Month: October 2016

leadership dot #1603: storytelling

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Yesterday I presented a workshop for the Iowa School Public Relations Association. My session title: An orange, a crayon and a paper bag — Storytelling in 2016.

The premise of the session was that, in today’s world where choice abounds — even for K-12 students — and state funding is limited, it is vital to for school districts to demonstrate value. And value comes from creating distinctiveness. I used the three items in the title as the basis for exercises to help participants gain practice in creating distinctions.

You may find them helpful as your organization strives to claim its role in a crowded field or aims to set itself apart from others to gain funding, membership or other benefits. I have written about these items separately, but think about them as a trio that can flex your creative muscle to master the difference between describing and telling a story.

The Orange exercise, the Crayons exercise and the Paper bags exercise can be found at these links.

Another exercise that is helpful in stimulating thought on distinctions is the matching exercise. While it may seem counter intuitive that finding commonalities leads to articulating differences, it does when you go beyond the obvious.

I used flash cards of simple pictures (like what is available in teacher’s stores) and asked the group to find what matched. As an example: It was easy to see that a fox matched the owl as both are animals, but harder to notice that the fox also matched the airplane as both have tails and noses. The owl also matched the airplane because both fly.

The storyteller’s job is to see new ways of connecting ideas, and today, everyone is a storyteller. Practice creating distinctions among seemingly ordinary or similar items to help you vividly communicate your organization’s value.

— beth triplett
@leadershipdots

Dot #608: orange, January 30, 2014
Dot #427: colors, August 2, 2013
Dot #138: paper bags, October 17, 2012

leadership dot #1602: overhead

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Yesterday I wrote about overhead projectors, and today I will share thoughts on a different kind of overhead — specifically the one that non-profits use to categorize their administrative costs.

I recently participated in a webinar with industry professionals who are leading an effort to redefine the perception of overhead expenditures being automatically viewed as negative. These leaders maintain that by placing a disproportionate emphasis on the overhead radio (the % that goes to administrative salaries and office costs), non-profits are hesitant to invest in the infrastructure that could help them more effectively achieve their mission.

The premise of the webinar was twofold: 1) that not all non-profits should be judged by the same metric — as international networks have a very different cost structure than do research organizations than do advocacy groups, etc. and 2) that no single metric should be used to evaluate an entire organization.

While the dilemmas may be clear, the answers to them are not. This was the first of a 3-part webinar series to discuss the matter and to help guide a conversation about how organizations should measure their impact, manage toward results and demonstrate the effectiveness of overhead expenditures.

There was even talk of creating a new name to label overhead (examples: core funds, vessel funds, operational costs, a new word — caust — that combines cause and cost, or the tongue-in-cheek variant of “things-we-need-in-order-to-do-our-job-of-helping-people-damnit”), believing that overhead has such an ingrained negative connotation that it cannot be overcome.

Whether you are a member of an organization or a personal donor, the debate around overhead should matter to you. How do you measure whether your dollars make a difference in achieving the mission? How can you compare one organization vs. another, especially when they address similar causes (eg: breast cancer)? What does it cost to do good?

The struggle that non-profits are having relating to overhead has relevance to any group attempting to share data and meaning in a two-dimensional way. It is an ongoing tension between complexity and simplicity in the quest to communicate meaning. Pay attention to the overhead conversation to learn how your organization can find that balance in its messaging.

— beth triplett
@leadershipdots

To learn more, download GuideStar’s white paper: Six Tips for Busting the Overhead Myth

Information from GuideStar Webinar “How Much Does it Cost to Do Good? Conversations on Nonprofit Overhead, Part One; October 11, 2016

leadership dot #1601: low tech

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I have been preparing for a workshop that I am facilitating and have come to the realization that I miss the trusty overhead projector.

Yes, PowerPoint or other electronic presentation software is more crisp, easier to share, allows for much much consistency and ease of preparing slides, but it also has a significant downside. Electronic presentations lock you in to a pre-determined order and make it hard to skip slides, rearrange them or add in additional components.

All of these things tend to happen in my workshops, and it used to be easy to grab a different overhead and place it on the screen to make a point that came up during discussion. I could capitalize on the learning moment instead of flipping through slides, or worse, looking on a flash drive to find a different document to bring up and discuss.

It was decidedly low-tech, but also seamless, and allowed me to have my repertoire of standard visuals at-the-ready.

Now, I need to know the order, graphics and points I want to make in advance — all before knowing the audience or where the conversation will lead. From a facilitator perspective, it is not nearly as powerful, so I counteract this by foregoing PowerPoint all together and relying on handouts, props and stories to make my point when I present before small groups.

Is there an aspect of high tech in your world that actually impedes your ability to do something that you would prefer to do another way? Do electronic books add anxiety to your “beach reads” because you worry about theft or sand with the reader? Does the availability of recorded television lessen the excitement and community built when watching an important event live? Maybe the ease of microwaving supplants your desire to prepare a home cooked meal?

