My Dad always wanted me to run for public office…but I never really seriously considered it.  Why? I think first I never was given enough information and instruction about the “How’s? and When’s?” of entering a race.  But equally, I always looked toward a State or Federal opportunity…instead of something more local as a stronger starting point.

This quarters American Society of Public Administration article entitled: Public Administration: Closer to Home I hope offers a few suggestion points to those considering public office in their futures.  I hope you enjoy it.

Problem Solving is an every day… every job… every organization challenge.  And like most professional challenges there are a number of styles, methods, and processes that have been researched to offer you the best options for Problem Solving. But sometimes doesn’t it seem like a number of problems get bound-up together? You know what I mean. I believe it is necessary to first apply simplicity in addressing Problem Solving questions…to sort…to study…and to prioritize!

Therefore, this TRIPLE III TIME message will attempt (with the aid of a TOP 10 list of idea-generating questions) …to help with the Problem-Solving challenge!

1. Does the problem totally belong to me…or do I share it with someone?
2. What need am I specifically trying to satisfy?
3. Is my problem unique or have others tried to solve it?
4. What kind of solutions am I looking for in solving my problem?
5. What other professionals could I contact for help?
6. If I researched my problem…where would I look and what might I find?
7. Is this problem a long-time issue…or brand new?
8. Are there particular timeframes that push me for a quick problem solution?
9. Could the problem be broken up into smaller issues?
10. Would it be easy to problem solve based on convenience…or work extra to discover a stronger solution which however may cost more time and money?

I will admit that all 10 questions are common sense based.  However, common sense sometimes evaporates when the problem seems too big! Baby steps & simplicity could be major Problem Solving formula ingredients.

Back in my Director days…it was always fun to go to Lansing or Detroit or Mt. Pleasant for some form of agency meeting and show up at the office the next morning with at least one new cool concept.  I would use different methods to give the idea a “trial-run” with the gang…just to measure the engagement – level with each person.  And it was always fun to have them believe that the concept/idea was somehow generated by inspiration I attained from the meeting/training I attended.

Guess what…rarely was that the driver.  Instead, it was the special quiet, lengthy Thinking & Dreaming Time I had while driving to and from the event.

I believe one of the most valuable/critical/motivational professional development tools is DEDICATED…PERSONAL Thinking & Dreaming Time.  For me I used the one-two-or three hours of drive time that was available every week.  During that period, I was on the job…but I allowed myself to regularly go beyond what was…and dream about what could be.  There were no interruptions (remember this was before cell phones took over), so my thoughts and dreams had no limitation influence and I just allowed myself to go way beyond anything that was considered regular.

Bottomline: Thinking & Dreaming Time is a development activity that must be individually organized and managed totally in order to be effective.  Professional development is a personal responsibility, so carve out quality Thinking & Dreaming Time…use it well…and appreciate the results.

One of the most critical skill sets that every leader should have is the strong ability to effectively Read The “ATTITUDE METER”!

What do I mean?

I believe that there should be a special workshop/training session totally devoted to developing a methodology to assess and Read The “ATTITUDE METER” of individual coworkers or groups…quickly! Too often unrealized “attitudes” tend to become “elephants-in-the-room” that negatively slow or even cancel the best project/initiative efforts.

So, wouldn’t it be cool if a workshop/training session helped you read and deal with attitudes like:

1. We tried this kind of thing before and it didn’t work.
2. No one ever tells me what’s going on.
3. I have 63 more important things I could be working on.
4. I hope this doesn’t last into lunch time.
5. Will we have enough breaks so I can check my cell phone for emails/texts?
6. I hope I don’t have to work with <<?>>…we just don’t get along.
7. Certain people monopolize these meetings…someone should say “shut-up”.
8. I wish he/she would quit bringing up last week’s problems…it’s old news.
9. I don’t feel good so everyone will just have to deal with my poor attitude.
10. None of what we are talking about is my job…why do I need to be here?

Well by now you can feel the slight bit of sarcasm in this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message.  To Read The “ATTITUDE METER” of people means you can read their minds…not possible?!   So maybe the single most important workshop/training session leadership directive would be to tell everyone: LEAVE YOUR ATTITUDES AT THE DOOR….because I need your TOTAL attention on this progress issue NOW!

