TRIPLE III Time: Keeping the Extra “D” (Drama) Out of Quality Discussion!
Yes, I realize this is the Friday before Christmas and I should be sharing thoughts that are cheerful and smiley! Right?? But sincerely the historic purposes of every TRIPLE III TIME message has been to offer progressive ideas and approaches to life and workplace challenges.
Hence, with this long-term priority in mind, I believe even more today…we need to address: Keeping the Extra “D” (Drama) Out of Quality Discussion!
We have all heard the statements: “Wow this workplace is full of drama! Or I don’t even try to bring up tough issues…because he or she goes dramatic! Or I was just trying to explain the opposite viewpoint…and drama took over!” But has anyone in your network circle lately or ever devoted special time to sit down and positively create a meaningful but firm TOP 10 approaches on how to assist in Keeping the Extra “D” (Drama) Out of Quality Discussion!? Well, here’s my Christmas time attempt:
- Be prepared to LISTEN much more…and talk less.
- Respect that NO ONE is more right or more wrong during the discussion.
- Apply extra FOCUS on where the drama-driving information is coming from.
- Fairly assess how much of the real issue…REALLY matters.
- Place an OVER-REACTION filter on the discussion to prevent out-of-proportion blow-ups.
- Don’t be surprised by INCORRECT timeframes for resolution of the issue.
- Attempt to retain SIMPLICITY by handling issues one at a time.
- Avoid bringing up the past…it is always OLD NEWS.
- Remember how others deal with an issue is RARELYthe right solution for your challenge.
- 10. Show appreciation by allowing someone to STEP OUT of the drama…and take a positive breath.
In some ways this almost feels like the “short list” for Keeping the Extra “D” (Drama) Out of Quality Discussion! However, my hope is that it is a unique TRIPLE III TIME gift to everyone as a way of staying happy and content during these often-stressful holiday times.
TRIPLE III TIME: Allowing For Failure
As a leader at any level or in any situation…have you ever been asked…or asked yourself…does your plan for future action include: Allowing For Failure? Do you think and believe those that work with you would feel “safe” telling you that they messed-up on a project assignment? Would you react with a progressive, quality leadership perspective? Have you found one special chapter in any leadership instruction manual that describes how to best handle and make appropriate personnel reactions when Allowing For Failure in the workplace?
Well…as I researched the issue of Allowing For Failure as a high value leadership trait, I first found an article that reported Allowing For Failure was one of the TOP 10 EMPLOYEE EXPECTATIONS of those entering a new job position. Additionally I found several articles that seemed to suggest that having even “small” corrective plans-of-action for the potential failure of new project activities was not just a recommendation…but almost a modern day requirement!
As you can imagine, my style, history and experiences made writing this Allowing For Failure TRIPLE III TIME message a strong challenge…but change is necessary and natural…right? So here is an important short quotation taken from the Ulliance group that puts this issue in perfect perspective:
“Every mistake has the power to teach you something important, so look for the lesson in every situation. People develop new understandings of themselves, the world they live in, how to relate to other people, the kind of future they might have and a better understanding of how to live life.”
I guess looking back (and forward)…my method for Allowing For Failure was knowing that my innovation mind-set never really expected everything to go great. Rather I just watched to see if everyone was trying their best…and they were!
LEARNING MOMENTS: VERY Special MOMENTS TOP 10
This December 2023 Podcast completes our 7th season of Inspiring Innovations LEARNING MOMENTS. Each month I have had the GREAT opportunity to share my thoughts, ideas, and recommendations on positively and progressively living through a variety of workplace and just regular life situations.
Well this last podcast contains a VERY Special MOMENTS TOP 10 list of reflections! It introduces a new “influencer” to my LEARNING MOMENTS that I know you will appreciate.
Enjoy the listen!
TRIPLE III TIME: Be the GROWTH Example
“Bravery is not something we’re born with, but something we grow into and learn as we progress through life. However it is much harder to be brave if we believe that the person we are now is the same person we will always be. A GROWTH mind-set is the thing that allows us to be brave in the face of adversity. It’s our brains way of encouraging us to love a challenge-here’s a chance to learn!” (GREAT TED TALKS-Leadership by Harriet Minter)
This thoughtful paragraph written by Ms. Minter says an awful lot…in just a few sentences. Do you see/read what I mean?
