organizational effectiveness

leadership dot #4993: wizardry

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

In an amazing use of technological wizardry, Delta now allows you to scan your boarding pass to receive personalized connecting gate information. It also somehow shows this information only to you, even though others may be looking at the screen. No more scanning the giant flight information boards to find your flight, or wondering which direction to walk and how much time it will take you to get there. It’s now all laid out, just for you, even in your preferred language.

Technology can be wonderful for handling complex tasks and calculating massive amounts of data, but it also has valuable applications in producing micro-results from that process. Think about how you can narrow down what information you share and target the message to just what the person wants to know.

Thanks, Meg!

leadership dot #4971: a volunteer

June 6, 2026June 5, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

At a recent concert, the conductor claimed he was tired and asked for volunteers “age 15 or under” to conduct the last piece. A brave, young girl came forward and took the baton for the first time.

The actual conductor helped the orchestra cue the first note and stepped in to indicate the last, but his stand-in technically handled the rest. What a thrill for her, and perhaps the start of a new avocation.

Of course, his feigning tiredness was a ruse to get some audience interaction, and it worked. The switch added a bright spot to the performance as the young volunteer received rousing rounds of applause, and it cost nothing.

Think of how you can interject something unexpected into your organization’s routine. The novelty may strike a positive chord with all involved.

leadership dot #4964: server

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

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.

leadership dot #4953: foundational

May 19, 2026May 18, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

It’s always more fun to create new things than to fix existing problems, but failing to pay attention to infrastructure needs can cause real issues later.

Think of it like buying an old house. You may want to start painting or picking out new accessories, but if the electrical box is a mess, it needs to take priority. It’s painful to spend thousands of dollars on something you can’t see, but working systems are necessary before the aesthetics are addressed.

The same is true in organizations, where teams may prefer a high-profile new project over maintenance of record-keeping or other data systems, but attention to those tasks creates a stronger foundation to support creative work later.

For some organizations, summer may offer a different cadence in the work. Utilize the time to review the not-glamorous-but-essential systems, and ensure your foundational infrastructure is solid before the “decorating” begins.

leadership dot #4938: customize

May 4, 2026April 30, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

To the unfamiliar, one cowboy hat may look the same as another, but it turns out that these are very personal items. An entire store in Fort Worth, Texas, sells nothing but cowgirl hats and accessories to customize them: many, many accessories, from feathers to pins, bandanas, and leather strips. They even sell playing cards, matchbooks, and buttons so people can add their own touch — all before the hat is assembled and “branded.” Customers were spending a long time (and presumably a lot of money) finding that right combination of enhancements to convey their personality.

Other stores sell hats fully assembled, eliminating the angst over which decorations to choose and making the hats less expensive and ready to wear. For some, that may be the right option. Others obviously enjoyed the curation and quest to design the perfect grouping.

Don’t assume that what you offer has to be fully assembled. Perhaps there is a niche that would like a smorgasbord of your services, allowing them to pick and choose the combination that works best for them, rather than accepting the standard package. Maybe you can add in accouterments that provide a bonus for those willing to invest in a premium offering, or a discount for those who prefer the standard fare. Just like those cowgirl hats, one size does not fit all.

leadership dot #829a: triage

April 24, 2026April 18, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

People often think that coming up with ideas is difficult. If you put any time into the thought process at all, ideas are the easy part. Usually, I, and those who work for me, have far more ideas than we can possibly implement. In reality, the real trick comes in when evaluating the ideas and deciding where to spend your time and resources.

I use a simple method of keeping track of ideas and goals: Now, Later, and Eventually.

There are certain things that can, or should, be done in the very short term. An idea for a birthday present. A quick process fix that can be done without much effort. Something you want to do this week or so.

“Later” is something that doesn’t make your immediate list, but is still relatively short-term. You don’t want your thinking to digress at this moment, but the idea is good and should be pursued soon. Later goals fall into the category of “the next time this comes up, I’ll address it.”

“Eventually” goals and ideas are things that really are good ideas, but the timing isn’t right to pursue them now. You don’t want to lose them or spend time on them now, so you can keep a list of longer-term items to revisit occasionally to see if any have moved into the “later” time frame.

This simple triage method may help you keep on track to accomplish what you can do now without distraction, but still allow you to prioritize and manage those good ideas that will make a difference in the future.

Originally published in modified form on September 8, 2014

leadership dot #4923: pedal power

April 12, 2026April 10, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

If you want efficient movement through the streets of New York City, using a truck isn’t the way to do it. So, rather than use the same delivery system that they use elsewhere in the country, Amazon developed an e-bike delivery vehicle to navigate the crowded streets of the Big Apple.

It would have been easy for them to say that delivery times were delayed due to ongoing congestion, but instead they acknowledged the issue and came up with a creative solution.

Do you insist on staying with the same tried-and-true system that works for most, or are you open to considering new options to address micro-needs? One size does not fit all.

Thanks, Amy!

leadership dot #4922: specialization

April 11, 2026April 9, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

At one extreme, we have Amazon that seemingly sells everything from A to Z. That scale may work for retail purchases, but there are businesses that offer service at the micro end of the spectrum.

Just a few examples:

All of these businesses offer specialized services that allow them to become experts in a niche area.

Think about where your organization falls. It’s harder to stand out in the middle.

leadership dot #4909: occasion

March 28, 2026March 26, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Pet retailers have capitalized on the trend of treating dogs as family members, and almost all of them offer special branded or birthday-cake-favored treats to celebrate the dog’s big day. Of course, the pooches themselves have no sense of their birthday; this is strictly a marketing ploy to get their humans to spend more. And, I’d venture to say, it works.

My Zoe will turn one-year-old next week, and I received an early birthday card from Chewy to commemorate the occasion. It just happened to offer me 20% their “Birthday Shop” items if I “scanned (or sniffed)” their QR code on the card. Clever!

While I did not purchase from Chewy, I did get a can of wet dog food (a delicacy in my house) and a birthday-cake-flavored treat for her and her sister. Can’t celebrate alone, can we?

Think about whether there are occasions you can turn into an opportunity, even if they are silly, arbitrary, or pretend. We can all use an excuse to infuse some joy into our lives, even if it takes a pet’s birthday to do it.

leadership dot #4905: unexpectedness

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

My dog ADORES the snow. Imagine her delight when she went outside one morning and found 6 inches of it, allowing her to bury balls, dig them out, jump between snowbanks, and do zoomies with the snow flying. It was heavenly!

And then, just as suddenly, a few days later, she returned to the back yard, and the snow was almost gone. Another surprise.

I think this unexpectedness happens in organizations, too. Dictates come from above that surprise people, and the decision may be reversed with equal randomness. Employees don’t have the benefit of an “organizational weather app” and become skeptical and disgruntled when practices change as frequently as the weather, but with little warning.

In the workplace, people don’t like surprises. Having it “snow” and then “melt” rattles the stable foundation that an organizational culture requires. My dog may not mind being flummoxed every time she walks outside, but don’t make it a mystery every time an employee walks into work.