Spring Fever

So many people experience a heightened sense of energy and vitality in the spring, a phenomenon so common that it is widely known as “spring fever.” This year, it seems heightened for me by the severity and length of the cold, dreary weather we’ve just survived. I am more aware than in past years of people “stopping to smell the cherry blossoms” as well as photograph them. Cyclists are crowding the bike paths, hikers are taking advantage of the trails, and dog owners are taking their dogs for bonus walks just to soak up the sun. Not only am I taking advantage of the beautiful nature this time of year, but I find myself deciding to let some things go that haven’t worked for me while committing to new behaviors that will achieve my personal long-term goals.

Just as people experience seasons and respond to them differently, at least metaphorically so do organizations. Our continuous improvement change model is a cycle with four stages, just like the seasons in our area. In its “winter” phase, leaders DEFINE where they want to go and where they are. This is followed by the “spring” stage, where they DESIGN the most effective path from where they are to where they want to go, shaped by the criteria they set for measuring effectiveness. This second phase is one filled with creative energy, challenging long-held assumptions, and exploring unfamiliar territory—just like we experience spring on a personal level. I encourage organizational leaders to capitalize on the natural energy of spring and apply it to engaging members in charting a fresh course to shared goals.

For information about the final two “seasons” of our change model, please click here. 

Navigating your Channel

While on “shore leave” during my recent sailing adventure in the Grenadines, I noticed this quote posted in a coffee/craft shop operated by interesting folks who are clearly trying to adhere as closely as possible to Thoreau’s advice. I was inspired by both the proprietors as well as the sage advice given by Thoreau so many years ago, especially knowing that it was advice he followed himself.

These words got me wondering about how we know where the channel of our life flows, and how we endeavor to dwell there as much as possible.  As I have described in detail in my book HUM, I believe all life moves toward greater purpose and harmony.  The channel in which each of our lives flows is defined by our ability to identify and pursue our personal, unique purpose—and to do so in harmony with other living beings and the planet we share.  Once one finds the essence of one’s personal “calling” or purpose, one does not automatically live in that channel.  For me, it takes ongoing reflection, re-calibration and re-centering.  My understanding of my purpose reveals different dimensions over time and as a result of the lessons I learn in my daily life.  Yet, it is never situational.  It remains like the keel of my boat as reassurance that I will sail safely through high seas without worry of capsizing.

Pursuing one’s purpose in harmony with others and the planet is a daily challenge.  When faced with hate, greed, fear, and competition in their various guises, I find myself in constant inner conversations about the most harmonious path.  Should I face these negative energies head on, which can leave me side-tracked and exhausted?  Should I ignore them and stay in my channel, with the thought that I might be copping out?  When is what others do my business?  (For example, I was recently chastised by friends when I picked up a fast food container thrown from a car in Old Town and walked up to the car stopped at a light, knocking on the door to give them back what they had “dropped.” My friends felt I had gone too far and that the inhabitants of the vehicle were not only irresponsible, but possibly incapacitated or even armed.) I think about the waste I produce and how I use more than my share of the planet’s resources, and continually examine (with guilt) how I can be a better steward. 

I am sure you have similar conversations with yourself, and framing them in terms of Purpose and Harmony may help you continue to grow into the person who dwells in the channel in which your life flows.  With spring’s eventual arrival and the approach of both Easter and Passover, we can all benefit from moments of personal reflection and steps toward realignment before we enter into the more active days of summer.

Adventures in the Grenadines

You may not have missed me as much as my dog Elvis did, but I am just back from a wild and challenging adventure in the Grenadines, where I earned my American Sailing Association ("ASA") certification as a charter sailboat captain.  I undertook a task that was outside of my comfort zone and made myself push through my uncertainty and fear to pursue a goal that I could envision enhancing my life.  And I did it!  I earned my ASA 101, 103, and 104 certifications, while learning many other practical sailing lessons along the way.  

As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, taking a trip outside of your comfort zone can often be just the inspiration you need to return home to tackle personal and work challenges with renewed energy and focus.  I kept notes of my thoughts and observations, what I learned, and some reflections on the practical applications of my experience, some of which is shared below. I hope this inspires you to pursue your own personal goals or shine fresh light on the patterns in your life:

Grenadian Snapshots

• Aptly named the "Spice Islands" for generations, the Grenadines are a gorgeous strand of unspoiled islands north of Venezuela inhabited by an eclectic mix of people who refer to themselves as “Belong-Ums.” 
  
