Yogi Berra, Hall of Fame catcher for the New York Yankees, once said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”  Of course, Yogi didn’t offer any advice on which fork to take.  We all come to a fork in the road sometimes.  In the corporate world, there are times when we must decide which career path makes most sense.   Many factors come into play, but it seems there is always that “safe” pathway and that “more risky, but potentially more gratifying” pathway.  When faced with this, which do you choose?  Some have that natural tendency as adventurers and will always take the riskier path.  Others, including me, tend to “leave well enough alone” or stay within our comfort zone.  There is a short, famous poem by Robert Frost that hits on the this same point.  It is well worth taking the time to read:

The Road Not Taken (by Robert Frost)

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim

Because it was grassy and wanted wear,

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

 

Indeed, we all come to a fork in the road sometimes.  Choices are essential and cannot be avoided.  As Frost so eloquently says, taking the road less traveled (e.g., the most unexpected, the riskier road, the road others fear to take, the road leading to some unknown place, etc.), could make all the difference in your job, your family, your life, or the life of someone else.  Are you at a fork in the road?  You may only get one chance to chose, so consider carefully.  You may never pass this way again, so we need to choose carefully.

Have a terrific day!  Let’s cherish the good we have in our work and in our lives and consider how we can make “all the difference” for someone else today.

There has been much talk lately in the business world about “culture” – what it is and how to improve it.  Companies like ours make use of culture surveys or engagement surveys in an attempt to measure the current company culture.  Then, we develop action plans to improve the culture believing that a better culture drives better performance, thus, better business results.  So, this begs the questions, “What defines culture and is it really possible to improve it?  And, if you do, what improved results can we expect?”

Culture can be defined as “the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular time.”  Someone, perhaps me, once said, “Culture is determined not by what you say, but what you do.”  I believe in this one-hundred percent!  We do not change a culture by the use of slogans, banners, songs, and campaigns.  We create and/or change our culture day-by-day, action-by-action.  Culture is our way of life in the specific function, group, floor, plant, or company in which we reside.  It is what we do and, though, a targeted campaign might gradually influence what we do, the true culture is largely determine by the leaders of that group.

“The culture of any organization is shaped by the worst behavior the leader is willing to tolerate.”  – Gruenter and Whitaker –

Many individuals that read The Porch each day are leaders.  You lead something – a function, a group, a line, a family, a team – each person is responsible for other individuals to some extent.  What kind of “culture” are you creating in that group?  If you believe the quote by Gruenter and Whitaker above, you create a culture by what behavior you tolerate.  For example, in a family, the culture is defined by how much discipline you expect from each member.  Do you require that everyone make their own bed each day?  Do you require that everyone put away their own things?  The culture, then, is determine by whether you allow one member to consistently violate the rules of behavior.

In a company, the culture is, to a large extent, defined by how we allow employees to treat each other; by what standards of behavior we require; by the level of personal accountability we demand; by the level of quality we deem our minimum standard; by how much personal flexibility we allow; etc.  It is possible to define a company culture by requiring that everyone dress the same, by requiring everyone to work 12 hours/day, by prohibiting anything deemed fun, or by demeaning individuals when they fail to attain perfection.  We can also define a company culture by allowing individuals to take reasonable risks, by encouraging individual innovation, by demanding that we treat each other fairly, and by providing an environment that encourages work/life balance.  You can see that our actions as leaders define what culture our group will have.  In other words, we define the “way of life” for our team or family.

So, I would argue, that the best way to enhance the culture within our group/team/company is to embrace the statement above by Gruenter and Whitaker… we must stop allowing behavior that does not represent what we desire for our group.  All of us can help to create the culture we desire.  We each have a part in creating a culture of encouragement, fair treatment of others, high standards of work, and fun.   So, what do we do today to get this started?

This could be our best day yet!  There is still a chance.  Let’s go for it!

 

Kelli was anxious for Saturday.  That is the day her husband, Joe, would arrive home for a 2-week leave in the middle of his 9-month long deployment with the military in the Middle East.  Kelli was excited about having fourteen full days to be with Joe.  She hadn’t seen him in nearly 5 long, miserable months.  Sure, she had a great support network at home.  The other military wives were great!  They had outings, shared long talks about their dreams and fears, and celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, and special events together.  Her family, though a several hour drive away, stayed in touch and visited as often as possible.  But, in two more days, Kelli would finally have Joe all to herself for two weeks!

