#60 permanent ink

There seems to be a proliferation of tattoos and tattoo parlors these days.  It wasn't so long ago that only the toughest of men had tattoos, but recently they have become almost mainstream.  Now having just one tattoo is almost tame; many have a whole appendage or shoulder covered with a design.

There are more ways than ever before to express your personality: piercings, nail polish in every hue, a rainbow of hair colors, customized messages on attire, bracelets or belt buckles or jewels that proclaim loyalty to a cause -- why do people have the sudden craving to politicize themselves permanently?  Perhaps it is because an unadorned piece of flesh is one of the few places that isn't already covered with messages screaming for attention.

Tattoos used to represent something that would be valued permanently -- a love of mom, country or a special someone.  Will the art that is embedded today stand the test of time and have that same endurance?  I suspect that there will be a robust business opportunity for tattoo removal services to reflect the ebb and flow of personal taste that changes over time.  Is there really any fashion statement I made in college that I wish was still with me today?  I think not!

However, I do like the optimism that tattoos represent -- the idea that something is enough of a treasure that you (usually!) want the world to know of your bond and are willing to endure pain to permanently commit to that proclamation.  

One of my favorite icebreakers asks participants "if you could get a tattoo for free, would you do so, and what would it be?".  A better question for leaders is to ask yourself "if your organization had a tattoo, what would it be?".  What does your organization treasure enough that it would endure pain to put it out there for everyone to see forever?  Work to metaphorically tattoo that on the hearts and minds of your stakeholders.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#59 do it for love

I went to a big band concert last night and heard the 14-member orchestra perform music from the 20s, 30s and 40s.  Everyone, including the leader, has "a day job", but they come together occasionally to play music from a bygone era.  What makes this group special is that they are playing authentic reproductions of the music, not just generic renditions that have been modified to accommodate today's smaller ensembles. It's not as easy to do as it sounds.  The original sheet music isn't available, so the leader listens to the music on 78 rpm records; writes down the music by hand, then sends it off to California to be transcribed for the various instruments.  And this is his hobby!

It would be so much easier to "settle" and use the music that is available.  But to him, it wouldn't be the right thing to do.  He doesn't need to go the extra mile; actually, he doesn't need the band gigs at all, but he does it for love.  He does it to honor the music to be played the way that it was designed to be played.

I wonder if 75 years from now some hobbyist will find anything of such value that it is worth her time to replicate so closely.  Are we producing any work of wonder that will live on and be enjoyed as much by future generations as it is today?  What from this era will become valued in 2087?  Maybe if we put the love in what we are creating, there will be something people will want to re-create long after we are gone.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#58 blue ribbon

Last week I took off on a beautiful afternoon and went to the County Fair.  It was the 59th annual fair, and I suspect that it is very similar to the first offering in 1953.  There are the requisite cows, goats, chickens and pigs on display in the agricultural buildings; the quilts, pies and crafts on display in the "cultural arts" building; freshly-squeezed lemonade, funnel cakes, cotton candy and sno-cones being hawked by the vendors; plus a ferris wheel, oversized teddy bear prizes and motion-sickness inducing rides in the arcade.  Part of the appeal is its familiarity -- just with a new generation of 4-H enthusiasts and smiling fair queen.

What I would guess is different from the first fair experience is that everyone who displayed in the cultural arts exhibits received a ribbon -- and I would bet that the ribbon color wasn't a coincidence.  A blue ribbon at the county fair used to be the pinnacle to strive toward, but not so much any more.  Now the meaning is diluted because there were a hundred blue ribbons given out in our county.  The Best in Show winners in each category got a bigger blue ribbon with the round center and fancy trim on the top, but is the impact still the same?

Those who lead members of the younger generations are going to inherit a workforce that is accustomed to getting blue ribbons for entering the fair and trophies for being a member of the soccer team.  It will challenge all of us as to how to provide recognition for meaningful achievements instead of just for participation.  I'll give the top prize to the supervisor who helps their staff get gratification from internal satisfaction instead of from an artificial reward.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#57 pebbles

A friend of mine recently left his position to take another.  To many, it seemed like a sudden move so people were asking "why?" and speculating on reasons for his departure.

