Bailout or no Bailout

I try to stay out of politics on the blog as I try to discuss leadership issues. On this bailout, aka rescue plan, I have to draw a fine line.

The big talk over the last week has been about the recent bailout situation, which I find interesting. It is a little confusing as the Republican and Democratic parties seem to be split among themselves, some saying if we dont have a bailout, the end is near. While others say, no bailout is needed.

There will always be ups and downs in the economy. Those that are older, have seen several slowdowns and recessions (1981-1982 comes to mind); those younger, it might be your first one. When we are on an up, there will be a down. When we are in a down cycle, there will be an up down the line. This is what is called capitalism (i.e., Adam Smith's invisible hand). Some government intervention can minimize the downs if done correctly (although we did see during the Great Depression, government intervention caused the down to more of a downer). Is this bailout plan a good government intervention or too much intervention that will delay the inevitable? In a business that needs credit to acquire companies, I definitely see a reduction of available credit. It my view, something needs to be done, but not sure about this existing rescue plan, as I do think there are some other alternatives.

This brings me to the issue of leadership in this situation. If you have a solid service or product, you will be fine in ups and the downs. If you do not have a solid business, focus on building up your base in this situation. Remember: There are opportunities in both cycles. If you have more strategic control (a differentiator that keeps the clients to your services/products), you will be terrific shape. Be smart. Don't be too risky. Look for opportunities that leverage your strengths

Success has many "owners"

Why is it? When there is a celebration of the success of a venture or project, you have to look for a very large room to acknowledge those who contributed greatly (or to some slight degree as well as those who think or claim they did). Every one wants a piece the glory no matter how small. I know I interviewed several people from a competitor who had a successful product. It seems that each person I spoke to was the chief contributor of this successful product (how can that be?). We all want to be part of a winning team and as years go by, we tend to exaggerate our management contributions.

However, when there is failure, one needs only a very small room to invite those to commemorate the defeat or to evaluate the lessons learned because many will shun the invitation or claim that they had little or no part in the decision or action. The main reasons for failure suggested by those involved:
- poor or unclear planning
- lack of sufficient authority or staffing
- lack of thorough, accurate, and timely information
- failure to decide or act decisively

While we can learn from successes, it is more important to learn from our failures (I know I sure have) because we probably analyze them much more and learn some valuable lessons.

Bottom line: A successful project involves many people (one that seems destined to fail has people jumping ship, so if you see people conveniently leaving the project, watch out). You can take your chances and try to the hero who singlehandedly tackled the issues rather than sharing the responsibility and glory. However, the odds are rather good you may be standing in that small room by yourself!

Joke of the Weekend XXIII

Managers and Engineers


A man flying in a hot air balloon realizes he is lost. He reduces his
altitude and spots a man in a field down below. He lowers the balloon
further and shouts, "Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?"

The man below says, "Yes, you're in a hot air balloon, about 30 feet above
this field."

"You must be an engineer," says the balloonist.

"I am. How did you know?"

"Everything you told me is technically correct, but it's of no use to anyone."

The man below says, "You must be in management."

"I am. But how did you know?"

"You don't know where you are, or where you're going, but you expect me to be able to help. You're in the same position you were before we met, but now
it's my fault."

The Invisible Obvious

If you think about the most important discoveries or the best management decisions, they usually came from taking a fresh look at what people take for granted or can not see because it is too obvious. It has probably happened to you as well. When WHAM!, the solution is so obvious that is almost embarrassing why it took you too long to figure it out. The phrase "too close to the problem to resolve it" comes to mind.

You probably have heard the story of the oversized truck that had become wedged under a low bridge. Engineers were brought in to see how they could remove the truck, but had no luck. A small boy in a car stuck in traffic gave advice to authorities by the "obvious" suggestion that they could lower the truck by letting some air out of the tires.

As a leader, a fresh look at the obvious (and being open to non-traditional ways of thinking) is one of the most valuable things that you can do. This is why it is important to periodically bring "new blood" into your organization because they could provide that fresh view into the invisible obvious.

Leader versus Leadership

When we think of the leader, we imagine a commanding figure . . . whether a room-dominating figure, always sitting at the head of a conference table, or behind a large clean desk . . . bottom line: a leader who takes charge, aggressive, no-nonsense, etc.

Such images of leaders get us into trouble because it is not reality and it sets up a leader who will not be successful. The REAL strength of a leader is the ability to gain the strength of the group (not of the single individual). Relying on one person (e.g., the CEO) to provide all the leadership builds expectations that can never be met. Correspondingly, the group is denied its powers, thereby, leading to overdependence on the manager. When dependence is created, the leader's response is to micromanage, getting into areas of control and responsibilities that represent a poor use of time and may far exceed his/her capabilities. The result is the ultimate reduction of the productivity of the group.

A good "leader" provides a collective vision and acts as a servant to the people in the group to make sure the objectives are met (resources, addressing hurdles, providing guidance, being supportive). Whereas most of us have an image of the strong leader, the most successful leaders are actually servants to the group.

In Chaos Lies Opportunity

Many leaders have a quick knee-jerk reaction to a downtown economy. It's time for a reduction-in-force, or cut back all expenses, etc. Well, there may be good reasons for this, but if you are a business leader and your business has strong fundamentals, it might be a time for looking for some solid opportunities. Don't retrench, instead think about how you can grow in the downtimes.

Here is a good article written by two senior directors from Bain on just this topic.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122212072533364749.html


In Chaos Lies Opportunity
By DARRELL RIGBY and STEVE ELLIS

Lehman Brothers' headlong pitch into bankruptcy protection, Merrill Lynch's dramatic sale to Bank of America and the U.S. government's rescue of AIG have battered financial markets. But in the turbulence lies opportunity.

Like dangerous curves on a racetrack, economic downturns create more opportunities for companies to move from the middle of the pack into leadership positions than any other time in business.

Unlike straight-aways where leaders can thrive on raw power alone, steep curves require strategic finesse. That often results in dramatic differences in performance as leaders steer out of the curve.

With a clean balance sheet, a clear cost advantage and adroitly hedged fuel costs, the discount carrier grew at the expense of rivals. As others eliminated capacity and jobs, Southwest lowered fares to gain market share. It boosted advertising to trumpet its price advantage and built solid relations with labor by avoiding layoffs.

Southwest is not unique. About 24 percent more firms moved from the back of the pack to the front in the 2001 downturn compared with the subsequent period of economic calm, according to an eight-year study by Bain & Company that analyzed the net profit margins and sales growth of more than 2,500 companies. Meanwhile, about one-fifth of all leadership companies—those in the top quartile of financial performance in their industry—fell to the bottom quartile. By comparison only three-quarters as many companies made such dramatic gains or losses after the recession.

