Leadership Soup

A Matter of Marginal Utility

As I finished my fifth MBA class and continued my fight against thought atrophy, my near drowning in economic theory left my mind wandering (actually, more like running) from GDP, fiscal policy, and supply and demand.  My sincere apologies to Professor Platt for straying, but I found that some of the concepts applied to everyday life in ways that the textbooks most likely didn't intend.

'Marginal utility' is basically the measure of how much satisfaction, or how much use, you get out of having more and more of something.  In economics, it's about a consumer's demand for a product or a service as more is available (and as expected, there is even a formula)...but I started to suspect there is more to it than that.

There was this example about eating your favorite ice cream, and how, if given another one right after you finished the first, you'd enjoy it much less.  As I read on about 'diminishing' marginal utility and the fact that satisfaction and pleasure eventually decrease with availability, I wondered whether this could be the root to some of the boredom and apathy and unhappiness in our lives.

In our jobs and our daily activities and our relationships, there is a repetitiveness that can stagnate.  Remember the first few months of a new position at work or the first run outside after a long winter or getting to know someone new?  There is an excitement that seems to fade over time, or in the case of utility, diminishes as you get more.  Sure there are times when you should get a new job, find a different hobby, or end a relationship, but there are plenty more times when you should find freedom in the familiar and work hard to keep it fresh.  When it starts to feel like a chore, it's time to act.

As the routine of a job kicks in, when you think you've mastered it, recognize the opportunity the mastery offers to push the envelope and make major change...or maybe, you've only scratched the surface of the learning.  When you look at your running shoes and feel unmotivated, find a new running route.  If there doesn't seem like there is anything to talk about with your old friend or your spouse, celebrate and remember what brought you together and how there is so much more to learn about them.

Having more can make you a little lazy.  This works its way into all sorts of things. This week, make the effort to see the familar in a new way (or simply take a moment to appreciate it the way it is), and you may be surprised to find that you can't get too much of a good thing.

Losing and finding stuff

Last month, I thought I lost my luggage.

Of course, I got lost on the way to the airport in the impossible to navigate Minnesota because I didn't realize that the terminals had names and my itinerary had letters...meaning I ended up at Humphrey when I should have been at Lindbergh (or was it the other way around?).  I ditched my car at the Hertz lot in some delusional attempt to turn 33 minutes into enough time to check in, get through security, and get to the gate. 

When the scramble was over, miraculously I was sitting on the airplane, NOT in first class (cause I had lost my upgrade), sweaty and disheveled, and forfeiting my carry on bag to a less than believable flight attendant who told me it would meet me in Providence.

Around midnight, when I dragged myself to baggage claim, I can't say I was surprised when the last piece of luggage was pulled off the belt and I was empty handed.  As I searched the airport garage for my car, I began to silently catalog and mourn...

Two of my favorite pairs of shoes...I loved those shoes. 
A new pair of running sneakers...I had just started to break them in.
My black Ann Taylor jacket...what a great deal I got on it.
Three pants, several tops, bras, socks, makeup....there were so was so much stuff in there.

There is a terrible sadness, mixed with frustration and anger and disappointment, when something is lost.  My favorite poem by Elizabeth Bishop, One Art, speaks of dealing with it...'The art of losing isn't hard to master'...

The next morning as I listened to the 'no status' of my lost stuff on the airline's lost baggage line, I started to plan my replacement strategy.  I began running through what was a priority to buy that day, what could wait until the next trip to the mall, and what was something I would have to search a bit to find something similar.  Then I moved on.

As if the fates recognized my recovery, the phone rang.  Delta had found my stuff, and it was all waiting for me in Hartford (still not quite sure how it landed at a different airport).  After accepting that it was lost, finding it was all the sweeter.  And the experience was a reminder. 

Here it is in Bishop's own words:

'So many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss in no disaster'...
It's easy to give into the emotions, and the appearance of disaster can take over.  Recognizing that it's part of the natural order of things and taking just one step forward gives us power over it.

'Then practice losing'...
Maybe this is extreme, but the point is that the more adversity we face head on, the better equipped we are to manage through it and recognize what needs to be done.

And here it is in my words:

'Celebrate when it's found (or never lost)'...
On those occasions when things go right and stuff doesn't get lost or is unexpectedly found, hold onto it.

Who needs a GPS? Getting lost in Minnesota.

