Why We Humblebrag About Being Busy

HBR offers a powerful argument on why we brag about how busy we are!  

We have a problem—and the odd thing is we not only know about it, we’re celebrating it. Just today, someone boasted to me that she was so busy she’s averaged four hours of sleep a night for the last two weeks. She wasn’t complaining; she was proud of the fact. She is not alone.  Read more by clicking the link below.
 

Why We Humblebrag About Being Busy

You've Got a Story ... Tell It.

Stories Are Better Than Statistics

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My purchase of a new vehicle started like any other ... some on-line research followed by a few test drives.  I visited three different dealerships and test drove an Accord, a Sonata, and a Verano.  Of the three vehicles, I certainly favored the Verano the least.  I quickly eliminated it from the running.

While visiting with a good friend the next day, he asked about my search.  I generically responded that I had tested a Honda, a Hyundai, and a Buick.  He excitedly asked if the model of the Buick was the new Verano.  His question wasn't that odd, but his sudden excitement was very peculiar.  When I confirmed it was indeed a Buick Verano, his giddiness soon became justified.  As an industrial designer, working for GM just a few years prior, his design concept was selected as the most fitting design for Buicks new car, and he was thus assigned as the lead designer for the Buick Verano project.

He quickly whipped out his smart phone and started swiping through his portfolio, showing me some of his original sketches and concepts.  It was pretty exciting.  All of a sudden, I actually knew the guy who was the lead designer of the Buick Verano (never mind I didn't like the vehicle that much ... initially)!

Almost immediately, we left to test drive the car one more time.  When we arrived to the dealership, my friend circled the car over and over, telling a new story with each lap.  And with each story, my opinion of the car started changing.  It was odd actually, but I started liking the car more and more.  During the drive, the stories from my friend improved, as did my vantage point.  The Verano quickly moved up in my ranking.  I bet you can't tell which car I purchased!  I was soon the proud owner of a vehicle I barely liked just days before. 

How did I go from almost hating it to owning it in less than a week?  I now had a connection, that's how.  And that connection was a result of some unrehearsed and impromptu stories from a close friend. 

This experience has had an unexpected, yet profound impact on me.  For instance, it has drastically changed the way we interview and hire candidates.  I soon realized that if I tell the right story, and I tell it the right way, I could get potential employees to fall in love with working for us before they showed up for their first day on the job. 

My company has a great story to tell.  A humble beginning.  Some struggles and successes.  Some relocations and expansions.  Some bizarre products, and some popular ones.  And some unique employee perks.  It wasn't hard to draft a story, and it was even easier to tell it.  As VP, I rarely got involved in the interview process.  But I specifically asked my HR department to include me from then on.  I personally sit down with each candidate, after they have passed a screening and an initial interview, for a one-on-one story time.  With all the optimism it deserves, I get to tell our story.

Along-side two HR professionals, I recently co-presented a workshop on employee engagement.  I felt completely out of place.  As an engineer, I felt I had no business sharing the stage with two seasoned HR Directors.  They presented some amazing ideas and principles, coupled with some impressive statistics.  It was then my turn to address the audience.  All I did was tell my story.  I was pleasantly surprised at how well my message was received ... and remembered.  After all, people remember stories far longer than they will remember statistics (there's probably a statistic to support this claim somewhere out there).   

We all have a story.  So, find yours and write it.  Then tell it.  You'll be glad you did.


 

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R. Dru Laws is Vice President of Seljan Company in Lake Mills Wisconsin, the Chair of the ARM (Association of Rotational Molding) Education Committee, a member of the ARM Board of Directors, and a global contributing editor to RotoWorld Magazine. Dru has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University, and an MSc in Polymer Engineering from the Queens University of Belfast.

Respectful Punctuality & Punctual Respect

When I was 13, while walking down the hall of our school, I bumped into the High School football coach, literally.  I must have made some kind of sarcastic remark to him, because his response to me is something I’ve never forgotten.  “Laws, you’re not going to like playing football for me with that kind of attitude.”  I’m sure I snorted at him and said something like, “whatever” as I walked away. 

Two years later, during tryouts, I still hadn’t forgotten our little conversation.  Neither had he.  In the following 30 seconds I learned two life lessons that I have never forgotten.  The coach walked up to me, looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Young man, my name is Coach or Sir!  And if you’re not five minutes early, you’re LATE.  YOU GOT THAT?” “YES SIR!” was my response then, and always has been from that moment forward.  Each time I heard him yell “Laws”, it usually meant more running, pushups, or other forms of training that a coach can devise to get their players into shape.  But that voice, his inflection, his tone have been forever burned into my head. 

