leadership dot #2084: sidewalk

If my puppy was wearing a Fitbit, hers would have 20,000 steps to my 10K. As I walked down the sidewalk, she walked across it, up in the yards, out on the curb and back again. Continuously.

We both arrived at our final destination at the same time, but her route had much more stimulation and engagement. There are many more sensory treats to explore on the sidelines vs. the sidewalks, and she took full advantage of the opportunities.

I think about the parallels for the workplace. Often senior members stay on the sidewalks and follow the traditional path. Unfortunately, they expect junior colleagues to do the same. Newer employees are like puppies that want to have the freedom to get to the finish line in their own way. They want autonomy and latitude to reach the same goal.

It is impossible to make a puppy stay on the straight and narrow course, just as it is fruitless to mandate that all employees follow narrowly-defined parameters. Let up on the leash and see what treasures your “puppies” can find for your organization.



Also see leadership dot #293: reflections from 1999 for a related concept

leadership dot #2083: blazing

I needed to walk a few blocks after a snowstorm and was grateful that someone had gone before me to create a path…

…until I started walking. It turns out that it is more difficult to walk in someone’s footsteps than it is to traverse on fresh powder. The previous impressions are uneven and spaced at different intervals than my gait, requiring greater effort to move forward compared to walking on the edges where the snow was untouched.

I think it is like that in organizations, too – it is easier to create a new path than to attempt to make progress by remaining in the ruts.

Keep this in mind when you are hesitant to go first. Blazing a trail sounds difficult, but it is actually the worn path that impedes progress.

leadership dot #2082: in conjunction

If you pay attention to the opening credits of movies, you will notice that they are longer than they used to be. Whereas one major studio used to bankroll an entire show, now you will see multiple production companies involved in presenting the film.

I first noticed this when I saw The Greatest Showman, brought to the theatre by three production companies. I thought this may be an anomaly given all the technical aspects of filming a musical, but it is not out of the norm. The Post, a basic drama, required six production companies. Shape of Water and Three Billboards each had three while Jumanji was produced by four different entities.

I think about the competitive nature of the movie industry, yet somehow it has become routine for multiple companies to collaborate instead of compete. They have pooled both fiscal resources and human talents to make something that would not be possible without a joint venture. And it’s not just a few companies; for the five films mentioned above 17 different production firms are involved.

How can you take a lesson from this and find ways to partner with those inside your industry? Your collaboration could become a showstopper for all of you.


The Post: Dreamworks Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Amblin Entertainment, Participant Media, Pascal Pictures, Star Thrower Entertainment
Shape of Water: Bull Productions, Double Dare You, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Three Billboards: Blueprint Pictures, Film 4, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Greatest Showman: Chernin Entertainment, TSG Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox
Jumanji: Matt Tolmach Productions, Radar Pictures, Seven Bucks Productions, Sony Pictures Entertainment

leadership dot #2081: pancake

When watching the Olympics I wondered what prompted some of the athletes to get their start; what triggers someone to begin bobsledding or luge?

But those sports seem downright ordinary when I compare them to a novelty demonstration that I saw at a recent conference. Daniel Drake is the owner of Dancakes, a company that makes customized pancakes – for parties, celebrities and college programs. It sounds crazy, but he has millions of social media followers, has traveled around the world, been on The Today Show and now has multiple, full-time “pancake artists” spreading his brand around the globe.

How does one become a pancake artist? By doodling with batter in an effort to garner more tips while working at a diner. One thing led to another and now he makes custom pancakes based off a photograph on a phone – and does so in a matter of minutes. People can gather around and watch his art appear – either on the griddle or on the big screen TV screen behind him. The cakes resemble the photograph as much as a caricature drawing would – only they are edible.

Why limit yourself to ordinary jobs? Play around with your creativity and see where your talents lead you. Maybe it’s to the Olympics, or maybe you create your own category and become a pancake artist.

The world wants whatever skill you happen to possess.

leadership dot #2080: outside

If I asked you whether you could recycle instrument strings, contact lenses, Solo cups, pasta packets, energy bar wrappers, cigarette waste, Flonase dispensers, Brita filters or GoGo Squeeze packets my guess is that you would say no. But you can!

