Remote…

During today’s pandemic, like many employees I find myself working from home.  Throughout my career I preferred to work in an office so when I came home from work I could leave my work at work and be “present” at home with my family.   Today, work-life and home-life are being homogenized via a recipe called social distancing.

I’m reminded of an article I read by LeeAnn Renninger, PhD. Co-CEO, LifeLabs Learning, 11 high-impact questions managers should ask remote employees

I’ll let you read the full article and all 11 questions as you like.  Permit me to highlight a few of her points that resonate with me now that I too am “remote”.

Dr. Renninger seems to agree with the idea of separating work-life and home-life:

3. What is your daily routine? 

What this question uncovers

Energy management: Listen for spots to help optimize time boundaries. A big danger for remote employees is burnout since work and life are blended. When working in-person at the office it’s easier to have delineated boundaries for starting and stopping work.

I know we like to poke fun at burnout.  For some workers, always being online and seemingly always available can be viewed as a badge of honor.  But even an executive with one of the most hard-driving reputations has said:

Life is a marathon.  

Larry Ellison

So contrary to my favorite, Unknown Sage burnout is real and something to be avoided:

I didn't come here to be told that I'm burning the candle at both ends, complained the patient to his doctor.  I came for more wax. 

It is both wise and healthy to get away from work every day, don’t you think?  Besides, who wants to work with an over-stressed colleague that becomes a poop-in-the-face.  However, don’t extend your “get-aways” too long:

I asked a department manager once how many people worked for him, and he said, "About half!" 

John G. Miller

Dr. Renninger continued:

11. What do you want to learn more about regarding our team or company? 

What this question uncovers

Information flow: When working remotely, people sometimes feel out of the loop. This question helps you hear if they feel or are excluded. You can then optimize systems or explain the context.

Being in the loop – that concept applies to we employees and our managers as well, true?

“Is there any reason you could not serve as a juror on this case?” the judge asked the junior executive called for jury duty.  “I don’t want to be away from my job that long, answered the prospective juror.”  “Can't they do without you?” the judge probed.  “Sure, said the up-and-comer.  But I don't want them to know that." 

Unknown Sage

Yes it’s true, none of us are indispensable.  Most companies continue to operate when we’re away from time to time.  For some, when our executives are away, the company actually performs better!  For other companies, not so much:

It nonetheless spoke highly of the firm's management that they seemed to be going out of business in an orderly fashion.

Norman R. Augustine

We all know the old adage of being out-of-sight…  and with so many jobs being eliminated and employees being laid-off that can be worrisome.

Nonetheless, today it’s better we lay low for a while longer as we all wait and hope for modern medical science to address the invisible killer among us.  Besides, with Teams, WebEx and Zoom, we’re not out-of-mind.  We’re just “remote”.

GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Independence - upheld…

Tomorrow, Americans will celebrate Independence Day:

Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence of the United States on July 4, 1776. Wikipedia

It’s today however, when Americans should commemorate the event that upheld our country’s independence; the event that prevented the United States from being cut in half; and the horrific toll paid to protect our independence.

July 3^rd, 1863 was the third and final day of the Battle of Gettysburg.  Of all the Americans who have ever died in all the wars our country has ever fought, almost half - 620,000 - died in the Civil War.  And of all the Civil War battles, the one battle with the highest casualties was Gettysburg – 51,000 Americans.  Within the Battel of Gettysburg, Picket’s Charge on July 3^rd, 1863 was the deciding, bloody clash.

I know today the Confederate States of America; their monuments; and their flag are easily vilified.  But 157 years ago, those battles were fought by Americans not by villains; by brave souls both North and South who believed their cause was necessary to preserve their country; their way of life.  They were committed to their beliefs and were willing to die for it.

I believe every American should visit the Gettysburg National Military Park and pay tribute to the memory of those Americans that preserved the fate of our union.  Thankfully, that battle and a succinct commemoration by one of our greatest leaders, who also gave his life for his country, ultimately prevailed:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

That day Abraham Lincoln spoke to unite all Americans, North and South.  Today, July 3^rd, is the day for us all to remember; to unite all Americans; and to speak out for a united, United States of America remaining united. 

May God bless you; and may God bless America!

GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Independence…

Happy Independence Day Americans!  Here’s to a fun (and safe) July 4^th holiday.  Here’s to our country – “Land of the free and home of the brave”.

Our Founding Fathers had certain ideals in mind when they fought for our country’s independence.  They had a vision for the common man; free from oppression; living in harmony; pursuing happiness.  We have some work to do for that vision to remain intact.