Recessions hit some industries harder than others, so staying alert matters. The variations get amplified in a globalizing, interdependent economy. That adds both opportunity and complexity. The opportunity is to shift focus to economically healthier regions, as Johnson & Johnson, GE and IBM did in the second quarter of 2008, reporting solid performance outside the U.S. The complexity arises from having to make long-term investments in global operations with less certainty than ever about where you will be exposed when the next downturn hits.


Many industry leaders fall from the top during recessions because they assume that a strong market position is an insurance policy against trouble. That approach breeds overconfidence. Executives postpone taking precautions or reach for the same levers they pulled in the past -- like hedging their bets by diversifying. When the downturn hits hard they usually over-react. They slash costs and staff indiscriminately, cut capital expenditures, squeeze suppliers, and avoid strategic acquisitions. Then when conditions improve, they must spend heavily to regain momentum.

The better approach: slow in, fast out—like a good driver heading into a sharp curve. Winners in recessions tend to brake quickly heading into a downturn by managing costs carefully and consistently. It's like downshifting to a lower gear to slow momentum and increase responsiveness. They focus on what the company does best, reinforcing the core business and spending to gain share. They aggressively monitor the competition to ensure they have the best possible line through the curve. That sets them up to accelerate at the apex of the curve, when the economy starts to improve. The farther you can see and the quicker you can turn, the faster you can safely corner.

In the 2001 recession, Intel Corp. timed its acceleration effectively to pull away from Advanced Micro Devices Inc., its scrappy rival in the chip business. Heading into the recession, AMD's heavy investment in product design was paying off, with AMD's revenues growing three times faster than Intel's.

Then the recession hit, catching the entire industry with too much capacity. As AMD's lack of profitability prevented it from investing in new production facilities, Intel seized the advantage. It invested in new facilities with state-of-the-art production capability and spent heavily to advertise its P4 processors. In the ensuing years, Intel's relative cost position improved dramatically and AMD had to slash 15 percent of its workforce. The momentum AMD had built quickly evaporated and a re-energized Intel remained the industry leader.

Another characteristic of companies adept in a downturn: they make bargain acquisitions to build up their core, even when it means taking calculated financial risks. As markets improve, they are well-positioned to accelerate. The latest example: Bank of America's planned acquisition of Merrill Lynch, which may turn out to be "the strategic opportunity of a lifetime," in the words of Ken Lewis, Bank of America's CEO.

For most industries, the optimal time to hit the brakes and downshift was months ago. The questions to be asking now are: Where is the apex of the curve, and how hard should we accelerate to take advantage of competitor mistakes? Who is in trouble and dumping valuable assets in order to survive? Can we add great people who are now available?

The companies with the right answers to those questions will have the inside track coming out of this downturn

Pressure Presentations

One of the important elements of a leader is to be able to present (whether to internal group or client/propects). Here is an article on delivering presentations under pressure.

How to Deliver a Presentation Under Pressure
After watching business pitches at recent tech conferences, communications coach Carmine Gallo prepared tips for make-or-break situations
by Carmine Gallo

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/sep2008/sb20080919_919248.htm?campaign_id=rss_smlbz

Last week, dozens of entrepreneurs pitched their startups and technologies to influential investors and members of the tech community in hopes of raising money and attracting attention at two different important conferences—TechCrunch 50 in San Francisco and DEMO fall in San Diego. After attending the TechCrunch event in person and watching a number of the DEMO presentations online, I tried to turn what I had observed into five tips for anyone making a business presentation under pressure. While you might not have plans to pitch your company to an investor anytime soon, the odds are likely that you will have to pitch to a potential partner, customer, employee, or lender who can make a big impact on your company in the near future.

1. Keep it brief. TechCrunch limited pitches to eight minutes. DEMO gave its startup presenters even less time—six minutes. DEMO also charged an $18,500 fee to present. That's a little over $3,000 per minute. Try this exercise. If you had to pay $3,000 a minute to pitch your idea, what would you keep, and what would you cut? It might seem like a difficult task but it is an important one. You see, our brains are wired to tune out after a short amount of time. Brain researcher John Medina says the typical audience member gets bored in 10 minutes (BusinessWeek.com, 7/7/08). Venture capitalists have told me the same thing: If entrepreneurs cannot pitch their companies in 10 minutes or less, the message needs to be refined.

2. Don't override the memory buffer. Geoffrey Moore is the bestselling author of Crossing the Chasm and Dealing with Darwin and is a venture capitalist at Mohr Davidow Ventures. He has seen hundreds of presentations. He told me that entrepreneurs "try to squeeze a 2MB message into a pipe that carries 128kb per second." In other words, too many people overload their presentations. Remember, your brain can only absorb so much information at a time—keep your pitch simple and clear.

3. Set the stage for the conversation. According to Moore, most entrepreneurs fail to intrigue investors because they jump right into explaining their product without setting up the problem. "You need to create a new space in my brain to hold the information you're about to deliver," says Moore. "It turns me off when entrepreneurs offer a solution without setting up the problem. They have a pot of coffee—[their] idea—without a cup to pour it in."

I was thinking about Moore's advice when watching the DEMO pitch from Kevin Fliess, the founder of travel Web site TravelMuse. He began his presentation by setting the stage: "The largest and most mature online retail segment is travel, totaling more than $90 billion in the U.S. alone. We all know how to book a trip online. But booking is the final 5% of the process. The 95% that comes before booking—deciding where to go, building a plan—is where all the heavy lifting happens. At TravelMuse, we make planning easy by seamlessly integrating content with trip planning tools to provide a complete experience." By introducing the category before jumping into his product description, Fliess created the cup to pour the coffee into.

Once you have described the category, Moore recommends that you stake your "claim to fame" by clearly explaining why your company has the best chance to capture the opportunity you described.

4. Rehearse. Reading from notes is a sure way to lose your audience. You need to take the time to internalize your message so that it doesn't seem scripted (even though you might want to start with a script and reduce your message to bullet points for practice). Bear in mind that most presenters don't spend nearly enough time rehearsing the message (and responses to tough questions). In her new book, Slide:ology, presentation expert Nancy Duarte (BusinessWeek.com, 4/10/07) estimates the preparation time for a 30-slide presentation should be in the range of 36 to 90 hours! That's right, 36 to 90 hours! If that amount is shocking, you probably don't spend enough time researching, collecting material, understanding the audience, organizing ideas, sketching the storyline, or rehearsing.

5. Don't sweat the small stuff. During some of the presentations at TechCrunch, presenters had to wait while their Web sites loaded, because of a spotty Internet connection. Often the presenters stopped speaking while everyone waited. It seems they forgot that even in the most carefully prepared presentation, a minor glitch or two is likely. It's better to quickly acknowledge the mistake and move on. Your audience is interested in what you have to say and what you have to teach them. It's not about the slides, it's about you.

