Non-specific: A country in the European Union faces imminent default, which could affect financial markets.

Specific: A default in Greece on Monday will cause global markets to plummet more than 3%.

Specificity is critical for action, because it accomplishes two things at once: it (1) commands attention, and (2) eliminates ambiguity

Responses that lack specificity have almost no meaning. They are subjective. Take the word “soon.” Soon is subjective and imprecise. A nonspecific statement may be interpreted differently by different people. One of the big problems caused by a lack of specificity has to do with the concept of time.

It can mean minutes; it can mean decades. For example: Soon we will send human beings to Mars. Or:

Customer: Waiter, when will my order be ready?
Waiter: Oh, the kitchen said it would be out soon.

Soon connotes the illusion of precision, but it is anything but precise. This would become clear if  your meal arrived five minutes before you had to leave.

If you had to catch a movie, you would have been wise to let the waiter know exactly when.  But if all you said was, We’re seeing a movie soon, can we order now?, the waiter might not even bother to inform the chef.

Specific deadlines are the rivulets that flow through the veins of your business. Your request loses urgency without specificity. There are urgent shipments, urgent deliveries, and urgent meetings.

For example, say you are a CEO expecting coffee to be delivered to the conference room at 6:30 a.m. for a meeting with a key client who agreed to meet before flying out of town. Coffee? Really? That’s an urgent communication? The point is that urgent communications are colored by context. Your co-worker might ask you to bring in a coffee, and if it doesn’t arrive, well, the consequences of failure are small. But, when the CEO asks for coffee, that request has a stature and consequence that can lead to much hotter water if left unfulfilled.

So, let’s get specific. Not soon … NOW.

1. Breathe through the fight-or-flight response
2. Examine your emotions
3. Focus on the issue at hand
4. Turn anger to solutions
5. Start with “I’m sorry.”
6. Make sure your body language reflects your words
7. Take responsibility
8. Answer questions directly and honestly

However, by the time a problem hyper-charged with feeling reaches you, there is a danger of getting singed by the emotional fire. What follows are my rules of thumb to avoid falling into someone else’s emotional tempest:

Accept their feelings, even if you can’t understand them

For example, do not ever tell someone: You shouldn’t be angry, because . . . Better to acknowledge their anger: You sound angry. This rule of thumb is a tool to diffuse the emotion. Once someone gets to say they are angry and why they are angry, there is not much left to say. Unless they repeat it. What can you do if they repeat it? Listen. Just listen. Soon it will fade away.

Look at it through their eyes

OK, so they got it wrong (according to you.) That’s a given. But,can you understand why they may still be emotional? They misunderstood and they are angry. And they may even be angry with themselves. By looking through their eyes you may better understand. And when you can understand, you build trust. And trust builds your relationship.

Look through their eyes—again

OK, so they understand. Yet, they are still emotional. Emotions need time to dissipate. Let them cool off. (Don’t tell them to cool off. Avoid saying anything even close to, “You can stop being so angry now.”

Ask the right questions

“How do you feel, what can we do next?”

Reflect, and get back on the same wavelength

Rephrase their answer so they have been heard from an emotional standpoint and that you have the same to-do lists. “Yeah, you’re frustrated that this took so long. I hear you. You sound frustrated, I understand. OK, so the next step is A. And then B. and then C. Right? Let’s check back again tomorrow.” Check, too, to see if there is anyone else that needs to be included.

Recalibrate

Make personal contact, within a day or sooner, to assure that the above emotional-remedy is working.

Deal with your own anger

OK, you are angry too. Get out of sight. Take a walk. Take a drive. Find another room. Find someone you trust, to whom you can just vent; another good listener like you. We’ve established that emotions can take time to dissipate—give yourself time.

There are always at least two—often more—parties involved when communications become emotional. Being a good listener, and learning to step around the tempest, will help you from burning bridges.

