September 2023 – Page 2 – leadership dots

leadership dot #4055: location

September 20, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

What impressed me most about the Milwaukee School of Engineering campus wasn’t the physical spaces or buildings, but rather the location of the President’s Office. It was prominently and visibly located overlooking the student dining area, thereby conveying a powerful message about the school’s culture.

Most leaders are tucked away in the corners of an administration floor, far from the interactions with mid-level employees, let alone customers. But this design chose to place the president adjacent to the student hub where they could be reminded daily of who they were serving.

Think about what the location of your offices says. Are the leaders positioned so that they have occasional and chance encounters with others who aren’t part of the hierarchy? Does the floor plan create unnecessary divisions and reinforce status differences? Could morale and interaction be improved with a change in proximity? Don’t underestimate how location serves to communicate culture.

leadership dot #4054: cheesy potatoes

September 19, 2023September 18, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

My young niece recently cooked dinner for the family. Sloppy Joe’s were the entreé so she made those first, and while those cooked she steamed the broccoli and boiled the spuds. Finally, she made a delicious recipe as the base for parmesan-crusted potatoes.

Only as she prepared to put the potato dish in the oven, she realized that they were to bake for 30 minutes. By this time, of course, the sandwiches and vegetables were ready to be eaten. She pivoted and baked the potatoes until the cheese melted — about 10 minutes — and we enjoyed them without a crust instead. It all worked out and was a very tasty meal but cheesy potatoes weren’t the plan.

Many times, people do the equivalent at work — starting with the easier projects first, doing one project at a time without considering the whole, or failing to backward engineer the timing to ensure that things are done in the most effective order. It results in rushed — and less than ideal — output of the more complex assignments. You may turn something in, but it’s cheesy potatoes as a weaker substitute instead of what you could have accomplished.

leadership dot #4053: smartest

September 18, 2023September 17, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A high school freshman was lamenting to his sophomore sister: “I’m worried about studying. Am I going to have to study this year?”

It reminded me of a retention study we did, trying to learn why students were failing the introductory engineering class. We assumed that the students with lower entrance credentials were the ones struggling, but it turned out to be those with the highest high school grades. The smartest students had not learned how to study in high school and now faced challenging material that required them to apply the skills they had never honed.

It’s not uncommon for those who are easily successful in one environment to struggle when they are promoted to another level. It happens from middle school to high school and from high school to college — but it also happens in the workplace. We promote good followers into supervisory roles and assume they have the decision-making skills to do the job, but they may not have developed them as associates. We put great team members in charge of projects without ensuring they have the leadership skills to be successful. We make a wonderful sous chef responsible for the meal even though they may not have been involved in any menu planning.

Moving to the “next level” — whatever that may be — isn’t just more of the same. Every promotion requires a new way of thinking and the application of a new set of skills. Pay extra attention to those whose path has been easy as small barriers may be their first, requiring explicit coaching in how to overcome them.

leadership dot #4052: X

September 17, 2023September 16, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Yesterday’s dot (#4051) got me wondering how many places that little Twitter bird logo is. It’s in print, on business cards, on email signatures, on websites — literally millions of individuals and companies use it — and now it is technically outdated or even wrong.

I doubt the bird’s pervasiveness was even considered as Twitter changed its name to X — after all, they don’t have to incur the expense or hassle of others making the change…

…but you should be more thoughtful if you are altering something that will have an impact on your users or clientele. If your internal change has external consequences, take that into account as you make adjustments. Not that you still shouldn’t do it, but acknowledge the reality as you weigh its merits and do all you can to make it easier for your customers to change with you.

leadership dot #4051: following

September 16, 2023September 15, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I was following a truck where the back panel read: “As long as you’re following us…follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. I thought it was a clever way to promote social media followers by capitalizing on the double entendre of “following.”

It took some thought to pair the message with the medium, but it’s worth the extra effort to do so. Other examples are Pancheros Mexican restaurant’s napkins that say “In queso you need one,” playing off their signature chips and queso dish, or Hampton Inn’s coffee sleeves with “we hope you slept well” messages.

