Month: March 2020

leadership dot #2826: outsource

March 11, 2020March 10, 2020by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I am having phone troubles so I went to Sam’s Club to take advantage of the rebate that they feature prominently in their sale flyer. The big display of phones is practically the first thing you see when you walk in but I had to ask that someone be called to help me.

When that assistance came, he told me that “it’s not Sam’s” that runs this department and that no one working could help me! I should come back tomorrow after 3pm! The person at the service desk said that same thing: “That’s not ours.”

Why, yes – it is yours. Maybe on some legal agreement there is a distinction, but for the customer the merchandise display in your store and in your flyer is yours.

It may have sounded like a good business decision to outsource a function, but when that department is front-facing you can never outsource your responsibility. Their service, pricing, and availability all reflect on you and in the end become a black mark on your business when done so poorly.

It would be great if you could just collect the rent and absolve yourselves of any role for how an outsourced function is handled, but it doesn’t work that way. You can subcontract the products, but the onus remains with you for the service.

leadership dot #2825: first see

March 10, 2020March 9, 2020by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

In their new book Leading with Gratitude, authors Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton write that there are two aspects to appreciation: seeing it and expressing it. “Gratitude is not just giving credit where it’s due, it’s knowing where it’s due,” they write.

People must cultivate the first skill of seeing opportunities to recognize before they are able to provide that feedback to others. They theorize that managers are often “hyper-focused on finding problems,” and as a result spend more time on what is going wrong instead of going right. Creating a culture of gratitude begins with seeing small wins and creating milestones that will provide reward markers along the way.

Once you see positive behavior, their mantra is “give it now, give it often, and don’t be afraid.” They point out that the championship trophy is given right after the game, not at the next practice or meeting. Immediately tying appreciation to action is a more powerful expression of gratitude than waiting, and, if it’s genuine, leaders can never give too much of it.

Think about on which side of the equation you need to be more intentional. Do you need to work on your “seeing” — paying more attention to what is working, who is making contributions behind-the-scenes or noticing progress along the journey? Or is your challenge “expressing” – taking the time to write a quick note, acknowledging someone’s behavior or publicly thanking a team?

Learning to lead with gratitude – as a manager, parent, coach or in any other role – is a skill that requires practice like any other. Strengthen your “seeing” or “expressing” muscles with a bit more intentionality today.

leadership dot #2824: align

March 9, 2020March 8, 2020by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Every now and then my printer indicates that it is time for an alignment. The copy job pauses and the printer automatically prints out a page of lines and a little bird, showing me that the adjustment is complete. I never notice that I needed it but it always looks better after the alignment is completed.

The same idea applies to my mental wellbeing — only my version of the printer adjustment involves writing longhand in a journal every morning for a few months. Many people journal every day, but, for me, letter writing usually suffices for routine reflection. But, like that printer, every now and then I need a course correction and journaling is it.

Journaling has been shown to improve memory, wellbeing, performance and communication and to decrease anger, worry and stress. The handwritten “brain dump” is the best method I know to release all the negative thoughts and it’s far more therapeutic for me than ranting on social media or withdrawing altogether.

The Daily Stoic has some examples of journaling but emphasizes that any method that works for you is the right one to use. Don’t be daunted by the thought of needing to write every day – an occasional re-alignment might be all you need to stay centered.

leadership dot #2823: female

March 8, 2020March 7, 2020by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

On this International Women’s Day, it may be natural to thank the obvious female role models in your life like your mom or sister or even to acknowledge your professional female colleagues. I’d encourage you to expand your thinking to recognize the women who are forging paths for the women of the future, not just to celebrate those in prominence today.

Two that have been in the news recently are Patrice Banks and Emily Pilloton who are working to create new career opportunities for women in the trades. Banks runs the Girls Auto Clinic and manages a staff of female mechanics – or SheCANics as she calls them. She couldn’t find a female mechanic for herself so enrolled in tech school to learn how to become one and now is working to expand her service center to other areas.

Emily Pilloton was a high school shop teacher until she launched Girls Garage to provide classes for girls ages 9-17 in subjects such as welding, carpentry and drafting. She employs an all-female staff to help the girls learn how to “fear less and build more,” preparing them for life as well as an in-demand career.

Who would you add to your list? The fearless women who ran for President of the United States certainly qualify. Closer to home, you could add my all-female veterinary clinic, female city administrator, the female electrical engineer who enrolled in my MBA class or the female head of the Boy Scouts chapter.

Look around and pay attention to the trailblazers. A SHEcanic in Pennsylvania may not mean much to you now, but she’s creating new options for the girls of tomorrow.

leadership dot #2822: subpar

March 7, 2020March 7, 2020by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

One of the best things I’ve seen lately is a series of graphic designs depicting an actual 1-star review for each of the National Parks. The art itself is appealing but what really impressed me is the idea of taking this approach in the first place.

Artist Amber Share wanted to take a “unique twist” to depict the parks and when she learned about the reviews created her “Subpar Parks” series of designs. Some examples: Grand Canyon: “A Hole. A Very Large Hole” or Yellowstone: “Save Yourself Some Money and Boil Some Water at Home.”

