Make Sure Cross-Training Sticks

Posted on by Scott

checklistLet’s face it, a lot of cross-training just doesn’t stick. Despite your best efforts to provide an employee with adequate training, they just can’t seem to grasp what they need to do and when. People wind back up in the same class time after time, but forward progress is agonizingly slow.

Before we go any further, I think it’s important to point out the difference between training and coaching. Many people confuse the two, but to me there’s a huge difference. Understanding how they are distinct is key to what we’re trying to accomplish.

Training focuses on relaying information. There’s data that needs to be transferred; a base of understanding that needs to be built. This is often accomplished through classroom instruction, online courses, webinars, or even using emails and articles like this one.

The goal with training is, obviously, to increase a person’s knowledge about the given subject. We want to make sure the brain understands the what, when, why, and how. Training focuses on presenting information in a way that’s easily retained.

Often, we use some kind of assessment to gauge how much of this knowledge a person has absorbed. A product of the month quiz, for example, helps you see how much information about a product you have retained. This is the standard model used in schools and universities to gauge the level of knowledge a person has acquired regarding any particular topic.

Coaching, on the other hand, focuses on turning knowledge into action. After all, information isn’t any good if you can’t actually use it. Coaching is the process of turning information into observable steps that can be replicated. The knowledge has to travel from the brain into practical application.

The goal with coaching then, is a change in behavior. The result of coaching should be the observable implementation of what’s been learned. Since I can’t look inside your mind to see what you know, I have to rely on what I can see – the way you perform – to ascertain whether or not the knowledge that’s been shared is having an impact.

Therefore, the measure of success when it comes to coaching is the successful achievement of a goal. The change in behavior should lead to the attainment of desired performance outcomes. That means I have to have something to measure against. There has to be a benchmark of some kind.

Cross-training requires both of these components. You can’t have someone attend a webinar and say they’ve been cross-trained. You can’t just show someone the mechanics and assume they understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. Effective cross-training happens when the learner can successfully demonstrate the desired skill under the appropriate circumstances, and understands why it’s important to do so.

This all means that cross-training is a process. For it to work, cross-training has to be carefully planned and methodically conducted. Here are some quick tips to help make sure your next cross-training effort goes smoothly.

  1. Identify the key steps that need to be learned. Zero in on the four or five actionable parts of the process to be learned and write them down. Spell them out in basic terms. Describe the action to be taken, point out why it’s important, then explain the specific steps.
  2. Assign the best possible teacher. Pick out a member of the team that’s an expert and ask them to coach the new kid. Pick a top performer – someone who gets it right. Don’t leave cross-training to someone whose own performance is sketchy.
  3. Put the learner in charge. Provide the person learning a new skill with a checklist of your key steps. Give them questions to answer and problems to solve. Cross-training should end when the learner feels they’ve accomplished their goal, not when the teacher decides to stop.
  4. Provide some structure. Make sure both the teacher and the learner understand the rules of the game. Give them both a copy of the skills to be shared. Walk through particulars regarding when the cross-training is to take place. Explain what success looks like.
  5. Ask for proof. Ultimately, you have to witness the new skill in action for cross-training to have successfully taken place. Ask the learner to complete the steps in your presence. Have them explain to you what they are doing and why.

Developing the team is a key aspect of leadership. The care and attention you provide to the growth of your crew speaks to your level of commitment to their success. Don’t leave this one to chance, and they won’t leave you hanging.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

Have an opinion on this post? Share your thoughts on our facebook page.

Where to Find Time for Cross-Training

Posted on by Scott

clock-95330_640Last week, I shared some of the most common reasons well-intentioned managers aren’t able to make cross-training happen. Toward the end of that article, I suggested that, instead of shutting the business down in order to schedule this one-on-one time, it’s better to take advantage of naturally occurring opportunities to cross-train. Use the bits and pieces of time that pop up to help your staff acquire new skills.

