Al Cleinman's Blog

First Impressions Count!

The other day, I found myself in Marlborough, Massachusetts for one of our Business of Eyecare Forum events.  This program, a one-day practice leadership "university," is loaded with lessons on how to deliver a lasting and memorable patient/customer experience.  The event was held at the Best Western Plaza Hotel and Trade Center, apparently about the only facility available in the area and large enough for our event.

This facility is on a large property, so the driveway is quite long.  As I turned off the highway into the driveway, I'm met with a large BANG!  My first impression of the hotel is a pothole.  From the sound, I was convinced that it was the size of a Volkswagen and that I'm now in need of a front-end alignment.  As I proceed up this quarter-mile long drive, I begin having to reach back to my country-road driving experiences; dodging pothole after pothole.  The driveway is a virtual obstacle course.  Needless to say, having just bought a new car, I wasn't very pleased with the fact that my expensive high-performance tires were taking a beating.  Worse, though, was my concern for the 200 participants of the Forum.

This first impression set the stage for my entire hotel experience at the Best Western Plaza Hotel and Trade Center in Marlborough, Massachusetts.  If management/ownership is so blase about their driveway, the very first thing that a visitor encounters, what else were they missing.  Well, I certainly began noticing all that was wrong with the physical plant (yes, it's old and tired).  And, in spite of the good service by attentive staff, my overall impression of this facility and it's management was very, very poor. 

My negative perspective of the hotel was exacerbated when I placed a call through the front desk and tried to meet with the General Manager, Mr. Rick Skinner, to share my concerns over the driveway.  In spite of the fact that we were the only significant customer at the hotel that day; and in spite of the fact that we were spending tens of thousands of dollars at his hotel, Mr. Skinner chose to respond to my query with what amounted to "I'm busy...have him speak to someone else."  Now, Mr. Skinner had the entire afternoon to respond to my query and chose to do otherwise.  Like the potholes, his attitude didn't sit very well with me.  Perhaps he was busy filling potholes or making arrangements for their repair, but I don't think he was demonstrating very good leadership...to his team or his customers. 

Yes, I had the choice of speaking to another hotel employee about my concerns.  I also had the choice of not doing anything.  After all, I'm sure that Mr. Skinner and his owners are aware of the potholes and the overall condition of their hotel.  But, instead, during my morning workshop on Secrets of High Performers (and likely during the 20 or so similar events that we'll have over the coming year), I used the hotel's condition and Mr. Skinner's approach as an example of how important it is to maintain a quality environment...to see your facility through your customers eyes...and to be open to listening to your customers. 

And, of course, I'm now using this experience as a lesson on brand-destruction for my loyal readers. 

In the old days, a negative experience was thought to have been told to about 15 people.  In this particular case, I'm sharing it with over 30,000 readers.  Blogs, Facebook, Yelp, etc. have totally changed the power of your customers ability to impact your brand; both positively and negatively. 

First impressions count.  Listening to your customers counts.

Is it in your Job Description?

I'm vacationing in one of my favorite areas, Rockport, Massachusetts.  This quintessential New England seaport village near Gloucester is like stepping back in time. 

So I call a favorite Rockport restaurant (My Place by the Sea) to make reservations for this evening.  It's 11am.  Phone is answered.  I tell the guy that I want to make a reservation for this evening and I'm told..."I'm sorry, you'll have to call back at noon.  We don't take reservations before noon."  I ask him if he has a piece of paper and a pencil handy and he tells me "Sir, I don't take reservations.  Our reservationist doesn't get in until noon...you'll have to call back then."

Now this restaurant has, maybe, 50 seats.  Here's another situation where there exists job description confusion.  While taking a reservation may not be in this guy's job description, choosing another restaurant to spend my $200 at certainly is in mine.  I just love these customer service moments. 

(next day)...so what's "the rest of the story?"  We show up at the restaurant.  Except for two other tables, the place is empty.  Hmmm...perhaps 30 people called before noon and got the same message that I did...and, unlike me, chose to go elsewhere.

Think about your job descriptions and culture.  What policies do you have that get in the way of good, practical, logical customer service?

