8 hours & a lunch

what bill belichick can teach us about decision-making

Alright, alright.  So Bill Belichick didn't punt against the Colts and it lost the Patriots the game.   Scott Anthony wrote about this over at Harvard Business today, and for those who missed the game, here's his recap:

The New England Patriots led the Indianapolis Colts by six points with two minutes to go. It was fourth down, the ball was on the New England 28 yard line, and the Patriots needed just two yards for a first down that would almost certainly have sealed a victory. Conventional wisdom called for a punt, but Coach Belichick decided to go for it. After the Patriots fell just short of the first down, the Colts marched into the end zone and won the game.

Suddenly, there's a whirlwind of debate amongst the pundits, including how statistically speaking, the Patriots had a better chance of winning the game by 'going for it' and not punting.  It didn't work out that way in this instance, but repeating the same scenario again and again, it would work more often than it wouldn't.

Other Factors

But while some want to break down Belichick's decision into being all about the numbers, there are other variables and human factors to consider.  Decision-making doesn't just come down to stats, in football, in business, or in life.   

1)  You need to know what condition you (and your team) is in (and what they're capable of in that moment) - What was the chance that Manning, who had thrown two interceptions that night, would get the Colts all the way back down the field for a touchdown in two minutes if they punted?  There's probably a stat for that, but the Patriots defense was also tired. On another day, they might have been stronger in the same situation.  But everyone has an off day, so you not only need to know what shape you and your people are in, you need to know when someone's having an off day and what they're capable of in the particular moment.       

2)  Take a moment to consider different possible outcomes -  What if the Patriots had made the two yards?  They'd have likely sealed up the win.  (And Belichick would have been heralded for having the guts to make the play.)  If they punted, would the Colts have made it all the way back down the field?  (It's possible.  We've seen it happen before.)  If they failed to convert, the Colts would have had the ball at about the Patriots 30-yard line, and what would be the possibility of them making it down the field from there?  Any decision we make has more than one possible outcome.  You make the pitch and you make the sale.  Or you don't.  Or someone comes back and wants to negotiate.  What are all the possible outcomes of a decision and which ones are you prepared for? 

3)  Don't forget other factors like time (and pressure) - Especially when we look back on a decision we've made, we tend to underestimate the effects the amount of time we had to make that decision or the pressure we may have felt at the time had on the decision we ultimately made.  Take note and take that under consideration next time.

Second-Guessing Will Drive You Crazy

It's easy to crunch the numbers when you have all day to do it after the decision doesn't bring the desired result.  And sure.  You want to take a look back and learn from your mistakes.  But we do this all the time -- in life and in business.  We have a certain amount of information.  We only know what we know at that moment.  And we make a decision.  Unfortunately, there are times when we make what is a good decision at the time, but it still doesn't turn out the way we want it to. That's just life.  Risk brings reward.  It's also called a 'risk' for a reason.  

 No Guts, No Glory

Do I hope that anytime the Patriots get into that situation again they'll punt?  Nope. I like that they went for it.  But that's me.  It's easy to say 'he should have made the safe choice', but safe choices aren't always the way to go.  You don't get to four Superbowls and win three of them by always playing it safe.  And if you want to live a life half-lived, if you want to keep your business where it is, sure.....play it safe every time.  You'll be guaranteed the same results you've been getting.    

Besides, when it comes down to it, your career, your business, your life is about the long haul.  It's made up of a series of choices, a series of plays.  You win some.  You lose some. You make the best decision based on what you know in the moment.  You deal with the outcome.  And when you lose?  You learn, you get stronger, and you just go on to play another day.  So make the best decision you can and just go for it already.   

All the best!

deb

why you should care about carrots & sticks (your talent is getting restless)

On Monday, I posted Dan Pink's TED talk on motivation.  I'm looking forward to the release of Dan's next book, Drive.  And here's why.  He's right.  But there are a great many businesses out there determined to continue utilizing out-dated methods of motivation and engagement that science tells us don't work.  And the timing, if you want to stay ahead of the game leading your business, couldn't be better.  

Eyes Off the Ball

Last year, most businesses reacted to the recession the same way they always do.  Cutbacks and layoffs started hitting in numbers we haven't seen in close to 30 years.  In the meantime, many leaders also secretly decided that this was a relief.  After all, they could go back to command-and-control management and stop worrying about their people.  They didn't have to waste time talking about things like engagement anymore.  Clearly, people would just be happy to have a job, right?  So why worry about the stress they were going to be going through worrying about the next rounds of cuts?  Why worry about supporting them now that they're doing the jobs of 2 or 3 people?  

