Neen James is the author of Folding Time™ and her most recent book, Attention Pays™. She is frequently named one of the top 30 Leadership Speakers by Global Guru because of her work with companies like Viacom, Comcast, Cisco, Virgin, Pfizer, BMW, and the FBI, among others.
Neen is a leadership expert who delivers high-energy keynotes that challenge audiences to leverage their focus and pay attention to what matters most at work and in life.
She’s also originally from Australia but now lives in Florida. Neen and I are both members of a secret or not so secret society of speakers and although we have never met until today, the energy she shares through her digital communications makes me feel like we’ve known each other for years.
On Wednesday October 16th, Neen will be giving an opening keynote, Attention Pays™: How to Drive Profitability, Productivity, and Accountability at the MarketingProfs B2B Forum in Washington D.C.. Neen was generous to spend some time with me to talk about the importance of attention in business, for marketing and marketing leaders.
Enjoy the full video interview below:
Neen James on the Value of Personal Branding in B2B Marketing:
I think it’s vital because when you think about this whole idea, if you really want to get attention, you have to give attention. And as marketers we have to give attention to the brand that people are buying from. We are the product.
I grew up in corporate business, Lee. I worked in retail banking, telecommunications, and the oil industry. And what I realized, Lee, is I had to be able to stand out.
The people that we are working with want to know that they can trust us. They want to know that we’re going to get them the results that they need. @neenjames
Just like you would do a SWOT analysis on a potential product for a client in a strategic plan, we’re going to do the same thing with ourselves because the people that we are working with, Lee, they want to know that they can trust us. They want to know that we’re going to get them the results that they need.
So a personal brand in B2B is vital and it’s also about making sure that the brand has longevity and consistency.
Neen James on Systems of Attention:
Systems create freedom, right? We all have systems in place, whether we are marketers within organizations or an entrepreneur that is running your own marketing for your company. I believe that we need systems of attention.
There are systems of attention to be able to get and give the kind of attention that you want, whether it is in the work place or outside. We all know that with the projects that we’re all juggling, the clientele that we’re all managing, and the team that we’re leading, that we need some systems in place.
Neen James on the Cost of Distractions from Multitasking:
The costs are insane. Whether they’re personal or professional. There was some research done by the Information Overload Group, which is a hilarious name for a company, that found in the US $588 billion dollars is lost every year because there’s loss of productivity through distraction and multitasking.
In the US $588 billion dollars is lost every year because there’s loss of productivity through distraction and multitasking. @neenjames
From a professional point of view, there’s obviously results like reduced productivity and reduced internal customer satisfaction. Are distracted employees really delivering on the results you said you would provide to the clientele that you serve inside or outside your organization?
There are many costs including team engagement, productivity, customer satisfaction. There are professional costs, but personally the most disturbing thing I found when I was researching my book, Attention Pays, was that on average nine people die every day because of distracted driving.
I mean, we’ve made it more important to update our Facebook status than to actually pay attention to the road.
Neen James on Prioritizing your Priorities:
A strategic appointment with yourself is just 15 minutes. Here’s what’s so fascinating. People tell me all the time, “Oh, there’s never enough time.” Or, “I’ve run out of time, we’re going to kill time.” Well, poor time. Time never did anything to you.
You can’t manage time because you and I get the same 1440 minutes in a day. Time doesn’t care. It’s going to happen anyway. You can’t manage time, but you can manage your attention. @neenjames
See, I don’t believe in time management, right? You can’t manage time because you and I get the same 1440 minutes in a day. Time doesn’t care. It’s going to happen anyway. You can’t manage time, but you can manage your attention.
By simply investing in a strategic appointment with yourself for 15 minutes every day you’re going to identify what strategic nonnegotiable goals will get you closer to the bigger picture, to the things you’re responsible for.
Thanks Neen!
BONUS: You can download a FREE copy of Neen’s book, Folding Time, here (pdf)
Bound for B2B Forum: For more information about imagining what’s possible in B2B including Neen James’ keynote, check out the MarketingProfs B2B Forum conference including agenda, list of speakers (including Ashley Zeckman and myself) and many other fun facts on the B2B Form website here. Also, get $100 off by using this mpb2b discount code: B2BFriends
You can find more information about Neen on her website and follow her on Twitter here: @neenjames
Be sure to watch the other videos in the MPB2B series featuring:
Ann Handley – Are You a B2B Marketing Badaxe?
Jay Baer – Are You Down with EGC?
Tyrona Heath – Can ABM & Social Selling Unite?