• Gaining independence from Great Britain in 1974, Grenada was invaded by the United States in 1983.  The decomposing hulls of Cuban gun boats can still be seen washed along beaches that are being enveloped by mangroves.  After Grenada's cricket stadium was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan, the Chinese rebuilt the National Cricket Stadium, which hosted the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
  

  
• Every Sunday afternoon, there is a casual beach concert that is powered entirely by a line run from a Swiss keyboardist’s boat.  He generously promotes and coaches local talent not only for their benefit, but for the many who paddle, swim, sail, and walk over for an afternoon and evening of “limin’” (meaning, “hanging out”). Drinking, dancing,  grilling, laughing, and story-telling are all encouraged. Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” is a crowd favorite, sung by several artists, confirming that the lyrics embody a message that truly resonates with the crowd.
  

  

  
  

Grenadian Experiences

• My sailing instructor, Mark, was kind enough to give me the opportunity to shop with him in the local food stalls and markets, where I purchased and later sampled many unfamiliar native fruits and vegetables.  In the evenings, we visited rum shops (makeshift bars) as well as savored yummy local dishes purchased from his favorite street vendors and consumed on the spot.  These and other forays onto land allowed me to interact with many locals, transplants, and sailors whom I otherwise never would have met.  My impression of those I met was that they were interesting, intelligent, happy, and living in the present—a combination one rarely experiences in the metro DC area. 

• Using the local buses was a hair-raising experience. The formal bus routes run nonstop from the St. George’s terminal to a terminal at the end of the island, then loop back again. The entrepreneurial driver and his conductor, however, have found a way to serve more people and squeeze a little change into their pockets by also loading and unloading passengers along the way. There are two crazy aspects to this scheme: first, one must jump into and out of the side door of the van while it is moving at a clip to keep on its schedule; second, they are never “full”--at one point, I counted 22 people in a four seat van—two very large individuals were directly on top of me. When passengers wanted to alert the conductor that they wanted to be let out, they rapped on any hard surface 3 times, which was somehow always miraculously heard, as the local music blared on every bus I took. Yet, everyone was orderly and friendly, I felt completely safe, and I was in awe of the complexity of the math being done at break-neck speed to assure that the funds the bus company expected were in their till while the “extra” was split between our driver and conductor. 

 
Sailing Lessons

• As part of my sailing course and tests, I gained invaluable practical experience like how to provision and cook on a cruise, how to diagnose and repair serious mechanical issues (for example, steering failure and losing the prop—TWICE—the second time in high winds entering a busy marina packed with multi-zillion dollar yachts!), and how to come to the assistance of other sailors with problems.
• The sailing course also reinforced for me the value of a great instructor. Mark made sure we covered the curriculum, but then added so much more, such that each student came away having met his/her personal goals and having explored his/her unique interests. He provided the structure needed for us to advance our skills and experiences required to qualify for each level, yet remained balanced and flexible as unexpected events occurred. 
• Mark also demonstrated the range of talents and breadth of experience needed to be a relaxed, successful sailing instructor. His personality so suited what he was doing that it served as a great reminder of how important it is to pursue vocations and avocations that suit our temperaments.
• I was reminded of the difference between navigating narrow channels (or between reefs) and navigating open seas, especially when one’s destination is not in sight. The water’s “fetch” is different, the time frame has to be adjusted, and the means of navigating may have to be adjusted accordingly. And, of course, as one navigates and travels along the course one has set, unexpected things happen with the weather, the boat, fellow shipmates, other vessels, and so many other variables—any of which may require a quick reassessment and course adjustment—a perfect reminder that this is how life unfolds!
• I have always been intrigued both personally and professionally by the balance between self-sufficiency and inter-dependence. Sailing is the perfect medium for examining where the tipping point is between too much self-reliance and too great an emphasis on consensus (which is why it must always be clear who the captain is!). Roles and responsibilities need to be shared and agreed upon before embarking on any journey together, as it is too late to do so when the need arises. 
• Lack of clarity regarding the plan for a group often results in misunderstandings or worse, as it did for us a few times. For instance, I assumed that when we arrived the first morning, we were expected to take our initial written test, and, assuming we passed it, we would head directly out on the boat to start the course. The charter company had not shared a curriculum or calendar with us, so this was just an untested assumption on my part. Instead, I became frustrated when we seemed to be “dilly-dallying” around with seemingly minor tasks. The company heard my feedback and mentioned that they will begin briefing students on what to expect. Again, I validated as a participant the need for the same methodologies I teach and coach organizations —clear, shared expectations with agreed-upon roles and responsibilities.

