It is a particularly first world, 21st Century notion that one should quit a job he hates, and pursue his dreams. "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life," Confucius is supposed to have said. Maybe one who lived in the 500 BCs could have conjectured a notion that would resonate so soundly with 21st century career focused men whose next meal is not in question. Maybe.
There is a young man producing videos in which he talks about his life-threatening illness, and he finishes each inspirational video with all the confidence and cache of a man who knows everything, which is true of most young men in their twenties. (It certainly was of me. I wish you'd known me then - I had an answer for everything and didn't suffer fools.)
His advice in his popular YouTube videos (apparently even Ellen Degeneres has seen them!) is to do what you love, quit the job you hate, and eat dessert first. I agree with at least one of those, and it isn't the dessert part. I do think that, if we have the luxury, we should do do the things we love and enjoy as often as reasonably possible, if not for a living then for recreation and fun; not selfishly and never without consideration for our responsibility to each other and to God.
Doing the Things You Hate to Do
There is a particular strength of character that comes from facing down the challenges which most frighten us, annoy us, cause despair or that we just plain can't stand. Seeing the task through, with all it's unpleasantness, is a life lesson learned in small chunks that prepares us for the big challenges in life. It's even more enlightening to do it around people we don't like, or who can't stand us.
Embrace the unpleasant. You just might find it ain't so bad after all.
Showing posts with label Productivity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Productivity. Show all posts
Tuesday, 3 February 2015
Saturday, 8 November 2014
November 11 Should Not be a Stat Holiday
Right now there is a suggestion that November 11th should be declared a statutory holiday in Canada, a sentiment no doubt fueled by the killing of two Canadian soldiers on Canadian soil just weeks ago. It would be offensive to suggest that this NDP backed bill is calculated to ride this wave of sentiment, but not beyond the pale to acknowledge that the timing couldn't be better for those who agree, and uncomfortable for those who don't.
Here me out and don't question my patriotism. Don't you dare. I would suggest that not speaking against this misguided move to declare November 11th a statutory holiday, if one believes it shouldn't be, is unpatriotic and counter to what our soldiers died to defend in the great wars and conflicts since; freedom to think and speak; to be heard.
I have celebrated November 11th every year of the last 50 or so, but not always at the Cenotaph. Many years it had to suffice that I was part of an entire workplace or school that stopped for a moment of silence at 11 am. Just last year a conference I attended and helped organize gave one of the most moving tributes to Remembrance Day that I have seen in five decades.
If November 11th 2013 had been a stat holiday, that conference would not have happened over those dates and that tribute would not have happened at all. I don't think I'm reaching to say that most, if not almost all of the participants would not have had any such experience had they been enjoying a day off, hiking, raking leaves, or at an American mall shopping; the usual Canadian Stat holiday experience. A November 11th stat holiday actually has the opposite effect of what is presumably intended.
Pausing to Remember
A statutory holiday on November 11th will lead to a watered-down and soon forgotten celebration of what must never be forgotten, and what better way to drive home the importance of our soldier's sacrifice than to pause commerce, school, traffic; to reflect on 2 minutes of inconvenience to our modern lives and perhaps to feel just a bit of guilt when it slips by unnoticed, unintentionally. To think of kids in uniform...(kids dammit!) who died on foreign lands so our cash registers could ring the other 1438 minutes in the day. To watch the grade 7s at a Remembrance Day assembly start to internalize the truth that in a different time it would have been their older brothers off to war, perhaps never to return. To be 18 and think, "it could have been me." For some in my generation it was about a grandfather they never met.
Effect on the Economy
Secondly, and this is important, the loss to the economy is estimated to be in the billions. Don't kid yourselves folks, our soldiers died defending not only democracy, but capitalism and commerce. In my own business right now I am looking at trying to accommodate a major piece of business that will be lost to our destination if we can't find alternate dates that don't include a mid-week stat holiday in November. These are union folk, I guarantee none of them is going to miss a paid day off no matter how important the conference or meeting. I say that without judgement - it is how it is.
I urge Members of Parliament to pause and have a complete and thorough debate at a time when emotions have subsided, and to consider the cost vs benefit of Remembrance Day being declared a Statutory Holiday in Canada. It may not be what it may seems.
