Month: December 2021

leadership dot #3476: finger-pointing

December 21, 2021December 20, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

My newsfeed blew up over the weekend with lamentations about Senator Joe Manchin’s apparent reluctance to support President Biden’s Build Back Better bill. Put politics aside and look at this from a broader perspective. All the focus is on Manchin but think of the thousands of other actions that led to this point. For example:

What about the decisions of the 50 Republican Senators, any one of whom could have made Manchin’s decision irrelevant?
Or the 2020 Senate elections where the Democrats gained 4 seats, but lost 1 — what if they had gained all four — or five, or six
Or if Stacey Abrams hadn’t spent years organizing in Georgia and the Democrats did not win those seats — there would be no majority and again, Manchin’s voice would be less prominent in the minority
Or if 19,398 more people would have voted for a different Senator in West Virginia
Or if the Democratic stronghold in West Virginia hadn’t eroded over the years
Or if any of the people involved in writing the bill had been more persuasive
Or…

It all reminds me of dot 283 about how similar barbs were thrown at a basketball player who missed the last shot. As I wrote then: “It is easier to place blame on the most recent event but to truly impact change we need to consider more of the whole picture. Next time something goes awry, don’t point fingers at the most recent contributor. Rather, assess why it all came down to relying on that one culminating event in the first place.“

Making just one person the scapegoat is taking the easy way out. There is always more to it than that.

leadership dot #3475: all hands

December 20, 2021December 18, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I was out shopping yesterday and it seemed like everyone in town had the same idea. There were lines everywhere! I’m sure that same frenzy is occurring in warehouses and shipping facilities but we are shielded from it; the packages just show up at our door with the calmness they do in April.

In The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon, author Brad Stone recounts the story of Amazon’s earlier days when they only had two warehouses and more orders than they could fulfill. Rather than put the holiday spirit for thousands — and the business itself — in peril, Amazon required everyone to work two overnight shifts to help fulfill orders. Executives, friends, and family members all rallied together in their “Save Santa” program that included contests, food carts, and lots of coffee to get people through the rush.

Amazon has come a long way since the emergency and now operate 110 highly sophisticated distribution centers, but that esprit de corps effort in 1998 probably made everything else possible.

You can’t run on overdrive all the time, but the right mission and culture can allow you to dig deep on occasion when it is truly warranted. The “all-hands-on-deck” effort, provided it truly is all hands and truly an exceptional need, can help create a sense of camaraderie and belonging while achieving a nearly impossible goal. Don’t be afraid to “Save Santa” — once.

leadership dot #3474: carton

December 19, 2021December 18, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A friend was marveling at the ingenious design of the milk carton — something I admittedly had never considered. But when you look at it, it does have elegant functionality — it closes and opens without any additional equipment and allows the consumer to drink directly from the carton.

We have seen milk cartons most of our lives and so the packaging goes unnoticed — and we never consider the person behind the design who developed a widespread and economical way to have individual servings on-the-go, long before the proliferation of plastics.

I’ve said it before and will remind you again — creativity is not lofty. Pay attention to the everyday creative achievements that are right under your nose (in this case, literally!)

Thanks, Curt!

leadership dot #3473: hello

December 18, 2021December 17, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

My new Mac computer just arrived in the mail and I wish the onboarding experience with everything was as welcoming as this was. The package has tabs to pull off the wrapper so you don’t have to fight with it. There is hardly anything in the box to confuse you. But best of all, when you open up the new computer it says “hello.” You don’t have to plug it in, charge it, or even turn it on — it greets you in multiple languages as soon as you lift up the screen.

It’s sad that my inanimate machine was more welcoming than many places I visit in person. Think about that initial experience your customers have with you — do you do everything you can to make it easy for them? Provide great directions, signage, instructions, and expectations? And, more importantly, do you greet them and make them feel noticed, right from the start?

To paraphrase Jerry Maguire, my computer “had me at hello.” Help your customers feel the same way.

leadership dot #3472: unaware

December 17, 2021December 16, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I had an interesting conversation about an organizational leader who does not like to “get in the weeds.” He was being praised for staying out of the details and focusing instead on the bigger picture.

While there are many advantages to this style, our conversation also highlighted the downside of such detachment. Apparently, there are personnel and process issues occurring in the organization and he is seemingly unaware of them. Because he is not directly involved in operations, he doesn’t appear to know when things are being missed or when issues are arising between staff.

It’s rare that leaders, even the top dog, are responsible only for strategy. At some point, implementation and evaluation fall under their purview as well. Don’t stay so focused on the future that you fail to see what’s happening on a daily basis. Strike that balance between micromanaging and not managing at all.

leadership dot #3471: complaint

December 16, 2021December 15, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

The bar is so low to provide good customer service.

In the past few weeks, I’ve dealt with a service advisor, a store manager, and a customer satisfaction specialist in an attempt to resolve different problems. I leave the conversation shaking my head as to their poor handling of my complaint. It’s one thing when a front-line employee is mediocre, but when your job is service there are higher expectations that you will actually provide it.

