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I didn’t have the guts…but the story doesn’t end there.

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I have a ritual where I reflect monthly on a few documents I created to remind me of important professional endeavors. One of those documents pertains to areas of improvement for the company and its culture, and a few ideas that are more personal in nature. In short, I have discovered that thoughts not captured on paper are likely to disappear.

I recently had a startling experience reviewing one of these documents. Early in 2017 I had an idea pertaining to the structure of one our departments. What if, I hypothesized, we changed the structure to more of a 2-3 member pod with a designated leader in each pod, thus incentivizing teamwork, and providing a path of leadership for those who desired it? Looking back at it, I still think the idea has merit, and at the same time, I fully admit that it was not completely fleshed out and there are several implications to consider —but the intent of this post isn’t to consider them here.

The intent is to publicly confess that in early 2017, I did not have the guts to propose this change.

Why?

For starters, I listened to critics. What’s interesting is that the critics were not fellow leaders in the organization — in fact, the few I shared this vision with embraced it. The critics were those would have been impacted. Wanting buy-in, I strategically shared this idea with a few of them and received push back. Like I said, I didn’t have all the kinks worked out in my mind, so their questions were legitimate.

Perhaps more importantly, however, it became clear that a few of our team members did not want to embrace something new, and would prefer to maintain the larger “team” concept that currently exists (and to be fair, works well based on 2017 results).

In retrospect, I learned that I should not give up so easily on ideas like this. I should think through some more of the implications of a proposal like this before going public with the idea —in fact, I have realized that “over exuberance” about a new idea is a weakness of mine.

But I shouldn’t be afraid of making some team members uncomfortable for a bit while we adjust to something new, if I’m convinced that it will make things better in the long run.

I’m glad I wrote this idea down and it didn’t completely disappear from my mind.  I am challenged in 2018 to keep considering this proposal and its consequences, investigate how similar structures have worked at other organizations, and talk it through with people I trust.

And I can also say with confidence that while I did not have the guts last year, the story of this little idea does not end there.

I didn’t have the guts…but the story doesn’t end there. Read More »

man reaching hand out of ocean

Making Yourself Better vs. Making Yourself Feel Better

Personal Growth

Recently on his podcast, Tim Ferriss considered the differences between making yourself better and making yourself feel better. As he explained, making yourself better forces you to confront your own weaknesses and do something about them. This takes time, humility, and a willingness to sacrifice short-term comfort for long-term growth. Conversely, making yourself feel better can happen instantaneously, but often only lasts momentarily.

This got me thinking about how much of life is now oriented to the moment:

-Tweet or post something that makes you look good.

-Indulge in the large dessert.

-Ask Alexa to order something you want but don’t really need.

-Reply All to get your point across.

-Gossip about the latest drama involving someone who has irritated you.

-Read the latest “bing” on your phone instead of looking your spouse in the eye when they’re talking to you.

The list is not close to being exhaustive. The challenge is things like this come up frequently. But are we committed to making ourselves better?

Consider how different choices can actually produce long-term, lasting improvement:

-Not posting self-promotional things on social media slowly chips away at our selfishness and helps us genuinely celebrate others.

-Passing on the dessert until it is adequately earned in the gym eventually leads to weight loss and better self image.

-Saying no to unnecessary consumerism over time allows you the peace and freedom of financial security.

-Letting someone else get the last word allows you to grow in humility.

-Conversing directly with someone you have conflict with created relational peace and deeper relationships.

-Turning your phone off so that your attention is entirely on your spouse creates space for authentic conversations that bond you together and grow your marriage.

These are choices we face every day.

You just have to be willing to do the harder thing, for now, so that you can get better in the long run.

Isn’t that the way to feeling better—really feeling better—in the long-term anyway?

Making Yourself Better vs. Making Yourself Feel Better Read More »

young people on park bench looking at river

Training the Mind

Personal Growth

I want to become a better putter when I play golf. I have a 6.5 handicap, and my putting is what holds me back from going lower. While my life won’t necessarily be any better when I achieve a scratch handicap, what motivates me about this goal is overcoming the resistance to it.

As most golfers can attest, putting is largely mental. In other words, the more active your mind becomes, the less likely the ball will go into the hole. And if those thoughts have even the hint of doubt in them, you have no chance.

Overcoming this matters because this kind of resistance creeps into other areas of life. The mind works this way. The golf round may end, but does the mind quit thinking negatively when you leave the course? Most likely, the humbling answer is no. Otherwise, all the positive self-energy that one brought to the course would have more of an impact on the course than it actually does.

Here is where my editor will probably remind me that golf is just a game (and you are right, Sarah), but the reason I get so frustrated is because the game has implications to life.

So how do you overcome this? Much has been written by people way more accomplished than me on the topics of concentration, mental attitudes, etc. (note: One of my favorites is “The Inner Game of Tennis.” So I can hardly add anything to what’s already been written or said. Instead, I am going to share how I am training my mind for the upcoming golf season in hopes that it will not only improve my game, but also my thinking outside the game (I’ll report back in October as to how the season went).

Stating the obvious, in order to get better at something, one needs to practice. Not just any practice will do, either; it needs to be “deliberate.” (One last note: “deliberate practice” is another topic that has been largely written about the last few years.  Angela Duckworth’s “Grit” is my favorite). So in terms of my putting practice, I am honing in on a simple 3-step process that I am going to utilize all of 2018 (I apologize for the golf-nerdiness that follows).

