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Leadership Dots will be on hiatus until January 1, 2018.

leadership dot #2025: giving wreaths

During the holiday season, many people are feeling generous and are inclined to contribute to a charity, but organizations must think creatively to make an appeal that stands out from all the other requests. Rush Copley Hospital has done that with their Giving Wreaths.

Employees or departments at the hospital choose to decorate a wreath. The wreaths are first displayed along the glass windows in the main entranceway, making for festive décor, and then anyone can purchase a raffle ticket for $2 and indicate which wreath they would like to win.

The Giving Wreaths have become a competition of pride among the participants and you can tell that much time and love went into making them. Wreaths each have a theme: Christmas on the Beach, Making Spirits Bright (with alcohol bottles), or Sugar Plum Fairy (with candy and sweets).

Think of how you can make your holiday donation drive serve multiple purposes: engaging employees, decorating your space, entertaining visitors and raising money. The wreaths accomplish all these things and may be an idea to adapt for your elves next year.

leadership dot #2024: expedite

Especially at this time of year, retailers are trying to move customers through the check out lines as quickly as possible. They have opened up extra lanes, set up roping to manage the lines and often have additional staff on hand. But why not involve the customers in efforts to expedite the flow?

The Ross stores capitalized on customer participation by putting a hanger stand in their lines. While customers waited, they could take the clothing off the hangers to facilitate the checkout and bagging process. Ross framed this task in a positive light: “Get your treasures home faster. If you’d like, remove your hangers and place them here.”

From the looks of the stands, many consumers were happy to oblige. Think of how you can engage your clientele to facilitate goals that are important to both of you and make everyone a bit more jolly.

leadership dot #2023: home stretch

I recently helped my sister complete the home stretch of submitting her doctoral dissertation. My job was to proofread the paper, help with formatting and put the list of references in proper APA style. We spent 13 hours a day, for two days, engrossed at the kitchen table completing these tasks.

In addition to learning proper comma placement for a government document/no author citation, it brought to light how we often underestimate the time it takes to create and maintain a solid infrastructure. For this paper, it required an extended period of time just to print the 216 pages, let alone proof them. I made substantial progress on a reading book while sitting at the printer waiting for the job to complete.

Our two days together was also a reminder that people bring different strengths to the table. My sister is visionary and excels at the big picture, but would have gone nuts if she had to plod through APA to get her references in order. She could do it, but it would have been harrowing. I can’t say that the task was fun for me either, but it was far better suited to my temperament.

On the next big project that you encounter, think about my sister’s dissertation. Remember that the message will be weakened if the mechanics become a distraction, so allow much more time than you expect to attend to the details and finishing touches. Find a partner with a different skill set than you have to complement the assignment of tasks and make them more palatable for all. And, of course, have more paper and toner on hand than you anticipate!

The last two days turned a draft into a dissertation. The devil isn’t in the details; the magic is.

P.S. Today is her defense: congratulations to Dr. Amy!!

leadership dot #2022: prepared

Before a snow flurry fell, I took dozens of actions to get prepared for the impending change of seasons:

Outdoors, I cleared the patio, put the hammock and grill away, moved plants indoors, cut back all the bushes, removed the hose, put my snow tires on and brought in the bird bath then the bird feeders. Inside I moved the sweaters to the prime drawer, put my sandals away, threw an extra cover on the bed, took the polish off my toes and ended pedicures. I stopped cutting the grass, bagged all the leaves and swapped the lawn mower for the snow blower in the garage.

Mother Nature sent all kinds of signals that winter was coming: the water in the dog’s dish freezes, the plants die, and gradually I go from wearing sweaters to coats to coats/mittens/scarf/hat. No one told me to stop wearing shorts or to turn off the air conditioner – it just made sense to do it.

Organizations should model their change efforts after the change in seasons. Help people understand what is coming and allow them to take steps along the way to prepare themselves physically and mentally for what is ahead. Point out the positives – like pomegranates, sweet potato fries, dogs on the bed at night and hot cocoa. Help them make minor adjustments to become ready for the new reality.

