Focus, Focus, Focus

on a vibrant downtown Portsmouth.

Portsmouth Leadership

I attended a peer to peer workshop yesterday in Cbus concerning the Restoring our Prosperity agenda as set forth by Greater Ohio.  The theme seemed to be how we can get this initiative to the next level.

In my opinion, the most important item of communication that needs to be spread is that our future requires us to operate in ways completely different than we have in the past.  Some established systems that we rely on and assume will go unchanged forever could completely disappear.

So, leadership in Portsmouth does not need to center around a goal to achieve in an effort to please some.  Leadership needs to center around this new way of thinking about our future, and prepare all for the change.

I will try to post regularly.

Check out the effects on this website, fantastic company!

1. Click here

2. Check out the photos. 

3. Move your mouse a time or two, and voila!

Rally racing in Portsmouth, OH

Ran across this video about the Eric Jones memorial rally.  Quite interesting the events that go unnoticed.  Have fun watching, glad I am not in the car.

Monster.com job hunt

Since I am looking for a job now, I spend alot of time searching Monster, careerbuilder, salesforce, hotjobs, etc.  Monster seems to be most productive, but how impersonal is monster for actually applying for a job.  I am curious how many people actually apply for and receive jobs by actually using the monster form for submitting applications?  I have tried a few, we will see.

I would love a job in business development, sales, or marketing.  This would increase my experience and exposure to business operation and growth.  I am extremely flexible and would consider contract or termed employent.  Peformance based compensation would be a big plus especially for a company who really cares about results.

Does this region need a marketing company that can assist companies with the 21st century growth they need to stay competitive in the coming decades?  There is so much new thought about business and marketing that needs implemented.  What was the last ad you responded to in the newspaper?  on TV?  one that inspired you to take action.  Probably hard to remember.  Not to say they do not work at all, but it is easier to spend money doing the same old thing, and it takes alot of work to implement new ideas and strategies.  I guess the demand for a new marketing company lies in the number of firms who are ready to embrace new things.

For the good of Ohio, southern Ohio, Scioto county, and Portsmouth

Here is a stakeholders list for regional strategic planning…

• County Commisioners
• Township Trustees
• School Administrators
• Non-Profit Chairs
• Higher Education administrators
• Local Business Presidents
• City Councils
• City Mayors
• Etc.

Some Keys to success

1. A simple agenda sent ahead for preparing answers
2. A strong moderator ensures fairness
3. Good record keeping, A/V recording if possible
4. Agreement to meet regularly with whomever is willing
5. Open minds

The first meeting agenda should be centered around “what one change, if you could snap your fingers and make happen, would allow you at least a short sigh of relief in your organization?”  This should allow us all to get an idea where we need to be.

Another meeting topic could be “if you could put yourself in a bubble, make the changes necessary, and not get any complaints when you emerge, what would you do?”  This is touchier, and may best be handled internally as a clarification exercise.

What services could be shared in the community that would free up funds for growing our communities?

Just some thoughts, I am up for suggestions.

 

The day, that Portsmouth died. We were singing, bye, bye…

Tuesday, a strategic planning meeting was held at the Columbus Athletic Club with a single purpose.  Discuss how the message of the Restoring our Prosperity campaign is being received, and find solutions through the way we communicate these ideas to improve it.

The subject that we need to explore regionally is the connection between communities and how they really add value to each other.  For Scioto county we look at the connection between outlying communities and the city.

So, with 80,000 people in the county, and more when we expand the region, what would happen if Portsmouth died?

Would you agree that a large portion of people who live in the county enjoy the way of life that is afforded in these areas?  How many of these people actually work in the city, at some of our larger employers?  So it seems that the value of a healthy city is the ability to maintain a good job and hold on to your choice place of residence in more rural areas, which seems to go a long way for some people.  By exploring this connection deeper, we add value to the Restoring our Prosperity in Ohio conversation about regional planning.  By understanding the connections between our communities and the city in terms of value added relationships, rather than competition for resources, we build a platform in which the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

I guess we need to start talking.

Downtowns are dead, strip malls are the way.

If you really believe that there is no hope for downtown Portsmouth other than banks, attorneys, accountants, and other professional services, please educate yourself. 

If you really think that downtown Portsmouth cannot become a hub of activity that we can be proud of, and fuel the memories of our youth, please educate yourself. 

If you really are convinced that downtown Portsmouth offers no promise of a vibrant future full of promise and opportunity, please educate yourself.

• Take the time to read the Preliminary Report that is midway down this page. 
• Listen to what Ohio’s leaders have to say about our state
• Picture how Portsmouth fits into the picture, because it does.

The trends are changing, and the first change for Portsmouth costs nothing…a positive attitude.

Success

I have been thinking about innovation as it relates to our city and region.  We often think that new cutting edge ideas or 21st century robotics is what makes up innovation.  I think that real innovation exists in the ability deliver better results with many of the same ideas.

For instance, the internet was/is innovative, but it really delivers on the visceral desire for communication in a better way.

So to carry this idea of innovative delivery on existing ideas a bit further…I believe our Portsmouth area needs to really step up to the plate.  It seems that we have a difficult time making quick decisions to act, plan, and execute on new strategies, and consequently are left in the dust.  I know someone who claims that years ago she guessed that if you bottled water, people would buy it.  She didn’t move quick enough and someone else took it to the bank.

Do you feel that we have a more difficult time getting things done?  Slower than other areas of the country?  How do we act more quickly to make good things happen here?

We don’t have time to waste thinking up innovative ideas, we need innovative deliveries.
            

Some thoughts about cool

Sometimes I throw out a token question to people I am speaking with that goes something like this…”if you could snap your fingers and tomorrow x would happen, what would it be?”  and it is usually asked in the context of what store, or shop, or activity would you snap into existence.

Well I ask the question this morning in regards to people moving inside the city limits.  “What one thing, if you could change tomorrow, would you do to have a positive impact on people moving to the city?”

I am not sure what what most would say, but my answer is 1000 true fans of our downtown.  What would it be like to have 1000 people who were nuts about everything that goes on in downtown, that you could just count on them showing up.  And if we continue to give these fans what they want, do you think they would bring a friend?  The operative here is giving them what they want.  A question tossed around without much commitment.

So here is how it could work.  We start an “exclusive”  downtown Portsmouth fan club.  Everyone cannot get in, you have to be approved.  So we start taking applications for the club, and select 5 ultimate fans.  These fans would field the email applications to become a fan and approve membership.  Then we get them interacting with each other.  The online tools available to make this happen are cheap and numerous.

As membership grows and people start talking, we need to set back, listen, and respond.  So how does this increase population?  It allows people that are connected, whether or not they live here, the opportunity to help make things “cool”.  Most people desire to live in cool places, don’t they?  And many people move to cool places, don’t they?  Some people would say we need jobs first, or infrastructure first, or housing first.  My comment to that is…

“Make it cool, and they will come.”