#1389 jump

I recently saw (and very much enjoyed) the movie Eddie the Eagle. It's one of those feel-good sports movies that make you believe reaching your dreams is possible.

Eddie Edwards wanted to be in the Olympics ever since he was a child. He tried hurdles and field events, but was never good enough to qualify. Then he got the idea to switch to the Winter Olympics and attempted to become a member of the ski team. He failed in that sport as well. Finally, he had the idea to become a ski jumper. Britain did not have a team, meaning he had no one to beat if he could qualify with the Olympic minimum. 

The movie, of course, shows the many trials and tribulations, including life-threatening injuries that Eddie sustained in his quest. It is as much about sacrifice as triumph, but what I loved about it was how Eddie kept finding ways to go around the obstacles that were before him. Almost anyone else, and some would argue any sane person, would have given up at several junctures, but this was Eddie's dream and he was going to pursue it, even if it (literally) killed him.

I think we can all take a lesson from Eddie the Eagle. We may not need to ski off the equivalent of a 30 story building to achieve our dream, but if we want it desperately enough, it is possible to achieve. We need to keep the big picture in mind (i.e.: be in the Olympics) and not let the details stop us (i.e.: Summer Olympics, a specific sport, a sport our nation competes in). If we stay focused on the ultimate goal, like Eddie, we literally can fly.

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

#1388 roll with it

I wrote yesterday about bowling, and when I think about it, except for the high-tech mechanisms, not much has changed since I first rolled a ball. The bumper sides now come up electronically, the pins return automatically and a software program does the scoring for you, but otherwise the sport has not really evolved. 

So many other institutions have reinvented themselves to serve a new purpose or to fulfill their original function in dramatically new ways. Libraries are now multimedia centers with 3D printers, Blueray rentals and MP3 downloads. Basketball has added 3point lines and shot clocks to fundamentally change the way the game is played and scored. Coffee has evolved from one pot being served at diners to a "third place" that is on nearly every street corner. 

But bowling is basically still bowling as we have always known it. I think that it is because the focus is on camaraderie as much as sport, and the true value is delivering an activity where a group of any age or skill level can interact.

Think about what you are doing to assess your organization. Maybe you need to radically reinvent or perhaps just make more subtle advances. Either way, you need to articulate what you truly deliver.

Bowling is about more than knocking down ten pins with a ball. How can you roll with your message?

Thanks to bg for the observation.

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

#1387 spare yourself

Robert Putnam wrote a book about the demise of the American community because of disconnection from families, organizations and neighborhoods. The metaphor he used to describe this demographic shift was bowling alone, the title of the book.

Putnam's theory doesn't seem to resonate with my experience with bowling. The new 30-lane alley in our town was bustling with leagues when I last saw it, and it seems to be a thriving activity in other places.

I guess bowling has retained its popularity because it is still an activity that people of all ages and skill levels can do -- anyone can bowl. And although this does not imply that anyone can bowl well, even novices feel like they came so close to getting a strike or hitting that last pin standing. At the start of each frame, most everyone hits something, so it is more about the positive than not.

Take a lesson from bowling and give yourself a second chance. Each frame allows for two balls, not just one. It's a good mantra to follow in other areas of life as well.

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

#1386 charms

I know St. Patrick's Day was yesterday, but except for the token green scarf that I wore, the day did not hold any significance for me.

This was not the case for everyone.

While I was getting my hair cut, a band of leprechauns burst in, chanting "Luck o' the Irish to ya Lassie" and "Happy St. Paddy's Day." They handed everyone a green carnation and a small box of Lucky Charms cereal, did a little jig and then left, presumably to spread their joy at another establishment.

What a fun moment of serendipity. No one in the salon knew who they were, but they made everyone there happy.

Maybe St. Patrick's Day is not "your" holiday. Maybe you're a fan of Easter, or Groundhog Day or the Winter Solstice. Maybe you just like Tuesdays or the 3rd Monday of the month. Whatever you celebrate, consider following in the pattern of these merry makers by sharing your joy with others. Spreading such happiness is like making your own little pot of gold.

-- beth triplett

leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots

leadershipdots@gmail.com

#1385 disengaged

I recently went to the pharmacy at Target and asked to ring up another item when I paid for my medicine. The item was supposed to be on sale, but did not ring up that way. 

"You'll have to ask someone else," said the pharmacist. "We're CVS, not Target."

Excuse me? 

I don't care if Target has contracted with CVS for their pharmacy services. But the moment they did that, the pharmacist became Target and not CVS -- at least in my mind.

There are many organizations that outsource services these days and it may make sense from a short-term fiscal standpoint. But unless you take extra care to train/treat/expect the "outsourced employees" act like YOUR employees, there may be costs that you aren't calculating. 

From the customer's standpoint, they are you, whether they feel that way or not. And lousy service from them will be a reflection on YOU, not their parent company. 

You can rely on others to perform the work, but never rely on others to impart your values and deliver them directly to your customers. For that YOU need to take accountability. No outsourcing allowed!

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

#1384 in the wings

I was recently looking for tickets to a musical and the website noted that the understudy for the lead would be performing on selected dates. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have an understudy for yourself?

Think of how nice it would be if the work would continue, as close to how you would have done it as possible, and yet you would have the day off to do as you please. You could have a backup in place to step in and fill your role if you were sick or otherwise "hit by the bus." There would be a person who knew all the intricacies of the work you do, without having to burden someone else with that information.

Most of us don't have the luxury of an understudy. As wonderful as it would be, we must prepare for times when we are unavailable and have contingency plans so the work goes on around us. 

Think of what you would most want your understudy to know and leave resources in that manner. How you do your record-keeping and documentation is like leaving the next person a script. Don't have missing pages for your de facto understudy.

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

#1383 due

I recently checked out two books from the library. They were due back in three weeks, but I have already read and returned them.  Why? Because there was a deadline attached to them.

There have been times when I have purchased a book and it ends up on a pile. I eventually get to it, but that same sense of urgency isn't there. I still have a book I received for Christmas that is unread, but the library books are always finished early.

How can you create deadlines for yourself to become more productive? You could self-impose due dates for projects or phases of your goals. In meetings, you could publicly declare when you will complete your portion of the work. You could hold yourself accountable to timelines, aided by the fact you attached dates to them. 

If a little rubber stamp with a date in a book can motivate you too, then use a real or even imaginary stamper to expedite your actions. Due dates are powerful tools, and even if you need to renew, I'll bet you are far more conscious of completing it than if the return schedule was open ended.

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