Offsite Meetings & Holiday Parties

Some businesses handled layoffs in traditional fashion.  People were in panic mode.  And while I realize what some of those offsite meetings produce and that some people still believe the holiday party is key to employee morale, your people were busy doing the calculations.  They were watching news of AIG continuing to pay big bonuses and they brought that home.  They started wondering why the guy in the cubicle next to him had to be laid off so that the leadership could go meet in the Bahamas.  And leaders who didn't communicate well (or worse, didn't communicate at all), leaders who didn't handle the past year or so well, will start noticing something soon.  

Your Talent is Getting Restless

Stories are already starting to crop up here and there, including over at Harvard Business. 

The story?  Your talent is getting restless.  You know, the people you hung on to through the layoffs because you wanted them to stay.  They're your rockstars.  And they might already be looking to jump ship.  

The first thing you should know about the job market is that while it looks bleak to many, your top talent are starting to see options crop up.  People are still being actively recruited away from their current positions. The second thing you should know is that with job growth projected to be slow, you might have a little bit of time to hang on to your top performers.

Motivation

One thing to begin taking a look at are your carrots and sticks.  Are you still using them?  (How much of your team gave up long ago not believing they truly had a chance at grabbing the carrot in the first place?) The carrots and sticks were never key to keeping your top people motivated to begin with, but after all they've been through the past year, those methods work even less.  They're looking for the autonomy, mastery, and purpose that Dan talks about.  They miss it and they're starting to look for it again.  And your best people will find it.  

If you're a leader in any size organization, and you've been neglecting this while reacting to external events, it's time to start taking a look forward and building the foundation now that will keep your rockstars doing great work and doing that great work for you.

All the best!

deb 

 

where's your sweet spot?

The sweet spot on a tennis racquet is the spot where the ball strikes and creates almost no force on the player's hand.  To the player, hitting the sweet spot feels effortless.  It's easy.  In sound engineering, the sweet spot is where the listener hears the most favorable balance of all the sound elements.  The sweet spot is where it all comes together with ease, and achieves an optimum result.

For me, it happens when I'm facilitating a session, talented, smart people are engaged, and suddenly lightbulbs start going off.  These people start seeing things in a new way.  They become enthusiastic, and we all start collaborating and coming up with solutions.

In photography, it doesn't happen every time I shoot.  Most often, it happens when I'm collaborating with another photographer whose strengths and style are diametrically opposed to my own -- thereby allowing us both to learn and grow as photographers while also allowing us to offer a client more artistic options than they'd have with just one of us alone.  This, combined with shooting pros doing what they do best creates a place where people are doing what they love and striving for excellence, creating the sweetest spot in photography I have yet identified.

I don't hit the sweet spot every day.  All the factors that create the sweet spot for me aren't available everyday.  But knowing what components create that spot means I can seek out more and more opportunities to work in that space and to live there.    

So what about you?  Do you know where your sweet spot is?  Do you know what factors come together and take you beyond just doing what you love to creating a place that feels somewhat magical where work is happening but it feels easy and fun and excellence happens?  Do you work in that space often?  What can you do to get to that place more regularly?

All the best!

deb  

what i know for sure (a birthday post)

Things always happen to me on the 17th.  Married on the 17th, divorced on the 17th.  Got jobs on the 17th.  Moved on the 17th.  Closed on my first house on the 17th. Sold that house for quite the nice little profit on the 17th.  Lost a great love on the 17th.  Started my business on the 17th.  But this particular 17th, in November, happens to be my birthday.  I know that yesterday, I posted a video and said we'd talk about that -- but we'll get to that tomorrow.  Today is my birthday and there's something bigger I want you to know.

I've been around a few years now.  And here's the thing.

Sometimes

Sometimes......sometimes, I get it right.  Sometimes I get it so right that I shock myself.

And sometimes.....sometimes I get it really really wrong.

Sometimes I still open my mouth and have a foot-sandwich for lunch.  And sometimes, I say just the right thing at just the right moment.  

Sometimes, I make seriously awesome decisions.

Sometimes, I make poor ones.

Sometimes, most times, I just make the best decision based on the information I have at the moment and circumstances change and that is what really determines whether it turns out to be a good or bad decision in the long run.  

Sometimes, I regret that one particular move (one of many) that my family made.  I know my life would have been different, and I'm pretty sure -- in a couple of ways -- how it would have been different.  Still, I don't know that that would have been 'better'.  Because my life, overall, has been pretty awesome and I've had experiences I never would have had if we'd stayed.

