leadership dots

leadership dot #5021: saying yes

August 4, 2026August 3, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

It’s a temptation for high-performing people to say “yes” to the many requests sure to come their way. Others know these ambitious folks will get it done, and the performers know that, somehow, they will make it happen. To say “no” can feel like admitting that they aren’t as much of an achiever as the achiever identity they own.

But there is a difference between “can” and “should.” Maybe the high-performer can work late, be stressed, and put other priorities aside to accomplish the request, but the additional project is not the right one for the organization. Saying “no” doesn’t imply that you can’t; rather, it means you could but strategically choose not to.

There is also a distinction between “yes” and “when.” Perhaps the new request is valid, but it is not a priority. Before automatically agreeing, ask if there is flexibility in the timeline that better corresponds with the current workload and strategy. There may be no need to drop everything to accomplish it, just because the request is recent or from someone of importance.

Another option is to consider “who” before agreeing to a new assignment. Maybe your area is the right one to handle a project, but someone else in the area would be better suited. Consider whether you personally need to accomplish the work before automatically saying “yes” to the request.

Being a high performer allows you to feel good about producing an abundance of top-quality work, but instead of continually taking on more, learn to become more strategic in what you accept. Just because you can do it doesn’t mean it has to be now or by you. Ask “whether, when, and who” before automatically saying yes to preserve your energy and talents for the right projects.

leadership dot #5020: hypothetical

August 3, 2026August 2, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

How much energy have you wasted by pre-worrying?

The boss called a meeting for Friday afternoon, and you fear for your job, even though you don’t know the agenda.
It’s the start of the quarter, but already you are concerned about making your goals.
A loved one has medical tests, and you fret about the possibilities before you learn the results.
Your route takes you through a major city, and you worry that traffic will be bad even before you encounter it.
You have just learned your project team, but are already stressed out about how you will work together.

There are certainly times when worry is warranted, but those situations come after something has occurred, not before it. You’ll have much less stress if you train your brain to dismiss thoughts of angst about hypothetical concerns.

leadership dot #5019: remnants

July 31, 2026July 29, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

When the Michigan Central Station renovation began, there was graffiti everywhere. If vandals could reach the space, it was covered in spray paint, so much so that photographers came from around the world to document the building as an example of urban blight.

As I wrote about in dot #5016, thanks to a vision and a billion dollars, the building has been restored to its former glory—all except for one corridor. There was a debate as to whether ALL the graffiti should be erased from view or whether a section should remain as a testament to the building’s history. After all, it was in that state for 30 years. Ultimately, it was decided that one section would remain.

Before you erase everything in a transformation or renovation process, consider whether something should be left behind. Maybe a piece is left in its original state. Perhaps something is incorporated into a historical display, or showcased in before-and-after photos. Preservation efforts not only share your history, but also make your progress tangible for all to see.

leadership dot #5018: unrestrained

July 30, 2026July 29, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

The Michigan Central campus (see dots #5016 & 5017) includes several streets where the owners have been given permission to experiment free from regulations. This allows for speedier innovation trials, without the time lag to secure permits and approval from the city.

One use of this latitude involves piloting a test strip where wireless charging capabilities are placed underground so electric vehicles can charge their batteries without stopping. Currently, it only encompasses several blocks, but the hope is that it could have greater adoption in the future. The American Automobile Association (AAA) notes that “range anxiety keeps 60% of consumers from considering electric vehicles despite their environmental benefits,” so underground charging is an experiment to overcome that hesitation.

How can you adopt your organization’s policies as Detroit has done to provide more freedom and flexibility in the innovation process? Let your thinkers, artists, and engineers spend their time on creating rather than on navigating internal or external bureaucracy.

leadership dot #5017: a new chapter

July 29, 2026July 28, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

The transformation I wrote about at Michigan Central’s Station (dot #5016) wasn’t just about rehabbing the building. Bill Ford wrote, “Restoring Michigan Central is much more than a trip down memory lane. This is a place that will help create the future and ensure Detroit and the region remain the center of mobility.“

The renovation of the building was a technical change, but Ford and his team are attempting to institute an adaptive change — one with no knowable answers that involves affecting mindsets and mental models. Adaptive change requires modification of the heart, not just the head, and has a much longer time horizon to implement.

Michigan Central notes that it is “continuing Detroit’s legacy of mobility and innovation and capitalizing on the opportunities the city offers. We will not cede the future of this industry to anywhere else.” That is a banner for an adaptive change effort, one that will forge into the future with an unchartered path.

If you know what needs to be done, it’s a technical change; adaptive change requires a cultural shift. Be cautious not to confuse the two. The timelines are different, people’s emotions are different, and the strategies to navigate the uncertainty require different skills. Think first about the change you are trying to create: are you renovating a building or revitalizing a region?

leadership dot #5016: transformation

July 28, 2026July 27, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

One of the most impressive parts of my Detroit visit was The Station at Michigan Central. The former railroad station building had been abandoned for 30 years and was subjected to vandalism, theft, weather destruction, and sheer neglect. In 2009, the City of Detroit wanted it demolished, but they did not have the funds to do it. How fortunate!

