It's Always Been Done That Way

We are all creatures of habit. We park in the same place when we travel by car. Sit in the same seat for meetings. Eat the same meals at the same restaurants. Live with routines that we develop and are difficult to modify.

Periodically it is healthy to become inquisitive about why we do certain things. The number one question small children ask is “why?” We adults humor them by answering their endless questions, but can miss their importance.

In training or sales communications, we must always communicate the “why” before the recipient cares about the “how” of an issue. Many times we are so close to the subject that we’re communicating about that we jump straight to the “how” while assuming the listener already knows the “why” because we know the “why.”

I’ve seen new members in organizations observe behavior and replicate it because they feel that “it’s always been done that way” to the point of not understanding why they are doing what they do. Once during a prolonged economic downturn, a civic organization had several presidents serve while they were unemployed. A new member innocently asked if it was necessary to give up your job for a year in order to serve as president. She believed that it had always been done that way.

The story of grandma and the roast pan illustrates the idea mentioned in the paragraph above.

A man comes home from work and as he walks in the door his wife is chopping the end of a roast off as part of her preparation for supper. The husband asks, “Honey, why did you cut the end of the roast off?”

She replies, “Because momma always did it that way.” “Let’s call momma and ask her why she did it”, the husband suggested.

“Momma, why did you always chop the end of the roast off”, asked her daughter? “Because your grandma always did it that way”, came momma’s reply. “Let’s call grandma and ask her”, the husband again interjected.

“Grandma, why did you always chop off the end of the roast before you cooked it”, inquired the granddaughter?

“Because it was always bigger than the pan that I had to cook it in” stated grandma as if she were surprised by the question.

Like the story above, it is interesting how often that in life or business, we forget the “why” of something within two generations of its beginning. Routines are established that may be perfectly good for many years, but unless we explain “why” they’re good to the individuals who come along later they may become ritualistic.

Texas A & M University to this day calls people who favor The University of Texas at Austin “Teasips.” It is a term that was coined many years ago. Most U.T. students or alums are unfazed by the remark because they have no idea what it means, which means they can’t be insulted by it.

While visiting with some Aggie alums one day, one of them called me “Teasip.” I asked if he knew what it meant, or where it came from. “No”, he replied, acknowledging that he said it because Aggies had used it as a derogatory term for Longhorns for many years. He said it because it was the thing to do, but because it didn’t insult me he was surprised.

I love tradition so don’t get me wrong. The case that I’m trying to make is that it is critical to always know why we do the things we do. If we know why, then we can instruct others as well, and we can avoid cutting the end off of the roast unless it doesn’t fit the pan.

© 2006 Richard V. Battle

When More is More

One of the challenges with raising a seven year old is explaining the concept that life is a series of choices, and that there are trade-offs with the choices we make. This is true individually, corporately and nationally.

We set Elizabeth up with an allowance when she entered kindergarten and established certain tasks that she would be responsible for accomplishing each week. Upon entering the second grade and her successful performance, we have raised her allowance. She has been taught to give a portion to the church, save a portion, and that she can spend a portion. Simple rules, but important as a foundation for growing into a responsible adult.

As her discovery of the value of money and her desire for more items has grown, we are working to teach her that she can earn additional money in the neighborhood by dog sitting or other small chores. In other words, if you want more you must do more.

I saw an interesting article (VW, Union Agree to Increase Work Week at Western German Plants to 33 hours, With no Pay Raise, Associated Press, 9/29/06) the other day that reconfirmed a couple of previous experiences with our allies in Europe. Volkswagen (VW) union workers agreed to increase their work week without a pay increase by 4.5 hours to 33 hours a week! I hope no one pulls a muscle or something and is injured with the additional strain this imposes. Currently they only work 28.5 hours per week!

The agreement was necessary to increase VW’s ability to compete worldwide with other automakers.

On the surface, it appears onerous because they won’t receive any additional compensation. What the article didn’t mention is that the alternatives to the agreement would be massive layoffs in order to achieve the necessary production cost reductions.

I saw firsthand the results of an economy that doesn’t fully motivate people to work hard to earn more when I was in the UK a few years ago.

Two associates and I ate a fine meal at a restaurant, but the service was mediocre at best. The education began when the check arrived and I gave the waitress my credit card.

Similar to our bills in the U.S., the food and beverage amount was displayed, and below it was a blank for a tip and a total line. But, instead of the tip and total lines being blank, there was a diagonal line through the tip and the total was the same amount as the sub-total.

I asked the waitress, “Don’t you want a tip?” “No”, she replied. “By the time I pay taxes, I only receive 40%, and the additional paperwork isn’t worth it.”

