Month: September 2018

leadership dot #2278: culture

September 10, 2018September 9, 2018by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

The book I chose for class, The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle, had me nodding my head the entire way through it. “YES!” I wanted to shout as he recounted story after story about how little actions add up to create significant enhancements to an organization’s culture and individual behavior.

Coyle outlines three skills that his research shows are necessary for an effective culture:

Build Safety
Share Vulnerability
Establish Purpose

To create safety means that it must be safe for team members to speak up and to embrace candid feedback. He advocates going beyond “not shooting the messenger” who delivers negative news but to actually embrace that person and thank them for sharing the news that the leader needs to hear.

To create vulnerability, the leader must demonstrate this first by admitting challenges and continuously encouraging input from others. “I screwed up” and “I need your help” are two key phrases that are infrequently in the leader’s vocabulary but should be. Coyle writes that vulnerability creates trust and must come first, not the other way around as is commonly believed.

In order to establish purpose, leaders must take care of each other and cultivate the culture as the first order of business. By sharing frequent stories, inside phrases, reminders of the reason for existing and creating high-purpose environments leaders reinforce the connection to something bigger than the moment and create a safe and meaningful culture that allows groups to learn quickly and to become more successful.

It is not easy to admit vulnerability, to hear negative feedback or to prioritize taking care of colleagues as the primary mission but the initial discomfort is far outweighed by the benefits a safe culture provides. Coyle’s book provides a set of action steps to help develop the three skills, and all are small steps that are repeated with consistency over time even when they are uncomfortable at first. Start today by purposefully letting your guard down and saying: “I don’t know” or “I need your help” and help your whole team make it a habit to express those sentiments as well.

With the tight labor market, changing generations and the high cost of employee turnover you can’t afford not to pay attention to culture as your organization’s most valuable asset.

The Culture Code: Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle, 2018

leadership dot #2277: scary

September 9, 2018September 8, 2018by leadership dots by dr. beth triplett1 Comment

It is early September, yet stores are loaded with aisles and aisles of Halloween decorations. It used to be that the focus of this holiday was on the costumes and candy, but home décor has seemingly exploded with all things Halloween and fall. There are now collectible village sets, linens, Vampire Blood candles, and pumpkins in every conceivable size and material. It has become a full-on major merchandising holiday.

I had been noticing the increase in volume and how stores now highlight Halloween instead of just having a display, but what really tipped me off to the growth was the addition of purple and orange-handled storage totes. Just like the red and green version for Christmas decorations, now a different set is needed to keep the Halloween decorations the other ten months of the year.

Before you jump on the must-decorate-for-fall bandwagon, think about the energy that is required to keep and maintain all those goodies in the off season. What happened to carving live pumpkins that survive for the season and then are tossed into the compost bin? Can’t some colored corn cobs and dried corn stalks suffice for your entrance way? Or an array of mini-gourds to spice up the mantle?

You can acknowledge the change of seasons without commercializing it.

leadership dot #2276: gyro

September 8, 2018September 7, 2018by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

What’s a business to do if their main product is difficult to pronounce? That is the challenge facing Greek restauranteurs across the U.S. as American customers see “gyro” and think of pronouncing the “g” as in gyroscope or gyrating.

There are several strategies to alleviate the discomfort patrons may feel, especially those who know it’s not gy-ro but can never remember what it is. Some menus list the items with a picture or a number so diners can just point. But others have become more creative.

A restaurant in New York City named their chain with the phonetic spelling: “The yee-ro joint”. Another’s website has a prominent arrow: “How to pronounce it? – Play to find out!” and then links to the hysterical Jimmy Fallon and Luke Bryan’s official music video: “I don’t know how to pronounce gyro.”

Every organization has something that trips up others. Instead of ignoring it or dealing with the ongoing stumbles, address it head-on in a way that educates but doesn’t embarrass those with the uncertainty.

leadership dot #2275: current

September 7, 2018September 6, 2018by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I believe that current events are as vital to learning as classic theories. So, the book I chose for my class was one of the top business books of 2018 – chosen because of that reason. I believe that students should be reading best sellers and timely articles. Every marketing professor should have the new Nike ad on their syllabus this semester and ethics classes should be talking about the release of confidential documents.