For instance, even the busiest location or department encounters periods of down-time. When there’s a lull in customer traffic, or a break between projects, this is a good time to engage in some cross-training. There’s a saying in the restaurant business: “If there’s time to lean, there’s time to clean.” I’m not saying that people don’t deserve a rest, or that every second needs to be devoted to a specific agenda. But if you find yourself needing to cross-train someone on the team, take advantage of the opportunity when it’s presented. You may get interrupted, but that’s ok. Just pick back up when the next opening comes along.

Another useful place for some cross-training is during your team meetings. If you already have time set aside for team discussion, focus one of your agenda items on a skill that needs to be shared. Have the resident expert lead a mini class. It might take several meetings to get through, but there’s some dedicated time you can use to grow the team.

Team-ups is essentially a mentoring relationship. Take someone who needs to learn a skill and pair them with someone who’s an expert. Set a time frame, provide the necessary resources, and communicate your expectation that a successful team-up results in the newbie demonstrating a mastery of the new skill.

Finally, look for drive-by training opportunities. These are spur-of-the-moment chances to share knowledge and skill. I’m reminded of an old friend of mine named Daniel. He and I were both team leaders in the same company and had to generate a number of sales reports each month. Neither of us had any formal education with Microsoft Excel, so most of our knowledge came from trial and error. But as we looked for new ways to slice and dice the data, we developed a habit of sharing things with each other. I’d walk by and see Daniel working on a spreadsheet and ask him to show me what he was doing. Sometimes I’d discover a handy formula and would call him over to see it in action.

Train your team to share with each other like this “in the moment.” Create a culture where people naturally involve others as they work on projects so that skills spread around. Foster an environment where people ask each other “How did you do that?” because they know their teammate will respond by teaching them. When you do that, you create a coaching culture.

We tend to think of training in terms of specific events. A skill is introduced and explained, beginning to end, all in the same session. But mastering a skill doesn’t work that way. It takes practice, over time and ideally with an appropriate level of oversight to ensure success. Rethink your approach to developing the members of your team. Train yourself to see cross-training as a routine part of the job rather than a one-time event.

How do you approach cross-training with your team? I’d love to learn about any practices you’ve found particularly useful.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

Have an opinion on this post? Share your thoughts on our facebook page.

Getting Past the Barriers to Cross-Training

Posted on by Scott

road-block-340196_640Over the years, I’ve worked with a lot of different managers. If there’s an excuse for not getting something done, I’ve probably heard it. And truth be told…I’ve used most of them myself. When it comes to cross-training, here are the most common reasons we just haven’t been able to get it done. 

It could be that we just don’t know how to do the job ourselves. It’s kind of hard to teach someone a skill you don’t possess yourself. And let’s be honest, there’s plenty that we don’t know – or at least plenty that we don’t feel competent enough in to act as a teacher for someone else.

Now, you might think the answer to this is bone up on your own skills. But let’s face it. There’s a limit to what any one person, even a manager, can do. And despite what some people think, your job as manager is NOT to be the expert at everything.

So, when you’re faced with the need to cross-train an associate on a skill you don’t have, the best move is to delegate that responsibility to someone else. Let another associate take the reins on a co-worker’s skill development. One way to motivate certain people is to give them responsibility. This could be just the opportunity to show someone how valuable they are to you. In fact, even if you could do the cross-training yourself, I encourage you to empower a member of your team to take that on whenever possible.

Another reason cross-training falls to the side is because we’re holding on to a task we like doing. Everybody has their pet projects. Everybody has some routine chore that they hold onto like it’s their baby. We complain about it, and struggle to find time to get it done properly, but we resist handing it off to someone else.

We have to force ourselves to consider the cost of holding onto these pet projects. As managers, there are only a few tasks that we absolutely must do ourselves. Most the work that gets done each day could be handled by someone else on the team. When we refuse to let go of certain things, we’re stealing time from those responsibilities that ought to be front and center for us. We should put our time and energy toward those things that will best move the team forward and grow the business – that’s what we’re here for.

Plus, when we hold on to those things that could be handled by someone else, we rob them of the opportunity to grow. We make them less able to contribute to the team. We need to cross-train people so they can realize their full potential.

