May 2009 Archives

As a BlackBerry user for many years, I've grown so used to having a "real" keypad that I've never been tempted to actually make the switch to the iPhone, even though it looked cool. At first, I felt left out--everyone else was getting flashy new iPhones and here I was choosing to remain on the very useful, but un-slick, BlackBerry. But all the bells and whistles of the iPhone started to ring out of tune when friends complained of dropped calls. Still, there were some cool apps among the dozens of useless ones, I thought. That made it cool, right? Maybe not so much anymore. The combination of the strained AT&T network, and a growing legion of frustrated users has caused me to think twice about "going iPhone." Apparently others share my sentiments. Check out this spoof of an iPhone ad that illustrates some of the issues users have been experiencing (warning--there's some colorful language in the first few seconds, so the easily offended may want to turn down the volume):

Thanks to James Siminoff for posting.

If you've ever had to come up with an idea for a project, or held a brainstorming session only to discover that the storm had been reduced to a light shower, then you understand how important it is to stop and feed your brain. No, I don't mean walking over to your office's kitchen and getting a snack. I mean taking a break and doing something completely opposite of work. Doing this gives you a chance to decompress and can open up unknown reserves of creativity in your mind. The end result? Better ideas, and more productivity.

With the launch of Grasshopper, everyone has been working very, very hard, and putting in long hours. As spring finally emerges, we decided that in order for people to actually decompress they needed a work-sanctioned opportunity to do so. And so "Summer Fridays" were born. From now on each year, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Grasshopper will have Summer Fridays, during which time people can do something together as a group that doesn't involve sitting at a desk and working through a to-do list or going to a meeting. Whether it's going to a baseball game or actually playing one, employees--our people--can decide what they want to do as a group. If a group outing doesn't work for them, they can also use the time for personal obligations. It's their call. After we announced Summer Fridays at Grasshopper, people talked about having basketball games, golf trips, and visits to museums. We look forward to getting families involved as well during the summer so that this isn't just another "work event." Bringing families into the events is crucial.

A lot of companies and organizations might balk at the idea of giving people a paid half day every Friday for a few months, but I think it's pretty smart. It's a way of acknowledging that your people are your most valuable resource, and you want to treat them as such. And that means giving Grasshopper folks a chance to cross-pollinate their brains with the activities and people that make them who they are.