Keep these five suggestions in mind as you prepare for your next big presentation. Remember, you might not get another chance to win over your audience.

Wish comes True

My mother told me a story about her childhood.

Her sister got poison ivy while walking home from school and had to stay home from school for a few days. Seeing this as a great way to avoid school, my mother went to the area she thought her sister received poison ivy. She decided to roll in the "ivy" over and over again. She rubbed the plant into her skin. Days went by with no poison ivy, she tried again. However, she never got poison ivy (so did she not find the "right" poison ivy or just not allergic to poison ivy - I know I am highly allergic, if I get within 10 feet, I get the itch).

Last week, my youngest son was ill and stayed home from school. My oldest was jealous and kept saying that he wanted to be ill and stay home from school. I think he tried to do everything the opposite of what we would say to stay healthy. Well, he got his wish, the only thing is that he got ill during the weekend. Now, he wishes he was not ill. Hey, we all learn a lesson.

In relationship to business and your career, watch what you wish for . . . you might just receive your wish (although not on your timing).

Joke of the Weekend XXII

Three men: a project manager, a software engineer, and a hardware engineer are working on a project.

About midweek they decide to walk up and down the beach during their lunch hour. Halfway up the beach, they stumbled upon a lamp. As they rub the lamp a genie appears and says "Normally I would grant you 3 wishes, but since there are 3 of you, I will grant you each one wish."

The hardware engineer went first. "I would like to spend the rest of my life living in a huge house in St. Thomas, with no money worries and surrounded by beautiful women who worship me." The genie granted him his wish and sent him on off to St. Thomas.

The software engineer went next. "I would like to spend the rest of my life living on a huge yacht cruising the Mediterranean, with no money worries and surrounded by beautiful women who worship me." The genie granted him his wish and sent him off to the Mediterranean.

Last, but not least, it was the project manager's turn. "And what would your wish be?" asked the genie.

"I want them both back after lunch" replied the project manager.

This Year

Something happened this week that reminded me of a poem . . . called "This Year"

Mend a quarrel.
Seek out a forgotten friend.
Dismiss Suspicion and replace it with trust.
Write a love letter.
Share some treasure.
Give a soft answer.
Encourage youth.
Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.
Keep a promise.
Find the time.
Forego a grudge.
Forgive an enemy
Listen. Listen. Listen.
Apologize if you are wrong.
Try to understand.
Flout envy.
Examine your demands on others.
Think first of someone else.
Appreciate.
Be kind;be gentle.
Laugh a little.
Laugh a little more.
Deserve confidence.
Take up arms against malice.
Decry complacency.
Express your gratitude.
Welcome a stranger.
Gladden the heart of a child.
Take pleasure in the beauty of the earth.
Speak your love.
Speak it again.
Speak it still once again.

Influences

What makes You? Okay, it's a funny question (or phrasing) or is it? Besides family and your gene pool, what has made you the person you are today?

In my perspective, there are three major influencers.

1. The people you have met in your life (that is, spent considerable time with)
2. The books that you have read
3. The places that you have visited

On #1, I have been lucky to have spent time with some very special people. They may have been work colleagues or friends (or many that happen to be both). It seems these influencers were more important to me when things were not going well and there was a need to pull together to get through a difficult time (including building a new business). The interaction with these people had a profound impact on how I am today as a person.

On #2, You are what you read. If you read the USA Today, that says something about you versus reading the Wall Street Journal. Think about your favourite book, did it have an impact on your life in someway? Several of my favourite books have inspired me to achieve goals in my personal and work that I do not think I would have otherwise have achieved. (no, the books were not written by Zig Ziglar).

On #3, The more places you visit and spend time, you will change in some subtle ways. I have had the "luxury" (although at the time it sure did not seem like it) of moving almost every three years in my life. I lived in the UK and Germany among locals when I was very young. I have lived in most of the regions of the USA. I lived in Geneva Switzerland for five years, returning to the USA just last year. All of these impacted me in many different ways. I would say living in Geneva had impacted me the most and made me a much better person than I would have been.

Bottom line: It is the experiences that you have that make you who you are today(people, places, books). So, get out . . . go out and meet new people in different places in the world (that trip you always wanted to take but felt you did not have time to do it, do it now), and while you are traveling to those new locations to meet new people, bring a few classic books. You will be a different (and hopefully) better person than you are today. I am ready to go, I leave in less than two months.

CEO = Chief Entertainment Officer?

I have discussed that having fun at work is important for the success of the unit. Here is an interesting article on the subject. Is Fun in You?




That's Chief Entertainment Officer

Smaller companies do fun better. We got that straight from the skating matador and dozens of his CEO colleagues.

By: Leigh Buchanan
Inc.com

George Kase's 2007 new year's resolution sounded self-indulgent, like giving up dieting for Lent. "I will have more fun with my employees," pledged Kase, president of CCFC Advertising, a $20 million Chicago company.

He wasn't being frivolous. Kase, who co-founded CCFC 20 years ago, assumed the top slot in 2005 when one of his partners moved into strategic planning. The previous leader, who Kase describes as "a very business-by-the-book guy," had presided over a work-hard-play-hardly culture. Kase worried that employees were keeping late hours, rarely glancing up from their computer screens.

First things first: He enlisted freelance help and insisted the overburdened talk to him about getting relief. Second things second: He made serious plans to inject good times into the job. "I thought, we have to put fun on the agenda," says Kase. "I can't leave it to happen organically because it won't."

So Kase brought in some rubber chickens and a bag of plastic dinosaurs. He took the staff to a racetrack, held a winetasting and a potluck with exotic foreign dishes and chili dogs. He started asking everyone: What should we do? Where should we go? "I am thinking we might institute a duty roster where folks get to create and execute the fun on a rotating basis," says Kase. "Requirements would be that everybody gets to have the fun, it can't cost a lot, and it cannot impair the senses--too much--or be illegal."

Kase is not the only leader trying to reverse a fun deficit. Many companies start out fun, but the carefree ethos is tough to sustain through growth, hard times, and the constant flux of personalities. Too often, fun becomes something employees have everywhere but here. When once a year the leader pops out of her office and hollers "Frisbee toss!" the effort feels forced.

Some companies, however, do manage to keep the good times rolling beyond the holiday party, the summer outing, and the occasional carton of Krispy Kremes. To find out how, we surveyed close to 300 executives and interviewed many others. We found that business owners with (and this is admittedly subjective) fun workplaces have thought seriously about how play plays out in their businesses. We offer some of their thinking below.

Fun Like Me
Companies reflect their founders' ambitions, their values, and their personal styles. Not surprisingly, many also reflect their founders' senses of fun. More than three-quarters of the executives we surveyed said their personal tastes and humor influence the company's entertainment agenda.