Ford Motor Company purchased the building and has spent a billion dollars on its renovation to make it a center of innovation for the region. They have restored the lobby area to its former glory through application of money and mettle. (One example: to replicate one of the damaged, grand outdoor pillars, the contractor tracked down the original limestone quarry to get matching materials. The quarry had been closed for three decades, so Ford bought it, reopened it, and mined the necessary limestone!) They have infused restoration with modern techniques, such as recreating the gilded chandeliers through 3-D printing and utilizing LED lighting throughout the building. They preserved what was salvageable and recreated the rest using photographs and pieces of the building that were returned during their “amnesty period,” when stolen artifacts were welcomed back without penalty. (Example: a tiny piece of the main wooden clock was returned and allowed the engineers to determine the exact scale of the original, 10-foot clock).

The Station is a testament to what vision (ok, and money) can achieve. I can’t imagine who had the eyes to see what could be with this graffiti-laden, waterlogged shell of a structure, but someone was able to see the possibilities and realize them. I’m sure they were met with choruses of naysayers and realists who pushed back against the idea, but fortunately, they persisted in moving ahead.

If you need inspiration to keep moving forward on an idea that feels too big to accomplish, let The Station provide it. Look at these before-and-after pictures and realize that the seemingly impossible is possible.

Photo credit: Stephen McGee/Michigan Central

leadership dot #5015: misperceptions

July 27, 2026July 26, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Last week, about 20,000 people from all over the country rode their bicycles for 391 miles as part of RAGBRAI ([Des Moines] Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa). They ended in our town, dipping the front wheel of their tire in the Mississippi River, after having dipped their tire in the Missouri River to start the ride.

What comments did we hear from riders? “Iowa is so hilly. I thought it was flat, but there were so many hills.” It’s a common misperception from people who think they know, but haven’t experienced it for themselves.

I was guilty of a similar false pre-judgment when I visited Detroit this summer. I lived there 25+ years ago and wasn’t anxious to go back, but went with my sister to check another MLB stadium off her quest. The city was amazing! We were so impressed with the cleanliness, free attractions, world-class art museum, beautiful miles-long riverbank, and innovative spirit. It was not the Detroit I knew before.

Information from others can be slanted or outdated and, consequently, very inaccurate. Before you make up your mind about something, try to experience it directly.

leadership dot #5014: in-between

July 24, 2026July 19, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

We fritter away so much time on our own, but when others make us wait, it seems like a travesty. Organizations have tried all kinds of tricks to reduce the psychological burden of waiting, including artwork, interactive displays, and winding paths to the destination. Delivery services let us track our merchandise every step of the way, so we know when that pizza or package will arrive at our door instead of constantly checking for it.

Logan Airport in Boston found a novel way to help passengers forget the wait for their luggage by installing a free nostalgic arcade in baggage claim. The hours flew by when my brother and I were in heated Pac-Man battles in the 1980s, and it is presumed that the same suspension of time would occur while waiting for the carousel to start rotating.

If you know that your audience will have to wait — whether for an appointment, entertainment, or their luggage — consider the wait time as an integral part of the overall customer experience. The smoother you can make the in-between, the better people’s overall perception of your organization will be.

Thanks, Meg!

leadership dot #5013: unsaid

July 23, 2026July 22, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

The Radical Candor company conducted a study that codified what we all intuitively know: “direct and respectful feedback is not the norm.” Even though leaders say they want honest communication, employees do not feel safe giving it. As a result, too much goes unsaid that could be helpful to the individual and the organization.

In addition to a culture that lacks psychological safety, people don’t have the skills to provide actionable feedback in ways that can actually be heard and absorbed by the recipient. Too often, people use mitigating language that downplays their meaning; they send a mixed message by sandwiching the correction between positives, or they are so vague that the listener doesn’t understand what needs to change.

In all my classes, from undergraduate to graduate, whether about culture, business, interpersonal communication, organizational communication, or stakeholder engagement, I always have a module on giving feedback. It is a necessary skill to deliver course corrections, and the ability to do it persuasively and with grace will help people succeed.

Feedback is not the “f-word.” It’s a data point that can help align expectations and deliver desired outcomes that benefit everyone. Practice giving clear feedback in low-stakes situations to build your confidence and proficiency for when it truly counts.

leadership dot #5012: contraditions

July 22, 2026July 21, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I’m fascinated by the seemingly contradictory passions around AI and data centers.

On one hand, the media is full of articles and predictions about the use of AI. It is the hottest topic, with endless coverage about how to use it, why it’s the next big thing, its many benefits, and how everyone needs to be prepared for AI to change how they do their work.

Next to these urgings are stories and protests about data centers. Municipalities are writing moratoriums preventing their construction in their towns. Neighbors are complaining about the noise, environmental impact, excessive use of water, and devaluation of their property.

But you can’t have it both ways. AI can’t permeate businesses, schools, and households without the infrastructure to support it, and that means data centers.

People did not (do not) want prisons, transitional housing, wastewater treatment plants, or transmission cables in their backyards either, yet concessions were made to create them and provide services that benefit the overall community. I suspect similar sacrifices will occur as municipalities wrestle with how to address the growing demand for the many facets of AI models and preserve the community’s culture and environment.

The AI genie is out of the bottle and putting it back is not an option. Now it’s time for human intelligence to create responsible guidelines for the next phase of generation and use.