Respect is Earned

One of the hardest lessons to teach our children is earning and giving respect.  Respect is a complex idea, and true respect is empathy, understanding, and forethought of consequences.

What do I mean by "true respect"?  There is basic respectfulness that we teach our children.  "You will respect your teacher."  "Show some respect to your Grandmother."  But, these are as much an effort in repetition and fear for consequences.

Real respect, however, is individual, and it is earned through action.  The first person in my life that I had a real respect for was my Grandfather.

I remember staying with my grandparents once when was I still in elementary school.  I must have been in 5th or 6th grade because I knew a lot of kids that were in middle school and lived near them.

My grandparents lived near a state park.  I would spend a lot of time riding my bicycle around in the park.  I would race through the camping loops, trying to go as fast as my tires would hold me around the corners.  They are some of my best childhood memories.

One day I was doing just that, and I came up to a group of older kids that I knew.  I didn't know them well, but I stopped to say hi.  Middle school is an awkward age, and one of them thought he could be cool by picking on me.  He was nice for a couple minutes, then started laughing and came over and punched me and knocked me off my bike.

I was furious, I jumped up and threw my bike at them, but they were already far out of reach.  Laughing and running on to other escapades.

I headed back to my grandparents house, and I told them what happened.  I remember how protective my grandpa got.  He turned me right back around and started walking the park with me.  We probably spent an hour walking around looking for those kids.

I have no idea what he would have done if we found them.  Looking back, I know he was a gentle spirit.  He wanted me to know I was safe, and that he would back me up.  It worked, and I was able to keep playing just like I always had.

That walk, and I'm sure the words that we shared, I will remember all my life.  My grandpa's action, and caring, taught me a respect for him that I would never get from repeated words of "respect your elders".

So now, I teach my kids to respect the people around them.  But I also try to teach them to earn my respect.  I try to teach them what their teachers, mom, and grandparents do that has earned their respect.

I also carry this to my own life.  I will listen and follow my leaders at work.  But I let them earn my respect.  I observe the actions of those around me and I choose who will get it.  I try to act in a way that will earn the respect of those around me too.

True respect is part of relationship building, and a component of trust.  If you want to be successful in business, and life, act in a way that will earn the respect of those around you.  Choose who you deal with based on who you trust and respect.  That kind of relationship is priceless.

Success and Succession

Over a decade ago, I worked for a company that had a great success story.  Airborne Express had started out flying flowers express around the country.  Competition was tough, but the the company had two distinct leaders that helped to bring the company into the #3 package delivery service in the United States.

It took "the Bobs" as we liked to call them a lifetime to grow the company to that successful position.  Margins are small, and competition is tight in that atmosphere, so the company stayed lean to find profits where they could.

As the founders aged, and new leaders began to emerge, that tight vision and direction began to waver. The economy became tight, and new technology was putting pressure on express delivery service (primarily letters).

"The Bobs" retired, and a new company president took over.  Management changes and vision changes  were rampant.  Rumours of buy-out deals seemed to come almost weekly.  The company profits turned to losses, and projects were faltering.

Finally, it was announced:  DHL would be "merging" with Airborne Express.

The interesting thing to notice is that Airborne Express had reinvented itself multiple times in it's history.  It had adapted to the times and maintained profits, even growth, under trying circumstances.  It transitioned from flower delivery to cargo and freight for example.  Then from freight to express delivery.

"The Bobs" had success with Airborne Express.  Where "the Bobs" really missed an opportunity was in succession.  They had a formula that was working.  But they hadn't taught anyone to how to use it.

In the coming 10 to 15 years, succession is going to be a key factor in success for U.S. companies.  The baby boomer population has the vast majority of leadership roles in our economy today.  Take a look around your office, and ask yourself, how many of your leaders will be retired in the next decade?   Are there enough of your younger employees being groomed to take their place?

If you want to see your company successful 10, 15, or 20 years from now.  It's time to start thinking about who will be leading it now.  Don't wait until you have one foot out the door.  Start teaching and mentoring now.


Tim

Wisdom

Knowledge is committing facts to memory.
Wisdom is incorporating facts in action.

Embrace the Chaos

Yahooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Nichols family is officially a family of six this week, with the final adoption of our daughter Zarri!  Welcome to the family sweet girl :)

Some of you may know that our family motto has become "Embrace the Chaos".  I like to tweak it at times to "Deny the Chaos", but somehow that doesn't usually work so well.

Tuesday morning at 11:00am this week was our court date for Zarri's adoption.  On Monday at 4:30, we received a phone call from our lawyer that they still didn't have all the paperwork from the state to make it happen.  Chaos ensued....

