Month: May 2018

leadership dot #2166: ending

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My sister was one of the 17,823 students to graduate from the University of Southern California this year and I was one of her several family members present for the festivities. We attended the School of Education doctoral ceremony – only for those receiving an Ed.D. – and yet there were still over 300 candidates to be hooded. Even without speeches, the program lasted over two hours.

Commencements are tricky business for event planners because people only truly care about 30 seconds of the program, but for those fleeting moments to be meaningful they must be embedded in pomp and circumstance and combined with hundreds of others having their fame.

At USC, they held 33 separate ceremonies in addition to the main graduation and baccalaureate. Over 60,000 guests passed through campus to see their friend or family member celebrate their accomplishment. And while program-specific recognitions make the experience more personal, the multitude of events require extra steps to pull off. For example, thousands of chairs were set up on every quad, and all were individually clipped together with zip ties to avoid having to do a realignment. The ceremony was live streamed to accommodate overflow crowds. Campus maps were printed on giant vinyl banners and hung in strategic locations. An Office of University Events was created to orchestrate the logistics.

The Power of Moments and other research has shown that the ending makes a disproportionately high impact on people’s feelings about the overall experience. If you are involved in commencements, retirement parties, hospital discharges or any event planning, dedicate the extra attention to the details of the farewell.

leadership dot #2165: intruder

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I have always been curious about the origins of vehicle names. I wonder why some companies label their cars as a numbered series, others use just letters, some adopt common words as their names and others create their own words for naming. (Think of the BMW 700 series, the Acura TLX, the Ford Focus or the Dodge Caravan.)

Once you start paying attention you will quickly realize that there is no similar platform for what vehicles are named but I wish I could have eavesdropped on the discussions when the protocol was determined. I am sure the first time someone said “Dakota” people thought of the states, but now they see a vehicle image in their mind. Accord used to mean agreement or conjure up images of a Peace Accord, but now it’s a Honda. I’m sure that in their own way, all of the decisions made logical sense.

What I don’t understand, though, is who thought it was a good idea to name an RV “Intruder.” While some words like sierra, excursion or escape may have a dual meaning, none of them had a negative connotation before they were branded as vehicles. It reminded me of the infamous Nova debacle – with No va meaning “no go” in the Spanish market that was targeted for the vehicle. At least that wasn’t as blatantly obvious as the Intruder!

Bottom line: take great care when choosing a name. Whether it be the moniker for your product, service or child, it’s hard to change or live down a bad one. Don’t let a poor branding decision intrude on your messaging.

 

leadership dot #2164: signatory

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I recently became an officer on our local non-profit board and thus was required to visit four area financial institutions to be added as a signatory. While I sought to complete the same task at the different places, I was amazed at the variance in their procedures to do so.

I was at one place for 45 grueling minutes while a manager and clerk tried to figure out the “new federal regulations.” They required not only my license and paperwork but the driver’s license, social security number and signatures of someone who was already on the account. More disturbing, they took two former officers off the account based on my word alone – no verification or review of the minutes required.

Institution #2 required one of the current signers to call in and verify a security question before they allowed me to access the paperwork. They gave me an envelope for the current person to re-sign but required nothing else from him. I was in and out in 10 minutes.

The clerk at my third stop looked at the Minutes listing me as an officer – a Word document that anyone could have forged – and added me to the account without further question. I left there as well with paperwork and an envelope to gather signatures from those currently on the account.

At institution #4, they wouldn’t even entertain talking to me unless someone currently on the account could come in person to re-sign and add me. I left the account to stand as it was.

It is rare that someone attempts to do the same task in a condensed timeframe at four different institutions, but it was incredibly telling. I know which bank places a higher value on “policy and regulations”, which takes security more seriously and which institution places service at a premium.

If you truly want to get a read on how your customers feel, have someone act as a secret shopper. There is nothing like actually trying to do something to learn how a process really works – and, mostly, how it feels to be in your customer’s shoes.