Sometimes, I regret that I never auditioned for Broadway.  OK.  That is one regret I definitely have.  Not that I never 'made it there' but that I never tried.  So you know what?  I just learned from it and when something comes along that I know I'll regret not trying, I do the sane thing -- and try.  Even when other people think it looks crazy.

What I Know For Sure

And to use Oprah's famous question, what I know for sure?  Is that most of that really doesn't matter.  What I know for sure is that I am loved.  I have been loved, deeply.  And I am loved, deeply.  And I will be in the future.  

I know that sometimes friends come from the most unlikely places.  I know that sometimes someone you've never met reads between the lines and knows you're having a hard time and tells you to 'lean'.  They tell you it's okay to lean when you need to and that's exactly the thing you need to hear right at that moment.  And sometimes, someone picks up a phone and calls when they only have a couple of minutes, just to tell you that you matter and that can make you cry, and give you just the thing you need to stay strong and keep moving forward.  And sometimes, someone says three words like 'don't you even' to remind you to believe in yourself and that's all that needs to be said.

I can tell you that sisters-by-choice is just about the most amazing gift anyone can find in their life.  I've put mine through their paces, I can tell you.  Because my sisters-by-choice?  They've gotten it all!  And they've put up with it all.  And they've stuck by me through it all.  These are the women who will jump on a plane at a moment's notice when needed.  These are the women who will listen....and listen...and listen.  And then will promptly kick my ass when I need to have it kicked. 

But There's More

And what I know for sure is that being loved does not bring me my greatest joy.  Not by a long shot.  What I know for sure is that my greatest joy is not in being loved....but in loving.  It's in what I have to give, what I have to offer.  It's in loving others and being that person who jumps on a plane for them or calls them up when I have a minute or offers words of encouragement at just the right moment.  My greatest joy is in giving.

What I Want You To Know

I hear it all too often.  I hear people questioning if their voice will speak to a wide enough audience or if they're getting it right or doing the right things or saying the right things or.....whatever.  And here's what I want you to know.  You are unique.  You are special.  You have a voice that people need to hear.  You can say something others may say -- but you'll say it in your way, in your time, in your voice, in a way that will touch someone that no one else will.  

Don't sweat it so much.  Just be you.  Be you in all your glory and all your splendor. 

And remember, as you watch this video -- sometimes, we're the one in the boat and sometimes we're the one on the shore.  Love.  Give.  And be loved.  And the rest?  The rest you just take as it comes.  Love with all your heart.  Stay open.  Take the risks you need to take.  Make your life all you can make it.  Do the best you can.  That's all anyone can ask.  And it's all you need to do.

And since it's my birthday and I get a wish?

My wish is....that you call the people you love today and tell them.  It only takes a minute, but it means the world. 

All the best!

deb

Enjoy this video:

Anchored HD from lindsey olivares on Vimeo.

dan pink on carrots & sticks (the truth about motivation)

I'm looking forward to Dan Pink's next book, Drive.  This is a 20 minute video, so I'll let you watch it today - and write more about it tomorrow. 

All the best!

deb

listening and silence

Posting everyday has become more of a challenge than I expected.  Some days, I crave silence.  Today is one of those days.  It's a gray, cloudy Sunday that seems much more suited for silence and for listening for answers that I know will come more than speaking out.  Knowing that the creative process includes a period of stillness before the flash of inspiration adds a tinge of expectation to days like this for me because I know the flashes of inspiration will come.  But today?  It's quiet.  There's stillness and peace.  Today, I'm listening to the silence.

All the best!

deb   

two super-charged words

My friend Ronna Detrick keeps bringing up two words that are super-charged for me.  Those words?  Faith and feminism.  They're two words I tend to shy away from because of the images and associations they bring up for me.  Mostly, it's hard for me to bring them together.

Faith

For those who are long-time readers of this blog, this won't come as a surprise.  For others, it might.  I am a preacher's kid.  I grew up as a preacher's kid in a church that I define as "go to Southern Baptist and take a right."  

After witnessing years of the behind-the-scenes politics that most people who attend services regularly never have any idea going on, and after years of being told who I was wasn't right and didn't work, I walked away. 

My father kept encouraging me not to "let the behaviors of men get in the way of your faith in God."  It may well have been great advice.  I can't really say.  

I didn't take it.

My liberal and intellectual sensibilities, along with my own personal experience, tends to lead me away from it.  And yet, somehow, I'm always drawn back from time to time.  I still question.  I still wonder.  I still seek answers.