Simplicity does matter.

When I first started the weekly TRIPLE III TIME blog project…INNOVATION and promoting it was my major purpose! But then based on colleague discussions it branched out into multiple professional development areas.  However, make no mistake…INNOVATION is still my favorite topic.

So, this week I would like you to check out (and maybe read more than one) online article from the Innovation Excellence Weekly entitled: “Change Management: Combating Resistance and Driving Adoption Through Innovation” by Tamara Ghandour.  It outlines an excellent strategy for change attainment and leaves you with a GREAT summary statement.

Organizations both public and private spend a great deal of time and money targeting strategic planning and continuous improvement.  These forms of progressive development are very, VERY important with regard to providing quality goods and services…and of course excellent customer service.  However, this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message asks us all to go back to the beginning and assess how good is our new staff/worker orientation process.

Think about it in terms of those fun TV ads that make the point: “Is Just OK Good Enough?” When was the last time your orientation system/tools/processes were upgraded?  Is your new staff orientation inclusive of top personnel representing programs, products, sales, quality control, policy, payroll, etc.?   Or is it Just OK and delivered by a couple of long-term staffers?  Are new workers offered a glimpse of the future by organizational leadership…. or Just an OK story of what gets done?

Building A “Good-To-Great” Foundation requires a strong, inclusive, team-feeling, something to look forward to staff orientation system in your organization.  Too often the orientation is not given the “Foundation-Building” attention it deserves…nor the “Good-To-Great” personnel impact it should encourage.

Remember you only get one first chance to deliver the Building A “Good-To-Great” Foundation first impression message.  Don’t be Just OK!

People often ask me about the most important piece of advice I would pass along to anyone and everyone as they do what they do in their world of work.  Well…my single suggestion would be: REINVENTION!

What do I mean by REINVENTION?

REINVENTION is one of those progressive positioning points-of-view that requires that no matter what you do…who you are working with…or when you are providing strategic help…that your advice must always be somehow new!  People, organizations, and businesses all need FRESH observations on what to do next.  This does not mean that they should change who they are (because authenticity is important), but instead, they should always be looking for that REINVENTION suggestion that allows them to somehow find that “new special” in their service, product or action.

REINVENTION just like innovation…just like entrepreneurship…is a unique approach to blending thoughtfulness, intelligence, professionalism, creativity, and authenticity into a new road map to your future.  REINVENTION is also one of those life recipes that require appropriate time to season, blend, and appropriately mature.

Do you understand?

Have you, your company, or your organization ever been part of or offered the opportunity to participate in a “full-blown” case study?  If so was it a good experience…or were you totally concerned about what an in-depth case study would show? Did you try to control what information was studied in an attempt to control the outcome?  Or did you just decline the opportunity and conclude: “What I don’t know won’t hurt me!”

Well, I believe that as our economy, workforce, customer-base and technologies fluctuate and change (faster every day), the value of at least conducting your own Self-Evaluation/Case Study is a prime time responsibility.  The level of “formality” that you employ is totally at your discretion…but in an effort to motivate everyone, here is a TOP 10 list of real-time Case Study areas.

1. Are the same number and type of customers coming through your doors for service?
2. If there are differences in the customer-base…what have you done to respond to these differences?
3. Do you use available technologies to maximize your effectiveness and efficiencies?
4. Would customers exiting your business/organization be able to identify/describe/show the product value(s) of your service?
5. Are “seasoned” employees up to date on product/service/procedure issues?
6. Are new employees fully oriented to feel “complete & competent” in their positions?
7. Would data reflect that your current marketing techniques are effective?
8. Would customers describe you/your business/your organization as indispensable to your service areas?
9. How would you/your employees rank your/their satisfaction with “how things are going”?
10. If an economic development professional was assigned to you/your company/your organization as a result of the outcomes of a Self-Evaluation/Case Study…what would they recommend as improvements?

The questions are tough…so is professional discomfort.  But cool progress is priceless.