365QOD- Day1316

The Sniff Test

"There is something about him that I do not like"- Intuition

The other day I listened to a story from a millionaire.  He talked about how he felt it was worthwhile to meet people with whom he was going to do business online.  Even though he felt that he was making a good decision he believes that nothing compares to a face to face before doing business.

What was also interesting about him was that he requires his new potential partner to meet his wife.  She does the "sniff test".  She is the one that makes the final decision whether to do business or to walk away.

In a sense she is open and not invested.  If the personality is not a fit then she says no.  If there is a feeling that this person is not a fit, she says no.  She serves as an independent judge of fit.

Today's question is:
"Do you or someone for you do a sniff test of future potential partners?"

365QOD- Day1213

Shooting the Balloons of Others

"I promise not to shoot down your ideas if you do not shoot mine."- words from a fellow manager

In the corporate world people do not like to kill their own ideas or the ideas of others.  It is to political.  Most people play to nice.  Killing ideas is often looked upon as killing a baby.

A couple of years ago I sat in a leadership meeting in which a manager was proposing that we use 30 year old technology.  I had used new technology in recent past and offered it as a suggestion.  It would save the company a ton of money.  He did not disagree but pushed for his idea. 

A few days later he came to my office and told me the quoted line.  I was shocked.  He explained to me that he was short on people and this was his scheme to get them.  The company did not want to increase headcount and this was his way of getting around the rule.

Killing his idea was like killing his baby.  He did not want to get into a position where his ideas were challenged.  So he offered the suggestion as a way of heading off disagreements.  I did not agree to his request.

Today's question is:

"Do you kill your own ideas?"

365QOD- Day1174

Hiring and Firing

"Why do you hire people?"- a great question

I recently listened to Kat Cole being interviewed by LinkeIn.  In the interview she said that when her company hires they look for: attitude, and cultural fit.  They can train the person to be able to do the work.

Once the person is hired they have to be given the resources to do the work.  In addition to teh resources, they have to coached on how to properly do the work.  And lastly, be given feedback on how well they are performing.

She never answered the firing portion but it seems to me that there are only fire reasons to fire:
1. their attitude is a problem
2. the person is not a cultural fit
3. they do not use the resources that they were given
4. they do not learn even when coached
5. they do not take feedback constructively

Today's question is:
"How well do you fit with your company along these five reasons?"

365QOD- Day1147

Phony Smiles

"Ohhh she is so nice"- a quick judgement

Living in the south has been interesting.  I have met many people and majority of them have been great. Most are true as they appear.  But there is a type that I can not seen to understand.

When I first moved down here I met a few ladies who try to put on the sugary sweet smile on their faces as you approached them.  It seemed very automatic.  You walking towards them and they put pn a smile from ear to ear.

What is interesting is that all of the women, and it has been all women, that first were sugary nice have turned out to be phonies.  Phonies with a capital P.  Why?

In my opinion, this phony facade is just a front for them.  They want to appear nice but behind it they are actually very mean spirited.  This is just a miss-direction to new people.  Over time their facade is uncovered and compromised.  But it still works on new acquaintances.

Today's question is:
"Do you know any phony nice people?"

365QOD- Day1143

Frenemies

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer"- Sun Tzu

I have been thinking about trust lately.  How do we grant someone trust?  How often we give it to the wrong person?  Why do we fail in this critical decision?

In reality, we all have gotten burned in life by the people that we trust.  Hell, we might even be related to some of them.  But the idea of granting someone trust means that person would not willingly hurt us.  This occurs over time when trust remains unbroken.  The other person becomes like a physical part of us.  It is like our left hand hurting the right.  Well, it should be... but often it is not.  The loss of trust reflects poorly on the other person. 

How often we are wrong reflects on us directly.  We gave the trust away to someone who was not deserving of the trust.  We failed at completely understanding the person to whom we gave the trust.  This person might have had a singular slip of trust or a major character flaw.  Only some thinking and time will show the true answer.  

