Never deify anyone

 

We have our idols. They represent ideals we believe in. We wish we could be more like them. They inspire and encourage us. But it is important we do not deify them. When we do so, we set unrealistic expectations, we become blinded in many aspects, and we set ourselves up for frustration. 

In the past few years I started working with a manufacturer based in China. From the get-go I was highly impressed with their speed and professionalism. The quality was top-notch, and the price was good. They certainly earned a high Net Promoter Score from me. However I am grateful I stayed grounded and never assumed perfection. For one of our projects, I detected an error which would have resulted in disaster had it not been identified and fixed before mass production. No one is infallible. By staying real, we completed that project together successfully. 

Admire, respect, and learn from the people we meet, but do not deify them. Is there someone whom you deify without realising it? 

Growth mindset and fixed mindset comes down to just one thing

 

Are you able to or willing to change?

The term "growth mindset" sometimes sounds rather cliche. After hearing so many different people talk about it, we conveniently lump everything good to a growth mindset, and everything bad to a fixed mindset. We start to lose grasp of what these two terms actually mean. By framing the growth mindset as a simple question - "are you able to change?", we understand these are what it means. We can be wrong, and we are ready to learn. We can continue to improve and do better. We may not have the answer to a problem now, but we can work on finding a solution. When you are ready to change, you are ready to grow. 

Managing team morale through hardship

As a business leader, how do you maintain team morale when the going is tough?  

Tell your team they always have the option to quit the job and look for something else. People are demoralised when they feel they have no choice. However, at work we always have a choice, just that sometimes we don’t realise it. Or that choice is uncomfortable. When you realise you have a choice, you are more empowered and you want to make your choice work. If you consciously choose to stay at a tough job, you put things into perspective. You know your why. If you choose to leave, that’s a liberation too. 

In tough times, choose to do what you can, instead of just being a victim of circumstances. There is always something to be gained. At worst you learn how to survive a bad situation. 

As a leader, don’t be afraid to be candid with your people.

How to get old timers to change?

 

Many leaders struggle with this. An old-timer can be someone you recruited and has been with the company for 10 years. It can be someone your predecessor recruited and has been around for longer than you. Some old-timers are resistant to change. Some are unable to change. There is no one-size-fit-all answer, but here are some considerations. 

1. Gain enough trust before trying to convince old-timers to change. Do not undervalue their experience or skills. Have candid discussions about the need for change and seek their input. 

2. Can you change the organisation without changing these old-timers? Sometimes the effort of changing people's minds is higher than building new alternatives. Work on something you have control over. 

3. Take a clear stance, communicate it, and follow though. Many changes fail because we fear upsetting the harmony and we end up going with the flow. When change is necessary for an organisation to survive, those who can change will grow with the organisation. Those who can't or won't will eventually exit. 

Why many companies fail at defining their core values

 

Imagine those core value posters, with keywords like Integrity, Respect, and Customer First. Not that they are wrong, but when core values are defined as such, they are not helpful. No company aspires to NOT have integrity. When defining core values, we must test them against dilemmas our employees will face on a day to day basis. It is when they are guided to resolve everyday dilemmas that we build our organisation culture. 

Imagine you work at a creative company. You have started work on a piece of art. Do you show it to your supervisors and colleagues now, so that you can get their feedback and course-correct early if necessary? Or is this going to take up everyone's time unnecessarily since your work is still early-stage? At Pixar, they have one clear principle - show your unfinished work. If you work for Pixar, you know clearly what to do. 

Frame your core values through dilemmas, and you will build your organisation culture more effectively. 

The employee's dilemma - why work so hard to make money for other people?

 

One important thing we need to realise as employees is we are NOT working for other people. We are working for ourselves. We work not only for the salary. If we think the salary is the only thing we work for, then of course we would feel any extra effort we put in is only further enriching the shareholders and we don't get anything more. We work for ourselves, because what we learn, and who we become, belong to us. No one can take that away from us. By doing our job well, we increase our value, and that's something we own, not our bosses. 

If you are a boss, this above seems like the perfect motivational speech to give your employees to get them to work harder for you. By all means share this with your staff. Just remember to appreciate the value of your people, and reward them fairly. When employees can grow professionally and are appreciated, they will work harder WITH you. 

Your last words

 

Five years ago, I wrote my last words. It was a long letter, meant to be found and read after I am gone. In it I wrote things I'd like to tell people I care about in that moment when I have just left this world. That letter is meant for my family and friends, but it is also meant for me. When I think through what I want to say, and what is still important at that point in time, it helps me put many things into perspective. 

When you know how you will die, you know how you will live. 

Every year, I take out this letter. I read it and I revise it. Then I put it away for next year. It is my little executive retreat. A reset. A meditation.  

Sorry this is a sombre topic on a New Year's Eve. So I attach a silly photo of me, which somewhat represents my take on life. Don't take it too seriously. 

Happy New Year!