However, Joe’s coming visit also brought back those nagging fears and that dread of taking him back to the airport when the leave was over.  She knew that these two weeks were precious and that she must enjoy every minute.  But, the thought that any visit might be their last together brought back the tears and her fears.  Sometimes, these become so great that it caused her to hold back.  In some ways, these fears prevented her from enjoying these times freely.

Joe’s visit was great!  They enjoyed their two weeks together and with friends.  It was good to re-acquaint and re-connect.  Kelli loved these times, but still, she was pained to know that this time would end and Joe would be back in the Middle East in just a few days.  She struggled with being “all in” or totally committed to their time together because she knew the time was short and precious. 

Exactly one month after this leave, Kelli received the horrific news that Joe had been killed while on duty.  Their last phone call was filled with remembrances of their last days together and their plans for his return home in three short months.  Kelli loved Joe very much, but she spent the next few years haunted by the fact that their last days together were hindered by her fears and the fact that she could not allow herself to be “all in.”

“All in” is a term derived from gambling.  When you feel that you have a sure winning hand, you bet everything you have (e.g., all in).  In short, you put everything on the table to win.  Do you live your life with an “all in” attitude?  Or, are you holding something back out of fear, frustration, or lack of motivation?  Are you “all in” at work?  Or, home?  With your kids?  With your friends?  When you lay your head down at night, can you consistently say that you gave everything you had to every activity of the day?  Or, should you receive the horrific news that Kelli did, would you regret holding back from your work, your family, or your friends?  Do we need to re-establish our priorities in life?  Or, do we need to rebalance what we do with our time?  Do we need to refresh or restore any relationships?  Is there something out there undone that needs to be corrected?

Today, let’s consider what it means to live an “all in” life.  Then, let’s simply do what we need to do.  Have an awesome day and take the time to make this an awesome day for someone else!

 

“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” – Michelangelo –

In the early 1960’s, then President John F. Kennedy issued a challenge to the US space agency to send a man to the moon and back by the end of the decade.  Most people thought this was utterly impossible and irresponsible to even suggest.  But, the many elements of government and private industry collaborated and in July, 1969, Neil Armstrong was the first person to step onto the moon and return safely to earth.  Kennedy’s big dream and impossible goal were the drivers that made this possible.

What about us?  Do we aim too low?  It seems we establish “aspirational” goals to improve by 10%, or some other incremental amount, year-after-year without really considering what might be possible.  Would we not be better to target a 40% year-over-year improvement and fall 15% short than target a 10% improvement and feel good that we beat that?

What about us as individuals?  Are we thinking big enough?  How often do we lower our own expectations because our goals seem too much, too significant, or too far out of reach?  Sure, I know… in this age of performance management and our effort to achieve an “exceeding” year-end rating, do we dare publish an objective that might be a stretch?  What is the proper balance between aiming high, but not so high that you risk missing your target?  How much should we push?

There is not a great answer to this question.  It is too bad that some performance management systems place a higher premium on “achieving targets” than it does “adding overall value”.  However, I would argue that if our focus is on adding value and driving improvement, the rest will take care of itself.  At the very least, we will each know that we made a positive difference.

Today’s challenge is this… Do we need to think bigger?  Do we need to push aside those barriers that appear to hold us back?  Can we do more/better/faster than we’ve ever done before?  Is it time to take that big risk that we have avoided?  Do we need to risk getting out of our comfort zone?  What is it that Michelangelo’s quote might be urging you to do today?

Have one of those “top ten” days!

 

A colleague recently sent me the story below called “The Wise Woman’s Stone.”  The author is unknown, but its meaning is priceless.  Take a look for yourself:

The Wise Woman’s Stone

A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone in the wise woman’s bag, admired it, and asked the wise woman to give it to him. The wise woman did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the jewel was worth enough to give him security for the rest of his life. But a few days later he came back, searching for the wise woman. When he found her, he returned the stone and said, “I have been thinking. I know how valuable this stone is, but I give it back to you in the hope that you can give me something much more precious. If you can, give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.”

Notice a few things about this story.  First, the woman is called “wise” seven times.  Why do you think she is considered wise?  Second, the woman was generous.  You’ll notice that she gave of her food to the hungry traveler.  Then, she gave him the stone “without hesitation”.  Finally, the traveler returned the stone to her because he realized that what she had within her was more valuable than the material items she possessed.

This is a great lesson for us… What lies within us is much more valuable than what material items we possess.  Integrity… Service… Kindness… Character… Wisdom… Generosity… Sharing… Love… Respect… Courage… Humility… When we “give” these away to others, we add real and lasting value to the lives of others.

