June 2023 – Page 3 – leadership dots

leadership dot #3959: addictive

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

If you ever need to know the power of the tobacco lobby in the United States, just look at cigarette packaging in other countries. Over half of the display in Andorra screams: “Smoking kills” or “Smokers Die Younger.” No mincing words with those warnings…

…yet they still garner a prominent display in the window and the products are sold worldwide, a testament to the power of money and the addictive properties of smoking.

I just read a novel* in which the main character is ravaged by addiction to oxycodone. There were warnings on those bottles, too, but it did not matter.

The key with addictive products — cigarettes, drugs, social media — is not to start. Not to start making them, selling them, or using them. A written caution is no more effective than a speed limit sign.

*Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. Highly recommend.

See warnings on cigarette packages in the display in Andorra. Much more prominent than in the U.S.

leadership dot #3958: get back

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

It’s one thing to compile a list of FAQs — and another to resolve them before they need to be asked. The latter was the approach of a hotel in Spain.

Frequented by tourists, I’m sure they faced regular questions about how to return to the hotel after an outing or heard tales of travelers struggling with the language to navigate their round-trip. To preempt any problems, they now print not only their address on their key card envelopes but provide a QR code for travelers to scan with directions on “how to get back!” It saves people from getting lost — either literally or in translation — and helps make the overall traveling experience just that much smoother.

If you get frequent questions, instead of focusing on a plan to answer them with a smile, think about how you can be proactive and prevent their asking. Anticipating challenges and resolving them before they occur is the key to good service.

leadership dot #3957: weight

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

I’ve been there — at the airport check-in counter learning my luggage is overweight, then frantically trying to pull things out while in full view of everyone’s glaring eyes for holding up the line. Ugh!

A hotel in Spain has solved this problem by having a scale in the lobby to check your suitcase weight before you go. For the meager price of €1, you can weigh first and return to your room to rearrange in privacy or at least shuffle things before you get in line.

Luggage scales are outside the amenities necessary for a good night’s stay, but they make the traveling experience better for those who visit. The hotel sees its role as broadly serving its guests, and by having the scale they have eliminated a frequent hassle for travelers. I wish all hotels had them.

Is there something that you know is a troublesome spot for your clients — even if it’s outside your direct responsibility? The overall customer experience is within your purview. Take a weight off the shoulders of others by addressing it.

leadership dot #3956: rock

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

Leadership dots is going to have a bit of an international flair for the next several dots — thanks to the inspiration of my sister Meg who thought of me during her travels and collected dot ideas complete with photos! ❤️

You may have heard the saying “solid as the Rock of Gibraltar” or seen the giant rock as the symbol for Prudential Insurance. The Rock stands out on the Southwest tip of Europe and towers over the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. It has been a landmark for decades.

But while people may want you to “count on the rock” or lead you to believe it is solid, in fact, it is not. Inside the rock is a huge cave and tunnel system that the British built for defense. It is anything but solid inside.

Maybe you can be like the Rock of Gibraltar — projecting strength and confidence on the outside even though you are not feeling solid at all. Or perhaps you need to acknowledge that your external image is a facade — you appear to be solid when really that’s not the case and your organization needs some internal truth-telling. Either way, the Rock is a good metaphor to remember that things on the inside aren’t always as they seem on the outside.

leadership dot #3955: new

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

When I worked on a campus, I found it enlightening to take a class — it gave me a firsthand view of what it was like to register, get books, interpret the schedule, find the classroom, figure out the bill, etc. It led to many service improvements as I had to experience things that just didn’t make sense.

That same perspective is true for those who teach. My sister was just on a trip abroad and shared how her experiences in countries with different languages, currencies, customs, etc. will be helpful in her work as a corporate trainer. It reminded her what it’s like to experience something brand new and to be lost on how to navigate even the basic functions.

My new volunteer stint as an English tutor has also made me more cognizant of language and all the quirks that come with English. Obviously, they have always been there, but having to explain to someone why we say it’s June 6th (sixth) when the calendar only has a 6 (and not a 6th) definitely has me seeing things in a new light.