No One Can Compete with Memories

Why does our industry continue to destroy it's overall brand through discounting?  Why do ECPs, who can't possibly compete on price, even make the attempt?  In the absence of anything else, yes, price prevails.  But it's so easy to deliver something besides price! 

One of the key messages that I deliver to my audiences as I travel around the country speaking is the importance of delivering memories.  I often say, "it's not just an eye exam, it's an eyecare experience."  Perhaps that's one reason why our clients realize growth at 4 times that national average?

Here's a video from Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz about an unusual individual and his simple tool for delivering memories...and bringing back customers for his employer...lots of customers.  Please note that you won't hear the word "price" mentioned in this video.

What can you do to deliver a memory...and great eyecare?  Enjoy...and share this message with your team. Then empower them to deliver.   Delivering Powerful Memories    

Success through Failure

Back in the mid 1980’s, I had the good fortune to visit 3M’s headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota.  Sitting in the reception area, awaiting the start of my meeting, I noticed a large sign, containing the venerable firm’s Mission Statement.  While the totality of the statement is lost in my memory, I’ll never forget this part:

"25% of our annual business will result from products that were not in existance five years ago."

That message, to me, was an epiphany.  3M, after all, is a HUGE company.  How could such a mega-organization commit to such a lofty goal?  Sure, 3M is world renown for their product development.  Everyone’s heard the story about the glue that was designated useless…as it wouldn’t firmly attach to anything.  That glue became Post-It Notes and an entire brand of products.  Often, innovation is about never giving up…uncovering a break-through from something that didn’t work for its original use.  3M’s innovation list is a mile long (including our industry’s LEAP blocking system).  How do they do it? 

I decided to try and understand 3M’s innovation system.  With a little research, I didn’t find a system…but uncovered that innovation is the very foundation of the firm’s entire culture.  You see, a guy by the name of William McKnight joined Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. in 1907 as an assistant bookkeeper. He quickly rose through the company, became president in 1929 and chairman of the board in 1949.  He retired in 1966 after 59 years with the firm.  Many believe McKnight's greatest contribution was as a business philosopher, since he created the corporate culture of which we’re speaking; one that encourages employee initiative and innovation.

His basic rule of management was laid out in 1948:

"As our business grows, it becomes increasingly necessary to delegate responsibility and to encourage men and women to exercise their initiative. This requires considerable tolerance. Those men and women, to whom we delegate authority and responsibility, if they are good people, are going to want to do their jobs in their own way.

"Mistakes will be made. But if a person is essentially right, the mistakes he or she makes are not as serious in the long run as the mistakes management will make if it undertakes to tell those in authority exactly how they must do their jobs.

 "Management that is destructively critical when mistakes are made kills initiative. And it's essential that we have many people with initiative if we are to continue to grow."

What I interpret Mr. McNight to have done was take a strategic approach to the development of his people and create the foundation for a culture of innovation; of continuous change.  He recognized that investing in people, and their mistakes, builds an innovative and confident enterprise.   

So, what happens in your practice when someone takes initiative?   By its very nature, initiative requires making mistakes.  Do you celebrate mistakes (i.e.; celebrate initiative) or do you and your team beat new ideas and improvement suggestions back in a variety of overt and covert ways?  Do you find yourself injecting “wisdom” so as to avoid mistakes by your team?   Do you have a culture of “tried it; it didn’t work.”  

Creating a culture of continuous improvement requires significant open-mindedness and objectivity.   Most of the individuals on your team are likely high on the “steadiness” scale (see “Right Person; Right Job) which means that they’re less likely enjoy a fast-paced, highly changing organization.   For these individuals, if you’re not careful, they can see the desire for change to be a criticism of their work.  Organizationally, you must separate the two.  Asking your team to look at everything they do with an ongoing eye for improvement is distinctly different then criticizing what’s been done to date.  The analogy that I extend is that your team is that of a child just learning to walk.  You can see it in your mind’s eye.  The little rug rat crawls over to the edge of the chair; reaches up with their tiny arm; grabs the edge of the chair with their iron-like grip; and pulls themselves up on wobbly legs for their first effort at standing.  They stagger for a moment then…plop…they topple over.  And what do we say when we see this happening?  We say “atta girl’, “way to go,” and other forms of endearing and personal encouragement.  We don’t say, “you know, if you’d done it this way, you would have been able to stand.”