Those of us who were privy to the behind-the-scenes happenings over the past few years saw that he faced numerous roadblocks, push back, hassles and questioning about his attempts to change.  There was no big incident; no rock that tilted the balance of his value scale in one act.  Instead it was a series of pebbles that were added to the frustration side with fewer pebbles added to the savor-the-victory side.  You can only fight the good fight for so long and then you tire of balancing the pebbles.His organization lost an amazing administrator, and sadly probably doesn't even realize why. 

Keep in mind that the litany of "nos", the sighs you hear and the unresolved issues are all adding weight to the wrong side of your valued employee's scale.  You and your organization will benefit if you intentionally reduce the negative pebbles or consciously add them to the positive side.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#56 honor

A friend of mine recently told me about one of his colleagues who was tapped for the difficult assignment of heading up an organization that had experienced trauma with its previous leader.  He asked her about her strategy for rebuilding the culture and trust.

"I try to learn what I need to honor," she answered.  This inspired leader started out by listening to others about what was important and what could be changed -- and through this process learned what she needed to honor in the organization.  Honoring did not prohibit her from impacting the area/culture/practice, but it gave her guidelines as to what to preserve as well as what to delay for action later.  

My suspicion is that the organization will come to honor her as time goes by for her insightful method of leadership and for fostering what the organization values. 

What do you need to honor in your organization or relationship?

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#55 strength

I have a far greater respect for physical therapists now that I have been through therapy myself.  My doctor's order said little more than "left shoulder impingement" and it was up to my therapist to design an in-home exercise program and to lead therapy sessions with exercises tailored specifically to my pain management and rehabilitation needs.  Each time I went to see her, she changed up the specifics and equipment in a seemingly effortless way.  

When I asked how she knew what to do, she told me that there were four stages that she works through: reducing pain, increasing range of motion, abduction and then finally strength.  I was struck at the parallels to organizational healing.  When there is an institutional problem, the temptation is to immediately work toward regaining strength, but that can only be done after the pain is first healed.  I like thinking about strength being last. 

I also took comfort in knowing there was some framework for my treatment, a "method to the madness" as it were.  Sharing even a simple structure or game plan with your staff can help them to conceptualize where you are going and perhaps even give them patience along the journey to get there.  It aligns expectations and adjusts hopes to fit reality.

"Left shoulder impingement" is about the equivalent of the job description people are given when they take a newly-created position.  The organization counts on their inherent knowledge to know what to do first, to evaluate what is/isn't working, and to course correct from there. I suspect that most people who start a new role bring with them a reservoir of experience and knowledge that they can draw from -- even if it doesn't seem that way at times.  Sharing with staff a simple framework of how you are working toward strength can give a reassuring context for their unknown.

Hopefully you will have the same success in your organization as my therapist did with my shoulder!

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#54 organizational therapy

I had the most amazing physical therapist who taught me many things over the past ten weeks -- far beyond the mechanics of shoulder abduction and range of motion.  Here are some lessons learned from my PT:

-- Therapy has an impact over time.  There is no silver bullet or one magic exercise that can cure you.
-- It is what you do in between the therapy appointments that count.  Twice daily exercises mean that -- even if it means taking the equipment on vacation, doing exercises in airports, staying up late, getting up early and doing it when it hurts.
-- Others (ie: my therapist) push you harder than you push yourself. 
-- Ditto for equipment and tools.  Who knew an exercise ball or 2# weight could be so heavy?
-- It is most important to do the exercises that are the hardest to do.
-- You can't keep doing the same things over and over.  Each session added in a new motion or additional repetitions.
-- You have to be brave!

It seems to me that these lessons can be applied in organizational settings as well.  Whatever you are trying to develop (trust, pride, branding, professionalism) can be strengthened in the same metaphorical way that you build muscle strength.

-- Building trust takes time.  There is no magic bullet or one thing you can do to earn it.
-- It is what you do when you are out of the meeting/spotlight that counts.  Building integrity doesn't just happen when you are on stage.
-- Mentors/colleagues/boards/bosses push you harder than you push yourself.
-- Ditto for analytics, data, external research and facts.
-- It is most important to develop the relationships that are hardest to cultivate.
-- You can't keep doing the same things over and over.
-- You have to be brave!

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#53 ask

I recently learned the hard way that my instinct isn't always right.  I was leading my year-old golden retriever into the vet when a tech came out of the back door, crouched down and called for her.  I was in a fenced-in area; the dog and tech both knew and loved each other; it was a totally happy encounter -- and I should have let go.