This is what our morning looked like:

• 6:30am: Girls are awake and running up and down the hallway.  Izzy is refusing to go potty (can you see where this is going?)
• 7:00am:  Naomi leaves to do a training ride (She is a tri-athlete, did I mention that?  Go Nom!)
• 7:30am: I'm making breakfast, and leaving voicemails for everyone I know at DSHS, and our adoption agency.
• At some point in here I'm cleaning up a wet floor and helping Izzy change clothes
• 8:00am: Getting kids dressed.  Zarri has been in the bathroom for about 20 minutes (this is pretty normal), and Izzy is running through the house naked and dancing.  
• 8:30am: All kids are dressed.   :)
• 8:33am: Zarri has decided to change, her and Izzy have to have matching outfits for court.
• 8:35am: Zarri and Izzy have no matching shirts.  Tantrums ensue.
• 8:40am:  I notice that Gray's clothes are actually pajamas, and not in such good shape.  Suggest another option......
• 8:45am:  Restarting phone call rounds to the state.  Continued no response
• 9:00am: Nom is home and reading books to the boys  (Chaos? What Chaos?  I see no Chaos.)
• 9:15am:  Call from the lawyer to confirm they still have no paperwork, and our lawyer needs to leave by around 10:00am
• 9:20am: I am not on full attention phone calls.  I have calls on hold, calls on my cell, and on our house number.  I have called supervisors, managers, and old case workers.  
• 9:25am: Considering looking up the number of the DSHS state director :)
• 9:30am: Connor has decided he's not going to the adoption.  Blood pressure rising.....
•   Embracing the chaos......
• 9:35am:  Considering looking up the Governor Gregoire's number
• 9:40am:  Izzy and Zarri have matching outfits.  So cute.   Gray is still in Pajamas....
• 9:45am:  A call from our DSHS worker, a DSHS manager, and our adoption agency each separately saying they have our paperwork and have e-mailed it.
• 9:47am: I recieve a copy of the paperwork, and forward it to the lawyer.   Gray seems to be in something like clothes.  Connor is in full on refusal mode now.
• 9:50am:  A call from our lawyer confirming that she has recieved all four copies of our paperwork.  We are a go.
• 9:55am:  Getting everyone in the car.  Connor is laying on the floor, determined.
• 9:57am:  We are all in the car, Connor relents.
• 10:00am:  Driving down the road
• 10:01am:  Chaos embraced.

The chaos always involves either small children doing what small children do, or ridiculously busy scheduling logistics, or large numbers of unexpected life events, or mommy and daddy's sleep deprived brain malfunctions.  Most days, it is some combination of all the above. ;)

Managing our daily lives makes going to work seem like a cake walk some days.  In the end everything tends to come together.  The same usually happens in other parts of our lives.  On the occasions that it doesn't, it's more chaos.  Afterall, what's a little more :).

The bottom line is:  Don't sweat the small stuff.  We all get spun up on the nitty gritty details of daily life.  When it doesn't go as planned, our blood pressure rises along with anxiety.

Chaos is a regular part of life.  Embrace it.  You'll be happier for it, and others around you will think you've got it together.  (No need to correct them on that, haha! )

'Til next week....

Game Changing Workforce

I watched "Moneyball" recently.  The Oakland A's GM, Billy Beans, and his staff turned the game of baseball upside down by thinking outside the box.  The rest of the league had to follow suit, or continue to lose to those who did.
 
Do you ever think about what the next big revolution will be in your industry?  In the last century, we've had many revolutions or ages that have turned the world upside down.  The atomic age, jet age, space age, and now the information age to name a few.

What if you, or your company, could be among the early adopters?  Could you change your position with the competition?

What if you could do everything you do today, but significantly cut, or eliminate the cost of your physical offices?  Where would you put those lease, power, and maintenance costs if they were released?

Now, add tax incentives for that making effort.  Would you have an edge over your competition?

Those are exactly the benefits that await the first companies to truly adopt the concept of a distributed workforce.  There has been massive adoption of residential high speed internet access, voip phones, video conferencing, and collaborative tools like Webex.  Today, the market is prime for a company to embrace 100% work from home policies.

As with any edgy move, there are some hurdles to overcome, and some lessons to be learned.  Billy Beans had a slump before he starting winning games too:

• Remote collaboration requires new skill sets.  Managers will need to learn how to support employees in learning these skills, and the skills they need to keep everyone engaged from afar.
• Culture shift:  There needs to be a shift toward work accountability over butts in seats and hours worked.  Moving people to a home office provides them with greater freedom to manage their own time.  With that freedom comes responsibility.  Rather than trying to manage and motivate in traditional ways, we need to hold those same people accountable for their assigned tasks, and ability to collaborate.
• Adoption of technology:  Everyone needs to be trained on the collaboration tools, and use them.  No exceptions.
• Time management:  This is a major problem in our workforce today by my account.  Management does the majority of time management, and individuals clock in and clock out.  This skill needs to be delegated to each individual.  Everyone can manage their own time if given the training and motivation.