That's as it should be--as long as the boss isn't oppressive. ("Bowl, damn you! Bowl!") So movie buffs run Oscar pools, rehash the weekend's releases every Monday, and occasionally lead an excursion to the cineplex. Outdoor enthusiasts take workers skiing or mountain biking and often locate their businesses accordingly.

That model works well in smaller businesses, where everyone knows the CEO and employees sign on to a leader as much as to a company. For example, it's hard to imagine that anyone interviewing at CGL, a $50 million logistics company in Downers Grove, Illinois, doesn't know exactly what he's walking into. CEO Dan Para loves golf, games, and gambling, and he loves them loudly. His three partners share those enthusiasms. The office game room boasts a 12-place customized card table emblazoned with the CGL logo; more than two dozen people may show up for Texas hold 'em on Friday afternoons (for money, of course). Signed photographs of Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus hang in offices, and the company hosts its own singles and doubles golf tournaments with trophies that migrate from one winner's office to the next.

Para's the kind of guy who talks a lot about butt-kicking; the politically correct gene isn't part of his code. CGL hosts a Fat Boy Open, in which its heftiest contractors take on a home team on the golf course; this year the four-man opposition weighed a cumulative 1,180 pounds. Some people must be offended, right? "Are you kidding? Here? No," says Para. "We play for $100 a hole and give the money to our family foundation. This year the fat boys lost $380." But Para has a sweet gene as well. Recently, on the spur of the moment, he asked the staff to vote on which employee they thought was nicest and most admirable. When the receptionist won, Para ran out and got her a $1,000 bond.

Someone Make This Place Fun--Stat!
Shockingly, not all CEOs are founts of levity. "I'm not an especially fun person," concedes Marv Shetler, founder and CEO of Blazer Industries, a $35 million maker of modular buildings in Aumsville, Oregon. "I participate. But I'm not the best person to plan things."

CEOs of a serious nature often rely on a "cruise director" (our term) to either formally arrange activities or informally stir things up. Close to a third of survey respondents reported that a life-of-the-party-type employee performs this role; only 3 percent said there was no such person at the company. At Blazer, for example, Kendra Cox--a project manager who is also Marv Shetler's daughter--organizes the holiday party, the summer party, and regular pizza soirees, among other activities. Cox is also an ambassador for fun, taking candid photos of her colleagues for display and personally inviting every one of Blazer's 220 employees to events. She distributes candy or customized magnets she has had made up as reminders.

George Kase certainly relies on contributions from his cruise directors. But he would rather see CCFC's wallflowers drive the new agenda. "Fun people are easily amused, so they're a slam dunk," says Kase. "If someone who is reticent socially has an idea, they're more likely to participate. If it's not stellar, maybe a fun person can riff on it and come up with something unexpected."

Laura Ricci, a consultant who helps clients win big contracts, endorses a variation on wallflowers: "wackos." Ricci, the owner of 1Ricci in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, may spend years embedded in a company, trying to shake up its culture. She finds that "cool ideas come from people on the fringe--creative souls who don't fit in very well." Ricci recalls one project for which she tried in vain to persuade a client's employees to update some databases. She sought the help of a guy widely regarded in the company as an odd duck. He first wrote a script for a voice mail broadcast in which he threatened to upend a box of kittens into heavy traffic if the updates weren't finished. Ricci nixed that. Then he composed a series of six e-mails, each in the voice of a different American novelist. "They were fabulous," says Ricci. "People were so captivated by them that they said, 'Okay. Okay. For you, I'll do it.' And they did."

Only 14 percent of survey respondents said someone in human resources handled fun, and some CEOs we interviewed scoffed at the very idea. Phrases like "too cautious," "not creative," and "sanitized" came up frequently. What HR staff does well is to note when morale is poor, many agreed. In that case, leaders should encourage them to tap others to get things moving.

The First Rule of Acting
Workplace fun often flows from the top down. But the best fun--the really fun fun--moves in the opposite direction. To encourage that, says Ricci, CEOs should follow the first rule of acting: Don't step on someone else's line. "In theater, there's a moment when the actor is about to evoke a reaction from the audience and another actor steps into the spotlight or talks too soon and ruins it," she says. "The jokes in your organization are probably already happening, and they'll get louder if you don't step on them." Kase agrees. In fact, he encourages his executive team to engage in irreverent banter in front of employees, to model how much is now permissible.

In all but the smallest companies, grass-roots fun is often specific to departments or other subgroups. Yet somehow everyone knows about it. At Blazer, for example, most employees can tell you about the pranks and wild displays of fandom that rage in an accounting department riven by loyalties to rival college football teams. Workers of a certain age squirm in apprehension of a visit from the Older Than Dirt Club, a group of women who leave black, leafless trees on people's desks to commemorate their 50th birthdays. Wandering around the parking lot at lunch one day, Cox discovered a small subculture of people who barbecue in the back of their trucks. "I don't know that you can create a fun culture," she says, echoing Ricci. "What you can do is not stop one."

Employee-driven fun often involves pranks: the office full of Styrofoam peanuts, the stapler that mysteriously empties itself every day. CEOs know they have a fun culture when the jokes are on them. Jim Haudan, for example, has been the butt of several elaborate pranks at Root Learning, his $20 million strategy-implementation and consulting firm in Sylvania, Ohio. On one occasion, several employees connived to convince Haudan that a top executive was leaving to appear in a movie with Katie Holmes. (The prank included an e-mail from the actress's real brother and a fake movie poster concocted for the cause.) Haudan tried to dissuade the executive, expressing serious doubts about his acting chops. The executive recorded this impassioned spiel, then played it before a howling audience at a company meeting. "I went for it hook, line, and sinker," says Haudan.

An exemplary instance of employee-driven hilarity is the "attack monkey," which has been cheerfully murdering people at AppRiver, an e-mail security company in Gulf Breeze, Florida. Three years ago, Hurricane Ivan ripped the roof off AppRiver's headquarters, forcing it to set up shop in a temporary location. To cheer the troops, software developer Erik Forsberg used a digital camera to film his sock monkey attacking another developer. Others pitched in on the film, and the staff was in hysterics as it made the rounds. Later, an administrative assistant decked out the monkey in a tiny red hood with devil horns.

Now when someone is hired, staff mull ways the monkey could attack, explains CEO Michael Murdoch. "We have a lot of funny people here, and I don't want to stifle that," he says. So far the 55-employee company has documented about 45 kills, including electrocution, strangulation, poisoning, and hit-and-run. The attack monkey finished off Murdoch during a job interview. It slid its salary requirements across the desk, and the CEO suffered a fatal heart attack.