Encouraging self-confidence by allowing and celebrating mistakes is a critical component of organizational and personal development.  Without mistakes, the team can’t learn success.  And if you’re there at every turn, attempting to prevent mistakes, you’ll never develop an innovative and learning team.

Ego...The Two-Edged Sword

Ego is the proverbial two-edged sword.  Can’t live with it; can’t live without it.  But if ever I’ve seen something get in the way of someone’s success, myself included, its failure to understand and manage our ego. 

Ego is our inner voice; that voice in our head that speaks to us continually.  It’s our consciousness, which most immediately controls our thoughts and behaviors, and is most in touch with external reality.

Ego is both good and evil.  On the negative side, ego shuts us off from listening and learning.   Ego drives us to make decisions that are not in the best interest of our whole.  Ego causes us to react to stimuli in negative and sometimes very self-destructive ways.  Ego gets us into trouble.

On the softer side, we experience the negative of ego often in group settings.  You know this well, as I’m sure you’ve experienced a meeting participant who has something to say about everything.  It appears that these individuals are self-possessed to tell stories of their own success.  They rarely listen to the wisdom of others.  They’re often in a “one-up” mode; having to beat your story with theirs.  Peel back the layers of these ego-centric individuals and you’ll often find trouble.  But these individual’s ego won’t allow them to see it or to seek help from others.

Have you EVER walked into a team meeting and said to your team; “I don’t know how to solve this problem.”  Can you show your vulnerability to your employees; your friends; your family?  I believe that the ability to be open about challenges; to trust those around you by being vulnerable; is the true test of whether one’s ego is in the right place. 

It’s OK to have a strong ego; it’s doubtful that one can be truly successful without it.  But a leader must lead; and a manager must manage.  To do so, I believe that it’s equally important to show strength by showing that you need the help of others.

This concept is summarized for me in what’s become known as the Stockdale Paradox.  James Stockdale (Ross Perot’s VP running-mate) was the highest ranking POW during the Vietnam War.  His seven-year captivity was particularly brutal; he was locked in leg irons in the equivalent of a bath stall, where he was severely tortured.  To maintain a positive attitude towards his eventual release, Stockdale resolved:

Stockdale communicated confidence to his team that, eventually, they would be released.  At the same time, he communicated the reality of their situation.  It was that ability to balance resolve with reality that kept them alive. 

 Keep your ego in its proper place and use it sparingly. 

 

Let Go of the Reins

Ever wonder what it would be like to come to the office each day and not have to worry?  Can you imagine being surrounded by a team that takes care of what needs to be taken care of; largely without your direction?  Do you wonder what it would be like if you didn't have to concern yourself about what needs to get done; what hasn't been done; and what wasn't done correctly?  Do you find yourself feeling out of sorts when people take initiative?  Do you get critical when members of your team do take action?  Was the last great idea that you implemented the addition of a coffee pot to the waiting room in 2003?

Ours is a fast paced world that requires innovation and action.  Motivating your team to take initiative is often a challenge; largely because of whom you hire and how you lead them.  I find the study of motivation fascinating.  I hope you'll find this video both interesting and inspirational.  I encourage you to try the author's recommendation and report back on this post as to the results...I will.

Motivating Top Performance

Rent from Alamo in Memphis...Jean get's it.

I appreciate exceptional service.  As a frequent traveler, it is truly rare to come across someone who goes above and beyond…and delivers the unexpected.   I’m writing from Memphis, where last evening I presented a workshop on Entrepreneurial Optometry to the student body of Southern College of Optometry.  One of the key topics of my program is how important it is for professionals and their teams to deliver an exceptional patient experience; an experience that transcends the tangible medical and eyewear elements of the patient interaction.  Indeed, if you think about your own personal experiences, it is rare that it’s the actual product that delivers the WOW…but more likely it’s the result of exceptional service delivery.  It is these “touch points” that create the opportunity for businesses to separate themselves from the pack.