Last month, I went on a trip to Minnesota and got lost. A lot. 

I travel quite a bit for work, and I never get a GPS with my rental car...and I never really need one.  Generally, the directions I get from the coworkers I'm visiting, a quick stop on MapQuest, the little local map they give you at Avis, and some instincts are enough to get me where I need to go.

So I'm not sure what was with me and Minnesota. 

I made about twenty-five u turns, got lost twice (ok, I only went twice) going to the office which was four miles away, got lost four times (ok, every time) I tried to get back to my hotel, spent a ridiculous amount of time driving back and forth on Prairie Center Drive looking for anything familiar, and went 10 miles in the wrong direction when heading to the airport (even with MapQuest directions).

The experience left me confused, doubting my often touted sense of direction, and wondering whether my principled avoidance of the GPS had come to an end.  Once I successfully exited Minnesota and got speeding along on the familiar roads of Connecticut, it hit me how easily this translates well beyond the road and into a way to manage work and life.

Finding my way...
It is often when I don't know where I'm going that I find the greatest adventures and many times uncover things I would have otherwise missed.
Having an automated voice tell me exactly when and where to turn is a great way to lose sight of the things around me.  Trusting my instincts makes me feel powerful, even when I am the most lost.

Forcing myself to find my bearings and understand the landscape has been a large part of my successes both personally and professionally.

Getting lost...
Driving in Minnesota threw me way off.  Route 35E goes north and south, Prairie Center Drive goes in circles, there are detours for detours, and apparently there is more than one route 16.  My instincts failed in a place where the local landmarks were the Home Depot, one of 10,000 lakes, and other office buildings. 

There are times when getting my bearings isn't going to be easy, and it's most definitely risky to assume that what has always worked will always work, especially when the unexpected detour or wrong turn throw off the instincts.  Supplementing directional skills with some formal guidance can serve a very important purpose...most importantly when arriving at your destination is critical and being late is a deal breaker.  Not accepting this is where I've had my biggest struggles.

As always, it's a balance.  Plans and directions and instructions all have their place and necessity, but learning to trust your instincts and forge into unknown territories is where many valuable discoveries are made.

So, Minnesota may require a GPS for now (or at least I'll have it in the glove compartment).

Thought Atrophy

I start my first MBA class this week.

As I was looking at schools and programs and shared my plans with family, friends and coworkers, I fully expected the questions.

Why now?  Why at this point in my career?  Why at my age?  Do I have enough time?  Do I feel like I have to do it?  Am I really going to get anything out of it?  Am I ready for the commitment?

These are the same questions I asked myself as I toyed with the idea over the last few years, and the answers were probably what kept me from moving forward until now.  There is never a good time, enough hours in the day, enough money, or guarantees of outcomes...and the 'have to' and 'need to' will make for some miserable years of degree pursuit.  So my motivation had to come from somewhere else.

Over the last several years, there were three themes that resonated...and, in 2009, they became my motivation to throw my hat in the MBA ring.

THOUGHT ATROPHY - Time and time again, I have met people in both my personal and professional lives that suffer from this malady.  It comes from being in a routine, developing a habit, avoiding conflict, settling for mediocrity, sidestepping change, and self protectionism.  It's a state of security in your knowledge, and it's the place where creativity and constant questioning shuts down.  I have seen lives slowly shrink and careers stagnate. 

Part of my strategy for warding this off is to constantly take on new responsibilities, to learn new things, and to never trust my knowledge or my skill too much.  As I head into my first class, it's in hopes of finding out that I know so much less than I even realized!

FEEL THE BURN -  As a runner, I have found out that a comfortable pace wasn't going to make me stronger or faster.  When I started to push myself beyond my where I thought I could go, I started to see the results.

Avoiding pain is human nature, but it's in those moments of discomfort, when you break down the muscles for them to heal stronger, that you experience growth.  The next few years (trying to balance work and school and life) aren't going to be easy, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy, is it?

LEARNING BEGETS LEARNING - Once those synapses get firing, the possibilities are endless.  People begin new careers in their 50s and 60s, take up a new sport, and show incredible capacity for change even after years in a rut.  I have seen tenured staff come out of their shell and flourish.  The more you learn, the more capacity you seem to have for learning.

