Inspiring Quotes From The Great Coach, Vince Lombardi

As we move into the time of year when professional and college football teams schedule their play-off games,  I’m sharing some of my favorite quotes from the famous Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. Take a look at some of his quotes and see which ones inspire you the most.

First, here’s some history about Coach Lombardi.

Vincent Thomas Lombardi was arguably the greatest football coach of all time and is on the short list of history’s greatest coaches, regardless of sport. His ability to teach, motivate and inspire players helped turn the Green Bay Packers into the most dominating NFL team in the 1960s.

The oldest of five children, Lombardi was born in Brooklyn on June 11, 1913. As the son of an Italian immigrant, Lombardi was raised in a strict Catholic household. In 1928, at the age of 15, he entered the Cathedral College of Immaculate Conception to study for the priesthood. Deciding on a different career path two years later, Lombardi transferred to St. Francis Preparatory and starred as fullback on the football team. Upon graduation, he attended Fordham University and joined that football team, where he was a member of the university’s famed “Seven Blocks of Granite.” After graduating magna cum laude from Fordham in 1937, Lombardi attended law school in the evenings while working for a finance company during the day. Once again, Lombardi shifted gears and decided to take a teaching and assistant football coaching position at St. Cecilia High School in Englewood, N.J. He married Marie Planitz in 1940, and they had two children, Vince Jr. and Susan.

A few years later, he had the opportunity to continue his coaching career at West Point and learn under the direction of the great coach Red Blaik. It was during this time as an assistant to Blaik that Lombardi identified and developed what became the hallmark of his great coaching strategy: simplicity and execution. He developed a reputation for being a tireless workaholic, a trait that helped him land a position as assistant coach in the NFL for the New York Giants. During his five years with the Giants, Lombardi led the team to five winning seasons, culminating with the league championship in 1956.

In January 1959, he accepted the head coaching position with the Green Bay Packers and signed a five-year contract. From the outset, Lombardi established himself as a coach firmly in charge. He conducted grueling training camps and demanded absolute dedication and effort from his players. His hard-edged style turned the Packers into the most envied and successful franchise in the 1960s. He led them to five NFL championships, including victories in Super Bowl I and II, which solidified his own status as the greatest football coach in history. After a two-year break from coaching, Lombardi returned to lead the Washington Redskins in 1969, facilitating their first winning season in more than a decade.

In June 1970, tragedy struck. Lombardi was diagnosed with an aggressive form of colon cancer and died 10 weeks later on Sept. 3, 1970, at the age of 57. A beloved national icon, thousands of people attended two separate funerals. Shortly after his death, Lombardi was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as well as honored by the NFL by having his name adorn the trophy awarded to the Super Bowl champion each year.

Now, read these Lombardi quotes for inspiration this week:

Teamwork

“Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

Commitment

“Once a man has made a commitment to a way of life, he puts the greatest strength in the world behind him. It’s something we call heart power. Once a man has made this commitment, nothing will stop him short of success.”

“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.”

“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.”

Success/Sacrifice

“Success is like anything worthwhile. It has a price. You have to pay the price to win, and you have to pay the price to get to the point where success is possible. Most important, you must pay the price to stay there.”

“Once you agree upon the price you and your family must pay for success. It enables you to ignore the minor hurts, the opponent’s pressure and the temporary failures.”

“A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive, and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done.”

Discipline

“I’ve never known a man worth his salt who, in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn’t appreciate the grind, the discipline. “

“Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.”

“Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”

“Once you have established the goals you want and the price you’re willing to pay, you can ignore the minor hurts, the opponent’s pressure and the temporary failures.”

Will to Win

“There’s only one way to succeed in anything, and that is to give it everything. I do, and I demand that my players do.”

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”

“You never win a game unless you beat the guy in front of you. The score on the board doesn’t mean a thing. That’s for the fans. You’ve got to win the war with the man in front of you. You’ve got to get your man.”

Leadership

“Leaders are made; they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.”

“It is essential to understand that battles are primarily won in the hearts of men. Men respond to leadership in a most remarkable way, and once you have won a man’s heart, he will follow you anywhere.”

“Leadership is based on a spiritual quality — the power to inspire, the power to inspire others to follow.”

“Having the capacity to lead is not enough. The leader must be willing to use it.”

Excellence

“They call it coaching, but it is teaching. You do not just tell them — you show them the reasons.”