Tuesday, 30 September 2014
The No Card
When I was studying at the seminary to glean my calling to be a deacon we were advised to "prune, prune, prune." In other words, drop out of everything and concentrate on this one thing. Naturally that didn't apply to family and work, but to all things church. That was hard for most of us - dropping out of the choir, out of committees, out of a whole lot of busy work to concentrate on the important stuff. (More about the freedom of discipline and liberation of obedience another time)
After ordination we were encouraged to play our "NO card". Lots of people are going to ask us for lots of things, and being charitable souls our inclination is to say yes. With a NO card you don't have to give it a second thought or toss and turn over "whether to or should I?" You just play the card and go back to the core mission.
What was true of my spiritual vocation has also been true in my professional vocation and maybe in yours. We get asked to take on increasing roles of responsibility in our associations if we've shown the slightest hint of enthusiasm and success in our committee roles - and that's OK. But how do we know when enough is too much? When is it time to say no?
I am a member of an organization that has seen at least 3 volunteer presidents in the last five finish out their year with shattered marriages. It may not have been the tremendous work load on top of a tremendous work load that caused the marriage to fail, who knows what underlying issues were already in play? - but it certainly didn't help.
This is not to say that many, many people haven't been very successful in extending their passion at work to their entire industry through their professional association - I've met them and seen it done. I admire them. Their industry is better for it. The reason they do it so well is that they also have a NO card which they play in other places at strategic times.
Not sure how to say no? Here's a helpful blog from Adrian Granzella Larson with some tips... http://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2014/09/15/just-say-no-7-canned-responses-to-use-at-work/
After ordination we were encouraged to play our "NO card". Lots of people are going to ask us for lots of things, and being charitable souls our inclination is to say yes. With a NO card you don't have to give it a second thought or toss and turn over "whether to or should I?" You just play the card and go back to the core mission.
What was true of my spiritual vocation has also been true in my professional vocation and maybe in yours. We get asked to take on increasing roles of responsibility in our associations if we've shown the slightest hint of enthusiasm and success in our committee roles - and that's OK. But how do we know when enough is too much? When is it time to say no?
I am a member of an organization that has seen at least 3 volunteer presidents in the last five finish out their year with shattered marriages. It may not have been the tremendous work load on top of a tremendous work load that caused the marriage to fail, who knows what underlying issues were already in play? - but it certainly didn't help.
This is not to say that many, many people haven't been very successful in extending their passion at work to their entire industry through their professional association - I've met them and seen it done. I admire them. Their industry is better for it. The reason they do it so well is that they also have a NO card which they play in other places at strategic times.
Not sure how to say no? Here's a helpful blog from Adrian Granzella Larson with some tips... http://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2014/09/15/just-say-no-7-canned-responses-to-use-at-work/
Monday, 12 August 2013
A Few Good Managers
I just returned from a conference in Atlanta, during which time I stayed in a nice hotel that had a small cafe that served a pretty decent breakfast every day. Since the trend of starving conference attendees seems to be in full upswing this summer, I ate breakfast there every morning. It was pretty decent.
The first two mornings I noticed the food was good, and the service was good. The music was techno-bamboo (my term, you won't find that as an option on iTunes) and that struck me as decidedly unbreakfasty (my word, you won't find that in the Mirriam-Webster). I think they just forgot to change the channel after the late night drinks crowd went up to their rooms.
On my final morning the presence of a manager was obvious. The energy level in the breakfast cafe was high, the smiles and greetings were genuine,and the overhead music had, get this, a beginning, middle and end. The manager was "hopping and bopping" around, a style of management my first boss demanded.
You can't overstate the value of a good manager. You may not even notice when he's not there, but you sure can tell the difference when he is.
The first two mornings I noticed the food was good, and the service was good. The music was techno-bamboo (my term, you won't find that as an option on iTunes) and that struck me as decidedly unbreakfasty (my word, you won't find that in the Mirriam-Webster). I think they just forgot to change the channel after the late night drinks crowd went up to their rooms.
On my final morning the presence of a manager was obvious. The energy level in the breakfast cafe was high, the smiles and greetings were genuine,and the overhead music had, get this, a beginning, middle and end. The manager was "hopping and bopping" around, a style of management my first boss demanded.
You can't overstate the value of a good manager. You may not even notice when he's not there, but you sure can tell the difference when he is.