It may take some stretching (and you'll feel the burn), but once you're warmed up, you might as well take advantage.  In anticipation and excitement of my exploding synapses, I have also decided to learn Spanish and am eagerly venturing into new responsibilities at work.

Long winded answers to what I suspect were partly rhetorical questions.  I'll keep you posted as I enter this new adventure.

Hanging a Crooked Mirror

I bought a large wall mirror for our living room, and it sat wrapped in a blanket in the spare bedroom until I finally decided the time had come to hang it in a coveted spot in the living room.  Mirror hanging isn't a complex homeowner activity, so the task was taken on a few hours before friends were coming for dinner...easy enough.

I guess I should say that mirror hanging 'shouldn't' be a complex activity, but a few hours later, there were multiple holes in the wall and a large wall mirror sitting on the floor.

It went like this...the wall studs are 16" apart but the openings in the back of the mirror were 33 1/2" apart requiring drywall anchors; the drywall anchors that were available (3 different ones) and subsequently purchased (3 more) were either too big, too small or too weak; the openings in the back on the mirror were then adjusted to 32" apart so the studs could be used; the screws were set and leveled and the mirror hung.   But, when the mirror was finally hung, it was notably and noticeably CROOKED.  The mirror came down; the screws checked for level; the mirror went up and was CROOKED.  The mirror came down.

Three weeks later, when the project was tackled again with more time and a level head, it was discovered that the openings in the back of the mirror were not level.  As much as the wall was prepped, the screws checked for level, and I stood back in confusion and frustration, the root of the issue was with the mirror itself.  A few adjustments and the mirror now sits, perfectly straight, on the living room wall...easy enough.

This experience came up as I looked for examples as a follow up to the paving post and represents a few basics of successfully executing on projects and strategy. 

1.  Don't underestimate the complexity or the time needed to complete the work. Simplicity is deceptive...best laid plans etc etc etc.

2.  Know your current state.  Taking the time to be sure that you understand the environment, the materials, the tools, and your state of mind (or that of your organization or company or leadership team) will assist in sidestepping rework, backtracking, or failure.  Extra time on the front end spent in true assessment of what you'll be up against and where you are starting will pay dividends in the end.

3.  When something goes wrong (and always plan that something will), don't assume you know the cause.  Knowing the current state will help (should have checked the level of those openings in the mirror), but inevitable roadblocks will creep up. Quickly jumping to a conclusion on where the issue lies can easily result in moving further off track.

I am going to continue to keep an eye out for those cones...let me know the ones you find and the ones you are able to avoid or remove.

They are paving Route 2, AGAIN!

My insanely long commute has been relatively hassle free lately...until this past week when I found myself sitting in a parking lot on Route 2.  Though this particular section is prone to traffic during rush hour, I wasn't expecting this at 8 PM on a Tuesday night. 

I crawled along for about 10 minutes waiting to see the fender bender that was causing the delay when I caught glimpse of what has become my commuting nemesis...the construction cone.  These little bastards have power; silently, they pushed the two lanes of traffic into single file.  I watched them as I passed, one by one, wondering if there was actually anything really going on or if someone had just set them down to tease those of us leaving work late enough to enjoy the prank.  Not sure how long I waited or how many cones I passed, but I finally came upon the reason for the jam.  They are paving Route 2, AGAIN!

I say 'again' because I swear that I sat in the same exact traffic last summer.  And though I am no highway or paving expert, I don't recall seeing anything terribly neglected about this road that required another round of attention.

To make matters worse, when I came upon the spotlighted fiasco of paving trucks, there were about 50 workers standing around, in my best estimate, talking about paving.  I was relieved to pass this scene, highly anticipating breaking free of the congestion in mere minutes.

Not so much.  Spanning ahead for as far as a June night would allow me to see...more cones and more traffic, as if the chatting crew anticipated achieving miles and miles of paving that evening. By the time I finally reached the end of the parade, I twittered my frustration and found minor satisfaction in swerving around the last cone.

The next day, I scanned the CT DOT website to see if there was any information about this project.  There was nothing...nothing under 'Highlights and Initiatives', nothing under 'Calendar of Events', nothing under 'ConnDOT News'.  Apparently this was a non event for everyone but those of us sitting in the traffic.

This started to feel strangely familiar.