Technology is amazing and wonderful — and, not always the perfect solution. Intentionally use technology as a tool when appropriate, and opt for other means when it is not.

— beth triplett
@leadershipdots

leadership dot #1600: checks and balances

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I volunteer for our arts council which employs one half-time staff member. Every time our office manager is out of the office, is coming in late or is leaving early she sends the officers an email telling us the times during regular office hours that she will not be there.

At first, this seemed like a frivolous thing to do, but the more I thought about it, I realized that it is a simple way to avert any suspicion or problems. I do not question her integrity at all, in part because of these emails that shows she honors her time commitments to us.

When you have a good employee, it is easy to give them a large amount of freedom and access. When you have an employee that takes advantage of latitude or that you suspect of doing undesirable deeds, it becomes clear that they need to be reigned in.

The problem comes in when you have a good employee — or someone to whom you gave a great deal of autonomy — who then starts having problems. It becomes very difficult to pull back on access or privileges without a confrontation or making a bad situation worse.

Having policies in place from the beginning that are designed to prevent suspicion or problems before they are needed is most appropriate. Good employees will have no trouble following them and it may avert trouble with others. You certainly don’t want to go overboard and monitor every little thing, but setting the expectations early and making it clear which deviations should be noted is a helpful way to have clear boundaries.

There are checks and balances on many processes and procedures in office life. If you make those expectations part of the natural routine, it will make life much smoother than having to institute them in an undesirable situation.

— beth triplett
@leadershipdots

leadership dot #1599: trash

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You wouldn’t normally think that a trip to a landfill could make for an educational and fascinating experience, but last week it did. The Metropolitan Area Solid Waste organization held an open house, and I, as the environmental nerd that I am, attended.

I was attracted to the event because of their slogan: “When we throw things away, where is away?” Where is away, I wondered, but soon found out.

“Away” is an 800 acre park that has been collecting, compacting and burying trash since 1976. And while there is no recycling done on site, they also run a host of services to keep things out of the landfill. Bicycles are repaired and sent to a rescue mission. Lawn mowers and snow blowers are used by area schools in small engine classes. Yard waste and food scraps are composted and turned into storm management materials.

Even with these efforts, each day 370 tons of trash comes to the landfill from the two counties that it serves! The trash goes into a 300 acre pit, lined with 11 different layers to protect the surrounding groundwater and make the greatest use of the space. Even with this attention to the environment, the landfill produces methane gas and leachate water that must be treated and discharged, as the waste produces additional waste of its own.

The tour took us via trolley out to the landfill itself, and it was a great visual reminder of the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling products. When we throw things away, it gives us the false notion that they disappear, when in reality we need to store the trash for decades.

What can you do to keep even a few items out of the landfill: Buy fewer items. Take unwanted goods to a resale shop. Buy large sizes instead of many individual-serving sizes. Eat less fast food. Use a Nalgene bottle instead of buying bottled water. Repair appliances instead of replacing them. Invest in quality to extend the life of your goods. Use both sides of the paper before recycling it. The list of actions is as vast as the landfill is.

If everyone took action to keep one thing out of the landfill every day, think of the amazing difference it could make. Make today the day you start to do your part.

— beth triplett
@leadershipdots

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leadership dot #1598: tweeze

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You can buy a pair of tweezers for less than $5, or you can buy a pair of Tweezerman tweezers for three times that. Empirically, I don’t understand the difference, but when I use them, I can certainly tell.

Tweezerman implements also come with a lifetime guarantee for free sharpening. I never thought of tweezers as something that needed to be sharpened, but when mine stopped having a firm grip, I thought I would try it. I sent the implement off to them, and a week later it was returned in a nice little sleeve with a note. And what do you know, sharpened tweezers do work better!

I don’t think that anyone buys a Tweezerman because of the free sharpening, but it is still a nice bonus to add. I feel good about it and their product works better, so ultimately I feel good about the company. A win-win for everyone.

What additional service can you add to enhance the performance of your product or the use of your organization’s service? It likely won’t cost you much to perform, but you could sharpen your relationship with your customers in the process.

— beth triplett
@leadershipdots

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leadership dot #1597: teal pumpkins

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As you are out running errands this weekend, shopping for Halloween treats may be on your mind. Instead of your usual purchase of bags of candy, this year consider giving out a non-food treat and hanging a teal pumpkin sticker on your door.

Through its Teal Pumpkin Project, the Food Allergy Research & Education organization is attempting to promote the availability of alternative treats for children who experience food allergies. By placing a teal pumpkin or sticker on your porch, it is an indication that you are supporting their efforts and have non-food treats available.

Examples of treats could be decorated pencils, light sticks, miniature toys, shaped erasers, coins or temporary tattoos. The goal of the project is to promote inclusion for children who are unable to eat nuts, sugar, wheat or other treat ingredients.