A night of steady 50mph winds brought us winter overnight and we went from 60 degrees to 30 degrees for highs. We may not like the change, but we were ready for it – which may be all you can ask for in your organization.

leadership dot #2021: waiting

While the hustle and bustle of the holidays swirled around me, I found myself sitting in a room with my siblings, aunt and uncle with nothing to do. We were all at the hospital while my mom underwent surgery so no one wanted to leave, but there was really no other option except to sit and wait. And tell stories.

We talked more in those few hours than we have in the past year. We heard about our grandparents, our mom growing up, what the third cousins are doing and other family news that would normally not be shared except via Facebook.

I see these relatives every Christmas, but normally the conversation revolves around the basketball game on television, what presents were under the tree, the meal and its preparation/clean up or other trivial chat. There are so many diversions and so many in attendance that the dialogue is exchanged in snippets, not paragraphs, unlike during the long hours in the hospital waiting room.

Don’t wait for a somber occasion to slow down the clock and have a good old-fashioned story hour with some of your relatives. Use the upcoming holiday gatherings to pull up a chair and actually talk with each other, sans technology, and learn a bit more about those roots on your family tree.

leadership dot #2020: spelling

For many people, myself included, dictionaries are about the spelling and looking up how to properly do that vs learning what the meaning or root cause of the word might be. One of my very favorite apps is dictionary.com. It says a lot about how I spend my time!

Having an electronic version makes it nice that I don’t have to lug a big dictionary around with me, but what I really love is the “did you mean?” feature. When you look up words in a print version— presumably because you don’t know how to spell them, you are left with no assistance if you are off the mark. But dictionary.com will provide you with a whole list of related or possible suggestions — and presto you can insert it and be in your way.

Think about how your organization operates. Are you like the print dictionary where all the information is there and fully accessible to clients — IF they know what to ask or where to look? Or are you like the app where you provide all the same resources PLUS anticipate what your clients might really mean and give it to them in that format instead?

There is a reason the print version is yellowing on my shelf.

leadership dot #2019: cut

There are so many actions that we take that can’t be undone: cutting a piece of lumber, trimming your hair or filing down fingernails – once it’s done you can’t go back. I learned this lesson the hard way after my laser surgery and the subsequent smoothing out of my tooth – the periodontist was a bit too aggressive and there is no “putting just a bit more back on.” It is what it is, even though It affects me every day.

When you are making a decision or doing something that is unable to be reversed, take that extra moment to follow the old carpenter’s adage: “Measure twice, cut once.” It’s sound advice for everyone.

leadership dot #2018: trigger

A great way to get gift-giving ideas is to walk the scrapbooking aisle at a craft store. There, amongst the paper themes and sticker collections, you will find a visual gallery of niches to inspire you. You’ll be able to glean ideas of many hobbies/ interests/ demographics/ backgrounds and hopefully connect one to a similar interest your recipient has. While the stickers won’t be your actual gift, a quick search on Etsy or Google will provide you with a host of gift-giving options to fit that niche.

It’s hard to come up with ideas from scratch so you can use the scrapbooking options as a trigger for other things. And believe me, stickers come in every niche: high school band, Germany, wine lovers, dancers, hunters, firefighters and beyond.

Take advantage of the idea gallery just waiting at your local craft store and see if a gift-giving idea doesn’t stick. 

Thanks, Tracy!

leadership dot #2017: portrait

One of the nicest traditions of December is the Help-Portrait project, where those with talents in photography, hair or makeup provide photographs for anyone in need. The goal is to create a smile and a memory for those who could not otherwise afford to have their picture taken.

I learned of this project through a colleague whose campus sponsors a Help-Portrait session every December. It is one of the most rewarding programs they host, as families are given a gift that will last for generations.

My childhood home was lined with portraits: each of us at 3 months, 6 months and every year thereafter through high school. Multiply that by five kids and there was a rotating art gallery of favorites. I think of the families who are not fortunate enough to capture these memories, or even to afford school pictures each year. The Help-Portrait meets that need for them.

We normally think of taking pictures, but these are the portraits that give. You don’t have to be a professional or create an elaborate event to give the gift of photography to another this holiday season. Consider organizing a Help-Portrait event instead of another holiday party and provide a memorable evening for all.

