Tim Russert died this past Friday. In spite of his hard work and the fact that he'd just commenced his 58th year of life, he looked pretty good. His death did not have the impact on me that some other journalists' had. But his tributes and memorials collect the same stories as his predecessors about being in the trenches, collecting the story that could not have been were it not for his/her conviction, the gripping interviews, attention to high journalistic standards, and so on.
I admired Tim Russert's skills as a journalist, TV moderator, speaker, and all the other attributes that went with his talents. But for the breadth of experience and talents, for the constant push toward a higher standard and the setting of new goals, for his desire to expand and increase the desire to know on the part of the information-consuming public, I still admire people such as Peter Jennings, and the legions of other journalist legends such as Walter Cronkite, Frank Reynolds, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, to name a few.
Knowing his ailment as intimately as I do, it is quite easy to identify with the footage his brain recorded in those last minutes, the thoughts and concerns about what he was doing and how to keep the flow of the work product moving to fruition. I know these things because Russert and I had the same standards. No matter what else, the product needs to be delivered. No matter what's happening, the public deserves to be as informed and educated as possible so that they are not making blind decisions.
Russert was also a journalist who stood his ground when he felt he was right about a particular slant. How well I remember the email that was sent to both his station (KNBC) as well as one of his competitors (KABC) that threatened to no longer watch his show if he continued to plunge viewers into yet another hour of Clinton horror reportage rather than cover the multifoliate issues impacting the U.S. domestic and foreign policy, and more. Russert chose to continue the Clinton coverage while his competitors re-integrated the political news of many perspectives back into their Sunday programming. It was his right to make the decision and it showed that he was a journalist who did not bend to pressure for the sake of pressure.
But the thing that most makes me want to stand and salute this excellent journalist is the one that many will take for granted. He died in one of the most glorious ways possible. He died while fully engaged in his greatest passion -- doing his work. How many of us will be able to say we died with a smile on our face because we were doing what we enjoyed most -- our work? That is definitely a glorious exit.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Monday, May 05, 2008
Case Study: The Nebulous Barista
One of the greatest challenges any person can experience is what to do when presented with a potential conflict of interest situation. It first has to be identified as a potential conflict of interest. If it can go either way, the consultant (or any other business person) must have a thorough and honest assessment of their own self in order to determine whether they are capable of putting aside their personal feelings in order to deliver a fair and balanced assessment of the situation and then make reliable recommendations.
I've never faced this sort of challenge in any of my business or consulting career until in the last six months or so. I was in a relationship with "Martin" and it had pretty much become public. Knowing my business identity as a management and career consultant, all three of his shift supervisors, during conversations on different days about various and sundry topics, broached the subject of Martin and what a great worker he is. The only perplexing issue for all three of them is what to do about him. He's max'd out on what he's qualified to do for the company yet he has talents that are not being tapped. Everyone is losing. They (all three) wanted to know what they can do to help Martin.
In the first two conversations, I promised I would think about the situation and get back to them. With the third, I began to question myself on the conflict of interest matter. "Can I put aside my personal feelings in order to deliver a reliable, independent recommendation about this?" I asked myself. It was a legitimate concern and one on which my reputation as a person capable of doing an accurate assessment and analysis rode.
One of my strong suits is taking a clinical look at a situation in order to see the various issues impacting it. A colleague recently commented on how careful and detailed my analyses of situations are and how well they make plain the issues that are buried in the tangle of each situation. Even when it's something about my own personality, I'm very strict with my assessment, analysis, and corrective measures. I finally responded to the third supervisor that I could do the assessment (that is, I could maintain an independent perspective of the subject) but it would need to be on a consultative basis, not as one-on-one training. She was satisfied with that response but we did not explore any other details.
Background
Martin started with the company in the lowest entry position possible. He is smart. He knows the way to keep a job is to do one's work well, thoroughly and in a timely fashion, without being told to do so two or three times.
He is a willing worker. No matter what the task, he is available to carry out the steps to bring it to fruition. He does not grouse or grumble. But he is bored. Thus, when I met him two years ago, nearly anything could distract him -- mostly the women. He began to find my table on a frequent basis. He began providing little extra services. Eventually, he was given a timer so that he could remember when it was time to recommence his cycle of duties. The timer worked.
All three of his shift supervisors agreed on one aspect of Martin. He's reliable. "I know that if I assign something to Martin, I don't have to think about it again. I can rely on him to get it done and done the right way." It was as though the three had read these words from a script because each one said exactly the same thing about him.
But the company had determined that in fairness to all employees, it was no longer going to have a custodial position. Instead, everyone would pitch in on maintenance; everyone would have their day at the bar. Therefore, Martin's world broadened because he needed to learn names and preparation of drinks. He became more engaged in his work, happier and more productive. His ceiling was raised.
Previous Work Experience
About a year ago, Martin shared with me information about his education and work he did in his native country. He talked about some of his personal responsibilities and his interests; he shared several of his interests with me. Unfortunately, what he spoke of as his previous occupation and education did not match the capabilities he exhibited. I have reservations about his representations in this regard. It seems to me he was attempting to impress me in order to gain more favorable attention and reception.
His lack of facility in English was plainly why he had not followed his previous alleged profession here in the United States. If he was telling the truth, he is drastically under employed and doing himself a mortal disservice by staying in his present position without seeking some type of promotion. However, this is by personal choice and necessity. During private conversations (before the meetings with the supervisors), I suggested to him that he consider taking one or two evening classes, even an ESL class. He declined the suggestions by saying he did not have enough time to attend the classes.
Martin enjoys reading. He is a wealth of information that he yearns to share with others but is constrained from doing so because of his position and his language deficiency. He would do well in training others. In fact, he is usually the one who trains the new employees about the various housekeeping duties of the store. He is conscientious and thorough. Unfortunately, he gets a little confused about co-worker congeniality compared with romantic overtures and requires constant reminders that "it's called training."
Another thing that didn't match his purported past with his current environment was the ability to deal with people. True enough, he serves people with courtesy. And in accordance with the theme of the company, he makes you feel as though you're at home.
However, Martin's previous occupation involved explaining concepts to others, making plain those concepts that are difficult to grasp, and getting people to talk to one another. He would have been responsible for negotiating deals and bargaining with others. He would have been deeply immersed in long and complicated conversations about complex subjects. These conversations would have droned on until there was resolution, the parties saw eye to eye, and all was plain.
Martin is good at talking to people but not in confrontational situations and not when negotiations are required. When hostility rears its ugly head, Martin backs down and looks for an ally to come to his defense. In the past, Martin has shared stories with me about the hostile customer who did not receive their drink as quickly as they desired or the drink did not meet with their approval. Although we attempted to rehearse some of the scenarios, he declined on the basis that rehearsal was unnecessary. Likewise, we attempted to come up with negotiated resolutions. These failed because he was seeking someone to step on his behalf rather than seeking a way to amicably resolve the situation on his own.