Random advertising is so pervasive that it becomes invisible. To have your message noticed, make it relevant to where it is being shared.

leadership dot #4050: mantra

September 15, 2023September 14, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

At the turn of the Twentieth Century, Chicago was struggling to claim its place on the national scene. Lucky for them, the city leaders had the foresight to craft a vision for the city’s future that included specifics, not just the dream of being magnificent.

Mayor Big Bill Thompson ran on a platform that promoted the Chicago Plan. “Let’s do something that is good, big, and enduring,” he said. I love that description as a mantra for life.

As part of the Chicago Plan, 25 of 29 lakefront miles were preserved for public use. The commitment transformed the city and made it much more attractive and liveable for generations. Good, big, and enduring.

What are you up to today? Instead of getting mired in the small details and routine, pause to consider what you can contribute that will make a lasting difference — to yourself, your family, your organization, your community, or your world. Good, big, and enduring are fine words to live by.

Quote from City of Scoundrels by Gary Krist

leadership dot #4049: asking

September 14, 2023September 13, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Most people are glad to offer help when asked. It makes them feel good when they are able to give their time or talent to assist someone else.

Yet, those same people often struggle when asking others for help. Somehow, it makes people feel incompetent or they don’t want to impose — even when they don’t use those labels when others ask.

If you’re someone who hesitates to ask for help, imagine being on the receiving end of the request. It may reframe your perspective and help you see it as a chance for others to gladly be of service to you. Assisting others forms a connection and builds trust. Don’t deny others that opportunity.

leadership dot #4048: give grace

September 13, 2023September 12, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Why do we give grace only to people we know?

A colleague was late providing information but I knew she had other big projects going on so I excused it. A neighbor has an outdoor cat that roams in my yard — I ignore it instead of calling animal control because I know her. I ignore my friend’s absentmindedness because I am aware she is struggling with a health issue.

But I wouldn’t be as tolerant if the same situations occurred with people I did not know — even though the same extenuating circumstances could still be present. I need to work on that.

We have no idea what is happening in other people’s lives, just as they can’t know what is going on in ours. Trust that they are doing the best that they can until you have evidence otherwise. You’ll rarely regret giving grace.

leadership dot #4047: brews

September 12, 2023April 25, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

While on vacation, we took a tour of the Sprecher Brewery in Milwaukee. Before and after the tour, guests are able to partake of free samples in the “beer garden” — consisting of ale, of course, but also of root beer and dozens of varieties of flavored soda.

It wasn’t always like this. The family brewery originally produced only beer — until the owner’s wife noticed that the children on tour were bored while the adults were enjoying their libations. She suggested that they create something non-alcoholic, and Sprecher root beer was born.

Before this, Sprecher’s output was 100% beer. Today, its sales consist of 75% root beer, 10% other soda flavors, and only 15% beer!

There may be an untapped audience adjacent to the one you have cultivated. Look at your consumers broadly and see if you can’t brew yourself a new market as Sprecher did.

leadership dot #4046: just a day

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

A meme on Facebook provided some somber words for thought:

Those that died yesterday had a plan for this morning.
Those that died this morning had plans for tonight.
Don’t take life for granted. In the blink of an eye, everything can change.
So forgive often and love with a full heart.
You never know when you may not have that chance again.

The quote came to mind today as I was reflecting on September 11, 2001. Life as we knew it changed in an instant, and not just for the friends and family of the 3000 people who were killed that day.

It is hard for me to believe that the terrorist attacks were 22 years ago already. So many people weren’t born or were too young to be impacted, but, like those who were alive during Pearl Harbor, I will always remember where I was when it happened.

Whether this is an emotional day for you or just another Monday, heed the advice above. Take a moment not only to be a patriot but to forgive someone or express your love. September 11, 2001 was just another day — until it wasn’t.