Category Archives: Triple III
TRIPLE III TIME – QUALITY: My Grandfather’s Method
No matter the product or service, almost all organizations or businesses large and small today have stepped up their focus on QUALITY. Some have a special employee designated exclusively to pursue and enforce QUALITY policies and procedures. Some companies/agencies even have an entire department assigned this very important product/service function.
Well for some reason during my recent consulting learning moments, thoughts about my Grandfather crept into my mind regarding how would he approach the QUALITY issue? Grandpa Nick was a lifetime farmer. No not a big acre/livestock farmer…just a small, proud, solid farmer. And some of my strongest memories of him are seeing him out hoeing a field of beans in almost 100 degree heat in his traditional wide-brim straw hat, dark green pants and long-sleeved shirt (i.e. his uniform). Most vividly I remember stopping to visit on my way home from college and asking: “Grandpa I can’t see one weed in this whole field and didn’t you hoe it once already…what is the point?” His smile was always the same and as he wiped the sweat off his forehead, his answer was both simple and timeless:
“It is the weeds you cannot see that separates a good field of beans from a bad one. If I offered to pay you or Grandma a quarter for every weed you could find…I bet you would find quite a few. And keeping weeds out is not a one day, one time job. You have to make the hoeing out weeds part of your everyday…that’s just good farming. So, when people drive by my fields of beans, they know that my beans will be the best, cleanest beans around…and I’ll make more money too! Now let’s go inside and see if Grandma has a few cookies.”
QUALITY is everyone’s job and you have to take it very personally. Don’t wait for someone to find QUALITY concerns or minimalized products or services in your organization or business. Remember my Grandpa’s words and seek/get out the weeds every day.
TRIPLE III TIME: Controlled Diversity
Achieving and maintaining some form of continuous growth is an everyday challenge to entities operating in both the private and public sectors. No matter if you manufacture auto headlights or operate a local pre-school, keeping your current workforce, supporting a solid payroll and having a progressive eye on the future is a situation that all of us need to continually revisit and plan around.
Controlled Diversity is a common sense organizational growth strategy that is appropriate for all to consider. What is Controlled Diversity? Controlled Diversity is a limited plan of action for growth and development that YOU control! Standardly, it requires everyone in your workplace to consider what new products/services are “connectable” to your current assets and employee base for ease of expansion. Also, embracing a Controlled Diversity mentality pushes everyone to continually look at upgrades/modifications to your established products/services that could easily/economically expand your customer bases.
I don’t believe Controlled Diversity is a totally new growth concept…rather it is the INCLUSION element recommended in this TRIPLE III TIME message that makes it more comprehensive, relevant and timely today. By following a future plan of growth that purposely includes everyone may give rise to positive results like:
- Activation of internal trends to stay involved in seeking new markets.
- Diversion of attention away from being labeled as a one product/one service company.
- Inspiration for EVERYONE to take responsibility for EVERYONES collective employment and financial future.
Think about applying Controlled Diversity to your organization…is now a good time?
LEARNING MOMENTS Podcast: “YOU Really Need to Stay Up With the Times”
As you can tell from this month’s Inspiring Innovations, LEARNING MOMENTS Podcast title… I have a very personal position on this topic. Today so much has changed with our use of technology and it’s application to our worlds-of-work.
No one wants to be told, “YOU Really Need to Stay Up With the Times”… but doing a “self-techno-assessment” of your status is an important action. So enjoy my discussion on this high value issue as it applies to both your personal and professional life.
TRIPLE III TIME: Do YOU Practice What YOU Preach?
As an everyday leader inside and outside your world of work, setting and being the best professional example you can be is critical. Yes, I know we have talked about example setting in other TRIPLE III TIME messages…but have we ever discussed the importance of looking back to measure our example setting actions? In other words have we ever asked ourselves directly: “Do YOU Practice What YOU Preach?”
You know what I mean! Example “Do YOU Practice What YOU Preach?” issues are easy to identify. Think about:
- Do you avoid doing personal stuff at/during work hours?
- Do you practice your own version of allowances for “comp-time” or follow Agency policy?
- Do you share company/organization information equally among co-workers?
- Do you advance company gossip or never “go there”?
- Do you engage in professional development training/workshops as you prescribe for others?
- Do you invite communication advice and/or ideas from all?
- Do you maintain your work/office space?
- Do you step-up to help others or with special projects?
- Do you allow yourself “dream-time” to be continually creative?
- Do you show up late…leave early or set a positive attendance practice?