This reticence to discuss and resolve carries over into other situations. In the long run, it is ultimately discovered that the reason for the conflict (lack of seeing eye to eye) is because of a misinterpretation from one language to the other. Clarifying questions and answers would have resolved the tension.
Assessment and Recommendations
Even though Martin's representations about his background and work experience do not match his current behavior, he is a dedicated, diligent, and reliable worker. He will continue in his present position (or some form of it) for as long as he desires to work for the company.
If Martin wants to advance in the company, there are requirements for reaching each new position in order to qualify for it. It is mandatory that he fulfill those prerequisites and stop avoiding them. He constrains his own opportunities with his reticence to face new and greater challenges. He also retards his growth with his refusal to accept responsibility for his acts.
Martin needs to realize that flirting is not a synonym for customer cordiality. He would do well to continue to offer a pleasant smile and attentive service. But outright flirting with the female customers is not necessary.
Although AB 1855 only requires training supervisorial staff on the issues of sexual harassment, it would be well for all personnel to receive some training so that they have some concept of where the line is and when they may be crossing it or inviting someone to do so. Again, a person with the previous work experience that Martin represents he has would appreciate the differences and be capable of accurately identifying the behavior, no matter where the source that gives rise to it.
He would do well to learn more about the names and attributes of products, correct spellings, prices, and proper display. He should be trained on all aspects of front counter service and become involved in delivering service in that area so that he becomes a completely well-rounded employee.
It would be wise to train Martin on how to handle hostility in the workplace whether it occurs between employees, employees and customers, between customers. It would also be helpful to train him on how to handle the scene when it appears there will be an attempted robbery and how to recognize a developing dangerous condition.
Martin's greatest shortcoming is communication skills. He needs training in how to have a conversation about misunderstandings rather than blame others for mistakes or allow problems to fester because of lack of communication. Still, communication skills is a broad term and only scratches at the surface of the root issue. Martin's skill in spoken English is poor and retards his progress in everything he endeavors to do. He should be supported in taking an English as a Second Language course so that he may master his vocabulary recall and fluidity of speech.
I've never faced this sort of challenge in any of my business or consulting career until in the last six months or so. I was in a relationship with "Martin" and it had pretty much become public. Knowing my business identity as a management and career consultant, all three of his shift supervisors, during conversations on different days about various and sundry topics, broached the subject of Martin and what a great worker he is. The only perplexing issue for all three of them is what to do about him. He's max'd out on what he's qualified to do for the company yet he has talents that are not being tapped. Everyone is losing. They (all three) wanted to know what they can do to help Martin.
In the first two conversations, I promised I would think about the situation and get back to them. With the third, I began to question myself on the conflict of interest matter. "Can I put aside my personal feelings in order to deliver a reliable, independent recommendation about this?" I asked myself. It was a legitimate concern and one on which my reputation as a person capable of doing an accurate assessment and analysis rode.
One of my strong suits is taking a clinical look at a situation in order to see the various issues impacting it. A colleague recently commented on how careful and detailed my analyses of situations are and how well they make plain the issues that are buried in the tangle of each situation. Even when it's something about my own personality, I'm very strict with my assessment, analysis, and corrective measures. I finally responded to the third supervisor that I could do the assessment (that is, I could maintain an independent perspective of the subject) but it would need to be on a consultative basis, not as one-on-one training. She was satisfied with that response but we did not explore any other details.
Background
Martin started with the company in the lowest entry position possible. He is smart. He knows the way to keep a job is to do one's work well, thoroughly and in a timely fashion, without being told to do so two or three times.
He is a willing worker. No matter what the task, he is available to carry out the steps to bring it to fruition. He does not grouse or grumble. But he is bored. Thus, when I met him two years ago, nearly anything could distract him -- mostly the women. He began to find my table on a frequent basis. He began providing little extra services. Eventually, he was given a timer so that he could remember when it was time to recommence his cycle of duties. The timer worked.
All three of his shift supervisors agreed on one aspect of Martin. He's reliable. "I know that if I assign something to Martin, I don't have to think about it again. I can rely on him to get it done and done the right way." It was as though the three had read these words from a script because each one said exactly the same thing about him.
But the company had determined that in fairness to all employees, it was no longer going to have a custodial position. Instead, everyone would pitch in on maintenance; everyone would have their day at the bar. Therefore, Martin's world broadened because he needed to learn names and preparation of drinks. He became more engaged in his work, happier and more productive. His ceiling was raised.
Previous Work Experience
About a year ago, Martin shared with me information about his education and work he did in his native country. He talked about some of his personal responsibilities and his interests; he shared several of his interests with me. Unfortunately, what he spoke of as his previous occupation and education did not match the capabilities he exhibited. I have reservations about his representations in this regard. It seems to me he was attempting to impress me in order to gain more favorable attention and reception.
His lack of facility in English was plainly why he had not followed his previous alleged profession here in the United States. If he was telling the truth, he is drastically under employed and doing himself a mortal disservice by staying in his present position without seeking some type of promotion. However, this is by personal choice and necessity. During private conversations (before the meetings with the supervisors), I suggested to him that he consider taking one or two evening classes, even an ESL class. He declined the suggestions by saying he did not have enough time to attend the classes.
Martin enjoys reading. He is a wealth of information that he yearns to share with others but is constrained from doing so because of his position and his language deficiency. He would do well in training others. In fact, he is usually the one who trains the new employees about the various housekeeping duties of the store. He is conscientious and thorough. Unfortunately, he gets a little confused about co-worker congeniality compared with romantic overtures and requires constant reminders that "it's called training."
Another thing that didn't match his purported past with his current environment was the ability to deal with people. True enough, he serves people with courtesy. And in accordance with the theme of the company, he makes you feel as though you're at home.
However, Martin's previous occupation involved explaining concepts to others, making plain those concepts that are difficult to grasp, and getting people to talk to one another. He would have been responsible for negotiating deals and bargaining with others. He would have been deeply immersed in long and complicated conversations about complex subjects. These conversations would have droned on until there was resolution, the parties saw eye to eye, and all was plain.
Martin is good at talking to people but not in confrontational situations and not when negotiations are required. When hostility rears its ugly head, Martin backs down and looks for an ally to come to his defense. In the past, Martin has shared stories with me about the hostile customer who did not receive their drink as quickly as they desired or the drink did not meet with their approval. Although we attempted to rehearse some of the scenarios, he declined on the basis that rehearsal was unnecessary. Likewise, we attempted to come up with negotiated resolutions. These failed because he was seeking someone to step on his behalf rather than seeking a way to amicably resolve the situation on his own.
