Month: December 2025

leadership dot #65a: try it on

December 21, 2025December 19, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A colleague was pondering whether or not to go on a job interview. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted to leave or whether this was the position she should pursue. My advice: “Try on the dress.”

I recalled to her the countless times that I had seen beautiful clothing in stores that looked great on the model, but not so well on me. Had I left the store without trying them on, I would have that waft of regret or lingering wonder. But once I stood in front of the mirror, I was quite content in leaving the clothes on the rack.

I believe that sometimes the best thing to do is to go a little further to try something out. Go on the interview. Demo that product. Attend that workshop. Talk to that banker. Accept that blind date. Babysit that puppy.

You’ll know with far more certainty whether or not it fits than you ever would have known by just speculating about it.

Originally published in modified form on August 5, 2012

leadership dot #555a: @

December 20, 2025December 19, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I’m following my own advice and taking a break from dot-writing through the holidays. Enjoy some of my past favorites until new dots return on January 5, 2026.

In one character — the @ symbol — we can see the evolution of so much.

This piece of punctuation was included on the earliest manual typewriters and used well before those machines were developed. “At” primarily meant “at that price”. Think of the early shopkeepers with their 3×5 receipt pad — writing “3 bushels @ $1”, “1 apple @ 5 cents” or similar things. It was one of the first symbols of commerce.

Today, we all know that @ has a very different meaning. It has become so pervasive that the Museum of Modern Art’s Department of Architecture and Design “acquired” the symbol in 2010.* You could say “at” and most everyone today would instinctively write the @ sign. It has become the punctuation of the modern economy — connecting us all to each other.

You, too, can give long-standing things a new meaning. Is there a symbol in your organization that needs to evolve?

Source: A Decade in Design 2004-2013, March 2010, Fast Company, October 2013, p.66

Originally published in modified form on December 8, 2013

leadership dot #4826: recharge

December 19, 2025December 18, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

For those who work in an office, the downhill slide begins today. Even if your organization is open, the productivity level will wane until the start of the new year. Many will be on vacation, and those who are in the office will likely not be on their A-game.

The end-of-year holidays are a great time to actually enjoy some R&R. When you take a vacation at other times of the year, everyone else is still working at full speed. Not so during the last weeks of December.

If you’re fortunate enough to have a workplace slow down or shut down, take advantage of it. You want to start the new year refreshed, not depleted.

leadership dot #4825: disc

December 18, 2025December 17, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

On many college campuses, there are chain link baskets for recreational use. For students, these serve as goals for Frisbee golf, allowing them to attempt to spin the Frisbee into the basket for fun and exercise.

But serious players see things differently when they look at the same baskets. Disc golfers use much more than one plastic Frisbee. Instead, they have a collection of discs that perform at different speeds, angles, and distances. A golfer may carry 15 discs to an event where the competition is much stiffer, and the equipment must be better calibrated for more precise throws.

Same baskets. Different purposes, thus different inputs are needed.

There are some things you do where the equivalent of a plastic Frisbee is sufficient, whereas for other tasks, you need the professional disc. Determine which situation you’re in before you unnecessarily invest time and resources to hit your goal.

leadership dot #4824: unheralded

December 17, 2025December 16, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

In the book Who is Government?, brilliant author Michael Lewis and six others share stories about individuals working within the federal system. Each essay profiles a different person, someone whose title may lead you to believe they are a worthless bureaucrat, but after reading the stories, you will undoubtedly feel otherwise.

Lewis and collaborators share the story of someone at the Bureau of Mines who took the initiative to save hundreds of lives by inventing a new support system for mine roofs. There are stories of an employee at the National Archives working to make government records more accessible, of others creating an integrated medical records system for rare disease cures, of an antitrust prosecutor at the Department of Justice, and of someone inspiring excellence and care in the National Cemeteries.

All of these people have benefitted the nation, but mostly are unheralded and work without fanfare. Lewis’s book brings them all to life and shines a light on their contributions.

The book is an enjoyable read and also an inspiration to ferret out unrecognized heroes in your organization. Who are the people behind the scenes in roles that you may not understand, but that provide essential value to the organization or beyond? It’s time to go beyond the titles and tell the untold story.

leadership dot #4823: appeals

December 16, 2025December 11, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

When I was growing up, “Because I said so” was the final word when uttered by my parents. There was no arguing or further justification; the decision was made.