I had two notable service experiences in Memphis.  The first was at the Hampton Inn near Beale Street, one of my favorite hotel chains.  As I jumped into my shower before leaving for my workshop, with little time to spare, I found that there was neither soap nor shampoo in the bathroom.  Luckily, I carry my own emergency supply.  On my way out I stopped at the front desk.  I informed the attendant of the problem and asked for them to place some supplies in my room.  Without an apology, the front desk manager responded, “Sir, housekeeping has gone for the day.  Please stop on your way back and we’ll give you what you need.”  

While ostensibly solving the problem, reality is that I was underwhelmed.   I asked myself why I should have to put forth any effort to solve their mistake.  My expectation was different…why couldn’t they send someone to my room to place the products where they should have been in the first place?  When I returned to the hotel at 10:30pm, I went to the front desk and the attendant dug around in the closets to provide me with my needs.  No big deal.  But it was just not the exceptional service that I have come to expect from Hampton Inns. 

Now the rest of the story is that when I went to my room, there on my sink was a nice blue bag with the supplies that I had requested.  My immediate reaction was that the hotel missed an opportunity.  Why did they tell me one thing and do another?  Why not originally resolve the issue with “I’m so sorry.  I’ll see to it that the supplies get to your room immediately.”  And then they could have left me a cookie.  Now that would have been a WOW!

The inverse of this experience occurred when I dropped my car off at Alamo.  As I was removing my luggage from my trunk, the bus driver came out of his vehicle and walked over to me (about 50’) and asked me “may I take your bags.”  I was completely surprised by his action.  In all my years of travel, I’ve never had a rental car bus driver come over to my vehicle to offer help.  Needless to say, Jean, the bus driver for Alamo/National at the Memphis International Airport, got a big tip and a resounding “thank you” from me in front of all the other passengers.  I shared with Jean the fact that no one, not a single driver in hundreds of experiences that I’ve had, had ever left his vehicle to walk across a parking lot to help me. 

Jean…you get it.  And I hope that your supervisors at Alamo recognize your impact on their business. 

Thanks for delivering the unexpected.

It Starts with Values

Dr. Frank is 62.  He owns a practice with revenue in the millions.  He’s made investments in real estate and other businesses, many of which have gone bust; he “owns” two homes. He’s always had nice cars (usually leased). Everyone knows Frank; he belongs to two country clubs and eats out often. He maintains a high profile “moneyed” persona.  He’s made millions…and spent every dime and then some.  He’s chased get rich-quick-schemes.  He’s been a philanderer.  He’s always looking to save money, whether through hard negotiations or outright arrogance.  His employees have long ago lost respect for him.  His family is in shambles.  Vendors avoid his calls.  When push comes to shove, Frank will throw anyone “under the bus” to protect his assets and his lifestyle.  Now, on the cusp of retirement, Frank is about to go bankrupt. 

 

Dr. Sam is 52.  He owns a very successful practice that generates over $400,000 per year in net cash flow.  He sees patients three days a week.  He plays golf as often as he wants and travels several weeks each year on vacations with his wife.  He owns his own building.  He’s a leader in his community and is sought for his wisdom.  He hires the very best people, pays them well and acknowledges their worth.  Always searching for and sharing new ideas, Sam has forged relationships far and wide.  He has outstanding vendor relationships and sits on the board of one of his suppliers.  He’s a successful stock-trader and works at his hobby daily.  Sam loans money to those in need and donates to area causes anonymously.  Sam has a very nice nest egg and is debt free. 

 

What’s the difference between Frank and Sam?   They’re both O.D.s; operating in similar communities and are even graduates of the same school.  But, like the kid in the proverbial candy store, Frank is all about what’s in front of him.  Frank has an insatiable appetite for “more.”  Frank is about “stuff.”  His value system is determined by the Joneses…as in “keeping up.” If you're between Frank and a goal, you’re going to get stepped on.  It’s all about Frank.  And after years of playing his game, the chickens are coming home to roost.  Time’s run out for Frank; he will likely retire a broke and broken man.    

 

Sam, on the other hand, has always been concerned about others.  Knowing that it’s his staff that makes the difference, Sam has for years paid his team for 40 hours when they only work 38.  He maintains a health and retirement plan for his employees; they receive bonuses based on performance.  Sam gives before receiving.  He pays himself with what’s left over from operating a successful business.  He works hard and has fun.  Sam will retire by age 60 (he could actually retire now) with all that he needs.

