Month: May 2015

#1084 raising

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Today is Red Nose Day — a day designed to “use fun and laughter to raise money for children living in poverty throughout the world.”  It is being dubbed as “fun-raising” (vs. funD-raising) and features a series of events to help encourage donations.

Examples include Walgreens, a major sponsor, selling red clown noses for the charity; restaurants such as Tony Roma’s contributing funds for each full rack of ribs sold, and even NBC running a live broadcast for the event.  I wonder if it will catch on and we’ll see people about town today sporting clown noses or laughing more.

It seems that fund-raising has taken on a whole new dimension these days, with each charity trying to come up with a unique gimmick to grab the attention of social media and donors.  The Ice Bucket Challenge, of course, and now Red Nose Day. Then on October 16 it is Be Bold, Be Bald! where people are encouraged to wear a bald cap in support of those with cancer and to solicit donors for the cancer charity of choice.  

The bar in fund raising has been raised.  

It will become increasingly difficult for a plain annual fund appeal letter to stand out and attract the attention of younger donors. What can you do to get your message out in a way that is creative, but keeps donations at the heart of what you are doing?

Take care not to become a fund-spender as you advertise and host events to get the word out about your fund-raising event.  

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




#1083 pay attention

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Yesterday I wrote about geocaching and yet one more amazing use of your smartphone.  Thousands of people are participating in the adventure, on the hunt for one of the 2,627,748 geocaches hidden around the world.

Once you start paying attention, a whole new world opens up to you. You see places (crevices, inlets, hiding spots) that you never noticed before.  You learn the history of old buildings and landmarks.  You explore different neighborhoods and parts of the city you may not have seen previously.  

It all feels new, only all these places existed before you paid attention to them.  You may have even walked by many spots, but just “never noticed.”

The same is true in our organizations.  I’ll bet that you walk by buildings and people without  minding them, and on your routine path you take things for granted or don’t see them at all.

Whether you go geocaching or not, try to see your world with new eyes as if you were hunting.  There really is treasure to be found, much of it compliments of Mother Nature instead of another geocacher, if only you focus in on what is around you.

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



#1082 hunting

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When we were walking home from the recent association board retreat I just attended, one of my (much younger) colleagues stopped us so she could look around for “a cache.”  Turns out, she was “geocaching,” a modern day treasure hunt aided by GPS coordinates on your phone.

Through geocaching.com, you can discover clues to find one of the caches that is probably right around you. There are over 2 million caches hidden in the world, all waiting to be discovered.  Once you crack the code, you can record your conquest on the log located with the cache, document progress on your phone and be off to the next adventure.

It is surprisingly addictive.

We found remnants of one cache at our first stop: a key chain on a sewer grate with no log or trinket.  Next, members of the group were climbing into the woods, looking for a capsule stuck in a rock wall.  Darkness came before the cache did.  On night number two, we had success — a magnetic tube stuck in the drainpipe of an abandoned emergency training building.  And on night #3 we located the sign that gave us a clue, but decided against going further and using the key we found, just in case it wasn’t part of the chase!  So another “NF” (not found) for us.

Apparently caches can be large or small, realistic or fairy houses, easy or hard and either an end to themselves or just a clue to send you on an even longer adventure.

Think about how you can apply geocaching to your organization or next event.  Can you leave clues about your group and engage the delegates at one of your functions?  What about hiding a cache near your HQ or in a place that has significance for your organization (it’s a great way to describe your mission or history as you give the description/clues).  Could you use it at a company picnic or event to occupy a group of children?

The possibilities are endless, and it is great exercise as well as mental stimulation.  

See you on the hunt!

— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

see www.geocaching.com
or www.clear.uconn.edu/geospatial/GPS/PDFs/A%20Beginners%20Guide%20to%20Geocaching.pdf for a beginner’s step by step guide

The black tube with orange top is the “cache” we found in the drainpipe

The log that was inside the cache to be signed and replaced in the tube
Note how many others have done this hunt!


#1081 hospitality

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I just returned home from a trip where I flew Delta Airlines.  Normally there is nothing remarkable about doing so, but on this trip there were several occasions that gave me pause — in a good way.  

Some examples:
> When I checked in, there was a notice that the trip was oversold and I could check a box if I was willing to be on a list to give up my seat for a voucher.  This makes far more sense than having the bidding wars at the airport, but it was new to me.

> Before I got to the airport, I got a call from Delta asking if my travel plans were flexible and if I could take an alternate flight.  When I said no, the caller was quite pleasant and “looked forward to seeing me at the airport soon.”

> At the airport, there was a “Have one on us” cart waiting at the gate.  Passengers could take a bottle of cold water or a bag of snacks for their enjoyment on the plane or in the waiting area.

> The person who took my bag said he would be “happy to get that bag for you, sweetheart.”

> When we landed, there was a popcorn cart in the baggage claim area with free popcorn while you waited for your bags.

> On the return trip, there was a cart of complimentary coffee and a handwritten note thanking us for our business.

> The pilot used the words “thank you for your loyalty,” a subtle but important distinction in the airline wars.

None of these incidents was monumental, but it caused me to pause and take notice.  And then I learned that Delta employees had recently undergone hospitality training with Danny Meyer, CEO of the Union Square Hospitality Group in New York.  Danny has written several books on hospitality* and is one of the gurus in the field.  

And it occurred to me that was the distinction.  Delta was actually providing a level of hospitality, not just service.  The change was noticeable.

There is a world of difference between a customer and a guest.  How can you treat those you serve like the latter?

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


*See Blog #92 Salt shaker, September 1, 2012
from Danny Meyer’s Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business














CAE = Columbia, SC airport

#1080 collecting

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‘Twas 225 days before Christmas, and all through the Hallmark house, every clerk was stirring, even the mouse.