My thoughts have led me to realize that even singular breaks in trust should result in severing the relationship.  If I person fails you once then do not take the chance with them again.  

Today's question is:
"How do you give your trust to a friend?"

365QOD- Day1106

Obligatory Picture Taking

"No thanks."- an unusual refusal to take a picture by someone I know

When I see a couple taking pictures of each other, I love to step in and to offer to take a picture of the couple.  I believe it be kind.  People these days tend to take their pictures with a cell phone camera.  They do not have a tripod type of phone holder so they tend to take turns taking pictures of each other.  I sometimes joke that if I do not take a picture they will never know that they were together.

Amazingly, almost 100% of the time when I offer to take a picture the couple pleasantly is surprised and very grateful.   They realize that the person is giving them a gift.  In is not uncommon that they offer to take your picture in return.

So the other extreme of not wanting to take a picture was a shocker for me the other day.  Especially from someone I know.  I did not even have an ulterior motive of wanting a picture in return.  It made me wonder why anyone would turn down a picture to be taken of them and their wife.  I am still scratching my head.

Today's question is:
"Why would you turn down a picture request?"

365QOD- Day1031

Moments

"MoHI- moments of high impact"- Pail Balmert

I spent today in safety leadership training by Paul.  It was excellent.  I am definitively looking forward to the second day.

During the class Paul did a demonstration of how we see incidents and at times we miss critical moments that have great influence.  He calls these MoHIs. These are moments,if used properly, can improve the leadership position of a leader with respect to his followers.

What was interesting to me was how often we tend to miss these moments.  He even quantifies them as low, medium, and high.  In the example he shared it was difficult to label them properly.  The lesson for me is to use any moment and improve its MoHI potential by noting who the followers are and how to move them.

The key is to stay open and recognize moments as they are occurring.  I believe that this becomes easier with practice.

Today's question is:
"Can you recognize MoHI moments?"

365QOD- Day881

"If you ask the wrong question, the answer does not matter.  Dare to risk- because in the new world, risky is the new safe."- Randy Gage author of Risky is the New Safe

This blog is based on the premise of generating great questions to ask oneself.  I usually formulate the question after the post has been written so that it is relevant.  Hopefully, I am not asking the wrong question.

The idea of asking the wrong question is very interesting to me.  I believe that it is possible to reach a wrong conclusion and based on that ask the wrong question.  Maybe it is more than that?

I believe that, as the book title indicates, another way you can ask the wrong question is by playing it safe.  By asking the wrong question you might not want to rock the boat.  You do not want the other affected people to feel threatened by your question. So you settle four the ready question.

Today's question is:
"How do you know that you did not ask the wrong question?"

365QOD- Day750

"What is it with people" - my question

Something that I have observed in the last year drives me nuts.  People are just completely unaware of the physical space around them.  I do not know if it is a cell phone phenomenon or not BUT I see the same when people are not attached to their phones.

People just seem to just stop without consideration for anyone around them.  They just stop as if they are lost.  They care less if they are in anyone's way.  The bump into things and people without apologizing.

I do not know if they are in deep thought or not BUT it seems like someone has turned off a switch or two.  It is making me wonder if I am doing the same thing.  Everything is more annoying when someone else does it.

Today's question is:
"Are some of  your switches OFF?"

365QOD- Day744

"You should focus on being interested rather than interesting”- Jacqueline   Novogratz 

I believe there is a reason why our human body is designed with two ears and one   mouth.  In my opinion, this design allows us to be able to listen to others twice as    much as we talk.

Unfortunately, the reality is that we tend to talk twice as much as we listen.  Often     times we only even just hear enough before wanting to jump in and comment.

So what?

Well, by listening we are working on the first part of the quote- ‘being interested’.   We give the other person an opportunity to give us a view of their world and beliefs.  

By actively listening and being interested, provides us some room to sound off and be  interesting to the other person.  If you truly hear what they are saying then you are     better going to be able to reach them.

Today’s question is:

“How do you show you are being interested?”