Thanks, Dave!

leadership dot #2016: don't suck

I consider myself to be environmentally conscious, but one aspect of my impact I did not consider is my use of plastic straws. I just routinely snapped on the drink lid, peeled off the paper and inserted the straw – in almost every drink I had outside my home. Just like other Americans do, contributing to the 500 million straws destined for a life in the landfill every day.

Why?

It is one thing to do it on large drinks to go, but do you really need a straw in a glass beverage at Applebees? Or one in a paper cup that you don’t plan on taking with you? No.

I never use straws at home (except for the one that is permanently inserted in my Tervis cup), and the thought of having a dispenser or putting a straw in a glass at the dinner table seems absurd. Yet we do it routinely whenever we have a drink at restaurants, fast food, snack bars, etc.

I never paid attention to any of this until I read the great article in the Washington Post that caused me to start consciously using straws instead of mindlessly using them.
You, too, can suck a lot less if you heed their admonition to go straw-less or at least use far fewer of the environmental nightmares than you are using now. Be mindful instead of mindless for a week and see what a difference you can make.

leadership dot #2015: decisions

If you do any kind of reflection activity, it always involves you thinking about the decisions you made in life and the trajectory that was created because of those choices. From interviews to journaling to meditation, we highlight the things that have influenced our lives – which college we attended, our upbringing, choice of a partner or having children, etc.

I like to spend some time thinking about the flip side of this – the choices I did not take or the moments that changed my path because of what I did not do. I wonder what would have happened if I would have taken the job in Seattle instead of St. Louis or if I had made a higher offer on a different house instead of ending up in the one I am in. I muse about what life would be like if I had not gotten married or if I had not divorced or what my health would be like now if I had accepted that first cigarette when it was offered.

My reality may be significantly impacted by consequences I did not even consciously make: did running five minutes late keep me away from an accident or choosing one seat on the plane over another prevent me from meeting a business partner? I think about the investment choices some broker in New York makes that impact my ability to retire or the regulations a politician makes that influence the air I breathe.

Our lives are an amalgamation of millions of tiny events – often far removed from us – that shape who we are and the world around us. On this Pearl Harbor Day, I think of all those who made choices that put them in peril’s way, and all those who averted disaster because of actions that had different consequences down the line.

The next time you are stressed about a decision you have to make, remember that we cannot control even a fraction of the decisions that impact us. Whether you do something or you don’t, or someone else does something that influences your life, all paths lead us to a place where we are destined to be.

leadership dot #2014: Santa

I heard a heartwarming story that encapsulates the spirit of Christmas, and it seems appropriate to share on this Feast of St. Nicholas.

A mother suspected that her young son was becoming suspicious about the real Santa Claus, so she took him out for “coffee” and a serious talk. “When you know who Santa is,” she said, “it is time to BECOME Santa. You do this by providing a gift or an act of kindness without someone else knowing who did it.”

The son apparently took the message to heart and stealthily dropped off slippers on the doorstep for a neighbor who went to the mailbox without them, with the note simply saying that they were from Santa.

Whether you have known about Santa for days or decades, it is never too late to share his spirit and to become Santa this holiday season. The world needs such kindness now more than ever.

leadership dot #2013: untold

My best Black Friday deal was the movie Hidden Figures for $4 – and I was delighted to watch it again this weekend. If you don’t know the story, it is a movie about success despite obstacles, specifically for three women who manually computed trajectories for the initial NASA space missions. Set in 1953, it chronicles Katherine Johnson and two other women whose mathematical genius went unappreciated because of their gender and ethnicity.

In 2010, Margot Lee Shetterly began researching the female “computers” who worked at the Langley Space Station in Hampton, Virginia where she grew up. (At the time, computers were people, not machines.) It was an untold story that no one had pursued, but her curiosity and investigation led to the publishing of a book and then the Academy Award-nominated film. In addition to the artistic acclaim, it has resulted in recognition of Johnson and her contributions to the space program.

NASA, who initially would not allow Johnson to compute figures except from heavily redacted reports, recently dedicated the Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research Facility in her honor. She also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama in 2015.

