Nothing short of sustainable

I've been learning a lot about sustainability lately. My job has gotten such that I'm becoming more and more reactionary as my days and weeks are now more than just busy - they're swamped. We've been talking about this and arrived at the conclusion that its time to add to our staff to accommodate this need. Adding an extra hand on deck will allow us to be strategic and proactive in our approach to everything we do.

Every process, every responsibility, every role, must be sustainable. Its not enough to just do it well. If you can’t find ways to do it well in a schedule that allows you to have a life, you’re doing something wrong. Delegate, fine-tune, lessen your load, but don’t exhaust yourself in an unmanageable system, lose heart, and lose fervor. Working 80 hr weeks will burn you out quickly as your family and personal life suffers. Change the system and make it work for the long-haul. Your boss, clients, and co-workers need you energized and inspired.

Exercise in Efficiency

I love being efficient. And as I continue to learn more about efficiency, I've discovered that being efficient isn't just something you aim to be - its something you practice.

I often find myself doing simple things throughout my day/week that are more than just related to being efficient at work. I'm exercising my brain to look for the pattern in the chaos/clutter that happens in all parts of my life.

I'm doing this when I'm trying fit a lot of luggage in the limited amount of space I have in my trunk. I'm looking for the path of least resistance when I'm driving to and from work (to stop/brake as few times as possible). When I'm mowing my grass on the weekend, I'm trying to figure out the most systematic way to do it that keeps it looking good while limiting the amount of time it takes me to do it.

I could go on and continue to display how much of a nerd I am in this way - but I do have a point. Being efficient is a learned practice that is just like working out. Keep it active and watch your efficiency muscle strengthen over time.

So don't just try to figure out how to be efficient at work, train yourself to seek it out in small ways all the time. You'll find that you begin to default toward the most efficient path in any given situation. You'll become a natural.

People Matter

I thought this would be a good pairing to my last entry.

People do matter in every part of business. As the middle-man, its easy to see relationships as transactions that need to take place between vendors, co-workers, etc. People can start to feel like resources or even obstacles. But keep in mind that every interaction you have does effect the people you're working with and for.

Don't push people around to be successful and don't climb over them or ignore their needs. I'll still be a 7 on the Drill Sergeant scale, but that doesn't mean I should overlook the relationships and community of people I find myself in amongst the people I work with.

I'll admit that I struggle with this sometimes - so this one is for me as much as it is a thought to share.

Drill Sergeant

I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on this post....

I find myself often in the role of the Drill Sergeant - blowing the whistle to make sure all the exercises, drills, regulations, procedures, etc are being followed. I try to do this without yelling or being a jerk, especially when something goes awry (as things can and eventually will). But at the same time, few things really get people's attention as well as letting them know when you're upset, why you're upset, and letting them feel the level of your dissatisfaction.

So here's the coin toss - be too nice and you'll be a doormat. Be a jerk and no one will want to work with you. Be in the middle and you're a coin standing on its end (which can't last for long).

My solution is to be on the jerk side of that coin, but not too far down that path. On a scale of 10, if 1 is being the "nice-guy" (aka pushover) and 10 is the "jerk" (aka i hate working with that guy), then I'm shooting for a 7.

I'll say that this approach doesn't always work. Sometimes some people are highly offended by a 7. Others don't register a 7 (its still not loud enough to get their attention) and only register a 9 or higher.

As is true in all of life, avoiding extremes is key. But more times than not, I'm sticking with a 7.

Expectations

Here's a pretty widely discussed topic that I don't think can be discussed enough. Expectations. It may be one of the greatest challenges and most invaluable services you can provide - no matter if its your boss, co-workers, customers, or even your wife.

I heard this from one of my customers today. They were working with one of my vendors and were discussing how reactive this particular vendor was vs what my customer would have preferred them to do - tackle issues, timelines, etc before they came up.

In order to effectively manage a process, and therefore your customers, boss, etc, you have to let them know what to expect before they start asking questions about where something is in your process. Be ahead of the question and set appropriate expectations before you're having to apologize for something not happening when someone thought it would.

You'll find that not everyone loves to hear at the onset a realistic expectation. Many times people will try to push and nudge you to change your timeline, quote, etc. But remember that you'd rather set an appropriate expectation now that you can beat, rather than set yourself up for failure down the road.

Delayed failure maybe easier to face since you don't have to deal with it today, but upfront expectation management will ensure that your client or boss is actually satisfied with the result at the end of the day. Focus on the result - speak up now.

