leadership dot #2167: running out

As part of our “California Adventure”, we rented a house so the family could stay together instead of in multiple hotel rooms. The agreement was for the home to come fully equipped with all we would need for our stay.

The gray area came about with consumables. Who was responsible for providing trash bags, dishwasher soap, laundry detergent, napkins, shampoo, paper towels, tissues or even propane for the grill? We found ourselves making daily trips to the local grocery store because we needed something that was always on hand in our own home environment.

Renting a house highlighted the number of disposables or consumables that a family uses in a given week, but it also made me more aware of the items that are staples for routine functioning. Think about what is on your “list of essentials” for your home or office. Do you have a checklist or way to monitor inventory so that you are not making multiple trips to the store? Can you automate the ordering of certain items to make it even easier? Can you get more clarity on things you feel are optional that another in your home or organization would classify as essential?

A lot of time is wasted when the basic resources are unavailable. Don’t be running out to get what you ran out of.


our temporary home!

leadership dot #2140: gauge

People often say: “I need gas.” Unless you are pulled over on the side of the road because you’re out of fuel, it’s a subjective assessment. How you make it reflects more than your need for gasoline.

I think how you respond to your gas gauge is an indicator of the kind of margin that you allow for other things in your life. When my tank is at half, I begin to get itchy until I can fill it up again. Others don’t even consider stopping until the fuel indicator light has been on for days. Still others have different comfort levels, preferring to keep it as close to topped off as possible or being content to wait until the needle nears the “E”.

I would guess that those of us who fill up early do other things early as well. Those who wait until later push other aspects of their lives to the maximum. People who ignore the warning signs aren’t driven by the details of other things.

There are trade-offs to each style: the do-gooders waste time making multiple trips to the pump, and those who wait too long risk inconvenience when they have to get gas even if it isn’t the best time/weather/price for them to do so. But we all adapt to a style that works for us.

The next time you’re trying to get a quick indicator of how someone operates, ask them the gas gauge question. The answer will help align what you can expect from your ride with them.

leadership dot #2136: queries

As soon as I ordered my computer, I sent a text to my “tech guy” asking him if he could transfer all my data when the new computer arrived. He said that he had not done that on a Mac before, but he would “Google it” and get back to me.

He ended up sending me a link to instructions on how to migrate data and they were enough for me to do it myself. I never once thought to “Google it” myself, but had I done so, I would have accomplished the same end.

It is not the first time that I have asked someone how to do something and they responded by checking the internet for instructions. I guess that Google can make you wise beyond your skill set, and I need to rely on it for my initial query rather than thinking I am incapable of a certain task.

Being an expert doesn’t mean that you know the answers; it just means that you know where to find them.

leadership dot #2070: now

There is a fine line between convenience and lazy and the distinction is getting more blurry by the day.

First, there was Amazon Prime, but now two-day delivery seems ordinary so they have introduced Prime Now that delivers to many places within the hour. Amazon offers Dash Buttons that allow you to re-order a product with just a touch instead of having to do all that work of looking up the item again.

It wasn’t enough that Siri could send texts or make calls for you; now Echo, Google Home and Alexa can turn on music, adjust temperatures, and look up information at the sound of your voice. Reading email on your smartphone has gone from cutting edge to cumbersome, so it is now available on your smartwatch. Your voicemails are converted to texts so you can access them more quickly.

I wonder what people are doing with all the time that they have saved.

Apparently not going to Ash Wednesday services. A church in St. Louis is acknowledging the desire of some people to do things more quickly by offering a “drive-thru ashing” today. Instead of needing to attend a regular Ash Wednesday service in a church, Manchester United Methodist is reaching out to those on the go by providing ashes in a highly visible lot along a major road. Priests will be available throughout the day to administer ashes to people without them having to leave their car.

Whether you applaud all these conveniences or lament the growing prevalence of shortcuts, “now” has become the new reality. You would be wise to embrace it now rather than later.