However, today, people from pre-schoolers to presidents are unwilling to accept the initial answer from anyone. I heard someone describe it as living in “the appeal culture”, where if you don’t like something, you appeal it to the next level.

Whether parent to teacher > principal > superintendent or employee to boss > boss’s boss > CEO, this unwillingness to accept a decision that doesn’t go your way diverts time and energy as the appeal process lingers on.

There are certainly times when a higher authority needs to review a miscarriage of justice, but further pursuit is often unwarranted. Before you escalate a grievance or decision to the next level, consider whether there was an actual wrong or whether it’s just something you don’t like.

leadership dot #4822: think twice

December 15, 2025December 11, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Our Kohl’s has recently redesigned its checkout area to be the central point of service for all transactions. This includes purchases, of course, but also Kohl’s store returns, online order pickup and returns, Amazon returns, and Shopify returns. When I arrived at the store as it opened to process my return, there were already 16 people in line — none of whom were buying anything.

The line moved slowly as the cashiers encountered several bottlenecks. There were only two Amazon scanners, even though more than two people had those types of returns. My cashier did not know how to process Shopify returns, so another left her post to train her. The clerks were confused as to which box returns should be placed in. It was maddening for all.

When I received my return confirmation receipt, it included a coupon for 20% off on my next Kohl’s purchase. I threw it away, not because I couldn’t put it to use, but because I was not going to wait in this long return line to buy something.

I believe Kohl’s needs to decide if it is a store or a return depot. While they are undoubtedly benefiting financially from processing all these return transactions and from driving traffic to their stores, the current setup seems to drive people away from buying there. Before you consider add-on services, think twice about how it will impact your core purpose and return to that.

leadership dot #4821: shared experiences

December 14, 2025December 11, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Today is the anniversary of the 2102 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, where 20 first-graders and six staff members were murdered. The gunman fired off 156 shots in less than five minutes, permanently traumatizing all those who were involved.

The Dear World storytelling team gave ten survivors professional cameras and allowed them to interview each other ten years after the event. Survivors shared their losses and hopes, and how that day shaped who they have become. They spoke to survivors of the Uvalde tragedy, sharing experiences too many have had to endure since Columbine and Sandy Hook. It is worth your time to watch here.

If you or those in your circle are affected by tragedy, consider utilizing creative ways to process the impact. The arts go beyond “thoughts and prayers” to help express emotions that words alone cannot convey.

Photo credit The Prtrait Process by Dear World. @dearworld

leadership dot #4820: panned

December 13, 2025December 11, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Airports are good places for stores, as travelers often have unscheduled time on their hands and are typically more affluent consumers. You probably have seen airport stores with luggage, electronics, sundries, gift items, and travel clothes — all of which are logical choices for those retail outlets.

However, the Frankfurt, Germany airport has a different perspective on what travelers want to buy. It features a store full of pans and kitchen items, including the heavy Le Creuset pots! Whether as an arriving or departing passenger, they seem like an odd choice to purchase in a terminal…

…but, obviously, the owner of the store feels differently. Perhaps passengers have the time to shop, and shipping negates the downside of the unconventional location?

It’s up to you to decide whether it is wise to be the “only” and stand out or whether to blend in by offering what is expected.

leadership dot #4819: recruits

December 12, 2025December 10, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

The latest college football signings show that bigger isn’t always better.

The top-ranked recruit in the country (Jared Curtis) came from Nashville Christian, a school with fewer than 1000 students from 6 weeks to 12th grade. The number three recruit (Kelsean Henderson) came from the Legacy school, with fewer than 500 students, and number five (Zion Elee) hails from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, with only 240 total students.

None came from big schools, nor did they elect to attend the traditional powerhouses for college football. These recruits believe that it’s possible to be successful at non-legacy schools and are attending Vanderbilt, Houston, and Maryland, all close to home. Only Vanderbilt was in the Top 25 last year. (It’s quite the difference from 2020, when seven of the country’s top ten recruits signed with either Ohio State or Alabama.)

It’s possible to achieve success from wherever you start. Circumstances don’t need to hold you back, and you don’t have an obligation to follow what has been done in the past. Carve your own path from where it begins to where you choose it to lead.