Month: January 2023

leadership dot #3820: a context

January 11, 2023January 10, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

When you learn a new technique, it’s natural that you want to apply it right away. This is great if the trick you learned is for a hobby or a new way of cooking, but if you have a new change strategy in mind it’s best to provide some context before you alter your behavior.

I encourage my coaching clients to create an intentional window or demarcation before they apply things that we discuss. Rather than confusing an employee with a sudden veer in your approach, it’s best to preface the change by sharing a context. Examples could include: “I read this article/listened to this podcast/attended a session and the author suggested this — I’d like to try it out.” Or, “It’s the start of a new year/semester/quarter and I think we could benefit from a shift in practice. Let’s….” Or, “I’m working on being more intentional about my ____ and so I’m going to do ____ differently as a pilot.”

You’re not asking for permission to make the change, but paving the way for acceptance or at least understanding of it. It can be unnerving when someone alters their behavior for seemingly no reason. Help those affected by your shift to know that it’s intentional and grounded in a rationale.

leadership dot #3819: neglected

January 10, 2023January 9, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Several years ago, I was involved with an organization promoting literacy. As part of its efforts, the group commissioned several Little Free Libraries to be built and placed around town. The thought was that if the organization provided the libraries and initially stocked them with books they would be self-sustaining projects — subsequent books would be replenished by others who borrowed from them.

What anyone failed to consider was the maintenance of the libraries themselves. After several years in the harsh Midwest elements, the roof is peeling, the walls could use paint, and the whole thing is in an embarrassing state of disrepair. Yet, the organization’s name still remains prominently on the library plaque — even though I doubt any of the current members have a clue that they inherited this legacy.

Too often, in our zeal to implement new projects, we forget about the sustaining stage. From Eagle Scouts to nonprofits to professionals, all the focus is on the innovation and not the ongoing effort that will be required for the project to retain its value. Before you greenlight the next new thing, think about how you will either maintain it or phase it out. Allowing something to fade away from neglect is a poor option.

leadership dot #3818: series

January 9, 2023January 8, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

The overwhelming number of choices on streaming services drives me to watch a television series instead of a movie. It provides for light entertainment without the time-consuming drama that occurs with another round of “what do you want to watch tonight?” By the time we settle on a movie, I could have watched another episode of a series. It is just easier for me to pick a show and stick with it until the end, thus avoiding all need for thought and decision-making.

Apparently, others feel the same way about books. At the library, almost the entire section of new fiction books was part of a series. Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Armand Gamache was there in book #19. Kathy Reich’s Temperance Brennan was book #25, and Lee Child’s Jack Reacher was featured in his 27th novel. Other best-selling authors were also there with the latest installment of their famous characters: Jack Ryan, Alex Cross, and Stephanie Plum.

Packaging content as a series is an effective way to garner momentum and help people create affinity to a particular author/show/product without them having to start from scratch each time they are ready to absorb new material. Consider that it creates a barrier as well. I don’t want to read book #20 or jump into the middle of a television season. If you are providing a series, you need to make efforts to provide easy entry points and stand-alone content so those who don’t start at the beginning are able to connect and continue. The host has to work hard to make you feel welcome when you’re late to the party.

leadership dot #3817: smokehouse

January 8, 2023January 7, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

When I was in Chicagoland over the holidays, of course, I ate at Portillo’s. For the uninitiated, Portillo’s serves genuine Chicago hot dogs — a sesame seed bun, neon green relish, mustard, sport peppers, celery salt, onion, a pickle — and always with a pure Vienna Beef dog.

While I was waiting for my order, I noticed a plaque on the wall that recognized Portillo’s for its long partnership with Vienna Beef, naming them a “cherished part of the Vienna Beef Family” — no doubt because of the 250,000,000 hot dogs sold (and this was in 2014 before franchising!). The plaque went on to say that because of their long relationship, Vienna Beef was naming Smokehouse #1 the Portillo’s Smokehouse and it would remain that way as long as the company existed.

I’m sure in the Vienna Beef world, this is the highest honor they can bestow. The presence of the plaque in the restaurant nearly a decade later indicates to me that Dick Portillo recognized the significance of what they did to thank him.

Vienna Beef did not have to buy something fancy to show their appreciation to their best customer. They made a gesture and acknowledged the relationship in a way that was meaningful but not elaborate.

Take a moment to think about who is a major customer or collaborator for you — and then think of ways you can acknowledge the importance of your partnership. I suspect you don’t have a smokehouse to name, but surely you can find an appropriate way to let them know how much they mean to you and your organization.

leadership dot #3816: toying around

January 7, 2023January 6, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Most people know of the Fisher-Price brand and associate it with colorful toys for young children. The website says they are “the only kid brand dedicated to all the years between 0 and 5,” and they feature a tagline: “helping families enrich the first five years of childhood.”

Apparently, Fisher-Price has expanded its definition of kids to include the four-legged variety. PetSmart now offers a line of Fisher-Price dog toys — modeled after the iconic playthings many pet owners grew up with. The appeal of nostalgia, especially to pet parents who treat their dogs as children, might be strong enough to make the brand extension successful, but, once again, we see a company going way outside its core business. Fisher-Price is owned by Mattel, which creates “innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain, and develop children through play.” Doesn’t sound like stuffed dog toys fit the global company mission either.

There is strength in a narrow niche, but if you broaden your product offerings, simultaneously expand your mission to include the new markets in your scope. Don’t say you’re one thing and then toy around with other offerings outside of your core.

leadership dot #3815: ledge

January 6, 2023January 5, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Our family’s Christmas present from my brother and sister-in-law included tickets to the Skydeck of the Willis (Sears) Tower in Chicago. In addition to the spectacular views from the 103rd floor, the main draw for this attraction is The Ledge, an all-glass box that jets out four feet from the building, allowing you to walk out into it for unobstructed views.

