Good morning, Leaders! It’s Friday!

Have you ever experienced how human nature seems to prefer a definite answer (Now!) more than an accurate one (in due time)?

The first time I remember hearing the term (“it depends”) from a subject matter expert was when I owned a gaggle of snowmobiles and wanted to make sure I didn’t shorten a trip because of poor maintenance. The hyfax serve as a protective barrier between the slide rails and the snow track clips. It normally has snow and ice built up but in poor conditions, they wear out quickly (and are a pain to change out). I asked my favorite parts manager how long they last and he said smugly, almost dismissively, “It depends.” I first thought he was trying to sell me spares for all my sleds. Then he explained himself and I realized if we are in the wrong conditions, i.e. riding fast across a lake with no snow cover, they wear down quickly. Got it.

As leaders, we recognize that the desire for a definitive answer doesn’t mean we should take the bait and fill the request. We have an obligation to leave the decision making window open as long as necessary to take in as much information as possible. There are times when we must push back on the tyranny of the urgent because doing the right thing might mean waiting for all available information to emerge instead of giving in to the impetuous asking for an answer immediately.

If you recall last week, I mentioned a lesson in taking decisive actions…when under fire…when the situation dictated it. The difference between last week’s and this week’s example is … discretion. The leader must exhibit confidence in herself, her sources of information and her influence of the situation and naysayers, thus allowing proper time for good judgement to prevail.

Here are a couple more examples of “it depends”, courtesy of extensive visits to the Mayo Clinic. I’ve taken a proactive approach to my health (ahem-recommended) and looked for ways to improve so I ask questions like “Is my meal regimen acceptable?” (In my head, I’m thinking of Burgess Meredith in Grumpy Old Men eating 5 strips of bacon for breakfast, a bacon sandwich for lunch, a bacon snack…

Here’s what those “flat-bellied” experts will tell you:

“Meat is a treat”

That doesn’t sound like your current diet is fine, eat all the red meat you can find or even half a plate of protein for breakfast and a third plate of protein for lunch and dinner. It sounds like, IT DEPENDS (on how long you intend to live a high quality life).

How much water should I drink?
We all want to know the exact answer, right? The latest answer I received was…

“Pee clear, at least once a day.”

That doesn’t sound like 100 ounces or 12 glasses a day, does it? It sounds like, IT DEPENDS (on what else you ate, drank and did today).

One last tongue-in-cheek example of how the desire for simplification and “I need YOU to fix MY problem right now” is:

Click those links, chuckle a little bit and have a blessed weekend!

Good morning, Leaders! It’s Friday!

The military considers it time well served / a career.
For me it’s a subtle reminder I’m growing old.

I was watching the news a couple of nights back and was harkened back TWENTY years ago this week when Grand Forks, ND lost their fight with the flood…and began the restoration process.

“Come Hell and High Water” was the headline of the Grand Forks Herald. Every soul involved in that city during that year and the recovery to follow knows what that means. It impacted what each person regarded as important from that point on:

-Soggy, moldy material items once thought to be of value were heaped as high on the curb as you could stack without machinery.
-Vehicles inundated with water, then heat from the sun bake with windows up tight were scanned and sniffed for that familiar moldy scent for some time following.
-Homes were stripped to the studs because drywall wicked brackish moisture and quickly turned to black mold, a known health hazard.

The University of North Dakota (UND) campus sits on a high spot in the city so the physical plant compound became the Emergency Operations Center for FEMA and the Corps of Engineers.

Since I had been consulting with the campus staff on the electrical system for years, I became the clear choice to work with the campus on multiple projects that year, providing me with leadership growth opportunities. A few significant ones recounted below.

There were temporary Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) trailers being transported from Mississippi that entire year and we created a temporary trailer park with some of those campers for displaced homeowners. I worked with the physical plant director (Leroy-a good man and short term mentor) to sketch a quick design, assemble an estimate, submit an application and get things moving…over a lunch hour.

•Leaders need to make good decisions under fire.

{The contractors total bid for the trailer park project came in within 5% of our literal back of the napkin estimate.}

We were tasked with establishing power to the base of operations for the Army Corp of Engineers. I remember working over the weekend with a skeleton contracting crew and with limited equipment, I had to help pull cable. There are a few times in my career where, as an inspector, working alongside and with the contractor to accomplish tasks was the only option other than walking away and leaving an incomplete project.

•Sometimes you do whatever it takes to finish the job because the greater good dictates action, not policy or rhetoric.