I wonder if Johnson, now age 99, would have lived her whole life without acknowledgment for her role in putting men in space had Shetterly not pursued a casual conversation with her father about his days at Langley…

…and I wonder what “Katherine Johnson” is lurking in your organization’s archives. Who was involved in the early days, maybe working behind the scenes, that has not received the recognition or accord that they are due? Do you have an untold story that needs to be shared?

Katherine’s story not only shines a light on her past, but it hopefully provides a beacon to inspire others to persist in light of challenges. Do some digging and see what figures are hidden in your organization’s history.


Photo source: Black Enterprise

leadership dot #2012: entire

As Amazon extends its reach into more and more of the buying experience, now they offer delivery inside your home. With the handy new Amazon Key, you can install a device that allows Amazon to control access to your front door lock, allowing drivers to put packages inside your home.

Amazon Key is only offered in select cities, but I don’t think I would be comfortable with this if it were to become an option for me. It’s bad enough when hackers access your social security number and financial data – I don’t need them having my front door code as well. But for some who live in higher crime areas or purchase items that shouldn’t be left out in the elements, maybe this is the solution they need.

But step back from the specific product to look at the overarching element of this – Amazon is intentionally involved in everything from the “Ask Alexa” initial ordering to delivery inside your front door. They don’t put things away in your cupboards – yet – but they have succeeded in monetizing each other aspect of the purchase – how you order, what is available for you to buy, the speed of your shipping and now in-home delivery.

What lessons can your organization take from this A to Z (pun intended) approach? Maybe you are limiting yourself to only one aspect of the entire acquisition chain when incorporating other elements could be the key to your success.

leadership dot #2011: the big apple

One in every 38 Americans lives in New York City. It makes the metropolis of 8.5 million people larger than more than 40 of the 50 states and twice as large as the second largest city (Los Angeles).

Yet, because it is a city, it does not receive the direct Federal funding, additional Senate representation or other benefits accorded to statehood because our system is set up to acknowledge the primary unit as a state.

Think about how your organization is structured. Do you have a “New York City” that contributes disproportionate revenue and influence without the proportionate recognition? Should you reconfigure some of your units or your infrastructure to support them in light of the uneven size differential? Would you be better off if there was increased parity instead of drastic variations in size/revenue/impact?

Or maybe your system works the way it is. Either way, it’s worth taking a moment to review and to either change it or consciously proclaim that you love your “New York.”

Source: New York City Department of City Planning,  Read more fun facts about New York City’s population here.

Thanks, Meg!

leadership dot #2010: resourceful

If you lived on a remote island in the North Atlantic, chances are that you would need to be resourceful and to develop some hearty problem-solving skills. Such was the case with the people in the Faroe Islands, a rugged country located between Norway and Island. This small country involved their sheep (which outnumber the people!) in order to get their beautiful landscapes on Google Maps in order to draw the attention of tourists.

Frustrated by their attempts to be included in Google’s Street View option, Faroe tourist board members strapped 360-degree cameras to the backs of sheep to record the views. And it worked – Google now includes them and the number of visitors has increased since the project’s successful end.

Now the tourist bureau has moved on to addressing language barriers of these visitors – pushing to be included in Google Translate, but creating their own “Faroe Islands Translate” until that happens.

Many people would throw up their hands and claim that it was impossible for a tiny entity to influence a giant like Google, but these islanders proved otherwise. They sought alternative solutions and did much of the work themselves. If you really want something badly enough, there Is probably a way to make some version of it happen.

Read the full story here.

Thanks, Meg!

leadership dot #2009: premature

You may have heard the saying: “It isn’t over until the fat lady sings” as an implicit warning not to consider something finished until the final steps are truly complete. Many times we get over a big hurdle in the implementation process and consider ourselves “done” when there are still loose ends and follow up projects to be completed.

In a stunning example of why you shouldn’t declare victory too soon, this 15-second video clip shows the end of a soccer match in Asia where just that happened. After a miracle missed shot at the end of the game, the goalie goes wild and celebrates by running toward the middle of the field and leaving his goal. Consequently, he is not there when the ball bounces back in and is scored as a goal.

Don’t stop working prematurely. Stay on your game until the curtain closes on the fat lady’s encore.


Fox News Asia


Shared on LinkedIn by Sudhanshu C Agarwal