#498 hidden treasure

In 2005, someone saw an opportunity to dig deeper.  Franklin Leonard surveyed 100 film industry experts about their favorite scripts that had not made into feature films.  He published the Black List and it took on a life of its own.  

Since its inception, over 200 Black List titles have been made into films, grossing over $16 billion worldwide.  Black List screenplays have won five of the last ten screenwriting Academy Awards.  They have won 25 Oscars, including two Best Pictures (The King's Speech and Slumdog Millionaire).  You may have heard of some of the other previously rejected works:  Juno, Life of Pi, the Blind Side, the Bucket List, the Kiterunner, Horrible Bosses, the Queen, the Proposal, Frost/Nixon, the Social Network.  Look at the list yourself at: www.blcklst.com

Today, Leonard surveys 500 film experts and receives an astonishing 60% return rate.  The list has become the go-to place for people to find great scripts and for scriptwriters to find producers.  Overall, it is a win-win for everyone, including the audiences.

Think about where you could look beyond the obvious and uncover a treasure trove of value for your organization.  There is a gallery in town that showcases art not selected for the primary venue.  Publishers could imitate the Black List for books.  The coach could recruit the second best guard or runner.  Schools could seek B students instead of only valedictorians.  Banks could take a chance on those not initially approved for credit.

Everyone wants the A-listers, but sometimes you have to create a list of your own to really find the treasures.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

Thanks to Meg for sharing!

#497 gym dandy

A few months ago, I joined a gym for the first time.  As I watched the miracle of physical therapy strengthen my muscles over time, I got the crazy notion that perhaps that type of training may be good for parts beyond my shoulder.  

I was scared to death to walk into the place.  I had a preconceived notion that everyone there was fit, buff, strong and coordinated and that I would stand out like a sore thumb.  So I hired a personal trainer to teach me what the machines even were, let alone how to use them, and develop a routine that would help me instead of result in a return to physical therapy. 

Today as I go to the gym, I don't think twice about it. I realize that I fit in there as much as anyone else.  We are all in our grubby clothes.  We are all pushing ourselves in ways that cause facial contortions and sweat.  For the most part, we are oblivious to who else is there or what they are doing.  

I also realize that I never want to go to the gym.  But I go anyway and it always feels good to have gone. 

Getting started is often the hardest part.  Whether making that phone call to a trainer to arrange lesson one or today walking into the gym and sitting down at the first machine, there is often more angst in thinking about it than is warranted in actually doing it.

Building strength -- whether in muscles or in organizations -- requires sustained gradual effort over time.  Don't wait to lift that first weight.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#496 a wonderful life

I was asked to write a few words in reflection about a colleague who is retiring.  When I thought about all of the student lives that he has touched and things he accomplished during his career, I wondered about the ramifications of his work.  Had one of his students gone out and started a worthwhile non-profit enterprise?  Had someone gone on to teach the student that eventually will become president?  Did his lessons shape the way another student parents his children?  Did a campus leader become a business leader and impact a community's economy?

I have often wished it were possible (without jumping off a bridge into the freezing water!) to show a "It's a Wonderful Life" view of other people's lives to them or to see one for myself.  I think most of us would be like George Bailey and be gratified by the ripple effect our lives have had and the impact we have made.  

There was recently a commentary about the movie by Entertainment Weekly film critic Owen Gleiberman*.  He writes:  "At the end, its official message is that George Bailey had a wonderful life because he made a difference in other people's lives.  The film's real message, however, is richer and deeper:  It's about how hard it is for all of us, like George, to see the magic of life as we're living it.  What George comes to realize is that even the things he took for granted or the things he didn't like (like that pesky banister knob that keeps coming off his stairway) are part of the the transcendent texture of the everyday."

I guess the lesson is that I should stop wishing for the movie and enjoy the live show.  Good advice for everyone!    

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

*Life Lessons in Real Simple, October 2013, p. 68

#495 party on purpose

Last week I was invited to a reception at an art gallery.  The invitation had a subtle reference to the corporate sponsor on the back of the announcement, but it was quite low key.  

The event itself was wonderful.  There was a live musical duet, great art and enough hors d'oeuvres to make a meal. 

But from an impact standpoint, it was a loser.  There was nothing on site that even hinted at who was sponsoring the event.  No banner.  No host at the door.  No corporate employees mingling with the crowd wearing nametags or organizational attire.  Zip.  Nada. Nothing.  What could have been a delightful way to say "thanks for being our client" was instead a lost opportunity.  

My advice:  never hold an event without an express purpose or call to action.  If you can't tell how your organization will benefit from hosting the gathering, you should call the caterer and cancel.  You'll get more bang for your buck by sending a box of donuts to the client's office instead.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#494 lights, camera...