Thanks to programs coordinated by TerraCycle, these items and many more are able to stay out of the landfills. TerraCycle is “an innovative recycling company that has become a global leader in hard-to-recycle waste.” They have multiple opportunities for consumers to recycle branded products without cost to them, just by signing up.

Take two lessons from this company:

First, just because your municipality doesn’t recycle something doesn’t mean that it isn’t recyclable. If you frequently use products in one of TerraCycle’s programs, it would be of great benefit to participate in their recycling plan.

Secondly, think of the implications for your organization. There are boutiques and specialists in many industries, but I suspect few have chosen hard-to-recycle consumer products as their niche. How can you think differently about an area in which to focus your efforts? You need not compete with the “big guys” and go head-to-head in common markets.

Think outside the landfill at home and for your organization!

leadership dot #2079: re-recruiting

Organizations and companies invest significant resources in trying to recruit their customers and new employees. Some even invest time in trying to retain them, but those who do often dedicate minimal effort, certainly nothing to what they expend on the front end of the process.

But what if we looked at retention as re-recruiting.

My real estate broker from St. Louis continues to send me postcards quarterly, even though I have not lived there for ten years. He doesn’t rely on just retaining my relationship; he actively tries to re-recruit me several times a year.

How would you treat your employees if you sought to re-recruit them? Maybe you would do more paying attention to fit, aligning their skills, offering perks and benefits, talking about opportunities for advancement. Colleges who try to re-recruit their students continue to provide academic and co-curricular experiences that engage the students and prepare them for their future. Companies that wish to re-recruit customers continue to listen, provide new products in response to that feedback and offer samples or deals to entice people to say with them.

Retention can be passive whereas re-recruiting implies action and effort.

How will you approach the relationships you are in?

leadership dot #2078: risky

Many people who eat out at restaurants frequent the same place and order the same menu items. While this can be a comforting thing for the consumer, it likely means fewer return visits due to the monotony.

California Pizza Kitchen has adopted a novel way to inspire customers to try something different by offering a Menu Adventure Guarantee. “We encourage the spirit of adventure, especially when it comes to tasting new flavors,” their menu reads. “So try something new – if it doesn’t thrill you, we’ll replace it with your regular favorite.”
My dining companion was comforted enough by their offer to try the Citrus Adobo pizza for the first time. The waitress even came back to check whether he wished to exchange it (he did not).

The Menu Adventure Guarantee is a low-risk way to encourage others to take a risk that could pay off for you in the end. Think of how you can model this formula for your organization: offering a refund on a new service, allowing for a trial period, enclosing a sample of something new in a routine order, or making it easy for customers to have a do-over for the experience.

The biggest risk you are taking may the one that you aren’t acting upon.

leadership dot #2077: little

I had a client who was lamenting the fact that she never seemed to have time to work on strategy development or the big issues that her department faced. Where could she find the time to do so?

The notion of “found” time is a misnomer; there are only so many hours in a day. instead of finding ways to add strategic time to her schedule, I suggested that she focus instead on cutting out a few of the little things that were consuming her minutes. It is less overwhelming to stop doing a few things – through elimination, delegation, or efficiency – than it is to feel daunted by the task of finding a few solid blocks of time.

And basic math would tell you that if you stop doing little things there will, in fact, be more disposable time. The trick is to bundle those minutes into something meaningful instead of letting them be frittered away by other little tasks in their stead.

It may seem like a mind game, but managing some small things is always a good start to getting control of the bigger things – with time, weight, emails and just about any cumulative task.

A bunch of little things equals a big thing – but the little side of the equation is easier to impact.

leadership dot #2076: it's your freedom

In an article about the future of ridesharing, a Lyft leader was asked about the impact of autonomous vehicles. She said that autonomous cars could not be everywhere and that companies like Lyft would still want clients to schedule their rides in advance. “If you’re going to use a car 4 percent of the time and it’s autonomous and could be used the other 96 percent of the time, that feels less likely that the model will be true personal ownership.”