This reticence to discuss and resolve carries over into other situations. In the long run, it is ultimately discovered that the reason for the conflict (lack of seeing eye to eye) is because of a misinterpretation from one language to the other. Clarifying questions and answers would have resolved the tension.
Assessment and Recommendations
Even though Martin's representations about his background and work experience do not match his current behavior, he is a dedicated, diligent, and reliable worker. He will continue in his present position (or some form of it) for as long as he desires to work for the company.
If Martin wants to advance in the company, there are requirements for reaching each new position in order to qualify for it. It is mandatory that he fulfill those prerequisites and stop avoiding them. He constrains his own opportunities with his reticence to face new and greater challenges. He also retards his growth with his refusal to accept responsibility for his acts.
Martin needs to realize that flirting is not a synonym for customer cordiality. He would do well to continue to offer a pleasant smile and attentive service. But outright flirting with the female customers is not necessary.
Although AB 1855 only requires training supervisorial staff on the issues of sexual harassment, it would be well for all personnel to receive some training so that they have some concept of where the line is and when they may be crossing it or inviting someone to do so. Again, a person with the previous work experience that Martin represents he has would appreciate the differences and be capable of accurately identifying the behavior, no matter where the source that gives rise to it.
He would do well to learn more about the names and attributes of products, correct spellings, prices, and proper display. He should be trained on all aspects of front counter service and become involved in delivering service in that area so that he becomes a completely well-rounded employee.
It would be wise to train Martin on how to handle hostility in the workplace whether it occurs between employees, employees and customers, between customers. It would also be helpful to train him on how to handle the scene when it appears there will be an attempted robbery and how to recognize a developing dangerous condition.
Martin's greatest shortcoming is communication skills. He needs training in how to have a conversation about misunderstandings rather than blame others for mistakes or allow problems to fester because of lack of communication. Still, communication skills is a broad term and only scratches at the surface of the root issue. Martin's skill in spoken English is poor and retards his progress in everything he endeavors to do. He should be supported in taking an English as a Second Language course so that he may master his vocabulary recall and fluidity of speech.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Case Study: The Sleaze Factory
What does the atmosphere of your business say about your environment? In fact, it's worthwhile to consider what you want it to convey to those who use it. Some businesses want to project a very conservative and professional image. Consider a law office, dental practice, or a traditional university as examples. Others want to provide a comfortable environment, some sparked with a little fun and liveliness, others just a relaxing spot to be while attending to the many things that need attention.
In the past, I've spoken of Starbucks as "the pub." I saw it as the place where a great cross-section of humanity congregates for various types of social activities, as well as drinking coffee. It's a community where all of the occupants can interact with one another or not. It's intent is to project comfort and a home away from home atmosphere. But I saw Starbucks as more on the equivalent of the pub because of the myriad of things that go on there.
Dates are had there, without the need to tidy up the living room. Study sessions are fantastic at Starbucks because of the convenience of the amenities. It's the break-up place and the place to go before or after a special event -- or to celebrate an event. The community entrepreneurs come to one of my regular spots and hawk their wares by way of allowing the "prospects" to play the game and then take home their own package for more fun. The community oddity (there are actually about three or four who are at various grades of) also shows up each day and does whatever it is he does. I call him "Cousin Randy" (given name is artificial for privacy) because we all have one at home. Families come for an evening's treat and to relax. It's a pub.
For a time, I enjoyed my regular haunts and the personalities that populated them. But one in particular started changing last year. It was probably due to the fact that much of the regular crowd graduated, got jobs, and no longer needed Starbucks as a place to study. The new crop began to filter in and develop their habits. The remnants of the previous existence absorbed and accepted and kept ploughing through their own particular endeavors. The comfortable yet serious atmosphere began being pushed aside in deference to men (more than usual) who came -- on the prowl for single women. In addition, the more coarse part of the population grew. Along with their numbers, so grew the amount of vandalism and small children who were out of control. But back to the salivating men.
Some were outrageously obvious about their intent. The unrefined compliments were very thinly veiled. They interrupted reading in order to make mindless conversation. They flirted while ignoring the earplugs worn by their target. Even after the significance of the earplugs was explained, they persisted in raising a conversation with the woman wearing earplugs who was studying for the next class or test. Some boasted about the size of their laptop and then wondered whether anyone else would be intimidated by the size. There was an obvious subliminal message there and being the closest who could comment, I soundly assured the speaker that his size was definitely not the put-off.
On some evenings, the house had three or four of these Romeos plying their way through the sheaves of single women -- make that "young, single" women, knocking anything and everything near them over so that they could collect the email address or phone number that was not to be produced, and ignoring all forms of professionalism as well as common courtesy. And it seemed this was the atmosphere that Starbucks wanted to project because by Thanksgiving and Christmas, the partners roamed among the patrons asking them what they were going to be doing for the holiday. It's an innocent enough question. But when it comes out of the blue or not in context with anything else that's happening, it definitely makes a person wonder why the subject should come up at all (and was the young man asking for a date?). So the lounge lizard activities were being supported by the proprietors.
The lack of professionalism in The Pub grew. The acts of vandalism grew. The unruly children, the shrieking babies and toddlers being allowed to be out of control, the uncivilized acts, grew like rising yeast bread. It was finally obvious that the particular Starbucks had become the haven for the lower middle class that attempted to fool theirselves into believing their behavior was refined. But it was apparent that the class of people were going nowhere except down with the ship.
Distain for others wasn't even thinly veiled. Cutting and insulting observations were vocalized. Certain ones were treated as though their time was not valued and could be frittered away with inpunity. And why not? These were only old people who had too much time on their hands and lots of time to waste while they waited for something better.
This is a toxic environment. It will either consume everyone in it or it will be cleansed. Things came to a head about two weeks ago when one of the prowlers was asked about his business. He coughed a response, trying not to admit that his business is not doing well. But when a mature woman asked him about his business and a brochure, he spat back bile, his brochures were only given to those who could use them and who were likely to do business with him.
Yes, it was a teaching moment. He was told that the person asking the second question was in a position to make him a speaker for their group (potential business contacts). There was a clarifying moment when, after being carefully questioned, he admitted that he had no regard for the person who addressed him. In fact, in his opinion, they were only at Starbucks to waste time. He was told his attitude showed.
Now it may seem that this is turning into a he said/she said. But it isn't. That was an epiphanatic moment. No one else had taken the time to defend their selves or acts. And in addition to stating their capacity and capabilities, the speaker made the trowler aware of just how coarse his behavior had been -- but with tact.
I've been away from Starbucks for about 1.5 weeks since that night. What a difference in atmosphere since then! The sleaze factor has dissipated. Although it does come up in the evening, it isn't as strong a previously observed. In fact, the house has returned to its previous ambiance of serious individuals focused on work and work- or study-related endeavors. Familial chit chat and proper conversations flow. The families still find it a refuge for an evening's macchiato, latte, mocha, frappucino (with extra caramel and whipped cream, please). But the children are well behaved, disciplined, and supervised.