Over 15 million Americans experience some sort of food allergy, and awareness has heightened in all types of venues about the dangers present in trigger foods. Now in its third year, the movement is gaining national sponsors and increased exposure.

It is no surprise that the project was inspired by a mom whose child experienced allergies, but it is more unexpected that it has taken this long for a coordinated effort to begin given the number of children impacted.

So whether you hand out all non-food items or just have a supply on hand for your special visitors, this Halloween make an effort to give treats that all your trick-or-treaters can enjoy.

— beth triplett
@leadershipdots

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leadership dot #1596: maybe

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There was an article in our local paper featuring an interview with several exchange students who are studying at area high schools. The students were asked for impressions about their experiences in the States, including their thoughts on the upcoming election.

One astute student said that he noticed how candidate statements went to the extremes. “There’s no such thing as ‘maybe’ in the promises here”, said Akshaj Shah from India.

It reminded me of the book Getting to Maybe, a decade-old Canadian manifesto about how to stimulate social innovation. I have always loved the premise of the book and the spirit of compromise that is embodied in the title.

As authors Frances Westley, Brenda Zimmerman and Michael Quinn Patton describe:

“Maybe” so accurately describes our fundamental relationship to the world. It is a relationship in which time is one of the critical dimensions — a relationship to what is ahead, a relationship that is constantly unfolding…

“Maybe” comes with no guarantees, only a chance. But “maybe” has always been the best odds the world has offered to those who set out to alter its course…to find a new land across the sea, to end slavery, to enable women to vote, to walk on the moon, to bring down the Berlin Wall. 

“Maybe” is not a cautious word. It is a defiant claim of possibility in face of a status quo we are unwilling to accept.

Certainly our legislators and legislators-to-be would be well advised to incorporate more use of “maybe” in their language and behaviors. But they are not the only ones. Where can you infuse “maybe” into your thinking? Maybe it will help you embrace new possibilities in your world.

— beth triplett
@leadershipdots

Source: Exchange students learn about language, school, Big Macs by Allie Hinga in the Telegraph Herald, October 11, 2016, p. 1A

Getting to Maybe: How the world is changed by Frances Westley, Brenda Zimmerman and Michael Q. Patton, Vintage Canada, 2006

leadership dot #1595: freedom and responsibility

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In yesterday’s dot, I wrote about the ISMs that define the culture at Quicken Loans. While researching that topic, I came across another organization that intentionally shapes its culture through its orientation and widespread understanding of company norms. (A slide share describing Netflix’s culture is here.)

Netflix outlines typical behaviors and skills that it values — including judgment, communication, curiosity, passion and honesty — but they take it a step further in how they infuse these values into hiring and promotion practices.

Netflix’s model “endeavors to have only outstanding employees.” This combination of high performers and good managerial context allows the company to increase employee freedom and “grow with ever more high performing people, not with rules.”

An example of this freedom is seen in the vacation policy, or, more accurately, the lack of one. There is no policy for vacation or tracking, but as Netflix points out, “there is also no clothing policy but no one comes to work naked.”

The policy for expense reports: “Act in Netflix’s best interest.” Period. That is the entire policy.

Netflix invests heavily in hiring and retaining people who fit within its culture of freedom and responsibility, and who have demonstrated the self-discipline it takes for both the employees and the company to succeed. It is model that works for them because of its intentionality, integration and pervasiveness.

What you can learn from Quicken Loans and Netflix about the power of values to shape the work environment, and how can you make your values actively drive your behavior?

— beth triplett
@leadershipdots

leadership dot #1594: ISMs

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After reading Simply Brilliant*, I was curious to learn more about the ISMs that Quicken Loans uses to define its statements of philosophy and values. The ISMs are 19 statements that outline what kind of behavior is valued at the company, including: Yes before No, You have to take the roast out of the oven, We eat our own dog food, and A penny saved is a penny. You can see them all here.

I’m not sure why they are called ISMs, but they pack a powerful punch in driving the company’s culture. One reason the ISMs are more than a piece of paper is because the company’s founders, Dan Gilbert and Bill Emerson, personally conduct day-long orientation sessions every six weeks for all the company’s new hires! I have never heard of such a commitment from top leadership to instill their values in new employees.

In their program, called ISMs in Action, they bring the philosophy to life through skits, examples, stories and all methods of communication. By the time people leave, they know what it meant by the ISM: “You’ll see it when you believe it.”

Quicken Loans illustrates the value of values that do more than adorn the walls. When you truly define what is important and how you wish people to act, employees utilize those guideposts to determine fit in hiring, to create cultural norms in line with leaders’ expectations and to drive behavior that leads to powerful results.

Quicken Loans and Netflix (tomorrow’s topic) are the “brilliant” examples, but you can take a lesson from them for your organization or your piece of the whole. Committing to value your values is a valuable strategy that achieves results.

— beth triplett
@leadershipdots

*see yesterday’s leadership dot #1593