Thanks, Lynn!

leadership dot #2064: next steps

The Women’s Marches that have happened across the country have been a visible and powerful show of solidarity, but the underlying purpose of them is to stimulate social change. The organizers in Minnesota took steps to make it easier for participants to stay engaged after the March concluded by providing a list of 44 very specific action steps in three areas: Study Up, Show Up and Speak Up.

I have included the list here in the event you wish to increase your own activism, but even if you are not so inclined, there are two key lessons you can learn from how the March organizers structured their efforts to help those marching make a difference.

Organizers enhanced the likelihood of people following through by utilizing two tactics: 1) the action steps were printed on an 11x17 piece of paper. The information would have easily fit on a regular-sized sheet, but that would have made it much easier to “toss on the pile” and for it to get lost among other papers at home; 2) they asked people to make a commitment of what they would do – in the next 30 days – and then sign it. People are often well-intentioned but translating the desire into action is best done with specificity and concrete steps. It is a very different thing to sign your name under the statement “Today I will commit to becoming a Women’s March Minnesota citizen activist. In addition to my commitments [checked] above, I commit to (fill in the blank) in the next 30 days!”

Think of the kind of change you are trying to inspire and ask yourself if you have created a specific infrastructure around it that facilitates further action. Have you handed out a list for follow-up at your company-wide meeting or retreat? Do you provide specific examples of desired new behaviors in your organization’s newsletter? Have you asked people to commit to a specific action rather than relying on general goodwill or the translation of your intent?

Ensure that you put energy into outlining concrete next steps so you obsolete the need to march steps on concrete in the future.

leadership dot #1937: up your game

Having worked on a college campus for 30 years, I have long been attuned to the impact of rising expectations in other areas of life. When Amazon creates an easily searchable, fully mobile website, then students think that everyone’s website is of that caliber. If Chipotle allows you to customize your burrito, then the campus dining hall should have the same capability. If the local high school gives every student a new computer or is equipped with a state-of-the-art science lab, well, then, colleges should be even more technologically advanced. And if there are caps and gowns for kindergarten “graduation”, what does it take to elevate a college commencement to the prominence it deserves?

The bar was raised even higher by Sports Illustrated, which, in a move of genius, created SI Play, a platform that allows any team – from pee wee to high schools – to create their own mobile app – for free. SI Play is a platform for anyone involved in youth sports to share scores, photos and team information. It also tracks practices, travel locations, attendance and even scouting reports. SI Play launched in 2015, but already has 17 million users and has spurred a separate tournament management app and a third for live score sharing (not to mention a treasure trove of content for SI and SIKids!)

Think about it: if there is a professional app and multi-level functionality for the T-ball club, what does it do to raise expectations for your organization? The field isn’t leveled against your competition or others in your industry. You’re playing ball against all stars and, like it or not, things like SI Play should force you to up your game -- even if that game has nothing to do with youth sports.

leadership dot #1865: settle in

Yesterday as I was folding my laundry, I thought about that elusive sweet spot when things are worn in, but not worn out: when sheets are no longer stiff, but are not tattered; the shoes fit comfortably, but aren't scuffed, or the pillow has that right consistency of not being too fluffy nor too flat. 

I wish I could buy things at this stage of their life cycle, but then, of course, their lifespan would be too short. Part of the natural course is to tolerate some imperfection in exchange for longevity. I have my hair cut a bit on the short side so it isn't shaggy before my next appointment. I know if I leave with a length that I like, I will regret it on the back end so my stylist and I make accommodations.

As a user, you need to align your expectations so that you don't abandon an initiative or a product too early in the process. You should expect some rough spots in the beginning -- whether that be of your new purchase or your foray into a new venture. It takes time to create comfort. Have patience and allow the sheets to soften or the change to settle before you make a switch at the start.

leadership dot #1862: consequences

A new state law allowed for the purchase of fireworks, while leaving it up to each city to determine whether or not to permit the use of the devices. Consequently, we had fireworks for sale at most every big box retailer and countless tents in other parking lots -- selling rockets that could not legally be shot.

As you have already guessed, no one who bought the fireworks paid attention to the prohibition portion of the law. The police investigated 160 complaints -- but did not issue citations for any of them. What kind of message does that send for amateur pyrotechnicians next year?

