I Hear You

 

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” ~ Epictetus

Imagine that somebody makes you the leader. In other situations, you might be elected to the position.  In the world of Machiavelli, you might even reach out and grab that position for yourself.  Whichever way it occurs, you have found your way into a position of leadership – you are sitting atop the body of individuals who look to you for guidance, want you to paint a vision for the future and are in the position of following you.  People will now look to you (and judge you) for what you say, how you act and the method you use to handle situations. 

Many years ago, I was excited by the first opportunity that I had as a leader.  OK, it was a small role, but I was responsible for supervising other people.  Immediately, I told my manager what I was going to do, how I was going to tell everyone what I wanted, etc.  Needless to say, he put the kibosh on that!  It took me years to learn that with the title and the responsibility, do not come with carte blanche for me to dictate my will on other people.  As Teddy Roosevelt so eloquently put it, “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”  The only way for others to know that you care is to listen to what they have to say and pay attention to their words.

We all have opinions and some ideas of how things should be handled.  Not all of us freely share these thoughts, but we all have them.  Sometimes, we forget that the people we are talking to also have their thoughts and ideas.  As a leader, we should have some vision as to the direction and achievements we would like to accomplish.  However, if we do not talk to the people around us, there is no way to tell if we are in alignment with each other.  As John C. Maxwell points out, “If you think you’re leading, but no one is following, then you are only taking a walk.”  By taking the time to listen, people feel that you care about their thoughts (even if they differ), and it provides an opportunity to have other choices become available to you and realign so that more people understand the efforts.

Having the title of “Leader” does not mean everyone has to adopt what you say.  Having recently spent time in an organizational leadership role, I spent a lot of time listening, asking leading questions, and finding out people’s perceptions and needs.  When it comes to leading, we must keep in mind that “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of a few” (Mr. Spock, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)  and the only way to come to the right conclusion is to listen.

Painting Vision

A question that I used to get when I first graduated college on job interviews was where do you see yourself in 1 year? 5 years? 10 years?  The answers were always based on some career path that was taught in school or somehow made it into my head.  Some of the responses that I got back from the interviewer were “Oh, yeah” or “You really think that?” After a few years, those fleeting answer that passed for a vision of my work future was exactly that…fleeting.  I was young, did not know better and had no idea where I was going at that point in my life.

During my first two jobs, I remember working on various projects / work related initiatives.  The actual projects that we were working on did not matter.  What mattered was the question that I used to ask -why am I doing this?  Most of the time, I received no answer from my manager, which always bothered me.  You see, I needed to understand the purpose of what I was doing and how it fit into the bigger picture.  Without a broad picture, or someone painting a vision, I had no idea where things were headed, no opportunities to provide feedback and usually never saw the impact.

Fast forward many years.  I now have what can pass for real life experience – 36 years in the work force, been employed by various companies, tried some entrepreneurial ventures and had changes in my career paths.  Then came the opportunity to become the president of my synagogue, which is a non-profit organization run by volunteers and employees a small group of people.  When I first mentioned taking the position, someone commented, “Ah, it’s just a couple of meetings here and there.”  In truth, this was more like a full-time part-time job.  This was still a legitimate business, with real needs and concerns, that needed to bring in revenue and disburse expenses.

As we know, change is vital to the survival of any organization.  For an organization, or the people in an organization, to change, they have to be able to see where the potential future might take them.  Like my earlier self, an overarching explanation needs to be given to help realize the potential.  Prior to becoming president, I spent 5 years as a Vice President, “learning the ropes”, listening to people and talking about a bright future.  I was already painting the vision prior to accepting the role, in attitude, in speeches and in conversations.  Doing this provided excitement, hope and a view towards the future which is hard to do after decades of doing the same things over and over.  To survive in the future, it needs to be communicated that there is a future, we can get there together and the changes will help us.  Once the vision is painted, the hard work then starts in following through to make sure the picture painted becomes reality.

On to a New Role

After three years as the President of my synagogue, I have transitioned into a new role – Past President.  Yes, I have already heard all of the alternate titles – Has-been, Used-to-be, Wayne who?  It has been a great three years, had the opportunity to work with some good, dedicated people and, as a team, made some much needed changes.  Being in a leadership role, I used many of the tools that I learned over the past decade, discovered many new things about leading an organization and gained a better understanding of where I fit in that picture.

In late 2009, I was introduced to the world of personal development.  I do not mean learning to feel good about myself and live in a dream world where actions automatically manifest themselves.  This  was more about taking a journey to learn, through reading and following people successful in their fields, to develop my own abilities.  It is way too easy to finish our formal education process, head out into the world and get caught up in the whirlwind that surrounds us.  Recognizing that “I am too busy,” or “I do not have the time,” are just excuses for not doing the things we need to help us improve ourselves, the direction we head in and take control of our destiny.  What I have come to understand about success, management and leadership all fell into line from others said and wrote about.