A third reason cross-training doesn’t happen is that we often don’t believe their associates are capable of getting the job done. Perhaps they’ve dropped the ball in the past. Maybe we just don’t trust them or like them.

In any case, we need to be careful about putting artificial limits on members of the team. I found out long ago that people can surprise you – in good ways. And time after time, when I’ve made the decision to challenge someone to stretch their capabilities, they’ve come through. Remember that people want to do a good job – and they want to do a good job for you, the boss. Believe in them even more than they believe in themselves and watch them blossom.

Probably the most common reason we don’t get around to cross-training people properly is that we just don’t have the time. We’re shorthanded, behind the curve, and just trying to get everything done. Who has time for cross-training – or any other meaningful leadership activity for that matter?

Well, believe me, I get this one. We’re all being asked to do more with less and the tasks just keep piling up. That’s actually one of the best reasons to make cross-training a priority. But I don’t necessarily think the answer is reshuffling schedules or putting off important jobs to focus on cross-training.

The answer lies in finding natural opportunities to make cross-training happen. Instead of blocking out chunks of time dedicated to showing someone every step of the process, maybe the answer is to take advantage of nooks and crannies of time. There are some naturally occurring teachable moments we can tap into if we try.

If you’re one of those managers for whom cross-training just always seems out of reach, take a few minutes to rethink your approach. Delegate some responsibility. Let go of pet projects that don’t require your involvement. Challenge your perception of the team’s potential, and look for ways to incorporate cross-training into the day-to-day routine. You just might surprise yourself.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

Have an opinion on this post? Share your thoughts on our facebook page.

Try a Little Exercise at Work

Posted on by Scott

gymer-1126999_640Long ago, elite athletes determined that by augmenting their normal training regimen with activities pulled from other sports, they could improve performance in their own. Focusing on a limited set of movements and skills left them vulnerable to injury when something unexpected came along. By spending a portion of their workouts engaged in other sports, an athlete improves their overall strength and conditioning, providing a firmer foundation upon which to perform.

This is called cross-training. While it’s become standard practice in sports, it’s not quite as common in the business world. Too often, employees are pigeon-holed into silos of responsibility. In addition to leaving the team vulnerable to events like absences, revised deadlines, or surges in customer traffic, it leaves individual workers at a disadvantage. That’s because, like an athlete, we can improve performance in our core duties by engaging in a bit of cross-training. Cross-training flexes the mind just like it does any other muscle.

Cross-training provides variety. When we do the same things repeatedly, the brain starts to develop neural pathways that make it easier for us to get the job done. Actions become automatic and we do thing without even thinking about them. This muscle-memory can be useful. I don’t have to think about putting my seatbelt on each time I get in the car – it just happens. But when work becomes routine, our minds begin to wander. We disengage. We get bored.

When we tackle a different kind of work, we’re exposed to a different set of circumstances. We have new variables to consider and new decisions to make. Our brains start firing in new ways and we are forced to think, and act, in ways we otherwise wouldn’t have. Work becomes challenging and interesting. Cross-training keeps us from becoming bored.

Cross-training provides insight. Encased in the bubble of sameness presented by our siloed work environments, it’s hard to see the bigger picture. Our actions have ripple effects that we can’t see because our focus is so narrow. There are others working hard to solve problems we could help solve if we’d only look outside the bubble.

When we engage in work typically done by others, we start to connect the dots between our job and theirs. We begin to see relationships that expand our understanding of the organization’s mission. We learn to appreciate the struggles others face and the value they provide. We begin to understand the meaning of the word “team.” Cross-training keeps us from becoming isolated.

Cross-training provides perspective. When we do the same job day after day, we develop systems that become habits. Like a trail in the woods, a rut starts to form. Before long, the ruts become so deep that we adopt the edges as the boundaries of our ability. We can’t see any other way to get the job done because we’ve gotten comfortable living in the rut.