No longer are chairs whipped away from tables because the individual wants it for their own purposes. Asking whether the chair is available, or the space at the table has returned to being the practice. People are treated with respect and mindfulness of the value of other's time is taken into consideration. There is no longer continuous pounding on the only bathroom door and snide comments about how long the person inside the room is taking have abated. An air of civilization has returned. This is healthy. After all, this particular Starbucks is just up the street from Galen Center.
Perhaps management didn't notice that the little things were slipping in, like small rocks and pebbles, to erode what was a very good thing. Since there was a gap in time, there's no telling what happened that pressed the evolution back into the normalcy of a year and a half before. But it is no longer the ghetto Starbucks that it was becoming. And I believe, considering its position next to such a prestigious university, that is exactly the change that management wanted to achieve.
There was news that Starbucks is laying off 600 of its office employees in order to cut costs. It is implementing other strategic competitive moves to emphasize its dedication to serving a great cup of coffee to its patrons and delivering good customer service. Given that good customer service does not include pick-up lines such as "What are you doing this evening?" I'd say this refocus is healthy.
The other thing that happened in that 1.5 week interval was the countrywide training Starbucks did on February 26. The partners were excited for days after and twittered about how it was the first time they had an opportunity to actually sit with their co-workers at the same table and talk with them. They enjoyed learning the essentials of brewing and roasting, serving and combining in order to deliver a good cup of coffee. Somewhere, I heard a supervisor say something about learning how to actually wash the implements rather than merely rinse. All will be part of the training process.
Maybe that was what happened -- a refocus. But the refocus would not have touched the customers to the point of behavioral change. There was more that happened that caused the metamorphosis. And at this point in time, I'm glad to say it's once again the type of Starbucks a professional would want to use for studying, fine tuning a report, getting work done, or just going to The Pub.
In the past, I've spoken of Starbucks as "the pub." I saw it as the place where a great cross-section of humanity congregates for various types of social activities, as well as drinking coffee. It's a community where all of the occupants can interact with one another or not. It's intent is to project comfort and a home away from home atmosphere. But I saw Starbucks as more on the equivalent of the pub because of the myriad of things that go on there.
Dates are had there, without the need to tidy up the living room. Study sessions are fantastic at Starbucks because of the convenience of the amenities. It's the break-up place and the place to go before or after a special event -- or to celebrate an event. The community entrepreneurs come to one of my regular spots and hawk their wares by way of allowing the "prospects" to play the game and then take home their own package for more fun. The community oddity (there are actually about three or four who are at various grades of) also shows up each day and does whatever it is he does. I call him "Cousin Randy" (given name is artificial for privacy) because we all have one at home. Families come for an evening's treat and to relax. It's a pub.
For a time, I enjoyed my regular haunts and the personalities that populated them. But one in particular started changing last year. It was probably due to the fact that much of the regular crowd graduated, got jobs, and no longer needed Starbucks as a place to study. The new crop began to filter in and develop their habits. The remnants of the previous existence absorbed and accepted and kept ploughing through their own particular endeavors. The comfortable yet serious atmosphere began being pushed aside in deference to men (more than usual) who came -- on the prowl for single women. In addition, the more coarse part of the population grew. Along with their numbers, so grew the amount of vandalism and small children who were out of control. But back to the salivating men.
Some were outrageously obvious about their intent. The unrefined compliments were very thinly veiled. They interrupted reading in order to make mindless conversation. They flirted while ignoring the earplugs worn by their target. Even after the significance of the earplugs was explained, they persisted in raising a conversation with the woman wearing earplugs who was studying for the next class or test. Some boasted about the size of their laptop and then wondered whether anyone else would be intimidated by the size. There was an obvious subliminal message there and being the closest who could comment, I soundly assured the speaker that his size was definitely not the put-off.
On some evenings, the house had three or four of these Romeos plying their way through the sheaves of single women -- make that "young, single" women, knocking anything and everything near them over so that they could collect the email address or phone number that was not to be produced, and ignoring all forms of professionalism as well as common courtesy. And it seemed this was the atmosphere that Starbucks wanted to project because by Thanksgiving and Christmas, the partners roamed among the patrons asking them what they were going to be doing for the holiday. It's an innocent enough question. But when it comes out of the blue or not in context with anything else that's happening, it definitely makes a person wonder why the subject should come up at all (and was the young man asking for a date?). So the lounge lizard activities were being supported by the proprietors.
The lack of professionalism in The Pub grew. The acts of vandalism grew. The unruly children, the shrieking babies and toddlers being allowed to be out of control, the uncivilized acts, grew like rising yeast bread. It was finally obvious that the particular Starbucks had become the haven for the lower middle class that attempted to fool theirselves into believing their behavior was refined. But it was apparent that the class of people were going nowhere except down with the ship.
Distain for others wasn't even thinly veiled. Cutting and insulting observations were vocalized. Certain ones were treated as though their time was not valued and could be frittered away with inpunity. And why not? These were only old people who had too much time on their hands and lots of time to waste while they waited for something better.
This is a toxic environment. It will either consume everyone in it or it will be cleansed. Things came to a head about two weeks ago when one of the prowlers was asked about his business. He coughed a response, trying not to admit that his business is not doing well. But when a mature woman asked him about his business and a brochure, he spat back bile, his brochures were only given to those who could use them and who were likely to do business with him.
Yes, it was a teaching moment. He was told that the person asking the second question was in a position to make him a speaker for their group (potential business contacts). There was a clarifying moment when, after being carefully questioned, he admitted that he had no regard for the person who addressed him. In fact, in his opinion, they were only at Starbucks to waste time. He was told his attitude showed.
Now it may seem that this is turning into a he said/she said. But it isn't. That was an epiphanatic moment. No one else had taken the time to defend their selves or acts. And in addition to stating their capacity and capabilities, the speaker made the trowler aware of just how coarse his behavior had been -- but with tact.
I've been away from Starbucks for about 1.5 weeks since that night. What a difference in atmosphere since then! The sleaze factor has dissipated. Although it does come up in the evening, it isn't as strong a previously observed. In fact, the house has returned to its previous ambiance of serious individuals focused on work and work- or study-related endeavors. Familial chit chat and proper conversations flow. The families still find it a refuge for an evening's macchiato, latte, mocha, frappucino (with extra caramel and whipped cream, please). But the children are well behaved, disciplined, and supervised.
No longer are chairs whipped away from tables because the individual wants it for their own purposes. Asking whether the chair is available, or the space at the table has returned to being the practice. People are treated with respect and mindfulness of the value of other's time is taken into consideration. There is no longer continuous pounding on the only bathroom door and snide comments about how long the person inside the room is taking have abated. An air of civilization has returned. This is healthy. After all, this particular Starbucks is just up the street from Galen Center.
