May the Force Be With You: Lead Like a Jedi

Posted on by Scott

star wars

Today is Star Wars Day; an unofficial holiday celebrated by science fiction fans across the globe. For the uninitiated, look at the calendar while you say this phrase out loud: “May the fourth be with you.”

Whether you like the films or not, there’s no denying the impact they have made on the world. Little did George Lucas know that his story would become such a phenomenon, sparking a revolution in filmmaking and introducing a mythology that has touched multiple generations. I remember when Star Wars came out. The films still fascinate me today (of course I’m talking about the original trilogy – not the prequels) and my children love them as well.

Central to the Star Wars universe are the Jedi – fierce warriors who master the Force in pursuit of wisdom and peace. They serve the galaxy and educate others while protecting the weak against the evil Sith. The Force is a mystical power – an energy that flows around and through all living things. Once harnessed, it provides a Jedi with the ability to influence other people and objects around them.

Jedi are widely respected and admired. There are many who aspire to become Jedi, but only a handful have the discipline and focus to achieve master status. I don’t know about you, but that sounds a lot like the workplace I find myself in every day. Wouldn’t it be great if we could master the Force? Wouldn’t it be exciting to have such a powerful influence on our coworkers and customers?

In honor of Star Wars Day and the highly anticipated seventh movie currently in production, here is a trilogy of quick tips for tapping into the Force around you along with some illustrations from the making of the Star Wars films.

1. Always bet on your own success. George Lucas wasn’t very optimistic about Star Wars. He felt that Close Encounters of the Third Kind, directed by his friend Steven Spielberg, would be the box office hit of the year. Spielberg felt that, while his movie would be successful, Star Wars would prove to be something special. So the two agreed to give each other 2.5% of the proceeds from their movies. Lucas’s reservations about his own success has earned Spielberg millions of dollars every year since.

2. Let mistakes become part of your story. Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker (one of the story’s central characters) was injured in car wreck just prior to the filming of the trilogy’s second movie, The Empire Strikes Back. He sustained severe trauma to his face that significantly altered his appearance. Rather than let the incident derail the entire film, Lucas wrote a new scene for the beginning. Luke, out on patrol on the ice planet Hoth, is attacked by a Wampa beast; making his facial scarring and altered appearance part of the story.

3. Listen to your fans. Some of the ideas Lucas had for his movies didn’t make it into the final version. Technology had not advanced enough for some of the more demanding scenes he’d envisioned. Years after their release, however, Lucas decided to go back and adjust the films; adding in these missing scenes and cleaning up some of the “wonkier” effects shots. The fan base went nuts and claimed he had ruined the movies with his “fixes.”

We all want to be part of something successful. We want things to go our way and for our customers to react enthusiastically to what we offer. I believe that by treating every aspect of our job as a masterpiece, working through the inevitable problems we face, and viewing our customers as partners, we can tap into the forces that guide us to success.

May the Force be with you!

 

When Big Problems Call for Big Solutions

Posted on by Scott

IMG_1138Emily had a problem.

It had been fourteen years since her father-in-law, John Roebling, had been commissioned by the city of New York to build the world’s longest suspension bridge. But Roebling died even before construction began. While taking some measurements for the bridge’s footings, his foot was crushed by a boat. He died from tetanus within weeks.

The job of overseeing the bridge’s construction fell to Roebling’s son, Washington. Unfortunately, he too met with tragedy. Long hours working inside one of the large, airtight chambers on the floor of the river – called “caissons” – Washington developed decompression sickness. The affliction didn’t kill him, as it had many others; but it did leave him incapacitated and unable to visit the project site.

Suddenly Washington’s wife Emily found herself acting as job foreman. It was a difficult undertaking. She had no background in engineering and most considered women incapable of handling such a complex project. But Emily set about educating herself in the art of bridge-building. Every day she carried her husband’s instructions to the more than 600 workers toiling away at the river.

Finally the bridge was finished. Over 150,000 people walked across the bridge from Manhattan to Brooklyn. They were led by President Chester Arthur and Emily Roebling. Speeches, cannon fire, and fireworks celebrated the accomplishment.