“After all the cheers have died down and the stadium is empty, after the headlines have been written, and after you are back in the quiet of your room and the championship ring has been placed on the dresser, and after all the pomp and fanfare have faded, the enduring thing that is left is the dedication to doing with our lives the very best we can to make the world a better place in which to live.”

Mental Toughness

“If you’re lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he’s never going to come off the field second.”

“Teams do not go physically flat; they go mentally stale.”

Habit

“The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.”

“Confidence is contagious and so is lack of confidence, and a customer will recognize both.”

“If you don’t think you’re a winner, you don’t belong here.”

Results/Winning

“Winning is not everything — but making the effort to win is.”

“Success demands singleness of purpose.”

“If it doesn’t matter who wins or loses, then why do they keep score?”

Truth

“The object is to win fairly, by the rules — but to win.”

“Morally, the life of the organization must be of exemplary nature. This is one phase where the organization must not have criticism.”

Kathleen

 


		


		
	







	
	


		
Make Time To Do What You Love

		
	


		

	


	
	


	


		

			
 


This post is about the importance of pursuing interests other than work. When I was young, I wrote poetry.  I’m not sure why; somehow poetry spoke to me very early on, and I started making up rhymes in my head and then writing them down. Once, I woke in the night with a poem that was so anxious to get written down that I wrote it on the bed sheet. My supportive mother cut the poem out of the sheet the next morning and remade my bed with a new one. When I came home from school that day, there was my poem, written with pencil on a piece of rumpled sheet. From then on, there was always paper and pen by my bedside.


My poetry muse continued to influence me until I was in high school. When I was a sophomore, I began to be very critical of my poetry. I worried what other people would think, and the satisfaction I felt after I’d written a poem was quickly being replaced by embarrassment. One day in English class, I wrote a poem about our beagle, Charley. We all had to read our poems out loud, and although mine was far superior to many, when a boy I had a crush on teased me later and told me how stupid my poem was, I didn’t write another for almost 25 years.


By the time I was in my early twenties, I was working in Washington, D.C., in a crazy, fast-growing business, and all my available time was taken up by my job. I worked incredibly hard during the week and then tried to recover on the weekends. Hobbies and extracurricular activities went by the wayside.


It wasn’t until I was approaching middle age that I began writing poetry again. I had forgotten how good it made me feel to use words to create pictures and to be able to express my most intimate thoughts in poetic form. I also realized that it had been years since I’d engaged myself in any activity that wasn’t work-related.


The experience I had had as a child when I wrote poetry began to re-emerge. It was so satisfying to sit and write for a few hours and then go back the next day and read what I’d written. The critical part of my brain had matured and was not so anxious to jump in and tell me everything that was wrong with the poem. Or perhaps those thoughts were there, but I just didn’t take them as seriously any more. I was finally able to do something for pure enjoyment that had nothing to do with my work or my family: It was just for me. And every time I wrote a line it energized me and made me feel good.


Your challenge this week is to identify your interests that are not work-related and cultivate them. In my husband’s case, he plays keyboards once a week with a drummer. They don’t do it to perform or to record, they just get together every Wednesday night and play because they love it. This pleasure keeps him balanced and healthy. When he plays, he’s not thinking about anything else, he’s just enjoying the music.


If you already have something in your life that you do for pure enjoyment, be sure you continue to make space for it. If you find that most of your time is taken up by obligations, carve out some time for yourself when you can re-energize, recreate, and renew by doing something you love. Maybe it’s quilting, (how many women do you know who have a room full of crafting materials that never get used?) or knitting or painting or gardening. Perhaps you enjoy carpentry or boating or dancing. A game of golf can often restore all the energy that an entire week of strategic planning meetings uses up. Find your special hobby or interest and don’t let a week go by without making time for it.


Remember the old saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Find that thing you love to do and do more of it.


 


Kathleen


 

		


		
	







	
	


		
How We Earn Trust

		
	


		

	


	
	


	


		

			


This post is about how we earn and learn to trust. When I first pondered this idea, I thought it was about trusting other people. But upon reflection, I realized that it was first about trusting myself and then trusting others. That is, we build trust by behaving reliably and by expecting the best from others.


We earn other peoples’ trust by doing what we say we’ll do. We act with care and consideration. We are dependable. We are known for our integrity. No hidden agenda causes us to give mixed messages to others. Our actions reflect our intentions.


We reinforce our trust in others by releasing skeptical thoughts about them. If we start out suspecting someone or something and entertain the suspicion long enough, we convince ourselves that it is the truth. But skepticism is usually more wrong than right. Thoreau noted, “We are always paid for our suspicion by finding what we suspect.” I think the opposite is also true: If we expect to trust other people, we will find something in them to trust.