Perhaps management didn't notice that the little things were slipping in, like small rocks and pebbles, to erode what was a very good thing. Since there was a gap in time, there's no telling what happened that pressed the evolution back into the normalcy of a year and a half before. But it is no longer the ghetto Starbucks that it was becoming. And I believe, considering its position next to such a prestigious university, that is exactly the change that management wanted to achieve.
There was news that Starbucks is laying off 600 of its office employees in order to cut costs. It is implementing other strategic competitive moves to emphasize its dedication to serving a great cup of coffee to its patrons and delivering good customer service. Given that good customer service does not include pick-up lines such as "What are you doing this evening?" I'd say this refocus is healthy.
The other thing that happened in that 1.5 week interval was the countrywide training Starbucks did on February 26. The partners were excited for days after and twittered about how it was the first time they had an opportunity to actually sit with their co-workers at the same table and talk with them. They enjoyed learning the essentials of brewing and roasting, serving and combining in order to deliver a good cup of coffee. Somewhere, I heard a supervisor say something about learning how to actually wash the implements rather than merely rinse. All will be part of the training process.
Maybe that was what happened -- a refocus. But the refocus would not have touched the customers to the point of behavioral change. There was more that happened that caused the metamorphosis. And at this point in time, I'm glad to say it's once again the type of Starbucks a professional would want to use for studying, fine tuning a report, getting work done, or just going to The Pub.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Thriving on Challenges
It's time to be reflective and introspective. It's also time to be retrospective, that is to say, look back on the events of these past 365 days and put together the pieces so that there is a rhyme and reason to all of the activity, the comings and goings, the planning and executing, being accepted or not.
The single most continuous factor in this year has been challenge. In this instance, I speak of challenge in the context of a difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulating to one engaged in it. It forces us to meet the test or else fail. But Life is like a wheel in regard to challenges. Although we will reach an apex at one point, we will then sink from that height, whether from falling action or from failure, and continue to rotate until we come upon the same situation again in a new way and in another place, but still basically the same test to challenge our skills. And it is our ability to survive and pass the test that spells success as well as moving on to another level of challenges that will push our thinking, creativity, resourcefulness in order to claim a new victory with the arsenal of skills and talents that we amass as we move along our Life path.
The interesting thing about failing a challenge is that most of us get curious about what might have occurred had we succeeded. What's on the other side of the challenge and what is in the reward? Sometimes it's intangible. It lends itself to being able to communicate with others more effectively or to see the circumstances of others in an enlightened manner. We no longer need to judge another because we've developed an empathy with the person or the situation. There's better comprehension of more that's involved and we have a flavor of the dynamics against which the other is contending.
That taste of the potential victory spurs us to try again. We are in a position to appreciate the challenge we just faced because of the initial involvement. We realize how much more was involved in order to achieve success, even though we may not yet have a full sense of all that is necessary for that final conquer. Some of us analyze what we experienced, step by step, piece by piece, to determine what happened at each juncture, looking at what the various alternatives would have yielded had we moved in one direction rather than another. Just imagining this tends to get us excited, spurring us to leap to the next opening with enthusiasm. Just one more chance and it can be done. There'll be success!
And the curiosity spurs another aspect that can lead to development of even more skills -- creating alternatives. We create alternative methods of regaining the opportunity to face the challenge that will lend opportunity to do the next level of functions. Alternatives can be more than just maneuvering to be in the right place at the right time. Alternatives can also build new ways of overcoming old situations. Perhaps instead of climbing over the mountain, it is possible to tunnel through or under it, or simply go around it. Having executed any of the alternatives, even more perspectives are revealed to us. We learn more about the available terrain and its attributes -- the advantages and the recourses.
Welcome the Challenges
You expect me to say we should welcome challenges. I won't disappoint you. Without challenge, there's a life led in a static state. Challenges inspire and teach. Yes, to be certain, they are difficult. But what good comes from something that's a constant cake walk? We take the fruit for granted and don't appreciate any of what went into the development and gaining of the reward. We don't appreciate the knowledge that resulted from the experience. In fact, it's tossed aside like a gum wrapper so we can latch onto something that seems to hold more value in many ways. The resulting aptitude is something that is put off for another day. We don't stay as far ahead of the pack as we could without the challenges; we don't inspire others to push to be their full and best selves.
It's also important to enjoy the results of the challenge -- the victory. It's imperative to take the time to absorb who we were before the challenge and what we have become, what we have accomplished because of it. Most importantly, it'/////s absolutely necessary to see what we have done if physical representation is possible. Otherwise, it will feel as though we've simply been taking one step after a mindless next one. Sense and see the change in order to allow it to become part of who you are and spur even more growth.
Perhaps that one word is what challenge is all about -- growth. With everything in this and all other universes, the other constant is growth in order to extend the civilization, species, existence, and progress. To stop growing is to stop living. To stop growing is to stagnate and die because you become useless and rusty.
Desire for growth is healthy. Its seed is the curiosity that was addressed earlier. Repetition isn't necessary. Just a reminder that it behooves us to get curious about things and challenge ourselves to find the answer, find a new way, a better way, an improved way. And once those new things are developed, we should be mindful to evaluate all of them individually and against one another to determine whether there was in fact improvement or just a lot of flurry and activity for the sake of being in a state of agitation. Purposefulness is important to curiosity and growth.
Opening Doors
At the end of all of these activities and efforts, we should find that we are able to open more doors -- doors to Opportunity. Additionally, as we open one door of opportunity, it should then lead to another challenge that contains the seeds of the unknown and the budding of curiosity about the potentials that lead to success and yet another door to another opportunity.
Commencement
So as we begin this year 2008, may you have many challenges that you meet with success by satisfying your curiosity about the potentials and alternatives. And may those challenges be filled with an endless hall of Doors of Opportunity.
The single most continuous factor in this year has been challenge. In this instance, I speak of challenge in the context of a difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulating to one engaged in it. It forces us to meet the test or else fail. But Life is like a wheel in regard to challenges. Although we will reach an apex at one point, we will then sink from that height, whether from falling action or from failure, and continue to rotate until we come upon the same situation again in a new way and in another place, but still basically the same test to challenge our skills. And it is our ability to survive and pass the test that spells success as well as moving on to another level of challenges that will push our thinking, creativity, resourcefulness in order to claim a new victory with the arsenal of skills and talents that we amass as we move along our Life path.
The interesting thing about failing a challenge is that most of us get curious about what might have occurred had we succeeded. What's on the other side of the challenge and what is in the reward? Sometimes it's intangible. It lends itself to being able to communicate with others more effectively or to see the circumstances of others in an enlightened manner. We no longer need to judge another because we've developed an empathy with the person or the situation. There's better comprehension of more that's involved and we have a flavor of the dynamics against which the other is contending.