Our Guys Are a Hoot!
Employees aren't just the best instigators of fun, they're also fun's best subjects (next to the boss, of course). Reality television grew fat on the entertainment value of the personalties and experiences of ordinary people. Ordinary people whom everyone knows are a richer vein of amusement.

Companies seem to get that. Among our survey respondents, mock talent competitions in the spirit of American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, and The Gong Show were almost as popular as bowling. Another common diversion are in-house films that document workers just being themselves. At its holiday party, Blazer screens a video--including a blooper reel--that features reenactments of funny and peculiar happenings around the business. This isn't Farrelly brothers material: "We did a story about our plumbing department hiding a coffee pot that's not allowed on the plant floor," says Cox. But for Blazer employees in on the joke, it's comic gold.

Root Learning also celebrates staff at its end-of-year fete, honoring the employee with the most animated hand gestures, for example. But a more substantive appreciation of vivid personalities is a wall of employee caricatures in Root Learning's lobby. The day a new hire arrives at Root Learning, one of the company's graphic artists draws her. Over the years, details are added to reflect a growing familiarity with her tastes and quirks. In year eight, the caricature is decked out with a full array of personal effects and an appropriate background. Everyone knows the receptionist likes to change hair colors. Lest they forget, the drawing in which she sports a rainbow coiffure is a vivid reminder.

You Call This Work?
Arguably the Holy Grail of fun quests is making work itself entertaining. That's easy if your company produces board games, tougher if it produces boards. "People spend 40, 50, 60 hours a week doing something they don't like, and that's not healthy," says Ronald Culberson, a Herndon, Virginia-based speaker on bringing humor into organizations. "How do you make mundane processes fun? Aside from Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV), not many companies have managed it."

Employees left to their own devices may come up with ingenious ways to relieve the tedium, Culberson says. He recalls visiting one organization where administrative workers took turns opening vast volumes of mail. Every day, an employee not so engaged would place a small gift--a coupon for an ice cream cone, a comic strip, a candy bar--in an envelope and plant it among the rest for his colleague to find. In another company, clerks used stools, stepladders, overturned boxes, and the like to transform their file room into an obstacle course. "It sounds goofy," says Culberson. "But it made that process a little more interesting."

If you can't make discrete tasks fun, you can at least add excitement to the context in which they're performed. CEOs often fail to recognize cultural malaise because they themselves are on a perpetual thrill ride of wins and losses. Rank-and-filers, meanwhile, twiddle their thumbs in the ticket booth. Giving staff some numbers and teaching them to keep score gooses ordinary jobs with the frisson of competition. "Winning is fun," says Ned Compton, president of DEI, a 73-person Cincinnati company that designs and builds banks and other financial institutions. "We share sales and losses and financial performance with our people, and we explain what it all means. When we make a sale we all go down to our Santa Fe room and have a glass of champagne. They see the competition, and that's exciting."

Virtual Meeting Strategies goes further. Lots of companies build their financial periods around themes, but few do so with the creativity of Virtual Meeting, an Indianapolis facilitator of online communication. This trimester, for example, principal Neal Rothermel launched the theme "Big Picture" with a presentation in a movie theater that included popcorn and a preview of summer blockbusters. Another time, when the company had to execute a record amount of business, Rothermel declared the company to be "in Survivor mode." The executive team cleared the conference room and brought in tikis. Employees sat cross-legged on the floor. Everyone chose tribal names and wore headbands. For the rest of the period, tribes at each meeting would nominate survivors who had contributed the most or provided the best customer service. (No one was voted off the island.) "I wanted to find a way to share war stories across teams and celebrate above-and-beyond efforts," says Rothermel. "The returns on productivity and morale have been exponential."

And It's for a Good Cause
The first question CEOs ask when choosing philanthropies is "What best jibes with my mission?" The second question isn't "What would be the most fun?"--and probably it shouldn't be. Still, charities routinely build fun events into their fundraising. Companies can also have a good time doing good.

So what charitable work is fun? Runs and walks are great for the sinewy of thigh but are often held on weekends. (And we don't have to remind you that fun takes place on the company's time, not the employees', correct?) Anything collaborative--building a house, working side by side in a soup kitchen--can be fun. Helping children is often rejuvenating. DEI has adopted a class at an inner city elementary school. Employees take kids fishing and throw them a Christmas party, among other activities.

Jim Schleckser, founder of the six-person consultancy the CEO Project in Potomac, Maryland, observes that fun events are also a fine opportunity for CEOs to do some good for their companies by demonstrating servant leadership. "The CEO should be out there flipping the burgers, helping clean up, letting other people be the captain," says Schleckser. "But you've got to be the same person at the barbecue that you are the rest of the year. It isn't fun if it's not sincere."

Difficult Time

I want to talk about a difficult subject, so this will not be a "normal" posting.

One of my colleagues' husband has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and has only three to six months to live. Our hearts go out to their family. This happens, it's difficult and understand that someone knows someone who has been directly impacted with a difficult situation like this. It is not easy.

As a leader, this situation will happen to one of your colleagues or direct reports (or family member). I hope it doesn't happen. When it has happened to other leaders, I have been asked before, how do you handle a situation as a leader. Well, first, it is not easy, this is a sad and difficult time. Here are some thoughts:

1. Don't Ignore (some leaders will go into hiding, that is not the right move)
2. Acknowledge the situation (go to the person directly impacted and talk/listen to them. If appropriate and approved by the person, communicate to the team. I have found that teams are at their best when supporting a team member)
3. Lend your support (provide support in ways that will be beneficial, e.g., set up a meals delivery from the office whereby one team member delivers the family meal each night)
4. Be Patient

I know, not great advice, but again, this is not easy.

It is strange when this happens, you do get a slap in the face and realize that life is precious (no I am not going on a speech here). Sometimes, we get into the "rate race" of work and forget about it. Hug your spouse/partner/children/parents today, dont wait until tomorrow. When you look around or into the mirror, are you happy? If so, GREAT keeping doing the same things to make you happy. If not, do something that will make you happy. Enjoy Life.

The Road Less Traveled

You come to a fork in the road of you career. Some will take the road most comfortable, while others will take the road less traveled (sound familiar). However, what happens if you approach a fork in your career and both are new and less traveled?

If your head and heart are aligned on a particular route, take that one! What happens if your head and heart differ? You know it is the smart thing to follow one particular route because it makes all logical sense, i.e., head. It is the next "perfect" step in your career. However, your heart tells you the other route. It might be illogical and risky, but you have lots of passion for it.

Every person will decide based upon their experiences and needs.

I would choose the route my heart selects. Passion is important to me and believe if you have enough passion and drive about a track, you will be successful. In my book, Heart is greater than Head. I would find it hard following the logical path, when my passion dictates the other path. What about you?