But as I said, Emily had a problem.

You see, suspension bridges were still a relatively new form of construction. Critics had long labeled them unstable and incapable of carrying the kind of weight associated with regular foot and automobile traffic. As if to drive that point home, a stampede took place just six days after the bridge opened. Rumors began to spread that the bridge was collapsing and twelve people died in the mad rush to reach safety. After overcoming more than a decade of overcoming adversity and tragedy, the bridge seemed destined for failure once again.

Big projects come with big challenges. It takes a strong leader to turn them into big successes. Too often, the temptation is to back off and play it safe. Big moves could only make things that much worse. But sometimes, a big move is exactly what it takes. Sometimes, you need a big move in order to shake things up and change peoples’ minds.

Emily Roebling knew it would take something big to overcome this latest blow. She needed to make a statement – a very public statement – regarding the bridge’s safety. And to accomplish this, she reached out to the world’s biggest showman – PT Barnum. If anyone could help her out of this jam, it was Barnum.

And so, on May 17, 1884, P.T. Barnum led 21 elephants across the bridge. At the front of the line was Jumbo, the star of Barnum’s world-famous circus. The crowds followed and the bridge’s reputation was saved.

Do you have a big problem? Are you tempted to play it safe? To move carefully and avoid risk? Maybe that’s the right thing to do. Or maybe it’s time to take a chance. Maybe it’s time for move just as splashy as the problem you’re facing. Maybe it’s time to go big.

 

The Gift

Posted on by Scott

giftChristmas is my daughter Abby’s favorite time of year. She loves the lights, the TV shows, the music, and being out of school. Most of all, though, she likes the presents. Every year she lights up as each one is placed under the tree. She looks through them, trying to guess what treasure might be inside. This year, there’s and especially big box that has her almost giddy with anticipation.

As she’s gotten older, Abby has also started to understand the joy that comes from giving gifts. It’s an interesting lesson that most of us learn – the joy that comes from giving. There’s something special about finding the perfect gift for a loved one and then watching as they unwrap it. As a husband and father, I know the feeling all too well.

Another neat component of Christmas is the stories. One of my favorites was written by O. Henry (a pen name of William Sydney Porter) back in 1905. It’s the story of James and Della Dillingham, a poor couple who seek out the perfect gift for each other. In the end, they find out what giving really is.

It’s a short story, so I invite you to read The Gift of the Magi.

Here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas. May the gifts you give and receive carry the true spirit of the season.

 

Lead Like Santa Claus

Posted on by Scott

MerryOldSantaI was looking through some files this weekend and came across my notes from a webinar I attended a few years ago. It was entitled “The 10 Branding Secrets of Santa Claus.” According to presenter Steve Miller, these very specific and deliberate actions provide Santa Claus with “uncopyable superiority.” I love that term.

As I listened to each point Mr. Miller made, I couldn’t help but think about the potential that lies within each business. I believe we are all in a unique position to provide a level of service and partnership to our customers that simply cannot be rivaled by the competition. Those who choose to capitalize on their strengths and outhustle the rest always rise to the top. And so I thought I would share these points from the presentation with you.

The 10 Branding Secrets of Santa Claus

  1. Santa manages expectations. If you’re good, you receive gifts. It pays to listen to Santa Claus.
  2. Santa makes a BIG promise. Compare gifts given for any other holiday – they just don’t compare to the expectations surrounding Santa’s visit.
  3. Santa facilitates referrals. Everyone talks about Santa. Parents even send their kids to him.
  4. Santa creates long-term relationships. Year after year, people turn to Santa with their Christmas wishes.
  5. Santa owns the date. From a business perspective, December 25th is Santa’s day.
  6. Santa delivers an experience. My daughter Abby is 15. She’s known “the truth” about Santa for a long time. But she still gets super-excited every year. And I do too.
  7. Santa owns a color. Who else wears a red suit, cruises around in a red sleigh, and totes a giant red bag?
  8. Santa looks different. You’re not going to confuse Santa with anyone else. Attempts to copy him are laughable.
  9. Santa reinforces his myth. Stores invite kids (and adults) to visit Santa. New movies are made about him every year. Even NORAD tracks his progress! He makes it easy for everyone to buy into his brand.
  10. Everything about Santa walks the talk. Everything about Santa – his North Pole workshop, the elves, the reindeer, the milk and cookies by the chimney – reinforces his story and his brand.

