Quote for These Times

One thing is sure. We have to do something. We have to do the best we know how at the moment... If it doesn't turn out right, we can modify it as we go along.

-Franklin D. Roosevelt

Much has been made of the similarities that faced Franklin D. Roosevelt when he took office and the bleak conditions to be faced by Barack Obama. While the quote by Roosevelt will probably well serve the incoming President, it also has great wisdom for each of us in these difficult times.

Simply doing nothing and "waiting out the moment" is not an option. If you need to better manage your finances, do it now. If you are in fear of losing your job you need to continue to do your best at your current job but also look at other options and possibilities. Continue to align your activities toward your desired outcomes. Do the best you can with the knowledge, skills and wisdom you have at this moment. The perfect opportunity to change rarely exists.

If your choice of action works to your advantage-Bravo! If not, modify it and try again. To do nothing lies contrary to another quote related to the circus...'"The show must go on!"

Where's Your Dressing Room?

I was recently traveling and had a long layover at an airport. I remembered that I had a coupon for one free visit to an airport club. One of those places you can step out of the hustle and noise of the airport and relax or work. I found the club and went inside. Wow! I could almost immediately feel my tension dropping. After finding a comfortable spot I got to work. My productivity was incredible. More than anything, I felt a new sense of focus and direction when I left the club and headed back into the airport concourse.

Reflecting on the experience, I thought about the idea of the dressing room. The place where performers go to prepare for their act. The great ones know proper preparation is critical to peak performance. Staying too close to the noise and chaos of set up can be distracting. Well-meaning people can also derail your mental focus. Too often I start my daily circus or an "act" without spending enough time in my dressing room. Ultimately, my performance suffers.

What could your dressing room be? A spot at home where you spend a few minutes preparing for your day? How about at work? Could it be a place where you can have a few moments of peace and quiet to prepare for your next act? That few moments of preparation could make all the difference.

A Circus Doomed To Fail

Imagine that you are the owner of a circus and you and your team make the following poor decisions:

• You try to compete against other circuses much larger than you in their area
• You don't have a clear purpose or resulting outcomes in mind
• You fire or lose your best performers
• You finally get the word out about your circus but don't have enough seats or concessions

You couldn't expect your circus to be successful, could you? Well, the shipping giant DHL attempted to beat those odds in the US shipping market in 2003. According to an article in the November 11 Wall Street Journal, they:

• Underestimated the intensity of the competition (other circuses)
• Didn't have a cohesive strategy (clear purpose)
• Failed to retain top talent when they acquired shipper Airborne (performers)
• Failed to ensure it could handle the rush of business that came with its ad campaign in 2004. As a result it quickly developed a reputation for poor service. (Poor service)

Ultimately, the economy proved too much for them... when combined with all these missteps. What about your organization's circus? Are the right decisions being made to keep the circus going in a tough environment... or are you in danger of packing up and moving on to a new town? And as a ringmaster of a work team or department what can you do to keep the performance a positive one?

One Ring Affects The Other

I was listening to an interview with a potential member of the incoming president's cabinet. When asked if he was going to take the job, he replied, "This is not a professional choice. There are family and personal considerations I must review before making a decision."

Bravo! So many decisions are made by people without giving a thought to how that choice will affect other areas of their life. I wonder how things would be different for them if they would first stop and say, "What impact will this choice have on the other rings in my circus?" My guess is that their decisions would get a much better standing ovation from others-and themselves.

Get Thee a Saddle

I recently came across this Yiddish Proverb:

If one man calleth thee a donkey, pay him no mind. If two men calleth thee a donkey, get thee a saddle.

I love it! I learned this same lesson from a boss that I admire. He is a great believer in getting feedback from friends, colleagues and customers. He would always tell me to "look for patterns" in feedback. If he started to see a pattern, he would make a change in our product. But, if the feedback was only mentioned by one person, he would ignore it, even if he agreed with the thought.

Feedback and continuous improvement are important concepts that we should incorporate in our businesses and personal lives. It is not an easy thing to do and can be expensive and/or painful. But the benefits of correctly looking for positive ways to be better or improve will pay off in the long run.