Meeting Ben Stein

I had the supreme honor of meeting Ben Stein last night. No, I didn't win any of his money, but I got a good dose of his wisdom and charm. Ben was the keynote speaker at the Boise Chamber of Commerce Gala Dinner. I have to admit I've been a big fan of Ben ever since he uttered those famous words "Anyone?..... Beuller?" In Ferris Bueller's Day Off many years ago. But there is much more to Ben Stein. When he walked on stage and pulled out a large overstuffed brief case, removing an equally large bundle of papers, I was convinced it was a prop. Nope - this guy came prepared to deliver a lecture - and he blasted through those notes at a dizzying pace. Ben was not only entertaining, but spot on with his assessment of the current state of our economy, our political climate, and where this country's education programs need to go to once again to "Be all we can be". Ben has a home in northern Idaho, and he made it clear how much he "love love loves" Idaho, referring to the state as a sort of "club" that everyone wants to be a part of. He also made no bones about his love of this country, and our military. He poked fun at both political parties, but his resounding message was one of getting this country back to work (sound familiar?) and preparing our kids for those jobs that we desperately need to fill - not just pushing them through college for meaningless degrees. Afterwards, I went up to introduce myself and thank him. I figured I'd be lucky to get a polite "Hello". But to my surprise, Ben engaged an a lengthy conversation with me, asking about my military service, what I did, how long I served, what's like to serve on a submarine - "Did you get to fire the missiles?" It was an experience I will always cherish. He did that with everyone he met, genuine interest and compassion. He took a business card from a colleague of mine at Wyakin Warriors, removed his huge, packed, over-sized wallet and carefully placed it there as he questioned her about our organization. We stuck around for a bit, equally entertained by Ben's interaction with other guests and his interesting wardrobe selection - suit, tie, and black Keds sneakers. The guy is a class act, and if you ever get a chance to hear him speak - make the effort to meet with him and talk one-on-one. You'll be glad you did.

Lance Armstrong - Fraud or Persecuted Hero?

This is a sad day for the world of cycling - and competitive sports. Not because of anything that Lance did - but because of the witch hunt that he finally acknowledged is not worth fighting against. USADA has decided to ban him from sports and strip all his titles. Why? Did they prove anything? Nope. Did Lance admit to any wrongdoing? Nope. Has any shred of evidence been introduced showing him guilty of blood doping or drug use? Nope. He simply decided enough is enough. As he has stated over and over - he knows who won all those titles. His opponents know. The world knows. Enough said - he's moving on. He beat cancer. He has helped thousands, maybe millions, do the same. he has inspired us, motivated us, proven that winning simply means never giving up. Now, his critics want to jump on the band wagon and accuse him of quitting - so he must be guilty, right? It saddens me - because Lance has lost nothing. He walks with his head held high and sticks to his convictions. Yet, because of USADA's relentless efforts to discredit Lance, they have instead discredited the sport of cycling, shamed themselves, and called into question the very purpose of what they (USADA) do for sports. Seven Tour de France titles stripped from Lance? No - it's seven tours gone forever. The commentators of future tours won't even discuss this epic battles between Lance and his rivals - so those great athletes also lose - again - Ullrich (2000, 2001, 2003) Alex Zuelle  (1999), Joseba Beloki (2002), Andreas Kloeden (2004) and Ivan Basso (2005). Baseball greats who openly admit to using drugs in the past write books, make comebacks, and live the life of kings. Football doesn't even get touched - too much money at stake. Other sports? Who knows? Lance just keeps moving on - refusing to give in. he didn't quit. He already won - and he knows it. 

Remember the "look" when Lance won the 2001 Tour? It came in the 10th stage , with Armstrong and Jan Ullrich battling in the Alps in the first mountain stage. Out of the saddle, his toes pointed down as he danced on the pedals, Armstrong suddenly slowed and looked over his left shoulder, his eyes fixed on Ullrich's face for four or five seconds, seemingly challenging his chief rival to match the bold move. Armstrong then lit the afterburners, roaring alone toward the peak. Eight miles later, hehad gained two huge minutes on the 1997 champion, sealing his third Tour victory before the three-week race was half over.