That taste of the potential victory spurs us to try again. We are in a position to appreciate the challenge we just faced because of the initial involvement. We realize how much more was involved in order to achieve success, even though we may not yet have a full sense of all that is necessary for that final conquer. Some of us analyze what we experienced, step by step, piece by piece, to determine what happened at each juncture, looking at what the various alternatives would have yielded had we moved in one direction rather than another. Just imagining this tends to get us excited, spurring us to leap to the next opening with enthusiasm. Just one more chance and it can be done. There'll be success!
And the curiosity spurs another aspect that can lead to development of even more skills -- creating alternatives. We create alternative methods of regaining the opportunity to face the challenge that will lend opportunity to do the next level of functions. Alternatives can be more than just maneuvering to be in the right place at the right time. Alternatives can also build new ways of overcoming old situations. Perhaps instead of climbing over the mountain, it is possible to tunnel through or under it, or simply go around it. Having executed any of the alternatives, even more perspectives are revealed to us. We learn more about the available terrain and its attributes -- the advantages and the recourses.
Welcome the Challenges
You expect me to say we should welcome challenges. I won't disappoint you. Without challenge, there's a life led in a static state. Challenges inspire and teach. Yes, to be certain, they are difficult. But what good comes from something that's a constant cake walk? We take the fruit for granted and don't appreciate any of what went into the development and gaining of the reward. We don't appreciate the knowledge that resulted from the experience. In fact, it's tossed aside like a gum wrapper so we can latch onto something that seems to hold more value in many ways. The resulting aptitude is something that is put off for another day. We don't stay as far ahead of the pack as we could without the challenges; we don't inspire others to push to be their full and best selves.
It's also important to enjoy the results of the challenge -- the victory. It's imperative to take the time to absorb who we were before the challenge and what we have become, what we have accomplished because of it. Most importantly, it'/////s absolutely necessary to see what we have done if physical representation is possible. Otherwise, it will feel as though we've simply been taking one step after a mindless next one. Sense and see the change in order to allow it to become part of who you are and spur even more growth.
Perhaps that one word is what challenge is all about -- growth. With everything in this and all other universes, the other constant is growth in order to extend the civilization, species, existence, and progress. To stop growing is to stop living. To stop growing is to stagnate and die because you become useless and rusty.
Desire for growth is healthy. Its seed is the curiosity that was addressed earlier. Repetition isn't necessary. Just a reminder that it behooves us to get curious about things and challenge ourselves to find the answer, find a new way, a better way, an improved way. And once those new things are developed, we should be mindful to evaluate all of them individually and against one another to determine whether there was in fact improvement or just a lot of flurry and activity for the sake of being in a state of agitation. Purposefulness is important to curiosity and growth.
Opening Doors
At the end of all of these activities and efforts, we should find that we are able to open more doors -- doors to Opportunity. Additionally, as we open one door of opportunity, it should then lead to another challenge that contains the seeds of the unknown and the budding of curiosity about the potentials that lead to success and yet another door to another opportunity.
Commencement
So as we begin this year 2008, may you have many challenges that you meet with success by satisfying your curiosity about the potentials and alternatives. And may those challenges be filled with an endless hall of Doors of Opportunity.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
First, Get Their Attention; Then, Play Your Strong Suit
As we wind down the year 2007, there are many holiday videos proliferating the Web. The one I found most interesting was being passed around on Facebook and had a comment attached. The comment said something to the effect that had classical music been presented to him in this manner, he would have taken a much more avid interest in it.
Many genres of music have their roots in what we term classical styling. For example, did you know that classical music and jazz are nearly first cousins? And that a person well versed on jazz will be in the know about classical? However, music per se is not what I want to talk to you about today. Today's topic has more to do with marketing your consulting service. And that is to get the potential customer's attention. In the past, I've likened job search and interviewing to dating; each party has to wait their turn for the appropriate overture before they can take the next step. So it goes with marketing your service. You want to make it appealing. You want to get the potential customer's attention and interested in learning more. Once their interest is whetted, they'll be more likely to stay for whatever lucid explanation or sample you provide and be more receptive to asking for more.
So I watched the classical video and saw the analogies to marketing. The video was full of wonderful stagings with rich colors. There were some dancers (of ballet). But the predominant fabric was the music of a four-piece string ensemble made up of four young, lithe women with flowing hair of all colors. All of them had faces quite easy to look upon. All of them wore black lace -- and not too much else under their costumes -- as they stood and played their instruments.
The piece they played consisted of approximately 16 bars that were repeated. It was like hearing that section of "Carmina Barona" where the horseman bears down on the scene vowing to overtake and plunder. But here, the women played the bars to the single phrase as they slowly stepped their way closer to the bib of the stage, their bows being drawn across the strings to produce fortissimo volume and periodically bounced off the bridge of the strings to produce an emphasized percussive in the music. The progression from the back of the stage to the front is slow. One step at a time as the bars are played repeatedly.
Something struck me as the musicians progressed to mid-stage. When we finally gained a view of them at the beginning of the piece, we had a full view of them and full appreciation of their costumes. It is not lost upon us that the gleaming smiles attest to the fact that these young women love the work they do, playing music, and they will do whatever is necessary (within reason) to make it appealing to a broader audience. The air gusts blown across the stage cause their hair to splay in many directions, causing an even more alluring scene. The dancers at the stage bib progress further up the stairs that the women are descending and we become more aware of the dance that is being performed. Simultaneously, we begin to lose sight of the full view of the musicians.
The initial jolt of the attention is accomplished. To remain focused on the costumes would cause loss of the more important message being conveyed -- the music and the musicianship. But the waist-high shots of the players progressing closer and closer to the audience keep us aware that the women are mastering the playing of the music as they also physically move the cello and bass fiddle forward and down the stairs. They are their own stage hands as they are the hands that play the most important thing of the reason for the attention -- the music.
The musicians are essentially steps away from the border of the stage. The dancers are fully engaged in their performance. Since they are background, we are not as aware of their performance. And, again, it is the marketing of the women musicians that is paramount and where our attention should be focused. And that is exactly where the focus ends. By the last four to five repetitions of the theme, we no longer see a full view of the musicians in their lacy costumes. Instead, we are fully focused on the musicianship. Why? Because the camera shot is a bust shot of each musician and then the quartet.
I'm certain had the women had chairs put beneath them in that very instant, they could have sat and played a full gothic piece and no one in the audience would have objected. In fact, it's a certainty that the musicians had not only by then caught the attention of their audience but also convinced them that whatever notes flowed from the isntruments was worth their time and attention. They played their strong suit in order to induce the potential market to ask for more. Does it always have to be fortissimo? No. Just as effective is starting in pianissimo, allowing the piece to gradually crescendo, interplay various colors and tones, and then fade away in pianissimo. This will leave a haunting effect that will tend to linger for even longer than a more forceful piece. But it all depends on the ultimate message you want to leave with the customer.