Have a productive day!  And remember, a single encouraging act by you today can completely change the day for someone else!

 

I heard an illustration a few years ago about time management and making the most of the time we have.  The speaker said that when you turn 50, place 1000 beans in a jar.  The 1000 beans represent one week each or about 20 years.  The speaker indicated that the 1000 beans would get a 50 year old to age 70.  Anything beyond that would just be considered a bonus.  If you are 40, you would place 1500 beans in the jar.  If you are 60, you would have only 500 beans in the jar (e.g., 50 beans per year).

Now, every Monday morning, remove and throw away one bean.  And, as you do, ask yourself these questions:

• Did I make the most of last week?
• Did I accomplish what I needed to accomplish for my team or my family?
• Did I make an impact on anyone’s life?
• What do I plan to do differently this week to impact those around me?

The mere act of physically removing the bean and throwing it away (not keeping it because that week is gone forever) makes us consider just how precious time is and that the window of opportunity is slowly closing.  Today, I only have 448 beans left in my jar – a pretty small pile, actually.  My objective is to make the most of each bean I have left.  How about you?

Have a fabulous day!

 

 

On my desk, I have a small piece of the Berlin Wall that someone brought to me a couple years ago.  Though I can hold this piece of concrete in my hand, its importance is more symbolic than real.  This small rock can no longer keep one group of people isolated from another.  However, it does symbolize those days in the past when isolation and separation were very real.

Functional groups in companies often create very real walls between them.  When such a wall exists, needed information is not shared.  Collaboration to correct problems and make improvements does not occur.  When this occurs, you rarely see individuals from one area involve those from the other to be innovative, creative, responsive, or proactive.  One group works in its vacuum, while the other does the same.

In the same way, people build walls around certain elements in their lives.  Some try to build a wall around their past because it is too painful.  Some try to wall off their personal lives from friends.  Some build walls around individuals fearing to share too much or get too close.  In all of these situations, the walls do more than keep things in – they keep other people out.  They prevent us from developing those deep friendships that each of us needs to survive and thrive.  Do you have a wall that is preventing such a friendship in your life?

So, it might be a good day to take a frank and open look at your own life.  Have you intentionally constructed your own version of the “Berlin wall” that prevents you from getting too close to someone else?  Or, can you help someone else recognize and remove their own wall?  To me, I am reminded every time that I look at that small piece of concrete on my desk, that walls can be good, but they can be inhibitors in our lives.  What wall have I started constructing that needs to be torn down?  Or, how can I help someone else today that simply cannot “tear down that wall”?

Thanks for what you do and for working to keep things positive.  Do something to make today special for someone else in your life.

It is probably obvious from previous posts that I work in the pharmaceutical industry in the areas of quality and compliance.  Today’s edition of The Porch talks about the value of our work producing high-quality and compliant pharmaceutical products.  What is the payback for all our work?  How do we make a difference in the lives of our patients?  This is an attempt to describe the fruits of our labors.

Most of us are functions that involve compliance to GMP’s, DEA regulations, OSHA requirements, and all their associated global regulations and laws.  These regulations are often ambiguous and can seem to be onerous and drive rigamarole (see previous post on Rigamarology).  I have often heard individuals question the value of correcting documentation errors with “a single line through with the new value recorded and initialed/dated.”  Others ask, “What is the value of doing three process validation lots to prove the process is in control?”  We have probably all wondered whether we go too far with redundant steps, double-checks, % verification, inspection schemes, risk assessments, report re-writes, etc., etc.  Individuals not as close to this want to understand, “What is the value in all this extra work we call quality or compliance?”

Value is one of those popular terms used in business circles these days.  Everyone wants to know the value of our latest acquisition, the value provided by a consulting arrangement, the value we expect from a significant Capital investment, the value drivers for a particular initiative… Understanding “value” is important for us to ensure that our direction is correct and that our priorities are properly placed.  Value is synonymous with “return on investment” or “payback”.  When someone asks about value, they are really asking, “When and what will be the payback for this?”  So, it follows that many want to know, “What is the payback for all of these GMP activities?  When will our extra effort to qualify that equipment, document that activity, repeat that step, or marry the science-with-the-regulations in a way that allows us to release that batch?”

