Month: February 2024

leadership dot #4181: idle time

February 9, 2024February 8, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I went to a restaurant that had a two-hour waiting list. Once we were seated, it was another 30+ minutes before we received our order. The problem here isn’t that the restaurant can’t accommodate the crowds; the problem is that the kitchen can’t accommodate the crowds. If the seating allocations were proportionate to what the cooks could produce, then the turnover would reduce idle time and make the whole operation more efficient.

Idle time is expensive. It’s why Southwest flies tight schedules — when the plane is on the ground it’s not generating revenue. When the churches are empty, they’re not fostering engagement or connection. If the taxi is waiting in the queue, it’s without paying passengers. If the space isn’t leased, it isn’t covering the overhead.

Review your assets to assess where there is idle time in your operation. Slow technology may be worth an upgrade to prevent staff from lag time. A closer distribution point may be worth the hassle of creating it. A bigger kitchen could pay for itself. Don’t sit idly by and let the void consume your gains.

leadership dot #4180: invite me

February 8, 2024February 7, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

One of my colleagues commented that they were pleased that I had become a more active participant in a project. She was glad I stepped up; I was glad that I was finally invited to do so. What I was asked to do was way beyond my original scope (but well within my capabilities), but I would not have gone that far “outside my lane” without specifically being asked.

I had a similar feeling when I recently attended an event that was part of a series of similar invitation-only events that I did not attend. Someone commented: “I’m so glad you’re here.” This person had not invited me to the other events; if my attendance was so appreciated, I wondered why I had not previously been asked.

It can be a fine line between asserting appropriate initiative and respecting appropriate boundaries. Not everyone should muscle their way in for a seat at the table. If you want others there or want them to contribute in more meaningful ways, invite them to do so. It’s not enough to have an open door; you’ll have better results if you explicitly welcome people to walk through it.

leadership dot #4179: conclusion

February 7, 2024February 6, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Yesterday, I delivered the final report to the school district outlining all the steps the volunteer advocacy committee took in support of the bond referendum. We’ve been working on this report for quite some time as it ended up being 25+ pages of text. Many hours went into documenting our actions during the six-month project and adding our recommendations for future efforts.

It would have been easy (actually, far easier) to conclude our work when the election results were in and not exert the effort to capture the details. But whether we are involved again, or it serves as a resource to those who are, not doing a final report was never an option for me. I believe it’s an essential step in any process. Already, we had to rely on notes and each other to capture the nuances and tasks that we would have clearly forgotten if we tried to recreate them in the next round.

More than serving as a future playbook, a final report allows me to reflect on the project, consider what I learned from it, and create tangible evidence that our efforts existed. It is the opportunity to appreciate the enormity of what we accomplished and to give the gift of hindsight to those who come after us.

Yes, doing documentation after the conclusion of a project is anticlimactic and frankly the last thing you feel like doing. Trust me, it’s still the right thing to do.

leadership dot #4178: miniature

February 6, 2024February 1, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

One of the most unique booths I’ve seen at a craft show was Lilliputian Landscapes — a collection of photographs that featured miniature people nestled among ordinary objects that were totally transformed because of the manipulation of scale. For example, the figures appeared to be looking at paintings in an art gallery (only the paintings were postage stamps), or figures appeared to be skiing on snow (that was cauliflower), or astronaut figures appeared to be walking on the moon (which was blue cheese). It was a fascinating change of perspective.

I have one of the photographs in my office as a reminder that we are biased about how we see the world — locked into mental models that cause us to make assumptions and take for granted most of what we see. A Lilliputian Landscape helps me pause and reframe to consider that there may be other ways to look at the problem I’m facing.

Consider what triggers you can use to shake up your point of view. Maybe something small can help you think big.

Source: Lilliputan-Landscapes.com by Judy Robinson-Cox

leadership dot #4177: why not

February 5, 2024February 1, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplett1 Comment

I received my Presidential Preference form in the mail — the Iowa Democratic Party’s answer to being bumped from the first-in-the-nation caucuses. It’s essentially Vote by Mail — easy and efficient to do. I filled in my oval, signed the envelope, dropped it in the mail, and was done. No driving to the courthouse, no waiting in lines, no hassle.

