Resolved. . . be a better boss

Ever notice that a conversation overheard on a plane, in a theater, in an elevator or some other place in which you are confined is alternatively boring as hell or obnoxious--or both? Maybe it's me.

Next on the list has to be some clod reounting their New Year's Resolutions.. I am going to start exercising, eat better, go to church, learn a new language, read a book a month, blah, blah, blah.

Rather than go that route, I take this one: resolutions on conducting myself in business. As a newly minted president of Meister Media, I am both humbled by the charge and excited about the opportunity of what we can accomplish in this new decade. But since wishing and hoping is a pretty lame strategy, I lay out for anyone who is interested, my plan. Here are 10 things I resolve to do in 2010.

1. Show up early, but enough with the 12-hour days (so I can get home before 7 and exercise, eat better, learn French, read a book . . .)

2. Ask "What if?" What if we were a startup. . . What would we write, produce, promote? What would our processes look like. . . our staff?

3. Walk around the building every day I am there. Look for fires, listen to the staff, be accessible and open to their opinions and ideas.

4. Read a magazine a day--one of ours, a competitor's, a trade magazine, or just for fun. Plus go deep into one of our websites. Look hard at our content and how we present it. Think about ways to make it better, or learn from other media.

5. Schedule as much of the must-attend meetings and events as we can for the year. Let everyone know where I am going and what I am doing, and give the staff my office days for client interaction or brainstorming. Also, try to keep meetings to 30 minutes or less. Any more than that and your are probablty wasting someone's time.

6. Every month give the company an update on how we are doing. Revenue, profit, performance metrics, project progress, awards, and what's ahead for the next month or so.

7. Smile, be upbeat. Be an enthusiastic cheerleader and an inspiring coach. 

8. Expect the very best from everyone; recognize them when they do their best, but don't let anyone get away with sloppy or careless work.

9. Talk to at least one reader or customer every day. Thank them for allowing us into their lives and businesses. Ask them about what concerns them most this year. Promise to help them.

10. Block 30 minutes each day to:

• Think.
• Play guitar.
• Exercise.
• Call Mom and Dad.
• Study how other media companies are changing
• Review my resolutions and keep myself on track

What do you resolve to do this year? Post your answers here and I will enter you into a drawing to win a red 1st generation 4gb iPod Nano that one of my kids bequeathed to me when she got the Touch. It's old, but it does the job. Great for runners. Happy New Year, friends.