influence a lot of what goes on in the markets we play in and the customers we serve.

We worry about their pricing and their product features. We worry about their sales activities and their breadth of client access. We worry about their last move, and their next move.

Omerisms Podcast - Episode 33

Omerisms Podcast - Episode 33

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Personal Codes, Sales, Strategy

This month's podcast draw lessons from the world around us, specifically the sports and entertainment arenas. I focus on specific games or movies or entertainers and the lessons we can draw from what they've done or experienced or said.

In today's podcast, I recount a story from the movie, The Matrix and how it speaks to our need to be ourselves, to not get taken in by someone else's agenda, to create our own reality. It's just a movie, but the messages in it are very much a reflection of ourselves and our reality.

The New Normal Was Always Going To Be Here

The New Normal Was Always Going To Be Here

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Personal Codes, Management Consulting, Marketing, Strategy, Sales

It’s the one question that everyone wants answered.

When are we getting back to normal? When will Business As Usual return? Or, if you're really trying to be thoughtful: When do we get to the New Normal?

Aside from the fact that no one has the answers to those questions, there are two realities that are more relevant, at least to me:

Why Is There More Art During Quarantine?

Why Is There More Art During Quarantine?

Omer Abdullah
Creativity, Life, Personal Codes

One of the interesting byproducts of our COVID quarantine has been the amount of art that’s been created during this lockdown. And by art, I don’t just mean painting or music, what we consider to be art in the strict sense (although I do include both of those forms in my definition).

Rather, I’m referring to all forms of expression, any act of creativity, including the culinary arts.

Omerisms Podcast - Episode 32

Omerisms Podcast - Episode 32

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Personal Codes, Sales, Strategy, Teams

This month's podcast draw lessons from the world around us, specifically the sports and entertainment arenas. I focus on specific games or movies or entertainers and the lessons we can draw from what they've done or experienced or said.

In today's podcast, I go back to Super Bowl 51 and the amazing comeback that the New England Patriots made in that game, and what it can teach us all about perseverance and achievement in the face of the worst possible odds.

You Are Not The Hero

You Are Not The Hero

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Communications, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Management Consulting, Marketing, Personal Codes, Sales, Teams

You are not the hero.

That’s right, you’re not. And the sooner you get used to that idea, the better.

You’re not the one who’s going to move the customer’s business across the line. You’re not the one who’s going to help them gain extra market share. And you’re certainly not the one who’s going to achieve their vision for them.

Growth Versus Comfort In A Time Of COVID

Growth Versus Comfort In A Time Of COVID

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Personal Codes, Sales, Strategy, Teams

There’s a quote I close all of my personal podcasts with that’s always appealed to me. I wrote about it in one of my earliest blog posts and it’s guided almost all of my decisions in life:

“You’re better off scared than bored.”

It isn’t my quote - I first heard it from Harvey Mackay in his book, Beware The Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt. (And, for the record, the exact quote is, “You’re a lot better off being scared than bored”.)

Omerisms Podcast - Episode 31

Omerisms Podcast - Episode 31

Omer Abdullah
Careers, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Management Consulting, Marketing, Personal Codes, Sales, Strategy, Teams

Today’s podcast is about what we do when we’re trying to get ourselves back on our feet, when we’re going through hard times and we need to re-center - as an individual or as a business.

It’s about the value of First Principles and the kinds of things we need to consider, understand and adopt when we're navigating a crisis.

Our New Virtual/Physical Balance

Our New Virtual/Physical Balance

Omer Abdullah
Careers, Communications, Entrepreneurship, Creativity, Leadership, Life, Personal Codes, Teams, Travel

So in recent weeks, I’ve hosted or moderated virtual webinars, panel discussions and happy hours with people all across the world (separate from the countless virtual one-on-ones and small group meetings that have become such a mainstay for us all now).

I approached these events with some trepidation, unsure of the how the back and forth that’s necessary would happen in the virtual world, given the normal back and forth of in-person conversation (versus the sequential nature of videoconference technology) or the pronounced nature of (awkward) silence in such settings, especially ones where not everyone knows each other.