Try observing what you do to be trustworthy and also how much you trust your fellow team members. What are you doing to foster feelings of trust in others? Do you find yourself deceiving others either by lying, withholding key information, or telling stories that are untrue about yourself and others? Are you fooling yourself by thinking that others don’t see your deception? If you do trust others, how do you communicate that trust?


Trust is key to the development of any strong friendship, partnership or working relationship. Mutual trust and esteem are part of the foundation of all successful ventures. Look for ways this week to be more trustworthy and to be more trusting of others. You will find that much more is possible when we trust each other.


See if you can confirm the words of Francois de la Rochefoucauld: “The trust that we put in ourselves makes us feel trust in others.”


 


Kathleen

		


		
	







	
	


		
Dangers of Certainty

		
	


		

	


	
	


	


		

			
















This post is is about the dangers of certainty.




A close friend of mine sent me a recent New York Times article — “The Dangers of Certainty: A Lesson From Auschwitz” by Simon Critchley. The article profiles Dr. Jacob Bronowski, a Polish-born British mathematician who wrote a number of highly regarded books on science and poetry. He also narrated a series of 12 essays that were televised as “The Ascent of Man.” The 11th essay was title “Knowledge and Certainty.” Here are some of Dr. Bronowski’s thoughts on the subject, as excerpted from the Times article:




“There is no God’s eye view, Dr. Bronowski insisted, and the people who claim that there is and


that they possess it are not just wrong, they are morally pernicious. Errors are inextricably bound


up with pursuit of human knowledge, which requires not just mathematical calculation but insight,


interpretation and a personal act of judgment for which we are responsible. The emphasis on the


moral responsibility of knowledge was essential for all of Dr. Bronowski’s work. The acquisition of


knowledge entails a responsibility for the integrity of what we are as ethical creatures.


“Dr. Bronowski thought that the uncertainty principle should therefore be called the ‘principle


of tolerance.’ Pursuing knowledge means accepting uncertainty. Heisenberg’s principle has the


consequence that no physical events can ultimately be described with absolute certainty or with ‘zero


tolerance,’ as it were. The more we know, the less certain we are.




“In the everyday world, we do not just accept a lack of ultimate exactitude with a melancholic shrug,


but we constantly employ such inexactitude in our relations with other people. Our relations with others


also require a principle of tolerance. We encounter other people across a gray area of negotiation and


approximation. Such is the business of listening and the back and forth of conversation and social


interaction.”




As I read this, I thought about the importance of questioning our own assumptions about others, being


willing to test these assumptions and let them go if they appear no longer true or applicable. This state of mind and heart is challenging when we want to help someone improve themselves. We always have


a vision of how we think the person should behave. To make that picture a reality, we steer him or her


in that direction. More than a few times, however, I’ve been pleasantly surprised when a client of mine


finds a different way to improve. These clients generally start to “take off” with enthusiastic glee as


they begin to see more positive outcomes in their relationships with others. If I try to hold them to my


picture, their enthusiasm turns into resentment at my attempts to control them.




In coaching, it’s critical not to judge others based on our own standards of behavior or certainty. You


may be investing time, energy and money into helping someone improve, but being patient and tolerant


while they’re going through the process will enable the new person to emerge. Part of your job is to


supply encouragement and to give them room to make the changes they want to make. If you hold too


tightly to your idea of what those changes should look like — or even what the process for making


them should be — you may not recognize when the other person actually changes.




“For Dr. Bronowski, the moral consequence of knowledge is that we must never judge others on the


basis of some absolute, God-like conception of certainty. All knowledge, all information that passes


between human beings, can be exchanged only within what we might call ‘a play of tolerance,’ whether


in science, literature, politics or religion. As he eloquently put it, ‘Human knowledge is personal and


responsible, an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty.’”






These thoughts are quite personal for Dr. Bronowski because many of his family members were killedat Aushwitz.* He makes the point that at the heart of fascism is that terrible certainty that leads one todespicable acts against other human beings.


“The play of tolerance opposes the principle of monstrous certainty that is endemic to fascism and,


sadly, not just fascism but all the various faces of fundamentalism. When we think we have certainty,


when we aspire to the knowledge of the gods, then Auschwitz can happen and can repeat itself.


Arguably, it has repeated itself in the genocidal certainties of past decades.”