Joke of the Weekend XXI

I have mentioned that Innovation is key . . . received these from a old friend

. . . and you thought all the good ideas were taken

Lazy Team Member

You work hard. You are a member of a team. There is a goal to achieve. Do all the team members have the same commitment to achieve the goal? Yes, in rare instances, there is a team member that, should we say, "is not pulling their weight". What happens? You have to do some extra work to make up for it . . . and end up resenting it. Consequently, the goal is achieved (because of extra work by team members to make up for the one who was lacking) and all members of the team are congratulated and rewarded including the unperforming member. How do you feel? Overtime, it becomes very disruptive to the future success of the unit. The following is an example of a sports analogy (no, I am not a Tampa Bay Rays fan, Go Soxs)

Lazy Teammates Compromise Team Performance
Posted by Craig E. Runde and Tim Flanagan

http://blog.inc.com/leadership/2008/09/lazy_teammates_compromise_team_1.html

Conflict is a challenge everywhere, in every business. But rarely is it this public.

A recent headline in the St. Petersburg Times blared, "Effort issues incite angst." Our hometown team, the Tampa Bay Rays, this year's "Cinderella club" in Major League baseball, has a problem. It's a problem not unlike one of the most common issues faced in workplaces across the country and around the world. One of the key players on the team appears, no check that, is demonstrating, a lack of commitment to the team.

In short, rising star centerfielder B.J. Upton has been guilty of one of the cardinal sins in any level of sports: a lack of hustle. He failed to run hard to first base in a recent game. After the game, Ray's manager Joe Maddon met with Upton, discussed the situation, and gained assurances that this would never happen again. About a week later, Upton again failed to run full speed after hitting a ground ball that turned into an inning-ending double play. Maddon pulled Upton from the game, met with him again, and did not allow Upton to play in the next game. Once again, all parties, including Upton, agreed this type of effort was unacceptable. Several games later, Upton hit a line drive off the left field wall. As Upton jogged toward second base, the throw from the outfielder reached the first baseman who tagged Upton from behind for the out. The crowd booed. Upton walked off the field in embarrassment while Maddon and the Rays wondered how they could continue to count on him.

The conflict here is not just between Upton and his boss. Upton's behavior has had an impact on the entire team. The climate has been damaged and emotions are running high. What makes this situation so interesting is that the offending behavior was addressed immediately. And not just by the manager. Recent reports from the Rays indicate that several teammates have discussed the situation at length with Upton. And the team met as a whole with Upton apologizing and committing to be there for them as the Rays make their stretch run.

We're typically cautious about using too many sports examples and analogies. In this case, however, I believe there is a great lesson to be learned. When conflict arises because of the unsatisfactory work habits of a teammate, the behavior must be addressed swiftly. The integrity of team norms and climate is critical to the motivation of team members and ultimately the performance of the team itself. Handled well, events like this can be a galvanizing force for any team. Handled poorly or ignored, even the best of teams will suffer. Here's hoping the clear, quick steps taken by the Rays will pay off with a championship season.

In Memory

Of those who are no longer with us from the events of 9/11/01.

As a Marsh McClennan employee at the time, I personally knew several people who died in the World Trade Center. Let us never forget.

Getting it Done!

You have been there . . . lots of great conversation that leads to a wonderful future goal. Then . . . achievement never happens. Everybody in that discussion goes back to their "day jobs", nothing changes. Six months go by, still not done. A year goes by and another set of conversations confirm this goal that will change our business. Time continues to go by, but nothing is realized.

Wishing for something to happen, will not get it done! You must act. Whether this means adding appropriate resources or redeploying resources to make sure the goal is achieved. Someone once said, Craziness is doing the same thing but expecting different results.

There are several reasons why goals are never reached, lack of resources, lack of focus, misspecification, poor execution. Over the past many years, I have found that a lack of planning is the number one reason why goals are not reach (whether a business goal or personal goal).

It reminds me of a phrase . . .

"A goal without a timeframe or a plan is only a dream"

So, quit dreaming and set a plan with specific dates if you want to accomplish your goal! Today could be your first day of beginning to reach your goal.

It's one of those days . . .

It does not happen often. As a matter of fact, I cannot remember when it last happened. The alarm goes off and BOOM, you really don't feel like out of bed. So, you hit the snooze button, again . .. . again . . . again. Maybe it's because you have a minor sore throat, or you stayed up too late working on an important presentation . . . you just plain want your bed to be your office today. Well, that is me today!

I know of some people who rarely get sick but periodically take a "mental health" day . . . they finished a huge project or presentation and just need to take a break. To be honest, I was never really a big believer in mental health days, but today might have changed my mind.

Why not? Most organizations provide vacation time and sick time. What if you are extremely healthy, why shouldn't you be able to use a sick time when you need a mental break.

More organizations seem to be moving toward a "time off" policy, give you set of days that you can take off, either vacation or sick days. An interesting concept because those that are healthy can use some extra days on vacation (since year after year, their sick days go away unused). Those people who seem to get ill alot (you might know someone), they will have fewer days for true vacation. I like this "time off" approach as it places incentives in the right place. However, the downside is that people show up ill trying to keep their "time off" days for vacation. I would hope that if really ill they would stay home.

Succession

This past week was the beginning of the American Football season. Unfortunately, several quarterbacks were injured during the opening games (sorry for those fantasy football owners who had Tom Brady, Yikes). Some teams were prepared with a solid backup, while some had backups that have very little experience.

This reminded me of how important succession planning is for a business leader. Do you really know that your top performers will be staying around? What happens if your best performer walks out the door? Are you prepared? What do you do? You need to constantly be thinking about what if scenarios and have a short and long term plan in place. I keep a notebook (actually it is black) with notes about leadership planning with some what if scenarios (luckily, I did not have to go to very often).

Usually, the top performers are the ones that you probably fail to talk to as much because they are performing so well and your time is limited so you typically focus on "putting out the fires" and on areas of poorer performance. Do you know think the competitors know about who your top performers are? Guess again. Make time, whether a quick phone call, or a lunch to stay in touch with your top performers to gauge the pulse of them.

It is also a good practice to spend quality time at your leadership meetings on people and succession plans, including asking your direct reports, who would they recommend as their replacements.

Be proactive as you dont want to end up having a losing season because you were not prepared.