Be Honest

I was reminded of this lesson today. I went out on a limb doing what I truly believed was right for a customer. Ultimately, in my zeal to produce results, I stepped on some toes which was uncomfortable for everyone involved. I started to retract, feeling like I had pushed too hard.

Then my boss Craig reminded me that I did exactly what I should have done - look out for my client to ensure that what they received was excellent. I shouldn't settle for anything less.


So here's the take-away...

When people ask for your opinion, give it to them, while being aware of how it may affect them. If you hold back, you will probably feel more comfortable, but will miss a chance to improve something for your boss, co-workers, or customers. If asked for your expertise, remember that you want to do what you truly believe is best for them and approach it with that attitude.

Symphony at the Metro

This is a great story the Washington Post ran last week. They setup a world class violinist in the Metro to play some of the finest classical music on one of the most expensive violins in the world. Their goal - see how many people would pay attention and for how long.

Their assumption was that a lot of people would immediately recognize this famous violinist and a crowd would quickly form. At bare minimum people would appreciate the quality of the music they were hearing and stop to listen. They were wrong.

In the 43 minutes he played, 1,097 people passed by. Only 34 total people paused what they were doing to give him some change or stop and listen - most only for a minute or less.

Average cost of one ticket to see this violinist play at the symphony: $100. In a little over a half hour at the Metro people gave him change totaling $32.

The lesson here is simple - if you aren't presenting your best at the right time and place, no one will recognize it as excellent. This is true whether you are trying to pitch ideas to a client or trying to pitch your boss on giving you a raise. Greatness in the wrong context will simply fall on deaf ears.

To see the full article, including videos of the violinist at the Metro, click here.

Something for everyone

Going through the store the other day, I noticed a bag of Hershey's miniatures. On the front it said: "A little something for everyone". Whether you hate nuts or you happen to dislike plain chocolate, they've got something in the bag for any chocolate lover (my personal favorite - the special dark).

Tiffany's does the exact same thing. If you want the best in jewelry, Tiffany & Co is the place to go. But while they do have some extravagant pieces that'll run you $30K+, they also have options for those looking to spend $500.

Both companies are focused on being the best in the world at something, and doing it in a way that a broad spectrum of people can access it.

You can't really be everything to everyone. You need a niche. But the lesson here is that in the process of focusing on your niche, don't forgo meeting the needs of the entire audience you're trying to cater to.

Results or Excuses

Heard a great quote the other day: "You can have results, or you can have excuses." - Steve McGraw of Compliance 360.

We all want results, but tend to give excuses when called to give account (me included). I'm following Steve's advice here - excuses don't matter, even if they're valid. Its what we DO that makes the difference. Next time your boss asks why you didn't make your goal, don't lists out the laundry list of excuses. Apologize, let them know what your action plan is to get the results back on track, and show you're focused on getting those results they're looking for.

You can't always control the outcome, but you can control how you respond and react. (remember what happened to the guy who tried to make excuses to Vader...)

Empower

If only one person has decision making power in a business, that business will definitely be more prone to fail. No one that truly wants to be successful can grow a business and try to make all the decisions themselves. Other people have to be empowered to make decisions on their own.

This is a privilege - one that is earned and grows over time. But I can tell you as someone who has been given this privilege that it frees me up to do what I really and truly believe is best in the midst of a situation.

I can actually address scope issues straight away, resolve customer problems, provide some discounts if necessary, etc, etc. I am able to deal with issues as they come up and resolve them without having 3 meetings and going through approvals to get there. This has had a hugely positive impact in my relationships, especially with customers.

Some accountability is needed for sure, but encourage your boss to empower you to make decisions. Start with something small, and watch it grow from there. It will allow for true ownership, creativity, and relationship-based decisions. You and your customers will be thankful you did this.

Easier to ask for forgiveness

Ever heard someone say, its easier to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission. I hate that phrase. Why do I hate it? Because every time I implement it or watch anyone else do the same, I recognize that its just the easy way out.

You say in response, "Yeah, it is easy, that's why we do it". My response:

Q: Who's it easier for?
A: You.

Q: Who should you be making things easier for?
A: Not you.

So I'm flipping this one around. Ask for permission first, and hope you never have to ask for forgiveness. You'll be setting realistic and appropriate expectations upfront and communicating much better as a result. More success stories will follow.