Well, I would like today to share my thoughts on “when we’ll see payback for all our efforts in quality and compliance”:

• We get a payback during an FDA inspection when the investigator asks to review 10,000 documents and we have confidence that every page of every document will be done right, documented well, and properly tell our story of quality and compliance
• We get a payback every week when our complaint reports, representing literally millions of doses of products distributed, show only minor issues with product shipped to patients – it is gratifying knowing that the products our patients receive are right, safe, and will fulfill the mission and life-changing impact intended
• We get a payback every month when we see double-digit improvement in those critical quality metrics that define how we’re doing
• We get a payback when someone asks where we work and we can tell them proudly – more often than not, the individual will tell of a relative or friend that works or has worked for us or their own story of using our products
• We get a payback every night when we walk to our car knowing that we did our very best work to make a difference in the lives of others
• We get a payback when we encounter someone like Sammy, a little 5-year old boy I know that has struggled with cancer for the last three years – he is now in remission, but must get a scan a few times a year to ensure that the cancer has not returned – knowing that we might play a small role in Sammy’s life makes a difference to me

If you will take the time to consider all we do and why we do it, you’ll easily see that quality and compliance have a payback.  Thank you to everyone in our industry for making our compliance and value story a positive one!

You will recall that yesterday we reviewed lessons from the conductor on leadership.  The genesis for this was a session I attended a couple of years ago involving a professional orchestra led by Roger Nierenberg, the author of Maestro.  Today, we look at this session from the perspective of the orchestra members…that is, team members.  There is much we can learn by observing highly effective, high performing teams and I can attest that this orchestra was both.

First, if you have not already done so, you might listen to the link below.  This piece was the highlighted orchestra piece in my session.  Try to hear how all the individual musicians blend together to a terrific final result:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecHh_aNNVxA

There were several lessons on teamwork that I derived from my session sitting with the orchestra and observing the leadership of the conductor that day:

1. You must see and watch the conductor – each orchestra member was seated to allow them to see the conductor.  If they could not see, they shifted their seat.  And, they were situated to allow them to watch the conductor most of the time during the performance.  This ensured they were following the direction and intent of the conductor.  Similarly, we must ensure that we can see and follow the leader of our team or organization.  If we do not continually know the direction, we may become mis-aligned.
2. Your work must blend with the work of those on your team – it is important that each orchestra member listen carefully to others to blend the sounds properly.  One member cannot play so loudly that they drown out the sound of others.  In the same way, each team member must carefully consider how their work fits into the overall work of the team.  We should not individual over-power others on the team.
3. A team is no place for a showboat – an orchestra does not allow for individual interpretation of the music.  This might be good in jazz, for instance, but not classical music.  Similarly, we must be careful as a team member that we remain collaborative and do not use our own abilities to get our team off track.
4. You must do your individual job well – as with any team, the members of the orchestra take accountability for their own job.  They practice and work diligently to achieve perfection with their own part of the music.  As team members, we should also strive to be the very best that we can be in our own job.  A group of individuals that each performs well and aligns their abilities with each other is the definition of a great team.
5. Count and follow – it is imperative for members of the orchestra to follow their music and count the beats, otherwise, they will lose their place and fail to play when needed.  Similarly, members of our teams must work to stay connected to the project or function.  You cannot thrive individually or as a team unless members know the status of activities and when they must play their part.
6. You may have to sacrifice for the good of the team – though members of the orchestra may be among the very best in the world on their instrument, they remain under control and participate as a collaborative member of the orchestra.  It is the same with us.  We cannot “do our own thing” when we want.  And, we may have to “play second fiddle” even when we know we are fully capable to play the lead role.
7. Timing is critical – in music, it is essential to play exactly when needed – when the music says to play.  Similarly, we need to be aware of our part, when it is needed, and in the way expected.
8. Preparation is critical – orchestra members spend hours each day practicing and preparing for performances.  In the same way, we must do our own preparation to fully participate as a team member.  Just showing up is not synonymous with intentional preparation to do our best work.
9. Try to enjoy, not simply endure – knowing that practice can sometimes be tedious, the orchestra members know there is a pay-off when the performance occurs. Likewise, though our efforts may not be recognized every day, we need to work with the end in mind.  We are serving critical needs for patients in difficult situations.  Knowing that we serve them should help us serve with a better attitude.
10. Celebrate successes – at the end of the concert, the crowd always shows its appreciate for a job well done.  We need to celebrate more.

We can make beautiful music together if we are willing to follow these key principles.  Thanks for reading.  Have a “top ten” day!