Have you ever had an idea that was so perfect, so readily timed, that it was just primed to succeed? But, alas, without heeding voices of caution, a giant overstep caused the concept to plunge?

A dream has better chances of success when your backing includes employees, affiliates, vendors, and, of course, funding. But therein lies a danger. Even though you know the launch of a new concept will include naysayers, one’s confidence and passion may overwhelm your ability to hear the valid points those naysayers may propose. Paying attention to words of restraint can provide the basis for long-term success. Test the concept, learn from early lessons, and you can profit with a better long-run effort.

When launching a new-to-market product or service, it is often best to start on a modest scale. Sponsoring a large conference, for example, means researching whether there’s enough interest, or population, in the geographic area where it’s held. Or, holding it as a one-day event the first year, versus a three-day extravaganza with food, games, prizes, the whole shebang, could make all the difference in the world. Greater interest in a smaller promotion can often peak further demand.

Giving a dream time to grow is one key to success. Think big, but never underestimate the power of starting small.

“Thank you” doesn’t cost anything. It is quick and it is easy.

“Thank you” takes about one second of extra time to type, less to say on the telephone, or, depending on your dexterity, about the same time to send in a text.

Some of my other favorite words I like to include in an email or post don’t cost anything either:

• Appreciate
• Help
• Happy

Bonus points for using all three in one sentence: “We really appreciate your help and we’re happy with the direction this is going.”

And of course these don’t hurt either:

• Awesome
• Creative
• Trust

I am not advocating lying, flattery, or sucking-up to speed your project along and get what you want. But, a little basic courtesy and kindness goes a long way towards getting a project done, especially during crunch times or when a deadline has to be met right away and everyone’s feeling the pressure.

The tendency to write short, terse emails risks that you may give the impression of being angry, when you, the writer, actually feels nothing of the sort, beyond the urgency of the moment. We like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt! But, when notes are consistently cursory or ill tempered, it’s hard not to think about how the emails could be reworded and still get their point across.

I think it becomes more of a habit or style to post that way, and it could be just as easy to start a new habit that’s not only more polite, but maybe even more professional, too.

When our colleagues in business are so darn agreeable and friendly, no matter what the urgency, we tend to put in extra effort. It sounds trivial, but it really makes a difference in everyone’s outlook, which translates to better work and better results.

In the end, trust that everyone wants the same thing: to create the best [fill in project here] ever, on time. But, equally important: to look forward to working together again.

Thank you.

The kitchen is the place where ideas are formed, and people congregate. Clichés rooted in good advice emanate from the kitchen. “If you can’t take the heat, get out of the . . . ,” to the uber-cliché “Too many cooks . . .” etc., etc. The following bread recipe is exciting in its simplicity, and provides a window on how we—as a civilization—can do things one way (for thousands of years) until someone finds a new way, upon which a new industry is formed. A time-saving breakthrough. Just what every business would like to experience in 2012.

In the past few years, we’ve seen the rise of the Food Network, YouTube, and reality shows like Top Chef that provide a forum for chefs to demonstrate their craft. Our interest is great because we get to learn new best practices at the feet of masters, in an area where we—or someone we know—already professes proficiency. It has become another of life’s lessons that translates well into business—seek out the masters and listen to them. What you learn, may have great consequence.

I am just like every other guy. Of course I want to spend hours in the kitchen working on something special to bring to the next dinner party. But, thanks to Mark Bittman (New York Times Dining & Wine columnist, “The Minimalist”) there is an incredible shortcut that can take from between 12 and 24 hours from start to finish. But really, it only takes about five minutes to prepare.

The bread is SOOO good that I tossed out my Zojirushi breadmaker years ago, and replaced it with a simple Pyrex bowl. I’m not kidding. The bread looks like the artisanal breads in the finest deli’s and specialty shops including the gorgeous crust*.

“. . . a six year old can make better bread than almost any bakery in the country, including this one.”