In the first sentence Harriet tried to make the point that one must be patient and not to expect to be immediately “all-knowing” no matter your age. GROWTH comes to us as we move through our daily lives…so maybe we need to slow down and become a little more aware of all the diverse learning activities going on around us and maximize their progressive potential!
Next, she recommended that we not be afraid of GROWTH through adversity. Rather Ms. Minter indicates that approaching adversity through bravery is just natures way of challenging us and opening up new opportunities for us to learn.
(Now go back and read her quote again. What is YOUR take-away from these words?)
My biggest TRIPLE III TIME take-away from this great TED TALKS excerpt…is that it is forever critical to Be The GROWTH Example! Too often people shy away from life’s challenges and very much lose the personal and professional GROWTH elements contained in every one. Her paragraph also gives us a different “OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME” scenario…and suggests that if you don’t approach life’s challenges with bravery…you may never get that OPPORTUNITY again.
TRIPLE III TIME: Calculated-Risk “Pull Ups” (Not Going Rogue in the Workplace)
I guess I should feel lucky that lately INNOVATION has become a more standard topic both in my community college classes and as part of my consultant/advisor projects! Also, it is always a treat to be able to share INNOVATION concepts/ideas/initiative thoughts with everyone using this TRIPLE III TIME format…but often I feel like I may be repeating myself in some creativity areas. Regardless now that I have gotten that concern “off my chest”…it is time to discuss the importance of utilizing Calculated-Risk “Pull-Ups” when beginning an INNOVATION option!
Ok…one more thing, before I get too far into this week’s message, I need to first explain the INNOVATION value of the TRIPLE III TIME subtitle: (Not Going Rogue In the Workplace). Good-to-GREAT innovations typically result from taking Calculated-Risk “Pull-Ups” (i.e. select improvements/advancements) based on an organization’scurrent way of doing business. This means up and coming innovators thereby need to first allow themselves some extra “pull-ups” (think-tank) time before moving forward on their creativity plan-of-action.
Bottomline: To undertake quality, meaningful INNOVATION and not go inventively rogue in the workplace…consider the following initial example “Pull-Ups” actions:
If this TRIPLE III TIME message seems to indicate that I have learned from my historic “out-of-control”… “let’s just do it”, “innovation-for-innovations-sake” mind-set…you may be right. However, also included in my career-long mind-set is: If I/we don’t discover “there is always a better way”…who will??
TRIPLE III TIME: Quality COMMUNICATION Management (QCM)
People in all areas of their lives often are concerned about how well they communicate. Whether it is with family members, co-workers, students, friends or colleagues in their career field… Quality COMMUNICATION Management (QCM) is a critical, priority concern.
Today more than ever before, I believe the greatest challenge in the area of high quality communication is the diversity of communication options. Think about it. Tweets, emails, phone calls, letters, texts, podcasts, FaceTime, in-person meetings and other social media-isms…make the objective of delivering a complete and informative message understandably difficult.
So what’s the III self-help answer: Complete a Quality COMMUNICATION Management (QCM)assessment/evaluation! What do I mean?
My “official” QCM Assessment/Evaluation calls for a periodic “Test of 3” in specific communication areas. For example:
- Take 3 email examples and determine if they are complete messages or just “blips” of what you want to say.
- Take 3 cell phone messages and determine if the discussion assumes the call receiver knows everything you expect they do.
- Take 3 formal letters you have written/sent and assess them for purpose, content, receiver expectations and timeliness.
- Take 3 meeting agendas that you have utilized in recent in-person meetings and evaluate them for main topic(s), use of personnel time and outcomes.
- Take 3 virtual training session recordings and measure your learning points, questions asked and knowledge obtained.
Conducting multi-media Quality COMMUNICATION Management (QCM) assessments/evaluations is very…VERY IMPORTANT in today’s world. Use the five questions in this TRIPLE III TIME message as starter points…then create your own measuring sticks. And go ahead be critical…it will only make you better!
TRIPLE III TIME: “The INNOVATION Window Is Wide Open!”
Today: “The INNOVATION Window Is Wide Open!”
First, let me say that my hope is that everyone reads and hears the title of this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message even louder than ever before.
As a career-long innovator…especially in the public sector, I believe that at no time in my professional life have I observed the collective need, desire, willingness and potential for INNOVATION acceptance. It could be the ever-growing expansion of the internet and social media. It could be the impacts of Covid and the desire to just “break-out!” It could be the realization that all generations need to grow together to gain the maximum, new-era advantages. Or it could simply be that people are less resistant to hearing new ideas…big or small…and wish to embrace the sensation of positively moving forward.