Educator Parker Palmer said that learning occurs “at the intersection of the big picture and the small story.” I think timely stories make the lessons more relevant, and I hope at least one student opts to continue reading contemporary business materials after realizing their value through my class.

Think of ways you can connect the big picture with small stories in your world. Do you discuss the newspaper or your news feed with family members or colleagues – even if it sparks disagreement? Have you taken a moment to reflect on the impact of something you read and how it relates to others besides yourself? Can you find ways to infuse current events into your presentations or meetings (perhaps through nuggets)?

It is much easier to proceed as if events were occurring on a linear path but taking a moment to critically assess the current events may be of benefit to your thinking and actions.

leadership dot #2274: learner

September 6, 2018September 5, 2018by leadership dots by dr. beth triplett1 Comment

In a few weeks, I am teaching a class that I have taught before. It should be a piece of cake to dust off the syllabus, make a few edits and I’d be ready to go. It would be that way, except for the fact that I elected not to use the same book, and in fact, not to use a textbook at all. Instead, I chose to use a current business book – that I had not read when I selected it – which means I need to read the book before I can even begin with the syllabus revision.

Do not read the above as complaining; as I said, all the extra work was voluntary and the idea of doing it self-imposed. I write about this not for pity or accolades, rather to reflect on what caused me to make such a decision. I guess that it is because at my core I am a learner. I learned by reading a new book, figuring out how to teach it, and selecting accompanying cases to make the points. I usually glean things from each class, but a new book ensures that I approach the course as a student, too.

I know that capital L “Learner” is one of the official Strengths-Finder delineations, and it describes me well, but being a learner is something to which everyone should aspire. Just as the MBA students would likely not pick up this book and read it without prompting, it’s possible that neither would I. I used the class as an excuse to make time to do some reading (aka learning).

What situations do you have that can serve as a catalyst to push you to do things that would be of your benefit, but that you may not do otherwise? Maybe you can submit to present at a conference on a topic that is not your core expertise. Perhaps you can volunteer to do something that is outside your comfort zone. Or you could possibly raise your hand the next time a new task force comes along at work.

Everyone is better off when we are both learners and teachers, whether or not a classroom is involved.

leadership dot #2273: kindling

September 5, 2018September 4, 2018by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Yesterday I advocated keeping reflective notes to aid in your ability to see situations from a broad perspective. Today I encourage you to capture not just your emotions or commentary about your experiences, but to also develop a method of saving and collecting as many of your ideas as you can. Even if they have no apparent use at the moment, old ideas have a way of morphing into something valuable – maybe even years later.

Lin Manuel Miranda recently shared that he wrote the melody to one of Hamilton’s hit songs when he was 16 and another when he was 10 years old. He tweeted: “Learning to pilfer your own thoughts and doodles for something later is another tool in your toolbox.”*

I keep a notebook of potential leadership dot ideas. Sometimes items sit on the list for ages as incomplete thoughts, but then later connect with a new reflection to give the lesson clarity and depth. I have files (ok, files and files and files and files) of articles, handouts, and reference materials that often lay dormant – until they become perfect resources at the right moment.

A colleague recently called me a “repository of information” – quite the high compliment for me – and indicative of my pack-rat nature of clipping out articles, screen-shotting tweets, making notes and hoarding them all to create a matrix of ideas that can coalesce to provide the perfect training tool or analogy almost on demand.

A blank page is a productivity and creativity drag for almost everyone. It is far, far easier to start with something, even if it is rough, old and not quite on target. Keep track of those nuggets and ideas that cross your path. One day you can use them like kindling and assemble a few tiny twigs to get your creative fires blazing.