It’s a worthwhile exercise to look at the ideas, feelings and opinions that you feel certain about. How do these certainties apply to your relationships? Perhaps you have a friend who has drastically different religious beliefs and you’re convinced they are completely wrong. What about your co-worker who wants to


take a very different approach to solving the problem you’re both working on? Are you a manager


trying to convince your team members to change their behaviors to suit a picture of how you think they


should be? How often does your family members irritate you because they’re not doing what you want


them to do? How certain are you that you’re right and they’re wrong?




Dr. Bronowski was a scientist, and he believed that inherent in all good science was the idea that


nothing is certain. He wrote, “One aim of the physical sciences has been to give an actual picture of the


material world. One achievement of physics in the 20th century has been to show that such an aim is


unattainable.”




Critchley writes, “For Dr. Bronowski, there was no absolute knowledge and anyone who claims it


— whether a scientist, a politician or a religious believer — opens the door to tragedy. All scientific


information is imperfect, and we have to treat it with humility. Such, for him, was the human


condition.”




As you observe your certainties this next week, consider that you might be wrong. Your observations


of others are through a lens of thoughts and opinions that are only one view. Instead, use your creative


imagination and a broader humility to open up to others and see their fallibilities as well as their


successes. Ultimately, we’ll have a greater appreciation for all human beings, including ourselves.




Kathleen


* Here is an excerpt from the 11th episode in the documentary Ascent of Man, “Knowledge and


Certainty,” narrated by Dr. Jacob Bronowski: http://youtube/p5Umbn6ZBuE

















		


		
	







	
	


		
Dynamics of Decision Making

		
	


		

	


	
	


	


		

			
 


This post is about decision-making. One of my clients sent me the following article years ago. I just stumbled upon it again and realized how much wisdom there is in it.


Take a hard look at how decisions get made within your organization. What team myths are getting in your way of making good decisions? How can you apply better decision-making models to your business and projects?


Myths that Undermine Decision-Making
By Bob Frisch


“When executive teams find themselves unhappy with the dynamics of decision-making, they often seek psychological solutions, going through exercises in teamwork, trust, communications, and the like. But through the course of a career spent facilitating these teams, I’ve found that most of the problems aren’t in their psyches, but in the widespread myths about the teams themselves. CEOs and their teams need to take a hard look at these myths, recognize reality, and fix the way they make decisions.”


Myth 1: A Single Team Makes All of the Big Decisions


“Most corporations have in place a top executive team that typically consists of the CEO and direct reports. The rest of the company assumes that all major decisions are made or ratified by that august group.


“The reality is that decisions at the highest levels of companies are made in many forums, formal and informal. For example, the go or no-go for an acquisition may be made in ad hoc meetings involving the CEO, chief financial officer, head of business development, and the president of an operating unit. Many decisions don’t require the entire executive team—only a handful of executives, depending on the nature of the decision.


“But when the real decision-making teams and processes aren’t overtly recognized, confusion about the locus of authority often results. Executive team members who are repeatedly presented with ‘done deals’ feel disempowered. Before you know it, the group is undergoing trust-building exercises when they should be coming to a common understanding about how various types of decisions will be made.”


Myth 2: The Executive Team Is a Body of Equals


“Because executives are peers, functional heads on the executive team might believe that they have the same decision rights in meetings as operating executives. Consequently, small operations could expect the same voice at the table as large ones—much like the U.S. Senate, where Rhode Island carries the same weight as California.


“But in reality, some people and some functions carry much more weight than others. It’s more like the House of Representatives, where California has more votes than Rhode Island, and the Speaker of the House has more influence than a freshman congressman. Often, the executive team isn’t serving as a deliberative body at all, but as an advisory one, much like the president’s Cabinet.


“Problems arise when the team isn’t clear about which model of decision-making is in play—Senate, House, or Cabinet. Are they being asked to decide? To advise? To be informed about a decision that has already been made? Is it majority rule? Are the more powerful members brokering a decision? Is buy-in really needed from the smaller constituencies? Was a decision brokered before the meeting started? It’s surprising how often members of a top team involved in a discussion have entirely different views of what kind of input they’re being asked for and, afterward, different views of what purpose the discussion served in coming to a decision.


“The solution is not to choose one model of decision rights, but simply for the CEO to make clear in advance of a meeting where the group is in the decision-making process and what is expected from the discussion. This simple step improves discussion quality and heads off confusion and dissatisfaction among team members.”