Today, the term “it’s a free country” too often takes on overly individualized interpretations.  Being free doesn’t mean we can do whatever-the-duck we feel like: 

Freedom means choosing your burden. 

Hephzibah Menuhin

One of the burdens we Americans carry is the concern for and the caring of others.  The Statue of Liberty; symbol of our country’s liberty, is inscribed:

Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

I don’t think “breathe free” means being individualized or undisciplined, do you?  Freedom requires continuous adherence to the rules:

Piloting your own plane may suggest a desire for freedom.  It usually takes a lot of self-control, however, to earn the money necessary to buy your own plane.  And once you are at the controls, concentration and rules are vital.  Undisciplined pilots do not live long.    

Alfred P. Sloan, Jr.

Pick any popular pet peeve; texting while driving; parking in handicapped spaces when not actually being handicapped; bringing pets on a plane declaring “emotional support animals” (trivializing heroic service dogs performing invaluable service to those truly in need).  Does it seem like today’s list of “I’m special; the rules don’t apply to me” is getting longer?

I believe our country’s center of power lies not with the individual, but rather with each individual finding common ground for the pursuit of the collective good for all.  John Wesley believes it’s not about “me”; it’s about how “we” share our fortune with those less fortunate:

Do all the good you can. 

By all the means you can. 

In all the ways you can. 

In all the places you can. 

At all the times you can. 

To all the people you can. 

As long as you can.

America is independent and the land of the free; but as it has been said many times, freedom is not free:

Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it.  It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it. 

Unknown Sage

Yes, America is the land of the free because of the brave.  And bravery is found in many more places than on battlefields.  We witness bravery every day in every way by average people who are proud to be Americans!  We inherited that from our Founding Fathers:

John Hancock, whose name has become synonymous with the word signature, has the largest signature on the Declaration of Independence.  It is said that after he signed it, he turned to his comrades and said, 'I don’t want the King to have any problem finding my name’. 

Laurie Beth Jones

So, let us all enjoy America’s independence today.  And then tomorrow, let’s go back to work - working to ensure this country remains what our Founding Fathers envisioned.  Let us honor those with bravery – past and present – those who gave their lives for our freedom; our independence; our fortunes.  Let us continue to work to make this a country all of us - in common – an America to be proud of.

GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Forecasting…

I was helping update an assessment process for new sales managers recently.  One of the topics was “forecasting”.  In the world of business-to-business, new business selling, sales forecasting is one of my favorite topics.  Not in a “favored” way; more of an “amusing/cynical” way.

Having been an individual sales rep as well as roles in sales management, sales operations, and sales leadership, I’ve played this forecasting “game” from various positions.

I call it a game, because after all these years I believe the four, foundational pillars of delivering on what sales reps have forecasted are:

• Blind faith – we simply believe we’ll win, until we’re told we didn’t
• A wide “funnel” – if one deal pushes, we can still make our number with others
• Sand bagging – not every month, but we all need an occasional breather
• And luck   

Other than the wide funnel (which can be inspected) leadership doesn’t warm to these other pillars.  They believe there should be an algorithm; or artificial intelligence can be employed; or there’s some other scientific solution for forecast accuracy.

I’m reminded of Mike Hoffman’s comments made in this March 2019 SBI article (link) discussing private equity owned companies and the lack of forecast accuracy:

Weighted forecasts are deceiving – What’s the difference between 45% and 50%? Have you ever won 45% of deal?

SBI published a related article that same month (Link) posing this question:

Is it the sales plan or the sale people? 

Some companies fire sales reps that miss their forecast.  I suppose they believe fear improves forecast accuracy.  “Who’s to blame?” is part of the sales forecasting game, and it’s hard to blame bad luck! 

Blaming the people or the plan are two options I suppose.  For me, blame comes after-the-fact.  I advocate a more rigorous approach, before-the-fact.  It may not alter the outcome, but at least I go down fighting.

I’m speaking of each sales rep reviewing the very next step to be taken on every forecasted deal in their pipeline, every day.  Daily? Every deal?   Yes.  Plus, every sales manager viewing every deal forecasted from a “what’s wrong with this deal” perspective. Finally, leadership inspecting deals in CRM for (A) Who will sign the contract?  (B) Has anyone met with said Who to confirm that expectation?  And (C) what is the date, time, and location the highly anticipated signing ceremony will occur?

I know no one wants to miss their forecast.  I also know missing forecast happens in the real world frequently.  When I realize I’m going to miss my forecast – then what?  Do I succumb to what’s known in the trade as “happy ears” and pretend I’ll make it?  Do I succumb to fear and make stuff up? (Which is easy to do today because managers get “happy ears” too.)

