What I Wish People Knew: Kneale Mann

Today’s is a guest post from Kneale Mann, one of many responses to this post. I’m delighted to share the more personal side of some of the folks you might know online and that I’ve enjoyed getting to know better.

Kneale Mann assists medium to large enterprise on a range of projects including: digital audits, marketing initiatives, internal customer service and developing repeatable systems clients can integrate into their future to drive revenue. He is also a professional writer, blogger and speaker at business events, workshops and conventions.

The social web can be a remarkable place.

I have met more incredible people in the last five years than I would have ever met in a hundred lifetimes. However, it can also be a busy and superficial place. We are busy, we are trying to find our voice, we are jockeying for attention and we are trying to build our businesses.

So this is why Amber’s post was even more poignant and why I felt compelled to share my list since. Just committing these thoughts to the screen seemed strange, almost egotistical in some strange way. But try it. It can be scary but liberating.

Take it personally. The cliché sounds tough and sturdy. When something happens in the enterprise, it’s just business and we’re supposed to let it flow off our backs and move forward. I don’t always navigate that process smoothly. That includes my business or a client or associate’s business. I take it personally. And as we blend our lives and blur the lines between friends and colleagues, the navigation needs to be orchestrated even more carefully. You would think that 25+ years in media and marketing would have toughened me up, nope. I care far too much to slough it off as another item on the to-do list. I care if I am providing value and that goes far beyond the tidy phrase – measurable results.

Smart is fun. Many feel good when someone compliments their physical appearance, I love it when someone remarks about my clever brain. The grey matter can get me into trouble when I spend too much time in theories and strategies when most want tactical results but I’m working on it. Anyone can buy a nice outfit or get a good haircut, I respond to smart people who push my mind and it’s cool when I’m able to do the same.

Three brothers from other mothers. My parents had me and my sister. We grew up in a middle class neighbourhood and despite the fact my folks each worked two jobs, we never went hungry or went without anything for that matter. I have a lot of friends, even more colleagues and acquaintances but only three guys who are in the 3am in the morning gang. Greg, Mike and Darryl have seen me at my worst and have asked me to help them at their worst. Greg is a friend of 30 years, Mike is clocking in close to 25 and Darryl just hit a decade. There have been a lot of laughs, bruises and bumps, many journeys, friends for life.

Music is my mistress. More than the fact I programmed radio stations for over two decades, music is my refuge and guilty pleasure. Music has saved me from those tough moments and lifted me during the elated ones.

Chef in a former life. In high school I had to make the decision between two career paths – media or cooking. I’m glad I chose the latter and enjoy the former as a hobby. And once in a while my victims friends enjoy it too.

Hate talking about myself. ‘nuff said.

Love talking about you. This has gone far beyond getting out pom poms and showering the sugar. I have had the privilege of directly managing coaching people and finding what makes them excel is a deep passion. My proudest moments have been when years after some seemingly insignificant event someone has thanked me for helping them. That never gets tired. It often alarms people when I want to spend our time talking about them and how I can help them. I’ve been called an interrogator but that’s just my insatiable curiosity.

Writing is a passion. It has been something that turned from a necessity to a passion.