When I was in Pella, I think the only store I recognized in the downtown area was a Hallmark store. It made me realize how much franchises have changed the course of commerce:
> The growth of franchises has helped facilitate long-distance relationships, be it family or friends. It’s easy to give a gift from your local mall, knowing the recipient can easily return it to their branch of the same store at their local mall.
> Spanning geography also comes in handy for service, like buying a car in one city and repairing it at a dealer in another state.
> There is a sense of comfort due to the familiarity. You can go to a new town and know what restaurant has food that you will like, you know how it is prepared, and you have a good idea of the price range before you enter. The adventure may be gone, but chances are higher that the place will meet your expectations because you know what you are getting before you go there.
> On the down side, places now look so much more homogeneous, even in Europe, because the same stores are everywhere. There are many fewer “local” establishments that give character to the place. It used to be I knew I was in Chicago because of Marshall Fields and New York with Macy’s, but now Macy’s has no allure because it is everywhere.
Franchises and the growth of chains are one more way that we are all interconnected, but don’t get complacent about the chains being “your” stores. Keep in mind they are part of a larger enterprise and a portion of the profits go elsewhere. This weekend as you’re out spending money, be intentional where you do so. Buying local doesn’t mean the local chain.
— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com
Month: April 2016
#1428 wind at your back
I was in Pella, Iowa last week, a town that has enthusiastically embraced its Dutch heritage. In addition to the thousands (literally) of tulips in bloom, one of the main attractions was the windmill. This is a giant structure, 134 feet tall, and a functional one. The Vermeer Mill turns wheat into flour powered only by the wind.
The windmill in Pella is a replica of an 1850’s structure, but reminded me of the modern wind turbines that populate the countryside today. Wind energy is so prevalent in Iowa that a turbine is the predominant graphic on our driver’s licenses. Is this another case of everything old being new again?
Vinyl albums and turntables are making their way back as a method of choice for playing music. Brewing beer and growing gardens are now popular pastimes instead of done only by necessity. Fluorescent is showing a comeback in clothing, featuring styles and colors in neon shades just like in the 70s.
We are quick to look ahead and often forge forward without looking at the past. Let using wind as power be a lesson to propel you forward with a nod to the inventions that came before you. Not everything new has to be totally new.
— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com
#1427 worn out
Yesterday I wrote about Money Smart Week and shared a picture of the bag of shredded currency I received. It got me thinking about shredding, and how elimination is part of the organizational life cycle.
The Federal Reserve Bank shreds about $23 million every business day, and that is just in Chicago. Dollar bills wear out in about 21 months, and the $5 bill wears out in about 16 months, so the Fed is continually shredding currency in addition to issuing new bills.
In organizations, there is often a focus on what needs to be added, but Money Smart Week gives us an occasion to pause and consider what needs to be removed. What habits do you have that you should “shred?” What policies are in your organization that need to be reissued with a new look? Have you evaluated what you offer and thought of updating it, just as the Fed does with counterfeit-prevention measures?
Shredding isn’t just to get rid of confidential materials. It’s a declaration of permanence that we are done with this item and are moving on: no storing it only to revisit it at a later date; no ambivalence about whether it will be useful again “someday.” Take the bold step to be like the Feds and create a process that routinely evaluates and shreds what is worn out in your organization.
— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com
#1426 shredded
I was at the library the other day and walked out not only with a book, but with a bag of money! They were giving away sacks with approximately $364 of genuine U.S. currency, so of course I had to get one.
Lest you think I am kidding you, here is a photo for proof:
The bag of shredded currency is a metaphor for the money people waste on unnecessary or frivolous spending. Like the money in the bag, it is real money that gets frittered away, little by little, with nothing to show for it. In fact, the bag of shredded bills is more exciting than some of the purchases I have made.
I think of the children’s book Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday*. He didn’t shred his money, but he made small, inconsequential purchases until his money was gone. “Good-bye fifteen cents,” he says, over and over. I am sure many can relate to his habits.
Think about your budgeting at home and at your organization and see if you can’t make some changes that improve your fiscal health. Money Smart Week (April 23-30), highlights ways people can be more aware of and better manage their personal finances. At the website, there are dozens of resources on financial literacy, credit, budgeting and more.
It’s fun to get a bag of shredded cash at the library, but money without values looses its allure when applied to your real hard earned greenbacks. Use Money Smart Week to take steps so your budget isn’t unintentionally shredded going forward.
— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@blogspot.com
*Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst, 1978. (Yes, it’s the same Alexander who had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.)
#1425 gen Z
I recently participated in a webinar about Generation Z, those born between 1995-2010. It’s hard to believe that those students are in college when it seems like just yesterday they were born.