What should sales managers and company executives expect from their sales reps?  First, the truth.  When it comes to sales forecasting, the only thing worse than bad news is to be surprised by it.

Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented.

Georges Braque

Second, to learn from it:

The truth, however, is that virtually all well-established strategy models work well in some situations and cause failure in others, so the real skill is less in knowing the strategy than in sorting out the situations to which it actually applies.

                                 

Unknown Sage

We all know sales forecasting is a key business process.  If we free ourselves from the fear of missing, the four forecasting pillars become amusing in a cynical sort of way, true?

GAP

Did you like this little ditty?  You might enjoy my past posts too: www.TheQuoteGuys.com

To Dad…

Happy Father’s Day coming this Sunday!  Aren’t fathers and grandfathers great?  The memory of my father still brings a proud smile to my face (and my heart!).  If you’re lucky enough to have living fathers and grandfathers, give them a hug Sunday.

We fathers are so proud when our children demonstrate the skill of common sense we hope we have instilled in them:

Kid wisdom:

When your Dad is mad at you and asks you, “Do I look stupid?”  Don't answer him. 

Michael

Sometimes our Dads employ “tough-love”.  The worst years of my life occurred when I tried that approach.  I wasn’t skilled at it; didn’t like the outcome; and today would caution any young father to be wary of this idea.  If I could do it over again, I would do it differently.

The good news is my children are resilient.  Yours are too I bet.  (Passed down from us?)  If we are tough with them from time-to-time, they know it’s not permanent - kids are smart:

A flustered father, stressed out from his day at work, was unsuccessfully texting his kids to come in for dinner.  Finally, he walks out on his porch and yells for his kids to come in. 

At that point one youngster turns to his brother and asks, “I can’t remember, which one am I - Jesus Christ or God Dammit?” 

Unknown Sage

Some men have a very entertaining view of the world.  Take Mike Jaeger’s:

Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe and he'll believe you.  Tell him the plate you're handing him is very hot and he'll have to touch it to believe it.

                                 

Dads today take great pride in continuing to provide a home for their families, even as the definition of “home” evolves:

Home, nowadays, is a place where part of the family waits ‘til the rest of the family brings the car back. 

Earl Wilson

Because my sons have children in their lives, I get to be the grandfather now!   Being the grandfather has responsibilities, too:

Sometimes the only difference we can make is passing our wisdom on to someone else who will make the bigger difference. 

Linda B. Gray

The older I get the more appreciative I am of the love and devotion I received from my father.   He wanted his sons to make a difference.  He also wanted us to be patient with his quirks.  I remember after my Mom died, my Dad ate his dinners at the hospital cafeteria two blocks from his house.  It might have been for the convenience; maybe for the memory of the last place he saw his wife alive.

He ate dinner there every evening for over twenty years.  So long, that the employees all thought Al Pokorn actually worked there.  One summer, he was even invited to their company picnic!  I didn’t mind this innocent charade.  But when he won the TV in the employee raffle, I told him he had to give it back!

We are all a little quirky I suppose.  Today when my children use one of my little sayings, or demonstrate a family value or tradition that has been passed down from father to son, it brings a proud smile to my face (and my heart)!

So, here’s to my Dad; and your Dad; and everyone’s Dad and their family traditions.  They have helped us all make a difference - a tradition to be passed down.

GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Am I not what I don’t eat?

The difficult job climate is impacting graduates from the Class of 2020.  It’s even worse for job seekers from the Class of 1975.  Not that we’re ancient relics - but once you’re over 60, some hiring managers think that way. 

For those young or old seeking gainful employment appearance is a factor, especially weight.  It’s no secret that obesity in America has been out of control.  The 2020 stay at home orders have increased calorie intake while decreasing calorie burn rate for many of us.  Our “battle of the bulge” needs some reinforcements. 

No exception here; I’m 20 pounds over my college playing weight.  If I’m going to address that it will have to come from the intake end vs. the burn rate end.  I’m reminded of Margaret Thatcher’s quote:

You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.

Some have said, “You are what you eat.”  Does that mean you aren’t what you don’t eat?  But I digress.

In today’s always online world it’s easier than ever to get caught up in our job; our in-box; social media.  It’s easy to get hooked on working hours instead of working out.  Add-in close proximity to the kitchen and the convenience of Door Dash and our waist lines are engaged in a battle with our cravings.  And here’s the thing, from my former manager Tom DeFloria:

     Abs are made in the kitchen; not in the gym.