— An online retailer was prompt in authorizing a return but it took three chat sessions and several emails with customer service to actually get the return label from them.
— I had a warranty repair on my car that required several trips to the out-of-town dealership. I received no apology or acknowledgment of my multi-month inconvenience, rather “we get a lot of those problems which is why the part was back-ordered.” It didn’t exactly make me want to buy another vehicle from them.
— A complaint about restaurant staff handling money and making sandwiches with the same gloves on earned me 33 reward points — even though the reward structure is in multiples of six. The response said: “You have 10 more points to go before you earn your reward.” Why not give me the extra 10 points so I would be prompted to come in now for a free sandwich before I thought about the unsanitary behavior long enough that I never returned?

There are multiple studies and statistics that calculate the impact of poor customer service on future business. People tell others, write negative reviews that impact other sales, and stop doing business there themselves. And the converse is true: effective handling of service complaints can actually increase the customer’s perception of the organization. Spend as much effort to keep your customers as you do to get them. “I’m sorry” is a good start.

leadership dot #3470: long game

December 15, 2021December 14, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

If you want to watch an inspirational movie, track down King Richard, the story of Venus and Serena Williams’ father. Will Smith is terrific in the role as he plays out the backstory of the Williams sister’s rise to tennis fame. The movie plays out like a fairy tale — with a dad who wrote a 72-page plan when his daughters were born about how he was going to make them tennis stars — and wouldn’t you know, it actually happened.

Mostly, it’s a story about the long game — and putting in the grit that it takes to succeed. One of the most memorable scenes is when Venus — who grew up in such poverty that some of the sisters had to share single beds — turns down a million-dollar sponsorship contract as a teen because she saw better things ahead.

Richard Williams convinces an elite coach to take the unknown sisters on in exchange for 15% of their earnings. The coach played the long game too and came out handsomely as Venus has amassed $41.8 million in winnings and Serena $94 million. You do the math!

So many of our decisions focus on the impact they will have in the short run. If you want to reinforce the power of perspective and patience, this is the movie for you.

leadership dot #3469: after

December 14, 2021December 13, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

The final project topic in one of my classes was about veterans and the lack of services as they transition out of military duty. It got me thinking about all the times we end something — especially something structured — and are left to our own devices to be successful (or not).

It happens with those who leave the armed forces, but also with incarceration, foster care, high school, college, or retirement. One minute we’re in a regimented environment with others calling the shots, and the next minute we are independent and responsible for our own wellbeing. Many drift around in limbo, overwhelmed with the choices and ambiguity of their new situation.

Transitioning out happens in less dramatic situations as well — such as completing a physical therapy regimen, finishing a contract with a personal trainer, or achieving the goal in a weight loss program. You say: “hooray I’m done,” but forget that the lack of discipline or structure comes with the temptation to abuse the freedom.

We pay attention to the “transitioning in” process with orientation, onboarding, or boot camp. Give credence to the other end of the cycle and dedicate similar resources to help those with what comes “after” they finish their relationship with you.

leadership dot #3468: rare

December 13, 2021December 12, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Author Scott Berkun writes that there are three kinds of people who are rare in this world:
1. Those who are excellent communicators
2. Those who find interesting and useful ideas
3. Those who can convert an idea into an interesting plan.
“It’s exceptionally rare for one person to be good at all three,” he writes. “If you think it’s you, you’re probably wrong.”

Berkun is referencing the context of making a pitch about a proposal but his principle applies in other situations. Most high-level tasks require a combination of skills that are typically not found in the same person. The truly talented among us have a support team that provides the background information, details, and context to allow for a successful presentation/article/meeting/speech.

The next time you are involved in a project where the stakes are high, ask yourself what skills are required for success — and receive an honest assessment of where your gaps are. Even the pros have speechwriters, research teams, graphic artists, and coaches. You want the mic to drop because of success, not hubris.

Source: The Myths of Innovation by Scott Berkun, 2010

leadership dot #3467: catalog

December 12, 2021December 11, 2021by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

When we were vintage shopping, I came across a 1976 Montgomery Ward catalog. What a trip down memory lane! The thing was a beast — over 1200 pages — as it displayed not only the lovely polyester leisure suits on the cover but offered for sale all manner of items. There were chain saws, dollhouses, blenders, and underwear. You name it, and it probably was in the catalog.

Over the years, I have heard criticism of Amazon and how it has become this monster selling everything “from A to Z.” I had never really thought about it before, but Sears and Montgomery Ward were doing the same things decades before — just with a different ordering and delivery system. They were the one-stop shop for everything from apparel to tools to appliances — just as Amazon is the go-to retailer for almost anything today.

As you move into the new year looking for new ideas to reinvigorate your business or organization, maybe a starting place is looking back instead of looking forward. Consider who was successful decades ago and see if you can adapt or adopt their essence and modernize it with today’s technology and expectations. The arrival of the catalogs used to be a delight — maybe you can rekindle some nostalgia as you bring a few of the ideas from the past into the present.