Standing Up During The Storm

True leaders will tell you: I want you to be better than me at this position. Managers will be intimidated by your aspirations and hold you down.

Watching President Obama complete his two terms and hand off the presidency to President Trump, we admire his character and what he brought to the American presidency. Some firsts will go down in history and I cannot argue with his accomplishments. But as half the country complains about Trump and sits in fear as to what his presidency will bring, I can only think about what kind of leader President Obama really was.

This is not a political post but another personal lesson on leadership.

Raise your followers 

As a leader, you have many followers and your hope is that they follow in your footsteps and excel in ways you can't even imagine. Where did we (the American people / his followers) get lost? What lessons did we learn from President Obama and which ones were swept under the rug?

In any relationship, you need to be engaged. The leader needs to set the vision and set a path with limited barriers. The followers need to walk that path and know when to pass the leader or slow down for support.

What happened in the last four and eight years that allowed us to get to this point? One side says it's great- we finally have a non-politician in office. The other is scared, worried that we will be set back 100 years.

Was it the leader or was it the followers? Did we get comfortable with the changes and assume it will always go forward? Did we not plan for the next four, eight or twelve years?

Set a vision but walk-the-walk

It's important to have a clear path of where you want to go. A wise man once said "if you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there."

What's just as critical as knowing where you want to be, you need to take steps to get there. However, any leader in any industry will tell you he is limited by resources (money, people, etc). But how many times will you talk without actually doing the walk? We understand budgets. We understand business strategies. We understand how congress and the senate works (at least we hope we do).

If you don't have the ability to do something, be careful what you commit to. You lose followers because you lose credibility.

Be accountable

It's easy to blame someone else. It's easy to say we ended up here because of the other guy's supporters. How easy is it to make a difference? A real difference? Some people set out to protest. Some were peaceful while others were violent. Women set out on marches, 500,000 roughly in one city.

What else do we need to do to not only make a stand but make a difference? We get caught up believing that we're too small to do anything. We hear about a strategy or a decision and complain about the leader not knowing what they're doing.

How can we learn to take more action and to be accountable for those actions? This goes for both the leaders and the followers. If the leader isn't accountable, isn't credible and cannot be followed, she will naturally be left alone on the path.

Watching changes in the last few months, both at work and in our country, there is a small sense of fear as to what it will bring. There is a lack of control that I cannot fight, but there are elements that I can start to study and see what can be improved the next time around.

It is not easy to sit back and watch your world exponentially change. It is not easy to see policies change faster than the seasons. And it is definitely not easy to embrace those changes or find a way to fight the waves.

It is easy to know what kind of leader you want to follow or even easier- what kind of leader you need to stand up and be during this storm.

Don't go down the path of uncertainty, in fear. Create your path and set of followers and hope the sun will rise again.

Picture courtesy of: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/32/fd/a5/32fda52566e68eefa08514df90cdb72b.jpg

Stepping Into The New Year

Many of you are making plans for how to ring into the new year. And many of you are looking forward to leaving behind what 2016 had to offer. 

How can we go about this year differently than the rest? Set resolutions that we won't follow through on? Forget everything that happened? 

Why we don't try something different and see if it works out? 

It's not a clean slate 

Some people go into the new year thinking they can "start over." But this concept may be why we're let down so quickly as the days start to progress. 

Yes we have a chance to have new perspectives and choose new paths but we carry over key elements of previous years. For a tangible example, our fiscal year runs from May to April. Review season starts in June. So even if I wanted a clean slate, I still have four months to meet the expectations that were set in the beginning. 

I'm not trying to be negative. If we create a clear picture of what's new, it'll be easier to take on what the year will bring. 

Decide what to carry over 

It is a new year after all. We can't deny that there will be things that move with us but we can decide what we want to focus on. 

We may have had bad times. We may have had let downs. We may have ended relationships. Let's leave that in 2016. There's no point in sulking or dwelling on what didn't go our way in the previous year. 

When we pack our 2017 bag, we put our lessons in there; our happy memories; our new skills or behaviors; and of course any nice gifts you may have received for Christmas. If we learn to let go the negativity we allow room for more positivity in the new year. 

Set realistic goals

Resolutions are overrated, on December 31st, that is. What short term goals do you have for yourself? Where are you on achieving your long term goals? By assessing your progress, you're clearly able to close or continue goals you've already made for yourself. This way it doesn't become a huge undertaking. 

It is Saturday night. We'll wake up tomorrow and enjoy our Sunday morning coffee, watching the rare rain in the desert. What changed from last Saturday? It's raining out. Oh and the year you log in the books. 

As you reflect tonight over the last year, do yourself a favor and assess how you want the new year to go. Remember to pack your bags of the positive items that will give you the strength to conquer your goals in the new year. 

You own your destiny. If New Year's Eve is a way for you recharge, then take advantage of it. We say 2017 will be great- let's make it happen. 

