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