But the instinct that kicked in was to hold tighter to the leash.  As a result, the dog went, the leash went, and my shoulder went with it.  Ten weeks of twice or thrice daily exercise and 19 physical therapy appointments later, I'm good to go again, but it has been a painful lesson learned.

My gut was also wrong about the severity of the whole thing.  It didn't seem "that bad" when I did it, so I thought it would heal on its own.  So no ice, no inflammation-reducer, no doctor -- and worse yet, no exercises.  I practically rested it for about a month!  I finally gathered the nerve to talk to a physical therapist friend who instantly saw that I could barely move my shoulder without wincing and sent me off to an orthopedist post haste.

I learned many things from this whole experience (and will share more about what I learned from physical therapy tomorrow), but the most important thing was that I don't need to wait so long to ask for help.  I had many more resources at my disposal than I took advantage of and the end result was more difficult because of it.  

Is there help that you need that you haven't asked for or resources that you could use to make your life/organization better?  My instinct IS right about this one: you'll be better off if you ask!

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#52 juxtaposition

I was at a stoplight next to a car with a door-sized "pro-life" magnet plastered on the side panel.  Inside, the driver was puffing on a cigarette with smoke swirling around her. 

It struck me that her behavior and her beliefs seemed to be contradictory -- the magnet saying that she favors life while she simultaneously acted in a manner that may put life (or at least a healthy one) at greater risk.

It made me wonder what behaviors I have in my life that are incongruent.  Believing in the environment and recycling yet buying individual bottles of pop.  Advocating for balance but still working on the weekend.  Having a diet Coke while eating a chili dog. 

I think we more frequently think about alignment in terms of organizational brands and messaging, but your personal messages need consistency too.  Are you walking your own talk?

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#51 white and yellow

The printed phone book used to be a household staple.  Special furniture existed to hold the phone on the top, then a slot for the phone book underneath.  Phone books were indispensable items, with the new versions being highly coveted.

Not so today!  I don't think I have used a phone book in the past year and would be hard pressed to even find one in our office. 

In my opinion, three things have happened that is causing their demise:
1) the Internet, of course -- no longer does the phone book have a monopoly on phone number access
2) thanks to cell phones and faxes, the phone book is no longer complete.  It used to be that just about every number was listed there; now many numbers that people are seeking are not captured in print
3) the demographics of those that would actually (continue) using the phone books are those who grew up with them -- the older generation.  Cost cutting measures compel the phone companies to use smaller and smaller type, yet precisely the ones who would use the books have the worst eyesight. 

Those who would use it can't read it; those who can read it don't use it.  Are you guilty of the same in your organization -- producing things for an audience without regard to their needs and desires?  

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#50 watch what you wish for

Think of the irony of saving for a rainy day...

when half the nation is experiencing drought. 


-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#49 call me

The most desirable phone numbers used to be the ones that "spelled" something.  For example, I'm sure Cook Realty was intentional about acquiring 557-COOK and the driving range was excited about 556-GOLF.  It served both of them well years ago. 

But today's cell phones don't recognize "COOK" or "GOLF".  The numbers aren't linked to the same letter combinations that are on the desktop buttons and so it's impossible for a cell caller to know that translates to dialing 2665 or 4653.  When they only use the words on their signs, they are missing an opportunity for a sale.

Many businesses are oblivious to the gap since it is either so obvious or so ingrained in their thinking.  It has always been 557-COOK and 556-GOLF; no one thinks to change it.  Or radio commercials for a firm pronounced "hon-camp" don't bother to spell out "honKamp" when giving a website.  They hear "honcamp" and THEY know that it is spelled "honkamp", but it's likely that the new clients they are trying to attract don't know that.

It is hard to look at your own organization with new eyes, but it may be worthwhile to do a "new-media" audit of how your messaging translates to the way today's clients reach you -- or fail at doing so!

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#48 first draft

The most important lesson that I learned in all of college can be summarized in five words:  “Writing is different than editing.”   It was the admonishment of a curmudgeonly old journalism professor that we just write, putting unfiltered thoughts out there, and worry about organizing and editing them later.  

