Month: June 2019

leadership dot #2551: responsible

June 10, 2019June 8, 2019by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

“Leaders are not responsible for the job. Leaders are responsible for the people that are responsible for the job.” – Simon Sinek

I believe Sinek’s premise. When you become a supervisor, you inherit not power and perks rather a deep sense of obligation to those under your wing. This sense of responsibility surprises some new supervisors and causes them to realize they could benefit from some help to grow into this new role.

Leaders must learn the content required for their position and the art of supervision itself as well as upping their own personal game to serve as a leader and role model to others. This can take many forms: becoming more conscious of their language, their attire, their social circles or work ethic. Leaders may wish to broaden their knowledge of the field and cultivate a more external focus. They need to develop new networks or acquire a coach to help them navigate tricky situations and politics – all in the name of improving their skills in order to enhance the work of others.

Just like the advice in airplanes where adults need to put on their oxygen mask first before helping others, so a supervisor must work to first strengthen their skill set before they can help others to flourish. What have you done lately to help yourself grow?

leadership dot #2550: longhand

June 9, 2019June 8, 2019by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Staples recently ran an ad touting that they were “bringing back the fine art of notetaking and launching an entire new collection.” Since when did notetaking go out of style?! I’m probably in the minority, but I have never stopped taking notes or using notebooks of all shapes and sizes.

Harvard Business Review just published an article that confirmed what I have known all along: taking notes in longhand has many advantages.

Maggy McGloin of HBR writes: “Research shows that when you only use a laptop to take notes, you don’t absorb new materials as well, largely because typing notes encourages verbatim, mindless transcription…And while there are plenty of ways to work smarter with digital tools, you may remember more if you leave the laptop or tablet at your desk and try bringing a notebook and pen instead.”

It may be old school, but I know of no better way to remember things, organize ideas or keep track of details than a trusty notebook. Watch for those Back-to-School displays to start popping up and stock up on your own collection for a bargain.

leadership dot #2549: combine

June 8, 2019June 4, 2019by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

At the grocery store, they were sampling a new product: Mayochup. It’s the cousin to Kranch, both products from Heinz that pre-package ketchup in popular combinations — mayonnaise + ketchup and ranch + ketchup – made for easy dipping.

It got me thinking about other combinations that would benefit from being sold in the way that consumers could use them. Some examples:

pizza delivered to the movies (especially if the theater has recliners) so it’s just as good as a night at home
insurance agents could team up with jewelry or home appraisers or videographers – in one stop you could have a home inventory and insure it at the proper level
a dog sitter combined with a house cleaner – go on vacation and come home to a clean house and happy pooch
delivery of food – and beer – a possible way to keep a few drunk drivers off the road.

Think of what you’re offering and how people use similar products or services on their own. Maybe there a way for you to combine something old to make something new.

leadership dot #2548: labyrinth

June 7, 2019June 5, 2019by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Navigating a change process is like moving through a labyrinth – you need to pay attention to the process or you’ll get lost. As I told my Organizational Behavior class, creating change goes against many of the natural inclinations that we have. You need to intentionally pay attention to the change effort itself – not just the outcome you seek — or your actions will carry you in ways that are counter to your effort.

Some examples:

Leaders who forget that they have been thinking about change long before they share it with others will be negatively impacted by the Leader’s Lag (dot #2317). You must remember your message is new to others and therefore allow time for them to absorb the idea – even though by the time you share it, you are ready to jump into motion.
Changemakers inherently think they can go from the old to the new but will get tripped up if they forget about going through Crazytown first – that period when both the old and new are still present. You must intentionally prepare your team for that period of confusion. (dot #2301)
We naturally think that once the change happens, it is the beginning. Not true – William Bridges teaches us that the first stage of a transition is the ending and leaders must help their team deal with loss and limbo before expecting forward motion. (dot #75)
Leaders must also fight the natural inclination to squelch tension that occurs. Peter Senge’s rubber band analogy reminds us that the further “current reality” is from “future vision”, the more tension that occurs. Conflict means that you are getting someplace! (dot #371)
It’s also tempting and the first impulse to jump right in and start making changes. The School Retool framework reminds us to start with an aspiration (the why) and then identify small experiments that can lead to the desired behavior. Even though we want to act now, we need to know where we’re going before we just head down the road. (dot #2358) We also need to see our actions through the lens of learning rather than just doing, with the former more important. (dot #2359)

Change management is becoming an increasingly important skill in today’s fast-moving world, and, ironically, the faster we move the greater the tendency to focus on the outputs instead of the internal process driving the change. Do yourself and those you lead a favor and be the exception. Helping people through the labyrinth makes it much more likely that the change will endure.

leadership dot #2547: remembering

June 6, 2019June 3, 2019by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

It has been called the most significant 24-hours of the 20^th Century, yet today many Americans don’t know the history of D-Day. The Allied Forces’ victory at Normandy is considered the turning point in World War II – a heroic series of battles that saved Europe from Nazi rule. The invasion on France’s beaches literally changed the world – 75 years ago today.

The victory was monumental at the time and those who were alive when it happened can recall where they were when they learned of the raid. Today, most people don’t appreciate the magnitude of the war, let alone one battle within it.

The same thing happens with other key points in history. In less than 20 years, emotions generated by the terrorist attacks of September 11 have waned and Patriot Day has become just another day for those not directly impacted. On November 22, people are thinking of Thanksgiving instead of JFK.