UND is a medical school and the main medical lab had been shut down until electrical service could be safely restored to the building. Working with the systems director (Randy), we waded through floodwater, dark rooms, mold and an unknown environment, including the rooms filled with…cadavers…to get the building operational, including ventilation and refrigeration.

•Leaders find themselves in unpleasant circumstances – maintaining composure isn’t an option, it’s a prerequisite. First responders know this concept well. I had to learn quickly.

At the time, few were willing to regard the events and the ensuing acrimony as a learning opportunity. Today, as I look back, it’s clear to me that I learned valuable leadership lessons during the 1997 flood.

Have a blessed weekend!

Good morning, Leaders! It’s Friday!

When looking for inspiration, whether for writing a new blog or for getting up in the morning, I often refer to quotes of proven leaders. Pound for pound the best value for time spent, quotes distill wisdom into bite-sized pieces that pass through my short attention span then expand in my conscious self, looking to pair up answers to “What does that mean to me?” or “How can I relate to that…”

Just last week while trying to convey a thought about urgency of creating and implementing a plan and perfection being the enemy of good, I melded a few quotes to get my point across to a team requiring inspiration without being frozen by a desire to have every detail worked out (often considered paralysis by analysis). A senior leader in the room felt the urge to “correct” my statement…to which I took no offense…until I looked up the actual quotes this week…and they are:

•George S. Patton, Jr. said “A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan executed next week.”

•Vince Lombardi said “Perfection is not attainable but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”

So, since we are quoting the authors verbatim, I would like to convey additional thoughts through these demonstrated and heralded leaders. See if any resonate for you and if I get my point across.

•”Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

•”I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” – Stephen Covey

•”When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” -Henry Ford

•”Strive not to be a success but to be of value.” -Albert Einstein

•”I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou

•”Build your own dreams or someone will hire you to build theirs.” -Farrah Gray

•”The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is mere tenacity.” -Amelia Earhart

So, as I start my next chapter with sword in one hand and shovel in the other, plans in my head and prayers in my heart, I seek another opportunity for leadership, remembering:
•Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm. —Publilius Syrus

•The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly. —Jim Rohn

•Whatever you are, be a good one. —Abraham Lincoln

•The supreme quality of leadership is integrity. –Dwight Eisenhower

•The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men, the conviction and the will to carry on. —Walter Lippman

Have a blessed weekend!

Good morning, Leaders! It’s Friday!

What are you doing with your hands?

•Are they firmly cupping your hind end?

•Are they hung off your arms by your side, fingers pointing straight down as you march to the beat of someone else’s drum?

•Are they clenched fists, swinging wildly in front of you, assuming all visible items are a potential threat?

•Are they raised high, palms faced up, accompanied by rejoicing and praising God for all the blessings bestowed on you?

•Are they locked together, fingers folded in humility and solemn prayer?

•Are they shrouded in cloth or leather, wrapped around a tool, a stick shift, or a steering wheel?

•Maybe you’ve just moistened a thumb and forefinger as you turn the proverbial page preparing for another chapter to begin…

Last Sunday, our daughter Aarika joined Carole and I at church as pastor Joel talked about the worst day. He recounted one of his first worst days as being the first day of school in fifth grade…the second time around. From his remarks you could tell that situation left a dent. He also said that when you reach his age, roughly my age, you’ve probably had more than one worst day.

Yes, it is possible to have more than one.

Yesterday, I found my hands holding a phone, typing a message on a plane on my way back home with a less than certain future. These hands spent the last 18 months shaping yet another environment requiring some extra attention; pruning dead branches, planting new seeds, pulling weeds and tearing down silos. No magic, no mystery, no politics…just doing the things that needed to be done that for whatever reason hadn’t been handled already.

I heard the whisper yesterday morning. “Put your tools down, son. Your job here is through. I’ll let you know where to go next.”

Today, I used my hands to pray, to lead my arms to hug loved ones, to answer calls, type emails and erase passwords no longer relevant to the security of company data … or my future.  I’ve been blessed to hear from many friends, coworkers, and loved ones who were shocked but consoling.  They provided praise, reassurance and scripture to encourage.

This, like ALL other situations, is in God’s hands.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Have a blessed weekend!

Good morning, Leaders!  It’s Friday!

Phenomenal growth in the high desert of Colorado looks like this:

•Gaylord Rockies | Opening Late 2018

http://meetgaylordrockies.com/

•Google Plans Phase II of Boulder Development

https://www.cpexecutive.com/post/google-plans-phase-ii-of-boulder-development/

On my way from the Denver airport to our growing office Monday I asked my Uber driver, a mid 20’s student taking online classes, whether the new light rail leaving the airport was competition and he said, “Not really. It’s carpet versus tile.” referring to preference on cost, time and degree of comfort. He was eager to share his impression of how the city is growing quickly and how habits are changing as a result of the growth.