I hope each of you are as excited about 2015 as I am. I hope these observations stir your imagination. And I look forward to working with each of you as you catapult your business into a position of “uncopyable superiority.”

Merry Christmas!

What Are the Odds?

Posted on by Scott

Lucky DiceThe odds of bowling a 300 game are 1 in 11,500.

The odds of being hit by lightning are 1 in 576,000.

The odds of getting a royal flush on your first five cards are 1 in 649,740.

The odds of winning the jackpot MegaMillions lottery are about 1 in 175,000,000.

The odds of you being born in your particular time, place, and circumstances are about 1 in 400,000,000,000.

You are a miracle. The probability of any of us being born exactly as we are is so remote, that your very presence on this earth should be a constant source of amazement. The odds of you being who you are, where you are, are so remote; your existence cannot be an accident.

You have been given a unique set of talents and interests. You have experienced a unique sequence of events that have molded you into the person you are today. There never has been, and never will be, anyone like you. You have something to offer the world.

Here’s a question for you: What do you have to offer?

Here’s another one: What have you chosen to do with it?

You are here for a purpose. The unique entity that is YOU is here for a reason. No one else can do what you do, the way you do it. Whatever it is that you bring to the table, it should not be wasted. There are people around you – right now – who need what you have to offer.

There are only a few weeks left in 2014. Pretty soon, we’ll be turning the calendar and celebrating the start of a new year. It’s a time of reflection and a time of planning. As you wind down the last few days of the year, spend a little time thinking about your unique value proposition and how you have used it to help others this year. Then, take a few more minutes and map out a plan for 2015. Think about how you can make an impact.

Most people won’t do this. They’ll celebrate, and then keep on doing the same things (or not doing them). 2015 will look just like 2014; and the world will be a little less bright because they will have chosen to keep their unique gifts to themselves.

But what if just one decided to buck the trend? What if just one made the decision to take their special talents and use them – at every opportunity – to make the world around them a better place? And what if that decision made all the difference?

What if that person was you? What are the odds of that?

Fighting the Future

Posted on by Scott

AntisuffragistsTuesday was Election Day. Did you vote? All across the country, men and women took to the polls in order to make sure their voice was heard. Officials were elected or re-elected to a variety of federal, state, and local positions.

Voting is considered an important right in the United States. Once a privilege available to only a favored few, hard fought battles in our history have extended the right to vote to all citizens, regardless of race, gender, or religious affiliation. Sadly, voter turnout is often poor. Many of those eligible to vote choose not to. Some even oppose the very right they’ve been given.

For example, a key milestone in voter rights was the successful women’s suffrage movement. The 19th amendment, which provided women the right to vote, wasn’t passed until 1920. For decades prior, groups opposed to the idea of women having a voice in elections (referred to as anti-suffragists) successfully held off the change.

And many of these anti-suffragists were women.

Groups such as the New York State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage and the Women’s National Anti-Suffrage League (started in Great Britain) were founded by women. These individuals felt political discourse and important decisions related to public policy were best left to men. They wrote and spoke at length about the various reasons women could not, or should not, vote.

It’s amazing how hard some people will fight against that which is good for them; how hard they will look to find excuses to keep from moving forward. Of course, the harder you look for excuses, the more you find. The more you focus on obstacles, real or perceived, the more you come to believe in them. Over time, people can come to fear the new; the innovative; the unknown. Eventually they become numb to any concept of progress, preferring the warm safety of their self-imposed limitations.

This is how people become unengaged. This is why teams, organizations, and even countries become stagnant. This is why goals aren’t met, customers are underserved, and employees are frustrated.

