Month: January 2022

leadership dot #3507: treasure hunt

January 21, 2022January 20, 2022by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

State governments currently hold about $49 billion in unclaimed funds — refunds from utilities, payments on insurance claims, and other money that was rightfully due to their residents. My sister’s estate is due $144.22 of that pot and for the past nine months, I have been trying — unsuccessfully — to get it from the State of Illinois.

So far, over three rounds of communications, I have sent in 20 pages of documents, including a notarized form, certified will, proof of addresses from decades ago, official death certificate, proof of relationship, and notarized small estate affidavit. It’s not enough. They are requiring a death certificate from the mother of her roommate in the 1990s (who may very well be alive) because they jointly signed up for the utility and she is due half of a $89.26 rebate. And, with no death certificate, there is no refund at all.

Illinois’ State Treasurer professes to being “committed to returning property in its possession to its rightful owners” but I don’t believe it. I think the system incentivizes them to keep the $3.5 billion they hold so the state can benefit from the interest they earn off the forever-unclaimed money. If they truly wanted to reunite people with their funds in this “Great Treasure Hunt” they would not require such arduous paperwork and would have a simple form as other states have done.

If a process seems like it isn’t working for someone, ask yourself who it is working for. There is likely an unspoken motivation behind why the system was established as it was. Illinois’ system — like most systems — is doing exactly what it was designed to do.

leadership dot #3506: setback

January 20, 2022January 19, 2022by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A friend who is working on his dissertation lamented that the work reminded him of what happens after a big snow. “I shoveled for a half hour and cleared the end of the driveway,” he said. “And then the plow kept coming by. It’s progress, then setback.”

It’s clearly an apt analogy as anyone who has ever written a dissertation will attest, but the “one step forward, one back” aspect applies to most projects. You try something and fail. You hire someone, then have a learning curve while training them. You submit a project idea and it’s rejected. You lose weight then gain a few pounds back after a binge.

The trick is to adjust your mindset to know that the snow and the plow are both coming again — to see that as a natural phase of the process rather than a barrier or reason to quit. Shovel the driveway again and keep at the work. Eventually, you will achieve your goal.

Thanks, Dave!

leadership dot #3505: golden ticket

January 19, 2022January 19, 2022by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Nowhere does hope spring more eternal than when it comes to the chance at winning a prize. Millions buy lottery tickets every day even though there are astronomical odds against hitting the jackpot. On a smaller scale, people opt for “mystery boxes” and grab bags in hopes of scoring a bargain or special deal.

To capitalize on this frenzy, the folks at the Cincinnati Zoo partnered with local Graeter’s ice cream to commemorate Fiona the Hippo’s fifth birthday by adding a surprise to their promotion. Graeter’s has emulated Willy Wonka’s five Golden Tickets and created a Fiona chocolate bar, also with a quintet of winning vouchers. Of the 7500 sold, only five will gift the recipient with a “Fiona kiss painting.” The quest is on to find one!

People really like the opportunity to be a winner. Is there a way you could add an element of suspense or chance to your offerings — either explicitly like Graeter’s or on a more subtle level that surprises people? Maybe you could recognize someone who turns out to be the XXth customer, celebrates a loyalty anniversary with you, or is able to draw a prize based on a level of purchasing? Without making a major investment, you can help people have the thrill of the hunt or experience the joy of winning just by holding a bit back for them to discover by surprise.

Thanks, Lucy!

And here’s another example shared after I posted this: Budweiser is hiding golden cans that make you eligible for a $1 million prize!

leadership dot #3504: preserve

January 18, 2022January 17, 2022by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Our family recently digitized 90 rolls of home movies. These were Super 8 gems not only from my childhood but from Mom and Dad’s dating years and before. Some of them I had never seen before so I spent an afternoon during the holidays watching them all.

Steven Spielberg won’t be optioning them anytime soon but they provided an interesting perspective. It was like someone was on the outside looking in — an unfiltered view of what life was really like. There I was, at about 10 years old, with a pad of paper on Christmas morning writing down all the gifts I received as I opened them. I guess the organization gene is part of the DNA.

While not much has changed with my habits, certainly the environment has evolved. Everyone smoked cigarettes, seemingly all the time. People certainly dressed up far more than they do today, especially at Easter. The kids even had corsages! There were so many people in the movies that were important in our lives at the time but with whom we are no longer in touch today. And don’t get me started on the hairstyles!

The movies froze a moment in time and provided a look back that mere memories could never replicate. While I’m not advocating taking footage of your organization or office, some intentionality around capturing history is important. Even routinely collecting the organizational chart and budget would paint a picture of the way things were. Think of how positions have evolved, let alone the people who hold them, and how budgets have shifted just in technology and benefit allocations.

You’ll appreciate today more if you take an occasional trip down memory lane. Make sure you preserve the ability to do it.

leadership dot #3503: injustice

January 17, 2022January 14, 2022by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

In his TED Talk that has been watched over 53 million times, Simon Sinek shares his story of the Golden Circle and the importance of “starting with why” instead of automatically beginning with the “how” or the “what.” He gives several examples of why switching the order of your message can make it inherently more powerful.