Myth 3: Team Members Should Always Adopt a CEO Perspective


“Many CEOs expect members at top-team meetings to take off their functional hats and adopt a holistic, companywide perspective. Top executives owe it to the CEO to offer insights shaped by their general business experience and their understanding of the company’s goals.


“But asking everyone to always think like a CEO can be counterproductive. The head of human resources, for instance, may not have much to contribute from a generalist’s perspective about a proposal for a new plant. However, he or she may have valuable insights about hiring or labor relations at that plant. Raising those issues is often perceived by the CEO and other team members as parochial, leading to the HR leader being viewed as an ineffective team member—thereby losing much of the value of functional expertise.


“As with models of power, the solution isn’t to choose between a generalist or functional perspective, but to recognize which perspective is needed for which type of decision, make it explicit, and manage it intentionally.”


By dispelling all three myths, CEOs can establish a structured yet adaptable set of decision-making environments. Teams can be formally recognized, clearly chartered, and guided by explicit roles at each stage of the process. With the ability to select the right configuration for the moment, CEOs can unlock the full potential of intentional decision-making—and enable the top team to operate with clarity of purpose, process, roles, and expected outcomes.


Bob Frisch is the managing partner of the Strategic Offsites Group in Boston.


 


Kathleen


 


 

		


		
	







	
	


		
Staying True to What You Value Most

		
	


		

	


	
	


	


		

			
How often do our actions stay true to what we value most?  This is a worthwhile question to ask from time to time. Daily life often becomes so busy that we forget to stop and consider whether our actions our in alignment with our values.


Here’s a story that illustrates how easy it is to drift away from core values.


In my first meeting with a prospective client, I often ask these three questions:

1.  What’s your vision for what you want to achieve?

2.  What lessons have you learned from past experiences that prevented you from achieving a vision?

3.   How do you think a coach can help you realize your vision?


The answers to these questions set the foundation of our relationship. They are typically very positive and full of optimism:

“I want to create a profitable company that provides good jobs for others and has a positive impact on the world.”

“I see a team of people who are creating new processes that make our jobs easier to do and the team is happier because of the improvements we’ve made.”

“I want to create a company that is highly innovative – where creativity and new ways of thinking are encouraged in everything we do.”

“I want my employees to feel empowered, come to work everyday because they love what they do, and feel passionate about our products and customers.”


“I want to have a career that mirrors what I’m truly good at.  I want my work to create more energy for me rather than taking energy away from me.”


“I want to lead my people but not micromanage them so they continue to feel like we’re in partnership and able to take ownership at the same time.”


We build plans based upon their answers and begin a program of coaching and training to create the kind of environment that makes their visions achievable. This works well until my client starts to veer away from the original ask.


Here’s an example.


Bill is the CEO of a start-up company.  He left his job as the lead software engineer and started his own company to get out from under a boss that was too demanding and controlling.  He dreamed of creating a company where he could hire a team of smart people who wanted to work collaboratively and loved to be challenged.  He came up with a brilliant design for a new product, created a business plan for his start-up and sold the whole idea to some investors. Bingo – Bill had a small office, two partners from his previous company, and enough money in the bank to get his product launched.


The first six months Bill was in business he decided to hire me to help him navigate the tough waters of creating a new business. We worked to articulate a core set of values that would help Bill lead the team, stay true to what was important to them, and put their values into action.  We did exercises that helped the team understand their behaviors and strengths, and provided tools that could aid them in their collaborative efforts. As his brand began to develop, we made sure that his vision and values were expressed in all corporate communications – both internal and external.   It was a strong start –  the product was getting a great response from the public, the team was happy and highly committed, and Bill was living his dream.  Year one passed with flying colors – happy team members – happy investors – happy Bill.


Into the second year, given the pressures of running a new business, things began to change.  People worked harder and harder and stress levels rose.  Under stress, team members spent more time in their back-up behaviors, attacking others and defending themselves rather than collaborating. In a frantic effort to keep up, Bill began to take more control of the day-to-day operations afraid that if he didn’t, the whole thing would crash and burn. He unleashed the autocrat within.  He placed more demands on those around him, trusted his teammates less and began to micromanage the entire operation. As his coach, I tried to point out that things were out of control. His behavior ran counter to his expressed values. “I’d like to stay true to my vision and values, said Bill. But honestly, I don’t have time to think about those things right now.  I’m the CEO of a start-up and this business is blowing way past any of our original expectations – it’s all I can do to just keep up.”


So, how could I help Bill?  How could I help get him back on track?