Even though most people are celebrating the arrival of spring, some retailers are gearing up for the holiday season already.  It was the Dream Book Party at Hallmark this weekend, giving customers their first look at Keepsake Ornaments.  Ugh!

I don’t want to look at Christmas decorations in May.  I want tulips and sandals and bicycles.

But Hallmark has capitalized on that magic word: “collectibles”.  Those who turn in their Wish List early will receive access to a special ornament available only to collectors.  Oooh!

I think about all the beautiful ornaments that never leave their boxes so as to preserve their value.  All the Barbies, Beanie Babies and Cabbage Patch Dolls that never were played with or enjoyed.

Before you collect something for the sake of collecting it, think about what you are giving up in the hopes of gaining something more someday.  There are a lot of well-loved items fetching a nice price on eBay, and many unloved items collecting dust in closets.

Let your collections increase in value because of what they mean to you, not to a potential future buyer.

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








#1079 amenities

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Have you ever noticed that the more expensive the hotel, the fewer amenities they offer for free?

I recently was at a luxury hotel, where my $200+/night got me a room and shower.  Internet was extra.  Parking was exorbitant.  Breakfast was in the restaurant at the regular rate.

Contrast that to a mid-range hotel at half the cost — that offered free parking, a complimentary shuttle to and from the airport, a full hot breakfast in the morning, happy hour in the afternoon and internet access without charge.

Do the high end hotels believe their clientele can afford to pay for the amenities so they charge for them?  Or do the lower range hotels feel they have to provide the services to compete?  Are people who are willing to pay extra for the prestige and luxury also accustomed to paying a la carte for extras or it is worth it for the brand?

I am not sure of the rationale, but it is an interesting paradox to me.  Do you want to be the one who charges less and offers more or the one who charges more and believes they are worth it?

Either is right.  What is wrong is falling into that position instead of intentionally claiming it.

–— beth triplett

leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

#1078 outside the box

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My sister recently attended a conference in Austin and sent me the following picture:

A suggestion boot.  What a great way to leverage the theme of the conference and provide an incentive to get feedback from participants.

In what other ways can you use a non-traditional collection vehicle?  Firemen collect funds for Muscular Dystrophy in their Fill the Boot campaign by encouraging motorists to toss coins into their boots.  Sam’s Club customers could toss coins over a net into the center of a trampoline.  Ushers pass a giant Dr. Seuss-like hat to collect donations at an outdoor concert.  Raffle tickets can be placed in a piggy bank.  

The next time you are tempted to use a standard ballot box or collection basket, pause to consider what else you could use to make the experience more memorable.  The details make all the difference.

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


#1077 gold star

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It has been said that what gets measured gets done.

How can you take this further and celebrate what gets done?

I have a FitBit fitness tracker, and by the mere measuring of my steps, I am far more likely to walk 10,000/day.  Oftentimes I make one final effort to get those last steps in so I hit the goal and get my smiley face.  

This week I received my Japan Badge, telling me I walked 1,869 miles in my (FitBit) lifetime, the length of Japan!  I did not know this was a milestone; I was not working explicitly toward it, yet it brought a smile that I had achieved it.  

It is the same technique as the gold stars in grade school; internal motivation is fine, but it is kickstarted by that motivation to get the external evidence.


What can you do to give some recognition when a goal is achieved — either your own or by those in your organization?  Can you set some intervals, either randomly or logically chosen, where extra praise is given?  What is an equivalent to a Japan Badge that you could hand out?

Praise costs so little and means so much.  If you take the time to measure, make time to reward.

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




#1076 robots

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The other day, I went to dinner with a friend.  He gave the cashier two ten-dollar bills for a $19.54 ticket, and received $10.46 in change.  The cashier mistakenly punched in $30.00 as the cash given, and so the computer said $10.46 in change which he gave without thought.

When my friend asked if he had given three ten-dollar bills in error, the clerk looked at him like he was crazy.  I’m still not sure the cashier knows why we gave a ten back to him; after all, the register said it should be our change.

Following dinner, we went to get ice cream. There our total was $4.26.  We gave the 26 cents after the clerk had punched in $20.00 as the amount tended.  Literally, she had to ask the manager how much change to give us since the register said $15.74 and now she had this extra change to contend with.

My friend’s comment: “I weep for the future.”

How can you help young people develop critical thinking skills or even common sense?  I fear that they are becoming totally dependent on what the machine or someone else says, without any ounce of thought for themselves.

We live in the land of the free, but fewer and fewer people are capitalizing on their ability to think for themselves. Every chance you get, reward people for thinking on their own.  Only this way will 1+1 = 3 in a wonderfuly creative way.

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





#1075 outside inside

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For the next few days, I am attending a retreat for the national association where I serve as a guest elder.  My involvement in this role has been one of the most enjoyable professional experiences I’ve had, and I believe that it has been of value to the association as well.

I know enough to be helpful, and am far enough removed, well, to be helpful.  I can see things from a neutral perspective, without the political drama that is often attached to some issues.  

I can have an outside inside view.

The ability to understand an issue without being vested in it can be a very helpful position to be in.  I can understand the nuances enough to ask probing questions without having a territory to protect.  I can observe practice and make observations that others may have grown accustomed to and no longer see.  I know enough to be able to ask “why” about the hard things without annoying people by asking about the basics.

An outside inside advisor would be a valuable addition to any organization. Think about who you could enlist: someone who used to work in your industry but is now retired, a person previously on your team who has moved to a new division or branch in your company, or a former employee or ex-competitor may even be a resource.  

We all get so caught up in the details that we are often unable to see the whole picture.  Let someone else hold up a mirror so you can reflect on what is.

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