 

leadership dot #2163: non-question

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It is mostly a waste of time when the manager at a restaurant goes between tables and asks diners: “How is your meal?” I’ll be that they most frequently hear “fine” or something similar. It is a non-question — just something to say rather than a request for a real answer. It interrupts the diner’s meal and I would venture to bet that it pays a little dividend for the restaurants.

Such a lost opportunity!

What if instead, the manager asked: “What is one thing we could do to become better?” or “If you were the manager, what is something you would change?” or even “What was the worst part of your experience today?” These types of questions would force the diners to give more substantive answers and a savvy manager could track (literally or intuitively) the frequency of responses. It would allow them to take action in a way that was meaningful.

Instead of a token public relations sweep through the restaurant, managers would be well served to use the time to truly learn something from those who know them best. Whether of your diners, employees, donors or clients, make it a point to ask real questions, not those which elicit an automatic, generic (non-) response.

 

leadership dot #2162: letter

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My 6-month-old puppy was spayed yesterday, an action that was traumatic for her (and me!), but in the scheme of things, very ordinary. There were no complications and after a few hours, they sent her on her way.

It was routine surgery and I’m sure any vet in town could have performed it in essentially the same way. But what set my vet apart was that in addition to the pills and wound-care instructions, Emma came home with a letter that explained her experience:

Today was a very special day for me!…My day started when the veterinarian and the nurse made sure I was OK to have surgery. They looked me over carefully and then took some blood samples for tests…After this step, I was given some medication which made me feel a little sleepy. While I was relaxing, they told me I would soon fall asleep and, when I woke up, the surgery would be all done…They told me not to worry, because I would be given pain medicine before I even woke up, and they would also trim my nails while I was sleeping!…It seemed like only a few minutes but then I woke up and the nurse told me surgery was all over. I was kept warm and comfy with soft blankets, and the nurse called my family to tell them how everything went.

 These are [some of] the instructions from the veterinarian to help take care of me for the next few days:

  • Don’t let me lick or scratch at my incision site. If I can’t leave it alone, I may need an Elizabethan collar (the Cone of Shame!) to keep me away from it.
  • No bathing (yay!) or swimming for the next 7-10 days.

…So that was my big day! Everyone at Colonial Terrace Animal Hospital was very nice and made me feel special! They said my family is lucky to have me (and I know I am lucky to have them), and that I was a wonderful patient!

 I have had many dogs spayed over the years, and none of them have come home with anything but the standard, rote instructions. In fact, it seems that everything that requires directions comes with plain, technical language.

Why not take a few extra moments to make your communications memorable? Especially for situations like spay surgery that happen frequently, an investment up front can pay multiple dividends and help you become the Top Dog in your client’s mind.

leadership dot #2161: mow

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What does cutting the grass and painting have in common? Besides being household chores, both are comprised of two segments: the middle and the edges.

I don’t mind cutting the grass – if it means those long, continuous stretches in the center of the lawn – but I hate all the edging and trimming along the sides. I don’t mind painting the walls –as long as it is the center of the wall itself – but I lose patience when trying to paint around windows and doors. Yet, the quality of the work overall is determined precisely by how well those details are done.

When judging the amount of time to do painting or mowing, we often give estimates to do the heart of the project and grossly underestimate the time it will take to do the edging well. This manifest itself in our organizations when we give credence to those who paint the main part of the walls and overlook those who perform the tedious trim work, or we volunteer to take on the tasks that can be performed with the riding mower but leave the weed-whacking to others.

When you are making assignments, projecting timelines or appropriating recognition, keep your lawn in mind. If you only address what occurs in the center section, your competitors will mow you over with their quality.

leadership dot #2160: for us

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“Do you have any questions for us?” It’s a common question in the interview process and one that trips up a surprising number of candidates.

There is a fine line between asking questions to which you really want to know the answer (like “how much is the pay?” and “is my boss-to-be a jerk?”) and asking questions which advance your candidacy and establish you as a professional.