Personal Musings

• Leaving in a sleeting snow, my plane sat on the runway for 2 hours being de-iced, causing me to miss my connection in Miami to Grenada.  There were many others on my flight who were trying to catch the same flight.  As the gate closed in front of us, an airline representative told us that they no longer held flights so passengers could make connections, as they were rated on their “on-time departures.” I see this kind of positive-goal-gone-sour in so many industries in my professional life.  Adherence to rules and blind obedience to numbers takes precedence over common sense.  There was not an available seat on the single daily flight from Miami to Grenada for at least a week.  Some of my fellow “victims” shouted, cursed, or cried.  Several went to the bar to wait out whatever number of days they faced in the airport.  A few made arrangements to return home.  Because I was traveling alone and had only carry-on luggage, I was able to engage an airline representative to find a creative solution: I flew that night to Trinidad, and then early the following morning, flew from Trinidad to Grenada.  I not only got to my destination, I did so with an unexpected stamp in my passport.
• I have always loved pearls.  I tend to leave other jewelry unworn and return over and over to my favorite pearl pieces.  It occurred to me on this trip that perhaps one reason I feel so drawn to pearls is that they formed as a result of the oyster being disturbed, and yet rather than die or be crippled as a result, the oyster grows a pearl around it, creating beauty out of negativity.
• I often find that when I step out of my day-to-day life, I regain my global perspective and feel reconnected to our planet and all life on it.  One of the concrete results of this realignment on my trip was a reaffirmation of my commitment to live as Earth-friendly a lifestyle as possible.
• Thanks to my fellow sailing student Taylor for helping me explore the possibility that the problem with “global warming” or “climate change” might be a branding issue.  He suggested that it would be hard to deny if it were called, “rising sea level."  It made me think about all the other seemingly controversial issues that I see with my clients and how a simple reframing of the issue could present solutions that had been overlooked.

The Dalai Lama is Right About Happiness

"A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering."                                                                                                                                                 -Dalai Lama, The Art of Happiness

The Dalai Lama explains that the happiest people are those who are the most disciplined.  I believe the same is true for organizations: those that are the most disciplined are the most successful. This past weekend, I had the honor of helping the governing board of the American Nephrology Nurses’ Association ("ANNA") conduct a "refresh" of the strategic plan I helped them create two years ago (https://www.annanurse.org/download/reference/association/strategicPlan.pdf). At that time, I asked them what success would look like, and their reply was that they wanted their entire strategic plan to fit on a single page so that it was useful to them as a real decision-making tool and easy to communicate to others.  If you clicked the link, you saw what we created—a one pager that included everything they would need.  They acknowledged that they would need a work plan for volunteer and staff leaders to follow in their pursuit of the very ambitious outcomes they wanted their plan to achieve.  They did, in fact, create a work plan that they used and updated as needed.  

One of the reasons that the ANNA board was so successful in maintaining a constructive board culture and achieving its goals is that they had the discipline to say, “No,” to tempting ideas or member requests that would take their attention and resources away from the direction they had agreed to pursue.   Some of the ANNA board members reported how it was initially difficult to say no, but that it got easier as they followed their agreed-upon path. 

Now, with two years of their plan under their belts and a few changes in board membership, they rightfully felt it was time for a tune-up on both their plan and on the behaviors that distinguish high performing boards.  They were just as disciplined during our session as they are at other times, yet everyone reported having a good time as well as leaving with a real sense of accomplishment.  As you can see from the photos, it wasn’t all work.  And for me, there is nothing more gratifying than helping a group of caring leaders stretch themselves to chart a course and agree on how they will work together to assure their organization thrives. Revisit the ANNA’s website in a few months to view the strategic planning document they created this past weekend to take them through 2017. And it’s still only one intensely packed page!

