by Shawn | Jun 22, 2021 | Podcast
Twice recently I was invited to a meeting via email. The invitation had a title for the meeting, but there was no further information about the reason for the meeting.
Please don’t do this. I’m begging you on behalf of your team members.
Whether it’s a meeting you’ve planned or an email that’s not telling the whole story or something visual you’ve posted.
Lack of information is costing you.
It’s costing you and your team time, because people want to know what the meeting is about. Their time is valuable and they don’t want to commit to something that maybe they could skip and answer questions about instead.
It’s costing you and your team morale. It’s just defeating to read an email or get a meeting invite or see some posting on a wall that is missing key information that could have been added but wasn’t. Some people will do the extra work to try to find out the missing details. Others will just try to fill in the blanks themselves. Some will just chalk it up to more miscommunication.
Every time anyone in your organization is going to print something or plan a meeting or send an email, make it the company norm to do a 15 second review before they send or have someone else look at it. You could have designated proofreaders and even if they are remote from each other they could do a quick screenshare and catch each other’s missing info.
Bottom line is that things like this seem small but can cause a lot of hidden issues that you may never see.
And the worst part is they’re usually preventable.
So, next time you’re going to send out a meeting invite and it’s just called “changes” with no more description… you might want to elaborate on that before everyone goes nuts.
Thanks for listening to today’s episode. If you’ve been enjoying these one of the best thing you can do is tell a fellow entrepreneur or business leader. You spreading the word helps me help more people. Thanks so much.
by Shawn | Jun 21, 2021 | Podcast
One thing I’ve found over the years when it comes to implementing continuous improvement or problem solving in our companies is that there is only so much you can design or plan for without jumping in and just doing it and learning as you go.
I was reminded of this as my daughter and I worked on installing a very important feature into her room today.
A zipline.
Well… a zipline for her stuffed animals.
OK, originally it was supposed to be a zipline for her dolls… but it evolved.
It was a fun project. We started with some plastic hangers that she got from her flip flops. From there, I created a few harnesses out of electrical wire to attach to the hangers and hold the passengers.
The nice thing is that there are a few hooks already in her ceiling. So our first prototype was going to go from one of the hooks partway across the room.
I couldn’t find string I was looking for so I used some fishing line.
Then we finally had the harness, the line and the first passengers. Her two dolls.
So, we got the dolls into the harnesses and she raised one up to put it on the line.
We broke the line.
No problem. We learned a few things. First, we’d need lighter passengers. Second, we decided to route the zipline differently for a better route.
Second attempt involved a zipline with a slight slope (though not a ton) and a few stuffed animals.
When we placed the first one on, it only went about a third of the way down the line. You could push it but it still just stopped.
So, I cut it off and found a new place to route the line to. Revision 3.
This time, more out of the way than the first two, better angle and lighter passengers. We got a few strapped in and I let my daughter place the first one on the line. It zoomed down the line with flair and we both smiled.
This was it. It took us a few iterations but we got it.
The thing is, we never would have gotten to that point without actually just getting in there and trying things out.
So, if you or your team find yourself stuck on a project or issue this week, be willing to stop planning or meeting or discussing and just try something. There is a momentum that only comes when you jump in and explore.
And often, you save yourself a ton of time because you find something out that changes the whole equation. For us, it was the weight of the dolls. We could have spent so much time customizing our harness and the zipline to be exactly for the dolls and then later found out that they were just too heavy.
Instead, we found out at the beginning and were able to shift our focus.
Hope this helps you and your team this week. And if you’re up for it, look for ways to add a zipline to your office while you’re at it.
Thanks for listening to today’s episode. If you’ve been enjoying these one of the best thing you can do is tell a fellow entrepreneur or business leader. You spreading the word helps me help more people. Thanks so much.
by Shawn | Jun 18, 2021 | Podcast
Today, we revisit our Ode to the Office series. If you’ve missed past episodes, we did Odes to Sticky Notes, Coffee Brewers, Zoom Meetings, White Out and the Undo Button.
This one is a little different though. For one, it will be a little bit broader than just work. For another, it is a little more on the serious side. So sorry about that.
Today we offer up an Ode to Change.
Personally, there has been a lot changing in my life. At work. At home. Change can be good. And change can also throw us some curveballs. We all experience change in life. In various forms and at various times. It’s one thing that’s guaranteed in life so we better learn how to not only deal with it but also prepare for it and grow from it.
Well, we could talk about it all day, but I’d rather just jump into today’s ode.
Ode to Change
You come to us all as we walk through each day
There’s no one outside of your reach
You tell us to move when we’d rather stay
For there’s something that you’re trying to teach
Familiar is good and it’s peaceful and calm
We could stay here forever, we feel
But you nudge us and prod us and move us along
As a new path is slowly revealed
The footing is rocky, not firm like we’d like
As we take steps into the unknown
Our vision is dim like a wet foggy hike
But we follow the path that we’re shown
Some change can be painful, with loss by its side
There’s an ache and a longing that’s there
And though things may look great to those on the outside
On the inside a heart is laid bare.