I believe that most questions at this juncture should be job-specific. Hopefully, you have done enough research to know more than a surface level about the organization and can ask questions that show your insight. It has often been said that you should think of your interview as your first day on the job, and so it is appropriate to formulate your inquiries in a similar way. Ask about the “why” regarding certain things or seek clarification where you have conflicting information.

A key rule for the questions you ask: they should not be something you could know without asking. In other words, don’ ask anything that you could have found out on your own if you had invested the time.

To help you from being tongue-tied at this crucial interview moment, I have developed a list of 25 questions that the candidate can adapt to ask the employer. You should have a written list prepared; some specific to the interviewer and others where it is good to ask everyone and compare responses.

Don’t discount the importance of asking good questions. The insight that candidates showed through what they asked has made the difference for many hires.

leadership dot #2159: used

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I recently spent some time at garage sales (or tag sales as my East Coast friends like to call them). Dozens and dozens of homes had hundreds of items for sale and people were buying like crazy.

I spent a couple of bucks on some odds and ends but also bought a teak desk for $30. I was not looking for a desk, but the owner was moving and anxious to sell so I couldn’t pass up his let’s-get-rid-of-this price. (Later, the wood expert guessed it was worth several hundred dollars and she suggested that I got the bargain of the day!)

I was struck by the number of transactions that occurred and continue to be amazed at the robust market for “used.” Garage sales, Goodwill, resale shops, Craigslist, eBay, the vending machine in the mall that buys used phones, flea markets and consignment stores all contribute to the reuse of unwanted merchandise. Stores such as Books A Million now buy back used audio or paper books, and Amazon has an extensive Seller Marketplace to serve as a forum for buying/selling just about everything.

Buying something that has “had a previous owner” is good for the environment, your budget and maybe even allows you to find something that you are unable to buy otherwise (like a teak desk!). Challenge yourself to make “used” as your default option for purchasing whenever you can.

leadership dot #2158: mother

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This is the first Mother’s Day that I am without my mom and while I’m sure it’s not a new phenomenon for many, it is hard for me.

When I think about the mother/daughter relationship, not only do I think about my Mom, I think about the pseudo-mom role that I have played for the last decade. When I was working in St. Louis, I took a student from Georgia under my wing. Due to the distance, her parents were unable to regularly watch her play basketball in person, so I was that fan in the stands. If she needed someone as a guest for a banquet or awards ceremony, she called on me. For over a decade, to her, I am still “Momma T” even though this year she is a mom herself.

On Mother’s Day, think of mother as a verb and not a noun. How can you nurture someone who needs a little extra attention? Can you care for and protect someone who is vulnerable? In what ways can you build someone’s esteem and help them grow?

Whether you are male or female, use this holiday to mother someone in the best sense of the word. And if your Mom is still with you, be sure to give her a call and a big hug. Believe me, you’ll be thankful that you could.

leadership dot #2157: art

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Public art has become a popular component of urban renewal and in cities who wish to increase their creative vibrancy. Our town recently commissioned art for the sides of about a dozen buildings downtown and infused tired brick with murals that are several stories high. It transformed the landscape with color and thought-provoking images and made many people a fan of big art that adorns public spaces.

I am also a fan of little art that enhances personal spaces. I think that color and artistic expression in small ways can add a flourish to an otherwise plain platform and bring some positive energy into our lives. There are many ways to infuse your world with art beyond the obvious photos or paintings on your wall.

Think about the personal expression you can add to your checks, wardrobe, outgoing mail, table settings or gift giving.

As sandal-wearing weather approaches in much of the country, another way to add original art to your life is to find yourself a pedicure artist. The right talent can create mini-masterpieces out of nail polish to make art a part of your daily presence.

Art doesn’t have to be expensive, lofty or formal. Whether it be on a multi-story canvas or a big toe, find ways to incorporate color and original expression in your day.