Wednesday, 10 October 2012
A Book I've Read - Brain Rules by John Medina
Brain Rules is a book you can apply to any role in your life. Parent, employee, executive, friend...no matter who we are and what we do, we all want to do better, to relate to others better, and to be successful, however we define success. Each of us will read this book and find different rules that seem to call to us. Here are the three of the twelve that jumped off the page for me.
Brain Rule #1. Exercise boosts brain power. Our grade school teachers knew that, and made sure we got regular recess breaks, not just to wake us up or let us burn off some energy. It turns out that when we came back in we were ready to think better.
Dr. Medina theorises that the average caveman survived because he got lots of exercise, so his brain was firing on all cylinders, he thought on his feet and was ready for the unexpected (like a big hungry tiger, or a tricky negotiation, or an ornery board member). Medina says we're hardwired for 12 miles walking a day, so to improve our thinking, we've got to move!
Brain Rule #4. People don't pay attention to boring things. There is no such thing as multitasking, according to the author. There are only distractions and wandering minds. Medina suggests we are better at seeing meaning than recording detail, and that we need stimulus every 10 minutes or so or we'll mentally check out. Presenters take note - switch it up with a story that appeals to our emotions every 10 minutes or so, or you'll lose us.
Brain Rule #10. Vision trumps all other senses. Of all the senses he employed, the early caveman relied most on his vision. Medina suggests vision takes up half our brain resources, and we learn best through pictures, not written or spoken words. Good advice for anyone designing a sales brochure or an annual report.
There was a great rule on sleep, Brain Rule #7. Medina suggests the biological clock for an afternoon nap is universal. I don't mind admitting that since I read this book and heard Medina speak I've had the odd 20 minute nap at 2 pm (there's a specific way to calculate the best mid-day nap time). I just didn't tell anyone about it.
Just one more reason I sometimes wish my kindergarten teacher was my boss. She understood.
Brain Rules - 12 Rules for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home and School
John Medina
Pear Press
Wednesday, 3 October 2012
Quit Your Job at Least Once a Year
I have a friend who quits his job once a year. Not literally, but once a year he comes in on a weekend and cleans up his office as if he's leaving it forever. He knows if he did it when the team was in the office he'd spend more time answering questions than cleaning up.
He imagines what it would be like for his successor to go through old files, and gets rid of the ones that he hasn't touched in a year and probably will never need to look at again; stuff that jusn't essential. This isn't sensitive material, more like flyers and convention handouts, expired projects and old reports.
He organizes his current files and projects with summaries using the "hit by a bus" method. You know the one. If I was hit by a bus today, could someone step right in and take over? The side benefit is he sometimes discovers files he's neglected, and has booked new business by reaching out to old customers accidentally forgotten.
He goes through his off-line and deletes the non-essential photos and files that he once thought were important enough to save. His every year is organized off-line and he dumps the third year file, keeping two years and the current one. This year, 2012, he deleted 2009; again, non-essential stuff only. I think IT should send him a medal just for clearing up space on the company server.
Finally, he tidies up the junk and pictures and giveaways on his desk and credenza, and begins on Monday as if he was walking into the office for the first time, and every year he gets better at keeping it uncluttered.
Of all the time managment tips and tricks I have learned over the years, this one seems the most practical. And if the day ever comes that he has to leave, he's got a lot less packing to do before he goes.
He imagines what it would be like for his successor to go through old files, and gets rid of the ones that he hasn't touched in a year and probably will never need to look at again; stuff that jusn't essential. This isn't sensitive material, more like flyers and convention handouts, expired projects and old reports.
He organizes his current files and projects with summaries using the "hit by a bus" method. You know the one. If I was hit by a bus today, could someone step right in and take over? The side benefit is he sometimes discovers files he's neglected, and has booked new business by reaching out to old customers accidentally forgotten.
He goes through his off-line and deletes the non-essential photos and files that he once thought were important enough to save. His every year is organized off-line and he dumps the third year file, keeping two years and the current one. This year, 2012, he deleted 2009; again, non-essential stuff only. I think IT should send him a medal just for clearing up space on the company server.
Finally, he tidies up the junk and pictures and giveaways on his desk and credenza, and begins on Monday as if he was walking into the office for the first time, and every year he gets better at keeping it uncluttered.
Of all the time managment tips and tricks I have learned over the years, this one seems the most practical. And if the day ever comes that he has to leave, he's got a lot less packing to do before he goes.