That's exactly what Lance has done again. He turned around, looked USADA in the eyes, and moved on a clear winner. Way to go Lance. Keep riding.

Are you a Driver or a Passenger?

As I was walking out of the grocery store the other day I noticed a woman walking to her SUV. She clicked her remote and the rear hatch opened. Then she got in and the hatch closed by itself. She started the car and the seat belt engaged automatically. I'm sure her GPS, Bluetooth phone, climate control, seat adjustment, mirrors and everything else was done for her. We as a society are becoming mere passengers, not drivers, of our own vehicles. We chat with friends, surf the internet, text, and shop while our vehicles deliver us to our destination. We are oblivious to our surroundings. As a motorcycle rider, this kind of scares me as I traverse the roads. I have to be even more aware of my surroundings. In contrast to these "cagers", those of us that ride bikes have a totally different experience. We almost never start a ride without suiting up in proper protective riding attire. We do a safety check of our bike - tire pressure, lights, brakes, etc. We mount our bike and become one with a machine. Our legs are literally wrapped around the engine and our feet and hands are in complete control at all times. We adjust the mirrors, start the engine, and with every twist of the throttle, we feel the vibration of the engine, smell the gasoline that fuels it, and hear every tick, rattle, and hum that indicates the performance of our machine. We rely on our instruments to monitor speed and performance - no cruise control, no Bluetooth, no GPS. The motorcycle goes where we direct it at all times. Our lives depend on what we see, hear, feel, and control. As inherently dangerous as riding a bike can be, I feel safer in many ways because I am ENGAGED totally in the operation of the machine that transports me. I'm a RIDER, not a passenger. Why should driving a car or truck be any different? Turn off the phone. Put it away and pay attention to your surroundings, your instruments, and your actions. The life you save might be your own - or mine.

Wednesday Wisdom - Its not just medicine......

I worked two years for Thomas Cuisine Management here in Boise. TCM is a premier food management company, servicing over 50 accounts throughout the NW. Unfortunately, they do not service the St. Luke's healthcare system, where I went through a surgical procedere this week. The medical staff here is second to none, from my personal physician, to the nurses and surgical specialists, and of course the orthopedic surgeons. I wish I could say the same the about foodservice, another vtal component of the healing process. After a painful night following surgery, I was greeted with cold french toast and a warm smoothie. On my way to physical therapy tday, my lunch was dropped of at my room and was subsequently cold when I returned. Then when I ordered dinner (Chef's Salad, soup, pudding), my meal was delivered without a straw, or a fork, or the extra salad dressing I had ordered. I called room service and was assured my meal woud given priority. Over an hour later, after my nurse had rustled up utensils for me, the guy from room service finally showed up. Since I had already finished my meal, I asked the guy if he could take the empty tray for me. "No, we can't do that. Are you kiddin me? Kudos to TCM for keeping their standards high, treating their customers with respect, and setting clear expectations for their management team.

Wednesday Wisdom - Pulling Together

Pulling together – 10 Rules for High Performance Teamwork

From the book by John Murphy

Rule # 1 - Put the Team First

            High performance teams recognize that it takes a joint effort to synergize, generating power above and beyond the collected individuals.

Rule # 2 - Communicate Openly and Candidly

            To empower a team, begin by sharing information.

Rule # 3 - Be part of the Solution, not the Problem

            Effective teamwork requires that everyone leads and everyone follows from time to time, creating a powerful dynamic that invites proactive leadership.

Rule # 4 - Respect Diversity

            Healthy partnerships achieve a level of understanding beyond the norm, an almost uncanny ability to intuitively “read” each other’s minds.

Rule # 5 - Ask and Encourage the Right Questions

            The art of questioning is indeed a key leadership skill. It is a “pulling” technique, challenging people to think, to probe, to investigate, to challenge assumptions and to find answers for themselves.

