Category Archives: Reality checks

August 5, 2014 · 11:33 am

You HAVE To Read It – It’s My Birthday – Again!

I realize that might be the most ridiculous post title ever but it happens to be true.  It’s also the post I wrote last year on this day.  I’m going to tweak it a bit to reflect that I’m a year older but in reading it again, I kind of liked it.

A picture of a birthday cake

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

OK, not that this is a must-read, but it is, in fact, my birthday.  Maybe there’s an attention whore living deep inside me although I suppose any of us who dump our thinking on to the World Wide Web have some of that.  In any event, birthdays are one of those occasions that prompt introspection.  My favorite author, Mark Twain, said that when he was a younger man he could remember anything whether it happened or not.  Much of what you read here is exactly that – what I remember or have figured out along the way.

I turned 59 today.  I’m not much of a numerology guy, but since today is 8/5 I thought I’d look up what meaning is associated with my birth date.  Apparently 5 is associated with freedom. “5” people seek change and adventure.  What stood out to me was that 5’s are naturally curious and are  constantly trying to find the answers to life’s questions (maybe there IS a reason I’m writing!).   5’s are very persuasive and excel at motivating people which makes them ideal candidates to become salesmen.  Given the early part of my professional life, that fits.

8’s are born with natural leadership skills. We’re very ambitious and goal oriented, with strong organizational skills and broad vision.  I don’t know how they figure this stuff out but I like the thought.  It also applies to what I’ve been doing for the last 5 years as a consultant.  Of course, one can add the 5 and 8 together and get 13, a lucky number in numerology.  For me, that applies as well: I’m fortunate to have my health, a great family, many friends and more close friends than to what one ought to be entitled in one lifetime.

Then there is my full birthdate number, including the year.  I’m a “33,” a “master number”, which is a big deal to numerology people:

Qualities: responsibility, consciousness, mysticism, compassion, indulgence. It provides: ability to worry about other people, resolution of conflicts. Goals: to bring a transformation to society.

I don’t have any big business thoughts today – I’m giving those a rest so I can enjoy the important stuff.  Yes, I’m working but I’m doing so with a smile on my face as I get Happy Birthday calls.  The hard part is holding this feeling for the other 364 days and the realities of business show themselves.  Hey – maybe there IS a business point today.  Thanks for reading – that’s a gift any day.

 

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August 4, 2014 · 10:17 am

Homework

One of the things you might hear at a college graduation party is “well, at least there is no more homework!”

English: Don't waste your time and do your hom...

English: Don’t waste your time and do your homework! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When I hear that I don’t have the heart to tell them that the past 16 years of homework they’ve done in school are nothing compared to that which they’ll probably need to do out in the real world. Let me explain.

I’ve written before about the critical skills one needs to learn in school.  In addition to the critical thinking skills I wrote about in that post I’d add the ability to do homework to that list.  After all, what is homework but independent research and preparation for what is about to happen in the next class?  In my mind even when the homework is review it’s making sure that the concepts the teacher was trying to instill have taken hold.  The very act of having the discipline to work outside of the class setting without a teacher looking over your shoulder is a great skill as well.

Fast forward to business.  I expect that when I walk into a meeting everyone in the room (assuming they know that I’m coming) have already checked me out thoroughly.  They’ve read some of the screed, they’ve checked my website, maybe they sampled my Twitter feed and they most certainly checked my LinkedIn profile.  If they haven’t, they haven’t done their homework.  I used to tell my team that if they walk into a meeting and don’t know the agenda, the questions that might be asked, the others around the table, and what they want to have accomplished as they leave the meeting they have not done their homework.  As an ex-teacher, not doing one’s homework puts you on my bad side.

There is nothing more annoying than having a salesperson begin a meeting asking what they can do for me or my organization.  Even worse is when they ask a lot of questions that could have been answered with 10 minutes of searches.  Everyone’s time is valuable and offering solutions and value based on having done your homework decreases the time needed for things to get done.  Doing one’s homework no matter on which side of the table one sits is a basic and critical business skill.  Is it one you’re using?

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July 18, 2014 · 8:09 am

Chef Pepin And Reality TV

Foodie Friday, and this week I read an article written by Jacques Pepin, one of my culinary idols, which serves as the basis for today’s screed.

English: Photograph of chef Jacques Pépin at A...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Writing for The Daily Meal, Chef Pepin took off after the antics commonly seen in “reality TV” kitchens.  You can read this piece by clicking through this link and it’s worth your time.  It seems as if his primary complaints were specifically addressed to “Hell’s Kitchen” and Gordon Ramsay although he never calls the latter out by name.  I think a fair amount of what he says is accurate and, for our purposes, applicable outside of the kitchen to other businesses.

His first issue is that the shows portray the restaurant kitchen in a chaotic and negative light.  Putting aside the fact that there is very little real about reality TV, it’s very difficult to show something on TV which isn’t actually happening.  The fault isn’t of the medium but of the person in charge.  The best managers with whom I’ve worked over the years will raise their voices and verbally kick someone in the butt, but generally the team runs efficiently and with minimal stress.  In every case they’ve been quite good at specifying what it is they expect in general and excellent at making the specific mission clear.  They were also superior teachers, making up for the staff’s lack of knowledge on a topic with guidance and patience.

Chef seems to love quiet in the kitchen, as he states “A real, well-run professional kitchen has dignity and order.”  I find quiet disquieting.  I like to hear the team interacting, bouncing ideas off one another and helping move the team forward.  Dignity always; order is more a controlled chaos.  After all, one needs to break a few eggs in order to create a soufflé.

This is my favorite part of the piece and something I think we all need to keep in mind in the broader business sense:

Julia Child used to say that you have to be happy when you cook for the food to be good, and you also have to be happy in the eating and sharing of the food with family and friends. Otherwise the gastric juices will not do their job and you won’t digest the food properly. I agree with her assessment. It is impossible to enjoy food when you’re angry and tense.

That’s really a key point today.  If you hate your job, whether you’re the lowest level employee or the boss, it will come out in your work.  The disorder of the kitchen or any other workplace is reflected in the final product.  If you’re running a team, maybe a little introspection is the seasoning your product needs.  If you’re a line cook and you’re that miserable, perhaps it’s time for a change.

Thoughts?

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