I would guess that there are rules in your family or your organization that are on the books, but not adhered to. Children are told that you are going to "count to three -- or else," yet parents fail to follow through on the threat. Teachers proclaim "late assignments will not be accepted," but grade them anyway. Organizations say "no personal use of computers" but do nothing when employees check their social media feeds. Driving 5 mph over the speed limit is seen as within an acceptable range and not ticketed. 

Think about where you stand on proclaiming a stand that you do not follow. How do others know which boundaries to honor and which are flexible? What gives your word integrity if you do not always mean what you say? Having no consequences seems more detrimental in the long run than having no rules.

leadership dot #1853: end game

I wrote yesterday about my routine dental cleaning that ended up being a minor surgery at the periodontist. In my pre-op appointment, they explained what would happen (to the extent I would let them!) and sent me on my way. On the actual day of the procedure, I received a sheet with all the post-op instructions.

They had previously told me that this small procedure would take about an hour and have minimal pain. What they did not tell me was that it would alter my eating habits for the next six weeks! Three days of liquids only, followed by four more days of "mushy" food (yogurt, applesauce, creamed soup, oatmeal), followed by ten more days of "soft" food (pasta, steamed veggies, fish). This is all followed by "conscientious chewing" for the next four weeks -- only softer foods chewed on the opposite side -- and staying away from restricted foods like gum, nuts, hard candy, berries with small seeds, and even straws.

It all makes sense -- and, in fact, is not terribly arduous to follow -- but it was a total surprise. I did not have a three-day supply of liquid food (broth, protein shakes, liquid yogurt) in my house -- or even enough mushy food to make it my full diet for four days. I had lunch plans! I was going to Chicago -- the land of good food -- and could not partake! It is summer and there will be fresh sweet corn soon!

Many organizations operate like my periodontist: they share the initial information, but leave out the subsequent implications. Elementary schools don't prepare parents for the on-going costs of field trips and after school activities. New homeowners are counseled on the cost of the mortgage, but not the time and money that is required to keep the home livable. Colleges talk about tuition, but not the cost of fees, supplies or travel home. New parents take classes to prepare for the birth of a child, but are often left on their own to raise it. Ditto for new pet owners, new car buyers and those in a host of other unfamiliar situations.

So lesson #3 from the periodontist visit: Prepare your clients for the end game. It makes it much easier to swallow when expectations are aligned with reality from the start.

leadership dot #1835: squished

I am all for environmental sustainability, but when it comes to plastic water bottles, I think some of them have taken it too far. Bottles continue to be made with ever-lighter weight plastic – which sounds like a good thing – until it isn’t.

Light weight bottles are still stacked on heavy pallets -- and can't handle the weight. The tops of the bottles cave in, making them almost unusable. At some point, there are diminishing returns and I think some companies have reached that point.

Think about the products and services that you offer and be clear about your ultimate goal. Efficiency at the cost of effectiveness is all wet.

leadership dot #1834: Goldilocks

One of the skills of a good communicator is to know how many layers of a story to tell. It takes some savvy and judgment to assess what the listener really wants to know and to tailor your response to this.

For example, if someone at an airport asks you where you are going, you have many choices from which to respond:
> To Tennessee
> To Knoxville
> To the Hampton Inn in Knoxville
> To Knoxville to go to…. and then share your reason for travel

If it is a casual chat, I may not care for a level of detail and description of the many layers of your journey. But if I am your supervisor talking about a project, the equivalent “to Tennessee” answer will be insufficient. In that conversation, I may want to know not only the “Hampton Inn” equivalent, but maybe even what room and what time you will arrive.

It is worth the time as a supervisor to have explicit conversations with your staff about the level of information that is routinely comfortable for you to have and the method by which you prefer to have it. You can’t fault your staff for telling you too much or too little if you haven’t shared with them what is just right.

leadership dot #1828: gurgle

A colleague commented that: “when a funnel fills up, some gurgles back up before it goes out.” He was using it as a change metaphor, noting that change doesn’t usually go down smoothly. There is some backlash and hesitation before the complete change is implemented.

