Talking Politics

Well, talking politics at work that is! You are never suppose to talk about politics and religion in a business setting, at least that is what I have been told. Well, I had a dinner with a prospect last night and what happens when the client raises a political debate?

1. Do you just shake your head and hope the lack of any feedback, stops the discussion?

2. Since you want the business, do you agree with the prospect, no matter what you really believe? Or, if you agree, it is okay to say so and continue to the debate?

3. Or, do you roll up your sleeves and have a friendly debate (obviously with all the caveats of not calling the client "YOU DONT KNOW ANYTHING?"

Those who know me, which option do you think I chose? Hey, the prospect started it! Yes, option #3.

I have had some wonderful debates with colleagues in the past . . .

• Whether in a pub in London with my global mobility colleagues discussing the possibility of the end of US as a world power?
• Making a bet on the presidential election in an Indian restaurant in the UK?
• Having a heated debate on conservative versus liberal views on government in a restaurant in New York City?
• Debating "free" press issues with one of my favourite colleague in China at a coffee shop in Shanghai?
• Debating the "true" democracy in Switzerland at a Turkish restaurant in Geneva?

(you all know who you are . . . and there were many more discussion)

(why is it that drinks and food seem to always be involved).

Anyway, back to the prospect political debate, we had a constructive discussion, the prospect made good points, and they recognized some good points as well. I thought we left the discussion having a better relationship, more respect and understanding than we would had if the client did not begin to discuss politics. We will see if the business comes our way. (oh, it is great to be able to spend time with clients again, being external focus for me is more fun than dealing with bureaucracy).

How does this relate to YOU!

1. Never bring up politics and religion with clients/prospects unless they do.
2. If they do, be a good listener, understand what they are saying, there are always good points on both side in a debate
3. Don't get emotional, be constructive
4. If you don't feel comfortable talking about it, then don't

. . . and, oh, by the way, Go Ron Paul!

Is a Successful Leader Replaceable?

Many times, you hear people talking about replacing a legend and how difficult it is . . . whether a popular and successful CEO like Jack Welch, or a legendary coach who retires after many championships. As they say, it would be a hard act to follow as expectations are high for continued success but the new leader needs to build their own team, culture and vision which may take time. Who else has read Machiavelli?

This is the dichotomy. On one hand, continued great success is expected but a change is needed and usually takes time to happen. Consequently, new leaders end up "failing" because they did not continue the success or their vision did not get implemented fast enough.

So, there are three things that can happen:

1. Maintain the course the previous successful leader was on

This approach could be successful in the short run but this means that the new leader has the same philosophy and culture as the previous one. If not, there will always be comparisons (which is not right). They are in maintenance mood and are typically a focused on maintaining what the unit has done (becomes defensive and in "not to lose" mood), this overtime will suffer because of lack of vision because of the ubiquitous (oh, look it up, yes, I can use big words too!)nature of business.

2. Have a new leader that will initially be disruptive (one that is outside of the current "regime")

This sends a clear message that senior management wants a change in direction from the previous leader and therefore a new vision and possibly new change in a leadership team. This hiring strategy is risky, as staff wonder if they actually belong in this new team. The upheaval of this approach can be fairly tramatic, but there is an upside, if the current path of the business was not going to be sustainable, this approach might be best to "shake things up" and send a message that there is a new sheriff in town and we are moving in a different direction.

3. Hybrid approach, select someone that the current unit knows and appreciates but who also can spin a new vision based upon the foundation that has been provided by the previous leader.

This is the best strategy in my book. Selecting a new leader who is respective by current team, but smart enough to provide a new vision in the six months is the right approach in my opinion. The leader can maintain the existing success, but gather the team together to say what do we want the business to be in five years, which may or may not be the same path the unit is currently on.

As I have mentioned in previous postings, the new leader needs integrity above all else. Any leader who is not seen as having integrity (and out for themselves) will surely fail.

