Month: February 2021

leadership dot #3160: hiring

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

You may have expected yesterday’s lineup of Super Bowl players to be filled with A-list players but a closer look reveals that many came to the NFL with a less-than-stellar pedigree. Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady was not selected until the 6^th Round, the 199^th choice in the Draft. Kansas City has 22 players on their roster who were drafted in the 3^rd Round or later, some not ever being drafted at all. Several of the Chiefs starters joined the team in later rounds.

While many teams create profiles of the athletic abilities sought in their future players, these championship teams sought characteristics beyond running speed or bench-press limits.

“It’s not that we said we wanted to draft a tall, lanky quarterback that ran a 5.3 [time in the] 40 [yard dash]. Those weren’t the traits we were looking for,” then-member of the Patriots personnel staff Jason Licht said at a press conference before the 2014 season. “But we were looking for the mental makeup…”

The Chiefs operated with a similar philosophy. “When they’re looking for guys to add to our roster,” Chiefs offensive line coach Andy Heck said, “they’re looking for guys that love football, love to compete. Self-starters.”*

Take a lesson from this year’s Super Bowl teams and look past the basic stats for your next hire. Having a solid resume is important, but a mindset is what creates a winner.

*Source: Talented, but overlooked by Dave Skretta for the Associated Press, in the Telegraph Herald, February 3, 2021, p. 5B.

leadership dot #3159: sidelines

February 7, 2021February 6, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Today is the Big Game but unlike previous years the focus might actually be on the field instead of on the commercials. Many of the major sponsors have opted not to advertise in this Super Bowl and are either saving or redirecting the $5 million that would have been spent on each 30-second ad.

Among the most notable brands that are sitting this one out is Budweiser whose memorable commercials are often more enjoyable than the game itself. Bud has been a sponsor for the last 37 years but will instead share its marketing budget with the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative. Pepsi, Coke, and Hyundai are also on the sidelines.

The decision of these sponsors is another reminder that not doing something can often be a strategic decision. You don’t always have to add or do more. Sometimes doing saying no is the most powerful move of all.

leadership dot #3158: mainstream

February 6, 2021February 5, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

February has been designated as Black History Month since 1969 but have you noticed how it has gained prominence this year? Michael’s has an entire section of craft materials. Kohls features special shirts. Hallmark has a line of cards. Local billboards tell the story of African-American inventors or artists. In almost every store there is themed merchandise or displays commemorating the month.

Embrace the growing focus and learn more about the background of those around you. Widespread cultural change occurs after small shifts in what is considered mainstream.

leadership dot #3157: rabbits

February 5, 2021February 9, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

“If you always miraculously pull a rabbit out of your hat people start expecting more rabbits,” read a Twitter post from Jen Hartmann.

She reminds us that it is a fine line between stepping up for the organization and being taken advantage of because you can always seem to pull off a miracle at the last minute. To avoid regularly needing to perform your own magic show it is essential to clarify expectations and establish boundaries for your time.

It’s also helpful to keep an ongoing record of the tricks you are required to perform. Does your supervisor have any idea the number of times you needed to go the extra mile or the portion of your job that is dedicated to heroics instead of routine operations? Does your job portfolio provide enough capacity for you to put out fires and address urgent issues without requiring excessive overtime? Are there specific people or processes that are the source of your rabbit-pulling and could be changed?

Some people thrive on the adrenaline that comes from last-minute heroics but it’s not a healthy way to work or run an organization. Magic should be rare.

Thanks, Mike!

Tweet from @jenalyson December 2, 2020

leadership dot #3156: bouillon

February 4, 2021February 3, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

In a workshop extolling the virtues of concise writing, Pat Zietlow Miller likened the practice to that of a bouillon cube: packing a lot of flavor into a small package.

Research shows that people actually read shorter documents and understand more of the message. We have all reached for the bulleted or one-page memo over the lengthy, technical report. We often act immediately on the explicit request while deferring the complex email until “later.” We remember the soundbites and analogies while forgetting the complex arguments. Yet, we too often ramble on as if quantity is an indicator of value.

The next time you write, provide only the flavor without the fluff.

leadership dot #3155: cookie

February 3, 2021February 2, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A colleague asked how he could avoid burning out while supervising an employee who never seemed to be satisfied. The boss had tried multiple strategies to placate the employee: switching up assignments, listening to their woes, providing professional development, and recommending counseling — but nothing seemed to provide contentment.

My advice to the supervisor was to stop believing that anything they did would be enough. It reminded me of the classic children’s book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. In Laura Joffe Numeroff’s tale, if you give a mouse a cookie, then he asks for milk, then a straw, then a napkin, and on and on, until ultimately, he needs another cookie. And so it goes with employees who lack intrinsic grounding – no matter what you try, it will not be enough to provide them with the sense of fulfillment that can only come from within.

The “let’s-try-something-more” approach actually makes it worse in the long run as the newness becomes like a sugar fix where all it does is make the employee want more sugar. Instead of becoming less needy, they require more from you in a never-ending quest for support.

As soon as you find yourself supervising an employee who never seems to be satisfied, avoid doling out dribs and drabs of attention. Read the children’s book and remind yourself that while it may seem easier to initially give them a “cookie” and be done with it, instead of ending something you are actually starting a chain of events that will ultimately require far more time and energy from you than setting clear boundaries in the first place.

leadership dot #3154: groundhog

February 2, 2021February 1, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Today is Groundhog Day, and while I love the adorable face of Punxsutawney Phil, he has no greater validity in weather predictions than tossing a coin. The legend provides for great folklore (and tourism revenue) but it should not be relied upon for actionable predictions.

Think about the other aspects of your life and examine whether there is a surrogate Phil in operation. Do you rely on the “wisdom” of a long-time employee even though their knowledge may not have kept up with changing conditions? Does your one source of news claim to have the answers when really it is closer to myth? Do you keep telling yourself “facts” about yourself as if they were true when in reality, they are no more than stories?

Have some fun with Phil’s predictions today but don’t rely on groundhogs for much more than photo ops.

leadership dot #3153: speed

February 1, 2021January 30, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

The hotdog chain Portillo’s is known throughout Chicagoland for its assembly line of service that allows the restaurant to process hundreds of orders in a short time period. With indoor dining prohibited, they have adopted their methods to accommodate drive-through lines, allowing them the ability to process my family’s long and complicated order practically without my vehicle slowing down.

Portillo’s has someone in the parking lot directing traffic to distinguish the pick-up line from the order-here line. Someone takes your order on a tablet and you pay at the same time. They place a colored Post-it on your windshield with a pre-printed order number. When you pull ahead, one of the many “Speed Team” members brings your order to your car as soon as it’s ready – regardless of whether you are next in line – and the setup allows you the ability to pull away and leave without waiting for the inevitably slow person in front of you. I barely had my Visa put back in my purse before the order was at my window.

By emblazoning the branded outdoor wear with “Speed Team” it not only helps to keep their workers warm, but it also sets clear expectations and elevates the importance of an otherwise mundane role. It is up to these employees at the end of the line to keep the traffic flowing and to make the experience quick enough that customers are undaunted by the long lines in the future. Their mission is speed, not just meal delivery.

Portillo’s provides not only great food but also valuable lessons in how to adapt to the current environment and to clearly remind employees of the role they play. Review your processes with similar rigor and intention.