Musings at Altitude

This has been a great week.

And it’s only half over.

The opportunities are staggering.

And mentally invigorating.

It’s like a giant puzzle.

Each piece must fit together.

But how?

And what will the picture eventually look like?

With each piece it changes.

And with each piece a new possible picture emerges.

I’m anxious.

I want the pieces to fall into place much faster.

But you can’t force it.

There’s a perfect pace to get to that perfect picture.

And there’s a perfect fit for each puzzle piece.

I wish I knew how many pieces there were!

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Back in the old days (it’s amazing that I look at the late 90’s as the “old days”), business leaders found credible success by establishing a virtual presence.  They’d call folks more than visit, and they’d use emails to provide background.  Staff meetings were held in chat rooms or on instant messaging.  They had team members spread out in multiple continents at any one time, making physical presence a real gift but not an expected part of business operations.  Even with their clients, phone calls were used to open new doors and expand relationships, and only when their particular presence truly could make a difference would they spend the money and take that time to be physically present at a meeting. 

Back then, it was comfortable conducting the business of the corporation through that virtual presence. 

Yes, the good old days.

But times have changed dramatically.  The virtual presence that became a standard form of business operations and communications back in the late 90’s has been replaced by what seems to be a desperate need to be physically present to get critical decisions made and to participate in the “side bar” discussions where the naysayers and skeptics work the leadership hard to get their points across and to get their opinions on the path and plan heard.  If you’re not present, the amount of work needed to reverse the impact of those unwanted and often times harmful side bar sound bites can be enormous and ultimately impossible.  In the trauma and triage of today’s business environment, the comments that are “first in” are often times the only ones that come out, because business leaders are off on the next emergency and can’t spend the necessary time to get multiple opinions or to vet several credible options to solve or fix one issue.

If you find yourself on the outside looking in on one of these very important discussions that you can’t be physically present for, here are some suggestions for what to do:

(1) Over prepare.  Make sure you know more about the issue or the decision that needs to be made than anyone else that will be in that particular meeting.

(2) Turn the dialogue into bullets with sound bites.  As the issue is being discussed, make sure you present information in an easy to remember style.

(3) Listen intently, to both the active participants and the whispers (if possible).

(4) Point, then counter point.  Respond specifically to what was mentioned and don’t veer off into other issues.  Keep the discussion on topic and on target for a decision.

(5) Play back frequently.  Make sure folks participating in the process heard the critical points made and followed or tracked the options for next steps.

(6) Follow up.  Don’t let it go cold if the issue that needs a decision or the path you believe needs to be taken is the subject at hand.

(7) Give thanks.  In most companies, the intensity is high and the pace extreme.  Take a moment and thank those that spent some time understanding the issue.  Even if a choice is made to go a different direction, the fact that you prepared, presented and folks listened is a valuable thing.

And in the end, don’t take things personally.  Those at the top of most organizations are weighing what you feel important against a myriad of other issues and other data, and even it’s a “no brainer” to you, it could come out differently than what you desire.

It’s not personal.

Trust me.

Good luck!

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Are we now numb to indiscretions?

Has it become so ordinary for people (whether famous or not) to disappoint those that they love that we’ve grown to accept it and even expect it?

Is it so routine now that we seem angrier at those who leak the story than we are at those who violated the trust of those closest to them?

Do those very public figures really believe that privacy is deserved when the trust has been broken between them and their families and between them and the public that loves them?

Does it make sense that the outrage over a hand ball in soccer completely eclipses any anger or distress over infidelity in marriage?

They both fall into the category of cheating, and they both involve a desperate desire for conquest, and they both involve willful acts and then public apologies, and they both involve one of the parties being brutally hurt.

And yet, one resulted in a global backlash against the cheating team (still playing out) and the other resulted in a muted and quasi-sympathetic support for the cheating individual.

If you can’t trust someone at an individual level, why in the world can you trust them on a national or global stage?

If we’re really that numb and very accepting of a breakdown of trust at the very personal level, have we now decided that certain indiscretions are no longer indiscretions at all?

I hope there is still a small remnant of people somewhere in this world who feel incredibly let down and extremely angry at those who so brazenly violate a sacred bond between two people. 

