Taming the Grawlix

Posted on by Scott

girl-2584728_640Odds are, you’ve never heard of a grawlix; but I bet you’ve seen one. They’re mysterious yet extremely common. They’re hard to describe, even though they are instantly recognizable. You could have one in your home or office right now.

This is a grawlix: #@$%*!

In 1964, Mort Walker coined this term to describe the series of symbols cartoonists use to represent profanity. Expressed in speech and thought balloons, the grawlix helps readers understand the pain, anger, or frustration felt by their favorite characters in the Sunday morning comics. When a fictional individual has a hard time expressing the negative emotions welling up inside, the grawlix is there to fill in the gaps.

Unfortunately, real life doesn’t come with a grawlix. When we feel strong negative emotions coming on, it’s no laughing matter. And while a bit of profanity might make you feel better in the moment, it does nothing to address the underlying cause. To move forward, you need to dig a little deeper.

Start by naming the emotion. Are you feeling angry? Are you frustrated? Does sad or guilty best describe your mood? Perhaps you are anxious, nervous, or just unsettled. Putting a label to your specific emotion helps put you back in control, allowing you to devise a plan for addressing it.

Next, zero in on the source. Identify the root cause – the action or inaction that led you to feel this way. Was it something you did? Are you feeling let down by others, or could it be a combination of the two? Write down the steps you believe it took to arrive at this point.

Now, cross out any steps that you can’t control. You see, often our anger, frustration, or anxiety comes as result of another person’s behavior. We expect them to act a certain way, and when they don’t our emotions take a turn for the worse. We enter a spiral of negativity, focusing on who wronged us, or disappointed us, rather than taking responsibility for our own future.

The secret to taming the grawlix is to act. Focus on the one person’s behavior that you can control – your own. Refuse to let your mind dwell on what could have been. Forget what others should have done. Create a plan of action for yourself. And execute it.

When you take responsibility for your destiny and take concrete steps to pursue the future you want, you’ll find little use for the grawlix. Unlike a Sunday morning cartoon, you won’t need a series of random symbols to express how you feel. My guess is you’ll have better things to say.

Of Forests and Trees

Posted on by Scott

nature-3294681_640I saw a commercial for Disney World the other day, and it brought to mind memories of a family trip we took there many years ago. I’ve always loved Disney World. Growing up, I lived close enough that our family went several times. As an adult, I was just as excited to take my own kids to this Magic Kingdom.

As we were walking between attractions, my eyes drifted from one scene to another. I marveled at the architectural details incorporated into the park. I wondered about the conversations I witnessed taking place all around me in numerous different languages. I smiled as I watched my children’s excitement constantly overwhelm them.

And then my eyes caught something different.

There on the ground just in front of me was a twenty dollar bill. People were stepping over it and on it as they walked. It was impossible to know who had dropped it. I picked it up and announced my find to the rest of the family. I remember making some remark about the magic of Disney and we walked on.

But then it happened again. This time, my eye spotted a folded up bit of cash. I went to throw away my empty drink cup and there it was, on the ground right next to the trash can. Close to $50 was added to my wallet this time.

In that moment, my kids were transformed. No longer were they interested in the rides, gift shops, or costumed characters. They weren’t even in interested in watching where they were going. All eyes were trained downward; searching for potential money on the ground. They ran into people. They scrambled to examine every bit of paper they saw. And because they were looking so hard, they couldn’t possibly see what they were looking for.

So many people walk through life with a narrow field of view. They are so focused on looking for one specific thing that they become blind to the possibilities around them. I didn’t find money that day because I was looking for it. I found it because my eyes were simply open. I was drinking in everything around me, enjoying the variety of scenery and activity in the moment. Because I wasn’t intent on finding any specific thing, I was open to seeing them all.

You’ve no doubt heard the phrase “Can’t see the forest for the trees.” This is often used to describe someone who is good at detail work, but tends to miss the bigger picture. They are too focused to understand what the team is trying to accomplish or how a particular task fits into the master plan. Their eyes aren’t open to possibilities that might lie right in front of them.

Our challenge as sales people, as customer service agents, and as leaders is to operate with eyes wide open. As we move through the day, we need to allow our senses to drink in what’s going on around us so that we can act on those opportunities others tend to miss. Subtle cues and clues can lead to sales. Unspoken needs can provide windows to serve. Casual interactions can open the door to meaningful mentoring.

Yes, we have tasks to perform. Yes, we have priorities that have been laid out. But we can’t be so singularly focused that we fail to pick up on fleeting chances to do something significant. The more we allow ourselves to enjoy the moment, the more able we are to see the magic.

After a while, my kids stopped looking for money on the ground and the joy returned to our vacation experience. That afternoon, we stopped and sat on a bench in order to review the park map and determine our next activity. Suddenly one of the kids jumped up and ran to the opposite side of the walkway. Something had caught his eye. He returned with a big grin on his face and a shiny quarter in his hand. “I wasn’t looking for it,” he said. “I was just looking around and there it was.”

Tinted Windows

Posted on by Scott

car-2797169_640Tuesday morning I found myself at a red light, positioned behind an ambulance. The window of the rear door was tinted; but sunlight streaming through a side window lit up the interior, rendering the tint ineffective. For the duration of the traffic signal’s cycle, I had a front-row seat to the drama unfolding inside.