I asked Bill for a time out. This wasn’t easy for him to do, since he was moving at break-neck speed to keep up with his daily challenges. He was now so involved in other people’s jobs, that he had no time stop and reflect. He was CEO, chief product office, and the head of sales, etc. I needed Bill to step back and re-examine what he intended for his company. Was his behavior reflective of his company’s values? And, most importantly, did Bill see what was being sacrificed in his attempts to have a successful company?


Bill needed to make a choice. He couldn’t go north and south at the same time.  He couldn’t take more and more control and become more dominant if he wanted his people to feel empowered.  He wouldn’t be able to have a highly successful team if the customers and investors saw Bill as a success but not the team. As one of his original partners said to me, “I’m not Bill’s partner anymore – I’m an order taker.”


Fortunately, Bill was able to stop long enough to hear me and his original partners early one Saturday morning over breakfast. Underneath it all, he knew that he was spinning out of control. He had the best of intentions but he wasn’t the kind of owner, CEO and business partner he had originally intended to be. With the help of his original two partners, he was able to ease up on the reins. He stopped dictating, asked more questions and fostered more dialogue.  Even more impressively, he let the investors know that he was not willing to sacrifice the core values of his business in order to meet their short term expectations. He re-committed to the original core values to create a more sustainable environment for the team in the long run. As he said to me, “I was killing the spirit in the place and until I stopped, I was not even aware of it.”


Ask yourself if you are becoming more controlling as the demands of your business or your department increase.  Are you staying true to your core values and vision? How have your behaviors changed? Do you have a way of getting honest feedback from others? Are you sacrificing the long term health of your company or team for short term gains? Are you dictating or inspiring and empowering others?


“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”  Antoine De Sainte-Exupery


Kathleen


 

		


		
	







	
	


		
All the News That Fits – We Print

		
	


		

	


	
	


	


		

			
 


This advice comes from a previous client of mine, Michael Kane. Michael was the chief of staff for Move Inc. and the general manager of one of its subsidiaries, TigerLead. He had a gift for eloquently expressing himself, both verbally and in writing. Many thanks to Michael for sharing this piece, which he titled, “All the News That Fits — We Print.”


“Back in the late 90s, I did consulting for Dow Jones and Company, which, in additional to calculating some influential stock market averages, publishes a mildly well-read newspaper called The Wall Street Journal. The project I was bidding on was a $17 million dollar effort to revamp the software that paginates its newspapers.


“It’s a complex problem with multiple variables, and unless you know the newspaper business, you might approach it exactly backward. I was told that each day, there are different sections and the newspaper is allowed to be a certain number of pages, and the ads needed to be arranged on the page, and the news articles broken into the familiar columns. The software needed to tally the total ad space and total ad revenue, and then, they told me, it needed to provide a report to the editorial group with the size of the ‘news hole.’


“Huh? That term sounded like an insult to me: ‘My roommate hogs the TV all day watching CNN. He’s such a newshole!’


“That’s when I learned that I was approaching newspaper publishing completely backward. In any edition, after all the ads are placed on pages, the amount of space left over is called the ‘news hole.’ Everything that’s not an ad must fit in that space — all the tables, op-ed pieces and articles. If they don’t fit, they need to be reduced. You never, ever, trim the ads.


“In a newspaper — a publication whose purpose you would think is to provide the news — the purpose is actually to deliver advertising and then use whatever space is left for its alleged purpose.


“What does this have to do with our company? When was the last time we looked critically at our calendars? Many of us do the same thing with our calendars that Dow Jones does with news. We use the tool designed to focus our most scarce resource — our time — and we first fill it with things that provide the least value: status meetings and meeting series that were set up ages ago. In fact, each week, there’s probably a meaningful percentage of our time already committed, before we even show up on Monday morning. Call it ‘recurring schedule overhang.’ Then, after that, we add in the purposeful activities.


“It’s the ‘purpose hole.”


“Like my understanding of newspaper publishing, are we approaching our calendars exactly backward?”


Kathleen


 




 


 

		


		
	







	
	


		
Horse Sense #4 – Forgiveness

		
	


		

	


	
	


	


		

			
 


Once upon a time, I learned a lot about forgiveness from an unlikely friend: a beautiful horse I’d been spending time with.


This lovely horse was named Ileeah. She was a lovely Arabian horse trained in the horsemanship method I was learning. My lessons were frustrating at first, but I began to see how responsive this horse was and just how much I could learn from her because of her extensive training and experience. What I found most humbling was her ability to forgive me when I did something wrong. One day I was taking her halter off and accidentally poked her in the eye. She immediately jumped away from me. But in the next moment, as I was apologizing profusely, she walked right back over to me as if nothing had happened.