As I now have the chance to reflect upon this part of my life, there are clearly some points of advice I can happily provide to others heading into a similar position:

• Success is not a given and does not always come on the first try.  Success will come, but can be made up of small failures or missteps which provide opportunities to learn from.  It may take a few tries to reach success but when you do, people will not necessarily remember the fails.
• Have patience, not every action has to be done immediately.  Yes, urgency is important and it helps in prioritizing, but one should not sacrifice a success because one acted too fast instead of doing it right.
• Listen to the people around you, as you do not need (nor want) everyone to agree with what you say.  None of us knows everything (even though some people act like they do).  Differing thoughts can lead to new ideas or realignment of objectives.  Keep an open mind.
• Be persistent and do not stop just because others throw up an objection or place a road block in front of you.  Remember, not everyone will see things the same as you; be sure to communicate clearly, paint an inclusive vision and keep you eye on the target.
• Facilitate change, as the acceptance of change has to be a majority mindset, not just one person.
• Most importantly, be prepared!  I knew someone that said, when I get to position X, I will look around, see what needs to be done, then make some decisions / plans.  The rule of first impression goes for leadership, as you only have one chance to put your first best step forward.

As I go through the next few weeks, I will delve more into these points and why these stood out for me.

On Losing My Father

Last known photo of Arnold Zeiler

“This is the longest we have ever been apart…17 months.”  These were the words my father said to me when I first walked into his apartment on January 29^th.  I had planned to visit him last March when the pandemic broke out.  “Wayne, as much I want to see you, please do not come down, it is not safe.”  These words were repeated throughout the year.  While I did not want to catch COVID-19, I certainly did not want to be the one to potentially bring the disease upon my Dad. With the use of Zoom, we still managed to “visit” and share some semblance of in-house celebrations together.  I knew the words were not meant to make me feel guilty but a statement of fact and a sense of sadness we both felt.

Prior to this point, we had gotten calls from Alice, my Dad’s companion for these past 20 years, saying that she needed some help.  A number of years ago, our father had a series of back surgeries followed by a series of strokes.  This led to years watching as he “progressed” from walking on two feet, to using a cane, to relying on a walker, to barely leaving his house.  Regardless of the underlying conditions, we were all watching as his body began to slowly deteriorate.  I know that my family is not alone in watching a loved one lose their independence.   I have also been well aware that I had reached the age where I could have expected to have to help out with an aging parent.  Realizing and facing the reality of all this, however, are two different things. 

It became clear to my brothers and I that the time had come to determine the options to present to my father.  With decreased abilities and an increased potential for falling, we had all reached a junction where additional help would be needed.  We became the first line of defense, taking turns staying overnight.  I can honestly say that any sound heard throughout the night did cause me to think the worst.  24 / 7 care was needed within a short time as standing and moving with a walker progressed towards needing help to stand progressing towards using a wheel chair.

It is not easy to see someone who you remember standing tall, helping out when needed, provide guidance and giving support become the one who is now dependent on the help of others for the activities we normally take for granted.  Over the following 13 weeks, we watched the decline with the ability to stop the trajectory that his body was taking.  As sad as the situation was, we did receive an unusual gift.  We had all that time to reminisce together, share stories, laugh and cry together.  The 17 months my Dad mentioned when I walked into his place in Florida will pale compared to the amount of time from when he “left” until we get to be together again.  I will miss my father but I am thankful for the time we had together.

Period of Transition

Do we know when it is time to say goodbye?  On the other hand, do we know when it is time to say hello?  Our lives are filled with points of transition, whether or not we are ready for them or aware that they are happening.  Worse off, there are many times that we turn a blind eye to transitions, hoping to delay the inevitable and keeping things the same.  This is true in our work lives, our volunteer activities and most importantly, our home lives.  Sometimes, we have control of when a transition will take place and other times, we do not.

Many years ago, I was in Barbados for work.  Each morning, I was picked up by the same driver who drove me to the office that I was working out of.  Every morning, he greeted me with the daily weather report which always ended the same way.  What if every day was always like the day before?  I do not mean like the COVID-lockdown-every-day-seems-like-Groundhog-Day, but if we did the same exact routine each and every day.  We used to joke when we were younger that it was funny how cartoon characters never aged.  Think of the decades that Charlie Brown tried to kick the football Lucy held, knowing each time that she would pull it away.

Work, especially over the past year, has seen many people transition in and out, unfortunately aided by the pandemic.  Before that, how many of us had held on to jobs because we were comfortable? Many years ago, I worked for a consulting company when the entire marketplace (and their business) was contracting.  I sat there watching as people were being let go because there were no new assignments on the horizon.  I should have seen it coming, but I was not prepared when it was my turn to be laid off.  The transition occurred even though I was not ready for it.  Lesson learned – be prepared for anything and keep your head in the game, your eyes wide open and pay attention to what you are hearing.  Job/Role transitions do not always have to be a surprise. 

My life recently went through a transition, one that was impacted by another’s transition – the passing of my father.  Having been sick for some time, recognizing that he was physically failing, my Dad was prepared and ready for the upcoming transition from life.  When the moment came, he was not surprised.  Though saddened by the event, our family was also ready and prepared.  One transition can lead to another.  With eyes wide open and aware, transitions were made.  Some transitions leave us with an empty feeling, of a loss.  Other transitions lead us towards a sense of hope and opportunity.  How we face these are uniquely our own.  The key is to be aware of them and remember, this too is part of life.

One Eye Looking Forward and One Eye Looking Backward

We were recently watching a series on television where the father had a clear view of the world and how it should be, how we should behave and the paths we should all take.  His adult son also had a clear view of the world and how it should be, how we should behave and the paths we should all take.  From each one’s point of view, they were both correct, yet there was no way that their individual views would ever come into alignment.  I know, you are thinking that I am not making sense – based on the way I described their points of view, they both share the same beliefs…or do they?