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Takeaways From 2016 Election

This election season has been rough. Whatever position you stand for, it has been frustrating and even embarrassing to watch. But there are lessons in every experience and there are (surprisingly enough) lessons to be learned from this election. 

Women's Rights- is it the early 1900s again? 

It's time I start taking the time to talk about being a woman.    A woman engineer. A woman leader. A woman. Growing up with four older brothers, I have always tried to fit in as "one of the guys." 

I would get upset at my fellow female peers in college for standing up for their rights. Why? They did it by putting down men and trying to be better than them. That wasn't the way up. But now as I look to climb the corporate ladder, it's apparent there are differences. How we handle those differences is what counts. 

With a women senator running for president and a top businessman of our nation accused of not respecting woman as our primary candidates, the topic comes up: directly and indirectly. 

There are issues that we ignore all too often. Women (in general) are submissive. A recent Ted Talk spoke about how women created the gender gap. It's controversial to say but if an offer is set in front of you, what's the percentage of women who counter? 

Women need to stand strong. Confident. Again, there are differences in our tone, our body language and even our ability to bear children. 

It's okay to be direct about the issues. We may need to talk over others or put double the time in something, but our results will carry us to the top. 

Otherwise, we'll continue to fall behind. 

Just Listen

I've had a couple of older posts on communication. What this election taught me is that you gain nothing if you don't listen.  Candidates cut each other off. They respond to one or two words of their opponents rather than listening to the whole statement. And because they're listening to stories in their head, while trying to squeeze in a word or two, perceptions get created. 

In the business world, it's critical to listen to your peers and stakeholders. It is a better judgement of character to have a pause in your words, rather than speak inappropriately. It is quite - Powerful. 

Of course it's hard to listen to someone you don't trust. Someone who doesn't carry any weight. But by trying goes a long way to the people watching. Usually, in a room of eight people, two dominate the conversation. So what are the other six thinking? 

It's similar to the last three debates. Millions of people sat and watched the two candidates go at it. For me, it was their body language and how they responded. (Yes, the content was important for the issues that mattered most to me.)

In the end though, I'll respect any leader who can communicate well. You're being watched. What impression do you want to leave? 

The World Is Bigger Than Your Backyard 

I've applied for a few manager positions in the last couple of years. My resume and cover letter screamed "overconfident." I knew I had this. I knew what I wanted. What I was going into. I nailed it. 

But I didn't. I stepped back and asked myself why? I got great feedback in most cases and no feedback in others. So I approached a manager who was going to seek out a director position. 

He thought he was ready. That he had all the credentials. Someone sat him down and said, great I'm sure you do. In this case, it'll be easy for you to write out what you know and what you don't know. 

Humbling enough, the gap was bigger than he imagined. 

Watching the candidates bash each other's credentials, I thought of one example of what do you know and what don't you know.

Yes, we outsource. But what are the reasons? Cost of course. Well, it's really about profit. Foreign regulations vary from country to country. There are some regions you can't sell in because it's not manufactured in a specific country. And there are some regions you can't work in because you're not a citizen. 

My message: it's critical to understand the total system. Why do things occur the way they do? Don't get caught up in the symptom but dig for the root cause. 

As a growing leader, I'm often seeking out opportunities to learn and adapt. Watching two presidential candidates is supposed to be inspiring. One day, one of these candidates will walk into a room and people will stand as "Hail To The Chief" is played. 

Right now, it's difficult to see such an anthem played. As much as I want to be CEO tomorrow, I think I'll prevent the eye rolling and scoffs behind my back. 

Leadership is about service. About presence. About credibility. 

Demonstrate all three with flying colors and you'll be a natural born leader. 

Our Journey: A Collection of Experiences

We go through life collecting experiences that we may or may not share. At least not vocally. Our experiences shape us and make us unique. It's how we grow. 

Yet there are only a few story tellers in the world who can sit freely and share. Their good memories. Along with their not so good memories. 

I'm sure I could write a novel one day from all that I've heard over the last six years from one of my dear story tellers, but for now I'll provide you with this. 

Don't use dynamite 

We live in a fast paced world. Our attention spans are limited. Our patience is limited. But what differentiates us from others across valleys or even generations is how we handle tough situations. 

In leadership, you develop patience (whether you like it or not). You learn to take breaths and watch a culture change slowly even though you want the change to have been implemented yesterday. 

It's also important to set plans and stick to them no matter how tedious or timely it may take to carry out. There are shortcuts but they don't get you very far and could cost you more in the long run.

For instance, after chopping down a tree to a stub two feet in diameter and four feet tall, there are quick ways to pull it from the ground and then, there's the right way. Digging a trench and using a force may take time and effort. But it's safe and predictable. 

If your patience runs low and yearn to make it to supper in time, dynamite could be a more appealing solution. But is it? You'll have pieces of tree bark scattered all over your farm, with risk to starting a fire or debris could've whacked your young son slowly drifting back to the house. 

If your solution is predictable and creates less of a mess, then carry on. 