How can you plan for the funnel effect in your next change effort? It is helpful to anticipate that there might be some “gurgling” in the process – so you expect it, as do others – and you allow for the delay in your timeline.

Nothing about change flows smoothly.

leadership dot #1810: garnish

A menu item included a description of a salad: organic chicken, mixed greens, walnuts, dried cranberries, Gorgonzola cheese, sliced apples – and multigrain bread. It sounded delicious!

When it arrived, I laughed out loud because the “multigrain bread” was one oversized crouton, nothing more than a garnish. It would have been dwarfed by a pat of butter!

The salad, service and atmosphere were otherwise stellar. Why did they over promise on such a minor detail?

Think about the descriptions you provide of your products or services. Is there some aspect where you unintentionally exaggerate? Have your offerings evolved but your narrative hasn’t? Align your customer’s expectations with reality and leave the embellishments off the menu.

leadership dot #1803: intent

On a recent road trip, I was listening to the audio book Made to Stick (by Chip Heath and Dan Heath). It's an oldie (2007) but goodie about how to make ideas "stick" to consciousness and create the desired impact. 

While the book is full of many practical suggestions, the one that "stuck" with me in this round was the idea of creating a "Commander's Intent." The Heath brothers recount a story by Tom Kolditz, an Army Colonel, who intuitively knew that he could not list out precise instructions for all of his soldiers as the enemy maneuvers, current conditions and many other factors would make an explicit plan obsolete within minutes of hitting the battleground. What he could do, however, was to list out a "Commander's Intent" (CI) for each mission so that every soldier knew the ultimate aim and could work towards it in whatever way was available to him/her in that moment. 

For example, the CI may say the goal is to prevent the enemy from ascending the ridge or to capture the peninsula. By forcing clarity upon himself to write the intent, the Colonel was able to spread that focus throughout his units and allow them to act appropriately without minute-by-minute instructions. 

What can you do to provide an overarching statement of intent to your "troops?" There may be many goals you wish them to achieve, but by articulating one priority that supersedes the others, it can provide clarity and an understanding of in which direction they should head. If you help your "army" -- whether that be staff, volunteers or family members -- be clear about your wishes, they are more likely to make them come true, even when you aren't there at every moment.

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, 2007

leadership dot #1782: extension

Since 1955, the traditional Tax Day (when federal income tax returns are due) has fallen on April 15. This year, due to the weekend and then Emancipation Day holiday in the District of Columbia, taxes are not due until today (April 18).

Yet, even with an additional 3 days (72 hours) to file, the Internal Revenue Service estimates that 13 million people will miss the deadline and need to file an extension.*

People are deadline driven, but wait until very close to that deadline to take action on many things. A quarter of the tax returns will come in during the final week or later.** The week before Christmas is a shopping frenzy. The night before a play/conference/event is always a whirlwind. Many proposals, grants and homework assignments are submitted within hours of the due date.

As the bewitching hour approaches, a three day extension sounds like a magical thing. But when the gift of extra time is built into the deadline -- like with today's Tax Day -- it means nothing. People will use every last second up until the deadline. Acknowledge this fact instead of fighting it. Building in cushion time after the deadline instead of as part of it will make your final minutes less taxing.

Sources:
*Extensions requested: WHIO.com

** Number of late filers:  Deadline for filing taxes pushed back to Tuesday by the Associated Press in the Telegraph Herald, April 15, 2017, p. 5B

leadership dot #1775: in the beginning

On the very first day at a job, I was in a meeting where people were complaining about the acoustics in the room. I got up, walked out into the hallway and brought the fake ficus tree into the corner of where we were gathered. It wasn't perfect, but it went a long way in doing two things: 1) it did help with the sound bounce and 2) it signaled to the staff that actions were valued more than complaints.