When we take on a new task, it’s like blazing a new trail. We see things differently because we must. There’s no established rut to follow. We’re free to ask questions and explore new ways of thinking. As we learn the what, why, and how of a new task, we start to question the boundaries of our own responsibilities. We start to see the ruts we’ve created from the outside. This new view helps us identify new and better ways of performing our own job. Cross-training keeps us from becoming short-sighted.

Cross-training has numerous benefits for the team. The flexibility of having multiple people capable of performing any given task is obvious. However, the greatest benefit may to the individual who steps up to try something new.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

Have an opinion on this post? Share your thoughts on our facebook page.

Four Meetings You Should Be Having Now

Posted on by Scott

workplace-1245776_640Just as there are plenty of meetings that don’t need to take place, there are times when it’s vitally important to bring the team together. Certain things need to be handled in a group setting, not via email or a series of one-on-one conversations. For these, you need to hold a meeting.

You may need to hold an information-sharing meeting. In this case, you have something that needs to be communicated in a way that ensures everyone gets the same message. Emails can be interpreted in a variety of ways. There’s no way to gauge the intensity of emotion while merely reading an email. Individual conversations can easily veer off into the weeds. Discussion of unrelated topics could alter or cloud the information being discussed.

By disseminating information during a meeting, you can ensure everyone hears the same message. You only need one conversation and can easily check for understanding by asking questions as well as gauging body language and facial expressions. Attendees have the opportunity to ask clarifying questions and the entire group benefits from hearing the answers.

You may need to hold a decision-making meeting. Here, there’s a problem to solve and you are looking to gather input. Those in attendance have a stake in the outcome of this decision and should therefore be willing to help make sure all necessary information is provided so that the best possible move can be settled on. The interaction of the group is important. Stakeholders will have differing opinions and the interplay of various viewpoints allows everyone to understand the bigger picture.

Decisions could be made by the group, via a vote or compromise, or by the leader after considering all potential inputs. Attendees should understand the role they are to play and the timeline of the decision being made so that critical information is not withheld or delayed. By including everyone in the meeting, no feels left out and all should agree to support the decision once made.

You may need to hold a brainstorming meeting. These meetings are designed to generate ideas and bring out the creativity in people. A meeting such as this could be held as a precursor to making a decision or to help specify details related to decisions already made. Allowing people to innovate in a group setting helps solidify team bonds, boost engagement, and ramp up energy levels.

Brainstorming can be difficult to facilitate, especially if participants have no foreknowledge of the task. Be sure to prepare people ahead of time by providing as much information as possible and allowing time for individuals to research and develop ideas on their own. Once the group is together, this will provide a head start to idea generation and fertile ground for group interaction.

You may need to hold a skill-development meeting. Team meetings are a great opportunity for coaching. Participants can improve their skill set either by taking an active role in skill practice or by observing and providing feedback. Learning from the example of peers is a great way to speed up skill development, especially when the trial-and-error aspect of practice is shared.

Facilitating skill-development meetings can be tricky and requires adequate preparation on the part of the meeting facilitator. Make sure to plan enough time for everyone to participate. Ensure any job aids or necessary materials are on hand. And be ready to demonstrate the skill yourself in order to provide attendees with an example to work from.

There are definitely times when a meeting is not the right solution; but there are plenty of times when a meeting is just what the team needs. Use meetings effectively so that your team responds enthusiastically, contributing more than just their presence. Do you have regularly-scheduled team meetings? What aspects could be improved?

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

Have an opinion on this post? Share your thoughts on our facebook page.

Circle Up! Lead From the Huddle

Posted on by Scott

Hands-In-e1448857238616Paul looked across the line of scrimmage at the other team. He glanced at the scoreboard and then at the stands; full of friends and family, all anxiously awaiting the next play. Then he scanned the faces of his teammates. Each one stared intently at Paul, eager to receive his instructions. It was 1892 and, as captain of the Gallaudet University football team, Paul Hubbard felt the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The two teams were fairly evenly matched. Defenses on both sides had had little difficulty in thwarting any big offensive moves. But that came as no surprise to Paul. It’s easy to anticipate your opponent’s next move when they spell it out for you. You see, Paul and his Gallaudet Bison teammates were all deaf; so were the players lined up across from them. Gallaudet and their rival school were both universities designed for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Naturally, plays were relayed using American Sign Language. All you had to do was watch the quarterback’s hands, and you knew exactly what play he relayed to the rest of his team.