Sometimes we’re stuck between life that is stable
And a landscape that’s different and new
But each time we change we learn that we are able
To grow and to boldly walk through
So thank you, our friend, for refining and molding
Our lives as you stretch us once more
We may not have asked for the plans that you’re holding
But there’s so much that you have in store.
Take a listen and then shoot me your thoughts on Instagram at @shawnwashburn7 or via email at shawn@shawn.washburn.com
by Shawn | Jun 17, 2021 | Podcast
The other day I was trying to get a close-up picture of something in my hand. The trouble was that my phone thought that the background looked more interesting than what I was holding so it was focusing on the background.
I had to move around a few times until I finally had just a plain boring floor behind the object. It was only then that my phone apparently gave up and focused on what was in my hand. To my phone’s credit, when it focused on the right thing, it took a really good, detailed picture.
As I was standing there wrestling (and honestly having an intense conversation with my phone), it occurred to me that this same principle is so true of us as well.
There is the great concept out there of multitasking. Some people say it’s actually impossible because on a micro level our brains are actually just switching back and forth between tasks at a speed that makes it seem like we’re going multiple things at once when we really aren’t.
Then there are those that say that we shouldn’t multitask while others look for ways to maybe use technology to do more things at once and be as efficient as possible.
Bottom line is that when it comes to really being able to crank out good, valuable work… focus is the key. Especially if you are more on the ADHD side of things like yours truly.
It’s funny. Thoughts and ideas sometimes seem like fruit flies. When I’m not trying to focus on anything, they stay hidden. But as soon as I begin to focus, they come out of the woodwork and swarm my head like fruit flies drawn to an overripe banana.
And trying to focus on a task or email or design or concept when there are all of those other things mudding up your background is just like that camera that couldn’t stay trained on the main thing.
We need to be able to clear out that clutter before we can do our best work.
I wonder what that looks like for you. How do you clear out the background noise to be able to focus on the critical tasks?
For me, I try to “kill off” each of those fruit fly ideas by writing them down on a post-it or note pad or task app as quickly as I can and then knowing that I won’t forget them and can go back to what I’m working on at the moment.
Sometimes music can help me focus. But, at least for me, it depends on the task. If it involves writing, the music can’t have words… or I’ll get drawn right off the path again. But I have found that music can help my mind stay on track and somehow drown out the background.
I’m always looking for better ways to do things and would love your thoughts on this. You can find me on Instagram at @shawnwashburn7 and shoot me a message there or email me at shawn@shawnwashburn.com. Have a great day and stay focused!
Take a listen and then shoot me your thoughts on InstagramInstagram at @shawnwashburn7 or via email at shawn@shawn.washburn.com
by Shawn | Jun 16, 2021 | Podcast
It’s amazing what happens when we get ALL of the details.
One little detail can clear up a ton of confusion, can save a lot of money or time, can change a conversation, can make a decision easier.
Recently I had some trouble with my son’s car. Some exhaust trouble.
OK, so, maybe trouble isn’t the right word. It’s more like two words. Falling off.
Just a little back story. This is a really old car that has been a good beater car for him but with the age comes things like exhaust pipes giving out.
So, after I had him pull it into a parking lot I was able to go back to it with some coat hangers and at least get everything off the ground and drivable until we could get it repaired.
So, I dropped it off at a repair shop and they called me the next morning with a quote to repair it. Let’s call that quote Super High Price A. I decided to get a second opinion so I took it to my brother-in-law who does auto repair (but was already working on another one of our vehicles).
He took a look and gave me a quote as well. Let’s call that quote More Resonable Quote B.
Now I expected some difference in prices but in this case it was pretty extreme. And it wouldn’t have made sense except for one small detail. The first place doesn’t do any welding. My brother-in-law does.
So, the first place was going to need to replace the whole exhaust system. My brother-in-law was able to repair and patch the pipe.
Details are crucial in the workplace as well.
In our organizations, details can affect both our people AND our processes
I’m sure you’ve seen it happen. Miscommunication. Assumptions. A customer interaction gone wrong. Poor quality product or service. Disgruntled team members. Strained relationships.
Often all just a result of a single, seemingly small detail.
So, it’s really important to cultivate a culture where all the details matter and it’s OK to risk overcommunicating in order to make sure that no crucial details are left out.
If you tell someone something that they already know, they can say “yep” and go on to the next thing.
But if you assume they should know it or a word or step was left out, that’s when the problems start.
Encourage your people to think outside the box when it comes to filling in details. Maybe it means taking a picture or a screenshot or a video to capture something important that others might miss.
You never know what missing detail is going to come back and bite you.
As for my son’s car? It’s running great and I’m thankful to have had all the details.
Then reach out to me on Instagram at @shawnwashburn7 and shoot me a message to let me know what you thought!