It made me wonder why we don’t do all voting this way. I know there would need to be some refinements for security, unhomed people, those who recently moved, etc. Still, it seems more feasible than operating this elaborate in-person one-day ballot-casting system.

Then I thought of author Dan Pink’s new venture: “Why not?” Each week, he’s posing a question asking why don’t we do something as a way to “jolt America’s imagination.” I think it’s a valid exercise for the country, as well as for individuals and organizations. Why not do all voting by mail?

Challenge yourself to ask that question today, and better yet, challenge yourself to work on the solution. Why not you?

leadership dot #4176: inclusive

February 4, 2024February 1, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Most times, handicapped parking spaces or ramps are designated with the graphical icon of a person in a wheelchair, even though many more conditions warrant the need for accommodations. The subway system in Boston provided more inclusive signage, featuring a person with crutches, someone with a cane, another with a seeing-eye dog, plus the traditional wheelchair. It was a welcome acknowledgment that visually expanded others’ thinking.

Look at your signage through a more inclusive lens. Could you modify your visuals or language to reflect more contemporary thinking and help more people be represented in your wayfinding? Signs may be a small thing, but they are also a sign that you take your DEI efforts seriously.

leadership dot #4175: imperfections

February 3, 2024February 1, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

At a craft show, a vendor was selling a collection of earrings for a discounted price because they did not live up to his standards. His sign read: “For those who don’t need perfection.” I looked at the earrings and could not see the flaws.

Other established retailers follow a similar pattern of discounting their goods when imperfections appear. I’m a frequent shopper at Wisconsin’s Bargain Nooks where Lands’ End sells its rejects, and often find them to be as good as new to me. Faribault Mill advertised its factory seconds sale with a tagline citing: “Sorry, we’re perfectionists. Incredibly high discounts, incredibly low chance of you finding the flaw.”

Calling attention to your imperfections is a way to preserve your brand integrity and reinforce your quality message. If you dismiss something with such a minor variation, it speaks to how much you value excellence in your work. Instead of hiding your near misses, it may be a better strategy to highlight them.

leadership dot #4174: groundhog day

February 2, 2024February 1, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

In the movie Groundhog Day, February 2nd keeps repeating itself, trapping weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) in a continuous time loop. Unfortunately, many employees feel like Connors, having to relive the same problems over and over in their work. While the Groundhog Day movie antics make for great comedy, in real life, it’s anything but funny.

Think about the issues you discuss repeatedly but never resolve. The glitches that you work around instead of fixing. The policies that frequently annoy your customers but are not addressed. The employee who repeatedly spreads toxin that causes a disruption. The ergonomically incorrect chair that creates daily aches.

We all have groundhog moments in our lives where it seems like déjà vu all over again, or sometimes they happen so frequently that we no longer notice. Today, I invite you to truly resolve one of those “groundhogs” and free yourself from the continual loop of frustration.

leadership dot #4173: all in

February 1, 2024January 31, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I watched the new documentary The Greatest Night in Pop about the USA for Africa/We Are the World recording in 1985. It could be a case study in project management — going from need (famine in Ethiopia), to brainstormed solutions (maybe a concert like had just been done with Live Aid), to logistics (in the pre-technology era: physical copies on cassettes of the demo and sending them by Federal Express courier to artists), to implementation (47 artists recording after the American Music Awards show), to impact (radio stations around the world playing it simultaneously and raising over $80 million).

But my main takeaway was inspiration from Lionel Richie. It was impressive enough that he co-wrote the song, arranged for many of the performers, and handled the studio arrangements. But then — in one night — he first HOSTED the American Music Awards show, received six awards, performed two songs — THEN went to the studio until 5 a.m. and marshaled the collection of egos into a legacy recording!

How easy would it have been to bow out of USA for Africa — or just be a performer — or just write the song — since he was the host of a national awards show that same evening? Instead, he went all in.

Take a lesson from Lionel. There is always time to do what really matters to you.

Source: The Greatest Night in Pop on Netflix, 2024