For companies that take this on, there will surely be some bumps in the road.  But now let's consider what you get out of it:

• Facilities costs:  Every person that does not need to come in to the office saves physical space, and support costs.  Depending on your location, this can be extremely expensive.
• Ecology:  Let's face it.  I think we all know that we'd be better off with fewer cars on the road.  
• Tax Incentives:  In some states, there are business tax incentives for every employee that works from home.  This incentive is specifically to help reduce traffic congestion and emissions.  
• Higher efficiency:  Even for a person with a 20 minute commute, you are cutting 40 minutes of wasted time out of every day.  Assuming a 16 hour wakeful day, that's a 4% increase in valuable time every day.  Atleast some of that time will probably be spent working.
• Fewer distractions:  Given a good time management skills, and some training, working from home presents a much more focused environment.  This is heavily dependent on good policies, and support for remote employees.
• Higher morale:  More time at home with families, friends, etc..  is a good thing
• More independent, well rounded employees:  Successful home workers require self directed mind sets.  The skills learned to do this successfully will feed into other aspects of work and life.

Will your company be a trailblazer, and reap the benefits of competitive advantage?  The Oakland A's only had a short advantage from rethinking baseball.  After everyone else adopted their methods, the advantage was gone.  The same will be true in business.

Do you want an edge over your competition?  Consider the benefits above.  Are you up to the challenge?

Trouser Trouble . . .

This story is one more reason why I love working from home.

Every Thursday morning I roll myself out of bed at 4:30am and get ready for my longest day of the week.  Thursdays are my one day of the week to commute to Bellevue.  I leave home at 5:30am, don my motorcycle gear, and trek out for the 6:20am ferry boat.  I arrive at  my desk just before 7:30.

I'm kind of a freak of nature.  Most of the people I work with roll in somewhere around 9am or later, bleary eyed, and looking for coffee.  By that time of day, I'm looking for a mid morning snack.  I usually get some quiet productive time before "stuff" starts to hit the fan.

One particularly rainy Thursday, I was very happy to have that quiet morning time.

I mentioned that I donned my motorcycle gear.  One thing you have to know about rain gear: It can't be trusted.  Like a playground bully with a water balloon: it lulls you into a false sense of confidence, and then BAM!; you're sopping wet, and everyone's looking at you funny.  This is why I always keep an extra pair of pants on my bike.  You never know...

And so it was that Thursday morning.  I had a nice ride to the ferry and trudged up for my usual nap across the water.  The weather was so nice up to then that I didn't even look outside when I headed back down to my bike.

I strapped on my helmet; put on my gloves; and mounted up, ready charge into a new day.  It was around then that I looked outside.  The front of the ferry was drenched.  Cars were running their wipers.  And the riders at the very front of the boat were waiting under cover until the last minute.  Mother nature's heartless ambivalence at work.

No problem.  My rain gear is waterproof.  I've been riding for months in the rain with no problems.  I have extra pants in my bag.  Nothing to worry about... Off I go.  It's only a few miles to Bellevue.

.
Wow.  This is some pretty hard rain...  Did I put those extra pants back in the bag???
.
My legs are colder than usual.  Meh, can't be wet.  It just cold...  Hmm...  That cold feeling is spreading..
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Mother nature and my raingear have conspired against me.
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Sigh, it's too late to turn around now.

When I got to work, I quickly confirmed that, yes, I did indeed forget to put my extra pants in the bag.  Once inside, I confirmed again that yes, indeed my rain gear had leaked.

I am convinced now the First Gear hires playground bullies to design rain gear.  Job requirements include past experience with water balloons.  I've never had rain gear leak on my neck.  Never on my knee, or my arms.  There is only one place that a bully will target a water balloon.  Maximum humiliation, square between the legs.

I'm at work now.  Luckily I'm the only person there.  I have no idea how long it will take for my pants to dry, or if there will be a water stain.  The only thing I can do is stuff my pants and my chair with paper towels and hope I dry out before anyone shows up.

My desk sits right next to the main door.  I listen as people slowly file in.  Several people pass by without stopping to say hi.

Then I hear someone coming around the cube wall.  I'm still sitting on a pile of paper towels.  This isn't pretty ...

Whew.  It's another bike rider.  One brief explanation, a few laughs, and a brief uncomfortable moment and I'm beyond any major humiliation.

Luckily I dried out, and sent the towels to the trash can before any other embarrassment happened.  I write "Buy extra rain gear; put extra pants in bike bags" in about twelve different places so I don't forget (Like I'm gonna forget, ha).

I've survived another day of commuting, and it's a week back at home before I need to do it again.

I love my work from home days :)