Nothing's Impossible

Tis the season of hope, of dreams, of compassion, of thinking that things will be better for each of us in the future.  This year, I am seeing things a little differently for no specific reason, but just different.  Maybe it is because I have a senior in HS who will soon be leaving for college, with a sophomore in HS right behind him.  Maybe its the holiday lights, maybe I am just more aware of things this year than in years past.  

I had a conversation with a complete stranger over the phone the other day that gave me an epiphany of sorts.  While we working through some work related issues (she was working on a help desk in a contact center) we began small talking.  I found out the help desk was located in the same city as my beloved college Alma mater, Lawrence Kansas.  I mentioned to her that both my wife and I were alumni and that my oldest son had already been accepted there.  She mentioned to me that she and her husband had their first child who was now 2 years old.  We began talking about Thanksgiving and the holiday season in general.  Then it happened!

We spoke about how my boys had progressed to the age where they understood about Santa and weren't as impressed with all of the lights as they used to be.  She stated that her son was in complete awe of all of the lights and joy of this time of year.  We talked a little more but I had the greatest parenting/leadership lesson I have ever received.  When her son goes somewhere, his innocence and trust is placed with his parents that they will introduce him to positive new experiences.  It's like seeing the warm feelings that come over people the first time they see all the candles on a menorah lit up, or when a trail of lights is seen for the first time, a child is in awe.  As a parent, we often forget that life sometimes has jaded us, and we take for granted life's little experiences.  Our kids lives are full of firsts on a daily basis, especially when they are young.

As a leader, we often find ourselves making decisions but forgetting about the development aspect of a decision.  Critical thinking and evaluation lead to confident, well thought out decisions.  The most critical aspect of thinking and evaluation is experience and the outcomes of past decisions.  Just like a child seeing a holiday light for the first time or receiving a surprise gift, our teams are filled with the same awe when they see the results of their hard work.

For whatever reason, this year is a special year for me personally and professionally.  I have seen my children grow into solid young men; I have seen the team I lead more than double our customer base and become significantly more efficient; I have seen every team member extend and develop in some way.  It has been fun to be able to sit back and watch others talk about what has been developed with appreciation and allow each team member to celebrate their individual accomplishments.

It is easy for us to see how success and failure through our own lenses.  It is far more rewarding to see life through someone else's eyes though.  Be the encourager, the guide, the resource for others and remember it's not all about you.  This is easy to say, harder to do.  If you make the effort everyone wins!

Have a great week and an even better holiday season!

Everything Grows...

Everything grows when it rains.

In nature, in order for things to grow, there must be rain.  As I drove past a field that had been scorched a year ago during a wild fire, there is a lush green field now.  As a leader, we are always challenged to take negative situations and turn them into a positive.  If we find ourselves in situations where we have been burned, we need to look for the opportunity to grow again.

Rain can take many forms.  Rain in this discussion is centered more about the decisions we make in the workplace.  All of us at one time or another have made a poor or ill advised decision in the workplace.  It happens to everyone.  We find ourselves in situations that we often aren't thinking clearly, and as a result, end up in a place that we didn't intend to be.

Do you have a reliable weather forecaster, a professional mentor that can guide you through your individual rainstorms?  These mentors are in the places that you least expect them to be and usually the person that you least expect them to be.  Your weather forecaster is someone that you trust to evaluate situations after the fact, and assist you in growing and maturing to not have another negative experience.  They are there to equip you to weather the daily storms that each person encounters.
When looking at rainy periods, it is important for you to understand how the rain developed.  Most of the time it was not El Nino or La Nina, but a series of events that led to a personal setback.  How you weather the storm will determine how sunny the future will be.  At this time, it is critical to spend a few minutes with your weather forecaster, look at the maps (how the situation came from point A to point B) to understand how the series of decisions led to the outcome that occurred.  The growing piece is gaining an understanding of how to avoid bad decisions and make better decisions in the future. 

I had the privilege to attend a panel discussion of senior leaders this week who spoke of having a mentor.  Mentors who would shoot straight with them and encourage them as they developed in their careers.  These mentors are your weather forecasters, the have been there, done that, and earned a t-shirt for the efforts.  Listen to what your forecasters have to say and they will guide you through the juggernaut that is your professional career.  You will have many forecasters throughout your life.  If you tune them out, you will continue to be bitter and scorched, you will never grow.  However, if you reflect on the feedback given to you, and incorporate the feedback to your particular situation, your decisions will be stronger and more decisive as you become more experienced. 

Pay it forward.  Become a forecaster for others and look for opportunities to share your experiences with those who are a little green so that they are able to grow and mature.

In my career, to quote a James Taylor song, "I've seen Fire and I've seen Rain.  I've seen Sunny days that I thought would never end."  Rain is not always bad, and sun is not always good.  The sunny days always follow the rainy days.  Use those sunny days to grow and mature and I guarantee you will have more sun than rain.  Trust your forecaster to guide you.  Don't take anything or anyone for granted.

Have a great weekend!