Along the way, I have had to forgive myself over and over again―when I gave her conflicting messages about where and when I wanted her to go; when I got angry with her and nagged at her rather than giving her a quick, direct instruction to stop what she was doing; and when I didn’t have the ability to let go of my negativity toward her when she defied me.


Horses have an amazing ability to forgive. They don’t seem to hold onto resentment or negative emotions the way humans do, and it allows them to deal with whatever is happening in the moment rather than reacting to something that happened the moment before. They always seem willing to try again with patience and persistence. I think these qualities have helped horses survive for thousands of years. Even though they are prey to other animals and have had to work for humans, they have persevered and their presence with each moment has allowed them to react appropriately when they sense danger.


In playing with horses (and I use the word “play” because it really isn’t work), I have learned more about how to forgive myself. I have made many mistakes with Treasure, Ileeah and Winslow―the three horses I’ve played with over the years―and I suspect that I will continue to make mistakes with horses as I continue. But every time they forgive me, I have an opportunity to forgive myself. Buck Brannaman, the famous horse trainer and a leading practitioner in the area of natural horsemanship wrote, “Horses are incredibly forgiving. They fill in places we’re not capable of filling in ourselves.”


Perhaps you find that you’re not forgiving yourself for something that happened.  See what it feels like to make a mistake and then forgive yourself for it. Try cutting yourself some slack when you’ve done something goofy and don’t carry your inner angst about it into the next moment or the next day. Laugh at yourself for your foibles, and see how unimportant they are in the face of all the good things you bring to others.


The famous phrase “To err is human, to forgive divine” so aptly describes the divinity we see in those beings who are able to forgive―both human and animal. Try forgiving yourself and moving into the next moment without the burdens of guilt or shame weighing you down.


 


Kathleen


 

		


		
	







	
	


		
Within and Without – Leadership Integrity

		
	


		

	


	
	


	


		

			
 


Have you ever considered the tension that leaders experience when making decisions between following their inner compass and bowing to outside pressures?


It is reasonable to question how successful a business leader can be who always follows his inner compass. How many CEOs would lose their jobs if they ignored the advice and wishes of their stakeholders because their personal compass pointed the other way? To me that answer comes down to the moment to moment struggle leaders experience between doing what they know is right versus what is expected – what the values suggest versus what the numbers dictate. 


Many leaders walk this razor’s edge. I believe that the tension it creates is at the heart of what makes someone a great leader – balancing what their inner compass is telling them with an ability to also see the larger picture and how their decisions impact the profitability of their company.


From a practical perspective, here are some examples of different approaches to leading others. Which of the two styles attracts you?





 





Inner/values-based




External/profit-based






Aligns with higher values
Maximizes profit




Inspirational
Impersonal – “it’s just business”




Sustainable
Short term results




Visionary
Tactical




Authenticity
Role-playing




Transparent and accountable
Infallible






When I look at these contrasting ideas, I can see that strong leadership draws from both columns. No one can run a business and ignore the numbers. Sometimes, you do have to sacrifice your long term goals for short term results. And there are some mistakes leaders should not admit to given the damage that knowledge does to your team or your stakeholders.


But the key to me is in your self-awareness. If you are familiar with your inner territory, you can see what part of you is making the decision. Is it from greed or generosity? Are your decisions and actions aligned with the company’s values and ethics? By observing how you balance your inner world against your external pressures, you can see how integrated you are.


Is your behavior reflective of your inner values? If not, do you justify the behavior by saying “it’s not personal. It’s business.” Are you inspiring others by who you are as well as by your actions? Are you acting one way towards your team members but feeling the exact opposite internally?


Take a look at how balanced you are between your inner guide and your external actions. If I asked the people in your organization to describe you, would they say you have integrity?


As Gandhi so aptly said, “Each of us must be the change we want to see in the world”.


Kathleen


 









 

		


		
	







	
	


		
Managing Any Generation

		
	


		

	


	
	


	


		

			
 


Back in the day when people from the Gen Y generation were in their 20’s, I read an article about best ways to manage millennials. Many of the managers I was coaching managed people in this age group so I was researching good suggestions for how to understand and  manage them.   Now these millennials are between 29 and 44 and the people who manage them are often leaders within an organization.   In re-reading this article, I realized that it offers good advice about managing anyone, regardless of age group.