-  Inexplicable change (no communication or warning)
-  Short term chaos and disruption (before there is any sign of progress)
-  Overly aggressive goals (halting short term progress)
-  Unanticipated impacts (to individuals or processes)
-  Perceived lack of direction, identity or forward movement (brought on by all of the above)

For those working in an environment chock full of projects and long term strategy, my guess is that it feels familiar as well.  How many times does it feel like, without warning, cones appear?

Though there are complexities of executing large scale projects, driving towards a strategy, and managing the change that comes as part of the package that make it impossible to assure that everyone has a clear picture, there are basic principles of communication, planning and delivery that can prevent much of the frustration and disillusionment felt at all levels of an organization at one time or another (that feeling of the traffic jam).

Over the next few posts, I will address some of those basics and seek out examples of when it's worked (and when it hasn't worked).

I welcome your examples as well.

Stay tuned.

Don't let the plate ruin your pie...

My Nana loved Shoney's strawberry pie.  After she had moved to Florida, when I would visit her, the first order of business was to bring her to get a piece of that pie.  One year, when the waitress came to take our order, Nana quite adamantly said 'I will have a piece of the strawberry pie, but DO NOT put it on one of those big plates.  The last time I was here, it came on a big plate, and I didn't like it.'

Now, I am not quite sure why she despised the big plate so much, but my guess is that Shoney's had tried to do some fancy presentation with some syrup and swirling decoration (like you see on those cooking shows or at high end restaurants)...this was apparently lost on my 83 year old grandmother who probably just thought that it made the slice of pie look small.

When the pie arrived and was placed in front of her, Nana's quick assessment of the plate size boiled down to a simple 'that's better.'  However, the satisfaction was quickly lost as she tried to navigate eating this mass of huge, syrupy strawberries off of a plate that was only slightly larger than the pie itself.  Several of the strawberries fell off of the plate onto the table, and I seem to recall that her coffee saucer became a back up as time progressed.  After struggling through about three quarters of her favorite dessert (and I saw this one coming)...

...'This plate is way too small!'

This past week, it struck me how easy it is to get distracted.  Distractions can rob you of your enjoyment and derail your attempts to deliver and move forward.  Nana's focus on the plate set the stage from the beginning; she let the preoccupation distract her, and that distraction led to the experience being more about the plate than the pie.

Last week at work, as I focused on all that needs to be accomplished in 2009 as well as those near term priorities that my team and I are pressed to deliver, I became intensely aware of the distractions...the economy, lay offs, personality conflicts, everyone else's priorities, and my own procrastination.  Nana's pie served as a lesson.

In our personal lives and in our professional lives, distractions have a funny way of seeping in.  They are tricky and present themselves in different forms, but each has similar results.  I started looking out for them and jotted down the following:

• Distractions in the environment - These can be very obvious and simple like being copied on emails or invited to meetings that are unnecessary or more obscure and complex like gossip, conflict, or performance issues. 
  
• Distractions of self creation - We have a tremendous capacity for welcoming distractions, or even purposely creating them.  It is often called procrastination, but it's also that meeting we choose to attend (though five other highly capable colleagues or staff are in attendance), that gossip we choose to participate in, or that task we refuse to delegate, that leads to missed deadlines or excuses as to why we didn't deliver.  These are most dangerous in our personal lives since they are the reason we lose touch with dear friends or why we don't pursue our dreams.

• Distractions you place upon others - As I was thinking about Shoney's and the plate, it occurred to me that the waitress missed an opportunity to eliminate a distraction.  It was very apparent that the smaller plate would pose a problem, so by delivering the pie on it was like hand delivering a distraction.   As leaders, it's not good enough to avoid distractions; there is a responsibility to prevent and remove them. 

My goal this week is to catch these distractions as they present themselves, write them down, and share them as a follow up; I ask you to do the same.  Remember, it's all about the pie.

It's time for a sports analogy...

I'm a lifelong Red Sox fan.  Starting at about age 7, Aprils were full of promise with fresh starts, old reliable faces, eager new additions, and only faint memories of the sting of the previous season.  October seemed forever away, and I looked forward to the sunny months ahead with confidence that this was the year. 