Maybe decades from now when you can be guaranteed have a car come get you instantly, people won’t feel the need to possess a vehicle. But her comments reminded me of an old Mr. Goodwrench commercial slogan that has always stuck with me: “It’s not just a car, it’s your freedom.”

Sure, I could schedule times when I need a car, but I think of all the other times where I drove places unexpectedly. I “ran out” to pick something up when a need suddenly occurred. I went to another store spontaneously after I finished my first planned errand. I decided to go out for dinner instead of eating at home. There are countless times that I was glad I could just jump in my car and go.

Most people place a high value on freedom and autonomy. The more you require scheduling, the more you impose constrictions that eventually take their toll, not just with car-sharing, but with other limits and forced boundaries.

Try to give people as much latitude and choice as you can. It’s not just their ___ (task, menu, clothing, fill-in-the-blank), it’s their freedom.

Source: Insider Q&A: What’s next for ride-hailing? Interview with Tali Rapaport, Vice president of product at Lyft, interviewed by Tom Krisher, Telegraph Herald, February 4, 2018, p. 5D.

leadership dot #2075: subtraction

I came across an ice sculpting display and saw the parallels to how it connected to my class lesson on visioning. The artists saw something beyond what was initially there and worked to make it tangible.

There was a lot of trial and error involved as the artists worked to sand, grind and shape their vision into reality. They started with a small-scale model of their design then used it to transform an 8x8x6 block of ice into a sculpture, just as others take a seed of an idea and morph it into something grand.

One of the sculptures was carved by a group of college art students. In talking with their professor I discovered that the point of this assignment was to learn how to create via subtraction. Instead of usual artistic methods where the material is added to the piece, ice sculpting involves removing pieces of ice to shape the blocks into a design. It occurred to me that removal of what exists is often overlooked as a strategy for visioning, but may be a more powerful alternative in some cases.

Think of the kind of artist you need to be when developing your vision. Maybe you can take a lesson from the ice sculptors and focus on subtraction to find a gem hiding within.

leadership dot #2074: shipped

Sometimes we are so immersed in the workings of our organization that we take for granted things that others may find special or intriguing. For example, shipping an elephant from Africa may be routine for zookeepers, but those at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha recognized that the rest of us may find the process interesting.

The Zoo made a display of the elephant shipping container and turned it into a fun and educational opportunity. In addition to placards telling the story of the process, guests were allowed to climb inside the container and gain a perspective of the vast size of the elephants.

What do you have in your organization that is ordinary to you but could become extraordinary to someone else?

leadership dot #2073: sender

I recently received a major award from my professional association and learned about it through an email. In addition to the announcement and details about the award presentation, the sender wrote: “With the changing times it feels strange to send this [first] via email but I believe we have moved to this as a standard and expected form of communication. Perhaps I can generate a dot on this strange feeling.”

I’m not surprised about it feeling strange to send my notification in this way. He was experiencing the dissonance of using a method he thought the receiver would want vs. a method that felt true to him. It’s like the grandma feeling strange texting her grandchildren or them wincing at writing her a handwritten letter instead of a greeting on Facebook.

I think you can eliminate the strangeness with a decision about authenticity. I choose to send handwritten letters, even to my phone-obsessed nieces and nephews, because it is authentic for me. I welcome their thank-you texts for packages, although I would never send one. I choose to send emails or notes to colleagues instead of sending social media messages as they often do.

While much is written about tailoring your message to your audience, ultimately you, as the sender, should choose a vehicle for that message that is authentic for you. Receiving good news is fantastic no matter what the method and a sender should feel good about sending it, too.

leadership dot #2072: fresh start

Happy Chinese New Year! Many in the U.S. might be oblivious to this date, but the Chinese New Year is one of the most celebrated holidays in the world.

As with any custom, there are numerous rituals, foods, songs and colors associated with the festivities, but the one that resonated with me was the idea of cleaning your house. Legend has it that you need to have your house clean when the new year begins, and by doing so, you sweep away the bad luck and make it ready for good luck to appear. Many families go beyond cleaning to redecorate or add a fresh new coat of paint.