Many genres of music have their roots in what we term classical styling. For example, did you know that classical music and jazz are nearly first cousins? And that a person well versed on jazz will be in the know about classical? However, music per se is not what I want to talk to you about today. Today's topic has more to do with marketing your consulting service. And that is to get the potential customer's attention. In the past, I've likened job search and interviewing to dating; each party has to wait their turn for the appropriate overture before they can take the next step. So it goes with marketing your service. You want to make it appealing. You want to get the potential customer's attention and interested in learning more. Once their interest is whetted, they'll be more likely to stay for whatever lucid explanation or sample you provide and be more receptive to asking for more.
So I watched the classical video and saw the analogies to marketing. The video was full of wonderful stagings with rich colors. There were some dancers (of ballet). But the predominant fabric was the music of a four-piece string ensemble made up of four young, lithe women with flowing hair of all colors. All of them had faces quite easy to look upon. All of them wore black lace -- and not too much else under their costumes -- as they stood and played their instruments.
The piece they played consisted of approximately 16 bars that were repeated. It was like hearing that section of "Carmina Barona" where the horseman bears down on the scene vowing to overtake and plunder. But here, the women played the bars to the single phrase as they slowly stepped their way closer to the bib of the stage, their bows being drawn across the strings to produce fortissimo volume and periodically bounced off the bridge of the strings to produce an emphasized percussive in the music. The progression from the back of the stage to the front is slow. One step at a time as the bars are played repeatedly.
Something struck me as the musicians progressed to mid-stage. When we finally gained a view of them at the beginning of the piece, we had a full view of them and full appreciation of their costumes. It is not lost upon us that the gleaming smiles attest to the fact that these young women love the work they do, playing music, and they will do whatever is necessary (within reason) to make it appealing to a broader audience. The air gusts blown across the stage cause their hair to splay in many directions, causing an even more alluring scene. The dancers at the stage bib progress further up the stairs that the women are descending and we become more aware of the dance that is being performed. Simultaneously, we begin to lose sight of the full view of the musicians.
The initial jolt of the attention is accomplished. To remain focused on the costumes would cause loss of the more important message being conveyed -- the music and the musicianship. But the waist-high shots of the players progressing closer and closer to the audience keep us aware that the women are mastering the playing of the music as they also physically move the cello and bass fiddle forward and down the stairs. They are their own stage hands as they are the hands that play the most important thing of the reason for the attention -- the music.
The musicians are essentially steps away from the border of the stage. The dancers are fully engaged in their performance. Since they are background, we are not as aware of their performance. And, again, it is the marketing of the women musicians that is paramount and where our attention should be focused. And that is exactly where the focus ends. By the last four to five repetitions of the theme, we no longer see a full view of the musicians in their lacy costumes. Instead, we are fully focused on the musicianship. Why? Because the camera shot is a bust shot of each musician and then the quartet.
I'm certain had the women had chairs put beneath them in that very instant, they could have sat and played a full gothic piece and no one in the audience would have objected. In fact, it's a certainty that the musicians had not only by then caught the attention of their audience but also convinced them that whatever notes flowed from the isntruments was worth their time and attention. They played their strong suit in order to induce the potential market to ask for more. Does it always have to be fortissimo? No. Just as effective is starting in pianissimo, allowing the piece to gradually crescendo, interplay various colors and tones, and then fade away in pianissimo. This will leave a haunting effect that will tend to linger for even longer than a more forceful piece. But it all depends on the ultimate message you want to leave with the customer.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
How Do You Do It?
Recently, people have been emailing me and commenting on the phenomenal "things" I'm doing. They vow they will at some point have an opportunity to meet me and attest that they admire people who know their subject matter so well. They never actually point to anything specific. Given the feedback that comes to me from industry colleagues, I'm mystified but also flattered.
Last night I talked with a colleague. We laughed a little at the fact that we seem to be moving in tandem with one another. What precipitated the actual phone conversation was my accepting one request for a connection on a networking site. With accepting the one request, I was provided a river of other requests for connecting and networking opportunities. I shared this experience with the colleague. He confirmed that people have been waiting to connect with me because they admire what I've been doing and how I've been doing it.
The first step is learn everything possible about your industry. Learn the knowledge, the principles, the practices, the players. It's important to get to a point where you see relationships to what you're doing in everyday occurrences and can adequately articulate those connections.
Then, like going into a good dress store, start trying on the various suits and look at how they drape your form as it relates to the foundations that brought you to the recruiting industry. Not everyone does the same thing (thank God) and not everyone has the same specialty. Not everyone has the same interests or strengths. So get to know who you are in the spectrum of things. It's fine to start broad and then start narrowing. Most tailors do this in order to get the best fit.
The next important thing is to focus on the business side of things. Personality conflicts and competition have no room for life in this industry but they seem to be the mainstays of a large percentage of the industry. Focus on what you need to do and what you do. Produce commendable content and results. Charge a reasonable price for what you do.
With all of the factors surrounding your feet, it's time to start picking up the right things in order to create the correct suit for you and then wear and market it. As you go, you will meet streams of people. People, especially in the recruiting industry, are extremely important. They learn who you are, they talk about what you can do, they refer you or recommend you, the ask that you be assigned to work on a project. Thus, people are worth being more than a name in the rolodex, excuse me, contact list. It's important to build relationships with people.
Those who could be competitors can also be alliances, collaborators, who recommend you or help you complete an assignment because it cannot be done by one person. Sort out who is trustworthy and ethical. Form a good bond with them. Return the favor and courtesies.
There's probably more. That will have to come at a later date. This is sufficient for now.
recruiting, alliances, education, industry knowledge, focus,
Last night I talked with a colleague. We laughed a little at the fact that we seem to be moving in tandem with one another. What precipitated the actual phone conversation was my accepting one request for a connection on a networking site. With accepting the one request, I was provided a river of other requests for connecting and networking opportunities. I shared this experience with the colleague. He confirmed that people have been waiting to connect with me because they admire what I've been doing and how I've been doing it.
The first step is learn everything possible about your industry. Learn the knowledge, the principles, the practices, the players. It's important to get to a point where you see relationships to what you're doing in everyday occurrences and can adequately articulate those connections.
Then, like going into a good dress store, start trying on the various suits and look at how they drape your form as it relates to the foundations that brought you to the recruiting industry. Not everyone does the same thing (thank God) and not everyone has the same specialty. Not everyone has the same interests or strengths. So get to know who you are in the spectrum of things. It's fine to start broad and then start narrowing. Most tailors do this in order to get the best fit.
