"While it is evolutionarily helpful to worry about what could go wrong, if you are being chased by a cheetah, it can make it hard to soak up the joy that is around you."
- Amy Whitaker, the author of Art Thinking
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#wayfinding
Looking back in the early days of my career, there are several things I wish I’d known. Now that I’m the CMO of Leyard’s international business and vice president of marketing and product strategy at Planar, I’m sharing lessons that would have been helpful when I started my career, in hopes they will help recent graduates as they enter the professional workforce.
In most professional environments, email is the most commonly used communication tool. While you have likely used personal email for many years, there are different protocols in the work place. These 10 guidelines will help ensure you are communicating what you want to communicate and how your message is being received.
1. Never use email to criticise or gossip
Never say something on email that you don’t want printed and put on the company bulletin board. Never gossip or take a harsh tone in email. Assume every email will be read by more than the recipient – before you hit send, would you be comfortable sending it to everyone in the company?
2. Never use email to discuss a heated or controversial topic.
Because you can’t read an email and determine the intended tone, it is not a good medium for discussing sensitive things, being sarcastic or delivering feedback. A good rule of thumb is that if there are more than 3 replies in the thread, it is best to take the conversation off-line to a meeting (in person or at least on the phone). You can reply to the thread saying, “It looks like this topic is a good one for us to discuss further. I suggest that we don’t continue in email, but rather schedule a call or meeting. How would tomorrow at 3 PM look for you?” Plus, a measured response demonstrates maturity and self-control, which are always good in the workplace.
3. Use proper language and full sentences
Do not use text slang (do not use LOL, BRB or the number 2 in place of “to” or “too”). In some offices, using this shorthand in messaging applications (like Lync or Skype or WeChat) is okay, but not in email. By using proper grammar and spelling, you are showing that you are professional, intelligent and do not take unnecessary shortcuts.
4. Respond to every email
Unless it says that no response is necessary, reply to all emails addressed to you. It can be with an answer or with more questions. It can be with a simple “thank you” or a message of completion to a project request. If you want to acknowledge the email, but don’t yet have the answer or have anything to report, reply back saying when you will respond. “I wanted to say that I got this request and have begun work on it. I expect to be done on Tuesday and will let you know when it is complete.” Keeping it short is fine, and often preferred. Responding to emails is a way to make and keep commitments while building trust.
5. Set your out of office when you are away
When you are on vacation, travelling for business, or even away from your desk in meetings (if they last longer than when people would expect a reply from you, which varies by job and person), set your out of office message. Most email programs allow you to set your out of office for a particular time and deliver different messages to internal and external parties. Keep it short and professional. Say how long you will be out of the office. Tell them you will get to their message as soon as you can, but they should expect delays. Offer them an alternative contact for immediate assistance, if one is available. Never disclose personal information in an out-of-office intended for external parties (i.e., “I’ll be partying on the beach in Miami for Spring Break”).
6. How to use the To: line: strategically
If you want someone to take action or the email is addressed to them, put them in the TO line. Most emails should be to one person or to a small group where all of the roles are clear and be sure to clarify who you need to respond to which aspects. For example: “Kevin, I am copying you so that you can help me estimate the costs. Gary, can you help me greet our guests at 2 PM tomorrow?”
7. How to use the CC: line: judiciously
Include people in the CC if they need to be aware of the discussion, but are not active participants. If you are sharing good news or a compliment, feel free to copy in that person’s manager. Avoid the temptation to copy the world in on emails, especially if the content is bad or difficult. (And remember it’s often better to handle difficult news in person rather than over email.)
8. How to use the BCC line: carefully
Blind carbon copies are often used to complain or as a way to “cover your tracks”. My advice is to be honest and do not use it to be sneaky. In general, I don’t think it is a good form of communication and I don’t use it. The times BCC is acceptable is sending company-wide email to avoid unnecessary reply-alls, or if someone introduces to you to someone else via email. For example, a good use of BCC would be if Bill thinks you should know Sue and sends an email suggesting you have coffee sometime with Sue. You can move Bill to BCC to thank him for the introduction (telling him you are moving him to the BCC), then remove him from the conversation you and Sue as you figure out when to schedule the coffee.
9. How to use “reply to all”: rarely
Replying to all is rarely a good idea. It clogs up emails and makes people look like amateur communicators. The exception to this is when someone is trying to schedule a meeting or brainstorming to build upon each other’s ideas. But even then there are better ways, such as using the busy/available tool in the calendar.
