Month: March 2013

#293 reflections from 1999

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Thoughts while out walking…

I walk my dog on a 30′ lead.  Thirty feet.  Think about it…that’s ten yards.  Enough for a first down.  Those thirty feet of braided hemp provide a world of freedom compared to the typical walking chain.

Most of the time my dog doesn’t even know she’s on a leash; she merrily trots on her way, zig-zagging along the street, leash slacking behind her.  On a rare occasion I even get ahead of her and have to give a tug of encouragement to pull her along.  Oh, to be sure, she can still plod through the mud.  Yet, despite the vast distance between her romping and my guiding, I still have some control over her and more than once have been able to save her from a passing car or tug her back before she had an unfriendly encounter.

Sometimes the leash is a nuisance to her, and sometimes it’s even a hassle for me, but it pretty much works out well for both of us.

My style of supervision is a lot like walking my dog on a 30′ lead.  I determine which road we’re going to take, but it’s up to another to determine exactly how we get to the end of it.  I’m even often quite surprised by the path we take; somehow it’s hardly ever the straight or routine one.

I let others have quite a bit of freedom to determine the course, but they’re not totally off on their own (although often it may seem like it to them).  I still know that in the end I am ultimately responsible for what happens and need to try and save them from impending pitfalls.

Sometimes they get entangled in the connection, and other times I get hung up in the process myself.  But overall it provides a likable combination of freedom and direction for both of us, and the journey is more productive with the lead than if we were both out on our own.

Lead.  Not leash or chain or short rein of restriction.  The double digits of space make all the difference.

— beth triplett

 

Written in 1999 

#292 artists

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Last night I attended a lecture by a “real” artist.  We met in the gallery where she explained the inspiration, meaning and technique of two very different bodies of work.  She is clearly talented in both thought process and artistic skill.

I will never possess a fraction of her technical talents, but I consider myself an artist nonetheless.  I am a creative person, more by nurture than nature, and I believe that everyone can stimulate their brain to think new thoughts and have different ways of looking at a situation.  In fact, I recommend that people consciously and regularly partake in actions that cultivate a more creative perspective.

Examples of everyday options that can stimulate creativity include:
> Wear a different combination of clothes/jewelry each day for a month
> For your next gift-giving occasion, give something that you have never given before
> Read a book from a new section of the bookstore or library
> Eat somewhere you’ve never eaten; eat something you’ve never tried
> Converse with someone at least 10 years younger/10 years older than yourself
> Listen to a different radio station every day for a week
> Go on a date and spend less than $5
> Eat lunch with someone you’ve never eaten with before
> Drive home a different way each day for a week
> Meet in a place you have never been before
> Read a newspaper from a different city
> At each meeting, ask people to share what they have done differently since the last meeting

As you can see, none of these actions are lofty or remarkable onto themselves.  But developing a habit of flexibility and openness to new ways of looking at things leads to more creative problem solving and greater innovation overall.  There is an artist within you. Try to take some steps to cultivate it.

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


#291 pairs of pears

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One of the delicacies of life is to receive a gift box of Harry & David Royal Riviera pears. These are the premium, top of the line, ubber-succulent versions of the fruit.  Yum — my mouth waters just thinking about them.  At $35 (plus shipping) for a box of 9, they should be delicious, and they are.

In addition to the Royal Rivieras, at certain times of the year the company also sells Maverick pears — in other words, the Royal Riviera pears that may have a blemish or “minor cosmetic imperfections”.  These gems truly do taste the same, but are sold for half the price of the premium versions.  They come with their own special packaging and disclaimer:  “We grow a lot of pears.  Everyone knows that.  And naturally, some of our Royal Riviera Pears don’t grow pretty enough to be wrapped in gold foil and put in our baskets…”

In other words, these are the Royal Riviera rejects.  Harry & David understands that much of their brand rests on the excellence of their fruit, so they don’t want to disappoint customers by selling a slightly uneven or discolored pear as part of the package-to-impress.  So they align expectations with reality and sell them as “Mavericks”.  People are excited to get the same taste (and very close to the same appearance) for a bargain price.  Those who pay full price can rest assured that the quality will be impeccable for the gift recipient.

What steps can you take to align your client’s expectations with what you actually deliver?  Can you rename/repackage a product or service for a discount and end up delighting your customers instead of disappointing them because of the inferior quality?  How can you create a pair of high/low price/quality?  Think Banana Republic vs. Gap.  Or the grades of ground beef in a supermarket.  Or free apps that are full of ads vs. the paid versions that are ad-free.  Or AKC dogs vs. a rescue.  Value menus vs. premium burgers.  