The Routine:

  1. I am gong to line putts up BEFORE taking my stance.
  2. I am going to maintain a grip pressure light enough that one could pull the club out of my hands
  3. I am going to slightly press the handle forward – just past my zipper – before beginning the stroke.
  4. I am repeating this over and over (and over and over) in my home office this winter.

The routine, however, is only the start:

The eyes have to focus on the ball. I like focusing on ONE of the 328 dimples on the ProV1 golf ball I am using. Without focusing on the TARGET, the mind is left to wonder about the RESULT. And as I mentioned above, this is the sure way to MISS.**

The point of all this is not golf.

The point is that we – you and I – need to train our mind if we are going to achieve anything difficult.

And most things worth doing are difficult.

**My editor asked me the following question when editing this post: {**IN TERMS OF TRAINING THE MIND, WHAT DO YOU THINK OR TELL YOURSELF AT THIS POINT?**}  This is a great question.  The goal, and I should have made this a little clearer above, is to think of nothing.  In other words, you want to create a routine that FREES your body to perform the task at hand, rather than thinking more.

The implications to leadership are twofold.  First, we need to –at some point –stop analyzing data and act.  This often means getting “outside of our head” and doing something that feels uncomfortable in the moment.  Secondly, we need to allow our team the freedom to do the same, without obsessing over potential outcomes (i.e. focusing on the result or the “what ifs”).

PGA golfer, Ben Crane, talked a little about quieting his mind in an interview on Donald Miller’s podcast a few years ago.  You can find the link here.

Training the Mind Read More »

man reaching hand out of ocean

The Discontentment Problem

Leadership

While attending a conference last month I was taken aback as I listened to many of my friends express discontentment about their current employment. Interesting to note, most of these friends are at very good companies–companies that are winning: results are exceeding expectations and there is tangible evidence of further growth in 2018. Still, there was an overarching sense of discontentment through our conversations.

As a leader, this got my attention. I wondered how this could be, so I asked a few of these people why they felt the way they did. Further, I wanted to know what specifically I could do as a leader to improve the culture at Hoffer Plastics. Since our results for 2017 were also positive, I didn’t want to fall into the trap of thinking this was not applicable to us. I share below the three most striking lessons I learned from asking these questions:

People want to feel like they can make a difference in the company. More than this, they want to feel empowered to do so. Empowerment means autonomy. (Note: the people I asked these questions to are all accomplished. In short, they’re winners. Winning people want to make a difference, and winning companies want winning people on their team. Period.  Empowering winning people makes them want to stay, and benefits the company as a whole.)People want to be rewarded. (Note: This does not automatically mean money, although money can be a driver. One individual shared their bonus with me (a much larger sum than mine, so I am in the wrong business!) and yet, they still don’t feel like they’re being rewarded. This is NOT because they’re greedy–I have personal evidence that they’re not. It is because they do not feel like their sacrifice and commitment to the company is recognized.)People have a need to be validated and appreciated. (Note: In my experience, a reward without personal validation feels like a “pay off.” People need to hear that they matter regularly. This can’t be inauthentic either. The leader should never say it unless they mean it because people can spot insincerity a mile away.)

To be sure, these aren’t the only ways to fix the discontentment problem. However, implementing them will help improve your team’s culture.

For some more thoughts on how I am working to implement these ideas into my leadership at Hoffer Plastics click the following link.

The Discontentment Problem Read More »

focus on mens shoes

Empowered Service

Leadership

“I was just there to shop for new shoes,” my friend told me. “But, when I complained that the shoes I had on had were slightly coming apart at the sole, and that they were less than a year old, the guy helping me demanded that I take them off. Before I knew it, I was walking out of the store with a brand new pair of Allen Edmonds shoes. No bill. No receipt. Nothing. I was speechless.”

“Will you ever buy a pair of work shoes anywhere else?” I asked.

“No,” he replied.

Two things stand out from this story.

First, the salesperson was empowered. They didn’t have to ask a boss or a manager what they could do. They just handled the situation, going above and beyond to ensure a happy customer. Furthermore, they did not argue with my friend. What if the shoes had been put under extreme stress? Perhaps this would have been noticeable upon examination, or perhaps it did not matter. Perhaps the $350 price tag comes with insurance? Whatever the reason, this worker — who, by the way is not just a WORKER because they have power and influence, which makes them a leader, regardless of what their title is — made the decision to serve the customer! What a thought!

The second thing worth noting is the outcome of the exceptional customer service: the response from my friend that he will never buy shoes elsewhere. Isn’t this what those of us in sales dream about? Seriously, would you ever buy shoes from somewhere else if you were my friend?

Me neither.

The challenge, and what I want to work on in 2018, is empowering our team to live like this. To handle problems with exceptional service. To show that they care. That we care. And to know that they have our support as they are out there making game time decisions for the good of the customer.

It takes real trust.

And to be sure, it isn’t the only way. In fact, many companies would have told my friend how sorry they are for his experience. Some may have even offered him a discount for the next pair of shoes.

And to be sure, had that been the case, he would still be shopping around the next time he was looking for a new pair of shoes.

That’s why this story is so instructive.

Empowered Service Read More »