Links for July 7 2011

• Standard & Poor’s Downgrade: How Debt Has Defined Human History by David Graeber on Speakeasy – WSJ

  Quote: Instead of setting up great overarching institutions designed to protect debtors, we created institutions like the S&P or IMF, essentially, designed instead to protect creditors. It has become increasingly apparent that the system simply doesn’t work. As the U.S. government seems intent on squandering its honor and reputation for the sake of sectarian advantage, and as millions of Americans feel themselves slipping into a state that feels disturbingly like debt peonage, we might do well to look to the past for inspiration.

• The Customer Mindset by Danny Brown on The Parables of Business

  Quote: Your customers are the best PR, marketing, advertising and customer service employees your business will ever have. You don’t pay them to stay with you – they’re there because they want to be.

• How Do You Measure Your Success? by Sean McLaughlin on The Minimalist Trader

  Quote:…. measuring success in life is a little more vague. Is it your level of happiness? Is it your achievements at work? The plaques on your wall? The money in your bank account? The trophies in your display case? The places you’ve visited? The family you’ve supported or raised?

• Being nice isn’t enough: Customer service lessons at the Apple Store by Ian Lurie on Conversation Marketing

  Quote: In customer service, ‘being nice’ and ‘trying hard’ isn’t always enough. Sometimes, you have to be competent, too. Capable, even.

• Eight Steps For Addressing the IT Management Crisis by Dan Woods on CIO Central – Forbes

  Quote: Addressing the coming crisis won’t be easy. Mastering the complexity and distributed control of the current IT landscape will take years at most companies. The steps I have set forth are just one formulation of a reasonable way forward