There are levels of price and quality that suit everyone.  How can you be clear that what you are charging is equated to what you are delivering?

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




#290 incrementalism

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I have been getting a lot of help on blog topics lately (thanks!)  Here is another item from my sister.  Spend three minutes watching Queen Elizabeth grow up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=E8nJhG1xE5o
(you don’t need to subscribe; just give it a second)

When did the Queen grow old?  It is hard to say.  Especially for those who see her every day, the changes are so incremental that they hardly notice.  It’s the same thing when people gain weight or become gray or get depressed — things happen so gradually that the people themselves and those around them don’t really see the signs until significant change has occurred.

I believe that the same is true in organizations.  The service level deteriorates.  The fiscal health of the place becomes precarious.  The morale of a department declines.  Yet no one inside — the very people that can reverse the trend — notices until things are “bad”.  

We use an outside consultant and one of the things that he brings us is a view from the outside.  He sees us every quarter and can tell if we are sliding in one direction or another.  He can tell a difference because he hasn’t seen it happen every day.  He is our antidote to incrementalism because he only sees us after chunks of time have passed.

How can you add an outside view to your perspective?  Can you create internal benchmarks and use comparative data to see how things are in context of the big picture vs. how it feels just today?  Find ways to enter the forest instead of always living inside of it. The view is different looking back.

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


#289 doodles

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I have my opening screen on the web set to the Google homepage.  This started as an act of convenience, as I like its simplicity and ease of use.  But what I love is how, every now and then, there is an element of surprise as they add “doodles” — fun graphics, animation and colors to commemorate a special event.

There is a whole Doodles “museum” at www.google.com/doodles.  According to the site, “doodles are the fun, surprising, and sometimes spontaneous changes that are made to the Google logo to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and the lives of famous artists, pioneers and scientists.”  Undoubtedly there will be something for St. Patrick’s Day today, but last week there was a special homepage to acknowledge what would have been Douglas Adams’ 60th birthday.  This month alone, they have commemorated Vladimir Vernadsky’s 150th birthday, Evert Taube’s 123rd birthday, Andre Le Notre’s 400th birthday and Joseph von Eichendorff’s 225th Birthday.  (Who are these people you ask?  I didn’t know either, so, of course, I “Googled” it to find out.  Genius!)  

An intern was actually appointed as the first “chief doodler”, but now an entire team of designers and engineers have the responsibility for the 1000+ doodles that have appeared across the globe. They accept suggestions from users and are also sponsoring a K-12 contest to design them.  

And, of course, there is a Doodles Store so you can have your favorite doodle on posters, cards, stamps, skate boards, office products, clothing and more.  Doodles are country-specific and commemorate special people and holidays for 17 countries!

I think we can all take a lesson from Google.  Mostly, be about good service and a quality product, but infuse it with fun to delight your employees as well as your clients.  A little doodle can bring a smile to many — and teach some history too.  Now that’s smart fun!

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





#288 a mystery

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For one of our staff meeting nuggets (see #108), we were given a short scenario and asked to solve the mystery of what the case meant.  

Example:  
Jason feels perfectly fit.  He has no symptoms of any disease and feels no pain.  After a brief exam with a doctor, Jason is told that he needs surgery.  After the operation, Jason starts bleeding profusely and is in excruciating pain.  The doctor declares the operation a success.  What kind of degree does the doctor have and what did the surgery accomplish?

In addition to adding some thought and levity to our staff meeting, these “30 second mysteries” point out the problems with communication in the organizational world.  One person relays an accurate scenario while the other feels like pieces are missing.  The message becomes a complete puzzle and communication does not make sense.  Fortunately for us, the book proceeds to give five clues for each case, but such hints are not readily apparent in real life.

How can you review your communication — even quick exchanges such as those via email or hallway conversations — to ensure that you are putting in the relevant information to make your messages clear?  Take that extra 30 seconds to include the obvious in your communiques so that your messages don’t become a mystery to those receiving them.

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


Thanks to Julie for the nugget and inspiration.

Case #20 from the book “30 Second Mysteries, Volume II”, by Bob Moog.

Hints:
The doctor studied for many years to earn her degree.
Jason won’t be bothered by this problem again.
The doctor is not an MD.
Jason lost four body parts during the surgery.
Surprisingly, Jason was just as smart after the operation.


