Month: June 2024

leadership dot #4303: it’s fine

June 10, 2024June 10, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplett2 Comments

I’m working on a project with a colleague who is much more comfortable “winging it” than I am. “Don’t worry,” he frequently says. “It’ll be fine!”

Since when is fine the goal?

Fine is not fine. I don’t accept projects on a straight hourly basis, not just because of the hassle of tracking time, but because I don’t want clients to question the extra hours that I may choose to devote to making things “more than fine” or to reviewing my notes one more time. I’m not a perfectionist by any stretch, and not everything needs to be enhanced, but “fine” is a pretty low bar.

Be intentional about the use of the word “fine.” It doesn’t help anyone by saying you’re “fine” when you’re not or by accepting “fine” as a sufficient measure of quality. Fine should be left relegated to fees paid as a penalty.

leadership dot #4302: deface

June 9, 2024June 7, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

In his book, The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell describes the criminology Broken Windows theory which states that “crime is the inevitable result of disorder.” If one window is broken, it is more likely that other windows around it will be broken as it appears no one cares and no one is in charge. The Broken Windows theory applies to graffiti, trash on the ground, and other transgressions that seem minor but can quickly spiral into something bigger. Those who wish the behavior to stop need to be vigilant in tending to every single example to keep things under control.

On the other hand, some places welcome intentional defacing as part of decor or art. Restaurants can encourage people to write on the walls, some bridges encourage attaching locks to them, and campuses have rocks that are painted with regularity.

The New River Gorge National Park apparently adopted the latter philosophy with the guardrails on the old mining road that leads under the bridge. The rails were covered with stickers, sharing the personality, causes, and geography of those who traveled below. While it distracted from the natural beauty and the engineering marvel of the bridge, it did make for entertaining reading along the route.

Either extreme has its place, but the middle is just an invitation for trouble. This is one of the times when you’re all in and let people go crazy or you’re intense about keeping the intrusions out. Pick your side and stick with it.

leadership dot #4301: be eaten

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

Like Jay Leno, I’m always on the lookout for interesting signs — either those that are horribly bad or especially good. Here is an example of the latter — taken at The Wilds carnivore area around the cheetahs and vicious painted dogs.

“Please be safe. Do not stand, sit, climb, or lean on fences. If you fall, animals could eat you and that might make them sick. Thank you.“

They probably could have purchased a generic sign that said “Keep out” or “Stay off the fence,” but instead, someone took the time to make the sign a bit more memorable. I especially like the feigned concern that the animals would get sick, never mind the person that is eaten!

It’s the little touches, even on your signs, that make your experience memorable for your guests.

leadership dot #4300: payments

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

I’ve found it interesting that lately, in addition to asking how much my total purchase is, I also need to inquire what payment method the retailer will accept.

It used to be that “cash was king” but not at the PNC ballpark in Pittsburgh — it’s a 100% cashless facility. This creates the lunacy of having an ATM — right next to the reverse ATM — so you can take the cash you withdrew and convert it into a prepaid card.
A vending machine that crushes pennies — previously requiring 51 cents to do so — now only accepts credit cards to pay $4.04 for four flattened coins. I guess business was slow when people needed actual coins to operate it!
On the flip side, small businesses in our area are adding 2, 3, or even 4% surcharges for utilizing a credit card. When I bought my new air conditioner/furnace, this fee would have added over $300 to my bill, so I pulled out my trusty checkbook and paid that way.
I was ready to do so again or use a credit card to pay the man who power-washed my house, but he only accepted Venmo.
eBay announced that it is dropping American Express as a payment option because of the high fees, so even though they accept credit cards, you have to be selective about which one — or use Apple Pay, another option they accept.

Payment options have become one more component of a complex infrastructure that gives people more choices than they probably want or need, but it’s part of today’s reality. Your pricing, processes, and communication need to reflect your expected fees and the level of convenience you’re aiming to provide. A dollar isn’t just a dollar anymore.

leadership dot #4299: bridges

June 6, 2024June 5, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Another stop on my vacation was the New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia, the newest park in the system. There are 53 miles of the New River and 7,000 acres of forest that comprise the park, but the centerpiece (for me) was the New River Gorge bridge.

It’s hard to overstate what a difference this bridge made for the surrounding communities, turning a 40-minute trip along winding, narrow mountain roads into a one-minute ride along a highway. The bridge is 876 feet above the New River, spanning over 3000 feet across the gorge. It is a civil engineering and architectural marvel.

Benefitting from the bridge today, it’s easy to forget the challenges that went into building it. When it opened in 1977, it cost $37 million (equivalent to $1.9 billion today!) and took three years of dangerous work to complete. I’m sure many questioned the expenditure and effort.

Metaphorical bridges also require sacrifices and investments that may not seem worth it at the time but that pay dividends for years. There may be ways for you to progress without building relationship bridges or bridging differences with a compromise but such actions take you on a circuitous path like the mountain roads once did for travelers.

Yes, building any kind of bridge involves effort, but it’s almost always worth it. Put in the time and commitment to make your bridges as beautiful as the New River Gorge and reap the benefits for decades.

leadership dot #4298: internet

June 5, 2024June 5, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

We spent the night at The Wilds in a yurt — which in this case was basically a hotel room encased in a circular canvas outer wall. The yurt was the best of camping and hotel accommodations. It had a skylight where we could watch a thunderstorm move through and it also had all the amenities of a hotel (air conditioning, mini-fridge, private shower, electricity) — except for one. Due to its remote location, the yurt did not have internet.