Because of this simple mantra, I have completed hundreds of proposals, papers, projects and especially a dissertation.  Writing and editing utilize different portions of the brain and as we worry about spelling or comma placement we cut off the creative flow that comes from freely expressing thought.  Writing without editing also produces far greater quantity of writing – giving the editor a larger selection of work from which to glean some “good stuff”.  It makes all the difference in getting something done.  A blank page is intimidating, but reviewing something that is already there takes much less effort.  We often know what we don’t like, so editing it out comes naturally. 

I think this lesson applies for many things beyond the literary world.  It is really about starting and worrying about making it better later.  START vacation planning and then narrow down specifics later.  START planning a menu for your dinner party and then swap out choices later.  START making a Christmas gift list and then make changes depending upon what you actually find at the mall.  START thinking of all those courses you could take and then pick one or two.  START dragging out the box of receipts and sorting them into piles and then determine what is tax deductible later. 

We don’t like to begin and we don’t like to have first drafts in life.  But a good life is like that – continuously editing to make it better.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#47 mirror mirror

Think of all the parts of your body that you never truly see.  From the neck up.  Your back.  Even parts of your chest.  Are you limber enough to see the bottom of your feet?  All we know of ourselves is a reflection of what we see in the mirror. 

Is this how life is?  Much of what we know of our inner self is also a reflection of what we see in ourselves through others.  I believe this is why experiencing new environments or travel is so important; it holds up the mirror for us to see new reflections of inner ourselves compared to others -- things that we can’t see directly.  

If we never look in the physical mirror, we're apt to leave the house with spinach in our teeth or an untucked shirt.  Our appearance is usually better after a glance at our appearance.  Our character and thinking ability is probably better off with a little reflection as well. 

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#46 a moment of silence

I was surprisingly affected when I learned of the passing of Stephen Covey, author of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," who died yesterday at age 79.  I never met the man, but I feel like I did. 

I first read the "7 Habits" in 1990 -- before some of my staff members were even born!  My yellowed copy is full of notes and Post-it flags and dogears. There is hardly a day that goes by when I am not quoting something he wrote in his seminal publication. 

My favorite Covey concepts:
-- Circle of Influence (focusing on what YOU can influence rather than what is your concern)
-- Quadrant 2 in the Time Management Matrix (activities that are important but not urgent, like planning, exercise, relationship building)
-- Stewardship Delegation (focusing on results and not methods)
-- Writing tickets (letting people know if you note a transgression vs. storing them up before acting)

In my opinion, Stephen Covey was way ahead of his time in his thinking about personal development lessons.  So much that is written focuses on what the leader or organization can do, but Covey's main work was 100% about the individual.  Our philosophies were very much in sync about personal responsibility being at the core of where change and growth happens.

A few weeks ago, I was at a dinner where I heard a presentation from two grade school teachers who are utilizing Covey's 7 Habits to develop character and personal responsibility in their students.  I was glad then, and am even more heartened now, to know that Covey's principles will live on.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#45 listen to that voice

I recently had a candidate ponder a job offer that I made.  He was very conflicted about whether to stay at his current position or whether to come join the fun here.  While talking to him, I heard my mother's voice in my head:  "when in doubt, leave it out."

She first spoke those words to me when I was a teen debating about whether or not to buy a piece of clothing.  Her belief was that if you weren't in love with it from the beginning, it was never going to get any better. 

That single piece of advice has probably saved me thousands of dollars in unwarranted purchases over the years, but I think that its meaning goes way beyond wardrobes and economy.  It can apply to job offers, food decisions (if you aren't craving that cupcake, don't eat it); ethical choices, romance and just about anything you can think of.

If there isn't a compelling reason to say YES, don't.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#44 mismatch

When they were first built, airports were marvels of modern travel -- tributes to the cutting-edge transportation they served.  I recently spent some time at O'Hare and was struck as to how behind-the-times the facility has become.

-- Why do airlines still use dot-matrix printers to generate pages and pages of the passenger manifestos?  Do you know anyone else who still has to rip the perforations off the side of the page?  Can't they send the information via an iPad?

-- Why haven't airports added in new power sources to charge all the electronics people carry with them?  Travelers were seated on the floor surrounding all the support pillars -- the only place in waiting areas where free outlets are accessible.

-- Why haven't airports figured out that there is revenue to be made from people waiting on the outside of the security gate?  There are minimal seating areas and a dearth of restaurants/stores where people in the airport wait for arrivals.  It doesn't make sense that nearly half of those in the facility are unable to access the retail establishments and spend their money.