Joke of the Weekend XX

Reading between the lines


1 Bob Smith, my assistant programmer, can always be found
2 hard at work at his desk. He works independently, without
3 wasting company time talking to colleagues. Bob never
4 thinks twice about assisting fellow employees, and always
5 finishes given assignments on time. Often he takes extended
6 measures to complete his work, sometimes skipping coffee
7 breaks. Bob is a dedicated individual who has absolutely no
8 vanity in spite of his high accomplishments and profound
9 knowledge in his field. I firmly believe that Bob can be
10 classed as an asset employee, the type which cannot be
11 dispensed with. Consequently, I duly recommend that Bob be
12 promoted to executive management, and a proposal will be
13 executed as soon as possible

Addendum:
That idiot was standing over my shoulder while I wrote the report sent to you earlier today. Kindly re-read only the odd numbered lines

Trust

Here is the definition of Trust

trust
–noun
1. reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence.
2. confident expectation of something; hope.
3. confidence in the certainty of future payment for property or goods received; credit: to sell merchandise on trust.
4. a person on whom or thing on which one relies: God is my trust.
5. the condition of one to whom something has been entrusted.
6. the obligation or responsibility imposed on a person in whom confidence or authority is placed: a position of trust.
7. charge, custody, or care: to leave valuables in someone's trust.
8. something committed or entrusted to one's care for use or safekeeping, as an office, duty, or the like; responsibility; charge.
9. Law. a. a fiduciary relationship in which one person (the trustee) holds the title to property (the trust estate or trust property) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary).
b. the property or funds so held.

10. Commerce. a. an illegal combination of industrial or commercial companies in which the stock of the constituent companies is controlled by a central board of trustees, thus making it possible to manage the companies so as to minimize production costs, control prices, eliminate competition, etc.
b. any large industrial or commercial corporation or combination having a monopolistic or semimonopolistic control over the production of some commodity or service.

11. Archaic. reliability.
–adjective 12. Law. of or pertaining to trusts or a trust.
–verb (used without object) 13. to rely upon or place confidence in someone or something (usually fol. by in or to): to trust in another's honesty; trusting to luck.
14. to have confidence; hope: Things work out if one only trusts.
15. to sell merchandise on credit.
–verb (used with object) 16. to have trust or confidence in; rely or depend on.
17. to believe.
18. to expect confidently; hope (usually fol. by a clause or infinitive as object): trusting the job would soon be finished; trusting to find oil on the land.
19. to commit or consign with trust or confidence.
20. to permit to remain or go somewhere or to do something without fear of consequences: He does not trust his children out of his sight.
21. to invest with a trust; entrust with something.
22. to give credit to (a person) for goods, services, etc., supplied: Will you trust us till payday?

As a leader or colleague, trust is not something you gain right away. Yes, some might give you the initial benefit of the doubt, but serious trust takes time. When I say "takes time", this is not that you meet someone one day and wait a year (never talking to that person), and show up and WOW, there is trust. Time is NOT an event. Trust takes a consistent and regular interaction over time; those are specific events that build trust (which is a two-way street). The easiest way to achieve trust as a leader or with colleagues is to "do what you say". Some might disagree with what you say, but you back up with specific actions (you can still trust someone even if you disagree with them). As a new leader, building trust is paramount to your success; you will not achieve organizational success if the staff do not trust you. You are their leader and they need that confidence of leading them in the right direction!

Silence or lack of communications can damage achieving trust. What is the leader thinking or doing? How do we achieve? Why was that decision made? Does the leader know what they are doing? When these questions are being asked, trust is slowly being damaged.

You know you have been there . . . a colleague or leader says that will do something, and does not get done or, in the worse case, something different is done. How did you feel? What happens the next time the person says something? It takes a long time to believe in that individual again and in the meantime, productivity is slowed because you in a limbo. You will constantly be asking, will this person really mean what they say this time?

So as a leader, gain the trust . . . make sure you communicate, and when you communicate, make sure you follow what you say! Trust is a special thing that is not easily granted, and it is key to the success of the unit!

In You I trust!

Finally . . . .

Someone wrote a book that is "right on" about Talent (or more importantly, Human Capital). Many of the postings from this blog are aligned with a new book, called Talent - Making People Your Competitive Advantage by Ed Lawler. Leaders don't necessarily "do as they say", i.e., they may state that people are the greatest asset of the organization but how they invest in them (training, goals, development, incentives) is not aligned. If you want to be a strong leader, one that will lead your organization to new heights, don't just read this book, but "do as it says".

Change we can believe in!

Here is a recent book review:

Time for a human-centric take on talent
By Stefan Stern
Financial Times

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4780065e-6418-11dd-844f-0000779fd18c.html?nclick_check=1

We should never judge a book by its cover, of course. But here is an important new publication that risks being overlooked because of its title.

"Talent" is the latest word to get taken up by consultants and gurus, and exploited half to death. I blame McKinsey for this. The consultancy's report into "the war for talent" more than 10 years ago took this ordinary, two-syllable word and turned it into a fetish.

The word does not get used properly any more. Talent used to describe something rare, exceptional even. But today the label has become a synonym for the more general term, "people".

And then there is the honesty problem. Business leaders declare publicly that talent matters to them, that people are their most important asset. But, as Edward Lawler, points out in his introduction, "in too many organisations people are not treated as important assets, and it seems particularly insincere and inappropriate when managers persist in saying they are".

Finally, bosses talk about widespread talent, but in fact worry about a few senior people and potential future leaders. This is a limited approach, which neglects what other employees could be doing for you.

There is nothing limited about this author's grasp of his subject. As a professor at the Marshall school of business at the University of Southern California, and director of USC's centre for effective organisations, Lawler is one the world's most seasoned observers of business life. His recent book, Built to Change, had many admirers, with its insights into the problems faced by organisations that try to adapt to changing times.

This new book is not really about talent. It is about human capital, a more obscure and less easily marketable concept. But with it Lawler places himself at the head of a growing intellectual movement - in management circles at least - that looks to move beyond the world of rigid corporate structures and aims to build a future where businesses and organisations are "human capital-centric".

You can see how this approach differs from the minimalist view of talent at work. Lawler looks at every important aspect of organisational life - performance, decision making, governance, managing change - and considers how an "HC-centric" company would deal with them.

If some of the corporations that are cited as positive examples are familiar - Google, Goldman Sachs, WL Gore, Starbucks, Whole Foods Market - it is because by and large they are succeeding at making the cliché about people being the biggest asset a reality.

(More usual is the approach owned up to by Dilbert's boss, who confesses at one point: "It turns out that I was wrong. Money is our most valuable asset. Employees are ninth." In eighth place was carbon paper.)

What do HC-centric companies get right? First, they select new recruits carefully. As Lawler points out, Goldman Sachs takes weeks over choosing its candidates.

HC-centric companies manage performance rigorously. Everybody's performance, including that of top management, is appraised. There are no exceptions. Michael Dell was prepared to listen to what his colleagues told him about his lack of approachability and brusque manner, and committed to doing something about it.

HC-centric companies have active, credible human resources managers. This, too, is rare. As Lawler says, boards usually turn to their chief executive for HR expertise, since the HR "function" has often been unable to convince senior colleagues about its relevance and value.