 

I’ve observed this same story on multiple occasions.  The reason for Frank’s challenges is pretty simple, in my opinion.  You see, Frank doesn’t know who he is.  He has no value system.  His got lost long ago in his quest for “more.”  Sam, on the other hand, clearly knows who he is and what he values. 

 

The long-term success of your practice will more largely be dependent on your value system then it will be on anything else.  As the saying goes, “you can’t fool mother nature.”  Before you even think about opening or acquiring your own practice (indeed, before you walk out the door today) ask yourself some important questions.  Who am I?  What do I stand for?  What do I want out of life?  How will I define my success? What responsibilities do I have to others?

 

Why are you on this planet and who do you wish to be?  It’s not your business that’s your primary concern; it’s you.  And without a clear destination in mind; without melding your personal values with your business interests, your business will not provide all that it could.  

 

Your value system shouldn’t be taken for granted.  The exercise of clearly defining your values should be job #1 and is likely long overdue.  Some 30 years ago, I solicited the assistance of a friend to help me to clarify my values.  We spoke at length about my views of trust, social responsibility, teamwork, ideas, etc.  The result was a series of short statements that summarize what I believe.   For example:

 

“Life is a banquet of possibilities.  Seek and discover them.  Feast upon them.”

 

“We are all members of the same team; within our family; our community; our society; within humanity.  We will succeed only as the team succeeds.  It’s a big responsibility”

 

“People deserve our trust.  What we sow we reap tenfold.”

 

My “maxims” have guided my personal and business dealings for my entire entrepreneurial life.  They are mine; not adopted from some book; but from an exploration of my beliefs at the ripe age of 27.  They are the touchstone against which I measure every act and action.  They now reside in both my conscience and subconscious mind.  And in those times when I’ve gotten upside down and backwards, as we all do from time to time, it’s evident that it was because I wandered from my core values.

 

We can’t live a perfect life nor should we try.  Who is to say what perfect is?  But I have observed that those who lead extraordinary lives; who are fulfilled and for whom luck always seems to be on their side; these are people who clearly know who they are; what they stand for; and what they want out of life.  They’re open to the possibilities that arise because they clearly know which of those possibilities are aligned with their values.  They make decisions with greater ease.  They don’t waste time. 

 

Take the time, now, to define your values.  It’s a worthwhile exercise.  Make your life…“your life; you can’t buy it in a box and it’s not returnable for credit.  To be safe (no disrespect to those who believe otherwise), you’ve got one shot at it.  Don’t leave your value system up to chance. 

 

Lessons in Leadership from Four-legged Friends

I recently had the opportunity to spend a weekend with my youngest son, Joe.   Now Joe isn’t your average 25 year old…or is that just dad talking?  Back at Vassar College, from which he graduated in 2007, Joe was “Mr. Beer.”  He started home brewing as a sophomore and began one of the more popular courses on campus.   Upon graduation he applied for just one job; that of an assistant brewer for Offshore Ale on Martha’s Vineyard.  He won the gig and within four months was named brew-master, one of the youngest in the nation.  Not a bad deal, said the local paper: age 22; living on Martha’s Vineyard; and making beer for a living.  Indeed, according to the Martha’s Vineyard Times, Joe had the second best job in America (second only to Theo Epstein, the youngest general manager in the major leagues).   Of course, I was one proud papa.

 

Well, Joe left Offshore in 2008 and, after a winter sojourn in Boston being called “waiter,” he returned to the Vineyard to further his interest in producing food at The Farm Institute (TFI).  Located on over 200 acres in the middle of the island, The Farm Institute is a teaching enterprise that educates and engages children and adults in sustainable agriculture through the diverse operations of a working farm.   Joe’s been with TFI for two years now, and this year he moved from teaching children about farming to working directly with TFI’s many animals.  I’m told that Joe is now a whiz at plucking chickens, which the farm supplies to many of the Vineyards better restaurants.   