Personal change:

I used to rent a car which even in a corporate express checkout would add 60 minutes to my trip in and out. If I parked downtown, it would add another $50/night to the cost of my stay. App-based ride service saves me time, money and introduces me to people more than happy to share their perspectives.

After observing the 40 plus construction cranes in the skyline, I asked my Uber driver, a 41 year old landscaper who has lived his entire life in Denver, on the way back to the airport this morning what the primary reason was for the tremendous growth. He felt the “weed” legalization roughly 8 years ago has influenced a lot of things, including the property changes downtown. The dispensaries are more prevalent than Starbucks coffee shops and more college graduates are migrating here because it’s beautiful (the mountains) and provides great opportunities for work-life balance. Since the talent is moving here, current pace estimated at 12,000 people per month, companies are focusing on building here as well. See hyperlinks for just a couple of examples.

This seems like a major shift from when I was entering the work force. I moved to the opportunity instead of the opportunity coming to me.

I’ve been visiting this town and growing teams here for nearly a decade. There is something special about the place; the mountains, the mindset but mostly the people. Really good people.

Have a blessed weekend.

Good morning, Leaders! It’s Friday!

I had breakfast the other morning with an old friend (Mr Miller) who reminded me of another acquaintance (Mr Nelson) who goes all the way back to when I was a paperboy. It seems Nelson, who had the route for the local paper that overlapped my route for the regional paper was Miller’s wrestling coach. Small world, small town.

I learned that Nelson used to referee matches as well. The distinguishing part of his style was that he would call out between periods in a match…who was behind and who was ahead. This unique style could reportedly be frustrating for those still planning to make a move or reassuring for those who believe they had the upper hand.

Last week I mentioned situational awareness was a critical part of emotional intelligence. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you had a coach/referee telling you at each interval (period, year, even day) “Red, you’re behind” or “Green, you’re ahead”…?

What would you do with this information if you got it in your adult life?

For example-
If someone said, Eric, you’re 52, medically obese, you eat too much red meat, you drink too much alcohol and not enough water. You push yourself too much and you don’t trust the right people to the extent you should. You judge too harshly, the stress from your job is carving years off of your life and your family misses you…(i.e. “Red, you’re behind!”)

Or, Eric, you’re 60% through your life, you need to save twice what you have today or the quality of the remainder of your life will suffer dramatically. Be conservative. Your family loves you but needs you around more, so travel less. Worry less and pray more. Accumulate life experiences and give away as much as you can: wisdom, love (remember joy shared is joy multiplied), time, riches, gifts, and listening more actively. (Maybe heard as “Yellow, step it up!”)

And…
Eric, you’ve been blessed with over half a century on this earth. You have been given much and because of that much is expected. Be generous with your time, talents and treasures because they are all simply loaned to you in the first place. Treat your body as a temple. Love your neighbor as yourself. Show and tell your family every single day how much they mean to you and stop clinging onto earthly ways, whether career, money, possessions or any other distraction because they are all temporary and ultimately flawed. Believe in me, Jesus, Son of God and saver of your soul. You are the way God designed you and are the apple of his eye. (Green, you’re ahead!…because I’m carrying you.)

My advice this week is seek those who can bring perspective to your status/what your score is and when you find them…listen…and take action.

Have a blessed weekend!

Good morning, Team! It’s Friday!

In fourth grade, it was Rebecca Lucken, Steven Sandness and Stacy Hill. Who amongst us would finish Mrs. Stoa’s math quiz first? It was always a race to see who would finish first. Fastest and most accurate…Then Mark Mazaheri shows up and drops into the accelerated reading class as we plowed through the color learning series. These classmates were considered to be smart – er. Most, if not all, of their parents were in academia associated with the local college. They had pedigree associated with high IQ. I was privileged to be associated with this group as we chased top of the class status on our way toward what we believed to be success by outperforming our gifted classmates.

From Emotional Intelligence 2.0, Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves write, “When emotional intelligence was first discovered, it served as the missing link in a peculiar finding: people with the highest levels of intelligence (IQ) outperform those with average IQs just 20 percent of the time, while people with average IQs outperform those with high IQs 70 percent of the time. This anomaly threw a massive wrench into what many people had always assumed was the source of success-IQ. Scientists realized there must be another variable that explained success above and beyond one’s IQ, and years of research and countless studies pointed to emotional intelligence (EQ) as the critical factor.”