10. Don’t forget how to write a letter
I like to send hand-written notes. It is bit old-fashioned, I know, but because it is rare, the gesture is genuinely appreciated. I have gotten thank you calls and emails from folks who received a thank you note and felt compelled to respond. It is a great way to build relationships.
This article was originally published on Leaders in Heels.
"You will never climb Career Mountain and get to the top and shout, 'I made it!' You will rarely feel done or complete or even successful. Most people I know struggle with that complicated soup of feeling slighted on one hand to feeling like a total fraud on the other. Our ego is a monster that loves to sit at the head of the table, and I have learned that my ego is just as rude and loud and hungry as everyone else's. It doesn't matter how much you get; you are left wanting more. Success is filled with MSG."
- Amy Poehler, comedian, actor, and best-selling author
We live on a blue planet that circles around a glowing ball of fire, reflected by a moon that moves the sea. We are surrounded by miracles.
According to former president at SRI who helped launch hundreds of innovation projects and companies, here are four things a CEO must be able to do:
- Articulate a clear value proposition. In the first few sentences or minutes of a pitch to an investor or a customer. If it takes pages, it is too nuanced and not strong enough.
- Prove they’re passionate about the customer.
- Demonstrate their ability to build a winning a team.
- They must know how to execute
I’d add a fifth one and that is
5. Be strong enough to say “no” to good ideas to remain focused on the great idea that will lead to substantive results and breakthroughs in the market.
These are things that professionals in any position should strive to do.
Why doesn’t Taco Bell, with their expansive supply chain and access to Pepsico’s resources, create an upscale Mexican food chain? Like Honda has Acura and Toyota has Lexus. They could start the first non-GMO, vegan friendly, gluten-free Mexican food chain in the country – which would be very on-trend and popular in Portland.
Read more about companies can take inspiration from other industries to grow their businesses. Download the free eBook “The Payoff of Paying Attention”.
A lot has been written about biomimicry and the inspiration that product designers get from studying nature — the skeletal structure of a flying squirrel informing the design of drones or the layered butterfly wing to help create optical coatings for displays. But I have recently been thinking about how interpersonal relationships also mimic the animal world (beyond the fact that homo sapiens are technically animals). In our business relationships, especially in our teamwork where conflict is common, how do we resemble members of the animal kingdom? Specifically, I’ve identified the five most common animal defense systems that I’ve seen in the workplace (including my own) to help identify defense triggers. By better understanding ourselves and each other, we can better react to perceived threats and leverage our natural abilities to overcome conflicts and work better as a team.
I’ll start with the disclaimer that these animal analogies are not flattering. Just like the circumstances in the wild that trigger defense mechanisms, life and teamwork can be messy. They are meant to elicit some introspection and a renewed commitment to conflict resolution so each team member can bring their strengths and work together.
Cobra: I recognize that I often act as a cobra. This snake is well known for the flare up — when threatened, it can rise up and make itself look bigger to scare away would-be predators. In our relationships, this shows up as verbal defensiveness and a posture change. In a business setting, people who mimic cobras often change their posture stand and speak loudly to exude confidence, and often interrupt others. Their emphatic statements might be so persuasive they parade as facts. At their best, they provide passion, clarity and a sense of mission to their team. At their worst, they can be bullies or manipulators. They do all of this in order to put the idea forward more aggressively when others object, and can become dogmatic.
If you are a cobra: When you feel like you need to be bigger, louder, or more aggressive, consider instead the power of gentle persuasion and the need to listen completely to the other side before reacting out of impulse.
If you are working with a cobra: As a cobra, I respond well when teammates push back with new data points and different perspectives. I would encourage colleagues not to let the scary hood or confidence dissuade them from presenting an alternative views. Cobras can be poor (or incomplete) listeners and need people to tell them the truth and help them refine their gut feelings (which trigger the defense mechanism) to help others see their perspective without feeling threatened.
Turtle: The turtle has been immortalized in folk tales as a slow-moving, methodical animal. An animal who wears his defense mechanism on his sleeve, literally. When threatened, the plodding animal gives up any forward progress, to recess into his shell and hide until the threat has passed. I have seen this pattern many times in my colleagues or team mates, a slow-and-steady person, who only agreed to change on a step-by-step basis and will retreat into their shells until everyone can just agree and get along. As turtles don’t need facts to retreat into their shells, they might not even be able to articulate in words what threat is perceived and what might result from the threat. At their best, they provide a comprehensive, well thought out plan and long term direction. At their worst, turtles procrastinate deadlines and decisions, which stalls progress and can delay results.
