This is Classic New Thinking by Seth Godin Tapping New Media
Seth Godin strikes again. When MBA’s are a dime a dozen, and most formal, traditional education is struggling to deliver information that is not obsolete by the time the graduate walks out into the real world, Godin offers a higher education program with mutual benefit.
It’s a twist and from my perspective a combination professional volunteer effort, executive MBA, and marketing version of The Apprentice (of Donald Trump fame) program. So here’s the deal. Six months working with Seth Godin and his team on a new project. Is this something where you will get to do what you want? Well kind of, 3 hours a day you get to work on your stuff. Most of the time you’ll work on Seth’s stuff, but that’s the point, there’s your value.
I admire Godin’s work and accomplishments. He is one of those guys who is able to shape simple ideas into a belief and lifestyle system. He is to marketing and innovation what Stephen Covey is to personal growth and Dr. Wayne Dyer is to spiritual enrichment.
You can interpret Godin’s rules for applying and the type of person he is looking for yourself. I think the perfect person for this program, and for any innovation organization may be described in the following way. Stylistically, I borrow from Wear Sunscreen, you remember this classic.
It’s a person that has been around long enough to know the difference between excellent work from above average, wounded enough to know the obstacles of change, passionate enough to traverse them, frustrated enough by the hypocrisy of the status quo, smart enough to diplomatically unveil it, seasoned enough to appreciate how the world is very different today than 20 years ago, empathic enough to realize that change is difficult, convinced that many institutions are outdated, daring enough to try something unconventional, talented enough to add exceptional value to an already exceptional organization, humble enough to return the value back to the community.
I recommend this program to anyone that meets those criteria. Me? I’d love to do it, however, I’d need to figure out a few details to be a candidate, including, 1) getting funding to replace my current revenue, (wife would insist on that) 2) put a bunch (five exactly) of kids through college and school, 3) current projects 4) living away from family 
(even though I can crash at a bunch of relatives’ places in New York. God I hope they return my calls after reading this).
Would it be worth it? Absolutely. Good luck to all the candidates.
This entry was posted on Monday, December 1st, 2008 at 10:53 am and is filed under marketing.
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December 1st, 2008 at 11:22 am
Great stuff. And this paragraph is just killer:
It’s a person that has been around long enough to know the difference between excellent work from above average, wounded enough to know the obstacles of change, passionate enough to traverse them, frustrated enough by the hypocrisy of the status quo, smart enough to diplomatically unveil it, seasoned enough to appreciate how the world is very different today than 20 years ago, empathic enough to realize that change is difficult, convinced that many institutions are outdated, daring enough to try something unconventional, talented enough to add exceptional value to an already exceptional organization, humble enough to return the value back to the community.
December 6th, 2008 at 3:41 am
No doubt there will always be a place for MBAs in the large corporates. But in the cut-and-thrust of entrepeneurial start-ups and enterprises, in general, then surely you want people who have learned on the job, sleeves-rolled up, over those with a more classroom-focused training.