"Wasn't 100 percent sober"

Photo credit: http://i.imgur.com/QJmfMu7.jpg

If you saw the headlines this past week, like me you probably had a good chuckle at Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's admission that the reason she took a little nap during President Obama's State of the Union address was because she "wasn't 100% sober."  She later clarified that she had been up all night writing and it actually was just one glass of wine at dinner that provoked her untimely slumber. 

I would like to applaud Justice Ginsburg for owning and explaining her mistake, exactly what we discussed last week. She could have denied her nap or ignored the accusation, but as a prominent leader who has accepted her role in the spotlight, she took the opportunity to admit her mistake in a humorously relatable way.  So, if a Supreme Court Justice can admit she fell asleep during a live broadcast of a Presidential address, how bad can your mistake really be?  And, if you are the leader of your organization, think of the example you set for your group when you own up to your own mistakes. 

How to Handle a Mistake at Work

Even if you didn't watch the Superbowl, I'm sure by now you've read or heard about the Seattle Seahawks' coach Pete Carroll's costly mistake in the final seconds of last weekend's championship game.  The gist of it is that, instead of calling a safe running play, Carroll called a riskier passing play that was intercepted by New England Patriots rookie Malcolm Butler.  The Patriots gained possession and won the game.  Since then, Carroll has been under fire for making a costly mistake on an international platform.

Ouch.  Regardless of which team you support (if any), it is hard not to feel his pain.  Making mistakes at work, big or small, can be the source of much stress and turmoil.

These work mistakes seem to fall into two broad categories: job-related errors and faux pas.  The job-related errors are painful.  You send the report to the wrong client.  You miss an important meeting or deadline.  You misinterpret data and broadcast your wrong conclusion at a meeting with colleagues.  The moment you realize your mistake, you feel stupid, embarrassed, and awkward.  You may start to fear that everyone thinks you aren't right for your job. 

The awkward, social mistakes we make aren't any less painful.  Your boss walks by your office the moment you are on the phone giving your friend animated advice about how to tell her mother-in-law to mind her own business.  You forget to invite a co-worker out for happy hour, only to see him walk by the bar a half hour later raising an eyebrow at the crowd of familiar colleagues that you have amassed.  You hit "reply all" instead of "reply" with a snarky comment about the timing of an upcoming meeting, accidentally alerting the entire working group to your annoyance at yet another 6:00pm Friday meeting.  Again, you feel stupid, embarrassed, and fearful.

So what are you to do?  Fake a conference call and lock yourself in your office?  Pretend nothing happened and move on?  Regardless of the type of mistake, you know the answer.  The most direct approach is always the best route.  Get out in front of the error and admit fault as soon as possible.  Own it.  Do not pretend it didn't happen (if you noticed it, there is a 100% chance everyone else did too).  Genuinely apologize, explain yourself, don't make excuses, and admit that you will need to do better.  Remember that finding peace and harmony at work is all about your connections. Reaching out to make that initial connection with the aggrieved party (or parties) after you mess up may be painful, but it's necessary and the sooner, the better.  You will be surprised how quickly your mistake blows over once you address it with integrity.  

If you need inspiration, watch the first few minutes of Matt Lauer's interview with Pete Carroll.  There are 100 different ways he could have spun his error, but notice how his willingness to openly discuss his role with honesty and humility adds to his credibility as a valued coach.

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Overcoming Inertia

Overcoming inertia in our personal life may take the form of New Year’s resolutions to eat better, exercise more, or break bad habits.  At the organizational level, it may involve developing a strategic plan or creating Operating Agreements about how team members will work with one another.

One reason the Nike slogan, “Just Do It,” has held so much power is that it addresses in 3 syllables a challenge we all face in one way or another—overcoming inertia.  As we all know, an object at rest tends to stay at rest.  A disorganized garage tends to remain so.  An extra 10 pounds around the middle often refuses to budge.  And a team working less than optimally is likely to continue to underperform.

We all know that the majority of New Year’s resolutions and organizational strategic plans fail—and that a major causal factor is the difficulty of overcoming inertia.  If we are going to succeed in overcoming inertia, we must envision the desired result at such a level of specificity that it seems real and attainable.  It must look and feel better than our current reality for us to break through inertia to pursue it. Holding onto that vision of our desired state must be continuous and is often more powerful when we share it with others.  Worrying about all the steps we will have to take to achieve it can reinforce the sense that it is unattainable or just too much work. We are often more successful if we just get moving—just do it!  The path will reveal itself to us once we’re in motion.