Paul suddenly realized that, unless he could devise a way to communicate with his team in a manner that prevented their rivals from seeing his signs, this would be a very long game. So he stepped back from the line and motioned his men to follow. Then he arranged them in a circle facing each other and relayed his instructions safe from prying eyes. In other words, he initiated the first football huddle.

Today, huddles are an expected part of any football game. In fact, just about every sport has adopted the huddle as way to bring the team together between plays. It’s a great way to share time-sensitive information, gain consensus, and boost motivation. Smart business teams also understand the value of the huddle. Teams that take advantage of opportunities to huddle routinely report increased productivity, camaraderie, and job satisfaction.

The thing I like most about the huddle is that it happens on the field – right in the midst of the game. When you’re in the middle of a huddle, its game time. There’s no time for practice. No time for debate. It’s all about execution. Once the huddle breaks, the game is on. That makes the huddle the most important meeting a team will ever have.

If you haven’t tried huddling with your team, maybe now is the time to give it a shot. Even if you currently utilize the huddle, you might want to check out Arina Vrable’s tips for running an effective team huddle. She provides some great ideas for incorporating this strategy into your daily routine.

  1. Keep it short. Shoot for no more than 15 minutes. You need to get out there and score some points.
  2. Keep it moving. This is not the time to make long-term plans. Focus on what’s needed to succeed today.
  3. Keep it going. Don’t let the practice die because it feels awkward at first. Like anything else, team huddles take some time to get right.

Leaders consistently ask me to help them with tips for motivating the team. I’m a long-time believer in the power of huddles to keep teams informed, focused, and accountable – all essential elements to motivation. Practiced consistently, a 15 minute huddle can dramatically impact the outcome of the day.

Committed teams look forward to the huddle. They see it as part of a game-winning strategy. And once the huddle breaks, every player knows exactly what they’re supposed to do in order to win. So what do you say, quarterback? Ready to win this game? OK then…circle up!

To Uncover Your Team’s Potential, Dig Deep

Posted on by Scott

Moai_at_Rano_Raraku_-_Easter_Island_5956405378-e1447374867392Growing up, I was fascinated by far-away places; still am. My parents subscribed to National Geographic magazine and I eagerly looked forward to each issue, knowing that opening the cover would reveal a variety of stories about strange cultures and new discoveries – all accompanied by the most incredible photographs. From my room in Madison, Tennessee each article transported me to another place and time.

One of my favorite stories was about Rapa Nui, more commonly known as Easter Island. It’s the planet’s most remote island; 3,000 miles from the coast of Chile and over 1,800 miles from the nearest inhabited island. It’s famous for the hundreds of giant stone statues, called “moai,” scattered around the landscape. For centuries, people have been trying to understand how the locals were able to carve these statues, how they were able to transport them, and what they were meant to represent.

Many of the moai became buried over time due to flooding and landslides. In fact, it was only a few decades ago that archeologists, excavating around some of the larger statues, discovered the moai were full body statues rather than just large heads. Digging below the surface revealed not only a more fully formed sculpture, but traces of paint and carvings that had been protected from erosion. Each moai was found to be unique, possessing its own set of characteristics, rather than a clone of the same model.

Unfortunately, too many leaders view the members of their team the same way we used to view the moai – just a bunch of heads, all cut from the same material with little to distinguish one from the other.

Whether it’s due to a lack of time, a lack of opportunity, or a lack of interest; we tend to look at the people around us in terms of what’s easily visible. We make judgement calls based on a cursory glance at only the most basic information. Rarely do we dig deep enough to discover the unique traits someone brings to the table. I mean, how much do you really know about the people in your own organization?

