9 Volt Battery

Sitting in our basement family room is a commercial grade recumbent bike.  While it would be a large and expensive laundry drying rack for some people, it has gotten quite a bit of use from our family over the years we have had it.  While summer use is fairly limited, winter use is heavier for the quick workouts when no one wants to make the journey to the Y or I don’t want to set up the trainer on my road bike.

We all knew the day was coming when it would stop working, and it did.  I tried several things but no avail.  I had an expert look at it who was short of a clear diagnosis but was leaning towards an alternator that was not putting out the voltage that was intended.  But he also noticed that a small compartment to hold a 9 volt battery was empty – and it has always been empty.  I found a 9 volt battery and we snapped it into place.  And the bike began to work again to the delight of at least a couple people in the house.

Sometimes it’s not a big change that is needed to make something work.  It might be a slight tweak to the current environment to make something function.  It might be a small adjustment in the timing or a better clarification of an expectation.  It might be adding just a little more focus to an effort – or just a little more energy.

What is your 9 volt battery that will translate into a more successful effort, product, service, or achievement to close out the year and position you for success in 2013?  Chances are it might be something sitting right there in front of you and you might just miss it looking for the big thing to fix it.

60 Days

It’s here.

There are just 63 days left in 2012 and by the time you are reading this it will be less.  You can look at this as only 60 days left in the year and wonder how you are going to get things done you wanted to get done and make comments about how fast the year has gone.

Or you can take a different approach.

You look forward with enthusiasm and passion knowing you have the gift of 60 days to transform the end of year and cap it off with an intense focus and energy to achieve something special.

Mark today on your calendar.  This can be your 60 day challenge.

• Is there a discipline you want to reconnect with?
• Is there a project you want to jumpstart?
• Is there a book you want to finish?
• Is there a plan you want to write that will change 2013 if executed?

Pick four things you are going to do by the end of 2012.  Do them.  Celebrate your success. 

You will be a valuable asset to your team and energize them with your focus the next 60 days. Make a difference with yourself and those around you. 

"Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good. Be careful what you do, and always do what is right." (Proverbs 4:25-26, New Century Version)

Saving a "Trillion"

There is a great scene in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy that is not only funny but captures a great truth about new ideas brilliantly.  Arthur, Zaphod, and Ford have landed on planet Vogsphere to go rescue Trillion - Arthur's potential girlfriend.  They have landed without a plan and are in dire need of an idea.  Problem is the planet has been devoid of anything new due to the Shovel Creatures - they live under ground and come up to smack a person in the face whenever they have an idea.  Consequently, the planet's inhabitants are stuck in culture filled with forms, permissions, and meaningless actions.  Watch the video to to see how Arthur and his team are surprised with Shovel Creatures.

New ideas are an important part of creating growth, efficiencies, and meeting heightened expectations.  When teams are given the chance to contribute it builds a sense of connectedness and empowerment.  Ideas are sitting at the front line, in the middle of your leadership structure, at the top of you're leadership structure, and with your customers. 

Where are they bottlenecked on your planet?

• In the history of "always been that way"
• In the present daily "fires" that take priority?
• In the future fears of "that won't work"
• In the complacency of "it works fine the way it is"

How to rid your planet of the Shovel Creatures:

1. Identify your "Trillion" - what might need rescuing on your planet?
2. Ask for ideas
3. Implement a new idea no matter how simple
4. Celebrate the success

Watch the growth happen without the Shovel Creatures tending your planet.

Made in the Crockpot

I sat in meetings this week with two different organizations. Both are well respected in their marketplace with passions to make lasting impact. One was looking at data from a survey and discussing how to get better and increase customer loyalty. One was looking to the future and how to ensure that its "DNA" is embedded in its strategic initiatives to broaden its impact. Both organizational discussions came back to relationship building as being a core value and difference maker. Both organizational discussions landed on similar threads - how do we build this value into new and changing delivery models or squeeze it into already busy schedules and tight budgets?

The challenge is that bigger, faster, better leans toward a "microwave" mindset in many cases - push the button wait 3-4 minutes and you have success. However, relationship building requires a "crockpot" mindset - a realization that flavor and uniqueness is better when time it given. There might be a quick connection made, but it is the ongoing dialogue and time engagement that enrich the relationship. When changing priorities, workloads, and daily challenges grow in intensity, the microwave time gets the short term win. The net effect is that an important asset necessary to an organization that values relationships slowly fades away at a speed that is not noticeable.

At the 2012 Global Leadership Summit, relationship building came up in almost every presentation. It played into conflict resolution, accountability, succession planning, organizational health, navigating the generations, decision making, and transformed lives. Intentionally strengthening relationships will create a better leader. And as Bill Hybels noted, "everyone wins when the leader gets better".

Grab the crockpot and follow these three steps (plus a bonus 4th) to enhance relationship building:

• MODEL: Include relationship building time into your schedule. Block the time off and protect it. Use it for relationship building practices no matter how tempting to include other things that might seem important.
• ACCOUNTABILITY: Include relationship building reports on your agenda for team or individual meetings. Ask for updates on work that had been done since the last meeting to deepen an important relationship for the organization or agreed success standards.
• PRIORITIZE: If relationship building is a part of the core for your organization, prioritize it at a high level. Determine if there is a trump value to it and if there is, clarify and communicate it in explicit terms. 
• SHARE: Tell stories that highlight the difference relationships have had and the impact it has had for the individual. Share what deepened the relationship and trust. People remember stories and relate to them.