These ten (10) examples of “Do YOU Practice What YOU Preach?” are just a short list of the leadership “preachings” that have appeared in TRIPLE III TIME messages over the years. And although I do not support offering repeat messages, I do support regularly assessing personal professional progress (i.e. measuring do I practice what I preach!).
TRIPLE III TIME: RECRUITMENT 2022
There are so many critical personnel issues facing those responsible for manpower in businesses and organizations in today’s world of work. Candidate RECRUITMENT is often part of every consulting session I take part in no matter the private or public sector employer raising the issue. Understandably the majority of my ideas and recommendations are customized for every group. However, I have to report that no matter the entity…no matter the size of the company and no matter the service or product they supply, the initial question I raise regarding RECRUITMENT of workers is: “How old is your stuff?”
Specifically, how old are your job postings, the job descriptions, the media your use to get the word out, the recruitment methods used by your competition and finally is the position you are recruiting for really the specific area your organization needs help in? Too often companies or agencies practice RECRUITMENT BY CONVENIENCE! Instead of doing appropriate employee skill need research…those responsible follow traditional RECRUITMENT and hiring practices (i.e. the most convenience option). The end result is that the person hired may be great…but the job expectations may be much different than what was advertised and discussed thereby creating early two-way confusion and the potential loss of a good person.
Today more than ever before every organization should avoid RECRUITMENT BY CONVENIENCE. Everything…YES EVERYTHING has evolved, modernized, gone high tech and become more job task specialized. Therefore, I recommend that before even launching a personnel RECRUITMENT campaign, conduct an employee skill need analysis with the future in mind. It will be more than worth your time.
TRIPLE III TIME: Evaluating The “FUTURE YOU!”
It is not surprising that no one regardless of their area of responsibility enjoys the task of personnel evaluation. Most times the forms utilized are formal, ranking someone as a 1-2-3-4-5 is difficult, the conversations that circle around the process are typically uncomfortable and the relationships people have on a day-to-day basis standardly become challenged based on how good or bad the evaluation results are.
Next think about the priorities contained in the evaluation format. Primarily the focus of any evaluation is on what you have accomplished…old news right? And then for corrective action the discussion is how to improve the bad old news…right again? Given the speed and complexity of change occurring in our business and public service worlds of work…is this design really the best use of one-on-one professional development time??
I believe we need to apply innovation strategies to the function of evaluation. How about if we start by embracing the concept of: Evaluating The “FUTURE YOU!”? Remember employees are a company’s/organization’s greatest asset. So, if you are strategizing for continuous improvement…wouldn’t an Evaluating The “FUTURE YOU!” format be most appropriate/necessary?
![IMG_7574[4073]](https://inspiringinnovationsinc.blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/img_75744073-e1610709977881.jpg)
This format could consider each employee as a small business. As a result the evaluation would require the employee to create their own skill, product, sales, performance, and creativity plans going forward. The discussion would concentrate on what additional value they would bring to themselves and in so doing improve the company/organization. Placing the main focus on the person and their development plan may feel odd at first…but consider the issue of computer upgrading. Computers need to be tended to and upgraded periodically to be needed and more useful to the agency. Maybe by using an Evaluating The “FUTURE YOU!” component for personnel reviews, you may find a new, unique full-growth organizational strategy for upgrading and adding value to your workers!
TRIPLE III TIME: Innovation & Expectation Monitoring
As leaders… no matter the leadership role you assume… it is necessary to delegate/assign certain projects or duties to individuals or possibly a group. In this process it is understood that as the leader and delegator… you share your list of expectations of project completion and areas of success. It all sounds so simple… right?
But what happens when those given the assignment take an “innovation turn” and go a non-traditional route for completion? As might be expected… the results are not exactly what was planned but a great deal of learning and project alternative discoveries were reported? Given the unplanned changes, where do your instincts as a leader take you and what form of appropriate “next-step” action(s) do YOU take?
As you answer this question… I suggest the first thing you must do is ask yourself: Am I an EXPECTATION MONITOR? Do I monitor the individual or group and measure them against the way I would have completed the project? Do I evaluate their results solely against MY EXPECTATIONS of positive outcomes?
In response to this question, I need to brag that some of my greatest experiences as a leader came from making wide-open project assignments that had equally wide-open results. Individuals were challenged to be innovative and share creative visions of assignment completion. Most importantly the assigned project no longer was just MY priority… rather it was “owned” by all involved in its development and delivery.
Bottomline: It is critical to consider your priorities and if you truly believe in innovation at all organizational levels… you cannot be an EXPECTATION MONITOR. Why… because an EXPECTATION MONITOR will:
- Crush innovations
- Limit group contributions
- Lessen individual participation
- Lower agency trust
- Confirm a negative “I’ll do it myself” mentality
I guess I am encouraging you to enjoy the privilege of delegating and trust the existence of an innovative spirit!