The next important thing is to focus on the business side of things. Personality conflicts and competition have no room for life in this industry but they seem to be the mainstays of a large percentage of the industry. Focus on what you need to do and what you do. Produce commendable content and results. Charge a reasonable price for what you do.
With all of the factors surrounding your feet, it's time to start picking up the right things in order to create the correct suit for you and then wear and market it. As you go, you will meet streams of people. People, especially in the recruiting industry, are extremely important. They learn who you are, they talk about what you can do, they refer you or recommend you, the ask that you be assigned to work on a project. Thus, people are worth being more than a name in the rolodex, excuse me, contact list. It's important to build relationships with people.
Those who could be competitors can also be alliances, collaborators, who recommend you or help you complete an assignment because it cannot be done by one person. Sort out who is trustworthy and ethical. Form a good bond with them. Return the favor and courtesies.
There's probably more. That will have to come at a later date. This is sufficient for now.
recruiting, alliances, education, industry knowledge, focus,
Friday, November 02, 2007
Gardening and Growing a Business
I'm trying to grow a few things right now. Sometimes there are growth spurts and sometimes there is drop off. I'm not happy with the results I'm getting. But as I contemplate the many efforts and their results, I remember the many times I started a garden. Then I remember the lessons of my Zen days and realize everything in this Life is akin to Nature and if we think in terms of how Nature deals with circumstances, we're certain to come up with natural solutions and success.
In the case of the garden, whether seeds or seedlings, there was the planting period after preparing the soil. After the planting was watering in order to help the new babies take to their new environment. Proper sunlight was needed as well as the correct temperature. And the most important element of all was the proper amount of attention.
Too much water would drown my babies. Likewise, too little water and they quickly turned into crispy crinkles for the dumpster. Watching them too closely amounted to wasting time. But I tried to tell myself that they were benefitting from the carbon dioxide I was breathing on them. My rational mind said that was a fallacy But leaving them unattended for too long was just about the same as forgetting to water.
During my Zen period, someone gave me three tomato plants. The donor insisted that we feed the plants as soon as they went into the ground so they would have a solid start. In order to keep peace and appease the person's ego, I acquiesced. The plants never got fed again. They got a weekly watering along with the other herbs and that was that. But the tomatoes grew to 2.5 times the size of a tennis ball. The vines looped over themselves three times. And I had tomatoes by the bushel. You might say their conditions were super optimized. They were larger than the neighbor who was a prize tomato grower. They were larger than the ones produced by the donor. It was obvious as you looked at their faces that they tried in vain to find something to say about the size of those tomatoes and their volume to cast a pall on their quality. There was no denying the quality in any regard.
On the other hand, I kept attempting to start impatiens in the edges of the rose garden. I used 4-inch pots. I used 10-inch pots. I used rooted cuttings. Healthy mounds were given to me in half-gallon pots. Nothing worked. It wasn't from lack of conditions. The gardener would hoe the rose garden even when I asked him not to do so and he would then chop up the impatien starts. I would show him where the starts were located and ask him to hoe around them. It did no good. I put notes on the plants and pinned them to the leaves with straight pins. It did no good. Sometimes you have people who are receiving instructions from two sources and one overrides the other. Nevertheless, the impatiens received too much attention with conflicting purposes.
As a consultant, there will be projects that seem to jettison themselves into outrageous success with the least amount of effort. Just some occasional attention is fine; the initial elements were properly prepared to allow their acceptance and growth. Those will be the cash cows. Be thankful for them.
There will be other projects that are like the impatiens. No matter what you do to protect and nurture them, they will be destroyed. Then it's time to examine which parties are involved with the project both internally and externally. Get rid of the external interference as quickly as possible. Be polite; be firm; stop the destruction. As for the internal party(ies), tell them you've decided to put the project exclusively into the hands of one person and no one else will have access. You may want to embellish a bit by letting them know they'll be considered for other projects in the future. However, your main focus is regaining control of the environment and keeping your product safe from destructive designs.
As for that one person who will be in control of the project, you're now wondering who that should be. Who do you trust most, more than anyone else. Yes, that's the person who'll be in control of the project.
Technorati: development, preparation, nurturing, control, destruction, success,
In the case of the garden, whether seeds or seedlings, there was the planting period after preparing the soil. After the planting was watering in order to help the new babies take to their new environment. Proper sunlight was needed as well as the correct temperature. And the most important element of all was the proper amount of attention.
Too much water would drown my babies. Likewise, too little water and they quickly turned into crispy crinkles for the dumpster. Watching them too closely amounted to wasting time. But I tried to tell myself that they were benefitting from the carbon dioxide I was breathing on them. My rational mind said that was a fallacy But leaving them unattended for too long was just about the same as forgetting to water.
During my Zen period, someone gave me three tomato plants. The donor insisted that we feed the plants as soon as they went into the ground so they would have a solid start. In order to keep peace and appease the person's ego, I acquiesced. The plants never got fed again. They got a weekly watering along with the other herbs and that was that. But the tomatoes grew to 2.5 times the size of a tennis ball. The vines looped over themselves three times. And I had tomatoes by the bushel. You might say their conditions were super optimized. They were larger than the neighbor who was a prize tomato grower. They were larger than the ones produced by the donor. It was obvious as you looked at their faces that they tried in vain to find something to say about the size of those tomatoes and their volume to cast a pall on their quality. There was no denying the quality in any regard.
On the other hand, I kept attempting to start impatiens in the edges of the rose garden. I used 4-inch pots. I used 10-inch pots. I used rooted cuttings. Healthy mounds were given to me in half-gallon pots. Nothing worked. It wasn't from lack of conditions. The gardener would hoe the rose garden even when I asked him not to do so and he would then chop up the impatien starts. I would show him where the starts were located and ask him to hoe around them. It did no good. I put notes on the plants and pinned them to the leaves with straight pins. It did no good. Sometimes you have people who are receiving instructions from two sources and one overrides the other. Nevertheless, the impatiens received too much attention with conflicting purposes.
As a consultant, there will be projects that seem to jettison themselves into outrageous success with the least amount of effort. Just some occasional attention is fine; the initial elements were properly prepared to allow their acceptance and growth. Those will be the cash cows. Be thankful for them.
There will be other projects that are like the impatiens. No matter what you do to protect and nurture them, they will be destroyed. Then it's time to examine which parties are involved with the project both internally and externally. Get rid of the external interference as quickly as possible. Be polite; be firm; stop the destruction. As for the internal party(ies), tell them you've decided to put the project exclusively into the hands of one person and no one else will have access. You may want to embellish a bit by letting them know they'll be considered for other projects in the future. However, your main focus is regaining control of the environment and keeping your product safe from destructive designs.
As for that one person who will be in control of the project, you're now wondering who that should be. Who do you trust most, more than anyone else. Yes, that's the person who'll be in control of the project.
Technorati: development, preparation, nurturing, control, destruction, success,
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