More importantly, I hope that small remnant practices what they preach.

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We saw two news reports today of famous coaches being fired or resigning.  One had been on the job for more than 3 decades, winning 2 national championships and being the second all time winningest coach.  The other had been on the job for only 5 years bringing multiple super bowl rings with his resume to the program and created great excitement for the first 2 years of his tenure; then things fell apart the next 3 leading to now.

In both cases, the muffled cries for change grew louder with each passing year till the options for the overseers of the sports programs at both schools had no choice.  Changes had to be made after yet another tough year for both programs.

Selecting the right leader is hard, but I think determining the time to transition out that leader is even harder.  Overseers want to believe that those great coaches and leaders can indeed take them back to the promised land.  In fact, we all want to believe that the successes of the past can be achieved once again if we just patiently wait it out.  But that rarely is the case.  Great programs slide from a 10-2 record to 8-4.  They certainly don’t slide to 6-6, or even worse, 3-9.

Great leaders take great talent to national championships.

Great leaders take average talent to constant competitiveness at the national championship level.

Great leaders recruit or attract great talent.

It’s not much different in business.

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I’ve spent a lot of time listening to music lately…mostly videos on You Tube.  I do that a lot when I can’t sleep, for whatever reason.  So tonight, since it’s another dream for me to actually be sleeping, I decided to share with you the songs I listen to the most depending on the mood I am in:

(1) When I’m feeling down and a little bit anxious, for any reason at all, but especially when I’ve been travelling a lot which seems to be the story of my life – Survive by Jimmy Buffett.

(2) When I’m feeling patriotic or when it just seems right to hear a song that makes me proud of our country – God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood.

(3) When I need to be reminded of how I should be acting – They Don’t Understand by Sawyer Brown.

(4) When I think back to Denise and I finally getting together for a lifetime after 4 starts and stops – Hard to Say I’m Sorry by Chicago.

(5) When I’m feeling burdened down or really wondering why specific things have happened to me – Held by Natalie Grant.

(6) When it’s time to be prayerful and worship – At the Cross by Hillsong.

(7) When I need to be motivated – Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw.

(8) When I really need to be motivated – The Speech from the Movie titled The American President.

(9) When I really, really need to be motivated – The Pledge by Tim Tebow.

(10) When I need to be reminded of the sacrifice made for me – Why by Nichole Nordeman.

(11) When I want to cry and remember what might have been – I Will Carry You by Selah.

(12) When I want to tap my feet and thump the table in front of me – Testify to Love by Avalon.

(13) When I’m feeling inadequate as a father – Cat’s in the Cradle by Harry Chapin.

(14) When I know I can only listen to one more song before I have to turn off my iPod for landing – Wind of Change by Scorpions.

I have a lot more, but I’m listening to Wind of Change now in anticipation of finally being able to get some sleep!

Please share with me some of yours!

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I am blessed.

Truly blessed.

And it’s awesome to have a day specially designated to pause and give thanks for all of the blessings.

So today I’m giving thanks.

For the love of my family.

For the hugs from friends.

For the joy of purposeful work.

For the challenge of high expectations.

For the bonding that comes from a team.

For the sacrifice of those who serve.

For the wisdom of a father.

For the beauty of God’s creation.

For the patience of our Creator.

For the wonder of unexpected blessings.

For the joy of new life.

For the wisdom of mentors.

For the excitement of new opportunities.

For all of those who touched me in so many special ways this past year, I thank you!

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Here are two of the many, many, many things I’m thankful for:

This is Chase:

And this is Audrey:

It’s pure joy to watch them both grow!

And pure joy is what they bring to our lives!

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When you need motivation, who do you listen to?

When you need inspiration, where do you turn to?

When you need a smile, who do you call?

When you need advice, who do you talk to?

When you need coaching, who do you have coffee with?

When you need serenity, where do you go?

When you need a hug, who gives it to you?

When you are straining under the burden, who helps carry that burden for you?

When you are sad, who makes you laugh?

When you need someone you can trust to be on your team, who do you choose?

When you stare out the window, what do you think about?

When you pray, what do you pray for?

If others answered these questions about you, who would get the most right?

Hug that person tight.