Artificial Intelligence isn’t artificial…we built it. Multiple versions of promoting and offering “Shark Tank” opportunities is not just a fad…it’s professional development! Younger people learning more…faster is not a phenomenon…it is just basic progressive evolution.
Bottomline: If you are not part of an INNOVATION movement, I encourage you to join somehow…some way. If you have an INNOVATION idea…share it. It may not be accepted as you see it…but even if a part creates an improvement movement…it’s a WIN! Finally, if you are an innovator by birth or by experience…be an INNOVATION LEADER right now!
YOU are absolutely needed…and “The INNOVATION Window Is Wide Open!”
LEARNING MOMENTS Podcast: Creating Your BRAND!
What do Tom Brady… RAM Pick-ups… and Gerber Baby Foods have in common? A GREAT BRAND!
This month’s Inspiring Innovations LEARNING MOMENTS podcast follows the tradition of coming to you from my favorite deer hunting blind. But don’t think for a minute that the Creating Your Brand podcast message doesn’t contain some great professional development thoughts and recommendations (despite opening day distractions)!
Seriously, this Creating Your Brand podcast highlights the importance of establishing a meaningful, strong professional status inside and outside your workplace. Consider the questions raised in the discussion and take on this very special challenge.
Enjoy the listen.
TRIPLE III TIME: Planning For A PLAN!
Planning is a critical task in every profession. Whether the assignment is teaching, sales, farming, home building…whatever, the responsibility for preparing and having a good PLAN of action for your initiative is just plain important.
So, as I began considering factors to discuss in this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message, I realized that many Planning for a PLAN actions have changed over my career years… and that maybe a special TOP 10 in this professional development area might be the best way to go! But remember these TOP 10 considerations come to you from a consultant’s mindset:
- Who wants the PLAN…who cares if it’s just Ok or Great?
- Will people care if it’s your idea…or should it be theirs?
- Remember a lot of PLAN narrative is “old news”…bullet points are a solid option.
- Consider “immediate gratification” components…they initiate interest.
- No one “goes-it-alone” in completing a project…so include partnerships in your PLAN.
- Offer information on past successful PLAN achievements if appropriate (they are like references in a resume).
- Use creative, visioning terms in your PLAN (create pictures with your words).
- Determine if the PLAN needs to be about “parts” of your organization…or more about the whole to be successful.
- Both TIME and MONEY are critical PLAN factors…give them appropriate attention.
- Finally, discussion about being FLEXIBLE and SPECIAL have a place in PLANS…they always matter.
Effectively and efficiently Planning for a PLAN is a professional development skill-set that may be used daily. Maybe re-read this TOP 10 with that thought in mind!
TRIPLE III TIME: Considering Untold CAREER STORIES
One of the most impactful and favorable tools I use in my classroom teaching moments and thought-provoking consultant opportunities is the sharing of personal CAREER STORIES. For a ton of solid reasons, listening and discussing the life-building experiences contained in every persons CAREER STORY is the greatest form of true, actual instructional content.
Hesitancy and modesty are often “limiters” of quality details that those invited to contribute their CAREER STORIES use during their presentation times. However, with the right prompting from me…the extra special details most often do come out!
So as I was looking at my notes regarding this week’s TRIPLE III TIME messaging Considering Untold CAREER STORIES…I could not help but think about what my Dad would say if he was pushed onto the guest presenter stage??
Well maybe he would:
- Tell everyone he only had an 8th grade education but wasn’t afraid to try new farming methods or crops…and make more money.
- Explain why it was important to try different brands of machinery (Massey Ferguson/International/David Brown/New Holland/John Deere) and not pick just one because that’s what everyone else was doing.
- Encourage everyone to help others because that is what farmers in our neighborhood did when someone wasn’t doing so good.
- Report that he liked innovation before it was called innovation. Because he allowed his kids to raise chickens, pigs, ducks, rabbits and even different kinds of calves…just to learn about being special.
- Maybe conclude about the importance of having hobbies that you love. Like playing accordion in a polka band for people that really appreciated the music.
Yes I believe he would have needed some prompting…but it would be worth the push! And I hope that this message encourages you to consider your own CAREER STORY and what unique experiences you might recall and share.
Inspiring Innovations, Inc. 