You probably know quite a bit about those operating in your immediate vicinity – those you interact with on a daily basis. You work closely together, have lunch, share personal anecdotes from the weekend, and even develop friendships. As these close relationships grow, you naturally learn more about their capabilities and interests.

But what about those outside of your inner circle? How much do you really know about them? If your perception of someone is based on a limited set of interactions, say a few email exchanges or telephone calls, then you don’t have the full picture. If you make assumptions of their potential value based on a narrow scope of work that’s readily available, you have no way of judging their true potential.

Effective leadership involves digging deeper. It requires learning about what lies beneath the surface. Of course, that takes time. It takes effort. It takes commitment. But then, that’s leadership.

As scientists learn more about the moai, they also learn more about the long-lost civilization that created them. An entire culture lies underground, waiting to be discovered. Who knows how the world might be enriched and expanded with just a little digging?

“Moai at Rano Raraku – Easter Island” by TravelingOtter is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

31 Days of Praise

Posted on by Scott

thank you wordle

According to Meriam-Webster Dictionary, to praise is to say or write good things about someone or something or to express approval of someone or something. Sadly, even with so clear a definition on hand, praise remains a mystery to a great many people. Given the opportunity to provide feedback, we’re much more likely to communicate criticism than approval.

While terms like “constructive criticism” seem to imply that there’s a higher purpose behind offering negative feedback, most attempts fall woefully short. All the recipients hear is that they’ve failed. And negativity only seems to breed more negativity. That’s because we tend to emulate the environment around us. We communicate in the way we are communicated to. We give what we get.

High performing teams use praise to great advantage. In a study conducted by the Harvard Business Review, top performing teams were found to have given each other more than five positive comments for every criticism. Low performing teams, those at the bottom of the barrel in terms of financial performance and customer satisfaction ratings, shared almost three negative comments for every positive one. Praise, it seems, goes straight to the bottom line.

If you think about it, that makes a lot of sense. Criticism introduces self-doubt and hesitation. It makes us less likely to take chances for fear of disappointing someone again and revisiting the land of failure. So teams and organizations characterized by primarily negative communication move slower, innovate less, and miss out on opportunities for growth.

Teams and organizations that share a lot of praise, however, benefit from more vibrant working relationships. They enjoy working together and are therefore more likely to collaborate. The positive emotions elicited by praise cause us to work harder, stretch farther, and achieve more. We crave praise, so we tend to repeat behaviors that garner positive feedback.

There’s precious little praise floating around these days, though. It’s bad enough that news and social media outlets feed off of negativity; but so much of what we communicate to each other day to day winds up being derogatory. It’s going to take some focused effort to reverse our downward spiral.

So I’m issuing a challenge.

July has 31 days. I’m challenging you to make a focused effort to praise for 31 days. Each day of July, I want you to identify one individual who has done something good – something praise worthy – and recognize them for it. Choose a coworker, boss, or team member. Pick a classmate or family member. Identify a friend or even an enemy. Just find someone each day of the month and praise them for something.

You don’t have to advertise this. There’s no need to let the world (or even me) know what you’re doing. The best praise is personal anyway. It’s delivered one on one, with sincerity. That said, I would like to suggest a few guidelines should you choose to accept my challenge.

  1. Be specific. Offer more than a “good job.” Praise is most effective when the recipient knows exactly what they did to receive it.
  2. Get personal. Let the recipient of your praise understand why you appreciate them. That means letting them know what they (and what they’ve done) means to you personally.
  3. Let the praise stand on its own. Any positive comments you deliver will be lost if accompanied by criticism. Even if you have suggestions for improvement, save them for another time. Let the good news work its magic.

There it is. The gauntlet has been thrown down. For 31 days, let’s turn the tide. Let’s start an avalanche of positive feedback and see what happens.

Are you with me? Will you step up? Do you accept the challenge?

