Turtlenecks are making a comeback. It took their comeback to make me realize they had pretty much disappeared! Not counting the ones I continued to wear, of course. I just don’t notice these things. It’s good that my business doesn’t depend on my attention to high fashion! But it is a huge problem when you are oblivious to factors that matter to your success. I encountered several retailers this holiday season who fit that description. They don’t seem to have noticed that:
As online shopping has taken over, so have the porch pirates. The losses and inconvenience are adding up. Amazon wants to rectify the situation by gaining access to your home instead of leaving packages on your porch. Nice try, Amazon. But why would I pay you big bucks to let you into my house when no one is home, especially when some of your drivers have proven to be among the pirates?
“In The Clarity Papers, Ann fearlessly undermines conventional wisdom to show you how to make better decisions, motivate your people and find your way in competitive markets.” Perry Walraven,President and CEO, Performance Controls, Inc., a Subsidiary of Hitachi Medical Corporation
There are five population areas around the world where people live longer than the average US citizen by almost 25 years. They don’t just live long, they live well, remaining vibrant and healthy as they age. They are called Blue Zones and researchers study them to find commonalities.
It was a sleigh ride I won’t soon forget. From the North Pole to the heart of New York City, it was beautiful and exciting. We swooped into the city, darting between buildings, swinging left and then right, sweeping past landmarks, before alighting in front of the Radio City Music Hall and rushing into the Christmas Spectacular right behind Santa! We watched with joy as Santa proved he could be at the North Pole, on the street corner, and in every shopping mall all at once. Dancing Santas appeared on the balconies, filled the stage, waltzed down the aisles, and marched across the walls and ceilings. The magic and beauty were dazzling. Six thousand visitors left with visions of sugar plums dancing across their smiling faces.
What is the best way to create commitment? Invite everyone to frequent communications meeting. Make sure everyone feels heard. Launch initiatives with great enthusiasm. Collect ideas from lots of employees. Develop an employee engagement program. All of the above. None of the above. Make your choice and then see if you are correct!
Wishing you a truly Joyful Holiday Season! Think Kind Thoughts, Smile Abundantly, Relish Loved Ones, and Join Me in Hoping for a New Year Filled with Peace, Prosperity, Good Health, Kindness, Respect, and Clarity for All! Thanks for all your support and kind words throughout the year. Happy Holidays to You and Yours! Your grateful friend, Ann Latham
Look around you. Listen to the conversations. Read pretty much any meeting agenda. What will you find? Lots of people discussing, reporting, communicating, and reviewing – activities described by what I call treadmill verbs. Why do I call them that?
I am one of those people who can’t go to sleep at night until a problem is solved. I discovered this in math classes long before majoring in the subject in college. Heck, I discovered this as a small child every time I got my hands on one of those tangles of metal that can be separated into two parts only with the right twists and turns. As a software engineer, I continued to solve problems. All night long, if necessary. As a consultant, I am still solving problems, though now the problems involve business challenges, often quite twisted and tangled! And I’ve got to tell you, no matter how good I’ve gotten to be at solving problems, I still pay attention to process. Actually, let me flip that around. My success at solving problems is undoubtedly a result of using disciplined process. If you want to solve problems effectively, especially when working with others, a disciplined process is invaluable. My SPOT™ Remover for Problems will save you time and help you avoid ‘solutions’ that aren’t really solutions because they don’t work!
For the average person, the act of planning involves creating a list of action items. If you’ve been around the block a few times, you are wise enough to want names and dates connected to each of those action items. With a good solid list in hand, you probably feel ready to plunge ahead. What if I told you that creating that list of action items isn’t the first step of planning, but the third? If you started that way, you skipped two important steps. And what if I told you that plunging ahead once you’ve completed that plan means you’ve skipped the fourth step as well?