It’s because individuals check out; sometimes without even knowing it.

Isn’t it time we reverse the trend? Isn’t it time we let go of the fear, stop making excuses, and get engaged?

Permit me to issue a challenge:

  • If you’re one of those who looks first for the reasons why something won’t work, I challenge you to find just as many reasons why it will.
  • If you’re one of those who actively fight against growth and innovation, I challenge you to try being a voice for it.
  • If you’re one of those who have chosen to disengage, I challenge you to get involved.

Politicians often talk about the need for change. But change doesn’t typically happen in huge, sweeping waves. It happens slowly, building momentum over time. It starts with individuals – you and me – taking responsibility for our own actions and choosing to do things differently. Small changes by each of us in the way we approach our work and our lives, expand outward – turning a small ripple into large waves of progress.

So plug in, get engaged, decide right now to make a difference. Oh, and come next Election Day – don’t forget to vote.

Lead Like Columbus: Make A Mistake

Posted on by Scott

image

“In fourteen hundred ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
He had three ships and left from Spain; He sailed in sunshine, wind and rain.”

In January of 1492, explorer Christopher Columbus received financing from the king and queen of Spain to explore a new route to the East Indies by sailing westward. The monarchs hoped to enter the lucrative spice trade with Asia, particularly Japan. Columbus hoped to create a name for himself and gain financing for future voyages.

After months of planning, Columbus finally set out on August 3rd with 90 men aboard three ships: the Santa Maria, the Pinta, and the Santa Clara, nicknamed the Niña. He stopped in the Canary Islands for repairs and supplies, readying for the long voyage to Japan. After five more weeks at sea, the lookout spotted land. Columbus had done it, or so he thought.

In fact, Columbus had not reached Japan at all. His small fleet made landfall on an island he called San Salvador; known today as the Bahamas. Columbus continued exploring the nearby islands, convinced he had made it to part of Asia. But his report to Spain ushered in an era of exploration and colonization of the Americas. For next voyage, Columbus was provided with 17 ships, 1,200 men, and orders to establish permanent colonies in the “New World.”

Things don’t always work out like we planned. Often, the results fall far short of the intended goal. But if approach it with the right attitude, failure doesn’t have to be a negative experience. We can learn from it, discover new worlds, and create opportunities for growth.

Too many times, I feel our response to failure is all wrong. We look for a scapegoat. We identify excuses. And then we retreat – we create new rules and restrictions in an attempt to avoid future failures. Missing the mark has become unacceptable.

I’m not saying we should anticipate failure or dismiss every error. Indeed there are times when failure shouldn’t be an option. Some miscalculations are too costly, either to our reputation or the bottom line, to ignore. But we have to be careful of taking the desire for perfection too far.

You can’t live life, or grow a business, by avoiding risk or loss. You have to adopt the explorer’s spirit, like Columbus did, and venture out into the unknown. You have to aim high, and be prepared for whatever new world lies over the horizon. After all, ships were made for sailing.

Happy Columbus Day.

Winning From Behind

Posted on by Scott

Bobby Thomson - 1951 New York GiantsFall is in the air, and that’s good news for baseball fans. It means playoffs are here and the 110th World Series is in sight. Wild Card are tomorrow and the Division series start this week.

Baseball is a classic game and, like many sports, makes for great stories. Some of the best movies revolve around baseball, but some of the best sports history moments come from actual baseball games. I’m not a huge baseball fan (I think I played one season of little league), but I do love a good story.

One of the most interesting to me is the story of the 1951 New York Giants.

The Giants had endured a horrible year. Coming into August, they were 13 ½ games behind the Brooklyn Dodgers, who led the National League. Everyone figured their season was finished. No team could possibly hope to overcome such a deficit.

But then, inexplicably, something changed. The Giants somehow found new life. Teammates challenged each other and each player vowed to give everything they had through the home stretch. They won 16 games in a row. By October, they had managed to tie Brooklyn for the lead, winning 37 out of their last 44 games.

New York and Brooklyn split the first two games of the playoff series – the first ever in National League history. It came down to the third and final game of the series. The winner would become league champions and go on to face the Yankees in the World Series.