The revelation that this was a microcosm of a more socialistic economic system than we have in the U.S. was stunning. There was a direct correlation between the shoddy service and the disinterest in earning an additional pittance of income.

Later, our team ate at a different restaurant in London, which was owned by Americans that had excellent service. They had motivated the staff to perform better in exchange for a benefit that the staff would receive and the results were remarkable.

The application in the VW story above is simple. Because there is a lack of monetary incentives in some countries and companies, the best strategy for unions to negotiate is less work for the same money. When times are good it can work. When tougher times appear, it is necessary to retreat in order to survive.

I’m thankful that in spite of the efforts of some, we have not retreated in the U.S. to what some seem as a more enlightened work environment. Individually, corporately and as a nation, we still have the freedom to choose to work or not to work, what work we want to perform, how much we want to work, increase our skills in order to earn higher level positions and grow over a lifetime without restraint by social class.

Our economic freedom is the envy of the world. It is the essential companion to our political freedom that has enabled our representative republic to flourish for 230 years. Teaching each generation the values of these twin freedoms is necessary in order to preserve and sustain them for the future.

We can begin with the simple premise that if you want to have and be more, you must deliver more value; and in the U.S. you have the freedom to do so.

© 2006 Richard V. Battle

Play Until the Whistle Blows

A dramatic play during the game between football rivals recently illustrated the importance of always giving our best effort until a project, activity, event or you can fill in the blank is completed.

The play began routinely with the quarterback looking to throw a swing pass toward the sideline to the All-American running back. The pass fell incomplete and the receiver stopped and began returning to the huddle for the next play.

In an instant, an alert defensive back scooped up the loose ball and rambled, unmolested into the end zone. The sellout crowd of more than 75,000, split evenly between fans from both teams, waited to see what would result from the action.

The referee maneuvered toward the end zone and looked to the line judge on the side of the field where all of the action had taken play for an indication of what he ruled on the play. After a brief moment that seemed much longer, the field judge extended his arms into the sky signaling a touchdown for the defensive back. In turn, the referee repeated the signal and the play withstood an instant replay review.

With the signal, fans from the offensive team groaned in protest while the fans from the defensive team cheered with unbounded enthusiasm. Coaches on the offensive team protested that the play should have been ruled an incomplete pass, but their efforts were in vain.

What was lost in all of the energy expended by players, coaches and fans was the major difference in effort, which extended far beyond the single play.

The offensive receiver made an assumption that the play was over and quit playing. Like in many efforts, when we make an assumption, it makes an &%# out of you and me. It wasn’t the job of the offensive player to determine the end of the play, but the referee’s. The player’s job is to play until the whistle blows, which in football signals the end of play.

The defensive back responded to his coaching by continuing the play until he heard a whistle. Interviewed later, he said that he did what his coaches instructed him to do, and that he wanted to make the referee’s determine the result of the play.

While this story relates to a football game, it illustrates decisions we can make in life and business. We all have been motivated at times to discontinue efforts because we think the play is over or the cause is lost.

Unless we have experienced a situation where the activity went on after we quit, and our decision adversely affected the outcome, we may not have realized this lesson.

Captain Bill McDonald of Texas Ranger fame said, “No man in the wrong can stand up against a fellow that’s in the right and keeps on a-comin.” Even though we normally don’t “go up” against outlaws, the quote is instructive. It affirms the values of persistence, tenacity and intrepidness.

This topic also reminds me of the football game between the big animals and little animals. At the half, the big animals led 55 – 0 and the little animals had to kick-off.

The rhinoceros received the ball at the goal and galloped around the right end. At the 10 yard line, a loud boom sounded, and down went the rhino. “Who made that tackle”, inquired the squirrel? No one responded.

On first down, the lion playing tailback ran off right tackle. At the line of scrimmage, he went down with a loud boom and cloud of dust. Again, the squirrel asked, “Who made that tackle?” Not a sound was heard.

On second down, the elephant playing tight end caught a screen pass and as he reached the lion of scrimmage, boom, and he fumbled the ball. The little animals recovered the fumble. In the excitement, the squirrel demanded, “Who made that tackle?”

Calmly, the centipede replied, “I did.” The squirrel asked, “Where in the heck were you in the first half?”

“I was in the locker room tying my shoelaces” stated the centipede without emotion. As you might expect, the final score of the game was Little animals 56 – Big animals 55.

Like the football game between the animals, the game of life and business is in progress for us.

It is imperative for us to show up, make a difference, and don’t quit until the final whistle blows.

© 2006 Richard V. Battle

Press Through the wall to the finish line!

As we speed into fall and the excitement of football and baseball playoffs, an enemy to our work performance quietly waits to snare us in its tentacles. The burst of energy that we began the year with has worn off, and we’re still far enough away from the urgency created by the end of the year.