We Can’t Assume Each Step Forward Is Permanent

We Can’t Assume Each Step Forward Is Permanent

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Management Consulting, Sales, Strategy, Teams

We can’t assume each step forward is permanent. And that’s just a fact.

I know there’s a tendency to view any positive progress with hope, with the earnest desire to see that momentum continue unabated. That’s natural and, frankly, we should maintain that positivity, particularly in difficult times such as these.

But it’s important to also recognize that plans and paths forward aren’t always (ever) straight-line. There will be twists and turns, back and forth on the road to getting to where we want to go.

Omerisms Podcast - Episode 30

Omerisms Podcast - Episode 30

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Management Consulting, Personal Codes, Private Equity, Sales, Strategy, Teams

In today's podcast, I continue this month's riff on uncertainty and risk, and talk about change. It's a topic that we all have to deal with, whether we like it or not.

Change is a critical part of our growth and how we deal with it is make or break. This episode discusses the two key steps that I believe we need to take to tackle the change we see in our lives, head on.

WFH Is (Not) Forever Now...

WFH Is (Not) Forever Now...

Omer Abdullah
Careers, Communications, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Management Consulting, Personal Codes, Strategy, Teams, Travel

The world has changed! The old order is out! Things will never go back to the way they were!

There’s no shortage of pronouncements about how the coronavirus has fundamentally changed the way we live, work and play. No more cruises, no more constant flying, no more of the large scale social gatherings that we’ve become so accustomed to. It’s (apparently) a whole new world out there.

And so it goes with Working From Home (WFH).

Never Say Never Again

Never Say Never Again

Omer Abdullah
Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Personal Codes, Private Equity, Strategy, Sales

When we went through the Great Recession of 2008/2009, I remember thinking to myself (perhaps consoling myself) that I would never see an economic downturn as bad as that ever again in my lifetime. I mean, the scale of the trouble at the time was such that multiple markets around the world, multiple sectors, multiple categories, all got hit at once, and the resultant economic malaise took years to overcome. Surely, something at that scale could never happen again?

Well, never say never, I guess.

These Aren't The Expectations You're Looking For

These Aren't The Expectations You're Looking For

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Personal Codes, Teams

Many times, I think we’re so beholden to other people’s expectations of us, that instead of doing what we really want to do, we constrain ourselves with someone else’s expectations of us.

But it’s actually worse than that. More often than not, it isn’t actually what they expect of us, it’s our perception of their expectations of us.

Are We Still In Meeting Hell?

Are We Still In Meeting Hell?

Omer Abdullah
Careers, Communications, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Management Consulting, Personal Codes, Teams

I’ve written before of my distaste for meetings (here, here and here) and specifically, meaningless meetings that should actually have been emails or a phone chat - or none of the above!

I’ve seen companies where meetings are the norm and the work of actually getting things done (time for deep thinking or focused work) becomes the exception, something that gets done after-hours (or worse, not at all). In fact, I’ve often wondered if there’s a correlation between the percentage of time that executives spend in meetings and the performance of the company.

What Can We Compare This To?

What Can We Compare This To?

Omer Abdullah
Careers, Communications, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Personal Codes, Teams, Strategy

In times of uncertainty, we want to look for comparisons. Situations that are analogous to what we’re going through so that we can identify trends or find indicators - some sort of sign(s) - that allow us to better predict what’s going to happen. It’s a natural thing to do. We want comfort. We want certainty. We want to see a way out.

But, of course, that’s not how things work.

For every comparison to previous pandemics, there are several others that can point to how this one is different.

Heroes

Heroes

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Life, Personal Codes

That’s a word we love. It’s also a word that we tend to hold to a specific standard.

Superhuman strength. Incredible bravery. Folks who demonstrate those traits are called heroes. The determined doctors, the brave firefighter, the courageous police officer tend to fit the bill.

We can accept that. Because that individual put themselves at risk for the betterment and gain of another, almost always someone they don’t even know.

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