Never Settle For Best Practice

Everyone wants the best. In life, as we make our choices, we always seek to make the "best" one. Nobody ever sets out to make a mediocre choice. So it's easy to understand why companies are drawn to the idea of identifying and promulgating their "Best Practices" to everyone. But who is really deciding what is "best"?

More often than not, "Best Practices" are not really what's "best-" they're what is most common or what was designed. For example, many times "Best Practice" is determined by the project team that created the process. They lay out the detailed steps for implementation and label it "Best Practice" to keep everyone in compliance. But this has no bearing on if it's really the "best" way to do a task- it's just a way to keep everyone playing by the rules. Other times, "Best Practice" is determined by looking at high performers and finding their common or repeatable methods. But again, this is not necessarily "best" because often the really special techniques are left out since they aren't repeatable. And in either case, the determination of what is "best" is left to the discretion of who is measuring and how they are measuring. It's all very subjective but it's also dangerous.

See, the word "best" has a very special meaning- it's the pinnacle, the peak, the definition of perfection. Once you have the best, you'll never settle for anything else. And that's the problem with "Best Practice;" it dissuades the very innovation that created it.

Once we have a "Best Practice" we stop trying to improve; we stop trying to innovate; we start simply playing by the rules. Why create a new practice if we already have the "best?" Once that mindset sinks in, we stop being great and start settling for being the "best."

The simple truth is that any effective practice has it's merit and should be encouraged. And instead of working to rule by "best practice" we should focus on collaborating all our effective practices so that we are constantly getting better. Let "best" be a journey, and not a destination.

Indiana Jones: Entrepreneur and Leader

Ok, there’s probably a whole book that could be written on Indiana Jones as an allegory for entrepreneurship and/or leadership.  But I’m going to focus on just the one that popped into my head today.

Remember the end of “The Last Crusade” when they kept sending the soldiers into get the Grail and they kept getting decapitated?  Then Indy, having just seen a head roll up to his feet, ventures in himself?  That’s what it takes to be an entrepreneur.  The willingness to venture in where others have been decapitated time and time again.  The confidence (maybe arrogance) to believe that you won’t be the guy staring at your own torso lying 4 feet away.  If you don’t have that, you’re never going to make it.

Of course that doesn’t mean being stupid either.  Remember- Indy had the journal, filled with the learning and experience of others.  And this wasn’t his first adventure- his first adventure was a flop.  He had experience and knowledge to guide him- but he still had to have been a nervous wreck.  It’s about getting past those nerves.  It’s not letting other’s failures scare you off when you know you have something they didn’t.  And it’s about guts.  That’s a big part of being an entrepreneur.

Remember after he made it how he cleared the way for the others?  Disabling the traps and leaving markers so others could follow him safely?  That’s what it takes to be a leader.  The ability to show others the path you’ve created.  The willingness to teach others your success.  Making it safer, but not necessarily foolproof.  That’s a big part of being a leader.

Whatever grails your business is searching for, you’re going to need entrepreneurs to take the risks and leaders to mark the paths.  And if you can find them both in one person, don’t be surprised if they’re wearing a fedora.

Running Through the Endzone

 

Here's something to consider- in football, once you've reached the endzone- you're done.  You don't get extra points for your dance or for running past the zone and jumping into the stands.  Although it would be really cool if you did.

 

Can you imagine a game where you could get extra points just for having a really cool endzone dance?  Instead of Madden, we'd get a judge from Dancing with the Stars to do the color.  I'll bet Emmitt Smith would come out of retirement.  It'd be awesome.

 

Of course it would change the whole dynamic of the game.  Players couldn't just be fast or strong- they'd have to be able to get down like MJ in Thriller.  Paula Abdoul would have a new spot on the sidelines as an assistant coach.  We'd no longer have practices, but rehearsals.  And the team could do their own half time show.  It could get out of hand quickly.

 

Of course you don't get points for dancing in the endzone, you just get a penalty.  Because there's no need for all that.  Once you've scored- you've scored.

 

Customer service is much the same way.  You don't always need to do a dance to get points; and sometimes you're just wasting time trying.  Customer service is about meeting expectations- not exceeding them.  And exceed them the wrong way or too often and you'll end up either changing the game permanently or getting penalized.  It can do more harm than good.

 

So many places talk about "exceeding customer expectations," but customers don't need that.  If they did, they'd just have higher expectations.  Once you've hit the endzone, stop.  You've got the points.  Just keep focusing on getting there again and again.  That's how you win.

Is your heart in the right place?

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21

Treasure is more than just money by the way.  It’s always easy to say “treasure” and think of that vault Scrooge McDuck had where he would swim in gold coins.  That’s just one definition of “treasure”- money. 

Merriam Webster has another and it goes like this:

Something of great worth or value; esteemed as rare or precious

In that sense, your time is a treasure.  It’s rare and precious.  So are your relationships.  And your passion.  And your talents.  All those rare, precious things that have great worth and value to you- they are your treasure.

And that’s where your heart is.  And it should work both ways- where your heart is, that is your treasure.