 

All this leads me to my weekend with Joe in New Hampshire at Sanborn Mills Farm.  This amazing operation is a traditional New Hampshire working farm with agricultural fields and managed forests, timber framed barns and outbuildings still in use for animals.  The farm boasts sawmill, grist mill (both water-powered), and a blacksmith shop, all dating from the 1830s.  The farm buildings are clustered around two dams and are surrounded by almost 2,000 acres of open space in conservation.  It is a splendid example of living history and was owned by the Sanborn family until purchased by Colin and Paula Cabot, former actors and producers from Milwaukee, in 1996.  Since then, the Cabots have been on a long, and expensive, restoration journey.  A trip to this picturesque and unique farm is well worth the trek.   

 

I provide all this background to explain how it was that I, a business consultant, speaker and writer focused for almost 40 years on the eyecare industry, would be involved in a weekend workshop entitled, “Oxen for Teamsters and Team.”   

 

Now I didn’t really participate in the workshop directly, but was an interested by-stander and enjoyed fraternizing with the workshop leaders and participants.  I spent my time watching son Joe work with various teams of these behemoths as, together, they accomplished a variety of tasks.  While my objective was to spend some quality time with my youngest son, I quickly concluded that there were some interesting leadership lessons to be learned from the experience. 

 

As I observed the proceedings, which started with caring for these amazing animals right through to using them to perform tasks which mechanized equipment can’t, it became evident that there are some amazing similarities between working with teams of people and those of the four-legged variety.   What follows are some lessons in leadership from…Oxen.

 

Provide clear direction.  Oxen require clear direction, both in terms of physical and verbal cues.  So, too, do people.  Your team seeks a clear vision of your objectives.  They look to you to provide perspective on how a task might best be accomplished.  But be careful not to over-control your team.  Be clear in communicating your objectives and vision but use the goad sparingly.

 

Give firm commands.   While people are likely a bit more sensitive than oxen, it’s important to let them know who the boss is.  If you’re serious about what it is that you’re seeking, you can’t be wishy-washy with your commands.  In my opinion, people, like oxen, respond best to crisp communication.  That doesn’t mean that you dictate how the job is done…your team can likely figure that out if you’ll let them.  What is critical is to communicate what it is that you want accomplished and the timeline for completion.   You can’t expect a team of oxen to read your mind…nor can you of people.

 

Take breathers and provide plenty of food and water.  Let’s face it, there’s a reason that you’re a leader/entrepreneur.  You likely have drive and ambition.  If you’re like me, you also possess a well-house of energy.  But your energy level and that of your team may be different. It’s therefore important to gage what’s going on with your team (especially in times of change) and provide them with a breather from time to time.  Don’t be stingy with vacations and paid time off.  Provide plenty of sustenance so they have what’s necessary for the tough jobs.  In the words of Stephen Covey, “it’s important to take time to sharpen the saw.”

 

Never consume all of the team’s power, you may need it later.  Don’t work your team to death.  Preserve some of your team’s strength for later by providing reasonable rest stops along the way.  Let the team cool down.  In the final climb up the hill, you may need that energy that you burned when you pushed your team too hard on the flat.

 

Take it slow.  The speed of the leader is the speed of the pack.  That said there are many times when the terrain ahead is uncertain and conditions exist over which you and the team have little, if any, control.  Slow down.  Scan the road ahead.  Take your time.  Pick your path carefully.

 

Watch out for obstacles for your team.  The perspective of the leader is different from that of the team.  In the case of oxen, the teamster is always “up front.”   While the team has their nose to the task, there may appear obstacles ahead that only the leader sees.  It’s very dangerous for the leader to just let the team plow through these challenges.  It’s wise to stop the work and figure out a way around the obstacles before you find yourself in trouble.  And, in the case of human teams, it’s always best to seek the team’s advice and perspective.  They’re the ones closest to the work.

 

Take care of your teams “feet.”  The most important tool of an ox is its feet.  A sore foot results in reduced productivity or worse, the loss of an important member of the team.  Likewise, each individual on your team has attributes that must not be neglected.   For most, it’s likely their brain.  Invest in your team by investing in their psychic well-being.  Give them a reason to develop their skills.  Let them learn.  Allow for mistakes (learning).  Train, train, train.