Feminism

But that wasn't the only reason I walked away.  The other reason I walked away was the constant stream of being told what a woman 'should' be and exactly how I did not fit in with that.  Who I was, who I am, as a person, it seems, makes me 'wrong'.  I've had the word 'feminist' thrown at me from those 'of faith' in ways that were intended to keep me quiet, make me dress a certain way, think a certain way, live a certain way.  I don't tend to like the word 'feminist' though, as for me, it invokes images of angry women behaving in ways that don't work for me personally any more than the 'good little Christian women' did.  But if being a feminist means that I believe in equal work for equal pay and that a woman can be just as good as a CEO or President as the next guy, or that a woman has the right to choose - in any number of areas, including how she lives her life.  Well then call me a feminist.

Bringing the Two Together

I was fortunate in that the messages I received from 'the church' were negated by my parents, who taught me to think for myself.  They thought me to question.  They believed, it seems, that it didn't do me one bit of good to 'follow the path' if that path wasn't my own and of my own conviction.  And that is where I think much damage gets done.  It's when we grow up and take on beliefs and values that aren't truly our own, they've just been handed to us.

I'm a big proponent for questioning.  I believe in knowing who you are, and asking hard questions that lead you to define your life, define what a successful and fulfilling life means to you, and then live that to it's fullest.  

I think it's time I get back to my own personal questions about faith.  It becomes difficult at the intersection of faith and feminism.  Are we allowed to have faith and be feminists at the same time?  Some people would tell you the answer is no.  

But Ronna is challenging us.  She's challenging us to ask the hard questions and work through them, reinterpreting some of what we may have been told and taught, and come to our own answers that work for us.

That's why I'll be on her Faith and Feminism call on Wednesday, November 18.  It's free - and having talked with Ronna before, I can guarantee you that her unique, powerful voice will inspire you to find your answers and to think in new, more empowered ways.  Go sign up and join us!

All the best!

deb

staying in the game (looking for a job)

About a year ago, I dipped back into the old corporate experience and wrote a few posts about what to do if you thought you were about to be laid off.  Honestly?  I had no idea at the time.  I had no idea that unemployment figures would hit a 26-year high, or that the real number once you throw in all of those now under-unemployed would be this big. 

 

And Here's What Happened

Speaking to a friend of mine who was another organizational development executive, I asked what he was doing to look for a job.  I was amazed, given his prior experience, at his answer.  His answer?  "I keep checking the job boards everyday."  

The problem?  He'd had that last job for 12 years.  And the company he'd worked at had never switched up how they searched for people.  So he was still working with the job-search mentality of a decade ago.

In the meantime, I started getting other questions from friends, long-time blog readers,etc. about what they should be doing.  So, here I am.  Talking about how to look for a job again. 

Not In the Ads

Depending on your source, it's estimated that anywhere between 70-80% of available jobs are never advertised.  Ever.  Not in your local newspaper, not on Monster or Careerbuilder. Not only are there better places to be looking online, most jobs don't even make it into publications.  And that number?  The 70-80% number?  That's in a good economy.  That figure is probably much higher right now.

15 Seconds

Here's the other thing.  (And this one tends to get people upset.)  Most HR people, recruiters, or hiring managers, spend about 15 seconds scanning your resume to see if it's worth taking a deeper look at.  That's it.  15 seconds.  That might seem unfair. I know you worked hard on your resume, and maybe even paid someone to work on it for you.  

But you've got to stop for a moment and consider the other perspective.  That HR person? That recruiting guy or hiring manager?  They've likely received thousands of resumes in response to any opening they have.  They're likely working someplace that has also seen layoffs and they've taken on additional responsibilities in their own jobs.  

It's not personal.  It's just a matter of time and practicality.

It might not be pretty.  But it's true.  If all you're doing is sending out resumes, you are probably sending a resume that looks and sounds a lot like most resumes out there - and you've got 15 seconds for that resume to make enough of an impression to warrant a 2nd look.

The Longer You're Out, The Harder It Is

And here's the other thing.  The longer you're out?  The harder it is.  The longer you're out, the more you're going to have to prove that you've stayed current, up-to-date, and the more you'll have to prove what you've been spending your time in the right places. (It's also harder to get back into the swing of things if you're out for more than a couple of months, if you've done what most recruiters will suspect you've been doing - which is basically that you've been searching job boards each day, and watching Oprah.)

There Are Things You Can Do

There are things you can do.  There are things you can do to swing the odds in your favor. There are things you can do to stand out.  There are places you should be online while you're unemployed -- and you may not be spending time there right now. As bleak as it all might sound, there are jobs out there.  And while I do know people who are still struggling, I also know others who have had 2-3 offers over the course of the past year.  