Greaves and Bradberry compile findings and research together to tell the comprehensive story of emotional intelligence today:
•The whole person is made up of IQ, EQ and personality but EQ is the only quantity that is flexible and able to change.
•To change or improve, one needs to understand the four basics; Self Awareness, Self Management, Social Awareness and Relationship Management.
•There is even an online test you can take to determine where you are today.

The book is filled with strategies in these four categories to improve your EQ.
-You can change
-You can increase your intelligence!
-Hey Ma! I’m (still) getting smarter.

Have a blessed weekend!

Good morning, Carole! It’s Friday!

People/Leaders/Team…My bride of 3+ decades just celebrated another birthday. She told me a few years ago, “Honey (she calls me that on a good day), I just want to be healthy and happy.” I surmised that is a fair request for anyone.

I added the two other words in there because she fits them and deserves the first two.

Let me back up a minute. The hard-nosed author of this leadership blog gives off a cold vibe. With nicknames like Russian (I’m Swede, Swiss and German), Cop (Nope, never been one), Hard-Ass (Hmmm), and several I won’t mention, I will say that I’ve been misjudged by my … cover. I’ve taken empathy training, counseling, coaching and read a fair amount on how to get more in touch with my emotions (and my inner marshmallow) but at the end of the day, I believe my spouse knows my heart. She knows I wish nothing but good for her. As you might suspect, I do not dote…but I do spoil. I may not whisper sweet nothings …but I declare my feelings. This dedication is one of those ways.

At a milestone not too may years ago in Fountain Hills, AZ with a view to the East that was breathtaking – I provided the following testament to her in front of a small group of family members. It’s personal and it’s from the heart. I share it with trepidation and without edit because to chop it up would alter the intent.
———————————–

Healthy, Happy, Patient and Kind

Good evening, family (& friends)
Thank you for being here for this milestone.

This… is a celebration of life!
We have a beautiful backdrop that God prepared for us and we have a chance to share this beauty with people we love and adore.

Today, Carole celebrates a milestone. Half a century on earth! When she was 8, and found to have an extra vertebrae during screening for scoliosis, there may have been questions whether she would live a full life or if it would be confined to a wheelchair or hospital bed…
Carole’s optimism and fighter mentality shone through all of the concern. No doubt her mother and father prayed for her to be able to live a happy and healthy, purposeful life.
Well, Mom and Dad, here we are!
Healthy and happy, Mother &
Grandmother-no higher purpose.

Less than two weeks ago, coming off of a tough Board meeting, Carole endured a lengthy day of Eric on the phone with Board members and Chief Officers wrestling with challenging topics and looking forward-all company related stuff.

The next day she said to me as we were walking out the door so we could show the house again, “you sure are lucky you have a patient wife”…I hesitated for a second or two, thinking to myself “What did I forget this time?!” And I responded, “I AM lucky you are patient” but then ventured into the unknown and asked, “but what makes you say that?”
She began to recount how my focus on work made her feel and I apologized that I made her feel that she wasn’t the most important person on the planet.

Carole indeed has been patient.

Kind hearted, kind minded, volunteer, friend, considerate daughter, sibling, Mother, Grandmother and wife.

When you are in Carole’s presence, you can feel her heart reach out.
*Will you stay for a while?
*Time for a meal?
*Do you need some food or money or do you want to see the shirt I bought for you? 🙂 it was on clearance for 95% off!

I am exceedingly proud of this woman we affectionately call Caber. This healthy, happy, patient and kind woman who God has given me the honor to spend the last 29 + years with. She has a distinctive laugh, a way of making up words, a way of laughing so hard she loses bladder control.
She also has a way of making us all smile.
I love you, Carole.
Happy Birthday!
———————————–

So when you ask yourself why this might be on a leadership blog, I would say…leaders:
•Are approachable
•Are vulnerable
•Have a genuine concern for the well being of the people they interact with, starting with those closest to them
•Model the way

If a hard ass can turn inside out to express care, concern and compassion for a life partner, anything is possible.

Leadership is a calling but it also requires that you take care of yourself and maintain a support system (a world class rope team-and you just met my anchor) for the days you spend your very last ounce of energy at the office and someone at home needs to:
Resuscitate you
Remind you why started down this journey and
Reassure you that no matter what happens on the battlefield, you’ll have a Reason to come home.

Have a blessed weekend!

Good morning, Team! It’s Friday!