When I was growing up, there was the term “Generation Gap” that became a catch all for the differences between generations.  The generation (this was before they were given fancy names) that grew up in the fifties had parents who lived through World War II and were fairly strict and brought their life experiences to the rearing of children.  Those children came from “traditional” homes, where the father worked, the mother tended the house…sort of like living in the world of “Leave it to Beaver.”  Then came the second half of the Sixties, we were in a war no one wanted to be in, youth was experimenting with expanding their minds and new ideas were taking place…the world had changed (a la “Who Moved My Cheese”) and that older generation did not see the newer world.

That time period is an easy example, as the extremes of ideas easily exemplifies two worlds / thoughts colliding.  However, new ideas clashing with old principles and the perception of rebellion have existed long before this humble author stepped foot in this world and will continue past my last breath.  If you merely sit in a group of people and there is a wide range of ages included, you can also see this type of gap, though the differentials might be more subtle.  There is the thought that our perception of reality is filtered through the prism of our experiences.  For those that have lived longer lives, that prism can have many layers of filtering; while those that have lived shorter lives, see things without those filters and can have more hope and expectations towards what tomorrow may bring.  For both, the perception of reality is seen through their eyes…both are correct, from their points of view, and they could perceive each other to be wrong.  For the ones whose eyes are not clouded by past experiences, it is important to explain what potentials exist ahead.  For those that have had the experiences, it is important to share the potential pitfalls and observations gathered.  Once that agreement is in place, instead of being like Janus and only seeing either forward or backward, we can look in one direction, leveraging our accumulated knowledge while forging new paths into the future.

The COVID Effect

I have been personally affected by COVID.  That’s affected, not infected.  I am pretty sure that we have reached the point where most of us know someone who has contracted the disease, but most assuredly, we all have been or seen the impact.  This pandemic has impacted the way we think, the way we shop, the way we communicate and the way we interact with each other.  We can readily see the changes to the world of education, the job market and the rising failures of long-standing businesses.  We have even seen the impact (at least partially) on the outcome of the most recent presidential election.

If we take a step back a bit, maybe some of these changes were already underway and the current condition just sped things along.  Let’s face it; Amazon has been around and changed the way we shop prior to all of this.  Businesses that were not able to adapt were struggling beforehand, even if we did not quite realize it.  Living in a town with a large number of malls, store closings and bankruptcies started prior to this year.  How about communications?  I remember being on a video conference call 25 years ago and was amazed at the technology which was extremely expensive at the time.  10 years ago, I tried my hand at Network Marketing for a company whose major product was the video phone at a time when Facetime was making its move.  Prior to January, there were plenty of options for “seeing” the person that you were talking to.

The areas where there was real change was not being face-to-face.  I helped out recently at an annual Turkey Drive to collect food for a local food pantry through our synagogue.  It was great to see congregants and generous people, especially in a time of self-confinement, still drop off a significant amount of food.  Yes, times have gotten tougher for some people (COVID effect).  While it was great to see participants, I later realized that I had the chance to SEE different people…and it was not a face taking up a tiny square.  Whether you like people or not, human interaction is still a big part of our human experience, and that is one of things that we will remember long after our new normal is established.  That is the one thing that technology cannot change.

Change is always inevitable, sometimes moving at a snail’s pace, other times more rapidly.  Chances are, this “event” will be studied for years and we will continue to point back to the impact made.  While we still try to grasp the longer-range impact that the pandemic has on our lives, we still need to keep our heads high, wear a brave face, keep our wits about us and remember to be safe.  This is not the first time we have faced a pandemic, nor will it be the last.  It is simple - Wear your masks and keep a social distance.  We might sacrifice in the near term, but it is worth the benefits of staying healthy in the long term. 

A High Holy Day Like No Other

 

Every year, we gather to bring in the Jewish New Year, where part of the liturgy talks about opening up the “Book of Life” on Rosh Hashana, atoning for one’s sins on Yom Kippur, and being inscribed in the Book of Life for another year.  We gather together in prayer, eat heartily together, fast together and chow down on bagels, lox, whitefish, etc., to close out this period in the calendar.  This year, the play book was placed in storage, a scramble occurred on what to do and new methods needed to be introduced.

Now, I would not claim to be a very religious person.  However, this is the one time of the year where, during the High Holy Days, I refrain from watching television, writing, using the phone and turning on my computer.  These are supposed to be days of reflection and, as the holiest days on the Jewish calendar, should not be taken lightly.  I have previously written about how little I go out, conducting work and synagogue business from my office in the basement.  We provided limited attendance at our services this year, staying well below the CDC and state guidelines.  Truth is, we did not have a rush for tickets to be in-person at services.  This year, we broke the mold – we provided a livestream through a professional company.

Being involved in the process and volunteering to help monitor, this meant that I needed my computer on, which I attached to my television, to watch the services.  My phone was on so that I could text with a select group helping out and communicate with the production company.  The only thing that I did not do was write.  Instead of being a congregant at the services, I was part of the team bringing this new approach to life.  I joked that if one year ago I had said to the congregation, “Next year, we are binging this to via livestream,” they all would have laughed at me.  How much difference a year can make.