The Keys to Peak Performance

Posted on by Scott

basketball

The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there. -Vince Lombardi

If you’ve never been a professional basketball fan, now is a good time to tune in. The Cleveland Cavaliers are locked in a tough battle with the Golden State Warriors for the NBA championship. The first two games went into overtime, a first for a finals series, and both teams are bringing their best in a bid for the title.

On display are two of the game’s elite players. The marquee player for the Warriors is Stephen Curry, the regular season MVP. The Cavaliers are led by Lebron James – arguably the best player on the planet. These two men bring their best game after game and, as a result, raise the level of play from their teammates.

Whether you’re talking about athletes, craftsmen, salespeople, or service providers; there are certain traits that set the best apart. I’m not talking about natural ability or physical characteristics. What puts top performers on the top is the way they approach the game.

Top performers constantly look to improve. The best of the best are never satisfied with their performance. They know there’s always something more they can do to get better. There’s always something else they can do to elevate their game. And knowing there’s something they can do to improve, they can’t sit still. They feel compelled to pursue the next level.

Top performers seek out feedback. There’s only so far you can improve on your own. Those who seek excellence understand that assistance is necessary for them to move on. So they reach out to the best resources they can find – their coach, other experts, more experienced players – and ask them for help. You don’t achieve elite status without inviting others to evaluate your performance. Assessment isn’t viewed as an inconvenience; it’s considered a necessity.

Top performers respond to constructive criticism. Superstars welcome criticism more than accolades. It’s not that they don’t appreciate praise and validation; but “atta-boys” alone don’t help you improve. To achieve greatness, you have to understand what’s keeping you from it. You need someone who will point out your weaknesses and then help you tackle them. The elite need to hear the bad news; but they need to hear it from someone who cares about their success. In the end, they stand on top; but they don’t stand alone.

As of this writing the Warriors have the advantage, having gone up three games to two in the best-of-seven series. Regardless of which team winds up on top, I’m enjoying the show. Seeing top performers do what they do best is always a treat.

Runnin’ With the Devil (In the Details)

Posted on by Scott

van halen 1984

In just a few weeks rock legends Van Halen kick off their North American tour. This is their first round of shows in several years and features original lead singer David Lee Roth. As you can imagine, fans of the original lineup are exited (even though bassist Michael Anthony has been replaced with Eddie Van Halen’s son Wolfgang). Tickets are selling fast and the band has already had to add additional dates to the tour.

As a child of the seventies and a fan of rock & roll, I grew up with Van Halen playing on the radio. It’s with only a small amount of embarrassment that I admit I was part of the band’s official fan club back in the day (I think I may actually still have my membership card somewhere). So I was pretty well versed in all things Van Halen.

Like many music celebrities, the band was known for their extravagant shows and eccentric behaviors. Stories abounded about the odd demands found within their appearance contracts. One of the more notorious involved their choice of snacks. Hidden within the detailed instructions regarding stage setup and light rigging was often a requirement that a bowl of M&Ms be placed in the dressing room – with all of the brown M&Ms removed. If a single brown piece of candy was found in the bowl, the band would demand a step by step review of every aspect of the show’s set and equipment. Rumor has it that Roth once trashed a dressing room, causing thousands of dollars in damage, after brown M&Ms were discovered.

It sounds like just another example of diva-like behavior from self-absorbed musicians, right? Or was it?

As Roth explains in his autobiography, this specific contract rider served an important purpose. Van Halen put on a complex show that involved lots of heavy equipment with very specific setup parameters. Sloppy work by venues at some early shows had led to several accidents, some of them nearly fatal. The M&M request became the band’s way of verifying crews had followed the necessary specifications. If the bowl of M&Ms was missing, or included brown candies, then something more critical was likely to have been overlooked as well.

How you handle the little things determines how you handle the big things. Indeed, the little things often are the big things. But unless you have some way of measuring attention to these details, problems may not surface until it’s too late. Attention to detail only makes sense if the details are taken care of. So you have to inspect what you expect.

What are the small things your team needs to execute well? What are the seemingly insignificant details that make a big difference in providing superior experience or achieving growth goals? And most importantly, how will you inspect what you expect?