What you spend your money on.  What you spend your time doing.  Who you spend time with.  What talents you use and what you are passionate about.  These are your treasures.

Which begs the question…

Is your heart in the right place?

Lessons in Lifeguarding

Surprisingly, one of the first things they teach lifeguards is this: Don’t go in the Water.

At least not right away.

See, when someone is drowning they’re also panicking.  It’s understandable.  But it makes them dangerous.  They will desperately grasp at anything that comes close and if that’s you, they could injure you or even take you down with them.  Yes, it’s a bit of a scorpion and toad thing, but we’re not dealing with rational- we’re dealing with a drowning person.

So lifeguards are taught that your first move has to be to throw them something.  That’s why they all have those sweet buoys like on Baywatch (not those- the real ones, orange with the rope attached.  Behave yourself).  Once the “drownee” (drowner?  I’m making up words- the victim) has something to hold onto, the panic will subside and you can complete the rescue.

When someone is emotionally drowning, the same lesson applies.  If you dive into the water after them, you’re likely to get consumed in their panic and sucked down with them.  Not helpful to them- dangerous to you.  In order to help someone you have to be in a strong position and a safe place.  Otherwise you’re not help, you’re just company.

That’s not to say it’s easy to watch.  When someone who’s drowning is so panicked that they can’t seem to grasp the life-preserver right in front of them it’s painful to witness.  We wait and watch with baited breath, hoping they’ll just do the one thing to save themselves.  Real drowning victims usually do- emotional drowning victims are more likely to go under. 

Which is why when someone is emotionally drowning we’re more inclined to jump in after them. 

But we shouldn’t.

Hard as it is, you have to wait until they go under.  Only then can you jump in and try to save them before it’s too late.  It may seem cruel, but you can’t put yourself at risk trying to save another.  Lifeguards loose teammates that way.  And far too often we lose ourselves in someone else’s misery and sadness.  We become consumed for no other reason than we jumped in too soon to really be helpful.  And we usually get injured- or worse.

As someone with a hero complex, this has always been hard for me.  I want to dive in.  I want you to not feel alone.  I want to save you. 

But sometimes, we have to wait to be helpful.  Sometimes when we throw someone a rope, all we can do is wait and hope they take it.  And we won’t save everyone.  That’s the hardest part of all- that not everyone will help themselves and we have to be prepared for the worst.

If you’re an emotional lifeguard for your friends and family like me- take a lesson from the real pros and stay out of the water- at least at first.

Being Thankful

Why do we only eat a big turkey dinner on Thanksgiving?

I checked with the supermarket and it turns out they sell turkeys year-round.  Stuffing too.  And apparently that canned cranberry Jell-O is good through an apocalypse.  So it’s not for lack of ingredients. 

I think it’s because it feels so indulgent.  At Thanksgiving, we seem to give ourselves a pass to do something we really enjoy that if we did all the time would feel gluttonous.  I get that.   Everything in moderation, the rarity makes it special.  But certainly we could cook up a turkey breast in June without needing a crane to put on pants?  Maybe you do (cook turkey in June, not need a pants crane I hope) but I only seem to see that dinner once a year.

What I like most about most about Thanksgiving is how it always surprises me.  Not just in a “what are my crazy realitives going to do at dinner this year?” kind of way- but more of a “wow, I have so much more to be thankful for than I realized” kind of way.  So often we don’t take time to think about what we do right. 

We are a society that has so deeply conditioned ourselves to look at what’s wrong.  Having all bought into the belief that we need to be “well-rounded” and “versatile” when we bring home a report card do our parents first look at all the As and Bs- or jump right to the C and ask how we’re going to “fix” that.  It doesn’t get better as we get older.  We are constantly focusing on our flaws, our problems, and our weaknesses.  We spend more time trying to “fix” what’s broken instead of spending time accentuating what’s right.

So it’s nice that at least once a year we take a moment to think about what’s good.  And eat lots of stuffing. Those aren’t mutually exclusive you know.

As you sit down to your table this year take a moment to be thankful for the obvious things- friends, family, heath, etc.  But also- take a minute to be thankful for your talents.  Remind yourself of what you do well.  Pass on the humility like it was a vegetable and stuff yourself with some self-praise.  You’ll feel a bit gluttonous at first- but it’s ok to do that every once and a while.  And then maybe realize that even if we don’t recreate this meal for Independence Day next year (although I would love if that became a thing), it’s ok to have some stuffing or cranberries from time to time.  It feels good and we could all use it.

This Thanksgiving, enjoy yourself.  Cheers!

Eating Elephants

Eating Elephants

 

"How do you eat the elephant?  One bite at a time." We've all heard this popular business quip, but sometimes I think there's more to it than that.  Sure, it's a great metaphor for taking a large project and breaking it down to manageable pieces- but it's missing something.  How do you know which bite to take first?

 

See, as far as I know, there's no wrong way to eat an elephant. I assume you could just dig in.  

I could be wrong.  Maybe there's a protocol I'm not familiar with.  Somewhere on the African plains a tribe has taken down their prize, given thanks to the gods, and is about to dive in when an elder suddenly blurts out "whoa-Mukimbe!  You NEVER start with the trunk!"  It's nice to think that manners are universal.

