Month: February 2015

#992 quill

February 18, 2015by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I have this thing for feathers. I can’t walk by one on the ground without stopping to look at it. In my office and in my house I have several feathers that have made their way home with me. A rooster feather from the petting zoo. A flamingo feather from a Caribbean vacation. A peacock feather that is a prop in a training exercise.

While most of my feathers are grey and ordinary, one of my favorites is a feather from a hawk. I am sure that hawks were the kind of birds that supplied the quills in the days of ink wells. It is about a foot long and the tip is quite substantial. I can see Thomas Jefferson shaping our country with a similar tool in his hand.

I think about the paradox of how much more quickly we can write today — fingers flying over keyboards or using free-flowing gel pens — but how much less time we take to reflect and discuss in order to have something of substance to say. We tweet and use social media for insignificant sharing which yields quick communication but nothing enduring.

Think about the last tweet or text you received vs. the same number of characters in: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.”

Would you take the time to craft a more meaningful message if what you are saying was arduous to write, re-write or to communicate with others? Try to do some sharing this week that sounds like you wrote it with a quill.

— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#991 quick

February 17, 2015October 5, 2016by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Before Christmas, Macy’s had an ad in the Atlanta airport which featured a QR code to make gift-giving quick and easy. You could scan the code and do your holiday shopping while waiting for your flight. What was surprising to me was that the ad featured all items for men; given my experience, demographics in the airport and a bit of gender bias, I would have guessed it would be more men doing the shopping instead of the receiving.

Nonetheless, it seemed like this method of purchasing could be more prevalent in retail. Think of all the things businesses could anticipate people would want and then they could make them easier to buy.

Colleges could have a sheet of QR codes for all the dorm room essentials people invariably forget to buy until the day of move-in. Ads could be in gas stations for shovels, salt, scrapers and winter survival needs. The Humane Society could have a billboard to expedite purchase of everything people need for a new pet. Jewelers could have easy access to flowers, candy or dinner reservations. Non-profits could have a quick response for donations to accompany a sad looking pet or picture of a disaster.

As money becomes more electronic and swiping a smartphone is the way everyone pays, logging into a website and entering loads of data to make a purchase will seem antiquated quickly. Think about how you can target your appeals and make buying or donating even easier for people to do.

— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#990 persist

February 16, 2015by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Someone was complaining to me about another person. “He doesn’t listen,” he said. Nothing up to this point had suggested that was the case. There were no suggestions ignored, no examples of miscommunication or specifics the person could point to which substantiated this perception.

After trying in vain to clarify the problem, I reframed the question. “He doesn’t listen — or he doesn’t ask?” As he thought about it, it seemed that not asking was really the issue. The other party had not sought him out, solicited feedback or asked his advice. Thus, when she proceeded ahead with a project, my colleague felt unheard. Unheard translated to not listening.

There is a huge difference in the actions someone would take to address listening vs. asking. Understanding that distinction could make all the difference in resolving trust between them.

If something doesn’t seem right or ring true to your experience, dig a little deeper. Taking the time to clarify upfront could go a long way toward understanding in the end.

— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#989 quirky

February 15, 2015October 5, 2016by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I often ask myself: “Who comes up with this stuff?” when I see a new product in a store, a new recipe with less-than-conventional combinations or a variation on something that has been around for decades. I wonder how people come up with these inventions, and how they find their way to market after that.

One company, Quirky, is attempting to make the process easier. They are selling “products invented by real people like you,” and by the looks of their display, they are doing it well.

Quirky has an unusual assortment of items you can live without (because you have), but that may be intriguing enough to give them a try. Samples include:
> Pluck, an easy egg yolk/white separator
> Tether, a stemware stabilizer that keeps glasses from clinking together in the dishwasher
> Bandits, elastic bands with hooks — which loop over things to keep them together
> Round power strips instead of straight ones
> One arm scissors to make it easy to open packages

The thing that struck me about these items is that they aren’t lofty at all; they are every day items that someone tinkered with to make better.

What is out there that you can tweak to improve it? A product or a process that you could make a little differently but enhance it? Two ideas or products that you could put together to make something new?

Take the quirky message to heart and invent something to make your world just one little bit better.

— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#988 beyond puppy love

February 14, 2015October 5, 2016by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

For Valentine’s Day today, many will receive love letters from family and friends. Milk Bone took this idea a bit too far, and provided doggy valentines with the purchase of a box of treats.

I am not sure whether these are to be sent by you to other dog lovers or pretend to be from your pooch to show her devotion to you. Last time I checked, my dogs weren’t too good with the correspondence, so I guess they are for me to send to someone…someone who would appreciate the sentiment: “Love is a fur letter word” or “I Woof You”.

It seems that anthropomorphism continues to intensify each year. We live in a world where pets truly are part of the family, and as such are now included in holiday celebrations.

Is there a way for you to capitalize on this mania? If pets are so dear, can they help you promote a service or lead people to a cause? Could there be a campaign with a dog holding a leash in their mouth, encouraging owners to be “heart healthy” by walking them? Or stress free by snuggling with them? Or service-oriented by taking them to nursing homes or libraries?

Instead of sending valentines, use people’s love of pets to help them show the love to others.

— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#987 hold out

February 13, 2015by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I am spending a few days in Minneapolis at the National Association for Campus Activities board meeting and national convention. Just being a part of this event makes me nostalgic and brings back many fond memories of my original time on the board “back in the day” when I was directly involved instead of a guest.

From the time I started my career in student activities and met the then chair of the board*, I wanted to lead the organization. Easier said than done! I was very involved on the regional level, but when I ran for a seat on the board, I was not elected. I was heartbroken.

Not too long after that, the new chair called me and asked if I wanted to run the national convention. Choosing to do so would have precluded my opportunity to run for the board the next year. Oh, the dilemma! Take a great position now or hold out for something with no guarantee — what to do?!

I waited. And eventually was elected, and did serve as chair of the board. The whole experience remains one of the highlights of my career, and without a doubt directly led to other professional positions and influenced my entire future path.

I can be a rare thing to really know what you want, but if you do, hold out for it. I know if I had done the convention instead, I would have always second guessed my decision. Wonder-ing is a far cry from wonder-ful. Wait for the latter.

— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

*the incomparable Sara Boatman

#986 risk

February 12, 2015by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Last week, I wrote about the Whirley Pop popcorn maker. I am still enamored with it and enjoying the kernels of joy it brings to my household.

I originally purchased the organic, gourmet popcorn that was recommended to me by the friends who sold me on the popper. Usually the words “organic and gourmet” elevate the price of the product, and this was no exception. So when I went to the store, I was faced with the decision as to what to buy for bag #2: continue with the premium brand that I knew was wonderful, or experiment with a cheaper brand. This product would undoubtedly be a repeat purchase, so saving a few bucks on each bag could add up in the end.

I played it safe and bought another bag of the tried and true, but also bought the cheaper kind to try it. If anyone would like an almost-full bag of the regular stuff, I have it free for the taking!

But I am glad that I purchased it. Taking little risks with virtually no consequence gives me (everyone) the confidence to take larger risks and to creatively experiment. If you are in an unquestioned rut with popcorn purchasing, it is more likely that you will also make bigger decisions without thought.

Pay attention to what you do by rote and force yourself to mix it up a bit. Strengthen that risk muscle one little decision at a time.

— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#985 action

February 11, 2015by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I recently finished watching the PBS series about the Roosevelts (Teddy, Eleanor and Franklin). As with all Ken Burns’ productions, it was a slice of history told in an entertaining and compelling way. These three individuals truly shaped America as we know it today.

Franklin became president when the country was in the throws of depression. He enacted many pieces of major legislation designed to implement programs to help employ people and regenerate the economy. From the beginning, he said that his focus was action and that we needed to try things — if they didn’t work, we would try something else, but we needed to have action.

Several of the programs FDR initiated paid lasting dividends for the country. Others were failures. But his series of programs and attempts at action were enough to give many in the country hope, even if the outcomes did not work as planned.

Keep FDR’s mantra in mind when you are facing a tough situation. You may want to study the problem and search for the perfect solution, but more often than not, just the effort of trying something will make it better. What you learn from the doing is far greater than you learn from the pondering.

— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#984 thirty

February 10, 2015by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I just received a check in the mail for $30.80 as a distribution of my capital credits from an electric cooperative association. These credits were my earnings from 1983 and a partial distribution from 1984! The letter was sent in my maiden name to an address that I lived at five addresses ago. It took from November 7 to February 6 to find me.

“Some retail cooperatives return capital credits very quickly, while more capital intensive cooperatives, such as electric cooperatives, may retain them for a period of time in an effort to reduce the cost of borrowing,” the letter read. I guess they deem 32 years as an appropriate “period of time.”

While I am never one to turn down thirty bucks, I had no idea I would ever receive any distribution. When I think of the cost of the rebate and tracking people down after three decades, it strikes me that something better could have been done with these funds.

Couldn’t they have had a clause in the original agreement that all capital credits would be put in a fund to pay the bills of those unable to pay, or used to defer the costs of a non-profit agency? Maybe they could have used the funds to pay it forward and lower the costs of those in the cooperative now.

When you are establishing policies and regulations, add an element of practicality to your practices. Thirty years to return thirty bucks fails that test.

— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#983 sisters

February 9, 2015by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I complimented a friend on a new lipstick color and she said: “My sister picked it out for me. It is different than I usually wear, but she said to go for it.” It looked great!

It reminded me of the things my sister has picked out for me that are different than my normal fare, but always draw compliments. I have a brown skirt that flows instead of being straight. A turquoise/yellow/grey chunky necklace that I walked right past without ever considering, but goes perfectly with a dress she recommended to me. I have been places, bought things and done things at the urging of a sister that were way beyond my normal comfort zone.

I think sisters (and I assume brothers) make us bolder.

As I thought about why, I believe it is because they speak the truth in a way you can actually hear. You trust them to have your best interest at heart, and so, at least for me, I am willing to take more chances if they suggest them.

How can you establish a more of a sibling level of trust with colleagues? Are there ways you can speak the truth to those with whom you work so as to make them better and bolder? Can you give professional development advice in a way that pushes another beyond their comfort zone, but positions them for success they wouldn’t have imagined without you?

Be open to receiving feedback and be generous in giving it. Both ways can make you dazzle in ways you wouldn’t have come to on your own.

— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com