Jack Welch once said that if your chief financial officer is considered more important than your HR director, you are "nuts". "The conclusion one has to reach based on this is that most boards are 'nuts'," Lawler says, "because they do, in fact, [usually] have their CFO present but not their head of HR."

Human capital management is not a frivolous, nice-to-have concept. It is fundamental to how your business operates, and to whether it will succeed or fail.

"In an HC-centric organisation, it is impossible to separate talent from business strategy," Lawler writes. He asserts that, by getting the so-called "soft" issues right, a company can build a sustainable competitive advantage.

He's right, of course. But abandoning rigid structures and creating the space for people to perform will require managers to abandon tried and trusted approaches. It will not be easy, but companies are going to have to adapt, and fast.

So, you think you are having a bad day . . .

Over the past few months, I have mentioned a few bad travel days in my postings (actually, just had another one whereby missed my connection in Houston at 2:00am and rented a car and drove 3 hours to Austin, hey these things happen to all of us). With these postings, I have received several emails about their bad travel days or business travel experiences. However, no experience outdoes one of my colleagues many years ago.

A very senior executive was traveling on business in a major city. This individual was based in the UK and was in the USA. With a bad case of jet lag, the person woke up early to use the bathroom (head, john, toilet, restroom, etc.). Tired and still groggy from the previous night's dinner, he struggled to the bathroom . . . opened the door and stepped in . . . the door closed . . . opening his eyes wider (he wore thick glasses and did not have them on) . . . he noticed that he was outside of his hotel room (opened the wrong door and no, he did not sleep with the door key on him) . . . okay, not too bad, right? just need to go to a house phone or to the lobby and get another key. However, this person preferred to sleep in the raw . . . yes, nude . . . so, the person is standing outside their hotel room, in his birthday suit (i.e., completely naked), can hardly see because he does not have his glasses on and was on the eight floor. He wandered the hallways "looking" for the elevators (you know, sometimes you can't remember which way the elevators are because you are in so many hotels, and he is practically blind). He found the elevators and this particular hotel did not have a house phone at the elevators . . . He was innovative in that he used a small painting (okay not that small) on the wall to cover himself as he went on elevator to the lobby to retrieve a new key. The first question that the hotel rep at the lobby asked "do you have any identification with you?" Then realizing his situation, gave a new key and they provided an extra bath robe for him to use as security escorted him up to his room for proof of identification.

I do not do this story justice as the victim is a wonderful story teller. This is one of the funniest business travel experience stories that I have heard. Let me know if you have one to top that?

Hotel workers must have some good stories.

Hey, these are the times that make business fun and interesting! No matter what, there is someone out there that has a more difficult day than you are having and a better day than your best day. Keep work/life in perspective.

Never Give up

This past weekend was a three-day holiday weekend in the USA. I had several house projects that I wanted to complete. Needless to say, all were not completed even with all good intentions.

I would like to illustrate one of the projects that was performed and why I usually have someone else do house projects versus me.

We have a pool. One of the projects was to fix an automated pool cleaner (looks like a robot that goes along the bottom of the pool and acts like a vacuum cleaner). Anyway, it took three days to finally resolve this and several times, I was ready to give up and call the "pool guy" and let him fix it.

Here is what happened:

1. One of the wheels had broken off the device last week.

2. I examined the device and appears to me that it cannot be fixed, so I go to the nearest pool store which is a 30 minute drive away.

3. I show up and talk to the store owner who says that I should be able to be fix the machine as there is a wheel part they sell (oh, and its EASY to fix). This is going to save lots of money . . . versus buying a whole new system. He asks which model version that I have . . . well, there are about four different versions. So, I said, it sure does look like this particular one.

[Lesson One: Be prepared. Always be prepared and don't guess if you really don't know]

4. I buy the part, drive home, begin to fix the machine and yes, I come to the conclusion that I got the wrong model number.

5. Well, from learning of lesson one, I bring the entire machine with me back to the pool store.

6. "Hi Steve" states the pool store owner (yes, I need to visit the pool store often, pools need lots of maintenance). I told him that I bought the wrong version, and am carrying this machine (he says, well I can see that), let's take a look. He refunded me the wrong part I purchased.

7. He opens up the machine and says, "this machine is ancient, we can rebuild it or you can buy a new one". I am all for rebuilding things but in this case I do not want to worry about this for a long time so go with the new one.

[Lesson Two: Sometimes when you think you have a inexpensive solution, you probably need to check again]

8. I bring the new fancy model home and begin to plug the device into the wall of the pool.

[Lesson three: Oh, yeh, just call me, Mr FIXIT . . . or . . . don't count the chickens until they are hatched]

9. Oops, I need to take out a piece in the wall that went with the old device. I tried every tool in my tool chest to remove that damn piece to no avail.

[Lesson Four: Always focus on a total solution, i.e., make sure you have everything you need to implement the solution.]

10. So, to save gas, especially at these prices, I called the pool store owner this time and explained my problem, he said that he had a small tool that helps remove that piece from the wall. WooHoo, this problem will be resolved (it’s not me)

[Lesson Five: When you are overconfident, something will happen to bring you back to reality]

11. I drive back to the store, buy the $2.99 tool (it is just a plastic tool that fits into wall piece which allows you to get some leverage for removing it.)

12. I get into the pool, place the new tool into the wall piece and try to unscrew it, SNAP, there goes the new tool, broken in half.

[Lesson Six: Going Slowly is sometimes better than using brute force, you know Aesop's fable, the one about the Wind and the Sun]

13. It appears that the previous owner of our house glued the old piece into the wall. I am thinking seriously of giving up at this point!

14. I call the pool store owner (who jokingly says, “Steve, I might have to start charging you a consulting fee”, gee thanks, yes, this might be a ID Ten T error (yes, spell that out).

[Lesson Seven: The locally-owned stores have the best customer service]

15. The pool store owner says “Steve, you are just going to have to chip it out”. Uh, you mean with a hammer and screwdriver? "Yes"

16. Well, you must realize that the wall unit is about two feet below the surface of the water . . . so I need to hammer a screwdriver under water . . . yes, water has something called resistance.

17. After a few hours, I have accomplished my task, the old wall unit has been chipped out, slowly into about a thousand small plastic pieces.

[Lesson Eight: Small success leads to greater success]

18. Now, I have to put the new device in. But remember the $2.99 tool that I purchased to remove the old one, well, I need that same tool to screw the new piece into the wall. Yes, that piece is broken in half and won't work.

[Lesson Nine: Sometimes one small problem causes several other "ripple" problems down the line]

19. I drive back to the store, buy another $2.99 tool and return and then all finally works and the pool is clean.

20. If you happen to be in Austin, you are more than welcome to come jump into the pool, please do, especially after all the time I spent on this one small task!

[Lesson Ten: never give up, in a house project or business project, because the celebration of achievement outweighs all the work that went into the project]