 

But as a business metaphor it does pose a problem- how do you know where to start?

 

The difference between a dream and a goal is a plan.  That's important to remember when you have an elephant on your dinner plate.  Just diving in may get you going, but if you fill up on fatty trunk before you get down enough of the middle, you may be done before you finish.  

 

Have a plan that makes sense and then execute.  Otherwise expect to head home with an upset tummy and the biggest doggie bag you've ever seen.

Leaving a Legacy

Leaving a Legacy

I read an article recently  about the history of the High Five.  It’s a great article- with an awesome lesson about leadership tucked inside.

The story of the High Five is apparently a bit unclear.  There are two men who both have a legitimate claim to its origin; Glen Burke of the LA Dodgers and Wiley Brown of the University of Louisville Basketball team.  You can read the article yourself to decide who you think was the first to take it “up top.”  But what caught my attention was that for both of these men, the idea of having contributed something great to the culture was worth more than ever getting credit.

Don’t get me wrong- they both were quite proud of their contribution.  Brown was credited with saying that along with getting his degree, marrying his wife, and raising his kids- it was one of his proudest accomplishments.  And Burke graciously took credit whenever it was given.  But neither ever claimed it their crowning glory.  They didn’t seek out reporters or write their autobiography on the subject.  They didn’t have it printed on their business cards.   They didn’t take to the lecture circuit with a 7 point program on how to “High Five” your life (it would have started as a 5 point program, but grown in the “revised” edition).  In fact, the article gives the impression that they were just pleased to have created something that made the world happy and gave everyone a way to celebrate.

In a culture that seeks out scores of followers to listen to every little twit thought that pops in our heads or writes books devoted to our own face, it can be hard to see the simple joy of contribution without recognition.  But that’s the type of greatness that stands the test of time.  When Seth Godin talks about being a Linchpin, this is what he means.  Doing something amazing for the sake of amazing.  Taking pride and joy in the contribution, if not the credit.  Making art and giving it away because of its value beyond dollars.  It’s what we need more of- not just in business but in the world.

So the next time you have a big idea that can change everything and make your world a better place- don’t hold on until you find a way to monetize it.  Don’t put it in a safe until you find a way to get all the credit.  Don’t hold back because you are trying to protect your Legacy. Lay it out for everyone, take joy in the improvement, and be satisfied with nothing more than a High Five in return.

Puppy Training

A few months back, my wife and I got our first dog.  A puppy no less; 6 months old and full of energy.  I would have been perfectly happy to have found a nice, settled-in 2 year old but this little pup caught the wife’s eye so my vote was quickly vetoed.  And now I find myself in the midst of puppy training. 

Frankly it’s a lot of work.

For starters, she’s just so rambunctious.  She sprints around the house and jumps (dare I say launches) herself off the furniture.  She is in constant need of attention.  You cannot sit on the couch without her wanting to sit in your lap and put her nose in your face.  When walking, she pulls on her leash and wants to meet every other dog she passes; desperate to make new friends everywhere she goes.  And she requires unblinking surveillance as her curiosity will lead her to exploring every nook and cranny of our home.  She seems to have doggie-ADD as she will not always bring the toy back or come when she’s called.  She won’t quite sit every time she’s asked and her propensity for waking me up at ridiculous hours of the morning is exhausting.

And yet at the same time, she’s an absolute joy.

She’s just so darn eager to please that even when she wears my patience thin, I have to admire her enthusiasm.  Her utter devotion to my wife and I is inspiring considering how short we’ve known her.  And she’s challenging me to take more responsibility, be a bit more patient, and really think through how this new addition will fit into my life.  More often than not, what drives me crazy is really just that she’s pushed me out of my old comfort zone- a place I probably needed a break from anyway.

New employees are no different.  At times, their fresh new energy, curiosity, and exuberance can feel exhausting, overwhelming, and even a bit frustrating to those of us who have become comfortable in our work.  But if we can take a moment and realize that they are just as eager to please and devoted as my new pup, we can find that soft-spot in us that helps ease the pain of their mistakes and messes and gives us the patience to house break them right.

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog!  I have to admit, I'm a bit nervous.  I've long thought about starting a blog because I have a lot to say and I want to put it somewhere besides my own head.  Truth be told, a lot of what you will see here are things I've written a while ago and stock-piled.  Others will be fresh as ideas happen.  For now, the frequency will be "whenever I get an idea worth sharing" but I'm going to try to make that at least once a week. Since most of you reading this will have been sent here by me, I'll spare the "this is my story" stuff for now. But for those of you who stumble across this blog, I'm glad you're here and feel free to put up any feedback you like.  For now, just know that this is like my own little experiment lab where I can make mistakes in the comfort of relative anonymity.  Can I keep up the pace?  Can I find enough to write about?  Is what I'm saying worth the price of admission or do you still feel like you overpaid?  We'll find out soon enough.  Thanks for stopping by and welcome to my new world!

Jeff