intentionality – Page 4 – leadership dots

leadership dot #4901: firefighter

March 20, 2026March 18, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

When an organization is in crisis, the focus becomes all short-term. It’s “where can we cut?”, what change can we make today?”, and “how can I get through tomorrow?”. Leaders can become so involved in firefighting that they forego innovation.

And then it becomes a vicious circle. When leaders fail to articulate a vision of what the other side of change looks like, there is no near-term movement to achieve it. The crisis consumes all of the organizational energy, often deepening the troubles.

Even in the best of times, it’s hard to think about tomorrow amid today’s meetings and priorities. Strong leaders need to be intentional about carving out separate chunks of time to think about the future and to take preventive measures before flames erupt. Schedule your calendar as a visionary, not a firefighter.

leadership dot #4900: composition

March 19, 2026March 17, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

It’s a tricky and important job to assemble a board, committee, or task force. You try to balance demographics and pay attention to constituent representation. You need expertise, but don’t want everyone so entrenched in the status quo that they are unable to innovate. You want thinkers, but may also need “doers”. You may strive to have certain skills present, but you may also want to give new voices a seat. And you need to keep the group to a manageable number, or they’ll spend as much time finding a time to meet as they spend doing the work.

One tool to help with this task is an attribute list. I wrote about this (dot #684a) as it relates to interviewing and hiring, but it works just as well to define committee composition. Rather than picking people based on history, position, or interest, take a few moments to write out the key characteristics you are seeking in your group. You may even create a matrix, as each member will likely meet several needs (e.g., skills, demographics, etc.).

Not that a committee compiled by popularity, legacy, or random selection would necessarily be bad, but one chosen with intentionality is likely to be much stronger. Give your ad hoc “hiring” as much attention as you do permanent spots by clarifying in advance the role you are trying to fill.

leadership dot #4883: illustration

March 2, 2026February 25, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

One of my favorite teaching tools is the Magic Coloring Book. I can amaze audiences with a coloring book that alternates between showing all blank pages, all outline pages, or all fully colored pictures. While it looks like “real magic,” it is surprisingly simple to master.

I just used it when talking about creativity: “Some people think they have none, some have a little, and some consider themselves creative, right? But if you know the technique, everyone can be creative.”

I used it during orientations, urging students to become involved in college so that when they leave, their resumes and experience wouldn’t be blank or outline; rather, they’d be fully colored.

I have used it many times to demonstrate the difference between no participation (staying home), a little effort (voting), and being fully engaged (activism).

If you need a guaranteed attention-getter that can demonstrate your point with flair, consider a Magic Coloring Book. You, too, can be a magician with a purpose!

leadership dot #4882: basket

March 1, 2026February 25, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Most people want to do the right thing—if it’s easy to do.

Several Atlantic coast beaches have adopted this mantra, making it easier for beach walkers to pick up litter that collects on the shore. Communities have installed “beach trees” with plastic baskets for people to use to hold recyclables and trash they find while walking. It makes trash collecting easier and allows people to have ownership of the area. A win-win for everyone!

What behavior could you incentivize by making it easier for people to participate?

Thanks, Meg!

leadership dot #4879: decision point

February 26, 2026February 25, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I was given an assignment that I believe is short-sighted, and I find myself in that familiar dilemma, wondering whether it is worth the energy to question it. I have spoken up on many occasions, only to be “Whack-a-Moled” down with either immediate or long-term consequences. It has caused me to weigh the cost of speaking up vs. the ease of just doing what the person asked.

Many factors go into the decision — circumstances, psychological safety, the relationship with the person, the impact of the assignment, and how likely it is that feedback will be received. It’s easy to adopt a “They don’t care, so why should I?” attitude, but that ultimately erodes personal integrity as well as organizational success.

Most of the time, I opt to say something, despite the discomfort and frustration over my perspective being dismissed, but I can physically feel the conscious decision point when I make that choice. Silence rarely does any good in the long run.

leadership dot #4875: measure

February 22, 2026February 20, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I have an Argyle Sweater Page-a-Day calendar (highly recommend for daily chuckles) that came with the obligatory page of corporate identification and publisher information.