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
LinkedIn and the Average Sales Guy
I'm no expert on the subject of Social Media; I dabble. A lot. One method of connection serves me professionally very well: LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is not just Facebook for "suits", although it is that. It's my on-line Rolodex that updates itself, stays with me wherever I go, and provides me with leads, introductions, connections, shared interest and current events. Unlike my Outlook contacts list, it is not company property so if I should leave this place I would not be breaching ethics to use it to find my next gig and connect with former customers, if only for a recommendation. We're connected by more than just our job titles.
If we're connected, I know more about you than you're telling me just by reading your posts, reading your recommended articles, seeing where you travel, reading your blog and choosing my next book on the books that you read, and you know that much about me. I know you personally. And you know someone I want to meet, and if I ask nicely you'll introduce us. I can track current business to social media connections.
LinkedIn is not a massive ego trip for me. "Look, I've got more than 500 connections! Yay me!" Actually, I do have more than 500 connections, but here's the thing. I have personally met each one of them. I trust them with my professional Rolodex, and by accepting my invitation to connect, they have trusted me with theirs.
For this reason I don't ever accept invitations to connect from complete strangers. You shouldn't either. Watch this: Tyrrell on a Tangent: A Failed Invitation to Connect
LinkedIn is not just Facebook for "suits", although it is that. It's my on-line Rolodex that updates itself, stays with me wherever I go, and provides me with leads, introductions, connections, shared interest and current events. Unlike my Outlook contacts list, it is not company property so if I should leave this place I would not be breaching ethics to use it to find my next gig and connect with former customers, if only for a recommendation. We're connected by more than just our job titles.
If we're connected, I know more about you than you're telling me just by reading your posts, reading your recommended articles, seeing where you travel, reading your blog and choosing my next book on the books that you read, and you know that much about me. I know you personally. And you know someone I want to meet, and if I ask nicely you'll introduce us. I can track current business to social media connections.
LinkedIn is not a massive ego trip for me. "Look, I've got more than 500 connections! Yay me!" Actually, I do have more than 500 connections, but here's the thing. I have personally met each one of them. I trust them with my professional Rolodex, and by accepting my invitation to connect, they have trusted me with theirs.
For this reason I don't ever accept invitations to connect from complete strangers. You shouldn't either. Watch this: Tyrrell on a Tangent: A Failed Invitation to Connect
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
Team Dynamics - the Ghostbusters
Critics consider "Ghostbusters" to be one of the funniest and most quotable movies ever made. I agree. I also consider the movie to be full of lessons in how teamwork can defeat even the darkest villain - be it the threat of total annihilation or a looming project deadline. Here are some examples from the movie, and a practical applications for a team.
Respect the Experts on Your Team
Peter Venkman: "I'm fuzzy on the whole good/bad thing. What do you mean, "bad"?"
Egon Spengler: "Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light."
Ray Stantz: "Total protonic reversal."
Peter Venkman: "Right. That's bad. Okay. All right. Important safety tip. Thanks, Egon."
We've got a team of three remarkable individuals, all with his own talent. At various times one of them takes the lead. Most of the time its the Bill Murray character, Peter Venkman, and probably only because of the force of his charisma and personality. Yet when Spengler has something important to contribute, that is his invention could cause the end of the world if not handled properly, he doesn't stand quietly or back down.
Because they know and appreciate each other's strengths, they listen and modify a potentially disastrous course of action. The lesson learned? Sometimes the least likely guy has something valuable to contribute, and we'd be best to listen to him. If you're that least likely guy, make like Spengler and press the issue. The success of the team (and the fate of the world) may depend upon it.
Take a Chance, Celebrate Small Victories
Peter Venkman: "the flowers are still standing!"
They've just finished destroying a ballroom just minutes before an important social event, plus several floors of a hotel. They've captured a nasty and very messy ghost. They haven't been paid yet, although in the midst of the mess they've discovered that their inventions work, and there is business to be had. Venkman, perhaps sensing an opportunity to release some tension in the room, sees a fully set table undisturbed and decides to try the old trick of pulling out the tablecloth and leaving the table setting intact. It mostly fails, china and cutlery flies...but the flowers are still standing. I'm not sure Ray Stantz would have had the cojones to calculate the exhorbitant bill in front of the incredulous hotel manager if Venkman hadn't given him permission to be proud of what they had accomplished, albeit not exactly to expectations.
