The cartoon character Yogi Bear popularized the saying “smarter than the average bear.” I’ve been thinking about that concept lately and reflecting on what I spend money or time on that is more or less than “the average bear.”
For me, I certainly spend more on office supplies/paper products/stamps, and, as a result, spend more time handwriting writing letters. I spend less than the average bear on alcohol, and less time socializing or entertaining (not sure which is the cause vs. effect). Since most of my friends and family are from out-of-town, this makes sense for me.
Although the “average bear” benchmark is certainly arbitrary, it has led to some interesting discussions and increased my awareness of what I value. Stop to consider where you invest your resources and ensure your priorities are intentionally aligned.
Today marks the start of the 15th year of leadership dots. Almost 5,000 entries. Over 1 million words. When I started this as a going-away gift for a colleague, I never thought I would still be doing it a decade and a half later.
Atomic Habits author James Clear wrote: “Writing is the superpower of humankind. It is our truest form of magic. Writing allows you to conjure up something of value where nothing previously existed. It costs little for you to write down the lessons of your life, and yet those few minutes spent writing can be life-altering for the right reader. As I once saw it put: “There is someone out there with a wound in the exact shape of your words.” Furthermore, writing is the foundation of nearly every technology and innovation because we have to record what we know before we can build upon it. And these innovations are passed down from generation to generation, allowing our children to inherit a richer intellectual fortune than what we were born into. The world is richer because we write, and nobody is made poorer in the process.”
I’m not sure about leadership dots altering anyone’s life except mine, but I hope that at least a few of the entries have caused you to think, sparked an idea, solved a problem, or resonated with something relevant in your life. Or, maybe the dots can inspire you to use your own superpower and put your words into the universe. A blog. A letter. A journal. Writing can clarify your thoughts in ways nothing else can.
Whether you write your own words or read mine, I hope the dots have equipped you with your own set of “dot eyes” that help you see connections you may not have realized before. Happy reading!
Quote from 3-2-1 Thursday newsletter by James Clear, January 2, 2025
A nearby town has recently acquired three troll sculptures as a tourist draw and nod to the city’s history as a lumber mill. They are massive and impressive, and a unique way to highlight the town’s story. One of the local trolls is housed inside an old train depot, and the entire building is filled with branches, creating a cave effect before you arrive at the troll itself.
These are just three of the works that are located around the world. Thomas Dambo has made a career of creating giant trolls from reclaimed lumber, a niche he uses to tell ecological stories through his art. Other people may look at a pile of branches or scraps of wood and see only waste, but Dambo is able to fashion the discards into things of beauty.
What do you see that others do not? Dambo saw his gift as becoming a troll-sculptor. Consider what contribution only you can make to the world.
Instead of just providing the temperature and forecast, my weather app has started adding commentary along with the numbers. Examples include: “It’s a perfect day to be outside,” or “The sky can’t make up its mind. Honestly, that’s perfectly fine.”
I wonder whose job it is to write these cute little quips and why someone thought they were necessary. It seems like a waste of effort, and for me, it distracts from what I am trying to learn when I open the app. I do not need a narrative along with the data. It would be like the gas pump displaying a “Hope you have a pleasant drive” message or the ATM encouraging me to “do something fun with your withdrawal.”
Maybe you’re a fan of cute commentary from technology, but I ascribe to Dragnet’s Joe Friday’s mantra: “Just the facts, ma’am.” Let the information-providers provide information and leave the rest out.
How many times have you forgotten your server’s name at a restaurant? Knowing who is assigned to you makes it much easier to ask someone else to send “your” server back to the table, or to ask for them specifically on your next trip.
A local restaurant solved those problems and made it easier for the server to remember which tables they were handling by utilizing a small sign at each table. It was so simple that I wonder why other restaurants don’t do something similar.
Your solutions don’t have to be fancy to be effective.
Many resources on effective negotiation boil down to checklists: be prepared, know your bottom line, learn about the other person’s priorities, anchor the negotiation by making the first offer, ask questions, etc. But what makes the greatest difference is your mindset and how you approach the negotiation process.
The definition that resonated most with my class and me was from Margaret Neale:
“Negotiation is about finding a solution to your counterpart’s problem that makes you better off than you would have been had you not negotiated.”
When you consider each of these components, it helps you focus on a solution-oriented approach; it helps you enter the process with more curiosity than certainty, and it may give you that extra boost of courage by framing it as a problem-solving conversation rather than an adversarial one. If you start by trying to find a solution to their problem, your whole perspective changes, and the negotiation tends to be more productive.