When you are new -- whether in a new job, in a new role or even on a new committee -- it is important to do things early in your tenure that result in visible changes. They don't have to be monumental, but a series of small improvements sends a loud and clear message that change is a good thing. During my first 100 days on the job, I compiled a list of the 100 things that we had done differently. It was a great way to step back and reflect over the first few months and show people that improvements were happening.  

Often it takes some time learning and strategizing for impact to be made on the really big projects that you face. That work is essential, but so is continuing the momentum that comes with a person in a new role. Don't let the initial energy fade while you are working behind the scenes. Instead, be sure you start with actions people can point to. The short-term visible changes will reassure you and others that good things are happening because of your presence.

[For an extensive resource in this area, see The First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins]

leadership dot #1771: who

A friend had to replace a mini-fridge that was part of his cabinet layout in the downstairs bar. The new one was ever-so-slightly too big, so he asked a contractor friend to assess the situation and see if the cabinet opening could be expanded. The next thing you know, the contractor has power tools out and is sawing off a piece of the attached cabinetry. 

For him to do this was just another task -- all in a day's work. There was little risk that something disastrous would occur. For the homeowner to have done it, the chances that something could go wrong with the operation were much higher. There was definitely a risk that the cabinets would be irreparably harmed. If I would have done it, the risk would involve a loss of fingers, not just scarring the wood!

The risk level associated with a project is determined by the skill set of the person performing it. A pilot can smoothly land a jetliner, a sommelier can confidently uncork a $500 bottle of wine and a surgeon can effectively operate on a brain -- all with a reasonable and even routine level of risk. For others to take on those tasks would be foolhardy.

Before you answer "yes or no" as to whether something can be done, consider the skill level of the person who will be doing it. You risk having the wrong answer if you reply without competency in mind.

leadership dot #1768: burst bubble

With all the news about Neil Gorsuch's upcoming Supreme Court nomination hearing, it has caused me to think about Merrick Garland.

In case you don't recall, Garland was the candidate President Obama proposed as a Justice, but the Senate chose not to bring his nomination forward. I think about the thrill it must have been for him and his family -- a call from the President and a chance to be on the highest court of the land -- only for it to go nowhere, not even a hearing. But even knowing what he knows now, I'll bet that Garland would still be glad to have been nominated. It was a excitement that can't be taken away and something that he should cherish forever.

There are many moments in life that seem like they are the pinnacle, only to have the bubble burst later: a personal best time that still only earns second place, a nomination for a big award but not a win, an engagement that ends before the wedding or an upset win in the tournament that advances you only one more round. Keith Urban and the Mississippi State women's basketball team experienced it this week.

The trick to happiness is to savor the moment, no matter how fleeting it is. Don't let the let down overshadow the thrill. 

leadership dot #1765: joke

I recently called a local steakhouse to be placed in their call-ahead seating cue and was told that the table should be ready in 30 minutes. When I arrived, I was told that it would be an additional 30 minute wait. I was not happy.

Nor were the others in the lobby full of people. While they tried to mitigate our hunger (and anger) by feeding us appetizer samples, it did little to improve the mood.

You may be amenable to someone playing a joke on you -- especially today -- but having a restaurant provide a seating time that was a joke wasn't funny.

I have said before that the cardinal rule of service is to align expectations with reality. If the wait is an hour, people are much more agreeable to it than saying a half hour and meaning an hour. If you say it is April Fool's Day, people are much more receptive to being pranked than on other days. 

You've got a free pass for exaggeration today...but it expires at midnight!

leadership dot #1739: two dogs

When I sold my first house, the buyer was visibly nervous at the closing. I assumed her anxiety was due to the financial shock of signing papers for such a large amount, but I was wrong. As I attempted to reassure her, I learned the true reason for her distress.

"Your two dogs were outside when we saw it with the Realtor," she said. "My young son thinks that they come with the house and will still be there when we move in! He is so excited about moving because of it. I am just nervous about how he is going to react when we arrive and there are no pets to be found."

We often make assumptions about the motivations behind others' behavior -- whether that be at a house closing, business meeting or political rally. Make it a habit to ask, rather than to assume. You may be seeing the manifestation of something entirely different than what you would guess.