Month: January 2025

leadership dot #4518: snowed

January 31, 2025January 29, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

In the midst of the St. Louis snow removal debacle (dot #4517), where streets were still covered and travel was a nightmare, Mayor Tishaura Jones made matters worse by publicly giving a B- grade for the snow removal efforts. To add to the calamity, she went out of town to a mayor’s conference for three days during the crisis. The Streets Department Director Betherny Williams added to it by admitting that she did not personally inspect the streets until 10 days after the storm, instead relying on her crews who “gave her incorrect information.”

The mayor should have given herself a D- and let the local editorial board award her a B- instead of the other way around, and the Streets Director should be put out on the street for her (non)handling of the situation.

A key job of the leader is to show up. Be there in person. Drive the snowy streets yourself. Stay in town instead of going to a conference. Apologize to the residents in person. Drive the snow plow if that’s what it takes.

It’s bad enough when leaders don’t do their jobs, but failing to own the problem is the ultimate snow job.

leadership dot #4517: atypical

January 30, 2025January 29, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

When St. Louis becomes covered in snow, Mother Nature usually takes care of the cleanup by following the snowfall with warmer temperatures that handle melting. Usually. Such was not the case earlier this month when the city faced a major storm, followed by two weeks of freezing weather. It did not go well.

“This was an atypical storm, and we know it took us too long to move away from a typical response,” said the mayor’s spokesperson, two weeks after the first flakes fell. Contriteness feels like an excuse that far into the crisis.

Leadership is in place precisely for atypical situations; the normal stuff people can handle on their own. Leadership initiates extraordinary measures (as did other areas that had private contractors ready to go, or as in Kansas City, where the city manager personally drove a plow) and breaks down barriers quickly.

When things are at their worst, leaders need to be at their best to do whatever it takes, not shovel on the excuses when they fail to adequately respond.

Thanks, Brian!

leadership dot #4516: relevant

January 29, 2025January 28, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I’m researching the state of our local news ecosystem, meeting with multiple groups to learn where they get their local news and what they might perceive as gaps in content or delivery. It’s part of a national effort to strengthen local news, considered a pillar of a strong democracy.

I was struck by the comment of someone who said, “I’m not interested in local news, I only watch the national news.”

And that may be the crux of the decline in local news. Sure, advertising revenue has shifted to social media. Phones have become a primary way of accessing news, often without charge (never mind the credibility of the content). English is not the only language consumers prefer. But unless people understand the importance of being an informed citizen, multi-channel, multi-language delivery systems aren’t going to be the answer.

Whether it’s news or the service you provide, before you exert all your effort to push it out to people, consider how you can connect it to something they value. Educator Parker Palmer said, “Education occurs at the intersection of the big picture and little story.” Ensure that you are explicitly making your message relevant so that it is heard.

leadership dot #4515: two lists

January 28, 2025January 27, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Many time management strategies urge people to do the hardest thing first, but I don’t believe that works for everyone. Some aren’t “morning people” and need to warm up to doing deep work or reach their prime in the later hours. Others feel more focused when their mind is clear and are better off doing the small tasks instead of mentally tracking them.

Regardless of the reason, making a to-do list in two categories can help you to be productive. One lists all the “doing” tasks you must accomplish, while the other includes the “thinking” items you need to do. An example of the first list could include filling out an expense report, reading routine emails, looking up a data point, or scheduling a meeting. A thinking list may be developing a presentation, writing a proposal, or reading an important report or nonfiction book.

When you’re not at your peak energy level, you can still move forward by working on things from your “doing” list and scheduling prime time on your calendar to do deep work on your “thinking” list. (You can also turn your “thinking” list into “doing” projects, as described in dot #2476.) Acknowledging your energy level and appropriately pairing your tasks with it is the way to craft a time management strategy that actually works for you.

leadership dot #4514: not a typo

January 27, 2025January 26, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I handwrote 5400 postcards to encourage people to vote in the last election. Most of my work was rote — writing out the same message repeatedly — but I was struck by the number of names that had varied spellings. These weren’t unique names, but rather the parents had chosen a less-common way of spelling a widely used name.

For example: Zackarie, Kacye, Nycholas, Kalvin, Chiyenne, Shyann, Shiann, Aric, Rebeka, Rebeca, Savana, Sofiya, Brytni, Kymberlee, Sandee, Emmily, Karmen, Johnathon, Omarr, Bethanie, Rochell, Virgenia, Kathaleen, Ebone, Jakob, Rylee, Nikole, Cieaira, Blayre, Cidney, Kaili, Krysta, Genifer, Kenadee, Kevan, Jaymes, Alixandria, etc.