I was in the state of Texas this week.
While in Austin, I stayed at the historic and beautiful Driskill hotel where the conference was held.  We had the opportunity to hear one of the co-authors of the Blue Ocean Strategy, Gabor George Burt,

https://g.co/kgs/BFlhs3

talk about things like innovation and infatuation.

Often at this conference, leaders are encouraged to think differently. We all get caught in ruts and so a nudge to move forward involves discomfort, skepticism and is usually followed by appreciation.

As the keynote speaker, he posed some thought provoking questions. He also predicted most would only get 2 out of 5 correct. Take the quiz before reading any further and see how you do.

Number 1:
If you were an animal, which one would you be? (Narrow choices to eagle, lion or opossum)

Number 2:
What business are you in? (Be succinct)

Number 3:
Who are your most important competitors?

Number 4:
What is the starting and stopping point of a typical customer’s experience cycle with your offering?

Number 5:
On a scale of 1 to 10, how closely linked is customer satisfaction to your strategic success?

Potential answers
Each requires more explanation than I have space for but I’ll put the discussed response and you can dig up more from Gabor if you are provoked.

1. Opossum-adaptability. Only animal that plays dead as a defense mechanism…

2. Multiply joy, divide pain

3. Perhaps the ones you can collaborate with.

4. There shouldn’t be such a thing.

5. “2” Satisfaction is not good enough any more. It should be infatuation.

What do people want?

“People don’t know what they want until you show it to them.”

Steve Jobs

“The human equation is to multiply joy and divide pain.
Pain shared is pain divided.
Joy shared is joy multiplied.”

Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, army psychologist, author

“Think about your work situation. Do you treat your creativity like a fossil fuel—a limited resource that must be conserved—or have you harnessed the unending power of the sun? Are you in an environment where creativity thrives? Is there room for new ideas every day? Can you make room?”

Biz Stone, Author of “Things a little bird told me”

It has taken me decades to identify what I want.  Perhaps some of these notions will speed up your timeline.

Have a blessed weekend!

Good morning, Leaders! It’s Friday!

I just read a very interesting article on regret. Sort of a coulda, shoulda, woulda…why don’tcha? theme.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/study-reveals-5-biggest-regrets-people-have-before-die-iwuoha

It reminds me of the test where they tell you to read all of the instructions before starting to work on the test … and on the very last page it instructs you to lay the test down. The test is about following instructions and comprehension, not initiative without discipline.

•Begin with the end in mind.

I started working early in life and not by choice. However, I learned from that lengthy experience that hard work pays; it fulfills, it brings purpose and it reinforces good choices. But to what end?

*Plow horse to show pony*

Since my father was a general contractor, I was given every odd job imaginable. Whoever thought coveralls came in toddler sizes? Since none of it killed me, I worked my way up…

From cutting weeds with hand tools to using a 3-wheeled push lawnmower and on to driving a Bush Hog behind a Ferguson tractor.

From cutting trees with a hand saw to operating a (lame) electric chainsaw to a 36″ bar Stihl 075 gas powered saw that barked and chewed through wood like a hot knife through (warm) butter.

From breaking up concrete driveways swinging a maul like John Henry to running a Chrysler industrial powered hydra-hammer to operating a 36″ jaw, primary crusher.

From driving a gas-powered, rear wheel steer loader to operating an original series diesel, articulated log-skidder Steiger to navigating streets with a massive Massey-Ferguson front end loader with a 6 cubic yard snow bucket (most cars today would fit inside it).

From a 1/2 ton GMC pickup with a three in the tree to a 160 series International stakebed to a turbo charged Kenworth 22 wheeler pulling a 20 yard aluminum gravel trailer.

Let’s just say I was conditioned early on to dive in and take on more and more and more.

When I got out of engineering school, it wasn’t much of a guess that I’d look for a bigger role with more “horsepower”.

I’ve been blessed to achieve multiple levels of responsibility and developed an appetite for learning and asking “what’s next?”.

As I matured, recognizing I could add value with hard work, good choices and a tolerant family, I’d ask “for what price?”.

Now my confidence is high, my appetite is still healthy but my new question is “at what cost?”.

No matter what path you take to leadership.
No matter what experiences whet your appetite and hone your skills.
No matter the size of the fire that burns inside you and drives you to do more…

I would suggest,
-Take a look around you.
-Understand what you want and compare it to what you think you need. -Comprehend what you might be sacrificing to chase your dreams.

Under most circumstances, if you’re not a total asshole, there will be regret, there will be sacrifice, and there will be anguish on your ascension to leadership. Choose wisely.

Have a blessed weekend!