It is interesting because some "legendary" leaders have been so successful that their senior management cannot "touch them", and has to live with them even though they want that leader to leave or retire (this is true of those new senior managers who came in above the leader and had no say so in their hiring). The successful leader can be bold, question authority because of their past success, but this makes the new senior management uncomfortable. So, senior management cannot force the successful leader to retire (how would that look?), so they have to live with it, or cause that successful leader so much difficulty that the leader ends up saying enough is enough, I see the writing on the wall. And leaves.

From Machiavelli (Prince)

A good ruler will invariably choose competent companions who offer honest advice in response to specific questions and carry out the business of the state without regard for their private interests; such people therefore deserve the rewards of honor, wealth, and power that unshakably secure their devotion to the leader. Ineffective leaders, on the other hand, surround themselves with flatterers whose unwillingness to provide competent advice is a mark of their princes' inadequacy.

How is your organization? does it try to surround itself with flatterers? Will the selection of the new leader be a "yes person" or serve as a leader with integrity and doing the right thing!

Bottom Line: A successful leader is replaceable, if it is done in the right way and selecting the right person who can "be their own person" and has the respect of the staff but also can build upon the existing foundation of success with their own vision of the future.

Facing Obstacles

Sundays are usually my longer run days. Yesterday, I planned to do a 7 mile run (12K). I also need to get up early to this run because of our standing Sunday commitment. However, when I woke up, it was pouring rain. I laid in bed thinking, "oh, maybe I can take the day off or run later in the day". After many minutes of debate, I came to the following conclusions:

1. Life is too short
2. When the going gets tough, the tough get going (a little reference to Animal House)
3. Taking the easy road does not make you a better person

So, I got up and drove down to the lake, and it was raining let me tell you! Austin is a runner's town, it seems the entire city runs. Usually, there are hundreds of people running, when I show up at my normal parking place, there is only one other car (normally at least 30 at this time).

During my run, it became more enjoyable than my usually sunny run. I was able to get use to the rain. More importantly, there were interesting obstacles that I had not faced before, including: small puddles, large puddles, mud, wet creek beds that are usually dry and no one else running (i.e., no one passing me on the trail). I had to jump over the puddles or use inventive techniques to minimum the wetness that my shoes would get. It was one of my most enjoyable runs in a few months.

What has this got to do with leadership or business? Well, I would say everything as it epitomizes what leaders go through many times a day, a week, a month, a year. Many times, you are faced with a fork in the road, do you take on the tough challenge or do you shy away (read Scott Peck's The Road less traveled), sometimes you dont have a choice but you can deny it as its staring you in the face. Take on that challenge, you will face obstacles that you wont normally run into and might even enjoy the change and in the end, feel positive about yourself and your team! You can do anything you put your mind to . . . so get dressed, take on the challenge head-on . . . as Vince Lombardi once said "It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get back up"!

So, take on that challenge, you will be happy by facing it head on . . . whether it is a difficult client, software that is behind schedule, personal relationship that has been souring, a possible promotion, a surprising communication that you had no idea about . . . face it, you will be better off and might even enjoy it!

Joke of the Weekend

Weekends are for Fun! So, I am going to post a joke for those weekend readers (this one in honor of all those wonderful assistants):

Two weeks ago was my forty-fifth birthday, and I wasn't feeling too hot that morning anyway. I went to breakfast knowing my wife would be pleasant and say “Happy Birthday,” and probably have a present for me.

She didn't even say “Good Morning,” alone any “Happy Birthday.” I thought, “Well, that's wives for you. Maybe the children will remember.”

The children came in to breakfast and didn't say a word.

When I started to the office I was feeling pretty low and despondent. As I walked into my office, my secretary, Janet, said, “Good morning boss, Happy Birthday.” And I felt a little better; someone had remembered.

I worked until noon. Then Janet knocked on my door and said, “You know, it's such a beautiful day outside and it's your birthday, let's go to lunch, just you and me.” I said, “By George, that's the best thing I've heard all day. Let's go.”

We went to lunch. We didn't go where we normally go; we went out into the country to a little private place. We had two martinis and enjoyed lunch tremendously.
On the way back to the office, she said, “You know, it's such a beautiful day. We don't need to go back to the office, do we?” I said, “No, I guess not.” She said, “Let's go to my apartment.” After arriving at her apartment she said, “Boss, if you don't mind, I think I'll go into the bedroom and slip into something more comfortable.”