Sometimes our plans can go disastrously awry and lead to what appears to be a failure. It's only a failure when we don't learn from it. It's only a complete failure when we haven't given it our all. It's a personal failure when we fail to take a minute to celebrate the small successes along the way, even if it's only a vase of flowers intact amongst the ruins.
Admit Your Screw-Ups, Don't Wait to Get Caught
Ray Stantz: "It's the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man."
Given a chance to avoid destruction, all they have to do is clear their minds. The destructor will come in the form of whatever one of them imagines, and leave it to Dan Ackroyd's character Ray to completely mess up these simple instructions.
When we blow it and things take a turn for the worse, it's a lot faster to own up to it and confess our error than to wait for the investigation that will eventually lead to the truth. There can be serious consequences personally and professionally for being the guilty party, and even worse for the entire operation for holding out. It can affect our credibility, our team, morale, and future business. It hurts to admit that you're the one who let the team down, it hurts the team to deny it and let them come to that realization on their own. Make like Ray - own up.
Loyalty to Our Customers
Peter Venkman: "OK, so, she's a dog."
Sigourney Weaver's character has been transformed from a very beautiful lady to a creature that resembles a dog. But she is, as Venkman puts it, the "nice lady who paid us in advance." He stares down his team mates and shrugs off the unfortunate turn of events. "So?" he dares them. "She's a dog." What of it?
We talk so much about customer loyalty to our product or business. But what about our loyalty to the customer? Someone on the team, hopefully everyone, has to keep the end user, the customer, front and centre in the decisions. If we forget our customer along the way, whatever we produce will be unrecognizable to them and we've done them (and our company) a great disservice. The customer is not the enemy, as much as she's been possessed by demons who are trying to kill us, turned into a smelly ugly dog-like creature and is very unlikely to ever be the nice lady we met at the start of the project or negotiations.
The customer may not always be right but she's still the customer, as my old boss used to remind me.
Stuff Happens, Plans Have to Change, Get Behind it! 100%
Egon Spengler:" "Not necessarily. There's definitely a very slim chance we'll survive."
Peter Venkman: (pauses) "I love this plan! I'm excited to be a part of it! LET'S DO IT!"
The Ghostbusters have their backs to the wall and they appear to be on the losing side of the battle. It's all over, except by breaking the rules of physics they could turn the battle around, if they live. Egon who first advised against crossing the streams (at the top of this article) now suggests that they should go ahead and do exactly that. It makes no sense, and Bill Murray's character challenges him. "You said it was bad!"
Spengler suggests a plan that is almost certain to fail, but it has "a very slim chance" at working. It's all they've got. It's not the original plan. They could argue and negotiate and point fingers and push each other under the proverbial bus, but instead the one guy who arguably has more sway and carries a lot of influence over the others, Venkman, stops, considers and then enthuiastically endorses the change of direction. There'll be no "I told you so's" after this.
How many times do we conditionally endorse a plan carefully logging proof of our objections in case we're called to answer for it. Any episode of The Celebrity Apprentice will show you how that works if you've never experienced it in person. How often does it feel like the team backed us in principle, but in truth we know we're going down alone if the plan doesn't work. These Ghostbusters under the quirkly leadership of Bill Murray's Venkman just don't work that way. Neither should we.
False Humility is Really Annoying
Winston Zedemore: "Ray, when someone asks you if you're a god, you say "YES"! "
Alright, nobody should claim (or admit, if delusion has already set in) to being a god, but we should learn to accept compliments graciously. If you're the type who is humbly deflecting or refusing compliments, it's actually an insult to the giver. Imagine refusing the gift of a bottle of wine, or a morning coffee. "I'm not worthy, give it to someone else." Right.... So if someone recognizes your brilliance, allow them the courtesy of a simple thank you. That's it, just say "thank you." It actually reflects well on the whole team.
Witness the violent reaction of Gozer when the answer to her question is negative. The same sort of reaction happens to the giver of a compliment denied. Maybe not the first time, maybe not the second, but with continued deflection and denial of praise, sooner or later lightning bolts will fly. Or worse, you, and by association, your team will become inconsequential.
Ghostbusters II
Let's just agree that one successful project does not mean that you can venture into the next using a cookie-cutter approach. We have to apply ourselves 100% every day, to each undertaking, as if it has to stand alone.