Answer:
The doctor has a dental degree (DDS) and removed Jason’s wisdom teeth.

#287 unnamed

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There seems to be tags or labels or some sort of identifier on everything — except socks.   All other undergarments have tags; why is it that socks can be totally anonymous once out of the original bag?


I want socks to be labeled so I can re-purchase the brands that actually stay up and never buy again those that continually need adjustment.  It would make it so much easier to sort if there were names or numbers that I could match instead of squinting to see the patterns. My laundry folding is like a game of “Go Fish”; does it need to be this way?

I recently saw an ad for children’s socks that have a plastic snap on the cuff — you just pop them together when putting in the laundry, and thus, pulling out of drawers.  It is easier for the parents and the child.  

I’m not advocating for the adult version of this, but I think that sock makers are missing a golden opportunity.  If you made wonderful hosiery, wouldn’t you want to promote your brand in the hopes of luring repeat customers?  

Do you have the equivalent of nameless socks in your organization — something that you put out there, but take no credit?  Maybe people would be loyal to you, if they only knew who you were.  

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

#286 k-a-t

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We hosted the Regional Spelling Bee on campus this weekend, and I was able to watch a few rounds.

The 8th grader who won, Joshua Kalyanapu, makes it his practice to misspell his word during the practice round.  It must be working for him, as he won the regional Bee for the second time.

Most of the kids on stage, and certainly their parents, all seemed tense and anxious.  But Joshua strolled up to the microphone, spelled his easy word wrong, and then went on for 21 rounds to spell the hard words correctly.

I think Joshua gives us a good lesson by reminding us not to take life so seriously.  You can experiment and have some fun in the practice round, as long as you’re ready to do business when it counts.  All of life has an ebb and flow.  Don’t try to keep on your game face 100% of the time.  Know when you can relax and take advantage of the opportunity to have some f-u-h-n.

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


#285 sharing

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In #75, I wrote about the three stages of transition as described by William Bridges (the ending, the interval/limbo stage, and then the beginning).  I recently received a copy of the obituary from his passing last month.

What I didn’t know about his work was that Bridges began his career as a literature professor, but found himself questioning this choice of profession.  He then taught a class called “Being in Transition”, but found little written about the topic or language to describe the feelings he was personally experiencing.  So he decided to write about it.

He feared that his work was “slight” and would soon go out of print.  Instead, what was an attempt to give words to a personal journey became a national bestseller (Managing Transitions) which sold more than a half-million copies.  Bridges also went on to write other bestsellers and continued to link his scholarly work with the experiences he was living throughout the other transitions in his life.

Many years ago, I talked to a speaker on the college circuit who advocated recording lectures and sharing the tapes, “otherwise you are just talking to air.”  Jayne Lybrand believed that what she said had value, and made the effort to pass her messages on beyond who heard her in person, even though at the time the reproduction process required significant effort and expense.

Do you have experiences that you should document and share, but feel that they are “slight” and not worthy of publication?  Are there lessons from your life that could benefit others?  Today’s technology makes it so easy to share your knowledge and insights.  Take a lesson from Mr. Bridges and give language to what you are living.  Your words may live on far longer than you do.

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

* William Bridges obituary in ASTD newsletter, February 28, 2013



#284 the flip side

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Yesterday’s blog wrote about the unfair burden that is placed on the individual to miss the final score in a game — instead of being a hero, he is often, unjustly, tagged for the loss even though many other events contributed to the outcome.

I heard interesting commentary on this thought that shares another perspective: 
The same is true on the flip-side too: placing all the praise & success on the last person to perform.  In the recent high school hockey Missouri state championship game, the underdog beat the heavy favorite in overtime.  It was a thrilling, well played 2-1 game.  

The MVP award of the game went to the player who scored the game winning goal; that was the ONLY thing of real significance that he contributed to the game.  No mention was made of the FRESHMAN goalie who made nearly 30 saves to keep it a close game, including throughout the sudden-death overtime period (even after the announcers on TV were talking about the goalie ALL game long). 
Anyway, I like to call it “prisoner of the moment”: focus on THAT moment rather than the whole process leading up to the success (or failure).  

This mentality of recency plays out in the organizational world most prominently at evaluation time: people are rated highly or poorly depending upon their short-term performance rather than being rated for their work throughout the year.  Supervisors and colleagues would do well to take steps to see the whole term of performance and to provide feedback accordingly.

— beth triplett and Brian Gardner
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com