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Is Boring Beautiful?

Is Boring Beautiful?

by | Jul 16, 2020 | Efficiency, Leadership

If you have ever been to Hawaii, you know that everyone (at least those of us on vacation) makes time to watch the sunset. As the sun begins falling, people start making their way to the beach. During our honeymoon over 15 year ago, my husband and I witnessed people blowing into conch shells in honor of the sunset.  

A few years ago, I read that the most beautiful things in life are boring. I remember being very disturbed by that comment. But, upon further reflection, I have to concede it is true. Think about what you consider beautiful in life: a sunset, the mountains, friendships, or even a healthy marriage.

Our lives have been completely transformed since Covid-19. I have spent less time traveling, less time with friends, and a whole lot more time at home. I asked my husband when the shelter-in-place started if we would still like each other when this was over. After mulling it over for a few hours, he said yes. (I’m still curious why it took him so long to answer?!)

For most of us, life (pre-Covid) was full of activities and busyness: work, sports, friends, meetings. But I wonder to what end? Were we running from something? Are we afraid of what we might find when we slow down? Think about it: how many of those activities seem to have lost their importance now that we can’t participate in them?

Whatever the answer, we have been forced to slow down and face a slower daily pace.

I believe this has allowed us to find a new rhythm to life. And without all the distractions, we can now find the beauty in it. Yes, most of us have had to face some challenges, including adjusting to work from home, home/remote learning, or even the loss of our jobs or shuttered businesses. But those things don’t stop the rhythm of life. They simply alter it.

The same can be said for our businesses. A successful business settles into a rhythm that produces a consistent outcome on a daily basis. There is nothing exciting about cars rolling off an assembly line, properties being bought or sold, or metal being poured (although I have to say that for me, watching metal being poured never gets boring). The point is that successful companies have figured out how to produce their product in a consistent way. This approach may be contrary to our society’s habits, as we tend to value the output, and not the discipline behind the output.

The same principle applies to successful people. They have figured out what needs to happen on a consistent basis in order to reach their goals. In his book The War of Art, author Steven Pressfield writes that “we have a right only to our labor, not the fruits of our labor.” We just need to show up and do the work. Since the work is different for everyone and every business, you need to identify what your work is, and then do it consistently, every day.      

If you find that your business or personnel aren’t creating the output you desire, I’d love to help you. Together we can instill a rhythm into your daily practices and put you on the path to creating something beautiful.

The Reward for Pushing Beyond Your “Perceived” Limits

The Reward for Pushing Beyond Your “Perceived” Limits

by | Jul 9, 2020 | Leadership, Management

A few weeks ago, I was lamenting that our plans to climb South Sister in July were cancelled. This is the first summer in six years that l’m not training for some adventure. I’ve completed Hood to Coast and Cycle Oregon, climbed Mt. St. Helens and trained for the Camino Frances. But, due to COVID-19, I found myself adventure-free this summer. I’m sure this fact was on my mind when I was scrolling through Facebook and saw that a good friend of mine was competing in a local “virtual” triathlon. Without hesitation, I agreed to do it with her.  Of course, the fact that I hadn’t swum in over 10 years, biked in nearly two years, or run in six months seemed to have escaped my memory. (I do think the adult libation I was enjoying at the time might have been partly responsible.)

The next morning I realized the foolishness of my idea. I did commit to my friend, but there was another reason I didn’t back out. At the recommendation of another friend and colleague, I started reading Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. While this book has amazing application to business and leadership, the chapter about checking your ego and trying something you might fail at really resonated with me. I know intellectually that in order to reach my full potential, I have to go beyond my comfort zone. But applying this truth in my life isn’t something I embrace at the frequency that I should.  

So, I dug out my running shoes, dusted off my bike, and headed down to the lake with a few butterflies in my stomach. 

It felt so great to swim in the open water. The biking was great until the rain started. But we persevered and finished with a wet 3-mile run.

In the end, I was rewarded by meeting some great people, talking shop with another business owner, and pushing my body in a way I hadn’t done in quite some time.