Just because your facility was a showcase when it was built doesn't mean that it won't entropy.  Look at your place from a visitor perspective and see what impressions you are making.  Does your building match your brand? 

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#43 old-fashioned advice

At a recent leadership workshop I attended, one of the more profound nuggets came not from the presenters, but from a knitter in a nursing home. 

Dorothy Kennedy urges the fellow members of her knitting circle to go back and fix a mistake as soon as they see it.  Oftentimes this would involve tearing out rows and rows of carefully placed stitches that followed the mistake.  She knew that knitters would be tempted to ignore the error and foolishly believe that they could compensate around it or fix it later.  But her advice always proved prescient -- waiting just exacerbated the problem and the work to be re-done. 

Kennedy's advice holds true in multiple settings beyond her craft.  If you see a mistake -- in a report, in hiring, in what you communicated, in how you treated someone -- it is best to fix it as soon as you see it.  Waiting never makes it better.

-- beth triplett (& Yvette Jones)
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots

leadershipdots@gmail.com

#42 be brave

Many people today will have paraskevidekatriaphobia -- fear of Friday the 13th.  It's the only time it happens this year, so hopefully the discomfort will be short-lived.  

The date isn't the only thing to be afraid of today.  Of course there are the usual suspects like fear of spiders, heights, darkness and public speaking.  But Phobialist.com lists over 530 phobias that affect people -- being afraid of: the color white, otters, garlic, asymmetrical things, beautiful women, snow, your step mother, tyrants and even the great mole rat.

Some people in your organization may be suffering from different kind of phobias like atychiphobia (fear of failure), atelophobia (fear of imperfection), gnosiophobia (fear of knowledge) or gelotoophobia (fear of being laughed at).  These phobias are more subtle than some of the others, but they impede action nonetheless.

Make today the day that you are brave.  And try to help your staff to overcome their fears too.  Everyone has a lot to gain from curing the kainophobias (fear of anything new) that ails them.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#41 organizational gold

I think that supervision is the difference-maker in the best organizations.  Other players may get the spotlight, but strong supervisors create the infrastructure for greatness.

With a strong supervisor:

-- Good employees will walk through fire for the boss and accomplish amazing things.

-- Average employees will receive relevant feedback and coaching to make their performance better.

-- Poor employees will be gone -- either through their own realization that they aren't meeting clear expectations, by being coached out or by being fired -- thus opening a position to be filled by a better performer.

Strong supervisors are organizational gold: rare and extremely valuable.  Treasure yours!

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#40 say goodbye

It's a lot easier to get approval/acceptance for change when you frame it as a "pilot".  When people think that something is just being tried-out or is temporary, they are more willing to agree to test it.  

Most of us have piloted something, even if we didn't formally label it that way.  We've said things like"Let's give this a go." or "We'll see how it works out."  Piloting it is how we experiment or test something.

The problem is that mostly we pilot things that we are going to add or start.  Try piloting stopping instead.  Get off of a committee and see if it matters -- can you get what you need just from reading the minutes?  (If not, you can always go back on the committee!)  Stop running X report and see if someone misses it.  Pilot a plan to eliminate a form or a process.  (Does everyone really use all the data you collect and enter?)  Test out a bi-weekly meeting/reporting structure instead of weekly and see if productivity suffers.  Keep only electronic copies and pilot a "green approach" to no copying/filing of routine work.

Challenge yourself and each staff member to pilot at least one ending strategy.   Find something that can be eliminated for "awhile" -- and give stopping a try! 

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#39 all stars

I'll bet that the managers of tonight's MLB All-Star teams wish that they had a roster full of such talent for their regular teams.  Wouldn't we all like that?

But it is probably not a luxury that we will be afforded (or can afford!).  A wise colleague of mine counseled that as a leader, we need to evaluate our positions and determine where we had to have "A" talent, where we needed "B" and where we could get by with "C" performance.  "You can't have a team of all-stars," she said.  "But you need to be sure you get A talent in the A jobs."  

It is a pragmatic and insightful way to look at your role of acquiring staff.  What positions are critical functions for you and how do you attract the best employees there?  

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#38 play ball

The MLB All-Star Game is tomorrow and it got me thinking about baseball.  