 

Make sure the yoke is comfortable.  A good teamster spends a considerable amount of time and money making sure that his team’s equipment is properly fit and comfortable.  It’s logical that a team with a well-fitting yoke will produce more and be more motivated as a result.  Are the resources that your team needs to do the job in place?  Is the environment comfortable?

 

Put Safety first.  Never put the safety of your team at risk.  Your job as a leader is to be “the watchdog” for your team.  Look out for trouble ahead.  Make sure everyone is properly provisioned for the job.  Never sacrifice a team member’s safety for any task.

 

Once they know the way, leave them alone.  It’s amazing to watch a team of oxen do their work when they know the trail ahead.  Stepping in with commands when the team knows the way is a waste of energy and demoralizing.  Once your team knows the task at hand and has done it a few times, give them their head.  They’ll get the job done and, likely, find better and more efficient ways to accomplish the task.

 

Good teams come in many shapes and sizes.  It was fascinating for me to observe a set of twin calves yoked up, practicing with their teamster, already pulling a cart at 3 months of age.  Indeed, oxen come in all shapes and sizes, from compact and nimble to 2000 pound behemoths.  Each has a job to do and regardless of size and shape, they give their all.  Likewise members of your team.  What’s on the outside is often not what’s on the inside.

 

Good teams are very humbling.  I had occasion to watch a four-year old boy work a team of oxen that could snuff out his life with a single miss-step.   This lad was learning that leadership isn’t about absolute power…it’s about providing good reason for a team to follow.   If you’ve done your job as a leader by recruiting and developing your team and providing them with direction, resources and motivation to get the job done, you will learn to appreciate their strength and capability.  Good teams are very humbling to effective leaders.   Celebrate them.

  

A big job is easy if it’s broken down into small increments.   I watched teams of oxen pulling huge trees out of the forest.  One very large team might bring the logs to the top of a hill and then drop the load, to have a different, smaller team hook up and drag the logs along the flat road to the final destination.  This was a far more efficient method than to have each team take the logs the entire distance, since different levels of strength were required for different aspects of the job.  When you break down large tasks into the component parts and then put the right team on the job, it’s amazing what can be accomplished.

 

It’s best to work in pairs.  Oxen generally work in pairs.  It’s evident that two are incrementally more effective than one, since each can cover the other’s weakness.  Further, it was evident from watching these matched pairs that they enjoyed each other’s company.  Consider the tasks and jobs that you have.  Would it not be better to assign them to a team vs. individuals? 

 

Never get between your team and an immovable object.   Sometimes, a teamster can get caught, squeezed between his team and a tree.   Oxen are smart.  If the teamster isn’t observant, they’ll put the squeeze on their own leader…perhaps just for the fun of it.  In any event, this same thing can happen to leaders of people.  Be careful.  When you treat your team without the respect that they deserve, you may find yourself between the proverbial “rock and a hard place.”  

 

Regardless of whether your team is of the two or four-legged variety, it’s important to remember the fundamental definition of management…working through others.    The teamster can’t possibly do the job without his team.  That, in and of itself, is an important lesson.  Happy trails!

When Ideas have Sex

No, this is not a risque adult-rated message but a powerful one about creativity and leadership.  Follow the link below and I think you'll come away with new understanding of the power of collaboration and renewed optimism of our future. 

Sex and Ideas

British author Matt Ridley knows one thing: Through history, the engine of human progress and prosperity has been, and is, the mating of ideas. The sophistication of the modern world, says Ridley, lies not in individual intelligence or imagination; it is a collective enterprise. In his recent book The Rational Optimist, Ridley (whose previous works include Genome and Nature via Nurture) sweeps the entire arc of human history to powerfully argue that "prosperity comes from everybody working for everybody else."

It is our habit of trade, idea-sharing and specialization that has created the collective brain which set human living standards on a rising trend. This, he says, "holds out hope that the human race will prosper mightily in the years ahead -- because ideas are having sex with each other as never before."

"Ridley systematically builds a case through copious data and countless studies that “the vast majority of people are much better fed, much better sheltered, much better entertained, much better protected against disease and much more likely to live to old age than their ancestors have ever been.""

Scientific American