There are thousands of pictures and paintings of each of these national treasures, but it took a real artist to see the opposite perspective that Share took.

Think about how you can follow her lead and approach a project from a totally different view. Target your marketing plan to those who haven’t purchased from you instead of those who have. Take photos, as my friend Tracy does, of the backside of famous statues/places instead of the same view everyone else captures. Start a meal with dessert and finish with the appetizer. Take your own 1-star reviews and turn them into something positive.

Einstein said: “Being creative is seeing the same thing as everyone else but thinking of something different.” With that as the measure, Amber Share earns a 5-star review.

leadership dot #2821: simultaneously

March 6, 2020March 5, 2020by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

To keep my sanity while writing a federal grant, I finally broke down and purchased a second monitor. I had been avoiding it because I think the diversions outweigh the benefits, but the need to merge multiple documents finally tipped the balance.

Two monitors now allow for a dozen or so tabs to be open at once. Couple that with our phones that have folders and several screen pages of apps — so many that it required a new “shortcuts” function so we can find them. We also listen to music or podcasts while allegedly working on other projects.

I wonder how much we can really manage simultaneously.

Maybe you feel you need the monitors and earphones and you find your phone apps to be functional, but try to carve out at least one place that allows you to focus. Read a book with the television off. Sit outside and watch the world go by without a phone in your hand. Enforce a no-tech zone at meals. Utilize the “focus” function in Word that blocks out everything else on your screen.

There are so many things in our external environment that bombard us with information and stimuli, do we really have to add to it ourselves?

leadership dot #2820: it’s art

March 5, 2020March 2, 2020by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

If I asked most readers if they were an artist, my guess is that the vast majority would say no. But why does “art” carry with it such a stigma that it has to be lofty or created by a professional in order to qualify as art?

When I was at the shoreline, I encountered several pieces of art that were made by those passing through. These sculptures were made out of natural materials discarded by the tides and will soon be returned to the Lake, but in the interim, they brought joy and appreciation to those who saw them.

I doubt that any of the pieces were created by professional artists but they were “art” nonetheless. Art comes from rocks, sticks, words, fabric, clay, paint, pencils, ink, paper, metal, music, wood, trash, wires, beads, string, lyrics, film, crayons – and it comes from you. What art will you contribute to the world today?

leadership dot #2819: outdoors

March 4, 2020March 2, 2020by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I unexpectedly had an hour free in Milwaukee this week and capitalized on it by going to the shores of Lake Michigan. Even though I was only a few miles from the heart of downtown, it seemed like a million miles away. I encountered only a handful of people. Heard waves instead of traffic. Saw multiple shades of blue and the sun glistening on the water. Sat on the bench and let the wind carry away all my thoughts.

After only an hour, I came back refreshed and renewed in a way that only nature can do.

For many, the only fresh air they breathe in a day is between their car and the office. Don’t let that be you. Instead, experiment with a 15-minute immersion in nature and see what impact it can have on your mood and focus. A walk around the building is much more of an energizer than the candy bar you are hoping provides the same effect and a few minutes sitting outside on a bench during your lunch hour will make you more productive in the hours that follow. Walking the dog around the block can even be more relaxing than an hour of television.

Not every city is lucky enough to be along a Great Lake but everywhere has pockets of the outdoors that can become a refuge for you. Don’t let this free, accessible mental health elixir go to waste.

leadership dot #2818: letdown

March 3, 2020February 26, 2020by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

My mom always cautioned us kids that there were more wrecks close to home than anywhere else, urging us to be vigilant even in the neighborhood. We thought she was just saying that but it turns out she was right: 69% of all accidents occur within a 10-mile radius of where people live*. It seems that drivers have a false sense of security when they are so familiar with their surroundings and let down their guard.

It’s easy to become complacent when things seem easy. Students often receive their lowest grades in the “easiest” courses when they invest their study time and effort to earn an A in science or calculus, then receive a B in art. Athletic teams often lose the week after they won an upset or when they’re playing an underdog team – letting up on the practice that made other victories possible. Politicians, too, become victims of the letdown, doing poorly in a second debate or primary when they rest on their laurels after acing the first.

It’s tempting to relax when it seems effortless to do so, but letting up often leads to a letdown.

*Source: NHTSA

leadership dot #2817: 24 hours

March 2, 2020February 26, 2020by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

One of the Big Box stores promotes itself as being open 24 hours, leaving you to infer that it means the whole store is available to shoppers. This would be a myth.

The pharmacy and deli are closed. Ditto for the bottle redemption center. There were no “human” cashiers; only self-service. And most annoying of all, customer service closed at 10pm so there was no way to do the return that was the reason for our trip.

To them, each of these areas is its own little fiefdom with separate rules for the different kingdoms. To me, it is all part of one store and, if the store is open 24 hours, that means the whole store should be.

Take a look around your organization from the customer point of view. Do you function like the 24-hour store where parts of your organization do things differently than others and aggravate customers who don’t see the pieces as being separate? Do you provide what is convenient for the customer, even if it’s inconvenient for some of the staff? Or do you provide excuses for why something is not instead of taking ownership of the process as a whole?

If you promote 24-hour service, deliver it — or stop claiming you do.