Because in fact, it does. We're only as good as our last endeavour.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Respect the Experts on Your Team
Peter Venkman: "I'm fuzzy on the whole good/bad thing. What do you mean, "bad"?"
Egon Spengler: "Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light."
Ray Stantz: "Total protonic reversal."
Peter Venkman: "Right. That's bad. Okay. All right. Important safety tip. Thanks, Egon."
We've got a team of three remarkable individuals, all with his own talent. At various times one of them takes the lead. Most of the time its the Bill Murray character, Peter Venkman, and probably only because of the force of his charisma and personality. Yet when Spengler has something important to contribute, that is his invention could cause the end of the world if not handled properly, he doesn't stand quietly or back down.
Because they know and appreciate each other's strengths, they listen and modify a potentially disastrous course of action. The lesson learned? Sometimes the least likely guy has something valuable to contribute, and we'd be best to listen to him. If you're that least likely guy, make like Spengler and press the issue. The success of the team (and the fate of the world) may depend upon it.
Take a Chance, Celebrate Small Victories
Peter Venkman: "the flowers are still standing!"
They've just finished destroying a ballroom just minutes before an important social event, plus several floors of a hotel. They've captured a nasty and very messy ghost. They haven't been paid yet, although in the midst of the mess they've discovered that their inventions work, and there is business to be had. Venkman, perhaps sensing an opportunity to release some tension in the room, sees a fully set table undisturbed and decides to try the old trick of pulling out the tablecloth and leaving the table setting intact. It mostly fails, china and cutlery flies...but the flowers are still standing. I'm not sure Ray Stantz would have had the cojones to calculate the exhorbitant bill in front of the incredulous hotel manager if Venkman hadn't given him permission to be proud of what they had accomplished, albeit not exactly to expectations.
Sometimes our plans can go disastrously awry and lead to what appears to be a failure. It's only a failure when we don't learn from it. It's only a complete failure when we haven't given it our all. It's a personal failure when we fail to take a minute to celebrate the small successes along the way, even if it's only a vase of flowers intact amongst the ruins.
Admit Your Screw-Ups, Don't Wait to Get Caught
Ray Stantz: "It's the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man."
Given a chance to avoid destruction, all they have to do is clear their minds. The destructor will come in the form of whatever one of them imagines, and leave it to Dan Ackroyd's character Ray to completely mess up these simple instructions.
When we blow it and things take a turn for the worse, it's a lot faster to own up to it and confess our error than to wait for the investigation that will eventually lead to the truth. There can be serious consequences personally and professionally for being the guilty party, and even worse for the entire operation for holding out. It can affect our credibility, our team, morale, and future business. It hurts to admit that you're the one who let the team down, it hurts the team to deny it and let them come to that realization on their own. Make like Ray - own up.
Loyalty to Our Customers
Peter Venkman: "OK, so, she's a dog."
Sigourney Weaver's character has been transformed from a very beautiful lady to a creature that resembles a dog. But she is, as Venkman puts it, the "nice lady who paid us in advance." He stares down his team mates and shrugs off the unfortunate turn of events. "So?" he dares them. "She's a dog." What of it?
We talk so much about customer loyalty to our product or business. But what about our loyalty to the customer? Someone on the team, hopefully everyone, has to keep the end user, the customer, front and centre in the decisions. If we forget our customer along the way, whatever we produce will be unrecognizable to them and we've done them (and our company) a great disservice. The customer is not the enemy, as much as she's been possessed by demons who are trying to kill us, turned into a smelly ugly dog-like creature and is very unlikely to ever be the nice lady we met at the start of the project or negotiations.
The customer may not always be right but she's still the customer, as my old boss used to remind me.
Stuff Happens, Plans Have to Change, Get Behind it! 100%
Egon Spengler:" "Not necessarily. There's definitely a very slim chance we'll survive."
Peter Venkman: (pauses) "I love this plan! I'm excited to be a part of it! LET'S DO IT!"
The Ghostbusters have their backs to the wall and they appear to be on the losing side of the battle. It's all over, except by breaking the rules of physics they could turn the battle around, if they live. Egon who first advised against crossing the streams (at the top of this article) now suggests that they should go ahead and do exactly that. It makes no sense, and Bill Murray's character challenges him. "You said it was bad!"