The next time you find yourself in a negotiation situation, whether about your kids doing chores, accepting a new project at work, making a major purchase, or just shopping at a garage sale, consider the interaction from your counterpart’s viewpoint. By helping them, it’s more likely that you, too, will benefit.
In a webinar about his book Inside the Box, author David Epstein promoted the value of constraints and shared research about how limitations actually make you more creative. The brain wants to follow the path of least resistance, so it takes the easy route first, even though that is not where creativity lies.
The phrase that stuck with me is “It has never been easier to do too much.” People are wired to naturally think in terms of “adding,” and AI and other tools make it easier than ever to do so. We don’t think of subtracting, but constraints force you to clarify priorities and focus on the most important things to accomplish. I think it’s the premise behind writing a-dot-a-day!
Ernst Hemingway ended his days in the middle of a sentence, so he knew where to start tomorrow. Epstein adopted this strategy by writing down the #1 thing he needed to accomplish the next day, and not turning on his phone or other distractions until it was accomplished. He intentionally created a restraint to block the easy path his brain wanted to follow (phone scrolling) and instead channeled his creative energy into something more important.
Dr. Seuss chose to limit the number of words he would use in a book. Nest opted to design its box (what the end users would see first) before the thermostat itself. Other companies write the press release before starting on product design.
Think about how you can self-impose limitations that help direct your creativity to your priorities. Boundaries can turn out to be freeing.
Have you noticed how many movies are extensions of the original story rather than original productions? The Devil Wears Prada 2, Star Wars: The Mandalorian, Mortal Kombat II, and even the 40th anniversary of Top Gun are examples of what is showing in the theaters today.
Time and money are among the most valuable commodities people have. To lower their risk of wasting either, people tend to invest in what is familiar. The summer concert series in our town features the majority of the same acts that performed last summer (and the summer before that, etc.). People tend to buy books written by the same author and music performed by the same artists instead of experimenting. We eat the same entrees at the same restaurants because they are a known commodity.
It’s time to remember that we did experiment with all those things that are now familiar favorites. We took a risk to see the first Star Wars, or to try that new bistro. We invested our time to watch a new act perform before we became their fans. We took a chance on our now-favorite author when we read her debut novel. Some risks paid off, while others did not, but all the things we cherish were once new to us.
Be brave today and try something for the first time. All great love affairs start by taking a risk.
Today’s dot was written by Jayda Shiner from Minot State University’s leadership class
Moving away from home – whether it’s for university, a job, that someone special, or just a change of scenery – can transform who we are. When we are no longer around those same people we grew up with, we are no longer chained to their opinion or expectation of us. Instead, we are able to grow with the new experiences presented to us and learn who we truly are without external forces pushing us one way or another.
Take, for example, the high school best friend. Going through the same situation together, such as high school, brings people together, but when they are left to go their own ways, they can drift apart. At first, they promise to text constantly, visit soon, and call every week. But different circumstances change their reality, and those promises soon turn into sentimental greetings and occasional messages such as “I miss you!” or “We need to catch up soon!” While the distance can feel painful and terrifying at first, it often makes room for personal growth and new opportunities.
The same can be applied to leadership. Without realizing it, we can become stuck in the same patterns and routines, turning away from change. But where does clinging to the familiar get us? Nowhere with our desired results. Like those high school friendships, we have outgrown those people, routines, and mindsets, and now need to shed the past. By freeing ourselves from the chains of the familiar, we are able to grow and perform to our full potential, rather than cower in comfort. Though an intimidating step to take, it is necessary in a leadership role to be an effective and inspiring leader who can help themselves and others reach their full potential.
Today’s dot was written by Mikayla Altringer from Minot State University’s leadership class
As a bank teller, there are often moments of high tension. And with that, the need for speed and the necessity for precision are imperative. If you rush a transaction to shave off time, you risk a discrepancy that could hurt the bank and the customer you helped. When you are dealing with someone’s life savings, making a silly mistake isn’t an option.
Leadership in a collaborative environment often looks like this. It’s the ability to acknowledge the “grind” and repetitive, high-pressure tasks, but also refusing to let the chaos dictate what you do.
Staying calm is not only good for yourself and the customers, but it also helps provide an anchor for your coworkers. We are a reflection of who we surround ourselves with, so approaching tasks with a focused mind shows others they can too.
Leadership isn’t always glamorous; sometimes it’s simply getting things done. It’s not about focusing on the list of things you must do, or the line of people going out the door; it’s about giving 100% to each person asking for your help. You don’t need a big office to lead; you need composure when the stakes are high and the task load is large. This will aid in maintaining customers’ trust while also keeping the team from falling apart in high-stress situations.