Based on the current numbers, there is the potential that we will be dealing with this pandemic for a while.  There is no way to tell what that will mean, but it is here for the meantime.  We all hope that by this time next year, we can reminisce about the challenges of 2020.  One thing is certain, what we learn today will be the lessons we will have to go forward with.

Steppin' Out

 

I do not get out much.  Since March, I have written about the minimal times that I have been out, the circles that I have drawn around myself and the diligence to remain safe.  The truth is, while my comfort zone is primarily my house, that does not mean I do not yearn to go out and do the things that we used to do.  I have commented that I would love to get in the car and drive somewhere for vacation, but I have no desire to eat in a hotel, when half the fun of vacation is going and doing what you want in the moment that you want to do it. 

Last week, cabin fever was reaching a peak.  Debbie suggested that I come up with something that I would like to do.  What we really needed was a change of scenery, something outside our usual travelling (i.e., the supermarket), and something to feel good and safe about.  We wanted to go someplace outside and to get some exercise.  After a little research, we found the perfect location.  We found a historical pedestrian walkway over the Hudson River where the walkway is a converted railroad bridge.  The two of us gathered our supplies (snacks, drinks, toiletries, etc.), hopped into the car and off we went.  After the past five months of barely leaving my house, I was travelling outside the county and crossing the state border.  Nothing too hair raising, but this felt like a big step.  And who better to have an adventure with than my wife!

It was a great day to take a drive.  The sun was out and driving up the NY turnpike was enough to make the trip worthwhile.  We followed the Hudson River north until we crossed over the Mid-Hudson Bridge.  Looking off to the left, we could see the “Walkway over the Hudson”, our destination.  We arrived at the half full parking lot, donned our masks, grabbed our drinks and went off.  I was nervous at first, until I noticed that everyone maintained a social distance from the other walkers.  Everyone had masks with them, though took them off while walking.  We reached the far side of the bridge, then walked through the streets of Poughkeepsie to have a chance to walk across the Mid-Hudson Bridge.  This bridge was empty.  Then we found something really cool and unexpected; The composer, Joseph Bertolozzi, recorded the sound of the bridge to create music.  Along the walk are stations that explain his process and present this unique musical experience. 

When we returned to our car, we realized that this was exactly what the doctor ordered.  We had a safe mini-adventure.  Even though we thought about finding a place to get a drink, we played it safe and realized that we could pick up a drink from a drive through and then drive home.  It was a great day!  OK, all we really did was go to a different location for a walk, but a change of location, exercise, a sunny day and walking hand-in-hand with my wife…it was worth “Steppin’ out, with my baby.” *

 

* Music from Irving Berlin played in my head…

Leading During Covid-19

I have been involved in the change business for a few decades, related to system implementations and process improvements.  The rule of thumb has always been that people do not like change, as they are comfortable in what they do, use to how things work and do not like to step outside the box.  The similar comment is when someone says that they are going to change someone else.  You cannot change someone unless they want to change.  Same holds true in the business world.  You cannot change someone; they have to be open to the potential opportunities and then make their own decision to change.  Otherwise, they will get passed over.  As time marches on, technologies move forward and enhancements will always happen.

And then came the great Disruptor – COVID-19.  The COVID came with no policies, no pamphlets and no prior examples.  There were no guidelines how to react, how to live and how to lead during a pandemic where the best preparedness is everyone living in quarantine.  The impact was felt in daily life, businesses and volunteer organizations.  As president of a synagogue, there was no one to turn to, you could not ask how was this handled beforehand.  14 weeks in and we are still learning, still adjusting and still striving to exist in this “new world.”  Things that used to be important are no longer important and things we did not think about are now in the forefront of what needs to be addressed.

A Disruptor will always lead to a change or, in this case, many changes.  Video conferencing, which ten years ago was only for “fancy” businesses has become the communication tool for households desperate to connect visually with family, friends and associates.  The way we “congregate” is different.  Wrestling over the thoughts of broadcasting religious services, business meetings or casual gatherings have been dashed aside as the use of technology has brought us together…for some as a means of inclusion and others as a means of socialization.  In terms of change…when we plan a project, we expect change to take many months.  In the COVID time, change is rapid, rapid to meet daily needs, conduct business, religious needs and social needs.  It means that people in positions of leadership are stretched to react while the Disruptor is still here, and the need to respond to its every present, constant impact on our lives, how we conduct ourselves and how we treat each other.  We can, and will, take the bucket of lemons dumped onto us and turn them into lemon-aid.  Even though this is a time of challenge, it also means that it is also a time of opportunity, which means there is change afoot.

A Normal Weekend?

11 weeks of remaining in our homes.  11 weeks of guidance requesting we maintain distance from other people.  11 weeks of wearing masks and gloves when venturing forth for simple, routine things like shopping for food.  11 weeks of being shut down.  11 weeks of whether or not you work, every day seems the same as the day before and the passage of time has become hard to follow.

