It’s been a full week of meetings. Different purposes, different groups. But one thing emerged as a theme out of all of them. Perspective. In each of the meetings, there was a tendency to get into the weeds and not focus on the main objectives. In each meeting, someone asked a question designed at redirecting the conversation back to the appropriate level. In these cases, more strategic, longer term perspectives. The challenge for the folks conducing the meetings is that there is so much going on that they struggle with the day-to-day and getting to the right perspective. They are looking at the needles rather than the forest. How do you keep your perspective in the right place? Do you have someone to challenge you when you are looking at the needles instead of the forest?
Category Archives: Leadership
Service that makes you say “WOW!”
We all know it when we see it – that little extra something that makes us want to come back because the experience was over the top. That was dinner with a few friends at a local restaurant. We were warmly greeted at the door by name, promptly seated and the dinner began to unfold one course at a time. Each was beautifully prepared, tasted amazing and presented in a warm, hospitable manner. Somehow we always had beverages, food was spaced out in a manner that flowed and the experience was wonderful. So much so, that we didn’t even notice dessert was taking a little longer than other courses to make it our way. We were surprised when we were told there wasn’t going to a charge for a few items to make up for the “not up to standard” service. Wow – that little extra touch had us talking for weeks.
Customers have a choice where they spend their money. What experience do you want yours to have?
The Value of a Sounding Board
It’s lonely at the top. And until you get there, you don’t really understand how true that statement is. You are responsible for the organization – its people, its products and its results. The tough decisions, the balls that need to be juggled and the lack of people in the company that you can talk to on sensitive issues and hard decisions that need to be made. It can be a heavy load. But it can also be a lot of fun with the right perspective and outlook. That’s why it is important as a senior leader to have a sounding board.
Years ago, someone introduced me to the idea of a personal board of directors. People you go to for various areas in your life that have perspectives that challenge your own. For each person it will be different, but it helps to have people that have known you for years in some cases, and are new to you in other cases. These folks should push you to be your personal best – at work and in life. I’ve loved this concept and use it in my own life and it has made me reflect and adjust in ways that are difficult, but needed.
In addition to the personal board of directors, there may be times that more intense focus is needed to address a specific opportunity. At those times, it may be necessary to bring on someone who has been in the same shoes and made hard decisions from a leadership perspective. It’s important to be able to bounce ideas, thoughts and challenges off of someone who has been there and can help you sort through a clear path forward.
Do you have a personal board of directors or a person you can go to as a sounding board? How are you getting the advice you need to be successful?
The Emperor has no clothes
Walking down the hall yesterday, a man was walking at some distance ahead of me. Not unusual as this particular hallway is typically pretty crowded. The unusual thing was what he was wearing – a bright white toilet seat liner that stood out against his dark blue pants. I wondered how many people had walked by him without pointing it out. So when I did, he was extremely grateful I had whispered the news to him.
It got me to thinking about how these sorts of things happen every day in business. Many of us have had those embarrassing moments and are grateful to strangers, friends or co-workers who save us from parading around all day with food in our teeth, toilet paper or seat liners hanging out from our pants or stains on our shirts. But many times people will pass by without saying a word. And when the issues become larger and more important, how many will say “there’s a problem”? Do you have people who tell you what you want to hear, or that there is actually a problem? What can you be doing to make sure those lines of communication are open and you get the news you really need to hear?
What Message Are You Sending Your People?
You work hard, you do all the right things and you exceed the expectations of your boss and your customers. Praise comes rolling in. In fact, you’ve done such a great job that the promotion you were hoping for comes your way. What could be better? Well, a raise to go along with that extra work would be nice. Usually it works that way, right?
Well, not always. Nothing can be more deflating than working hard for a promotion and being told you get more work at no additional pay. That’s what happened recently to a gentleman I was speaking with. He was so excited to get the promotion after accomplishing all of the pre-requisites that had been set out by his supervisor. He had a terrific performance review to boot. His reward was a company average merit increase for the year and no promotional increase. In other words, he achieved more and did more than people with average performance and was rewarded with the same pay and more work. And when queried, his supervisor and HR pointed at the other indicating the decision was made elsewhere.
So, how is the company doing at retaining high performing people? It wasn’t surprising to hear that the company has lost most of its highest performing people in the last year and a half. People are smart – they get the message they are sent, even if the message is not intentional. So, what message are you sending your people? Is it the message that you want them to receive?
The road you know
An acquaintance recently reached out and suggested having coffee to catch up. We live and work on opposite ends of town, so he suggested meeting in the middle at a specific Starbucks. Knowing that particular spot, which is heavy to foot traffic, but a little more difficult to reach via car, I suggested an alternate Starbucks that is right off the freeway with a parking lot. Seemed like a great alternative to me and should have been easier for him.
So, I was surprised when he said “let’s stay with the original suggestion. It’s a little tougher for parking, but closer to the freeway.”
Mapping the route in my mind from the freeway to each location, I was still confused by the comment. The alternative location I provided should have been closer to him and closer to the freeway. Then it hit me – people tend to gravitate toward the road they know. It’s easy to flip on autopilot and just go. How often do you take the road you know in business? And by doing that, what opportunities to find a better way are you passing up?
Missed Opportunities
A good friend struggled for a few years with brain tumors. He went through ups and downs with treatment and went in and out of contact. Being a few time zones and a few thousand miles away, catching up was always an adventure. But he’s been on my mind for a few weeks now and I’ve been meaning to call. Sadly, another friend just reached out to let me know he passed away. We didn’t have a chance to say those last few words or have those last few laughs. And the last time we spoke there was more to say.
Missed opportunities happen all the time. Sometimes they are significant like the passing of a friend, other times small and go unnoticed. In business, the people and companies that outperform others see the opportunities in front of them. They grasp on and make them happen. How do you keep opportunities from passing you by?
Getting Your House in Order
Several years ago my grandmother started clearing out her house – spring cleaning on a grand scale. While not cluttered, fifty years of stuff had accumulated and filled the three-story house. Grandma is a realist – at north of 90 she didn’t want to leave her family the burden of sifting through all the things that don’t have much meaning or value. And through that process, she also made sure the legal and banking documents were up to snuff. She was getting her house in order. She knew that at some point her affairs would be transitioned to her family.
The funny thing is – transitions happen all the time, whether in business or in life, but many times very little preparation goes in to making them successful. As a result, businesses that have been built over a lifetime languish after a transition because key elements in making a successful transition were not addressed ahead of time. Is your house in order? Or, is some attention needed? What steps can you take now to make sure your legacy is where you want it to be?
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