Trophy of Humbleness 

I can be competitive at times. If my confidence is on overload, it's easy for me to keep going and staying ahead. But what's special about being humble is knowing when it is critical to be humble. 

My dear storyteller was a pretty good bowler, until the aches and pains from all his life experiences kicked in. At a charity event, he was asked to play with one of the higher leaders, guaranteeing the team to win of course. He tried and tried to get out of it but said 'what the heck' in the end. 

To him, the game meant nothing. Some money going to charity as colleagues knocked down a few pins. But as the game progressed, his score of course was getting higher and higher. 

Then from six lanes down, an enthusiastic young player, driven to win (at life too), interrupts his game to flaunt his winnings. His excitement made it to the east coast and back. This game was everything. It would make his team rise in so many ways. 

Yet so quickly, his shoulders shrugged down, as his eyes glanced at the scores above. Head down, he walked away defeated, as if this was the super bowl that would make or break his career. 

So as the trophy was handed out, it serves only as a symbolism of humility. What really matters here? Knowing how to answer this question and whether or not winning matters. And sometimes it helps to have a physical object remind you of that. 

Know your limits 

As I end this blog sharing just a couple of my takeaways, I'm reminded how all of us just want to be superheroes. We have a drive to be the best and keep going, so that people rely on us. We have a way to show the world that nothing can take us down. 

Unfortunately, our body can sometimes be stronger than our minds. Recently, his health took a wrong turn at Albuquerque. He was off from work for some time but returned as if nothing was the matter. 

But that's not the case. We need to know what our limits are. It's not easy to identify them and it usually takes extreme conditions to find out. But when we know our limits, we can always meet our word. If we say yes blindly, we could fail to deliver. I agree pushing yourself never goes to waste but it can definitely do harm if not carefully monitored. 

Our ability to be humble decreases. Our thoughts are not as easily formulated. Our temper could raise with lower patience. And the need to use dynamite may cross your mind. 

So the next time you reminisce on an experience, remember what it taught you. You may not have a knack to share it with others but at least take in the lesson for yourself. As much as we want to be superheroes, at the end of the day, our capes come off and we are human. 

Embrace what makes us human and use it for good. It turns our experiences into truly fulfilling journeys. 

Photo credit: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Barnardo_boy_ploughing_C_1900.gif

Energy Efficiency: What YOU can do

Special guest writer Stephen Roberts, a stellar product engineer in the medical device industry. 

Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things. – Peter Drucker

My director told me shortly after starting, that the most challenging assignments are the ones that we learn the most from and tend to define our careers. I have recently learned that to be true with a coworker that has been the most challenging individual I’ve ever had to work with. Despite it being incredibly stressful, I’ve learned so much. I was only able to learn from the experience because I am lucky enough to have a mentor that cares enough to tell me not what I want to hear, but what I need to hear. He reminded me that you can learn twice as much from a fool as from a sage. The point isn’t that my coworker is a fool (he’s actually incredibly smart), but the message remains that when “…we take [wisdom] from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others… will help you become whole” (Mako Iwamatsu, “Uncle Iroh”). 

As humans, we are naturally inclined to think we know more than we actually do. Worse still, we tend to seek facts that support what we already believe (google ‘confirmation bias’ if you’re interested). It is important to understand the lens through which we view the world. It is the filter that turns the facts of the world into opinions and emotions. Once we recognize this, we can try to understand alternative points of view.

If you think competing points of view are a nuisance -- if you’d rather everyone just listen to you because you know what’s best -- what comes to mind when I mention a dictatorship? Our best leaders encourage others to think for themselves, to challenge the status quo, and contribute to the body of knowledge.

I used to worry about being apathetic. I wasn’t one to lose sleep over what many others seemed to. When I was in second grade, things were pretty normal. I went to school and worried about grades, friends, and how to spend my time on the weekends. My father passed away from cancer that year. On that day, everything I cared about several hours prior no longer existed for me. I remember everyone telling me “It will be ok.” But I didn’t want to hear that. At the time, it was NOT going to be ok. It took a long time to realize that it would be. One thing I’ve carried with me is that perspective. When the stresses of life and work begin to pile up, I’ve made it a habit to slow down and take inventory of what’s really important, understanding that everything will, in fact, be ok.

I now realize I’m not an apathetic person, I am just very selective about what I spend my energy caring about. I owe this epiphany to my difficult coworker. What he cares about is very different from what I care about. And that’s a good thing. If we all had the same thoughts, passions, and worries we wouldn’t have been able to come so far as a human race. We’re all at a different stage in life, with different experiences, backgrounds, and beliefs. Neither is right or wrong, just different. It is this difference that makes us great. Diversity of thought challenges us to move forward. It is the natural selection of innovation. Next time you are too quick to judge another’s perspective, try to learn something from it instead.

What you choose to spend your energy on is a question of efficiency. There is a finite amount of energy that we can expend in a lifetime, a year, a week, a day, etc. Choose where to allocate your efforts and let others concern themselves with all the things between the lines. You can’t worry about it all and be effective. What’s important to you?