Much of the country is now entering the doldrums of winter. Skies are gray, snow is plentiful and temperatures are low. What better time than using the Chinese New Year to begin anew and prepare your home for the coming of spring. You could do the same in your office: brushing away the winter blues by adding your own artificial brightness in anticipation for the change of seasons.

Use today as a second chance to make a fresh start in 2018.

Learn more about the Chinese customs here.

leadership dots #2071: chart

When you hear National Park Service, many people think of places like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon, and picture rangers in wide-brimmed hats like Smokey the Bear. 

While this is true, the National Park Service is an agency that does much more than protect the 59 National Parks. Scientists, educators, conservationists, engineers and accountants comprise the workforce that maintains 417 different sites: monuments, parkways, seashores and preserves, as well as hosts over 300 million visitors/year.

To help visitors understand the breadth of the Park Service, the Lewis and Clark Visitor’s Center in Omaha has a beautiful display that communicates both the mission and the multiple departments that are organized to support it.

Oftentimes only the “front of the house” areas are visible to visitors or are highlighted in organizational publications. It was nice to see Property Management & Office Services, Safety, Information Technology, Human Resources, Contracting and Fire & Aviation Management as prominently displayed as Heritage Areas, Natural Resource Stewardship & Science and Ranger Activities.

Think about how you can make your organizational chart come to life. It may be worth adopting this idea for your organization as a way to recognize your staff in addition to educating others on the scope of your services. For political or public relations reasons, helping others understand your breadth is always a wise investment.

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 #2069: applications

I would venture a guess that most people use their smartphone primarily for functions other than telephoning, and that listening to music and surfing the Internet are not nearly as used as other applications hosted on the device. Yet, the original iPhone did not have any app options, and, as late as the iPhone3 in 2009, there were no in-app purchases available (all had to be downloaded from the computer via CD.)

Today there are over 2.8 million apps available for the iPhone and another 2.2 million for Android, all accessible with a swipe of a finger. Over $70 billion has been earned from these purchases, and apps are a key reason people have smartphones in the first place.

At the 2007 Macworld Conference and Expo, Steve Jobs famously said: “Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone.” The first iPhone was touted as a combination of three devices: iPod, mobile phone and an Internet communicator, and at the time, a phone that did more than just telephone was revolutionary.

Even Steve Jobs did not immediately foresee the explosion of supplemental products or the revolution he would create for how apps and software were installed, but this new line of apps and direct download have made the devices indispensable for many.

Maybe you don’t need to invent a new product, rather focus on creating an enhancement or service that complements what exists.

leadership dot #2068: capitalize

There has been much written lately about Amazon and its impact on the retail industry. The behemoth now accounts for 50% of online product searches and for 5% of total U.S. retail sales*. Its sheer size has intimidated many retailers and others are trying to emphasize attributes that such a giant could never possess.

But Kohl’s has chosen another path: rather than fearing Amazon, it has embraced the company as a partner. Now many Kohl’s stores offer Amazon returns: if you bring in an item to send back, Kohl’s will pack it and ship it for free.

Of course, the move is not purely altruistic. I am sure the motivation is to do whatever it takes to get customers into the store – where hopefully they will be lured into making a purchase while there. Whether it works out that way or not, I applaud Kohl’s for an innovative experiment that acknowledges Amazon’s clout but does not succumb to it.

Think of how your organization can draw parallels from the Kohl’s/Amazon agreement. Can you forge an unlikely partnership that capitalizes on another’s size while leveraging that strength for your own organization? Is there an organization in your industry to which you have conceded the market when you should have rethought your positioning instead? How can you service the customers of another provider?

Kohl’s faced the tiger instead of fearing it. Maybe the same opportunity is available to you.