That game didn’t unfold as the Giants had hoped. By the ninth inning, they trailed 4-1. Fans began heading for the exits as Brooklyn prepared to pitch for the game. Three outs and it would all be over.

But once again, the Giants rallied. A couple of singles and a double moved the score to 4-2, with runners on second and third base. Outfielder Bobby Thomson, a fairly consistent hitter, came to plate and rookie Willie Mays moved to the on-deck circle. The Dodgers sent in relief pitcher Ralph Branca – presumably to walk Thomson so he could pitch to the rookie.

Somehow, Thomson connected with the second pitch, sending it into the left field stands. It was ‘the shot heard ‘round the world,” and the underdog Giants were now the National League Champions. Fans stormed the field. Radio announcer Russ Hodges screamed “The Giants win the pennant!” He kept screaming it until he lost his voice. The celebration continued for hours.

How does your team react when the odds are against them? We’re about to enter the 4th quarter of 2014 and many who read this are behind on their annual goals. For some, the deficit may seem too huge to overcome. Is it time to cut the losses and hope for a better 2015? Or is it time to refocus and reenergize?

Time and again, history has shown that the greatest champions aren’t those who coast to victory. The real champions are those who overcome the odds – those who find a way to win when the game is on the line. Those are the victories that mean the most.

Crashing Forward: How to Find Your Cloud’s Silver Lining

Posted on by Scott

Hugh William Bell Cairns by Sidney SmithA few weeks ago, I shared a quote from T.E. Lawrence. He was famous for his world travels as an archeologist and a member of the British Army. He wrote extensively about his adventures, particularly his involvement in the Arab Revolt. After returning home from the Middle East, he delivered hundreds of lectures, sharing pictures and stories. This brought him fame and the nickname “Lawrence of Arabia.”

Two months after leaving military service for good, Lawrence was riding his motorcycle and had an accident. Cresting a hill, he suddenly came upon two boys in the road and swerved to miss them. He lost control and flew over the handlebars, hitting his head. He fell into a coma and died six days later on May 19, 1935.

But this story isn’t about T.E. Lawrence; it’s about Hugh Cairns.

Cairns worked as a neurosurgeon at the London Hospital. In fact, he was a key advocate of neurosurgery as a medical specialty and focused on head injuries during the Second World War. When Lawrence’s accident occurred, Cairns was one of the men called in to treat him.

The event had a significant impact on Cairns. After Lawrence died, he began an intensive study of head injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents. Military communications were often delivered via motorcycle couriers. The British Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force all used these “despatch riders” regularly as radio communication technology was still in its infancy. With so many riders on the road, accidents were inevitable; and head injuries were extremely common.

Given the serious nature of head injuries, Cairns knew they had to be treated quickly. But soldiers in the field had to be evacuated to receive the specialized care they required in established hospitals. So the doctor created eight mobile neurosurgical units and sent them to North Africa, Italy, India, and other frontline locations throughout Europe. His teams treated over 20,000 patients and changed the face of field medicine.

Cairns further determined that the best way to reduce the potential for head injuries as a result of motorcycle accidents was to push for the use of crash helmets. He put together a rudimentary design and petitioned the British armed forces to adopt them. The helmets had an immediate impact, drastically reducing the percentage of fatalities. The introduction of helmets has saved the lives of countless motorcyclists since.

They say every cloud has a silver lining; but it all depends on who’s looking at the cloud. Tragedy affects people in different ways. Some turn inward, focusing on the frustration, anger, or other negative emotions. Others though, quickly move beyond the negativity, choosing to focus on moving forward. They turn the negative energy resulting from failure or loss into a force for change. They choose to harness their emotions and channel them into a better future.

Hugh Cairns chose to use the death of T.E. Lawrence as motivation to change the fate of motorcycle riders. He chose to make a difference and create a silver lining. Today, people who have no idea he ever existed continue to benefit from his decision.