A lady sat in the back of the ambulance, facing me. She was dressed in civilian clothes and talking to someone else (a first responder I presume) positioned with his back to me. She was sobbing, dabbing her eyes with a tissue.

Obviously, I couldn’t hear the conversation. But the setting and visual clues made it clear that she was in distress and the EMT was consoling her. Lights and siren hadn’t been turned on, so it would seem this wasn’t a life or death situation. I don’t even know that she was a patient – she was sitting upright, after all, and didn’t seem to be receiving direct medical care. Nevertheless, something significant had taken place and she was struggling with the result.

Every day, people move into our lives – sometimes for just a few moments. Every single one of them carries the weight of unseen burdens. It’s as if we see them through tinted windows. We might get a peek, but rarely do we grasp the totality of what they are wrestling with. We can’t possibly understand the circumstances that cause people to be where they are at any given moment. We can’t grasp the reasons for the decisions they make. It’s hard to actually see them at all really.

But occasionally, if we stand still, and the light is just right, we catch a glimpse. It’s in these moments when we see people for what they are – not account numbers or transactions to be completed, but as fellow human beings. It’s in these moments that we can truly be of service to them. It’s in these moments that we can make a real difference.

A welcoming smile. A kind word. An offer of assistance that reaches beyond the scope of our job description. These are the actions that transcend the job and add meaning to the moment.

We live in a world of connected loneliness. Never have we enjoyed the ability to share experiences and information with so many people so easily. Yet, never have we been so isolated. Hidden behind screens and avatars and user names are people – people yearning for connection.

The real business challenge we face is connecting. The easier we make it to get things done, through automation and self-help, the harder it becomes to bridge the gaps between us. And the more important it becomes to build those bridges.

Granted, it is safer to remain distant. My own life is messy enough; why should I take on someone else’s baggage? Why should I risk getting involved when I don’t have to? What’s to be gained?

Let’s be the kind of organization that builds bridges. Let’s be the kind of people that value relationships over transactions. Let’s be the ones who really connect. Let’s take the risk.

My light eventually turned green. Traffic starting flowing again. Before the ambulance pulled away, I saw the faceless passenger reach out and squeeze the crying lady’s hand. Then, just as the shifting light once again hid her tear-stained face, I believe I saw her smile.

The Fountain of Youth

Posted on by Scott

youth-570881_640On this day in 1513, Juan Ponce de Leon, an explorer from Spain, “discovered” Florida. The peninsula that makes up our southeastern-most state had been sighted before, but Ponce de Leon was the first to make landfall, arriving near the present-day city of St. Augustine. He named the new land “La Florida” since his arrival occurred during the time of Pascua Florida – the Easter Feast.

Legend says that Ponce de Leon was searching for the Fountain of Youth, a fabled stream of water that restored health and vitality. Stories of this mysterious spring were recorded as far back as the 5th century BC, when the Greek historian Herodotus wrote about it. Myths about the Fountain of Youth have been part of various cultures across the globe.

While there may not be an actual Fountain of Youth, I think it’s safe to say that we’d all like to maintain as much energy and vitality as possible. And it isn’t necessarily age that saps you of your youth. I know teenagers who act as if they’ve given up on life and senior citizens who are more active and alert than I ever was.

Obviously, exercise and diet play huge roles in prolonging life and providing energy, but according to research, there are a handful of intangibles that are just as important. Youth isn’t simply a matter of the body; it involves the mind as well. Here are three characteristics of youthful people to take note of.

They play. Think about the amount of time you spend at work. Have you ever noticed how the time seems to pass more quickly when you enjoy what you’re doing? That’s because we lose ourselves in the work when it’s enjoyable. We aren’t as prone to distractions and don’t even think about looking at the clock when we’re mentally engaged in the task at hand.

Studies show that laughter and mental engagement are key contributors to growth. We learn faster, perform better, and contribute more when we enjoy the work we do. Just because it’s called work doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.

They pursue. One of the things that make stories like the Fountain of Youth exciting is the pursuit of it. Ponce de Leon and other explorers left the comfort of their homes behind in search of something new and exciting. They weren’t content with what already was – they desired to accomplish something new.

What are you trying to accomplish at work? Do you have a goal that drives you to explore new opportunities on a regular basis? Without something to pull you forward, there’s no excitement. Don’t wait for someone else to introduce a little adventure into your job. Be an explorer and seek out opportunities that no one else has before.

They bend. It’s no doubt that, as we age, our bodies become less flexible. The same goes for our minds – unless we take care to exercise them. I think the term “malleable” is most apt to use in this context. Substances that are malleable aren’t flexible by nature, they’ve been pressed or even hammered into shape without breaking.

The key for us to is to view change as a chance to become something different – to assume a new shape without allowing the process to break us. People who are too set in their ways have a difficult time flexing or morphing into something new. Yet, as youths we did it without even thinking about it. It’s in our nature to flex. We lose that tendency over time and start to remain fixed.

Often it seems the biggest life-suckers of all come from work. For many people, work is drudgery – a grind. They live for the five o’clock whistle and the weekend. But that’s no way to live. It’s a definite recipe for growing old. And there’s no reason why it has to be that way.

Seek to incorporate some play into your profession. Pursue a goal that’s bigger than yourself. Try to roll with the changes that come your way, maybe even initiate a few yourself. Odds are, the Fountain of Youth is closer than you think.