If you are a turtle: When you feel the temptation to retreat, assess the real threat. Consider the consequences of the worst case scenario and the benefits and drawbacks of making a change. Consider talking to someone who has a bolder approach for their advice. The goal is to determine if there is a way to step out of your comfort zone and start the changing process, or if the threats must be resolved before you leave your shell.
If you are working with a turtle: I have found communication to be key to effectively team with a turtle. It is important to be proactive with the turtle before the defense mechanism is triggered by a complaint or concern. Break down the larger projects and priorities into their pieces, showing the step-by-step processes and how to mitigate risk along the way. Clearly outline roles, responsibilities and decision makers so the turtle knows who to connect with if questions and or suggestions arise.
Electric Eel: The electric eel is ready with 600 volts of electricity to dole out to any would-be predator. There is no negotiation or posturing. There is no hiding. There is only attack. I have certainly worked with many eels. Eels are sharp — armed with data, analysis, and opinion, the eel can unload on anyone who disagrees with them with a current of logical arguments and justifications. They can have a tendency to belittle others, leaving them writhing on the ground after an encounter. At their best, eels are knowledgeable and persuasive. At their worst, they use the threat of retaliation as a deterrent to keep people from disagreeing with them, often unwittingly. Gliding along in their own “everyone agrees with me world,” they may not know that people are not being honest with them or alerting them to potential issues.
If you are an eel: I would encourage you to balance your initial approach with a committed desire for long-term relationship. Think about the person, not just the power you have. You might win the argument with a co-worker and force others into submission, but that isn’t good teamwork. Remember that the focus of your energy should be positive encouragement, not disparaging comments. Make sure you wield data, not shame.
If you work with an eel: Make sure you do your homework. Know your stuff and be prepared for a sting. Dig into the data with them, which might help get the eel on the same side of the negotiating table with you, rather than see themselves in an adversarial role. And if you get stung, there are several approaches to take, but the one that will lead to the most respect is to stand up for yourself. It may be extremely hard, but the bravery it takes to say “that’s not okay” and “here is how you should have responded,” can take the amperage out and put you back at a power parity with your eel colleague.
Sea Cucumber: This very strange animal has an unusual defense mechanism: it surrenders. The highly pliable organism can break itself into pieces, sacrificing body parts (including organs) to a predator until the predator is preoccupied and the sea cucumber (or what is left of it) can get way. It wants to end the conflict as soon as possible and retreat to where it can heal. In the workplace, these are often the soft spoken colleagues who are less likely to take a contrary (and never a combative) view with the group. They are eager to please and just want everyone to get along and mind their own. The problem with this approach is that their valuable perspectives are never shared, which does harm the team and empowers more aggressive colleagues. At their best, their empathy and willingness to pitch in can help the team complete tasks. At their worst, they can be an easy target and take the brunt of bullying.
If you are a sea cucumber: Think about how you can best engage and give your ideas without having to sacrifice yourself. Have confidence that the team deserves your participation. Also, consider that the relative costs of speaking up in the moment is more effective and valuable than having to nurse wounds or regrow body parts later.
If you work with a sea cucumber: I find speaking with reclusive teammates is most beneficial in a 1:1 or smaller setting. If I see that a colleague has taken a brunt of tension-filled meeting and not spoken up, I try to draw them out of their tendency of self-sacrifice to encourage them communicate their ideas and perspectives.
Grizzly Bears: One of the few animals with no natural-born predators, I think we can all learn from the grizzly bears to be a more effective team. Unarmed, even a clever human can’t beat the bear. She doesn’t have to inflict, hide in the woods, or rise up to scare away people to stay alive, because she is capable of all of those things. She doesn’t have to be defensive, because she has power.
How we can be more like Grizzly Bears: We shouldn’t lead with our defense mechanisms, those are there to protect us at the expense of others – the exact opposite of teamwork. We should strive to be our true, higher selves by using our defenses for good so the best ideas come to the forefront.
By recognizing our own biomimicry characteristics, we can combine our natural strengths to harness the confidence of the cobra, the thoughtfulness of the turtle, the healing powers of the sea cucumber, and the knowledge of the eel. By leveraging our defensive tendencies into powerful tools, we can be a team of grizzly bears — working together to influence others, to excite change, to achieve greatness.
This article was originally published by Talent Culture.