Saturday, when we woke up, the sun was shining behind a few clouds and there was the promise of a warm, beautiful day.  Debbie and I needed to go shopping for food, something I have not done in the past week or two.  We went to the store to buy some essentials (OK, we did stop at the liquor store).  The supermarket was not that crowded.  When we went to check out, I said I would run to grab garbage bags while Debbie got in line.  I went to the aisle and, of course, grabbed toilet paper, paper towels and napkins along the way.  I stopped…the shelves were full (even though there were signs to limit purchase).  When we went back home, the sun was shining and we had outside work around the house to do.  In the evening, we had a social distance barbeque.  Sunday, we had more things to tend to and an event in the afternoon.

Come Sunday evening, we had finished dinner and reviewed items that we were going to buy on-line.  After some planning for the week ahead, the four of us (5 if you include our dog, Lucy Lou), sat down as a family to watch something on TV.  For the first time in 11 weeks of self-confinement, it felt like we had a “normal” weekend.  OK, we did have masks on when we were shopping.  I picked up a pizza and I was masked and only one person at a time was able to come in for pick up.  But still…we had outside activities, had face-to-face time with other people (at a distant) and accomplished things.  For once, the weekend did not feel like every other day of the week.  For once, in many, many weeks, I felt a real break in the week and it felt great!

Breaking the Sameness

Egg and Cheese on homemade challah rolls on the back deck

My days always seem the same – wake up, motivate myself to exercise, shower, eat breakfast, go to the basement to work, eat lunch, go back to the basement, work until dinner, eat, and have a synagogue meeting.  Some days, we really change it up and have a meeting before dinner.  Nights always end with a little family time.  I am even learning to play Mah Jongg.  Weekends are spent catching up on sleep, motivating to exercise, showering, etc.  On the weekends Debbie and I go shopping for the week gloved and masked.  I have to confess; I do get anxious if I am like that for too long.  This might be our new normal for the time being and I am amazed how after this amount of time, I have become a little comfortable with this.  I guess that our ability to adapt has always been key to the survival of our species.

We are doing our part to protect ourselves and all of the people we know.  And now the weather has turned nice – finally the warm weather is here.  This morning (Sunday as I write), Bec said to me, “Dad, you should come outside to eat breakfast.”  I am not one for making excuses, but the “I’d rather eat inside,” “It’s too sunny out,” “Maybe next week” all came to mind.  “Well, I will be outside if you want to join me,” she said.  Then Debbie came in (Gab was out on a social distance walk with a friend) and said, “I’ll grab something to eat and join you.”  I felt about two inches tall.  “OK, I will join you.”  I grabbed my breakfast and my tea and joined them.  Once I got comfortable and began to relax, it really felt good to be outdoors, feel the warmth of the sun and the coolness from the slight breeze.  I forgot how nice it is to change up one’s routine.

Safety and comfort are important, but do we become complacent in the things that we accept, the thoughts we perceive and the habits we form?  We all talk about how we miss going where we want, when we want and with who we want.  For most of us, our homes are not our prisons, just the place where we hang our hats, feel safe and share with loved ones.  Can we be responsible and maintain social distancing so that we can step outside more frequently?  Or, will we fall into what we are seeing on the news related to people crowding newly opened beaches?  While we still have a long road to travel, doing so safely would make sense, if we all adhere to considering the safety of others and following the guidelines.  Next week is a holiday weekend, so that means an extra day to enjoy nice weather, be responsible and break some of the fears from quarantine that we have developed.

The Secret Sauce

My Mom had a lot of recipes that she wrote out, some were hand-me downs, others were ones that she picked up along the way.  It is fun to pull them out (when time allows) and to scan them for old favorites (I still cannot find her butterscotch brownies recipe).  And yes, there are recipes that have written out “a pinch of this”, “a dash of that” and a few that have items that are completely illegible.  There was an old recipe for a chicken and noodle dish that we enjoyed, that was never written down which my brothers and I remembered different pieces of.  Yes, my Mother (of blessed memory) seems to have kept some cooking secrets – in other words, the “secret sauce” in the kitchen, stayed with her.  Debbie and I tried to recreate this dish based the input from my brothers and me; we were close but knew something was missing.

The topic of secret sauce came up recently while I was teaching a training course for OneStream.  The class discussed how important training and user acceptance is.  There is an old saying that “confused people do nothing”.  In the business world, this would equate, when implementing new software, that confused people would tend to go back to their old, familiar habits.  I have seen where even with successful implementation (various software) and process improvement initiatives, people are still very reluctant to give up what they feel comfortable with.  This often leads to them pulling out the old spreadsheet to challenge the numbers presented.  While I will agree that during user acceptance testing, these spreadsheets are valuable in proving out new processes and system upgrades, but can be retired once testing is complete.  However, once we move past this, everyone forgets the drawbacks of manual processes – (1) they are manual and time consuming, and, (2) there is a risk for input errors leading to false results. 

Of course, there are the chances that like older recipes, past down through the generations, that all information will not be revealed, causing the old processes to appear suddenly.  I know we have all seen the person who has the printout in the back of their notebook – they crouch down during a meeting, thinking that no one sees them, bend the bottom half of the pages upward, peer down into their secret sauce and then point out that the new ways are wrong.  For most projects, putting in a new system, no matter how complex, is easy when compared to the task of acceptance.  This can take a long time due to people not wanting to step outside of their comfort zones.  Yes, it most likely will lead to better info, more efficient processes and better overall team performance.  This issue is that people have come to rely on what they know, cannot understand if it is not broken why fix it (and sometimes it is broken), and a feeling that they will become less valuable to the company. 