Rule # 6 - Use a Rational Problem Solving Process

            Gather data, review the facts, and clearly define the problem. Then use logic and human impact analysis to make a decision, carefully weighing the pros and cons of ach option.

Rule # 7 - Build Trust with Integrity and Example

            Trust is a learned behavior, as is distrust, and it is a direct reflection of the team’s leadership.

Rule # 8 - Commit to Excellence

            High performance teams view honest mistakes as part of the learning process

Rule # 9 - Promote interdependent thinking

            Build for your team a feeling of oneness, of dependence on one another and of strength to be derived by unity

Rule # 10 - Pull the weeds

            Great teams also understand that life is full of choices – so pull the weeds and give everyone else some room to grow.

Wednesday Wisdom - Who Packs Your Parachute?

Who Packs Your Parachute?

My uncle Ray was a hero to me. He was one of those guys with just a high school education, working in a meat packing plant his whole life, yet still accomplished more than many in his lifetime. He survived a motorcycle crash when a drunk driver took him out, and he walked with a painfully severe limp the rest of his life – but it never seemed to stop him from enjoying life. He kept riding motorcycles. He became an accomplished pilot, frequently flying his plane from Illinois to Florida, navigating by following the East Coast Railway south, and then buzzing our house to let us know he was in town. He was a craftsman, able to do just about anything with his hands, I can remember him making intricate rings out of $20 bills and leaving them as tips for waitresses.  Wherever he traveled, he always had a smile and a kind word or witty joke for every person he met – and nobody was a stranger to him. Some of the best advice, words of encouragement, and examples of how to treat people I ever received, came from Uncle Ray - even though my visits with him were few and far between over the years. After he died I learned that he had survived the attack on Pearl Harbor while serving in the military as a parachute packer – one of those mundane jobs most people (except maybe skydivers) give little thought to - which reminded me of the following story about another guy who made a really big difference in someone’s life:

Charles Plumb was a US Navy jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience!
One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"
"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.
"I packed your parachute," the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!" Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."
Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, "I kept wondering what he had looked like in a Navy uniform: a white hat; a bib in the back; and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said 'Good morning, how are you?' or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor." Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent at a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn't know.


Now, Plumb asks his audience, "Who's packing your parachute?" Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day. He also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down over enemy territory - he needed his physical parachute, his mental parachute, his emotional parachute, and his spiritual parachute. He called on all these supports before reaching safety.
Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important. We may fail to say hello, please, or thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason. As you go through this week, this month, this year, recognize people who pack your parachutes.

So, who packs you parachute every day? Have you thanked them lately? And whose parachute are you packing in return, through words of encouragement, sound advice, and examples of leadership?

Wednesday Wisdom - How to Keep Your Best Employees Working Hard – For You

Staff turnover is not only time-consuming; it can also be costly. That's why it's important to retain your best employees. The key is to keep them motivated and engaged – here are a few tips on how to do just that.

Hire great people.

If you hire properly then developing, motivating and retaining staff is a less complex process. Once you have hired a great employee, developing his or her skills can only make them better.

Find out what motivates your staff.

Different people are motivated by different things. Some are motivated by dollars and cents, some by recognition, some by constant challenges and some by feeling that they are part of a team. Learn to recognize these "hot buttons," and push them to get the best out of each employee.

Always look inside your organization.

Employees who observe promoting from within will likely be more motivated; knowing they have an opportunity for advancement will inspire a good work ethic. Find the natural leaders within and ask them to train new employees. If you can't find them, ask your employees whom they respect most and assign them the training task.

Develop incentive programs.

Don't make it a contest - make everyone a winner. Set a target (i.e. sell a bottle of wine to 75% of your tables) and then reward everyone who achieves that target. Make the target easily achievable and measured.

Ensure your employees have all the necessary tools to do their jobs brilliantly.