Trying something at which you might fail doesn’t just apply to sports.  It is also necessary to see growth in your business, your career path or your relationships with others.  In a recent engagement with a mid-market company, the CEO realized that a key employee wasn’t performing at the level required in order to ensure successful implementation of the company’s turnaround plan.  His initial response was to ignore the problem.  But, as the Board pointed out, this approach had gotten the company into the current situation.  So, now, he had to make a choice: fire her, redeploy her or invest in her development.  He chose to invest in the employee and brought me in to coach the key employee.  The end result was a more engaged employee, $125,000 in annualized profitability increase and praise from the Board.  

Another client was in the process of assuming control of the company from her father.  The transition plan had been agreed to by all parties, but when it came to implement the plan, her father refused to follow the plan.  Imagine the stress, on both sides. If this wasn’t handled appropriately, the end result could be the degradation of the father/daughter relationship and instability in the company resulting in reduced business valuation.  I coached the daughter on how to address the situation, encouraging her to find the third solution, that elusive solution that we often overlook.  As we talked, she realized that while the transition plan was solid, her tactics needed to be modified.  She changed her stance, softened her approach and her father responded.  The transition was completed, the company was strengthened and the father/daughter relationship was preserved.

If you find that you are stagnating in business or personally, it may be time to push yourself. This means searching for solutions which don’t initially seem apparent, trying ideas that may seem unreachable or being open to feedback from previously unwelcome sources.  If you aren’t sure where to start, let’s connect.  One thing I’ve learned from my years in sports and business is that accountability is the driving force behind reaching one’s full potential.  

United Together with a Flock Block

United Together with a Flock Block

by | Jun 16, 2020 | Leadership

As you probably know, I inherited five chickens last month, two hens and three chicks. It wasn’t long before they all successfully flew the coop. Since then they have been hanging out together, free-range. But about a week ago, I noticed that they weren’t all together all the time. I’d see four together, sometimes three, and occasionally the Chicken Cam would find one all alone in the run. I wondered why. 

Now, as someone with three sisters, I totally understand that there will be disagreements among women. If you add to that the stress of suddenly being free-range in a new area, perhaps a little tension has developed among “the girls?” I don’t really know if chickens have factions or cliques, but I was advised that I needed a flock block – a cube of grain and supplements that gives the chickens something else to pick at besides each other. 

It is entirely possible that there is some drama brewing in the clan. But the reality is that there is strength in numbers, and it would be in the chickens’ best interest to find a way to coexist.

And in case you’re wondering where I’m going with this: the chickens aren’t the only ones who’d benefit. 

When our “shelter in place” started in March, I found most people scared for their heath, worried about the economy, and concerned for our future. In April, I set a goal to help as many people as possible. This focus allowed me to connect with others on a deeper level, which I will say was one of the “silver linings” of this COVID experience. 

Since then, though, the death of George Floyd and the surrounding protests have highlighted a division in our country. The great news is that the ills of our society are coming to light, but truthfully, we can’t get to the other side without dialogue. In order for us to emerge as a stronger country, we need to listen and hear what everyone is saying, and together we need to work toward a solution. 

I am challenging myself to hear, to be open to better understanding what is wrong with our society, and to be part of the solution. I believe that is what humanity is all about.

At the risk of being corny, I think we can learn from the chickens who need a common “flock block” that they can pick at together.  However, we can do much better than chickens.  We can choose to come together to work towards a better society and a better world.  Collectively, we can create a better future together.  

The Big Chicken Sale

The Big Chicken Sale

by | Jun 4, 2020 | Sales

As you know, I am now a chicken mama. In the past three weeks, I have learned that my chickens are much more free-range than I expected or planned on. Yes, this is saving me money on food and effort in cleaning the coop, but I do have concerns for their safety, especially at night.

Two weeks ago, I began the campaign to bring them into the coop each night. Thanks to my neighbor, I have learned that running after them and trying to chase them into the coop isn’t effective.

What I really want to do is entice them to come into the coop willingly. And this requires understanding their wants and needs and providing a solution that meets those needs.

