Category: life advice

leadership dot #5010: getting by

July 20, 2026July 19, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

It’s harder to do things when you don’t fully commit to them.

People who hate shaving don’t want to pay for premium razors, so they hate it even more when they try to shave with a cheap blade.

DIYers give up when they run into challenges trying to do projects with only basic tools.

Artists have a hard time creating professional work with cheap brushes or only free software.

Budding cooks are frustrated by recipes that require processes that could be easily done with a specialized appliance but are hard to do by hand.

Golfers who use basic clubs will likely not improve their score until they upgrade their equipment.

When you want to do something regularly, it pays to invest in the tools to do it well. What you spend in money, you will recoup in time and quality. Stop just getting by.

leadership dot #5008: stay open

July 16, 2026July 15, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I have watched with great interest the road construction happening near me this summer. The crews are installing a roundabout on the main thoroughfare and have managed to keep both directions open while they do it. I’m sure that’s no small feat — or small expense — as they had to lay a temporary road to expand the shoulder for traffic, then dig it up when it was time to construct the permanent road and do it again on the other side. But the extra efforts have paid off, and the inconvenience has been minor given the scope of the project.

I think there is a parallel to communication. It’s important to keep the lanes open, even when it’s challenging to do so. Yes, it’s easier to close off any input streams and make the decision yourself, but keeping the lines of communication open is worth the effort. You may have to backtrack or create new ways of sharing your message, but it’s much better than closing off the flow entirely.

It would be easier for the workers to fully close the road and do the construction, just as it would be easier to ignore a conflict with someone and close the communication channels. But you want to keep the exchange flowing, even when it’s messy or difficult to sustain that forward motion. Do the work to keep things open.

leadership dot #5007: give support

July 15, 2026July 14, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

One of my colleagues astutely pointed out that it is easier to get riled up against something than it is to speak out for something. If things are going well, people tend to say, “Of course, I support it,” and think that showing up to demonstrate that support is unnecessary or obvious, thus giving the loud voices more air. It’s true for public meetings and organizational ones as well.

Better that we give explicit support to the ideas and issues that we believe are good, even if those are the ones in place now. Small pockets of dissent start to feel like a majority view when there is no counterbalancing narrative.

It is unfair to rely on others to be our voice and unwise to let the opposition dominate. Don’t wait until it is a heated debate to make your views known.

Thanks, Felicia!

leadership dot #4997: halfway

July 2, 2026July 1, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

July 2 seems like an odd day to reflect or make resolutions, but it’s actually the perfect time. Today, there are 182 days both past and forward on this year’s calendar, making it an appropriate day to take a moment to assess where we are.

Think about the days in 2026 that have gone by. If you left things undone or unsaid, consider whether it was by design or default. Did you accomplish those goals you set at the beginning of the year, and are you where you had hoped to be by this point?

Then look ahead and think about how you want to use those upcoming 182 days. How would you have it be on December 31, and what can you do now to get there, both personally and professionally?

Think of July 2 as a rest stop on the highway of life. Pull over for a few moments, bask in the summer sun, and assess your life’s plan. If you need to make a detour, you can do so now and use the second half of the year to reach your destination. Happy pondering!

Thanks, Brian!

leadership dot #4995: sketching

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

A visit to an art museum reminded me of the value of sketching. Even the masters started most of their works with pencils, making multiple lines before determining the final location to paint or color. They had no illusions that the first try would be their final one.

Yet, so many times we expect perfection or a final draft right out of the gate. We want to start painting instead of sketching, making one line instead of a blur of many. It often frustrates us and makes it more daunting for others to provide feedback on the idea.

Take a lesson from the artists and start with a rough, penciled-in version of your concept, then go from there. Within the many lines, the true masterpiece can be found.

leadership dot #4990: change process

June 25, 2026June 24, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Leadership is about creating change, and those who seek to make a difference become proficient in three separate steps of the process.