Consider the history you need to preserve in your organization (or family, etc.). What were the turning points that made your organization what it is today? Who were the leaders and what risks did they take? What were the battles that were won – and lost – and what lessons were learned along the way?

History fades into the past without intentional efforts to keep it alive. Be your organization’s – and community’s – storyteller and help honor the key events of the past in the present.

Monument Des Braves St. Laurent-Sur-Mer, Omaha Beach France

leadership dot #2546: marbles

June 5, 2019June 3, 2019by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

If someone gave you a marble to hold, you could do so with ease. Ditto for a half-dozen but after that, it becomes more challenging. You’re likely to drop one or pay so much attention to holding on to them that you fail to see their beauty. Yet if someone gave you a bag to hold 100 marbles, you could manage to hang on to all of them without a problem.

Think about this analogy in the context of learning a new skill. If someone teaches you one or two or six things, you can get it. But pretty soon, without a context, those ideas start to roll around like loose marbles and you’re bound to forget some of them. Fortunately, with the right framework, you can collect hundreds of ideas and amass a host of skills — and manage to keep them all.

When you are providing content – whether through employee onboarding, teaching a workshop, parenting, or writing a blog – don’t focus solely on individual messages. Provide that “bag” to connect your information to the whole as a way to keep your listener from losing their marbles.

Thanks, bg!

leadership dot #2545: can’t

June 4, 2019June 3, 2019by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A friend and I were debating what “should” be done about the influx of migrant families at the Mexican border:

A: “How can any office be expected to process 4,000 applications in an 8-hour day?”

B: “Who said the processor could only be open for 8 hours? There are 24 hours in a day.”

A: “Well, who would provide all that staffing?”

B: “What about redirecting all the troops that are there? They could do other things.”

A: “You still couldn’t process all that paperwork.”

B: “Why not have the applicants do most of the paperwork in advance?”

A: “How could they do that? They don’t have access to computers.”

B: “Why not set up banks of computers to allow them to do so?”

And on it went. Lots of reasons why something wouldn’t work and lots of ideas about how to reframe the solution so it could.

Take the political nature of the subject out of it and think about the principles behind the banter. If you really want to do something, often you become much more creative and ambitious about finding a way to accomplish it. If there is a will, there usually is a way.

It helps to start your tension-laden conversations by sharing thoughts about the reasons rather than the methods. If you can get clarity on the values that are driving the thinking, there is a far greater chance that you can align the actions, but without that understanding, “I can’t” often means “I won’t”.

leadership dot #2544: wheels off

June 3, 2019May 30, 2019by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

When someone describes a problem, you’ve probably heard them use the expression: “The wheels came off.” Well, in this case, one literally did.

It may look like the owner of the truck was just changing a tire but actually, it was far worse that than. The entire wheel was laying on its side, likely from a broken tie rod or ball joint. The wheel was still attached but it definitely wasn’t functional.

It’s not like the truck died without warning. It had a “For Sale” sign in its window so obviously, the owner knew it was time for a replacement vehicle. He just pushed it a bit too far.

Heed the moral of the story: Don’t force things past their limit. When it’s time for a rest – of your body, your equipment or your relationships – listen to the signs. Don’t drive your “truck” until the wheels come off.

leadership dot #2543: humming

June 2, 2019June 1, 2019by leadership dots by dr. beth triplett1 Comment

A friend of mine had a hummingbird feeder in her yard and I was fascinated by watching the little birds drink the nectar. So this spring, I decided I would get a feeder of my own.

I have now invested in a feeder, a shepherd’s pole to hang the feeder, a funnel to pour the sugar water into the feeder, an extra bag of sugar – and a good amount of my time. The result: I have seen zero hummingbirds use it…

…only I know they are there because my housemate shared this picture just to rub it in. I do the work, make the mixture, buy all the equipment and he sees the hummingbirds.

Hmm…it made me wonder why I started this adventure – was it only for my pleasure? What about the benefit of others who may see them? Or the benefit of the hummingbirds themselves who have fresh, delicious sugar water waiting at the ready?

Think about what else is out there that we don’t do for ourselves. Can you make the world a little better place for others – whether they be humans or otherwise? I know I will keep mixing the nectar. What will you do today?

P.S. Speaking of things we don’t do for ourselves…Happy 7-year Anniversary to leadership dots….on to Year 8!

leadership dot #2542: appealing

June 1, 2019May 31, 2019by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I love the project at the Hartford County (MD) Humane Society where staff put an abundance of energy into photographing the pets that are up for adoption. Instead of a generic “mug shot”, volunteers take the pets outside, surround them with toys, put them in costumes, etc. – anything to express the pets’ personality and make them more appealing for adoption.

And it has worked – last year they had 93% of their pets go to new homes. Who wouldn’t be attracted to a dog that is just itching to play ball with you?

I think that paying attention to creating enticing photography could work in other settings. How about putting as much energy into photographs of low calorie, healthy foods on the menu as they do to tempting desserts and rich pastas? Resale stores could feature old furniture in reclaimed or vintage settings to inspire shoppers to give their wares a new home. Old cars could be photographed full of friends cruising down the highway.

Houses have been staging photographs for years. Why not apply the technique to other areas that could benefit from a little manufactured “curb appeal” to motivate consumers to make the choices you wish they would make.