365QOD- Day678

“People are PETS?” – my reaction to what I heard

While listening to the Power CD I heard this statement.  It made me pause until I heard the definition of PETS.

PETS= Personal Emotional Trainer

People in our lives come in two flavors: easy OR difficult to get along with.  The easy ones are… well “easy”.  You tend to work on same wavelength and everything seems to go smoothly.

The difficult ones are… well “complex”.  They tend to push us and are continuously abrasive.  BUT the interaction does not need to be fruitless.

The idea of thinking of complex people as PETS is very good.  Consider them guides that will change something inside you.  They will make adjustments that maybe need to be made.  After all, none of us are perfect.

Today’s question is:

“How will you use your PET?”

365QOD- Day642

“Thanks so much for ‘making my day’!” – satisfied co-worker’s note

 

I manage by catching people doing good.  During the day I try to note some contribution that someone made that is great and look for the person who made it. 

 

Once I find the person I compliment the person for the great job that they did on a particular project or task.  Most of the time I get a surprised THANKS.

 

The other day I did this with an employee who I did not know but whose work saved my team a lot of time and effort.  It reduced 10 months of  back and forth to three simple prints with excellent comments. 

 

The commentator was not at the meeting. So I looked for him, met him, and lastly thanked him for his great efforts. 

 

Later on that night I received a letter written so well that my mouth dropped.  It was a letter thanking me for the visit and telling me about the good reputation I have gained.  The letter was so well written that it was hard for me to do justice in my response.

 

He ended up making my day twice: once with the prints and second time with the note.  Isn't it interesting that what bounced back to me was twice as much as I had given.

 

Today’s question is:

“Do you manage by catching people doing good?”

365QOD- Day629

 “ Nothing is so strong as gentleness, and nothing is so gentle as real strength. ” -  Ralph W. Sockman

I have talked about treating people at different levels equally.  I believe this because this is the only way for power not to get to your head.

I currently support two different plants and make it a point to say hello to all of the designers that work on projects related to my groups.  If I do a field walk and someone had done something great I personally walk over to that person and make a comment about their success.

The other day one of the senior designers with over 35+ years of experience stopped by my office to tell me thanks.  He said that I was the first Manager to make specific comments on their work and to stop by and talk with them like human beings.  In the past they felt distant and ignored.

Amazing how a small bit of conversation has an effect on people.

Today’s question is:

“Are you showing your strength through gentleness?”

365QOD-Day523

"..top 5% of teachers can raise students a grade level and a half. The bottom 5% put their kids a half grade behind." Doug Lemov Teach like a Champion: 49 Techniques That put Students on the Path to College

Pretty impressive statistic.  As a teacher since 1993(with a little pause in the last year), I understand that a great teacher can move students forward more efficiently.

In my experience, this statistic is less valid for college students.  The amount of material that is typically required is too much for anyone to be able to cover a semester and a half in a semester.  You can push them faster but then the retention of what they have learned is lost.  They will meet your expectations to cover the material BUT covering the material does not mean learning the material.

Today's question is:
"How do you know the rate at which you should explain something?"

365QOD-Day482

"How?" - my reaction

While reading a story on home prices I noticed an interesting twist.  The title of the USA Today story was "Home prices gain in most major cities".

In it there was a table of the top 20 cities and percentage change vs. a year ago.  Some cities had positive rates and some were negative.  The bottom of the table was a 20 city composite -2.6%.

When I read this I wondered if the author of the piece has any idea what they are stating in the title.  How could you title a story that there is a gain when the composite is a loss.

I know that as people we often have reactions to new people.  Using our insights we sometimes miss label people as being one way and over time we might correct ourselves.  Recently I worked with a gentlemen who rubbed me the wrong way the first time we met. Man was I wrong.  He was just being sarcastic but I took him as being serious.  I now enjoy his sense of humor and the quality of his work.  I was wrong.

Today's question is:
"Have you completely labeled something as being one thing when it is completely another?

365QOD-Day459

"I can not stop watching this" - my thought

I have a new addiction.  It is hardcore pawn.  This show is nuts!  Full of crazy characters.

