I want to be just like Kim and Kanye! Yes, I do! No… Really.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West may seem like odd people to admire (at least for middle age adults). Kim is famous for being famous. Her fame started with a sex tape leaked just prior to her and her family starting their own reality TV show. Kanye is a rapper and producer that is quite talented (or so I am told by my daughter). He has such a ballooned opinion of himself that he has proclaimed “I’m the Number One living and breathing rock star” and he compared himself to Axl Rose of Guns N’ Roses, Jim Morrison of the Doors and Jimi Hendrix.
Now, I don’t plan on releasing any home movies or compare myself to musical legends, but think about their business model. They require the media to follow and report on their activities. We will never hear about Kim going to the garage to get the brakes done on her car or Kanye picking up some potted plants for the deck. They require media attention on their activities to continue to sell their product; which is themselves. Who else can make an entire TV show about finding a lost dog? Who can have the President of the United States call them a jackass and continue being successful.
But they are very intelligent about crafting their own image. Their image relies on being famous or controversial. They create a steady stream of media coverage to maintain their own infamy! This media stream can also be referred to as intellectual property.
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (www.wipo.com), intellectual property (also known as IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce. But I would extend this definition to not just IP used in commerce.
In this aspect (the creation of IP), I admire Kim and Kanye. They constantly create IP with their daily activities of their life of the rich and famous. The media sadly consume their activities and report on it in a variety of methods, many of them through social media.
Consultants can learn from Kim and Kanye. All consultants bring a lifetime of experiences and a career full of expertise to the table for our clients. We also have IP that we can share.
Are you sharing this intellectual property to other potential clients out of your immediate circle of influence? Are you sharing your expertise to the community to develop the next generation of leaders or consultants? Take advantage of all avenues that we have access to in order to promote your own IP.
What is your intellectual property?
I have a colleague Duane Janiskevich whose IP is promoting workplace safety. Neil Schaeffer is another individual who has very effectively promotes his intellectual property in social media.
In the creation of this blog, I took a reflective look at myself and determined that my IP is around healthcare technology and the consulting industry. But that too is after an evolution. Until recently, I lent my skills and abilities to CMC-Canada as well as coaching a variety of teams my children played on. IP can be applied in a variety of manners.
What is your intellectual property?
There are a variety of associations that you can become involved in; CMC-Canada, your local PMI or IIBA Chapters. You can speak at their association meetings or participate on their councils to move their agendas forward.
Take a junior consultant to coffee and chat about their career. Chat with a newcomer to your city or country about opportunities in their chosen field.
Publish an article on an area of work that you have completed and share your lessons learned with others.
Take your expertise in management and IP around management and apply them to other areas to benefit your community; manage or even coach your child’s sports team.
Write about your thoughts and opinions. Craft a catchy headline to draw readers in, and make your pitch. We all have intellectual property that we can share. Make use of social media to encourage your peers to give back.
Use your intellectual property to make this world a better place, but please, no more reality TV shows.