In the volunteer world…yup, it is the same.  Holding onto information, procrastination and throwing out irrelevant facts does help to deter movement.  Now that I am writing this, politics, governments, etc., seem to follow the same pattern.

In a world of food channels, websites and videos, it has become easier to find the recipes (i.e., solutions) more than ever before.  Whether my Mom had hidden any secret sauce from us or not, knowingly or unknowingly, whatever the ingredients, her food always had those special flavors and tastes we remember.  As we all move forward, it is important to remember what we had, keep the positive thoughts, and focus on how we move into the future.

In Times of Transition

It is time for a transition.  To modify the phase from the movie “Risky Business,” “Transition happens.”  The Oxford dictionary defines transition as “…the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.”  I feel like I just went through a transition, now I am preparing for yet another transition and a short way down the road, there will be yet another transition.  With a transition in life, in work, in roles and in attitudes, there seems to be no end to this in sight.

As a child, I remember going to school, playing outside, playing with friends and family mystery car rides.  Yes, we had mystery car rides where our parents would pick out something to do, not tell us and off in the car we would go.  Sometimes it was an amusement park (most of those from that time are gone, like Bertram’s Island), sometimes it was to some ice cream place with an arcade, sometimes it was…I do not even remember.  One time, I swear it is true, we were driving up route 17 and they announced on the radio that the Zeiler Family was out driving on a mystery car ride.  I never figured out how my dad pulled that one off…but I digress.  Our transitions, when we were young, were the BIG EVENTS: changing schools, reaching a religious milestone (in my case, my Bar Mitzvah), or getting a first real job.

In this past year, I feel that I have been involved in many transitions – I started the year transitioning to a new company, to new roles in the company and to different clients (normal in consulting).  We watched and were part of our children’s transition from graduating college, moving back home, to job changes, to a first real job and to other interests.  As president of an organization, I have been part of some small transitions which included changing mindsets, addressing real issues (which, like change, people tend to avoid), opening new doors and within the next six months, transitioning out of this role.  They say life is like a roller coaster, pull the bar down and hang on.  Yup, I can see that.

Transitions happen like a river, forever moving forward and never giving the chance to stand still.  It is important to take advantage of this while you are still able to do so.  As we begin the last few days of 2019 and move forward into the next decade, it is time to plan out the goals and objectives for 2020.  It is a time for transition…for all of us.

Happy New Year!

Do You Get It?

Have you ever explained something and the person you were talking with had the blank deer in the head lights look?  How about the deafening silence on the other side of the phone?  A roomful of people sitting like mannequins?  The slack jaw gawk of disbelief staring you in the face?  You know what I mean…the one(s) you are talking to either does not understand a word you are saying, or just simply does not get it.  This is usually when the audience is receiving new information, facing change or having something new clarified to them.  The most difficult time is when there is change afoot.

I truly believe that at times we can be so change averse, regardless of how dire our situation, we cannot fathom the world is changing, the past is over or leaving behind our comfortable world.  Unfortunately, that type of mindset leads to waiting so long to take action that when we rise out of our comfortable chair to do something relevant, the moment has long ago passed us by…the old saying “too little too late” applies.  Sadly, at this juncture, we have nothing to do but sit back down in our old worn comfortable chair and wonder what happened.  This can happen to organizations, political positions and to people who do not evaluate their situation until there is no choice left.  This is the category where advice, statistics and views into the wider world do not register.

The flip side are those that keep their heads up and look out towards the horizon watching for shifts in the tide (trends).  They want to be aware of where the future can bring us.  Thomas Alva Edison is attributed to have said “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”  This category will recognize that there are challenges ahead, opportunities to be addressed and work to be done to point towards the future.  This group will take this to heart and most importantly, put forth the effort required to reach those goals.  Change is not a foreign concept, but indigenous to the path that they stride upon. 

There is another group – those that see the changes / challenges ahead, but like where they are and are comfortable falling behind those that move ahead.  We have all met those people that are happy to remain in that bubble that they long ago surrounded themselves in, not cutting off the world, but enjoying the peace, tranquility and circle of comfort that they prefer to live in.  This can apply to individuals or larger groups of people that live in a modern world, but choose to exist in their own way.

During the course of time, if we are involved in many different components of our lives, we might face each of the above.  As always, life is full of options and choices.  Sometimes the answers are straight forward.  Sometimes the answers are clouded by too many paths before us or unclear options.  Sometimes, we wait to see what will happen, due to being unsure.    I was once taught that confused people do nothing.  It is hard when you are part of a group that needs change, but cannot see it, nor the value it would bring.  Which category do you belong to? 

Where Were You?

“I remember where I was…” was a comment my mother made.  The reference, for her, was where she was when President Kennedy was shot.  We were living at the time in an apartment in Fort Lee, NJ.  She said that it was surreal because when it was announced, everyone went out into the courtyard, feeling kind of lost but looking for other people to be around, whether they knew them or not.  This was a story that I heard a number of times growing up, generally around the end of November near the anniversary of the shooting of our 35^th President.  I still remember her saying that and never really understood it.