This entry comes from the article entitled,   “The Top 3 Most Important Mistakes Management Makes Managing Millennials” by Crystal Kadakia, blogger of the Gen Y Guru @ Career Indulgence LLC: Speaking, Training, Consulting on Everything Gen Y – No Whining, Just Ideas That Work.


Here are some of Kadakia’s ideas and advice.


“Mistake #1: Humor That Alienates, Specifically By Relying on Assumptions

It’s natural to try to find common ground when establishing a manager-direct report relationship. Many experienced managers struggle to find common ground with the new workforce and make a number of mistakes. This struggle can exhibit outwardly in multiple ways including false assumptions, belittling humor, and misguided expectations.


“For example, many assume that Gen Y’s had “helicopter parents” and had childhood lives filled with endless parent-scheduled activities, school followed by ballet, soccer, etc. This results in presumption of lack of work capability, accountability, and responsible behavior. Viewing a new employee in this light automatically sets them up for failure, instead of success. In many cases, the opposite Gen Y scenario is true as many in this generation grew up in divorced homes, resulting in very independent childhoods. Comments of this nature start with statements like, “This generation has it so easy…” or “You’re supposed to want constant feedback right?” It’s better instead to always ask questions instead of assume that an employee relationship should be a certain way. Alternatively, you can share how you like to work and ask the employee if that works for them.


“Some other examples are statements like “Maybe you can tell me what I should do about my son/daughter’s constant selfie addiction — aren’t you a part of the Me Generation?” or “You’re a Gen Y, can you teach me how to use my iPhone?” Treating your Gen Y employees like your IT services connection is a definite no-no. Not all Gen Yer’s are adept with technology and no one likes to be put on the spot for assumed skills.


“The best practice is to never assume. Instead of basing off of assumptions, starting instead with a story from your time and then asking if the Gen Y can relate is a much better way to forge a bond you can both work from. For example, when you were transitioning from college, xyz was a struggle for you.


“Mistake #2: Lack of Transparency Regarding Career Progression

If pay progression or promotion is slow at your organization, just admit it. It is far better to admit it than to say nothing. Many companies have a culture that dissuades talking about career progression. But as new employees starting a new chapter in their lives, one they have never embarked on before, this is one of the biggest questions. What does the future look like? What is the big picture I am working towards?


“Also, recognize that young employees may not realize what other forms of progression and growth look like. Generally, the first thought for any new employee is: rewards = increased pay, better title. This is a moment to educate and expand your employee’s perspective — growth can be in many dimensions. Share what other dimensions your company offers and don’t exclude diverse project work as a perk. As their manager, you are in a position to understand what kind of project the new hire would really enjoy getting into and then delivering elements of that in their current work. Transparency is key.


“Mistake #3: Lack of Opportunities to Meaningfully Contribute

The biggest complaint I hear from many Gen Y’s is the amount of time it takes before they are permitted to contribute to results. Doing the grunge work doesn’t capture the maximum productivity your Gen Y can contribute and instead, demotivates and disengages the employee. If they are not allowed to contribute quickly, it generates reasons for leaving the company. Although it may surprise you, most Millennials don’t want to be paid for doing nothing — and we are quick to trust our own judgement of what is worthwhile work.


“It is important to strike the right balance between introducing them to the work and allowing them to contribute significantly to a project or even lead a project on their own. It’s important to explain which work will help to build a foundation to do more challenging work later vs. which work items are intended to allow them to already start displaying leadership and critical thinking skills. By establishing the expectations regarding the work this way, the new employee has no false understanding of work — yes, some of it is going to be tedious, but it is going to build to something later or may always be a tedious part of the job. It’s important to be transparent about the work.


“A good rule of thumb is as long as 10 percent of the work plan at a minimum involves true leadership and critical thinking from the new employee, the remainder of the work plan can be more learning alongside a more experienced employee or working as a part of a team with no clear responsibility. But in at least 10 percent of the work plan, the new employee should be personally accountable and contributing clearly to a significant group or department result.


“These are just a few of the behaviors that can lead to quick turnover with Millennials, but they are big mistakes. New employees can either work with you, against you, or contribute little to no work. How you choose to manage these employees makes a critical difference in the outcome.”


In summary, Ms. Kadakia is saying three things 1) don’t make assumptions, 2) be transparent and honest, 3) give the employee challenging work and hold him/her accountable for the results. Seems like good advice for managing any employee – boomer, Gen X, Gen Y, or Gen Z.


 


Kathleen