"It's the last two percent of a job that ensures your successful completion of the project." - Art Gensler
"Life is not what happened to you, but what happened for you." - Timber Jim Serrill
To learn more about how Google is addressing the two seemingly conflicting problems of bots scanning forms and OCR technology reaching the computer’s limitations. Download the free eBook “The Payoff of Paying Attention”.
Named after the public officials in “It’s a wonderful Life”, the Sesame Street characters, Bert and Ernie, are a staple of childhood mythology. Ernie represents enthusiasm and wonder. Bert represents practicality and order. The “odd couple” certainly.
In our organizations, we divide up into Bert and Ernie camps. Some of us ideate, have a sense of urgency, and can be easily distracted. Others of us can have singular focus (even if our obsessions are misplaced on pigeons and stamp collecting), are skeptical, and risk adverse. Our organizations need both.
Josh Goldblum from Blue Cadet spoke at a conference and said he is the Ernie to his business partner’s Bert. Who are you?
I just returned from a vacation in the mountains and thought it was hilarious that the unopened bag of chips, which were popping at the seams in the higher altitude, were back down to the normal again when I arrived back home. And that empty plastic bottles that we packed in the mountains and brought down to recycle, collapsed in our kitchen. Clearly, the air was different there.
Everyone knows the air is “thinner” at altitude. The contents of the air spread out in the lower air pressure. As if each molecule of oxygen also wanted to go on vacation and get away from it all. At sea level, the air pressure is higher because it bears the combined weight of the air molecules in the atmosphere. At the depths where scuba divers dare to do, that density is even more pronounced.
Life is like this as well. Sometimes, when you are on a mountain-top of emotions, the air seems lighter as attitudes are buoyant and optimism is high. In other times, you can feel the weight of the atmosphere bearing down and the density of the air surrounding you. The heaviness of life.
Adjusting to different physical altitudes is a science and an art. Scuba divers and mountain climbers know the risks of pressure imbalances. I have read that the builders of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City were subjected to unprotected dive conditions and developed symptoms like leg weakness, headaches, dizziness, and the like. Symptoms that were often confused with drunkenness to their neighbors, but were in fact decompression sickness. We can develop our own debilitating conditions when we don’t adapt properly to changing conditions.
Yesterday, I went from a relaxing vacation get-away to hearing of a family friend’s losing battle with cancer. Although those are both personal examples, we have all experienced professional highs and lows in rapid succession. A big win followed by a loss. A project triumph followed by new frustrations or set-backs. Times of breathless amazement and times of defeat when we can’t seem to catch our breath. Such is life.
So, does the treatment of decompression sickness teach us anything about dealing with the ups and downs of our circumstances?
The first thing they do to treat decompression sickness is to administer 100% oxygen, preferable in a high-pressure chamber. Something that would stabilize the person at a level before they move to normal conditions. Something that would put the gasses in their blood back into solution. Medical professionals also recommend fluids to fight dehydration. This kind of nourishment works from the inside out.
Sometimes we need the same at work – nourishment from the inside out. When things go from good to worse, it is critical to maintain our perspective and force ourselves to be grateful and mindful of the goodness that surrounds us. To remember the successes. We can take a break from the frustration, focusing our attention on something that can be done with ease to build momentum – returning to the original problem with more energy and creativity. We might need a nourishing talk with a friend or colleague. We might not be able to change the external circumstances, but we can change the internal conditions. And we can remain compassionate – with others and with ourselves – when they experience these symptoms.
When the air gets heavy, remember when it was light to avoid collapsing under the pressure.
P.S. Most of us cope with this oscillation between fair and foul weather with some finesse, although I understand that there are millions out there that need to seek professional help. I am not addressing the real and debilitating disease of depression in this article, but encourage you to find whatever help you need to manage your own pressures.
This article was published on LinkedIn Pulse.
The other day I heard that in the ancient world the most important ideas were documented in poetry and today our important ideas are captured in spreadsheets. Although not complete accurate, it is thought-provoking. What important ideas, passions, or world views are wrapped in the allure of facts and figures and presented as data? I have long contended that a spreadsheet was an exceptional tool for writing fiction. Not that people mean harm or to mislead, but each time you have to complete a cell you are making a host of assumptions. To use the vocabulary of Excel, every number in every cell is filtered. Filtered by your point of view.
It is the time of year when people are wearing sun glasses. Where I am from in Oregon, we might be even more sensitive after enduring (ahem, enjoying) months of overcast skies. And each one of our chooses lenses to wear – both literally and figuratively – to view the world. Some people wear rose-tinted glasses and see the world as friendly and optimistic (and boy, do we need more of those people in our modern world). Others see it shaded gray. Others buy specialty lenses that highlight colors or shapes, like the glasses one can buy for golfing that help the ball stand out on the green.