“Sure,” I excitedly replied. She went into the bedroom and, in about six minutes, she came out carrying a big birthday cake, followed by my wife, children and dozens of our friends. All were singing “Happy Birthday” and there on the couch I sat... naked.

Enjoy Yourself (at Work)

It is interesting, we spend at least 40 hours per week at work (usually it is a lot more than that), then you think that we sleep between 6 to 8 hours a night (so if we say 7, that is another 35 hours a week), then you probably take somewhere around a hour or two per day getting ready for and traveling to and fro work (this might be a gender specific thing about getting ready, I can get ready in 15min and my commute is about 50 steps. life is good) . . . so, there is 168 hours a week. Just work and sleep take up 82 hours, that is almost half of the entire time for a week. And don't forget about all the errands that we have to do during the week . . . You might spend more time working with colleagues than spending with your spouse or partner!

I think we need to lighten up a bit during work, so many are uptight. I dont mean to slack off and not deliver on goals. But smile a little more and enjoy yourself!

You have probably have had several leaders in the past, which one did you work harder for and probably had more fun. My guess would be it was the leader who liked to have fun (probably did not take themselves as seriously as other leaders) and who really celebrated successes and wins. Maybe I am in the minority but I worked much harder when you were in an environment that was a fun place to work, am I wrong? I have been lucky reporting to most leaders who created a respectful but fun environment. A leader should put a smile on your face! Does your leader do that?

I made it my personal commitment to create such an environment, I will allow others to determine if I reached that goal!

I have had many funny business stories, so I will share one with you, names removed to protect the innocent.

I was co-instructing for software training at a large facility with about 30 clients. This facility was very nice, each "user" was in a pod with their own PC, microphone and speaker. Those that know me, know that my voice is . . . should be say . . . strong, so I did not need to use a wireless lapel microphone, however, my co-instructor's voice need one. So, my co-instructor is finishing their section and hand over to me the next section so I begin instructing. During that time, my co-instructor left the room (to get a glass of water?). Well, I am teaching and then all of sudden a hear a water leaking sound . . . everyone helps hears it as well, we are looking around the room to see if a water pipe broke or something . .. but we could not find anything, then all of a sudden, there was a big WHHHHOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH, yes, my co-instructor did not turn off their wireless mike and went to the restroom . . . so, here I am, standing in front of 30 clients (while we were listening to my co-instructor using the restroom), what would you do? Well, I had to say something, right? Quickly, I said, well, sorry for that, but lets make sure they wash their hands . . . within a few seconds, you hear running water . . . a few moments earlier, a colleague had run to the restroom to let the co-instrutor know, so you end up hearing some rustling and then silence. Needless to say, the co-instructor was a little embarrassed, but bottom line, it was a good time had by all . . . .life is short, have fun when you can! Oh, there are so many more stories that I can share . . . anyone else have any?

Think through what you are about to do!

WOW! Thanks for all the comments yesterday, dont be shy! There was some interesting comments. Also, found a setting to make it easier to comment, so if you tried and found it difficult, try again.

This blog posting is about two items . . . (1) find something to do instead of just sitting around, get out of your chair and do something with your life, i.e., "Dont just sit around" and (2) as leaders, we really need to think through the process from A through Z, if you just think through A through M, you might find yourself in the same situation as the following person. This is a true story.



(1982, California) Larry Walters of Los Angeles is one of the few to contend for the Darwin Awards and live to tell the tale. "I have fulfilled my 20-year dream," said Walters, a former truck driver for a company that makes TV commercials. "I'm staying on the ground. I've proved the thing works."


Larry's boyhood dream was to fly. But fates conspired to keep him from his dream. He joined the Air Force, but his poor eyesight disqualified him from the job of pilot. After he was discharged from the military, he sat in his backyard watching jets fly overhead.