*Source: The Future of Retail in the Age of Amazon by Austin Carr in Fast Company, December 2018/January 2018, p. 94-114.

leadership dot #2067: holiday of love

Have you noticed how Valentine’s Day is becoming much more commercialized and prominent this year? It seems that every store features an extensive Valentine’s display promoting not only the traditional I-Love-You kind of sentiments but also encouraging people to commemorate the day by sending greetings to friends.

This is more than the classroom valentine exchange. I have seen references to “Gal-entine’s Day” in several locations and heard of renaming the holiday SAD: Singles Awareness Day. It seems that everyone wants in on the action.

As Valentine’s Day approaches on Wednesday, think of with whom you want to share your greetings. It is a great holiday to send someone a note just to thank them for the joy they have brought into your life. Whether it’s a gal-friend, guy-friend, single buddy or paramour, never pass up an opportunity to tell someone that they have made your world a better place.

leadership dot #2066: complementary

I am fascinated with the intentionality of the packaging at big box stores. Obviously, the boxes were designed to enhance the visual when displayed in mega-quantities but it is done in such a subtle way that I doubt many people notice.

Often when we first create a product or service, we consider it on its own merits without taking into account how it interfaces with other products or services we offer. The next time you are proposing something new, treat it as if it were a package. How can you make a smooth connection with existing offerings? Can you do something so that your new addition complements that which is around it? Does what you have designed enhance the overall?

Strive for both and – a product that has merit individually and as part of the whole.

leadership dot #2065: middle

A colleague commented on yesterday’s post where I shared the list from the Minnesota Women’s March of ways to be engaged in activism. What he appreciated was the fact that there were many options and that it acknowledged not everyone would believe in everything or want to be actively engaged in a full-out common effort.

Many people have become so passionate about issues that there has developed an “all or none” mentality. You are for the Affordable Care Act or against it – precluding the possibility that you may like parts of it and want other components changed. You are for abortion or not, again, not allowing for nuances or exceptions that may shift your view. You are pro-Mac or pro-PC; a fan of charter schools and anti-everything-else, a believer in climate change or not.

More often than not these days, you choose a side.

How much more refreshing if you choose to listen or to “study” as the MN March list suggests. Or to learn more about the issue rather than blindly staking a claim for one position or another without fully understanding it.

In this season of gray skies, embrace the ambiguity that gray brings. You don’t have to jump from one side to the other, merely acknowledge that there is a potential for overlap in the vast middle in between.

Thanks, Brian!

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 #2063: prepare

While we were at the hospital with my mom, my brother asked me if I had my end-of-life wishes spelled out. I answered that, yes, I had a will, but as I thought about it further I realized that I did not really have any of the details written down and had not communicated the spirit or intent of my desires. As a result, I recently put those thoughts in writing and shared them with my siblings.

We thought we were prepared for the logistics of my mom’s passing: she had pre-paid funeral arrangements, a will, an organ donation form and her financial affairs had been transferred already. But we found ourselves asking about the little things: what she would want to wear, which picture to use, which friends to notify, etc. A will doesn’t touch those kinds of topics.

Many people want to avoid the end-of-life conversations in their personal lives, and they also ignore the issue organizationally. No one is going to be in their position forever, yet few plan for succession. Even the key leader of the organization, where the transition would have the most impact, often leaves their legacy in the hands of others. Or, if they have done any planning at all, it is on a mega-level – like the Secretary of Agriculture would become President if catastrophe struck during the State of the Union, but they leave no more detail or instruction beyond that.

It shouldn’t be a news flash that the end is coming – for all of us. Take some time before it does to share your desires and leave a road map for those who are left behind.

leadership dot #2062: dormant

Over 60% of the worldwide population of antelopes died over the course of a few weeks, and scientists have just recently discovered the cause. In May 2015 over 200,000 antelope died suddenly – and it was not the first time for widespread deaths of this species.

Researchers have learned that it was due to blood poisoning -- triggered by bacteria that had been present in all the antelopes without consequences – until above average humidity and temperatures occurred during calving season and triggered the fatal reaction.

This has me thinking how there can be disastrous consequences that we can’t even foresee. We make assumptions based on the way things are now but have no idea how another factor may totally change the scenario. Scientists knew there were a limited number of antelopes. They knew this bacteria already lived in all of them. But who knew the warm weather would activate it and kill them all?