On September 11, 2001, two planes brought down both of the World Trade Center towers.  I remember when I heard about it.  I was at a client in Bristol, Virginia, walking through the lunch room and heading into a meeting.  There was a small television where they were just announcing the breaking news that a plane just hit the Trade Center.  At the time, I was thinking that this happened before when a plane hit the Empire State Building in 1945.  A short time later, someone came into the meeting to tell us that the second tower was hit and the Towers collapsed.  I immediately called home and my family was safe.  My brother was working downtown in one of the nearby Trade Center Buildings.  I called his cell phone – there was no answer.  I immediately called Debbie, who could not contact him either, as the phones were out.  There was no way of knowing if he was safe or not.  My wife called a short time later and told me she spoke to his girlfriend.  My brother was in Delaware playing golf with some clients.  I cannot tell you how relieved I was.

We were lucky.  We all know people that were not so lucky and lost a loved one, knew someone that was lucky to not be in the building at the time or were involved in the cleanup.  The greater New York area was greatly impacted.  All plane travel was cancelled.  If I was not already at a hotel, I would not have been able to get room, as everyone was frantically driving north to get home.  I drove home a few days later and came home to people that were afraid to travel, go to New York and cross bridges.  A few days later, I needed to be in Atlanta for a meeting.  The airports had re-opened, were empty and crawling with military personnel for protection.  Debbie was not happy that I had to travel, but it was safe and easy.  That flight was the last time I would be able to check-in at the gate.  The world had changed, air travel would never be the same and an attack on US soil became real.  Last week was the 9/11 anniversary and we still share where we were and what we were doing.  I now understood why my mother always told her story of where she was.

Agent of Change

Hardest part:  Someone has to deliver the news.

Easy part:  Realizing something ain't right.

Hard part:  Accepting things are going to be different.

Easy part:  Believing in the new cause.

Hard part:  Identifying the solution.

I have been dealing in the world of change for a good amount of time.  From an organizational point of view, change is usually defined by a business need, change in environment or change in technology.  When I first started working, 13-columnar paper was still useful in the Accounting world.  I remember people opposed to moving to a computer environment.  30+ years has seen many innovations and technological advances that have made work life significantly easier.  Similar technology, which in the “olden” days was unaffordable to the masses are now part of everyday life.  My cellphone, as an example, has more power and ability than my first PC, is smaller than the floppy disc that I needed to insert to start the computer and smaller than the remote to the fancy TV sets my parent could not afford.

In hindsight, it is easy to identify the benefits of change.  As an agent of change, we have to be able to paint the picture that tells the story of how things will be, the benefits and the positive future impacts.  Our audience, in most cases, does not initially see the benefits and in 8 out of 10 cases are comfortable with the way things are.  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is the age-old adage, however, it then sets us up for failure, because it allows the world to pass us by while we remain where we are.  Someone has long since moved the cheese, even though we still see it sitting there, a mere vestige of the tasty morsel that it once was.

As the messenger, who will be shot at, tarred and feathered, then drawn and quartered, the words and vision that we present have to clearly project the ideas of what can be and the risk of doing nothing.  As we are more comfortable with things, ideas and processes, we tend to be less open to new things, new ideas and new processes.  There is the chance, with the wrong words, to have the audience turn before we get into the issue.  There is the chance that I will sound pompous, insincere and out of touch because I am not aligned with those before me.  There is a chance, however, that I can catch their attention, provide the right story which leads down the path where I take everyone with me.  Sometimes, someone else is better equipped to handle the deed.  It is like tiptoeing across a blades edge, where each step must be gentle enough so you do not slice open your foot, yet firm enough so that you do fall into the abyss that is on either side. 

In actuality, we are all agents of change.  As we go through life, all of each reach a juncture where we have to make choices with an impact.  Some effect only ourselves, while some effect those around us.  Be bold, be wise, ask advise and be willing to do what you believe is right.  Change is never easy and sometimes we have to shoulder the hardest part – delivering the news to others.

Out with the Old, In with the New

“Radio is theater of the mind…”  ~ Steve Allen

After World War 1, a new household item was taking hold – the radio.  Here was a cabinet (had to be large enough for vacuum tube technology) that a family could sit around to find out the news and to be entertained.  There were serial stories, music from ballrooms, sketch comedies…the key was you had to listen and use your imagination to fill in the blanks.  By the time World War II broke out, a majority of households had radios and radios were also available in cars.  By the mid-50’s, transistor technology came into play and the portable radio came into existence.  However, time and technology does not stand still and the Television started to become popular.  My parents told the stories how everything seemed to stop when Milton Berle’s weekly television show came on the air.  Radio stars were starting to make the jump to television (like Jack Benny, Ozzy and Harriett) as well as radio shows (like the Lone Ranger, Dragnet).

Technology changed (“Who Moved My Cheese?”) and people went from radio to television.  The full quote by Steve Allen is, “Radio is the theater of the mind; television is the theater of the mindless.”  The creative aspect of radio was now replaced by the visual aspect of the newer medium.  Fortunately, radio became the source of music, news and talk radio and continues to exist.  This is a great example of accepting change, changing the focus and finding a way to still be relevant.  I remember, a number of years ago, my brother-in-law walking around with a portable radio just so that he could listen to sporting events.  That was before the boom of internet and the existence of smartphones.