I recently read an article entitled "Fighting Crime with Technology."  It sounds like an admirable goal, until you read closer and learn that that much of "technology" means surveillance cameras.  In our town alone there are 250 cameras placed at intersections, with 47 more on order. What started as a way to monitor traffic flow has become ubiquitous monitoring, recording life on the street 24/7 with some streams even shown as live feed into the call center.  

The cameras will undoubtedly capture snippets of your life, but what if one was focused only on you for 24 hours or a week?  What would they learn?  Think about how much "better" you might behave if you knew someone was watching what you ate, if you buckled down at work or shopped via your computer, whether or not you exercised, the way you treated other people and how you used your time.  What would your 24 hour video say about your values and dreams?

In a way, we are all being monitored 24/7.  Someone is always interacting with our organization or seeing part of our legacy.  You don't need Big Brother to be watching to be your best self.  Just pretend the camera is on and be a star in your own show.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

Source:  Fighting Crime with Technology by Alicia Yager, Telegraph Herald, October 6, 2013

#493 shared lessons

It's not everyday that I can read my email in the morning and start out with a smile, but it happened recently when someone shared the following post:

http://madcoachdiary.blogspot.com/2013/09/mentors-to-share.html?m=1> 

How nice to be recognized for making a difference in ways that I didn't even know.  

Matt's blog entry referenced my #313 as the entry that woke him up.  I had to go back and figure out which one that was!  (I have re-posted it below for your convenience.)  In addition to Matt, I had several others tell me that the wet towel analogy helped them, or they thought it was about them, or it somehow resonated with what they needed to learn.

The ironic thing about that entry was that I wrote it about myself -- I was very upset about something (that I can't even remember now) and I knew if I shared it, others would be sucked into my drama.  So I waited a day and then we addressed the topic without fanfare and moved on.

Today's lesson:  if you have something good to share about someone, make the time to do it now.  A shout out on a blog, a quick email, a personal note or a "hey, thanks" go a long way in refueling someone's spirit and energy.  But if your message is laden with emotion and negative karma that will detract from the core of what you're trying to communicate, then waiting until tomorrow will be just fine.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

#313 wet towel

When someone gets all worked up about something, the temptation is often to share their emotions with the first person around.  Many times this plays out like someone vomiting in a cartoon -- the words just blather out and spew all over the listener.  The original party may feel better, but those who were the recipient of the sharing now have the burden of dealing with the emotions as well.  

Like a stain on their shirt, they may choose to ignore it, but it is there nonetheless.*  More often than not, they don't/can't/won't forget it is there, so the time and emotional energy invested in the issue multiplies.  

It most instances, everyone would be better off if the original speaker allowed for an element of time to pass before sharing.  Time has the ability to decompress emotion and put things into a much more reasoned perspective.  Think of emotion as water being soaked up by a towel. Time is equivalent to ringing out the water, so that the towel may be easily passed on to another without fanfare or incident.  If you hand someone a soaking wet towel, all the attention turns to dealing with the water rather than the towel.  If you have let the emotion pass through, the actual issue may be addressed.

Next time you're tempted to vent or insert drama into a situation, ask yourself if you really need to hand off the towel while it is soaking wet or whether everyone would be better off if you waited a bit before doing so.  I'll bet you know the right answer.

-- beth triplett

*see Blog #230 

#492 pumping prices

The pricing of gasoline has always bemused me.  Why has the practice continued of posting the per gallon price with 9/10th increments,  as if $3.50 9/10ths isn't really $3.51/gallon?  I am also curious as to why vendors still post the prices for standard grade fuel.  I guess I should be glad because it keeps the playing field level.  Almost instantaneously, every station in town shows the same price for unleaded, and drivers can pull into whichever station is most convenient for them.  

Unfortunately, my car requires premium gas.  Of course this adds to the expense of driving, but it also adds to the time it takes to purchase gas.  Why?  Because, unlike with the standard grade where prices are posted, the price for premium gas varies widely by station since it is not emblazoned on the sign.  The same station is not always the cheapest either, so each time I need to fill up I need to check whether the upcharge is 30, 40 or 50 cents more per gallon or ask Gas Buddy where I should go that day.

It makes me wonder how things would be different if the price of other things were posted outside the store.  If there was full transparency would shampoo or jeans or diapers be cheaper?  Why don't pharmacies put in digital display their cost for insulin or Advil or beer?  

The pricing of gas and the sharing of those prices is a legacy from days gone by that the industry has perpetuated.  There may even be a law requiring the per gallon cost be publicized.  Your organization, too, may continue its practice of heralding the cost of your main item or loss leader.  But as a consumer, it's best to look beyond the billboard and ascertain the true cost to you.  It's easy to for everyone to look the same on the sign, but the true cost may guzzle funds right out of your wallet.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com