I think we make assumptions like that in organizations, too. Our business model is working but then 9/11 occurs. Our organization has a donor plan but then the tax law changes. Our organization is thriving – in Houston, Puerto Rico, California, et al – until Mother Nature strikes.

The antelope example illustrates that organizations need to plan – and plan for various scenarios – as well as monitor trends and conditions that could cause the driving assumptions to change.

Don’t count on the future arriving in a linear fashion.

Thanks, Meg.

leadership dot #2061: transcribe

Many schools and organizations celebrate Black History Month with traditional programs such as speakers or dramatic events. Here is a new way for anyone to become engaged in learning about the history of our country: transcribing anti-slavery manuscripts.

The Boston Public Library is looking for volunteers to read the handwritten text and transcribe it by typing it out as a way to preserve the documents and make their contents more widely accessible. Anyone who has a computer can volunteer!

Instead of passively commemorating this month, take an active role to both learn about history and help share it.

Thanks, Meg!

leadership dot #2060: incentivize

I suspect that most of us receive email surveys from companies we don’t know and often hit “delete” rather than filling them out. My sister recently was asked to provide her opinion on human resource trends, and even though she was not familiar with the vendor, their incentive motivated her to complete the questionnaire.

In exchange for a few minutes of her time, Discover Org Research provided a $10 contribution to the Nature Conservatory. It was a win-win for everyone: the survey was filled out instead of deleted, my sister donated to a cause she believes in and, of course, the Nature Conservatory received a contribution that they otherwise would not have earned.

Think about the incentives that you provide for participation in research or similar forms of engagement. Maybe appealing to a greater good will do you some good as well.

Thanks, Meg!

leadership dot #2059: samples

While shopping last weekend I encountered a host of tasting booths at one store. All these demonstrations were offering samples of food with the staff harkening us to “try some free ____.” It was like trick-or-treating for grown-ups.

Then I went to another store that also had a plethora of sampling stations. Only at this place, the message was clearly: “try before you buy.” It wasn’t just free snacking; there was a distinct push to purchase the products that were being shared.

There is a vast distinction between “free” and “try before you buy.” If you have a clear intention for your marketing, be sure to say it in your messaging.

leadership dot #2058: refreshed

I have written before about how socks are the most requested items in homeless shelters. Not only do they keep your feet warm but clean socks also have an amazing ability to make you feel refreshed. This is a bonus for those in shelters who may not have access to clean clothes or showers, but even if you have a drawer full of Bombas or the finest hosiery, keep this tip in mind.

Switching your socks is a training tip that I learned long ago while attending a full-day workshop. The presenter had on very colorful and distinctive socks so we noticed it when he returned from break sporting a new pair. He insisted that just donning a clean pair of socks – with no other interventions – provided a boost of energy to get him through the long hours.

Whether you are attending a convention, retreat, or a day at an adventure park, socks are an easy-to-transport way to provide a refresh during the mid-day lull. Think of socks as cotton caffeine and use them the next time you need an energy boost!

leadership dot #2057: draw the line

My favorite ethics exercise is “Where Do You Draw the Line?” In this simulation, participants are given different scenarios and must determine whether the behavior is acceptable, somewhat acceptable, somewhat unacceptable or unacceptable.

What the groups don’t know is that even though the character in each group has the same name, each group has a different scenario with a similar bottom line. So, when the groups process as a whole, there is often much discussion and debate about how one group could find “Adam’s” behavior acceptable while the other emphatically found it unacceptable.

For example: In one scenario Adam took $10 worth of pencils from work and gave them to a charity (often seen as acceptable or somewhat acceptable) while another group has Adam taking $10 from someone’s purse (usually seen as unacceptable). Both scenarios involve ten dollars – where do you draw the line?

The ethics line can quickly become fuzzy when you start applying rationale to justify why something that could be seen as wrong should be allowed in certain circumstances. Strive for a clear demarcation of your ethics line.