TRIPLE III TIME: YOUR Source of ENERGY
The year is now 2021. What are you going to do to kick off the new year in an extra special direction? No… this is not a New Years Resolution TRIPLE III TIME message. Rather it is a professional suggestion to begin 2021 with a unique analysis to identify YOUR Source of ENERGY… progressive… positive… innovative ENERGY that will serve as a guide going forward.
I will bet that you have never really completed an analysis of your sources of ENERGY before. But right now, think hard… are your sources:
And don’t take the easy way out when completing your analysis and say, “All of Them!” While that may be true based on specific circumstances… I believe everyone has a select ENERGY “WELL” that they go back to for help.
- Family
- Customers
- Networking
- New Projects
- Students
- Colleagues
- Mentors/Advisors
- What? Who?
Why is completing this YOUR Source of ENERGY analysis so vital right now? Because too often… especially given the challenges of 2020… people seem to get entrenched in a Zone of Dis-Energy…. and their spirit of potential… future thought… personal and professional entrepreneurship goes/remains dormant.
Bottomline: Make a pledge/promise/commitment right now to maximize connectivity with YOUR Source of ENERGY! Daily let the progressive sources of energy surround you. YOU have the power to do this. Build on current solid sources of energy and weekly seek out one or two more. Don’t allow negative sources of dis-energy “control-the-flow”. Remember this process begins with a quality analysis of YOUR Source of ENERGY. Don’t short-change this fun “input” activity… it will lessen the new ENERGY output.
TRIPLE III TIME: “The Last TOP 10”
One of my personal Inspiring Innovations, Inc. business priorities is to NEVER deliver service “reruns” to different individuals or organizations. What do I mean? I mean every consultant moment, workshop and/or training must be special and individualized for everyone. However, this week I may be breaking my rule.
Let me explain.
During my Director days I produced a TOP 10 list of Agency work/service priorities for every upcoming week. The TOP 10 could cover new projects, meetings, joint ventures, fiscal reports… anything and everything! It was a great management tool and kept everyone “in the game” of Agency initiatives and always looking toward the future!
Then after 30 years of progressive, creative and fun leadership… I found myself leaving to do Inspiring Innovations, Inc. activities full time… and without being too sentimental I had to put together my last TOP 10 for my co-workers. And only because of sincere requests for a reminder rerun, here it is.
- ACTION: Be leaders everyday… I expect nothing less. ACTION DRIVERS: Everyone
- ACTION: The road going forward for the Agency is set up to the best of my ability… pave it with good work. ACTION DRIVERS: Everyone
- ACTION: Follow the visionary quote that says: “The best way to predict the future… is to invent it.” ACTION DRIVERS: Everyone
- ACTION: Keep a “family-feel” in the organization… it keeps you grounded. ACTION DRIVERS: Everyone
- ACTION: When you finally see a USDOL Performance Standard called INNOVATIVITY… be sure we score high. ACTION DRIVERS: Everyone
- ACTION: Always know I will take ALL of you with me wherever I go and whatever I do… because no one goes it alone. ACTION DRIVERS: Everyone
- ACTION: When you try a new initiative, don’t do it the way Marv would… DO IT BECAUSE WE WOULD! ACTION DRIVERS: Everyone
- ACTION: Remember to always give 100% to the CAUSE. If you don’t… what are you saving the rest for? ACTION DRIVERS: Everyone
- ACTION: If you try to hide from change… know that it will be much bigger when it finds you. ACTION DRIVERS: Everyone
- ACTION: Thirty years is a long time to be lucky… thank you for allowing me to be the lucky one. ACTION DRIVERS: Everyone
Thanks to everyone for seven (7) years of TRIPLE III TIME blog messaging. Enjoy the holidays.
LEARNING MOMENTS Podcast: Prioritize NOW Planning
Inspiring Innovations
LEARNING MOMENTS Podcast
December 2020
Prioritize NOW Planning
There has not been a time when quality planning for any organization or business has been more critical. Call it strategic planning or figuring out what we are going to do over the next year or so… getting a progressive plan together for the future is a must!
This Inspiring Innovations LEARNING MOMENTS podcast offers my version of new era planning I label: Prioritize NOW Planning. It emphasizes the frequency of change… its impact on action based on solid, timely planning… and of course the need to allow space for innovation.
I hope you enjoy the listen.
Inspiring Innovations, Inc. 