It reads:

Andrews McMeel Publishing is committed to the responsible use of natural resources and is dedicated to understanding, measuring, and reducing the impact of our products on the natural world. Recognizing the impact of plastic pollution, we have changed the easel backers on our day-to-day calendars from plastic to paper-based material. Follow our sustainability journey at [link].

I highlighted the word “measuring” because it signals that they are serious about their commitment. It’s easy to write platitudes, but the real impact comes when results are known and shared.

Do you measure things that are important to you? Beyond financials, it could include employee satisfaction, diversity initiatives, innovation, or the number of product returns. Personally, measurements may involve calories, steps, friends met for lunch, letters written, or volunteer hours. The options are limitless.

Measuring is an often overlooked and sometimes dreaded aspect of the change process, but little happens without it. Explicitly incorporate some tracking process for the things you value.

Thanks, Meg!

leadership dot #4874: peppers

February 21, 2026February 20, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

On the table at the local pizza place were two shakers of peppers: Hatch Valley Green and Four Pepper Blend. Usually, it’s a roulette of guessing and testing to see which (or whether) pepper would be best for the pie, but these jars were clearly labeled with a thermometer and “heat” rating. I could tell just by looking at them that the Four Peppers would be beyond my comfort level, but the Hatch Valley may add a welcome kick.

Here’s a hot tip: craft your labeling or instructions to preemptively answer the questions users may have, so customers don’t have to pepper your staff with questions.

leadership dot #4868: youth

February 15, 2026February 13, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Organizations often try to build brand loyalty at an early age. Colleges host summer camps for middle schoolers. Orchestras have youth programs. Churches have vacation Bible schools.

Aldi is actively pursuing the younger crowd with a line of Aldi-branded toys. Items include an Aldi semitruck, a cash register, a Fisher-Price Little People play set, and my favorite: a mini-shopping cart with the signature quarter holder. It’s a great way to reinforce the Aldi name and build that initial affinity.

What is your organization doing to cultivate awareness with your next generation of clients? It’s never too soon to start.

leadership dot #4858: forethought

February 5, 2026February 4, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I was the first house in the new subdivision, so I was given the keys for mailbox #1. Only after other homes had been built did the Post Office consider that I was the second house on the block. Consequently, we had to switch keys and labeling so I could have box #2, allowing the mail to be kept in the order of house number instead of when they were first occupied.

In a similar vein, while working on campus, we planned to build five new student apartment buildings. We assigned them names of trees, and planned to label them in alphabetical order. What would end up being the third building in the row was built first, and we had to insist that it be named Cedar (instead of Aspen) so they would be in alphabetical order when the complex was finished.

And another example: when we renamed the generic Conference Rooms A, B, and C, we intentionally identified the smallest as the Dubuque Room, the mid-size one as the Iowa Room (bigger than Dubuque), and the largest as the Mississippi Room (bigger than Iowa). This naming convention allowed people to easily associate the name with size and reserve the proper facility.

Your naming conventions can serve a purpose beyond simply giving something a label. Put some forethought into what you call things and how those names can facilitate memory or efficiency as they are used in the future.

leadership dot #4856: dossier

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

For the final project in the capstone class I’m teaching, I required the students to put together a dossier—a collection of their resume and examples of work products or assignments from their time of study. In addition, the students had to write a philosophy statement to synthesize their learning and reflect on how they approach their work as a result of this degree.

At one of my workplaces, I was required to compile an annual report that served a similar purpose to the dossier. I wouldn’t have done it otherwise, but it caused me to pause and consider the successes and challenges of the previous year. It also provided a historical perspective I could reference to remind myself that progress was being made, even when it didn’t feel like it.

The same is true for final reports on major projects, annual reviews, and resolutions of a personal nature. If you stop to reflect and compile the happenings from an extended period, it often provides a sense of accomplishment that would otherwise go unnoticed. It’s back to that “stringing the pearls” philosophy, where intentionally connecting seemingly disparate items creates synergy greater than the individual parts.

Make it part of your routine to tangibly collect evidence of your major work or the passage of another year. Seeing it together is worth the effort of compiling it.