Tony LaRussa will be the manager for the National League Team.  

Basketball has coaches.  Football has coaches.  Hockey has coaches.  Why is baseball the only team with managers?  

Tony will wear the same style clothes as his players.  

Basketball coaches wear suits.  Football coaches wear polos shirts.  Hockey coaches aren't in hockey jerseys.  Why do baseball managers wear team uniforms?

There are lots of differences in the actual sports:  all have clocks except baseball; no other sport has double-headers; nobody else is trying to hit the ball out of the playing field, etc.  These are inherent distinctions in the game itself so I am more accepting of the variance.

But why the difference with the manager?  Tony would look silly walking out in a suit to hand a reliever the ball.  But does he really need a big number on his back for the umpires to know who he is?  Wouldn't a polo and some nice shorts work well on those humid summer afternoons?

What about you and your team?  Are you a manager where you determine the lineup, call the plays and manage the organization or are you a coach?  Does your attire help you to fit in or set you apart?

I wonder what kind of difference any of this makes to the team.  But language, appearance, and tradition -- they are all powerful symbols that impart meaning.  Be intentional about the messages that you are sending when you Play Ball!

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#37 no contest

In my 6/27/12 blog entry (#26 true grit), I wrote about the Olympic trials.  I still am astonished at how late in the process athletes are chosen and dreams are made/crushed depending on just the performance in the qualifying events.

For me, heartache was taken to a new level in this year's track team trials.  Two women vying for the final spot on the team achieved a virtual tie.  Jeneba Tarmoh's time was originally recorded as one second faster.  She took the victory lap with the other members of the team.  But then the USA Track and Field reviewed the race and could not distinguish a winner.

The organization has no tiebreaking procedures and left it to the women themselves to figure out how to select the qualifier.  Officials suggested choosing the team member based upon the flip of a coin.  Thus one of the women, who ran a 100m dash in 11.068 seconds, would not be going to the Olympics because of heads or tails!  Instead the parties initially agreed to a runoff race (in spite of exhaustion and risk of injury) before Tarmoh decided that she would not contest the tie.  

To me, the mental endurance required to move beyond such a finish is even more admirable than the physical stamina required to run with lightning speed.  Every day people are required to bear emotional burdens that are caused by unalterable forces.  Make every effort that people in your care don't suffer like this because you weren't clear about the rules or process for resolving them.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

(Source:  Boston Herald.com, Monte Poole column, 7/3/12)

#36 one mile at a time

My car odometer just logged 100,000 miles.  When my first car hit this milestone, I made my sister accompany me to the mall parking lot where we inched our way along so we could see it at 99,999.9 and take pictures (with film, of course) of that and 100,000.0.  One-tenth of a mile seems like a very long way when you are trying to achieve it in a parking lot and the whole experience left an impression on both of us.

So when I saw her earlier this week, I let her know that I did it again.  "A hundred thousand miles?!  Where have you gone?" she exclaimed.

Everywhere and nowhere.  It is seven years of driving to work; running to Target; going out to lunch and doing what I term as "stuff-of-life".  There have been trips to visit family or to go on the occasional getaway; house hunting and moving to a new city (cities), but I am sure no trip has ever been near a thousand miles.  

The 100,000 milestone is another example of how the little things add up.  With enough time and enough persistence you will make an impact -- even if you do it one-tenth of a mile at a time.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#35 blueberry pancakes

I just spent a few days camping with siblings at our childhood vacation spot (Warren Dunes State Park along the Lake in SW Michigan).  We came from Iowa, Minneapolis and Boston to relive the fond memories of decades gone by. 

Except for experiencing global warming firsthand, the place was pretty much as we remembered it.  We talked about how the trip was like "vacation bingo" -- we felt like we were checking off memories that we were reliving and seeing things that still existed from our original time there.  Pancakes with fresh Michigan blueberries -- check.  Seeing sunset over the lake -- check.  Making pie irons around the campfire -- check.  Men walking with metal detectors along the beach -- check.  The cacophony of sandpipers -- check.  A raccoon digging in the trash during the night -- check.  It was like that for the entire trip.  