And thank them for knowing you and not just knowing about you.

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Lots of folks are asking for help right now, some because they really need something that you can provide and others because in the times of adversity or great challenge there is strength and comfort in numbers and there is always an opening for an optimistic voice.

For many of us there is a natural tendency to jump up and say, “Sure, I can help”!  And by jumping in to help, we add even more challenge and even greater adversity (at times) to the already tough situation that the one asking for help may have because we really do want to help when our questions just take more time and our help just adds to the chaos that may already exist.

If you’re good enough to be asked to help, you automatically want to help.  But your help may not be what that individual or that company needs at that time.

When asked if you can help, always in turn probe a bit further to see who would be the perfect person to provide the needed help and what that perfect help would be that is needed.

If that fits you or something you can provide, by all means jump in and give help.

If instead, what they need is something that someone else would be much better than you to provide, gently suggest that you’d love to help in any way needed, but suggest they dream big and go get that one perfect person to add that perfect skill or that perfect experience to their mix.  If you really want to help, then help then get that perfect person that really can help!

The last thing that most people need is someone that agrees to help that provides no real help at all.

PS.  It’s ok to say, “I’m not what you need right now.”  It’s definitely not ok to say, “I’d love to help”, and then do nothing that does help.

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Companies change all the time.

Some companies change because the market is not doing what it did before and cuts are needed or a dramatic change in focus is required.

Some change because of growth and the things that may have worked so well to get you to a certain point may need to be modified, updated, upgraded or enhanced greatly to get you to that next major growth milestone.

Some change because of people and when new people are added to the team then new and different behaviors may be adopted or new paths may be destined for the journey.

And some change because the things that were acceptable and within the risk tolerance of the company during a heavy growth phase may not be acceptable from a risk perspective anymore.

As things change, that “perfect V” that defined the team all flying together and drafting off each other begins to change.  Some of those who flew in such perfect formation to get to a specific point begin falling off or lagging behind.  Sometimes the changes in formation are not because of specific decisions or choices made by the particular people that are part of the people at that time.  For example, the organization may be much more complex with growth and an individual may be incapable of keeping up or ill prepared for what is needed to stay in the formation.  In those times, the organization may have others drop back to build up or support those falling behind; or more likely, those dropping off may join another group flying just a little bit slower and demanding a little bit less than the high performance team of high growth individuals.

But at other times, those who were so powerful in one particular formation may pull out of their own choosing and look to join another team flying on a different path or flying at a different velocity. 

When an organization loses one of the key members of its formation, the remaining team will typically continue on for awhile, sometimes not even realizing who has dropped out and what has been lost depending on where they were in the formation and how important they were to the “V”.  If the departure is abrupt, the “V” will immediately reform and the hole will be filled to keep the integrity of the formation and to ensure continued movement towards the desired destination.  But eventually, if those dropping out are key to the strength and the integrity of the formation, the “V” will slowly fall apart as others are asked to tighten up and perform roles that they otherwise may not have the ability or the desire to perform.

As the team that got an organization to a certain point begins to change and the integrity of the formation is threatened, the organization has some very tough decisions to make.  Do they drop back and try to work with the one that has left the formation and try to build them back up or encourage them to rejoin the formation?  Do they quickly pick up someone else from outside the formation and lure them into the formation to fill the very critical hole in the “V”?  Or do they tighten up the formation and fly forward with fewer participants in the main “V” and work hard to keep those that are left flying fast and hard to the desired destination?

Regardless of the path or the plan, it’s critical that organizations carefully think through what they will do in response to the inevitable holes in their formation or structure.  The bigger the formation or the longer the flight, the greater the chance of the departures and the more urgent the need for formation planning.  The longer the formation has been together, the more certain there will be departures.

Maybe the right answer is that the bigger an organization gets and the larger the “V” becomes, the more important it is to have a “V” of “V” formations, and then have multiple flyers throughout the various “V” formations that could come together and ensure the integrity and speed of the main “V”.  The wing “V” may be impacted for a short period of time if one of the key members of that “V” moves up to the main “V”, but it’s a lot easier to replace those on the wings than to replace those critical to the integrity of the main formation.

So much more to think about!

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