That's why I put together the "Job Search Guide (How to Get & Find the Right Job for You)"  (because things might be tough out there but desperation when looking for a job is still a turn-off, and really....you don't want to just take whatever comes.  You still deserve to land in the right job, in the right environment that works for you long-term.)

There are things you can do that will keep you on top of your game, and that go beyond a resume to demonstrate your expertise and your passion for what you do.  There are also things you can do to build up your network if you didn't while you were still working.The guide isn't long.  That's because, as usual for me, it's pretty direct.  It does include tips on your resume, on questions to prepare for and key questions for you to ask.  But it also includes keys for where to be spending your time, ways to get in the door and set yourself apart that most other job-seekers won't do.

Maybe you've still got your job, or maybe you decided to finally start that business. That's okay, but you probably still know someone who isn't in that same boat.  Pass the link tothem.  

Stay on Top of Your Game

If you want to stay in the game, you've got to stay on top of your game -- even while you're unemployed.  Don't get discouraged.  (This too shall pass, and you're going to be fine.  Sure.  It might get a little bumpy along the way, but you will be fine.) Stay positive.  Do the things other people won't do.  And you'll not only land on your feet, you could actually land some place that is much better for you in the long-run.

All the best!

deb

P.S.  Click here and check out 'the Job Search Guide: How to Find & Get the Right Job For You' and feel free to tweet this post, stumble it, email the link to anyone who might need it.  Let's help get people who want it back to work and back on track.  Thanks!

3 Key Qualities for Success

If you listened to the interview with Jay Maisel, he was asked what character qualities he thought it was necessary to nurture to be a successful photographer.  His answer applies to success in creating your business -- or your career.

The answer?

1)  Enthusiasm

2)  Curiosity

3)  A Strong Work Ethic

If you're passionate about what you do, commit to continuing to learn all you can about what you do, and work hard, you're a step ahead of most people already.

Sounds fairly simple, doesn't it?  Maybe that's because it is.

Do what you're good at, keep getting better at it - and do those things other people aren't willing to do.

All the best!

deb

P.S.  If you're employed & looking for the next move, unemployed, or a recent grad, download this $9.99  25-page eBook on conducting your job search that will tell you what you need to do while you're looking, how to establish your expertise, and even get tips on how to get your foot in the door that most people won't try - putting you a step above the rest.

fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night

David DuChemin pointed to this interview with Jay Maisel the other day.  David says that Maisel gets a bad rap for being a 'hard-ass'.  This is the first interview with him I've ever heard, and so I'm not sure about that.  Maybe he gets more gruff than he does in this 10 minute interview.  (Then again, having lived on the East Coast and being a direct type of person myself, maybe it just didn't offend my sensibilities.)

There were a few comment Maisel made that I think make the interview worth listening to whether you're a photographer or not.

1)  "Sometimes it gets bumpy" - Maisel is asked "what do you when you hit the 'flat spots' and are uninspired."  His answer?  "You ride over the flat spots....sometimes it gets bumpy, but you just keep on going...."

Well that applies to just about everything, doesn't it?  Career.  Starting a business.  Life.  

Things get bumpy sometimes.  But you just keep going.  Sure.  You might make adjustments.  You might change direction.  But you just keep going.

2)  "It only happens if you go out and shoot" - Maisel talks about the rare moment when a photographer gets the shot and thinks, "Yeah.  That one's awesome."  It's the shot that comes out better than the way you first saw it in your head.  And it doesn't happen often.  It happens about as often as a golfer hits a hole in one.  And searching for that "Yeah.  That's the one" will keep you going out and trying again and again and again.  

But you only get the shot if you go out and shoot.  

Just as it is with suiting up & showing up, you have to try to get there.

3)  "I shoot a lot!" -- Just like all those sports analogies we love to use, like how much Babe Ruth was actually up to bat, you shoot a lot in order to get the stellar shots.  So you don't just try.  You try a lot.  You continue to learn.  You do the things other people won't do.  You work harder.  You don't try and give up.  You keep trying.  You try more than the other guy.  You write more.  You submit more.  You talk to more potential clients.  You send out more resumes or set up more informational interviews than the other guys.  

There were other points I found Maisel made that could apply to areas other than photography, and we'll talk about more of those on another day.

But for today, enjoy Maisel's interview and remember:  

Sometimes it gets bumpy, but try -- and keep trying (don't ever give up).

All the best!

deb