Yet while the siblings were re-living this experience, we had new members of the family who were going through the rituals for the first time.  In addition to filling them in on what we had to do, we told them stories about climbing the dunes, burying Dad in the sand, going to specific places for day trips, etc.  They were being enculturated into the family lore.  I hope that as a result, my 4-year old niece will someday bring her kids to this same campground and make blueberry pancakes for them.

How do you help new members of your organizational family learn the stories and legends that bind them to the others?  How can you help them live some of those experiences in addition to just hearing about others?  Everyone wants to know what will help them call out "bingo" on their own card.

--- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#34 your viewing spot

I went to the fireworks with someone who is crazy about them -- the Fourth of July is bigger than Christmas in his world.  So it was important to get a PRIME spot near the launch area.  We were so close that you could not only feel the sonic booms, but we could actually feel the heat from the explosions.  The views were spectacular.

But to obtain this spot, we were there four hours early, in 100 degree heat; of course away from any trees or obstructions (aka "shade") that could block the view once the show began.

Another friend watched the same fireworks far away on a bluff.  He missed the detail and the full sensory experience, but also missed the traffic and extended sweating!  Both of us made the right choice of where to watch them based upon what we valued.

The same holds true for many decisions within organizations.  Sometimes we need the detail and should be close enough to really feel what is going on.  Other times taking a step back and losing the finer points provides a necessary big picture view of the whole show and the overall environment.  Both have costs and benefits -- be intentional about where you want to watch your show.

-- beth triplett (with Mike Cyze!)
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#33 it's never too late

Joaquin Arciago Guzman, age 102, just took the oath to become an American citizen.  He is the oldest person to do so.  I wonder what his story is -- what prompted him to study hard, pay the dues and pursue this goal at such a ripe old age.  I am very glad that he did!

Maybe Mr. Guzman will inspire someone whom he has never met to do that thing that has been nagging at them for decades.  Finish that degree.  Write that book.  Buy that farm.  See those sights.  Start that business.  Pursue that happiness.

We are surrounded by people who can serve as examples of how to say YES.  His kind of spirit and gumption is part of the fabric of what makes us Americans.  I salute Mr. Guzman and hope that others emulate his optimism.  God Bless America.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

(USA Today, 6-28-12)

#32 playing with fire

Have you noticed the proliferation of "fire pits" in neighborhoods?  I don't remember anyone having them a few years ago, but now they seem to be the hot item (pun intended) in driveways and back yards.

I think that these fire pits are the modern day water cooler or the equivalent of chatting across the fence while hanging laundry in times gone by.  People are drawn to community, and when the pace and trappings of affluent America rob them of the informal encounter, they gravitate to what brings it back.  Privacy fences keep people out and air conditioning keeps people in -- so much so that many go without ever seeing their neighbors, let alone knowing them.

Thus many young couples gather around a fire ring to kindle relationships and nurture the primitive longing that people have to tell stories and connect with others.  One neighborhood even has a "man-fire" where the males utilize the fire pit as an excuse to gather and build bonds.  

What is the equivalent of a fire pit for your organization?  Think of how people are encouraged to create community and to gather in less formal ways.  Fire is powerful -- even if it is in metaphorical ways, use it to draw people toward each other.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#31 don't make me do it

Last summer I spent many happy hours reading an 1,166 page book (Master of the Senate by Robert Caro).  I continuously have a book or two that I am reading -- all by choice. 

As part of the preparation for a workshop I am attending next week, I am required to read three books.  You would think that I would dive right into them, but I have been staring at them for several weeks.  I don't want to read them because I am required to read them.  Somehow the thrill is gone.

I think the word "mandatory" causes similar bristles in others.  If we have required sexual harassment or diversity training, some people don't want to be there just because they have to be there.  If we make orientation "mandatory", it gives the impression that it is punitive instead of something people wouldn't want to miss.  Required reading has the same aura -- if it is such a great book, shouldn't people want to read it instead of being forced to do so. 

I required my staff to read a book for our annual retreat, and now I wish I had not done so.  I am sure at least some of them felt the same way and wanted to rebel at what was being imposed upon them.  I should have shared some concepts and raved about how great it was in order to encourage them to want to read it.

How much better it would be if we touted merits instead of requirements.  I am reminded of a quote by Antoine de St. Exupery:  “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders.  Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”

--- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#30 aspire to this

Leaders need to be like a spatula --
sturdy enough to get the job done, yet flexible enough to get the most out of even a rounded bowl.


-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com