So why write about the radio?  As I get older, I have had the opportunity to see enough technology changes to where new “things” have overtaken those items we grew up with.  Home-hard wired phones, the typewriter, rabbit-ears, mimeographs (loved the smell), a Polaroid, 45’s, Spirograph, etc.  have all marched off into the sunset.  Or, to be more exact, have been replaced by mobile phones, computers, satellite / cable, copiers, digital cameras, streaming music / YouTube, the iPad, etc.  In the world of on-demand, I can always listen to my favorite radio shows (streaming, podcasts, etc.) and my favorite television shows (computer, Netflix, etc.).  As a group of my friends were sitting around talking recently, we realized that radio still matters to many of us.  It still exists and we will always need to have audio transmissions send us things we can hear.  Like many other advancements, we may not recognize initially where they came from, nor will our progeny know the terms, what we know today might still exist tomorrow.  In the question of “Does radio still matter?” – Radio might not be the way it once was, nor how we remembered it, but it will transform into the way it will become.  We might be in with the new, but if we lift up the cover, we might find the old is still there.

Venturing Beyond our Comfort Zones

“The biggest rewards in life are found outside your comfort zone. Live with it. Fear and risk are prerequisites if you want to enjoy a life of success and adventure.” ~ Jack Canfield

Last week I spent four full days in class.  This time was neither spent behind a desk, hiding behind the safety of a computer, nor quietly listening and hoping no one called on me.  This was not four days of down time, to have a nice dinner, or to go out for a few beers to bide my quiet evenings alone until the next session began.  This was 8+ hours standing at the front of the class, teaching the class through slides, explanations, demos and exercises.  My night times were spent with a quick dinner, catching up on emails, making phone calls and prepping for the next day’s class.  I was out front, talking, teaching and being “on” the entire four days.  As someone who leans slightly towards the introvert side, this was a tiring week, where I stepped out of my comfort to help others on their journey.

The truth is, I am comfortable giving presentations – they are of a fixed length and the longest one I had given to date was a one-hour seminar.  Did I know I was stepping outside that comfortable circle I had drawn around myself?  Yes.  Was I scared / nervous?  Yes.  Doing something you have not done before always brings about a feeling of displacement and triggers that little voice in our heads where doubt is created and the constant reminder that you have never done this before. 

Having dealt with the world of change over the last 20+ years, I am able to spot some of the language people use to protect those imaginary borders they have erected around themselves.  It can appear as a reminiscence (“I remember…”, “The we use to…”), as an alternate solution (“I would have…”), or even as a warning (“This did not work last time…”).  These are people who are comfortable where they are, are afraid to leave the place where they are comfortable or simply fear what they do not know or understand.  If I am being completely honest, these types of thoughts do appear at the edge of my own personal comfort zone.

In my house, Debbie spent many years as a nursery school teacher.  I watched her prepare for her classes.  Gab is currently a music teacher and I see the amount of time that she spends each weekend in preparation for her week ahead.  As with any new venture, it is important to address your fears / concerns head on and spend the time learning what you need, preparing ahead and remembering why you are doing it.  If you have seen specials on stunt drivers, you see the amount of time and effort spent before doing the most dangerous stunt to ensure that it is pulled of successfully and safely.  By the end of the week, I was tired as it was a lot of effort to prepare and even more to do the teaching.  However, once the course was completed, I reinforced my personal reasons for doing this.  I had connected with the students to help them on their journeys and was grateful to see the bulbs light up over their heads as they had their own “a-ha” moments.  By expanding my comfort zone, I felt good about myself and what I was able to do for others.

“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” ~ Les Brown

A Fresh Start

Day one…a New Year, a new month and a new job.  Change happens and it is real.  The last time that I changed the company I was working for was 16 years ago.  In 33 years in the work force, I have elected to change companies 3 times and was laid off once prior to 2018.  The difference this time around was that I was in control of the decision (sign of maturity?) and approached the company that I want to work for, where I felt that I can add value and be a helpful resource for them.

Am I nervous about the change?  Yes.  Something new, starting over and making a change are a tall order.  I have to confess that I was comfortable working at ITG; I knew the ropes and was a seasoned veteran there which provided an immense feeling of belonging, knowing fully what I could do and to some extent, steer my own course.  Without stepping outside of my comfort zone, nothing for me will change, nothing for me will grow and nothing new will come my way.  A step in personal growth and self-development is realizing that change is needed and it is up to me to make the choices to ensure that I am personally challenged, have the opportunities to develop / gain new skills and put myself in a position to help others achieve their goals.  And for that, I am more excited than nervous.

The company that I am going to work for is CompIntelligence, a provider of enterprise performance management and equity compensation services, to work on helping to train and manage projects implementing OneStream Software, a rapidly growing CPM (Corporate Performance Management) software.  Having been involved with the software from a user implementation perspective, I am excited to help “spread the word” on this fantastic product that stands head and shoulders over the previously implemented software.  I was excited when I first saw the demo of this new company’s software, had a great implementation experience (to view my testimonial: https://www.onestreamsoftware.com/success-stories/itg ) and believed in being part of the vision. 

Each year, we are supposed to step back, evaluate how we did in the past year and set down where we would like to move towards in the new year ahead.  2018 held some great things for me and by making a change in companies to start the new year, I have automatically set in motion goals for 2019.  Make wise choices in this new year, set my sights firmly on where I am heading and remain persistent and consistent to attaining them.  May this year be the best year yet!