It turns out that personal spelling is becoming more of a norm instead of an aberration. In the United Kingdom, a movement I am not a Typo is urging tech companies to acknowledge this trend and add the list of each year’s top baby names to their electronic dictionary. Currently, over 41% of names on that list are flagged as errors and subject to the whims of autocorrect.

Getting someone’s name right is important. Don’t let your computer think it is wiser than you are. Before you address someone, ensure that you honor how they spell it.

leadership dot #4513: prominently

January 26, 2025January 25, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

The Amtrak station has a machine where you can purchase Amtrak gift cards. In a train station that’s only staffed a few hours a day, placing a gift card machine in the lobby was a smart idea. It allows larger access to purchasing the cards, and those who see it are people who use the train or are connected to someone who is. It’s also a visible reminder that gift cards are available.

Maybe you don’t want to take on the expense of a machine, but can you adopt the premise of making it easy for people to think of you when purchasing services or gifts or making donations? Out of sight often equals out of mind. Develop a way for your desired actions to be prominently located in front of your audience.

leadership dot #4512: challenge

January 25, 2025January 24, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplett1 Comment

To incentivize people to get a bit outside of their comfort zone, the Boston Public Library offers a Winter Reading Challenge. Participants must read a book from an author from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania by the end of February to receive a special enamel pin. It’s narrow enough to be doable and broad enough to expose readers to material they may not have otherwise chosen. And, of course, to help readers, they provide a list of staff recommendations in each area.

Can you do something similar to increase engagement among your clients? This challenge was relatively simple, but providing a timeline and structure will be just the nudge some people need to actually do it. Whether for yourself or your organization, adding gamification as an incentive is an effective way to direct behavior in the direction you desire.

leadership dot #4511: following up

January 24, 2025January 23, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

We often underestimate the importance of follow-up but it’s an essential practice to master.

The time I spend following up helps me complete tasks on time and be responsible for executing what I said I would do. I need to follow up if the refund isn’t posted to my account after I return something, if I don’t get a signed contract after a verbal commitment for a gig, or when I have emails that need data before I respond.

It’s easy to call a person and ask them for information, then cross it off the list — but if they don’t respond I need to contact them again. If I don’t get the information, it’s on me, not on them (see dot #4510 — locus of control).

Developing a system to keep track of follow-up items is as important as the original to-do list. Everyone is involved in so many tasks that it’s tempting to run your leg of the relay and forget about the overall race but follow-up ensures that someone (or something) actually crosses the finish line.

It reminds me of one of my favorite sayings: “Not doing something plus a really good excuse does not equal doing something.” Don’t let your failure to follow up be that excuse.

leadership dot #4510: locus of control

January 23, 2025January 22, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A key concept to ascertain in an interview or early stages of a relationship is whether a person has an Internal or External Locus of Control.

Those pre-disposed to Internal believe they are in control of their destiny and are responsible for the outcomes in their lives. Got a bad review? I’ll work harder. Money is tight? I’ll start a side hustle. Marriage in trouble? Let’s go to counseling and learn what I can do differently.

Those pre-disposed to an External Locus of Control believe things happen to them and that external circumstances are responsible for how things are. Got a bad review? That boss never liked me. Money is tight? Those darn politicians have messed with the economy. Marriage in trouble? I’m unlucky in love.

There are always excuses for those who look externally first, and there are always actions the internal-leaning can try. In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins describes it as looking in the mirror or looking outside the window. The executives who lead great companies looked in the mirror when something went awry.

Listen carefully to your internal voice when confronted with something that goes wrong — is your first response to blame something or to own it? How you respond determines whether you’re in the driver’s seat or just along for the ride.

leadership dot #4509: advocate

January 22, 2025January 21, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I see many examples of people who attempt to advocate for something by sharing what they need vs. focusing on what their request will achieve.

A manager doesn’t want to create a new staff position — that requires resources and is undesirable. However, that same manager may want the outcomes a new role could provide — that is something desirable to them. Highlighting what they will gain vs. what they will lose (money) makes for a far more compelling argument. By painting a vivid picture of what the new reality would be if the request were approved, you can entice the decision-maker and help shift the focus towards benefits instead of what it will take to get there.

The next time you’re asking someone for something, start with the positives. “Can you be a great friend?” is a better opening line than “Can you help me move this furniture?”