*Lin-Manuel Miranda, @Lin_Manuel, 8/29/18

leadership dot #2272: keep track

September 4, 2018September 3, 2018by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I recently coached a colleague through the range of emotions and potential actions as a result of a major organizational change. She was wrestling with the implications of the new structure and what that means for her. One of my suggestions was that she keeps track of her feelings and behaviors so that at a later date she is able to review them and have the benefit of perspective.

Rather than approach her task as a diarist, I also encouraged her to make notes like a journalist or researcher – collecting relevant pain points and moments of pride that could be assembled into a case study or teaching scenario in another setting. The outside perspective may add some objectivity into her data collection and help document the roller coaster ride more fairly.

This doesn’t need to be a lofty process; rather just making a note or two when something of significance happens – the good, bad and ugly. By collecting these pieces, she will have the ability to assess the whole and hopefully gain some clarity as to what her next action should be. The change and how it was handled was a big negative, but do a compilation of small things throughout the coming months offset that? It’s hard to know in the moment, but much easier to see when in writing and when noted in the moment instead of by recollection.

The next time you are facing a dilemma, see if approaching it from a third-party perspective doesn’t help you. What would someone from the outside looking in highlight about your situation? Can you use your experience – whether a success or challenge – to enlighten someone else? Are there steps you can take to infuse some distance between the heat of the moment and making meaning of the action?

Whether you grab a notebook, computer or app on your phone, treat a major change like you are an explorer out discovering new lands and keep track of the little things along the way. Later, it will help you make sense of the journey.

leadership dot #2271: no refunds

September 3, 2018August 31, 2018by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I was amused by this sign from Georges Island Boston where, in addition to providing the menu, it shares the warning: “Watch your food. No refund given for food eaten by seagulls.”

I think that is an apt metaphor for when you are back in the office tomorrow. Bad things are going to happen, but it’s up to you to be alert for issues and to take steps to prevent them. No refunds for projects that are delayed by others, mishaps over which you had no control, unfair policies that you must live by or any other negative impacts that swoop in and eat your lunch. You need to watch your own “food”.

While summer officially lasts for a few more weeks, for many today is its last hurrah. I hope that you are enjoying the holiday and partaking in some relaxation instead of labor — unless of course the work involves fending off the gulls at the shore.

Happy Labor Day!

Thanks, Meg!

leadership dot #2270: baffled

September 2, 2018August 31, 2018by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

When our local grocery store added a health clinic, I thought it was a bad idea. Their latest foray into branded space-sharing has me even more baffled. The first thing you see when you walk into the grocer isn’t an aisle of food, rather it is a mini-Claire’s boutique shop. (Claire’s is a teen-focused jewelry and accessory store.)

Why do racks of earrings belong in the grocery? I am guessing it is because they represent potential profit, either through rent or sales, but otherwise I see no coherent tie to their mission or brand.

If the grocery store wanted to bring in an outside vendor, wouldn’t it make more sense to partner with a cooking store like Williams-Sonoma to sell items people might use to prepare the food the grocer sells? Or display a corner of beautiful linens and tablecloths to set the table for a bountiful feast? Or work with a bookstore to provide a cookbook nook where recipes could be highlighted and the necessary items to prepare them could be pre-packaged to make purchases easy?

I am all for partnerships, but I like them much more when they are aligned, not just exploited.

leadership dot #2269: unbox

September 1, 2018August 31, 2018by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

As a prize for winning a golf tournament, a local teen received a Wheaties box with his picture on the front. “Back in the day”, having your picture on that box of cereal was just about the ultimate recognition in sports. It was reserved for Olympians, MVPs and All-Stars. It meant something.

But that was in an era before everyone had computers with desktop publishing software. It was time-consuming and expensive to do a mock-up so it was even hard to imagine what your image would look like under the famous Wheaties logo. Today amateurs can put their picture on cereal boxes, magazine covers and movie posters with a green screen or a click of a few computer keys. It takes something away from the specialness of it all.

Take a look at your recognition programs. Are you still offering something that had great meaning at one point but has lost its luster now? Does your demographic truly value the prize that you are providing? It might be time to think outside the box for your rewards.