I’ve always heard about the “wall” experienced by marathon runners, but have only one 10k race to my credit although I have experienced it in other athletic training. A recent aggressive walking campaign revealed a very minor example of what I believe the marathoners experience, which is why I want to use it as a business illustration.

Runners describe the physical and mental pain that occurs around mile 20 of the 26 and change mile race because they run out of energy. The result is that the runner wants to quit to eliminate the pain, and has to do everything in his or her mental power to overcome that desire.

If the runner quits at the onset of pain, they will never complete the race. As I mentioned, when I began walking, I wanted to quit within the first mile because of the discomfort I felt.

Likewise, in business, it isn’t uncommon to experience a lull in attitude and effort in the late summer and early fall. Management often focuses motivational efforts on encouraging a fast start to the year and finishing the year strong, which misses an opportunity to stimulate production at a time it is most needed. If the business loses momentum, it is very difficult to recapture it in order to impact the year-end effort.

If the runner is successful in persevering through the wall, the pain subsides and the adrenaline rush enables him or her not only to finish the race, but also to do it with a flurry of energy. I noticed that after I pushed through the pain of the early part of my walk, I could virtually go on and on for several miles.

In business, it means that we have to shake off the desire to coast, and act like it is time to sprint to the finish line at the end of the year. If you’re in management, it is time to work with your employees to inspire them to perform at their best levels.

What if you don’t work under any kind of incentive plan? In spite of your first thought to think that this doesn’t apply to you, NOW is an excellent time to show management that you are an exceptional employee by outperforming others who succumb to the loss of energy. Differentiating yourself can lead to a whole new view of your capabilities by management, raises and promotions.

If you’re feeling lethargic, don’t feel alone. The question is what are you going to do about it? Succumb to the pain and coast to the end of the year? Or, press on through the pain, and begin a high-energy campaign that carries you to an exceptional finish to your year?

I look forward to seeing you at the finish line, triumphant!

© 2006 Richard V. Battle

Every act is an example to someone

Too often we hear public figures that include athletes, Hollywood types and others discourage people from thinking of them as examples. Usually it stems from the individual wanting to behave in any manner he or she desires without having anyone question his or her influence on others.

In a perfect world, this might be possible. But in case you had any doubts, we don’t live in a perfect world.

It doesn’t matter who we are, where we live, how old we are, or whom we associate with, someone will use our behavior for an example. If I had recognized how undeniable that truth is earlier in my life, maybe I would have modified my behavior in a way to have made fewer mistakes that embarrass me to remember today.

The first time I learned that my daughter, Elizabeth, used my behavior, as an example was when she learned to eat popcorn. She was less than 2 years old, and Laura exposed her to the delicious treat.

I came home from work and they both were eating one piece at a time. I reached into the bowl and removed a handful of white kernels and put the whole prize into my mouth. Laura shrieked with dismay. I dismissed her concern and left the room for a few minutes. Upon my return, I was startled to discover that Elizabeth was now grabbing a fistful of popcorn at a time and trying to eat it all at once. Needless to say, I learned a lesson about my example from something that I believed uneventful. It took Laura some time to retrain Elizabeth on the ladylike method of eating popcorn.

In today’s environment, it is virtually impossible to do anything without someone discovering it. Between camera phones, the Internet, media searches for information and eyewitness reports, everything we do is subject to review.

I find it laughable that the Las Vegas tourist bureau runs advertising under a theme of, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” What a joke!

In business, people do things without thought to the example they are providing or the impact they may have on people other than those their actions have been directed toward. In September 2006, Radio Shack laid off 400 employees, in restructuring their business. Their action made news because they communicated the pink slips by e-mail rather than in person to those they separated them from the company. Do you think any of those released will speak positively of the company or continue to be customers?

While their act was impersonal to the individuals directly affected, I was astonished because they obviously didn’t think about the impact on those remaining employees. Did they think that their decision was made in a vacuum? Do they think the people who survived the layoff will be happy, or even more anxious about when and how they may be let go? Will the company have any credibility with its employees when they communicate about the state of their business?

At a time when Radio Shack needs everyone to contribute their best effort and demonstrate the highest team spirit, management revealed an extreme case of cost control over people. Management will state that their action reduced expenses by a certain amount, but they may never know how much it cost them in the future because of their insensitive action. I contend that the short-term expense of conducting the layoff in a more human way would be far less than the long-term cost of their decision.

Science teaches us that every action causes a reaction. Sometimes a precedent is established, and an unintended consequence is realized. The more often we realize that our actions are examples and contemplate their effect, the better we will perform and the more positive impact we will have on others.

© 2006 Richard V. Battle