Then, before I knew it, the fourth of July and mid season had arrived, and attention turned to either holding on to the success of the early months or fighting the way back after a crappy spring.  The shuffling of plans and players as we headed into the second half of the season became a dog days ritual that inevitably ended badly as fall ate away at the summer.  That is until 2004...
At this point, the story is cliche.  A year when everything went right; a year full of dramatic wins and news worthy characters. Best part of that particular October was that I was sitting in row 15, seat 6 in Busch Stadium the night that darn curse died.  The satiated relief of almost 30 years of wanting swept over me, and I was convinced I would never need another season or, at the very least, I would carry my satisfaction for another 30 years.  That is until 2005...

The sports analogy isn't necessarily a novel approach, but in very common experiences there are some novel lessons for leaders as they head into the 2009 season.

It will be October before you know it. 
I shamelessly admit I've stolen this line, but it's as profoundly applicable to life and work as it is to baseball.  It always seems that there is time to spare, but it slips away quickly and hijacks good intentions.  Plan and set achievable goals (and keep your eye on the calendar).

Don't be afraid to shake it up mid season.
Nomar Garciaparra was traded in August of that 2004 championship season even though he was notably one of the greatest Red Sox of all time.  Constantly assessing the make up and dynamic of a team, an organization or a company and changing players and leaders to keep perspective fresh, energy present, and gaps closed is a necessity.  Even when the decision is emotionally difficult or politically challenging, the consequences of settling into status quo pose bigger problems.

Get ready for another April.
Whether you're coming off of a disappointing mess of a season or a championship win, start planning and readying for the next challenge.  It's equally dangerous to let failure keep you from finding the energy and focus as it is to let a win steal your edge.

Now, let's play ball!

'Run, Forest! Run!'

On Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 2008, I ran the 4.748 mile Manchester Road Race in 36 minutes and 33 seconds.  This was 6 minutes and 11 seconds faster than my best time in the seven years I have run this race.  For those of you wondering...yes, this is a big deal.

I have been running for years...or, as a much speedier friend informed me a while back, I have been 'jogging' for years.  Truth be told, I had settled into a comfortable relationship with slow, steady miles.  My argument was that race results and comparative times were not my thing and that it was the self satisfaction and enjoyment I was after, whether heading out for weekend run or finishing a marathon in 6 hours.

Last year, something changed.  After a decent showing in a Hartford half marathon the possibilities and the competitiveness (which will be readily called out by those that know me as alive and well) started a chain of events that impacted both my personal and professional lives.  

1.  The only way to run faster is to run faster.  While scouring the net for running articles, I ran across this statement, and it's profoundly true far beyond running.  I had not only convinced myself that I was happy with the type of runner I was, but I unintentionally resigned myself to the fact that I could not do better.  Once I embraced this simple statement and overcame my fear of the discomfort that would accompany it, I quantum leaped in my performance. 

• Trying something different, pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zone, and tackling those scary things that lurk in the shadows is the quickest way (and often the only way) to grow and develop. 

2.  Surround yourself with challenging and supportive people.  This means people that are one or the other (or, if you're REALLY lucky, both).  This means people who are both very much like you as well as those who see the world through a completely different lens.  
I was offered a new perspective on running; I had become settled in my 'comfortable' pace, and it wasn't until that perspective was challenged that I began to uncover my potential.  Getting feedback isn't easy for a perfectionist, but I have gradually welcomed a trusted crew into my personal and work life that don't only tell me that 'Wendy's way' isn't always the right way but also make me listen to it (the hardest part of the equation).

• Don't be a rock or an island (some of my favorite Simon and Garfunkel lyrics).  If you either isolate yourself or surround yourself with 'yes-men', your world and perspective get really small, really fast...and that's both limiting and dangerous.

3.  Know when to slow down and enjoy yourself (even the speedy agree).  In the end, there is value in knowing your limits, picking the time to train, and occasionally enjoying the scenery. 
For six years, I ran that Thanksgiving Day race with the intent of just being out there, watching the people in costumes, and celebrating my personal victory with an extra large piece of pumpkin pie.  This year, I remember nothing, threw up twice, and didn't have much of an appetite for the pie.  My speedy friend ran a tiny bit slower but admitted he enjoyed it more than last year.

• If you're miserable or injured or sick, you won't be effective (see Follow your bliss (or at least something that doesn't make you miserable) from Nov 22)...have fun and stay healthy.
• Jogging has it's own perspective; slowing down to take in the scenery (or understand what is going on around you) can help realign your vision.

Will my eighth Thanksgiving Day race be my best yet and is my under 4 hour marathon in the near future?  Why not?