Tortilla Chip, Chocolate and Beans

I am planning to have lunch with my oldest son today at school. I will be bringing a nutrious McDonald's Happy Meal (I am sure he will be the envy of the table). It is a great opportunity to meet with his school friends and do something special for him (especially since I have been traveling so much recently).

Earlier in the week, I had lunch with my youngest son. He wanted Chick-fil-A (I just think he really likes those commercials with the cows mispelling "eat mor chikin"). It was a nice experience (well almost). When you sit down with a bunch of six-seven year old kids, they want your attention, so I was spending most of my time opening plastic bags, buttering bread, etc. (actually, I felt like a million dollars and in this economy that's alot). Anyway, one of my son's friends (we will just call him Sean for now) was showing how he experiences different combination of foods. NOTE: the school meal was tortilla chips, separate container of cheese, beans, milk and banana (okay this is Texas). These tortilla chips were the kind that are shaped like a bowl (for easier dipping of the cheese I suppose). So, he would pour some of his chocolate milk in the chip and eat it . . he then on the next one decided to add chocolate milk and then a bean . .. luckily I had finished my meal. However, he loved it!!! Well, to each his own. Most of the other kids, did the proper dipping of chip into the cheese and eating, and then drinking milk separate . . . and eating the beans with a fork.

Why this story and how relates to leadership? Everyone is different, and you need all kinds. Where is the excitement if everyone believed the same, never disagreed on issues. So, when you are hiring, look at the current team, do you need to spice it up a little bit . . . it's time to hire a Sean-type into the team! Innovation is good, and those who are usually innovators are the ones that are not adverse to trying new things!

Now, if there is a way of making this tortilla chip choccolate combination into a product . . . Hmmmmmm. And I wonder if I will learn something new today at the lunch of a bunch of 8 year olds!