Some of the biggest disappointments we face may be opportunities in disguise. All it takes to reveal them is the right attitude. Here are three steps you can take to take something negative and create something positive.

  1. Determine what went wrong. This first step seems obvious, but most organizations approach it the wrong way. They focus on assigning blame – who was at fault. The key is to identify the steps, specific decisions and actions, that led to the issue. Only by understanding the contributing factors can you properly address step two.
  2. Decide on a solution. There are really two aspects to this step. The first involves rectifying the immediate issue. The second requires you to look at additional measures that can be taken to minimize contributing factors. For Cairns, the immediate problem was the amount of time it took to transport patients from the field to the hospital. He addressed this by providing in-field care for head injuries. But he further attacked the problem by developing a solution for a contributing factor – the unprotected heads of motorcycle riders.
  3. Involve the key stakeholders. Designing headgear was not within Cairns’ realm of expertise. Furthermore, he knew that he couldn’t achieve wide-spread adoption of motorcycle helmets on his own. So he took his rudimentary, proof-of-concept model to the military – the largest group of stakeholders he could find. The top brass had a significant interest in protecting their personnel. It was through their involvement that the helmets were refined, tested, and ultimately produced.

Bad things are going to happen. People, systems, and products will fail. Effective leaders recognize this and use tragic circumstances as catalysts to learn and create a better future.

“It is not what you look at that matters; it is what you see.” Henry David Thoreau

How to Make Your Campaign Go Viral

Posted on by Scott

Scott ALSBy now, you’ve seen the videos – thousands of them – of people dumping buckets of water on their heads in the name of charity. It’s the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, a phenomenon that’s swept across the U.S. and U.K. within just a few weeks to become one of the biggest internet trends of the year. Odds are, you’ve either participated in it yourself, or know someone who has.

 For the uninitiated, here’s how it works. Someone is challenged to either donate $100 to the ALS Association or make a smaller donation AND film themselves pouring a bucket of ice-cold water over their heads. They post the video to their facebook or other social media site and extend the challenge to two or three friends who then have 24 hours to accept the challenge themselves. And the story repeats itself. Again, and again, and again.

The first challenge was issued in July and videos of people shrieking at the cold-water shock quickly went viral. The challenge has been accepted by celebrities, children, and teams – many devising extremely creative ways to douse themselves. It’s also drawn its share of detractors and copycats.

Regardless of what you think of the idea, there’s no doubt the Ice Bucket Challenge has been successful. Public understanding of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) has skyrocketed. Donations to ALS research have also seen exponential growth. The ALS Association reports that donations since July 29th have exceeded $100 million. By comparison, the organization takes in less than $20 million during a typical year.

So, what’s the scoop? Why have so many people been moved to pick up a bucket when other well-intentioned ideas have fallen flat? What can we learn from the ALS movement?

While there’s a lot to learn from this example, I think there are three characteristics of the Ice Bucket Challenge that contribute to its overwhelming success.

  1. It’s easy to participate. The Ice Bucket Challenge is easy to take part in. All you need is a bucket of water, a small donation, and your smart phone. It can be completed anywhere and requires no forms, registration, or waiting period. People are immediately turned off by great ideas that require huge investments of time, effort or money. But keep the barrier to entry low, and participation levels go up significantly.
  2. It’s fun. Admit it, it’s a lot of fun to see your friends and favorite celebrities screaming in shock as the cold water hits them. Plus there’s a sense of community that occurs by joining the ranks of those who’ve accepted the challenge and a sense of pride at being part of a movement supporting a worthy cause. If you can make your campaign fun, you gain people’s attention.
  3. It’s personal. A key part of the Ice Bucket Challenge involves issuing a challenge to two or three friends. It’s hard to resist a personal invitation from someone you know. This aspect of the challenge is what caused it to go viral. Each participant becomes part of the communication strategy and keeps the challenge alive. The camaraderie between friends is strengthened by shared participation in an event, and no one wants to let down a friend. So look for ways to get people not only participating, but actively promoting your event to their network.

Think about your next customer campaign, employee program, or community event. How can you incorporate these elements to give it some extra oomph?