An interesting thing happens when you wear glasses for a while: you no longer can see the tint. Your eyes adjust and the world takes on the colors and meaning that you’d expect. You know the sky is blue, even if your glasses tinge it green.
Our ability to characterize and categorize input (to know what data is important) and to adjust our perceptions to our world view (like our eyes adjusting to tinted lenses), is part of what makes us human. And this humanity can make us blind to data that doesn’t fit into our table cleanly or points of view that differ from our own.
I was working on a financial projection spreadsheet recently (that became even more convincing, I must say, because it was accompanied by a PowerPoint slide deck complete with infographic images and charts from a research analyst) and was reminded the power of the lens.
When you are working on a presentation, you start by asking what you want the “take away” to be. What do you want your audience or reader to understand better because of the presentation you are giving? What decision do you want them to make? And although it is proper presentation planning, that desired outcome begins its work of filtering and coloring the work of the presentation. To avoid one-sided analysis, I sought alternative input and ended up putting in a few slides that presented an alternative view. A different way to look at the issue at hand. To open the door for discussion. To guard against too narrow thinking. And to document assumptions.
It was a hard thing to do: to get away from the data and the analysis far enough to see a different picture, to take in different input, to identify what had been “thrown away” to make the clean and compelling point. But it proved to be valuable and, in the end, will lead to a better outcome.
So whether your best ideas are captured in poetry or in spreadsheets, it is important to remember that your best ideas might be improved, if you take off your glasses.
This article was first posted on LinkedIn Pulse.
“I’m exhausted. But the success is glorious.” – Albert Einstein, after presenting his decade-long quest on the theory of relativity, November 1915
"The biggest concern for any organization should be when their most passionate people become quiet." - Suresh Reddy Pellakuru
"Talent never wears out. Make weakness irrelevant." - Peter Drucker
English is a strange language. Of that, there is no doubt or dispute. The amalgamation and combination of various tongues and cultures have resulted in an ever-changing and nearly-impossible-to-codify language system that ranks among the most difficult to master.
I have been reminded of this recently when reflecting on the word: fearless.
There is a plaque in my office, created by a friend, that has this word written on the face. She meant it as a compliment and a reminder. She commented that she saw me as someone who fearlessly faced change, ambiguity, and challenge and created something remarkable as a result. I am deeply humbled by this description. I also know it was to serve as a reminder that I do my best when I bring my best, fearless self to the work at hand. It has been my office for a while and having it there on the shelf, in the landscape of my periphery every day, is undoubtedly serving both her purposes. I must admit, I leaves me with a bit of an imposter’s syndrome, because I know how many fears and doubts that I live with each day. And I know I am not alone and that the word itself is part of the problem and possibly the solution.
But the word “fearless,” is often used to synonymously with fear-free. “He ran fearlessly into the burning building to save the child,” the newspaper will report of the local hero. “She has a fearless brush stroke,” they will sell of an artist’s boldness. “He is fearless and just free-climbed Half Dome,” someone will remark about an athlete’s death-defying feats. But any of these people will tell you that they have doubts. They are not guaranteed success. They have fears. They are not fear-free, but rather they are overcoming their fears. What does it truly mean to be fearless?
The answer might be hidden in the word itself. The term “less” is a relative word. It implies that it is less when compared to something else. I am sure you can sting your eyes with “tearless” shampoo, but it is meant to imply a relative safety to other products on the market. We use words like seamless, matchless, baseless, careless, effortless, heartless, motionless, priceless, and thankless as if they are absolutes, but they are really descriptions of relation. You can be seemingly tireless, but still get tired. Tireless is what others observe, but the truth is far more nuanced. The comparison you might make is between yourself and others or between yourself on different days and in different situations.
In my experience, courage is not the anecdote of fear. It is action. Fear can be paralyzing, especially when combined with a vivid imagination, but the fearless face it down, give it a name, and move forward. Not recklessly, but with calculated intention, identifying and mitigating risks. To be fearless is just to strive to fear less than you did the day before and you do that with action. Before long, you are accomplishing things never before possible.
We live in strange and scary times. Unprecedented stress combined with new technologies bring the raw edges of humanity to the surface and the world stage. If there was ever a time for fearlessness, the time is now.
This article was published on LinkedIn Pulse.
"The bottom-line question is: Precisely what do you want to be famous for?" - Tom Peters