The first step is identifying needs. Change leaders must recognize where gaps and inequities exist, or where opportunities lie. If you’re still relying on others to present you with problems to solve or projects to complete, you’ve abdicated your role in the first phase of the change process. You need to develop discerning eyes that pay attention to the process, feedback, pain points, possibilities, and trends, and identify where change is needed.

But noticing a need is not enough. Those interested in creating change must be able to articulate the issue compellingly. If you are afraid to speak up, are unable to deliver a persuasive message, or speak only in vague terms, the issue will likely remain unchanged. The most effective change leaders craft a specific ask, woven with an emotional story, to make their words memorable and actionable.

Finally, you must galvanize resources to implement the desired change. This could involve people or funds, assembled quickly or over time, but all mobilized to achieve the end result. Without the support and engagement of others, your idea is likely to fizzle.

Understanding that change happens in multiple stages is a helpful framework, especially for new professionals who have yet to learn that leadership and change are inextricably linked. Those who cannot identify, articulate, and galvanize are likely to remain followers, even if they have higher aspirations.

leadership dot #4980: put out

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

The student speaker at my niece’s graduation made an insightful comment that has been noodling around in my head since I heard it. Ben Ryan of Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis said:

“I spent a lot of time asking myself who I was, eventually realizing that my best answer was ‘I don’t really know...So, instead of looking inward at something I didn’t understand, I began to pay more attention to what I was putting out. I started talking to the lunchroom staff every day when I got my lunch, really trying to connect with my teachers, having conversations with people that I would normally just walk past…What these small gestures made me realize is that we are what we put out. You are the people you surround yourself with. You are the stranger you start a conversation with in class. You are the person you smile at in the halls. You are the lunch server you tell to have a good day. What you put out is what you will become.”

I like this concept for its ease of implementation. Everyone can “put out” kindness and connection, and I think Ben is right that it benefits not only the person who receives it, but the giver as well.

Pay attention to what you “put out” today and let it reflect the person you wish to become.

leadership dot #4977: focus

June 12, 2026June 11, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Summer is often the time for planning and retreats, and these gatherings frequently result in brainstorming and a host of new ideas to implement in the future. While innovation is an important and necessary function, it can lead to a diffusion of energy as teams want to “focus” on a host of new programs that come from the sessions.

It can be hard to focus on a single key priority, but going deep offers many benefits. It’s likely that concentrating on a single area will yield more quantifiable outcomes, which in turn allow for richer storytelling and greater impact. A narrow focus allows for greater accountability as well, with no hiding behind doing a little on several priorities. It’s stronger if one thing is accomplished rather than bits of many.

Picking one thing to be the focus for the short term is hard. Many things are important, and the temptation is great to address several goals at once. Resist and go deep instead.

leadership dot #4976: weave

June 11, 2026June 10, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A colleague is known as the go-to person at her job, and someone else expressed envy at how she knew people from so many different departments. My colleague explained that this just didn’t happen; she intentionally worked to build relationships.

It’s a valuable skill for both your professional and personal lives.

Get up from that desk. Have lunch with other people. Talk in person when possible. Take that extra few minutes to learn about others’ lives, whether you are in person or virtual. Interact outside your narrow department or bubble. Remember details about those you meet. Offer help.

There are many ways to cultivate relationships, but all take intentional effort. We often gloss over the connection in favor of efficiency, but those relationships can become invaluable when you need something above and beyond. They also make the workplace much more pleasant!

Relationships take intentionality to create, but the personal and professional rewards far outweigh the effort. Start today to weave your web of connections.

leadership dot #4969: learn it

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

The first time I taught a college class, it was as a replacement for a teacher who suddenly was out on medical leave. The school used a learning management system, and they assigned me tech support to get the course ready since it was all so last-minute. I distinctly remember her saying that she would set up the gradebook rather than teach me how to do it since it was “just for this one class.”

Ha! I’m now teaching class #52, and I still struggle with the gradebook since I never properly learned the nuances of the system.

While it may be easier to let someone else do something for you, chances are good that if you need to know it once, you may need to know it again. Equip yourself with the knowledge for both now and later.