One of my favorite icebreakers is “What’s the last (most recent) thing you’ve done for the first time?” If you have to think hard about your answer, maybe it’s time to venture out a bit more.

leadership dot #3954: hourly

June 5, 2023June 3, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

While the per-hour rate works for certain positions, I am very intentional about pricing all my work on a project basis instead of hourly. I want to be able to deliver a quality product without having to count the minutes it takes to do so or hold back because I have reached my time allotment. I’m sure that I have spent more time than I “should” on some projects because of this billing practice but I’m happy to deliver more than expected.

I thought about this when I attended a reception that had a gorgeous fruit display. If they had priced their work on an hourly basis, the customer may not have wanted to explicitly pay that extra amount to have carved watermelons or owls shaped out of apples, but the end result was magnificent. It was a positive reflection on the host as much as the caterer.

If I want to spend time doing extra research or editing an article, I don’t want to hesitate and wonder about billing the client for my obsession. Ditto for my administrative project that may not have wanted to pay extra for the files to have printed labels and be alphabetized but I cared and did them, without counting the “extra” minutes it took.

Your work is a reflection of you. Don’t sell yourself short by letting the clock dictate what you deliver.

leadership dot #3953: buried

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

It is 2023. Why must we still dig into coolers to find which beverages are in them?

Ironically, it was at a Human-Centered Design program that I was tasked with procuring beverages for people. Thank goodness that I was the one who loaded the cooler, otherwise, there would have been no way to tell what it contained. As it was, I was unsure what quantity was in its depths. It also was challenging to keep the cooler refilled as all the new bottles naturally lay on top of the ice instead of easily being buried within it.

Coolers are a common item for picnics, sporting events, boating, camping, etc. I am surprised that no one (that I know) has made them easy to use, and instead, we accept that “digging” through the ice is just how it’s done. They made a significant improvement when wheels were added, but the overall cooler design is still flawed.

What’s the equivalent of your “cooler” — something that is commonplace but due for a revamp? Maybe our next design event can include reimagining how to improve the functionality for users!

leadership dot #3952: graduates

June 3, 2023June 1, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

With graduation season upon us, many businesses are acknowledging their seniors with a cake or other internal celebration. Freddy’s Hamburgers has gone a step further and is publicly recognizing the achievements of its seniors through an eye-catching display of signs. Each of the graduates has a personal sign — not only much nicer than a generic “congratulations graduates” banner — but it makes a can’t-miss display to all who drive by.

The display achieves two goals: recognizing the graduates and also letting others know that the restaurant is hiring due to the departure of many who are presumably off to college or career. It’s an effective way to do both simultaneously.

Internal recognition is always welcome, but external accolades have a role to play as well. For the younger generation who likes personalization and Instagram-worthy experiences, a little sign can go a long way.

leadership dot #3951: drops

June 2, 2023June 2, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplett1 Comment

A bug divebombed directly into my eye and caused an irritation that necessitated a visit to the doctor. He prescribed eye drops that came in a teeny-tiny bottle for $65. The entire contents are less than a thimbleful (if you’re old enough to know what that is!) or, in other words, far less than a soda bottle capful. Not much!

I put the prescribed drop in my eye while I was still at the pharmacy and a miracle occurred. The eye that had been in pain for 36 hours was relieved before I made it to my car.

For many things, we think that bigger is better, but the eye drops reminded me it’s the impact that counts, not the size. If you have the right strategy, right idea, or right hire, you don’t need to focus on volume. Great power can come from a singular source.

P. S. Happy 11th Anniversary Leadership Dots! Another example of how small drops (aka dots) can have a bigger impact.

leadership dot #3950: love ’em

June 1, 2023May 31, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Yesterday, I had my first session as a volunteer tutor of English as a Second Language. I’m functioning in a substitute role, so had no advance notice of the level of the student or how to effectively cover our lesson. As I was fretting about what I was going to teach, one of the other volunteers said to me: “Just love ’em.”

I commented that it sounded like a good philosophy for many things and she shared a story of a man who was continually irritated by the dandelions in his yard. His neighbor shared the same sentiment: “Learn to just love ’em.”

Whether ESL students or dandelions — or most things in between — it’s a good mantra to follow. A little grace goes a long way.