A couple of years ago, I was able to participate in a management meeting with about leaders from across my company.  I have been in the corporate world well over 30 years and have experienced literally hundreds of events and experiences at those events.  However, there was an event at this meeting that impacted me personally more than any experience before or since.  We had a session with a professional orchestra led by Roger Nierenberg, the author of Maestro.  In this session, we were able to experience the key attributes of a good leader from the perspective of the conductor.  What made the experience amazing was that we actually sat in the orchestra beside and among the instrumentalists.  We were able to observe the conductor from the viewpoint of the instrumentalists and experience how his leadership as a conductor made the difference to the music.

There were several observations from this experience that have stayed with me even two years after the event.  Let’s take a look and see if these resonate with you either as a leader or member of a team with a leader.

The conductor (or good leader of people) must:

1. Have a vision for the end result – the conductor must have a good sense for what he/she plans to achieve in the end.  It is amazing how different a single score of music can be depending upon the vision and interpretation of the conductor.  Knowing where you want to go is critically important for a leader.  And, communicating that vision to your team will help them understand why you do what you do.
2. Be visible – the conductor must be visible to every musician in the orchestra.  Everyone must be able to see the conductor’s instructions for pace, volume, and energy.  In the same way, a good leader is visible to the team members.  Certainly, he/she must not be overbearing.  However, allowing every team member to routinely have contact with the leader is important to ensure you remain “on the same page”.
3. Understand the capabilities of the team – the conductor cannot ask for more than the individual or collective musicians are capable.  It is possible that a high school orchestra could play the same piece as a professional orchestra.  However, the conductor cannot ask for the high school musicians to play with the same level of competence as the professional musicians.  Knowing how much you can expect and when to stretch your team members is important to ensure that expectations from all parties align.
4. Work with team members individually – the conductor in our session spent some time with individual musicians refining and perfecting the approach or timing for certain elements of the piece.  This individual time was important to create the musical vision of the conductor.  As leaders, it is often important that we connect one-on-one with team members.  This will help ensure that we are aligned on vision, limitations, timing, hurdles, and approaches.  It also helps create a sense of partnership that is important for success.
5. Be emotionally connected with the team – the conductor must express the proper level of emotion into the musical piece as needed to obtain a good final result.  In our session, the conductor spent considerable time demonstrating his commitment to the process.  As leaders, we must invest in the team and the process.  Team members must see our personal commitment.  We must be personally involved if we expect a great result.
6. Blend the various parts into the end result – the conductor must spend time ensuring that the individual pieces and parts blend together well.  For example, we saw one demonstration where the violins were perfectly aligned as a subteam and played their part perfectly.  However, when they combined with the woodwinds, some time and effort was needed to ensure that they blended together well.  This blending process occurred throughout the orchestra until all were perfectly aligned and mixed.  The same occurs with our teams.  We cannot assume that if the individual parts perform well, the end result will be good.  We need to take the time to ensure that the efforts of one component are blending well with the others.
7. Deal with wrong notes – the conductor must not accept wrong notes.  Failing to deal with wrong notes or off-key violins will result in a bad final performance.  In the same way, leaders must not allow “wrong notes” to continue.  Whether these wrong notes are people, perceptions, performance, or processes, they must be dealt with – the earlier, the better.
8. Set the pace – the conductor alone sets the pace for the orchestra.  You can observe how the movement of a simple white stick can change the tempo from slow to fast to loud… just with the movement.  The good leader also sets the pace for the team.  The team members often look to the leader for hints on timing, objectives, etc.  Thus, good leaders must recognize this and re-set the pace and activities, when needed.
9. Motivate the members and team – the conductor was constantly praising members for good work.  This praise was contagious and led to a seemingly energized orchestra.  In the same way, good leaders recognize and acknowledge regularly the good work of his/her team members.  It is important for all of us that we feel that our efforts are important and valued.
10. Share the success of the team – the conductor was quick to praise his orchestra members in our session.  Sharing the team’s success is an important leadership attribute that is often forgotten.

At the end of this session, we were allowed to sit anywhere in the orchestra we wanted or to stand on the podium with the conductor.  The orchestra then played, concert-style, the entire piece that was used to illustrate the important elements of conducting and leadership.  It was an amazing experience to sit among world-class musicians playing this masterpiece by Mozart and observe how all the key leadership principles had driven the final result.  One of the movements played that day was Mozart’s No. 34, second movement which can be heard at the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecHh_aNNVxA

Have a magical day!  And, remember, this is the only day we’re promised.  If we get another day tomorrow, we’ll look at Lessons on Teamwork from the Orchestra.