Chickens need food, water, and, to a certain extent, shelter. Within the run, I keep chicken crumbles, a flock block, and water available for them. And it appears that they have been partaking of the food. My chickens have been roosting in trees since the second night following their arrival. And with all the trees and cover around our property and the adjacent property, they seem to have the shelter angle covered (pun intended). However, when winter arrives, the cover will not be as thick, and the nights will be cold, wet, and long. 

What do chickens like? Well, fortunately, they like bugs, which is a win for me. But they also like snacks like watermelon rinds, pineapple, and mealworms. So, every morning, I put out some treats for them in their run. They seem to like these, but so do the squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits.

Chickens fear the dark and predators. And apparently me (and my dogs). The good news is that we haven’t found any predators lurking around yet, but I fear it is only a matter of time. Thanks to one of my readers, I now have a solar light over the coop. I’m hoping this will encourage the chickens to “come to the light” as they settle in for the night. 

My mission is to meet their needs and help them overcome their fears. And so far, I think it is starting to work. The Chicken-Cam has caught them lurking around the coop first thing in the morning. They clearly like the treats and food I leave for them. They haven’t committed to sleeping in the coop, but they definitely know where their meals come from.

Are you wondering how I’m planning on relating this to real life? Well, every one of us is a salesperson in one capacity or another. You may be a professional salesperson, but you could also be an owner, a manager, or a parent. Regardless of what you are trying to sell, you need a process. And that process can’t be simply scaring the target into buying what you are selling. You must frame your goods to be in the best interest of your target audience. What are their needs? What do they like? What are their fears?

Using fear alone to sell your solution may result in short-term gains, but it won’t result in a long-term relationship. If you take the time to understand the customer’s needs and deliver a solution that shows you understand, you will have much better luck.

During your next sale, decide if you want to chase your target around the field or throw out some tasty pineapple skin to lure them in. I’m confident that one of these options will result in the achievement of both parties’ goals. If you find that your sales process hasn’t adapted to the new Covid marketplace, please email me. I can help you and your sales team thrive in this new reality. 

How to Cope When It’s Time to Fly the Coop

How to Cope When It’s Time to Fly the Coop

by | May 21, 2020 | Efficiency, Process Improvement

On Mother’s Day eve, I became a chicken mama. Our friends brought over two hens and three chicks and put them in my chicken coop.  
 
On Mother’s Day morning, we opened up the chicken coop door and out came five very scared chickens.  
 
By that evening, however, we had less than five chickens.
 
Here is the daily morning count of our chickens: 5, 4, 3, 4, 0, 5, 0, 0, 5, 0, 5, 5, 0, 5.  
 
Here is what we learned:

  • Chickens can fly better than we thought
  • Chickens can and will roost in a tree
  • One of our hens has figured out where to lay her eggs in the coop, but I do believe we will need an egg hunt to locate the other hen’s eggs 
  • I need to redesign my whole plan for having free-range chickens. 

So how does this relate to our current life? Our economy is slowly starting to move toward the next phase of the pandemic – learning how to re-open businesses while keeping people safe. This process will change the way we do business, both as we interact with our customers and how we do our work internally.

If you looked carefully at your current processes, you would probably agree that there are some inefficiencies that, if addressed, could lead to increases in productivity. In our pre-COVID-19 life, this may not have been a top priority, but now we are forced to make changes in order to protect the health and safety of our employees, customers and stakeholders. I believe we can leverage this as an opportunity for growth. 

Consider a few of these ideas: 

  • Employ a Kanban scheduling system to reduce interactions between departments and employees. 
  • Use process mapping to highlight non-value-added steps in your process. Then redesign your new layout or flow to eliminate or streamline those steps.
  • Implement a visual workplace that outlines product flow, departmental goals, and performance metrics.

 
If you are feeling overwhelmed by the changes you need to implement in your business, let’s connect.  I have spent my entire career streamlining processes of all kinds, from tortilla chip manufacturing to metal casting to sales. My brain is hardwired to find the inherent opportunities in a process and leverage them to maximize productivity, reduce waste, and increase profitability. My clients have seen an average a five times ROI on the work we have done together. 
 
I welcome the opportunity assist you in maximizing the output of your business. And if you have some tips on how to be a better chicken mama, I’d welcome your input.