—Jim Lahey, Baker, Owner, Sullivan Street Bakery

I was a novice when it came to baking. So, when the recipe was first published on November 8, 2006, I had little appreciation for the national attention it would receive from those that live by their ovens. It spawned blogs that continue to proliferate.

Why does this recipe work? The answer lies in chemistry. It has something to do with the realignment of the molecules through the action of the enzymes, that mimic the effect one gets when using the traditional method of kneading . . . or something like that. That’s about all I want to know.

The no-knead recipe, attributed to Jim Lahey of the Sullivan Street Bakery originally located in New York City’s SoHo district, and now in Hell’s Kitchen, is essentially this (see links below for the actual recipe):

You will need:

• 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour (plus more for dusting)
• 3/8  teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 5/8 cup water
• Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed

Instructions:

1. Mix flour/water/salt/yeast, with a little more water than typical.
2. Cover for 18 or so hours. Give exact time a holiday, the recipe is forgiving.
3. Fold over about 4 times. Let rise for 2 hours.
4. Pre-heat oven and bowl to 450.
5. Oh, you need to put it in the oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes.
6. Remove cover for 15 minutes.
7. Oh, you need to remove it from the oven.
8. Party on.

Links:

• The original New York Times article
• No-Knead Bread video on YouTube
• The original recipe from the New York Times
• A newer recipe from Mark Bittman
• A convert’s story

My notes on the article, recipe, and videos above:

• A 4-quart Pyrex bowl is perfectly fine to bake in. The bread is fancy, the kitchen implements are basic.
• Love it? Get yourself a silicon liner to save dusting flour and cleanup time.
• Experiment with various flours, but begin with white flour to get the feel of it.
• My favorite: Organic flours all. White, 2/3; whole grain wheat 1/3. Plus a handful of flaxseed meal, and toss in some wheat bran, and/or some oat bran.

*My bread machine wouldn’t have known a great crust if it broke its dual mixers on one.

Author’s Note:
Recently, according to his website, “Jim Lahey opened his first restaurant, Co. (230 9th Avenue at 24th Street in Manhattan). The name is short for Company, a word whose Latin roots refer to the phrase ‘with bread,’ of course.”

But the standard black and white box isn’t the prettiest icon we’ve ever seen. In fact, QR codes can sometimes stand out as a distracting eyesore on a beautifully designed finished piece. Adding color, styling, and branding will not only brighten up a boring box, but also let your target audience instantly know it belongs to you.

Add Color
The simplest way to brand a QR code on your own is to add your signature color. Imagine a red QR for Target, black and yellow for Best Buy, or an orange one for AT&T. You can generate the code in the traditional way using barcode.com or a similar site. Then overlay color in Photoshop to customize.

Keep in mind that your smartphone will best read dark boxes on a light background. Choose a dark shade on white, or two contrasting colors.

Add a Logo or Image
Besides just adding color, you can add your logo or another image into the code itself. You can overlay your image right over a part of the code. Be sure to follow these tips:
• Placing it toward the center often works best.
• Don’t place over/cover the small boxes found in three of the corners.
• The image shouldn’t take up more than 20% of the code’s surface area.
• Placing a white border around the image and removing any squares it partially covers will help for clear scanning.
• Be careful that the image you’re adding doesn’t contain squares that could be interpreted as data by the scanner.

As an example, we created a custom PRI logo that celebrates our 20th year in business and used it in a QR code.

Have More Fun
Flex your Photoshop muscles and add a drop-shadow or gradient, round the corners, or rotate the QR so it’s on an angle. Style the code so it works with your layout and typography.

Keep Size in Mind
The more you alter a QR code, the harder it may be for the scanner to read it. Keep custom QR codes large enough that they’re easily scanned.

Test Before You Deploy
You must ALWAYS test your custom code before using them on a finished product. It’s a good idea to test as you’re designing so you can undo your recent steps if the code is suddenly unscannable.

Test on with several scanner programs on several different smartphones. If your finished piece will be printed, make sure you test it on screen and paper as well.