Why is it that I can not get enough?  It shows what people do when they are desperate.

Typically, the person comes in happy go lucky.  Politely tells the store person what they want to sell.  The person asks how much they want for it.  The person quickly tells them.  The store person asks them why they want to sell it(it establishes how desperate they are).  The store person then asks them what is the lowest they would take.

Sometimes the person cuts their price in half.  Eventually the store person offers them a lot lower amount.  The person either accepts or gets belligerent.  They are so upset that they did not get their way.

Today's question is:
"What have you learned from your guilty pleasure?"

365QOD-Day441

"Do place you your fate in people"- advice given to me

By nature I have fate in people.  I hope for the best.  Often people will ride high and will have my fate.

However, eventually people let me down. Maybe this is simply human nature.

I need to be clear.  I am not looking for perfection.  People are people.  If they were perfect they would be god like.  Since we are not god, I am looking for consistancy.  If you say you are going to do X then simply do X.  Don't overpromise and underdeliver.

This is something I have recently been dealing with on vendor side and on people side.  Many companies while dating will promise you the world that they can do X but sometimes even before they start will pull back from X.  So do you continue the dance?  Sometimes you do not have a choice.  Unfortunately, with vendors you might not have the flexibility to stop dating because the job needs to be done and contracts have been signed.
 
But what do you do when people disappoint you?  Do you just simply give them another chance or do you drop them out of your life?  I have done both.  In my opinion the smartest thing to do is to over time limit the access to inconsistant people.

Today's question is:
"How do you deal with people that can not keep their word?"

365QOD-Day411

"Technical Hording"- phrase used in SuperFreakonomics audio book

While driving this morning I was listening to the follow-up book to Freakonomics.  The book is OK so far.

The phrase above caught my ear.  They told a story of a doctor who had developed a way of extracting babies out of the womb by using a tool.  He and his family horded the tool and this lead to loss of millions of lives.

As I pulled in the parking lot, I thought about the people in my career that were technical hoarders.  They had a niche at which they excelled and did not want anyone else to learn how to do it.

One great example was a guy who used to do the billing for the power utilized during the month by different steel mills.  He used to spend  two days massaging numbers until they made sense.  He did it so quickly that no one could learn how to use he tool he developed or the methodology he used to manipulate the numbers.
Since Iwas assigned to watch him I  did but eventually told my boss that it was a waste of time.

His hording was silly.  He thought that this was his job security.  It might have been.  It was also his terminal job since no one could replace him.  Eventually he had to train someone when he was to retire.  The sad part was that he was a very smart man and could have moved up to a better paying job.  His loss was also the company's loss.

Today's question is:
"What are you hording?"

365QOD-Day376

"Don't put him on a pedestal"-an admonition

It is not uncommon for us to meet new people and become in awe with that person.  At times the person exceeds our expectations and we are even more amazed.

But what happens when that person falters and falls below our expectation?  It is not only the person who fails but we also fail.  We fail because now our own judgement comes in question.

We are all human.  We will exceed and fail to rise up expectations.  It seems so hard not to pre-judge people but to let them show their true colors over time.

I have had two instances in my life when people who I believed in completely lose my belief in them.  In both instances the person thought that they can raise their level by lowering a group down.  Unfortunately both did not realize that one can never rise up by pushing others down. 

Today's question is:
"How do you react when people fail to meet your high expectations?" 

365QOD-Day258

"Yeah I heard you"- a  typical response

Recently while searching Ted.com  I came across a speech by Julian Treasure. In his speech he suggest that we try practicing:
1. Silence - 3 min a day
2. The mixer- focus for a while and see if you can identify how many channels of noise you are able to identify
3. Savoring mundane sounds- the hidden choir
4. Listening positions
    active/passive
    reductive/expansive
    critical/empathetic
5. A good communication contains
    Receiving
    Appreciating
    Summarizing
    Asking

Today's question is:
"Are you a good listener or do you need to practice?"