One of the examples he uses is the namesake of today’s holiday. “Why did Martin Luther King, Jr. lead the civil rights movement?” Sinek asks. “He wasn’t the only man who suffered in pre-civil rights America and he certainly wasn’t the only great orator of the day. Why him?” Sinek’s answer is that all the great and inspiring leaders in the world, including King, “think, act and communicate” by first focusing on the “why” in their messages and making that their central theme.

“I am in Birmingham because injustice is here,” King wrote in his letter from jail. “…I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”

King’s message is as powerful today as it was when he wrote it in 1963. May it serve to help us become more united as a country by embracing King’s “why” and working to preserve our interdependence instead of posturing to advance only our own cause.

leadership dot #3502: apply

January 16, 2022January 15, 2022by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Yesterday, I wrote about using humor as part of a branding strategy to help mitigate temporary product shortages (dot #3501). A similar principle can apply when acknowledging staffing challenges.

I have seen many signs asking for latitude or consideration toward the skeleton crews but one of my favorite signs comes from Dunkin’: If you run out of patience, please ask for an application.” It’s a targeted way to remind customers that places are open to hiring — but unable to find candidates at this time.

You could say nothing and let people come to their own conclusions about why the line is slow but better to be explicit about what’s going on. People in line want the output but don’t want to be part of the input. The reminder is good for everyone.

leadership dot #3501: out of stock

January 15, 2022January 14, 2022by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

In a rack of greeting cards, there were several selections that were sold out. Anticipating this, Hallmark used their dividers to communicate fun messages instead of leaving the slots blank. Examples include: “Bet you’re wondering what this one said,” “Go figure. This was probably the perfect card,” and “Don’t worry, the card fairies are busy making more.”

The lighthearted tone fits well with the irreverent Shoebox series theme and the humor makes the poor selection more tolerable. Somehow, reading a funny divider feels much better than seeing a blank reminder that the card is out of stock.

Supply chain challenges are causing shortages everywhere. Foresee where your gaps may be and proactively consider how you might mitigate them through humor or other strategies.

leadership dot #3500: safe place

January 14, 2022January 13, 2022by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

While out on a walk, another dog darted out of the owner’s garage and came charging at me and my pooches. In the ensuing chaos, one of my dogs slipped out of her collar and ran away — at full, gazelle-like sprint about a quarter of a mile uphill in the snow (seriously!). Miraculously, she was sitting outside my door when I made it home. She instinctively knew to go to her safe place.

I’ve been thinking about safety of a different sort as in my class we’re covering psychological safety. Harvard professor Amy Edmundson is the guru of this area and defines the concept as “a belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes.” It means feeling like you belong in the environment you’re in and it allows you to express emotion, trust others, admit struggles, ask for help, and raise concerns. It creates a safe place to be yourself.

It’s no surprise that safety is one of the lower tiers of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Whether running away from a growling dog or admitting to bewilderment on a topic, we need to first feel safe for anything constructive to follow. Do your part to cultivate the type of culture where it’s a secure place for others to land — both physically and psychologically.

leadership dot #3499: brand new

January 13, 2022January 12, 2022by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

There are so many things you take for granted when you move into a house: towel racks, doors with knobs, countertops, toilet paper holders, cabinets, a driveway, and a road to lead to your door.

I was the first house in a new subdivision and they literally had to use a satellite to see where to run the cable and internet fiber — there was no address. I had to pick up mail from the Post Office for a month until the community mailbox was installed. City Hall had to call the garbage service each week because they kept forgetting me on their route.

When you build a new house, a zillion things become decision points. It forces you to see things in a new light and to become conscious of the components instead of the whole.

The equivalent is true when creating a new position instead of just filling an existing one. You’re starting from scratch with a job description, phone, computer, desk, office, reporting structure, supplies, and support. There is no routine, no history, no resources to refer to, no report format, no performance measures — everything has to be decided as it occurs.

It’s a great opportunity to create something for the first time but those involved need to realize that it takes much longer to ramp up because everything has to be figured out. We forget how much we rely on fundamentals and make assumptions about what we are starting with. If what you’re involved in is brand new (not just to you), factor in more time and emotional bandwidth to get yourself settled. All those choices are exhausting!

leadership dot #3498: demur

January 12, 2022January 11, 2022by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I listened to an interview with Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn who is on the circuit promoting her new book. She freely discussed her failures, injuries, and challenges with depression but when it came to commenting on her relationship with Tiger Woods or more current beaus, she politely demurred. Lindsey smiled but firmly said that she believes there should be a boundary between her personal and professional life and her dating partners were something she did not feel were in the scope of the interview or even to be discussed in her book. Smile again and sit silently.

I admired her for what she did not say as much as I did for anything else in the interview. It would make juicy fodder for her book and her promotion of it, but Vonn chose to keep private matters private — something that I’ll guess is challenging to do in this era of social media and the quest to receive coverage. She didn’t make a big deal out of it, but it was clear she was not going to respond further.

All of us could take a lesson from her and make a conscious choice not to capitalize on every opportunity to garner attention or even to answer every question that is asked. Whether about personal or organizational matters, know where your line is and stick to it. Your most powerful communication may simply be a quiet smile.