At first, I could not fathom stepping out onto 1.5″ of glass which was all that was preventing me from plummeting 1,353 feet down to Wacker Drive. OMG! However, I found that if I did not look down and instead just kept looking straight ahead, it really wasn’t that scary. The surface was at the same level, and it just involved walking a few extra steps that rewarded me with magnificent views.

Going out on The Ledge provides an apt metaphor to start the new year. We shouldn’t let fear hold us back from doing things, and instead, we should overcome it by taking one small step toward what scares us. In the end, the benefit is likely greater than the trepidation.

leadership dot #3814: responding

January 5, 2023January 4, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

My student activities colleague Chris Geiger created a tongue-in-cheek Facebook post about what those of us in the profession would have done had we been involved in the Southwest Airlines meltdown. He wrote: “We would have had free pizza and t-shirts (“I flew Southwest and all I got was this t-shirt, “Ho Ho Holy Crap where is my luggage?”), pictures with Santa, hot chocolate bar, kids’ activity area, free counseling, probably even a petting zoo! Ha!” Others chimed in with suggestions to add a jumpy house to ease aggression, a competition to find your own luggage, the massive piles of luggage lined up in alpha order, pet therapy, coloring sheets, button-making stations, and more.

In addition to having a plan to address issues when the infrastructure fails, organizations must prepare — or at least be prepared to be flexible — to address the service issues when things go awry. Southwest could have (should have?) authorized the airport managers to spontaneously do what they could to make the wait more palatable for the travelers. While others were working on the operational fix, front-line staff could have been deployed to make the best of a horrible situation in the airports. A cup of hot chocolate or slice of pizza wouldn’t have mitigated the inconveniences, but it would have been a bit of salve at the moment.

If your organization finds itself enduring a meltdown, try to create an experience around it that provides levity amidst the acknowledged gloom. When the situation is so bad that you want to cry, the other option is to laugh.

leadership dot #3813: meltdown

January 4, 2023January 3, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I know that somewhere in the hallowed halls of Harvard, a professor spent her break furiously writing a new case study about the Southwest Airlines meltdown. In case you have been on a news hiatus, Southwest’s technology was not able to handle the aftermath of delays caused by a winter storm, resulting in the cancelation of 70% of its flights during the entire holiday week, which caused disruptions for over a million passengers and created a luggage backlog that may take until Easter to resolve. The airline went from being an industry darling to being skewered by memes in a matter of days.

At the core of the problem was that the airline was unprepared for things to go wrong. Its short-hop system instead of hubs, its antiquated technology, and its failure to listen to warnings from unions about pending trouble all compounded to implode operations post-storm. News reported that the leadership team met on Christmas Day — a sure sign that things were in crisis mode.

It is so easy to push aside long-term needs when things are going well in the short run. Drivers head out on winter trips without water or blankets, not preparing to be stuck on the road. People neglect backing up their computers because it’s extra effort that normally isn’t needed. Passengers pack medicine and valuables in their suitcases, expecting them to be accessible and not creating a contingency if they were to become without luggage. Managers give access to finances and information without safeguards and redundancies to protect the organization from employees who become disgruntled.

You don’t have to get carried away with doomsday scenarios, but your list of new year’s plans should include reviewing the ability of your infrastructure and policies to handle aberrations. The time to address long-term needs is well before they are required.

leadership dot #3812: fired

January 3, 2023January 3, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

On the television show Madam Secretary, the fictional Secretary of State has an ace as an Executive Assistant. He performs heroically, tending to her every need, anticipating what she will want, handling the details, mastering her calendar, and doing it all with understated diplomacy. In short, he is a rock star.

And, as such, the temptation would be to keep Blake in that role forever, especially since the longer he performs the job, the more valuable he becomes. Instead, the Secretary lovingly told him that he could do more — in fact, should do more — and so she was going to fire him — in a year. In a humorous twist, she even told him to put it on her calendar to do.

Throughout the year, Madam Secretary has been providing Blake with opportunities to explore other areas of the State Department and to work on projects that normally would not have been in his portfolio. She is intentionally helping him with career exploration as she reminds him that his time in his current role is finite.

As we begin this new year, take a minute to consider your staff if you are a supervisor. Do you have a “Blake” on your team that could do more if challenged, and if so, should you consider a move to fire them from their current position in a year? If you’re not a supervisor, reflect on whether you should use the turn of the calendar to impose this mandate on yourself and act as if your clock is ticking.

It’s easy to become comfortable and let the weeks go by without action. If there is an aspect of your life that is just coasting, take a lesson from the Secretary and commit to a deadline for a radical change.

leadership dot #1419a: reveal

January 2, 2023December 20, 2022by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

During the afternoon, I accompanied an artist-in-residence to an elementary school where he did magic tricks and juggled for the students. They were enthralled by his act and wanted to know how he accomplished his feats. “I read,” he said. “I taught myself how to do magic and juggling and you can teach yourself, too.” That was the extent of his revelations.

But at a reception for the sponsors later that evening, he shared a few insights into his magical sleight of hand. He also admitted that he had done some of the tricks early in his career that had failed — some miserably — yet he continued doing them. He was supposed to make scarves “disappear” into a fake thumb, yet they didn’t all make it inside. Another time, the “thumb” fell off. Still another misstep occurred when he had a chemical that turned water into gel so it didn’t run out of the cup. He tried the trick with cola instead and ended up pouring pop all over his volunteer’s head!

The bottom line is that magic isn’t always magical. Just like things in real life that look like they are easy: it isn’t always the case. Instead of wishing for your magic trick to transport you to a better place, do like Bob Kann does and practice, practice, practice your reality until it appears to be too good to be true.

Originally published in modified form on April 20, 2016