Get Some Ideas
Below are examples of more custom codes to inspire your designing.

Here is an excerpt from How to Win Friends & Influence People. It is an example that exemplifies Carnegie’s “Win People to Your Way of Thinking,” which is comprised of 12 of his 30 Golden Rules for Success. (See full list below). He’s commenting on an 1863 letter from President Abraham Lincoln to General Meade that was never sent. I’d file this under #17: Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.

My guess is—and this is only a guess—that after writing that letter, Lincoln looked out of the window and said to himself, ”Just a minute. Maybe I ought not to be so hasty. It is easy enough for me to sit here in the quiet of the White House and order Meade to attack; but if I had been up at Gettysburg, and if I had seen as much blood as Meade has seen during the last week, and if my ears had been pierced with the screams and shrieks of the wounded and dying, maybe I wouldn’t be so anxious to attack either. If I had Meade’s timid temperament, perhaps I would have done just what he had done. Anyhow, it is water under the bridge now. If I send this letter, it will relieve my feelings, but it will make Meade try to justify himself. It will make him condemn me. It will arouse hard feelings, impair all his further usefulness as a commander, and perhaps force him to resign from the army.”

So, to update Carnegie: Reviewing his rules is like taking a sobriety test at 2 a.m. at your keyboard before you hit the Send button. Will your message be received as one of empathy and understanding? Will the recipient hit Delete upon receipt? Or, even more time-consuming, will they pen a long angry response in return?

Your goal: a message that sees things through the other’s eyes—thus you gain influence and advance the conversation.

Yes, Carnegie, he’s not just relevant, he’s hyper relevant.

Dale Carnegie’s Golden Rules for Success

Become a Friendlier Person

1. Don’t criticize, condemn or complain.
2. Give honest, sincere appreciation.
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.
4. Become genuinely interested in other people.
5. Smile.
6. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
7. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
8. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.
9. Make the other person feel important—and do it sincerely.

Win People to Your Way of Thinking

1. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
2. Show respect for the other person’s opinion. Never say, “You’re wrong.”
3. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
4. Begin in a friendly way.
5. Get the other person saying “yes, yes” immediately.
6. Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
7. Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
8. Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.
9. Be sympathetic with the other person’s ideas and desires.
10. Appeal to the nobler motives.
11. Dramatize your ideas.
12. Throw down a challenge.

Be a Leader

1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
2. Call attention to people’s mistakes indirectly.
3. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
5. Let the other person save face.
6. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be “hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise.”
7. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
8. Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
9. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.

See you next year,
The PRI Works Team

Scan me—A 2D barcode primer
Don’t isolate your non-smartphone-carrying audience. Lots of people still carry a regular old cell phone without a camera—a “dumbphone,” as my parents call them—and won’t be able to access any of your added features.

Emails, employers, privacy and attorney-client privilege
By now—the year 2011 when email is on the verge of already becoming passé—the explanation that an employer has a presumptive right to examine all emails is a discussion typically held during the time of hire, and the question of confidentiality may be fairly well understood.

It’s so easy! Share your screen using Skype
At PRI, we’ve been devoted users of Skype for years. Did you know you can share your computer screen with Skype, too? It’s a quick way to work with another individual, as you discuss a the screen. It makes for fast collaborations and shows changes, clicks, and movement in real time. Learn how to do it.

Calling all curls—Be smart about quotation marks
Anyone who calls herself a designer —or strives to be one— should know some basics of typography. If you’re not a designer, you may be asked to proof a letter, review a brochure, or make a design decision. Take your work to the next level by ensuring that you use “smart” quotes to make your work look more professional and polished.

How matters of character affect your business decisions
What must someone or some entity do to cause one to stop doing business with them? When considering corporate social responsibility, do you separate the individual and private actions of a CEO from that of the company? We faced this question when we learned about the actions of Go Daddy CEO Bob Parsons.