In my mind, I often equate the internet with social media — and knew I could happily live without access to that for days. But I was quickly reminded that the internet is much more than that. We couldn’t check the weather forecast. We were unable to download directions back to the interstate or determine how long it would take to get to the airport. We couldn’t check options for a fall trip to visit our nephew in college. I was unable to check in for my flight or get a boarding pass. There was no Air-Dropping of photos from the trip.

Back at home, I’m writing an article about school counselors and have heard about how cell phones have changed the dynamics of their jobs. I wonder if the phones are the issue, or whether it is the social media apps that are on them. The phone itself is an amazing tool — it’s the unrealistic expectations and false content created by certain apps that can cause anxiety.

These two situations have caused me to pause and become more intentional about the language I use (cell phone vs internet vs social media vs TikTok, etc.) and to remember that the phone and internet are just tools. Like with everything else, it’s how we use them that determines whether they are a benefit or detriment. You don’t need to stay in an internet-less yurt to reflect on how you use your device.

leadership dot #4297: Stella

June 4, 2024June 3, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

While on tour at The Wilds (dot #4296), our Jeep encountered Stella, the baby rhinoceros who had strayed from her herd. Since she was raised by humans and bottle-fed, our guide said she preferred people to the other rhinos, and thus often left the herd to follow the safari vehicles.

It reminded me of Patrick Lencioni’s nugget of wisdom in The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team where he cautioned people to remember their “first team,” the loyalty and commitment to the primary group instead of to themselves. (In the business setting, that means putting the results of the team you are part of ahead of those you supervise, something that is not always easy to do.) Stella had an affinity with humans instead of her herd even though all would be better served if she considered the other rhinos as her first team.

It’s important when onboarding an employee or when someone becomes a new supervisor that the organization is clear about where the primary loyalty should lie. We often spend time team building in the initial small unit and fail to forge bonds with the organization and team outside our closest colleagues. In the end, it creates silos and displaced allegiance.

Our guide patiently coaxed Stella to follow the vehicle and led her back to the herd. As a supervisor, you should do the same with those who want to veer away from their first team.

leadership dot #4296: stripped

June 3, 2024June 2, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

One of the places I went on vacation last week was The Wilds, a refuge for endangered wildlife. It’s crazy to see such vast, undeveloped land in southeastern Ohio but there we were, up close to zebras, camels, and bison roaming nearby. I even fed a giraffe!

The Wilds is a reclaimed strip mine, 10,000 acres of land that were donated after AEP cleaned out every last mineral that the area contained. As part of the reclamation process, AEP was required to put 8 inches of topsoil over the land (a task that I can’t imagine doing!). People discovered that prairie grass grew well with such shallow soil, but most trees could not establish roots. What do you do with 10,000 acres of grass? Create a space for the animals to graze! Bravo to the person who made that happen.

However, our guide pointed out that there is a difference between reclamation and restoration. Yes, the land is being used for something productive, but it is a far cry from being returned to its original state, even at the surface level.

I think organizations often practice reclamation — throwing minimal resources at a problem to cover it up with little effort, and deeming that it is sufficient. Not enough attention is paid to the long-term harm done or to consider what true restoration would take. Remember the difference if you strip your team of trust.

leadership dot #4295: leftovers

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

At a humane society pet supply sale, it was like being inside a pet store with everything you would need for your dog or cat — from crates to beds, leashes, costumes, shampoo, and grooming tools. And toys — oh the toys. They had multiple kiddie pools overflowing with stuffed dog toys.

I’ll bet that most of them are still there after the sale ends because they were selling them for $7 small and $10 large. These prices are at least as much as pet store retail, and higher than discount stores that sell the same thing. Most of the pricing at the sale followed this practice.

At some point, someone made the decision to price these items at a high level, presumably to help the humane society make money. But what they are gaining in per item benefit, they are losing in quantity discounts — and they will need to store what is left over. In my opinion, it would have been better to follow their previous philosophy which priced a bag of toys at $10 — thus gaining the cash and reducing the inventory.

It’s another example that you must start with an intentional “why” or goal of your actions. Is your aim to make as much as you can on each item or is it to clear out your storage area, getting what you can from all the donated goods? What you are trying to do will dictate your actions, pricing, and how much you have to store when it’s over — whether at a pet supply sale, garage sale, or more formal business. Don’t discount the cost of leftovers.

P.S. Happy Anniversary Leadership Dots! Twelve full years completed…on to Lucky 13!

leadership dot #4294: reach

June 1, 2024May 31, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

If you’re the official airline of an NFL football team, you expect to get advertising opportunities at the stadium and the ability to use the team’s name in your promotion. JetBlue is taking its sponsorship of the New England Patriots a step further and promoting discount fares for the Pats’ road games. “We put the ‘away’ in away game,” reads their ads, followed by the football away schedule and discount fares to each city. Very smart!

Has your organization considered how to extend its reach as jetBlue has done? Whether through off-site locations, unusual hours, or courting different audiences, think beyond the ordinary to leverage exposure with your current and potential clientele.

Thanks, Meg!