This means not only the physical tools, but the intellectual tools as well. A well-trained employee with excellent product knowledge and confidence in his or her ability will be more productive.

Make sure your employees understand your vision and business philosophy.

Then train them in how to execute that vision. Your staff takes its lead from you. If you convey a positive and truly hospitable attitude, so will your staff. Someone who really enjoys their job will be more likely to stick around and that enjoyment will rub off onto others.

Constant feedback is essential in motivating employees.

Provide the staff with frequent performance reviews, both formal and informal. Most people in the hospitality industry are "people pleasers." Let that work to your advantage by providing feedback (both positive and negative) on a regular basis.

Remember that star employees need new challenges regularly.

Create a cross-training program, so that every employee is capable of jumping into any position at a moment's notice. A little variety from the daily routine can go a long way towards keeping the job interesting.

Create a team atmosphere.

Make everyone from the dishwasher to the general manager responsible for customer satisfaction and profitability. Let everyone share in the benefits of being part of a great team by creating bonus programs that are achievable, easy to understand and easy to measure. They should be paid out in a timely fashion, so that they do not lose their impact.

Treat all your employees with the dignity and respect.

There is no better employee than one who has a sense of worth and believes that he or she is doing a fantastic job.

Wednesday Wisdom - It's Your Ship

Several years ago I received this book from a colleague.  It completely changed my perception of how to lead. The story of Captain D. Michael Abrashoff and his command of USS Benfold has become legendary inside and outside the Navy. When Captain Abrashoff took over as commander of USS Benfold, a ship armed with every cutting-edge system available, it was like a business that had all the latest technology but only some of the productivity. Knowing that responsibility for improving performance rested with him, he realized he had to improve his own leadership skills before he could improve his ship. Within months he created a crew of confident and inspired problem-solvers eager to take the initiative and take responsibility for their actions. The slogan on board became "It's your ship," and Benfold was soon recognized far and wide as a model of naval efficiency. Abrashoff was inspired to develop his “Grassroots Principles of Leadership”. Most of these are common sense – the key is implementation. I highly recommend this book as a must read for managers and leaders – especially if you find yourself struggling with implementing change in your organization.

Grassroots Principles of leadership
Lead by Example
GrassRoots Leaders know they must first change their own attitudes and behaviors before expecting their crew to change.
Communicate Purpose and Meaning
GrassRoots Leaders help their crew understand (collectively and individually) how their work contributes to the success of the overall mission, as well as understand how that work supports the personal goals they have for themselves.
Create a Climate of Trust
GrassRoots Leaders trust and cultivate trust from their crew. Without trust, the barriers that prevent excellent performance will never be lowered.
Look for Results, Not Salutes
GrassRoots Leaders maximize performance by making their people grow. They succeed only where their people succeed.
Take Calculated Risks
GrassRoots Leaders know that taking prudent, calculated risks is instrumental in maximizing performance.
Go Beyond Standard Operating Procedure
GrassRoots Leaders look at standard operating procedure as a guideline, because SOP doesn't change as rapidly as the environment and competition does. Therefore, they foster a climate that encourages people to come up with better and more innovative ways to accomplish their mission.
Listen Aggressively
GrassRoots Leaders don't simply listen, they hear what their people are telling them. They know that those on the front lines are the most familiar with how operations can be more effective.
Strengthen Others
GrassRoots Leaders focus on making their people grow and creating an environment where everyone can win, thereby making the entire team stronger.
Generate Unity
GrassRoots Leaders work to not only change undesirable behaviors but to alter the underlying attitudes. By working toward a mutual respect for everyone, they level the playing field, permitting everyone to perform at their highest level.
Cultivate Quality of Life
GrassRoots Leaders actively integrate fun into the work experience. They want their crew to have as much fun from 9 to 5 as they do at home from 5 to 9; thereby, gaining the passion, enthusiasm and creativity that they usually lock in their car in the parking lot each morning.

From the book, “It’s Your Ship”, by Mike Abrashoff