He hatched his weather balloon scheme while sitting outside in his "extremely comfortable" Sears lawnchair. He purchased 45 weather balloons from an Army-Navy surplus store, tied them to his tethered lawnchair dubbed the Inspiration I, and filled the 4' diameter balloons with helium. Then he strapped himself into his lawnchair with some sandwiches, Miller Lite, and a pellet gun. He figured he would pop a few of the many balloons when it was time to descend.
Larry's plan was to sever the anchor and lazily float up to a height of about 30 feet above his back yard, where he would enjoy a few hours of flight before coming back down. But things didn't work out quite as Larry planned.


When his friends cut the cord anchoring the lawnchair to his Jeep, he did not float lazily up to 30 feet. Instead, he streaked into the LA sky as if shot from a cannon, pulled by the lift of 42 helium balloons holding 33 cubic feet of helium each. He didn't level off at 100 feet, nor did he level off at 1000 feet. After climbing and climbing, he leveled off at 16,000 feet (that is height of Mont Blanc for those in Europe and Los Angeles is at sea level).


At that height he felt he couldn't risk shooting any of the balloons, lest he unbalance the load and really find himself in trouble. So he stayed there, drifting cold and frightened with his beer and sandwiches, for more than 14 hours. He crossed the primary approach corridor of LAX, where Trans World Airlines and Delta Airlines pilots radioed in reports of the strange sight.
Eventually he gathered the nerve to shoot a few balloons, and slowly descended. The hanging tethers tangled and caught in a power line, blacking out a Long Beach neighborhood for 20 minutes. Larry climbed to safety, where he was arrested by waiting members of the LAPD. As he was led away in handcuffs, a reporter dispatched to cover the daring rescue asked him why he had done it. Larry replied nonchalantly, "A man can't just sit around."


The Federal Aviation Administration was not amused. Safety Inspector Neal Savoy said, "We know he broke some part of the Federal Aviation Act, and as soon as we decide which part it is, a charge will be filed."



One of my favorite websites is http://www.darwinawards.com/ So, please think through all initiatives completely before proceeding!! Understand the implications on what you do, when I talk about taking risks, take intelligent risks!

Okay, Let's do a Fun Posting . . .

One of items that I am "branded with" is from early in my career, I hated sitting around dinner tables or at happy hour and all the individual conversation going on, and some people who might be on the quiet side would not be involved in any discussion (or have you ever sat next to people that you wish you were eating at a fast food restaurant versus a sit down long meal, you know what I am talking about) . . . so I developed a "technique" whereby I got all involved in the conversation.

I have two techniques that many of the readers have probably been involved in . . .

1. I Call it "brink dinner rules", after each course, you get up and change places with others, if there is same number of male and females, the females remained seated and males change places . . . this breaks up the conversations and mixes things up. Please please please, make sure you bring the utensils that you had been using, your napkin, and your drink (downside is the waiter(tress) get confused when they bring the next course if different meals, but that becomes fun as well for all parties include the waiter(tress), they want something different as well).

2. I like to ask general questions of everyone at the table, everyone gets to talk, everyone learns something about all the people around the table, which then helps future conversations (gosh the things that you find out about people, WOW!).

a. Here are some questions that I ask?

b What place in the world that you would like to visit but never have?

c What has been your favorite vacation spot?

d If you could live anywhere in the world (money no object), where would you live?

e If you received $1M what would you do with the money?

f If you could relive a year in your life, what age would it be . . . it could mean to just relive or relive and make some changes during that year of life?

g If you were stranded on an island (and there happens to electricity, a dvd player, and CD player), what Book, Movie and Album would you select (yes, I could say, your are on a ship with a complete library of books, movies and albums, the ship catches fire you are only able to grab one of each . . . )

h If you weren't doing what you are today, what would you love to do (if you were paid the exact same)?

i When in your life have you been the happiest? (this is tougher than you think)

j If you were going to have your last meal, what would it be?

k Who was your first kiss? (okay, there are variations on this but this is a public blog . . . )

Now, there has been lots of shy people out there . . . so go ahead and give some answers, I will give my answers shortly.


But bottom line, involve others is key to success, make they feel part of the team, its lonely out there when you feel as an outsider . . . as leaders we need to be inclusive . . . and it will pay off in major dividends in the future. Party On!