There is nowhere to hide.  To make matters worse, there is a tremendous amount of misinformation about food, diet, and approaches to maintaining a healthy weight.  Here are a few examples:

Question:      How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?

Answer:        Well, if you have a body, and you have body fat, your ratio is one-to-one.  If you have two bodies, your ratio is two-to-one, etc.

Question:      I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life.  Is this true?

Answer:        How could that be true?  Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that’s it.  Everything wears out eventually, so how could speeding up your heart make you live longer?  If you want to live longer – take a nap.

Question:      My wife says I should cut down on meat, and eat more fruits and vegetables.  What do you say?

Answer:        Look, what does a cow eat?  Corn.  And what’s corn?  A vegetable.  So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system.

Question:      Is beer bad for you?

Answer:        Look, it goes to the earlier point about vegetables.  As we all know, scientists divide everything in the world into three categories: animal, mineral, and vegetable.  Well, we all know that beer is not an animal, and it’s not on the periodic table of elements, so that only leaves one thing, right?  My advice:  Have a burger and a beer and tell everyone you’re on a vegetarian diet.

                            

Unknown Sage

I think it was none other than Colonel Harlan Sanders (yes, that Colonel Sanders believe it or not) who said;

Make sure you don’t wind up the richest person in the cemetery.  You can’t do business from there.

                                 

Yes weight and work are connected.  Being overweight is nothing to take lightly; we might all want to lighten up our in-take. Our health is much more important than just a job.  When Uber Eats delivers a salad and protein shake we can still say “Bon Appetit!

GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

G.O.A.T.s…

Like other sports fanatics, I can’t wait for the safe resumption of games.  Until actual competition returns media sports programming is trying to fill the void.  Yuck!

Have you noticed when broadcast sports can’t report on live events they gravitate to the “greatest of all time” debate?  Personally, I find these arguments contrived. 

In my opinion, opinions about greatness in sports (or any other field for that matter) don’t matter. What matters are results.  Today’s talking heads pontificate about why this person or that is the GOAT while making excuses why their particular GOAT doesn’t hold actual, individual records; or the most team championships; or blah, blah, blah.  Their GOAT just passes their “eye test.”

I know all about the eye test.  I played basketball at a small college a long, long time ago.  My freshman year coach was also an assistant varsity football coach:

On the first day of practice I was warming up under the watchful eye of Coach Bill Foss.  He noticed I had a small, jingle-bell attached to my shoelace.  My teammates and I enjoyed this unusual idea - back in high school!  Bells on shoes in college?  Not a good eye test.  Coach Foss pulled out a linebacker, blocking pad from his football gear; his eye test for me.

To his surprise, I reached down into my sock and pulled out a mouthpiece.  He was quite familiar with mouthpieces on the football field; he wasn’t as accustomed to anyone using one on his basketball teams back in the day.  I competed in his rebounding drill and in real life games, too.  Results over jingle-bells? Whoda thought!

Now I’m no GOAT.  Every record I set in college has been broken.  My lack of an eye test probably gave me an advantage. 

In my best year I played low post.  At 6’3” and 205 pounds, I was the smallest center in every game.  But I had a record-setting year.  Of course, I had the mouthpiece LoL!  Even so, my teammate Kjeld Sorensen was the toughest competitor on the team that year – and on any team, any year I ever played.  Even without a mouthpiece.

The problem with eye test debates is physical appearances don’t tell the full story.  Annuls of greatness are packed with competitors who didn’t look the part.  The mental and emotional sides to competition are often the difference makers.

Babe Ruth was pudgy; Walter Payton was undersized; no one saw Jesse Owens on cable TV; Bob Beamon’s 1968 Olympic record still stands today – do you even know who Bob Beamon is?

Show me the eye test player who scored 100 points in a single game or grabbed 55 rebounds in another and then I’ll accept that player as the NBA GOAT vs. Wilt Chamberlain.  Show me the player who won 18 major championships using a persimmon wood driver; with a steel shaft; a golf ball made with 30 year old technology; and never had a hint of steroid use; and then I’ll accept that player as the PGA GOAT vs. Jack Nicklaus. 

They even argue about GOATs in horse racing.  This coming Tuesday marks the 47^th year of a never-seen-before and never-seen-since race won by Secretariat.  The Triple Crown winner won the Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths! (Link)  I call THAT results!

Yes, I’m looking forward to the resumption of actual competition in sports.  Others will continue to debate their GOATs.  For me, I’m looking past their eye tests.   

GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.