What's Your Story?

Stories are a powerful way to to shape the future.  We don't always remember facts and figures, but we do remember the stories we hear and the impact they had on us - if they aligned with a belief, if they aligned with a common experiences, or tie back to a memorable time.  If it is a particular memorable story or event we might even keep a picture of something that triggers that story or keep something that reminds us of the event, story, or experience.


What are the stories you have personally experienced that capture the essence of your beliefs, your character, and represent significant milestones in your own journey?  What are the stories that represent how you have been blessed?  Have you shared them?  How will they be passed on?

• I remember walking with my Grandpa Peterson who was around 80 years old to the post office in a tiny town in South Dakota one summer.  It was under a mile roundtrip  but it was pretty hot and he probably had his standard bib overalls and long sleeve shirt.   I don't remember any conversation, but I do remember that when we were returning within a couple hundred feet of the house, he said, "Boy - go on in the house and tell mom (my grandma) to eat without me.  The lady at the post office gave me an extra 10 cents back and I have to go give it back." 
• I remember moving to the Chicago area with my wife and not knowing anyone.  We visited a church where we met a couple at the same stage of life and had common friends from Iowa.  We settled into that church and had experiences that we still talk about 20 years later because of the way they were used in our lives.

Psalm 78:1-7 says we are to capture these moments and share them with our children for the purpose of pointing them back to these "God moments" so they can pass them on to their children, and their children....for five generations.  That's a hundred plus years that the stories you share can impact your legacy.


So, what stories will you share?  What stories will shape your family for next 100 years?  Be intentional with what you pass on to your family and team.

Lessons on the Tandem

I had not taken a tandem bike for a ride - until last weekend.  I tried it by myself first around the parking lot.  It was just like riding a big bike…think 15 passenger van compared to compact car.  But then I added my “stoker”, my fellow pedaler and wife.  Things got to be little more challenging.  We’ve ridden a lot together on our individual bikes – our last six anniversaries have been bike trips!  But now things changed on the tandem.

• I had to communicate when I was going to pause my pedaling because her cranks stopped too.
• I had to say when the bump was coming and not just know it or I ran the risk of losing my partner or hearing about it (“I need more notice, please”)
• I had to point out interesting things because her vision was limited to side to side.  An exponential side effect when the stoker is half the size of the pilot/captain.
• I had to listen to the needs of my partner because I could not see how things were going.

Leading others requires many of the same skills as riding a tandem bike.

• Communication is key.  We can forget sometimes how much our actions impact other around us.  Conversations we have, actions we take, and words we write can quickly change relationships and culture.
• Sharing knowledge can help shape behavior.  If I said “bump coming” and paused pedaling, my wife knew to pause and flex out of her seat to reduce the impact.  Likewise, if we know important information about a situation, a client, or a customer we give our team a better chance of success by sharing it with enough time to react.
• Looking ahead helps our teams prepare for the future. In a similar fashion, the peripheral views of our followers/partners of the surrounding environment are equally important and many times rewarding.  The view from a different perspective can help determine the path to the future.
• Listening can clarify what is seen or not seen.  From the front of the bike I couldn’t tell if my wife was wearing out or slowing down, if she needed a drink, or if she was in pain from sitting too long.  I had to listen for her to tell me and at times I had to ask.  Some of our teams may be afraid to ask questions or share a thought.  Leaders need to ask the right questions and then listen to hear important information.

Riding the tandem required a change – a change in thinking, communicating, and acting.  As we completed our 28 mile ride we decided it was pretty fun.  We could move at a faster pace and cover a greater distance with both of us pedaling together. My wife could look around more knowing someone was watching the future road.  We could talk better being just a couple feet apart.  We accomplished something new together and shared a unique experience.  But we would have missed out if we would have stopped after the first couple of miles because it was different or awkward at first.  We adjusted and both of us committed to a new adventure and saw it through…and will most likely seek out the bicycle built for two again.

Lessons from the Dealership

I found myself unexpectedly looking for a new car and with a fairly short turnaround time.  I pretty much hit most of the dealership websites, narrowed my search, and found my "new" car.  Great shape - clean, minimal wear and tear.  I noticed a couple of minor dings probably from another door opening into it - but nothing concerning to me.

I had a great sales person who accommodated my schedule, wasn't pushy, and knew his stuff.  After I made my decision he jumped in with a last walk around and noted stuff that I had looked past and wrote up a work order to have all the blemishes buffed out and repaired.  He was going to make sure it was as perfect on the outside as it could be.  Great service - but more importantly, I am hoping everything works out as well internally with the car as the attention to the outside.

We can pay a lot of attention to our external appearances.  A leadership facade is created saying the right things at the right time to the right people.  We want everyone to think we know what we are doing - even when we might be struggling.  We smooth out those rough spots on the outside, we polish things up.  We look good.  But inside we are missing those internal cues, and time crunches force out a best practice.  Those habits we have that keep our heart, head, and hands aligned for leadership falter a bit in a busy time; and all of a sudden we realize that the internal engine we have as a leader is falling behind and needs some work.  Hopefully, we realize it before it breaks down at a crucial time. 

Personal leadership has to stay at the front as a priority because the inner workings are what support the outward appearances.  The Bible called this out long ago when Samuel was searching for the new king "...People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (I Samuel 16:7b).    When the heart, the head, and the hands for leadership are not in alignment, poor decisions happen and the facade is seen for what it is.

Spend time this week buffing up the inside to ensure the outside is more than a facade.