Spengler suggests a plan that is almost certain to fail, but it has "a very slim chance" at working. It's all they've got. It's not the original plan. They could argue and negotiate and point fingers and push each other under the proverbial bus, but instead the one guy who arguably has more sway and carries a lot of influence over the others, Venkman, stops, considers and then enthuiastically endorses the change of direction. There'll be no "I told you so's" after this.
How many times do we conditionally endorse a plan carefully logging proof of our objections in case we're called to answer for it. Any episode of The Celebrity Apprentice will show you how that works if you've never experienced it in person. How often does it feel like the team backed us in principle, but in truth we know we're going down alone if the plan doesn't work. These Ghostbusters under the quirkly leadership of Bill Murray's Venkman just don't work that way. Neither should we.
False Humility is Really Annoying
Winston Zedemore: "Ray, when someone asks you if you're a god, you say "YES"! "
Alright, nobody should claim (or admit, if delusion has already set in) to being a god, but we should learn to accept compliments graciously. If you're the type who is humbly deflecting or refusing compliments, it's actually an insult to the giver. Imagine refusing the gift of a bottle of wine, or a morning coffee. "I'm not worthy, give it to someone else." Right.... So if someone recognizes your brilliance, allow them the courtesy of a simple thank you. That's it, just say "thank you." It actually reflects well on the whole team.
Witness the violent reaction of Gozer when the answer to her question is negative. The same sort of reaction happens to the giver of a compliment denied. Maybe not the first time, maybe not the second, but with continued deflection and denial of praise, sooner or later lightning bolts will fly. Or worse, you, and by association, your team will become inconsequential.
Ghostbusters II
Let's just agree that one successful project does not mean that you can venture into the next using a cookie-cutter approach. We have to apply ourselves 100% every day, to each undertaking, as if it has to stand alone.
Because in fact, it does. We're only as good as our last endeavour.
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Wednesday, 20 June 2012
The "I" in TEAM
"There is no 'I' in TEAM!" enthused the uninspiring, and unoriginal cheerleader boss. My fellow rookie Jeff leaned over and whispered, "but there is an 'M' and an 'E' and that spells 'ME'!"
He was right.
This overused "team" motivational quote, once meant to create community can be a wet blanket to the ambitious. It's often said to humble peak performers and to avoid rocking a boat crewed by the average. It's wrong. It's OK to be number one and proud of it, and every member of a high performing team wants to be.
Here's where you can find the "I" in a championship team.
And while we're listing vowels, you can also find a "U" in "TEAM".
"I" and the "U" together are the real team letters. "Can I help you?"
But a team is truly successful when we can humbly, and with trust ask of each other, "Will you help me?"
He was right.
This overused "team" motivational quote, once meant to create community can be a wet blanket to the ambitious. It's often said to humble peak performers and to avoid rocking a boat crewed by the average. It's wrong. It's OK to be number one and proud of it, and every member of a high performing team wants to be.
Here's where you can find the "I" in a championship team.
- "I want to be the best"
- "I've got your back"
- "I don't want to come in second"
- "I'm proud of you, I'm happy to be your team mate"
- "I worked my butt off, and I'm going to celebrate a hard fought win"
- "I screwed up; I'm sorry"
And while we're listing vowels, you can also find a "U" in "TEAM".
- "You need to pull up your socks. You are letting us down."
- "You really pulled that one off...thanks!"
- "You are the best on this team, and we rely on you"
- "You can count on me"
- "You can do better"
"I" and the "U" together are the real team letters. "Can I help you?"
But a team is truly successful when we can humbly, and with trust ask of each other, "Will you help me?"
Wednesday, 2 May 2012
Smart Phones and Dumb Users
I've often wondered if anyone has measured the lost productivity when a company issues a new phone to an employee. Although I've moved beyond the "gee whiz!" reaction to a new phone that had me obsessing over it for a full workday, I still spend more than a few hours just figuring out where everything is, what it can do, what new apps I need and which I can delete...
So I asked our I.T. guy that very question. "Are you concerned with the lost productivity every time you issue me a replacement smartphone?"
His answer was the first wake up call on a new phone. "We've got you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with this thing. Go ahead and take a few hours to figure it out. We'll get 'em back."
So I asked our I.T. guy that very question. "Are you concerned with the lost productivity every time you issue me a replacement smartphone?"
His answer was the first wake up call on a new phone. "We've got you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with this thing. Go ahead and take a few hours to figure it out. We'll get 'em back."
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