I am now 48 years old and I have strived to live by the following two points my whole life, though I have admittedly failed at it more often than I can count.  Nevertheless, I have indeed tried. 

1. Give respect where it is due, and
2. Never be late. 

I may not have any quotes from current leaders to illustrate my point.  And I can’t tell you what books to read on the subject for further research.  I can’t quote any applicable songs or poems either.  But what I do have is numerous experiences that reinforce these principles.    Allow me to share just one:

I am a superintendent for a commercial builder and part of my job is to ensure that the subcontractors build to the specs provided by the architect, and do it per the schedule.  Knowing a bit about each of the building disciplines helps greatly.  It’s not always necessary, but being able to “speak” the language of builders is nice. 

Years ago, I was asked to run a job in southern Utah.  I was to oversee the construction of 16 buildings on 8 acres ... consisting of duplexes, 4-plexes, 12-plexes, 24-plexes, and one club house with a pool.  One of the more critical jobs that I had was scheduling inspections.  Usually 3 or 4 inspections were necessary each day.  The city procedure was to have all inspections called into the office by 2 pm each day in order to have it scheduled for the following work day.

I had made it a point to get to know the woman in charge of inspections at the city offices.  My goal was to get her to smile at me.  It took several weeks but eventually she and I became friends.  I would take her a diet coke with a twist of lime every time I would visit the office, and I always responded to her with either a “Yes Ma’am” or “No Ma’am”.  One day at the closing of the work day, I realized that I’d forgotten to call in the next days' inspection for a big underground compaction test.  I would NOT be able to pour concrete the next day without this inspection.  So I made the call.  “I know I’m late with this call but is there any way you could help me out? “  She responded “let me see what I can do.”  I heard her rustling some papers and then she said to me, “Roger, an opening just became available”.  As much relieved as I was surprised, I politely thanked her for her efforts before ending the call. 

I didn’t find out until much later how that opening had just appeared.  I was delivering the diet coke when a different office employee pulled me aside to tell me the rest of the story.  “Roger, she must really like you.  The other day when you called in your late inspection request, I watched her walk over to the pile of requests, rifle through them, grab one of the pieces of paper and say under her breath, ‘I really don’t like this guy’, and then put your request in at the head of the line.” 

I stood there stunned.  I can tell you, I certainly never missed a delivery of diet coke from that day forward.  I’m not convinced that it was the drinks that got me my last-minute inspection, although that helped I’m sure.  It was the continued respect that I gave her.  I believe that this kind of courtesy is so foreign these days that people just soak it up when it is given.  I really believe that.

Several years ago my wife and I were shopping in one of those super stores filling up our cart when we passed an elderly gentleman and his wife.  I didn’t think anything of it until I heard from around the corner, “LAWS!?”  My body tensed up and a small bead of sweat instantly ran down my back as I said, “YES SIR!”  It was great to see the man that had taught me the meaning of respect and punctuality.

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Roger D. Laws is a Commercial Construction Superintendent.  He has been a builder for the past 30 years.   His completed projects include many homes and basements, a Walgreens, a dentist office, a rehabilitation center, a community living center and many others.  He is an avid motorcyclist; touring most of the western half of the United States.  Father of 6 children and one son-in-law.  Roger has a B.S. in Technology Management from Utah Valley University.

The Influence of Character

Weekends often find me roaming the large aisles of the local mega-store.  I search and populate my giant cart with food for the week, along with other items needed to provide for my family (soap, house cleaning bottles, large amounts of water bottles).  I often linger near the technology sections where dozens of televisions are on display and I dream of watching the "big game" on those amazing TV's.  Reality sets back in and I check out with my normal items and head out of the store.  Recently I was amazed at the amount of television sets being returned.  It's as if there was a fluke epidemic of broken TV sets in my town.  It then dawned on my that the Super Bowl had just aired during the past week.  This piqued my interest and so I slowed to a standstill and listened to the reasons that people were returning their high end, high definition TV's.  I was, sadly, not surprised to hear people claim that the TV's didn't fit in their room (as if they didn't know that the 80" was too large for their small apartment before they purchased).  Other claimed damage to the TV.  One gentlemen simply said, in an honest tone... I used it to watch the big game and can't really afford it... (I am paraphrasing).  His response; honest in word, reminded me of a quote I heard many years ago.

"Character is the ability to follow through on a decision after the emotion of making the decision has passed."  -Marion D Hanks

Who isn't excited about a new car? How about the new TV set? What about weightier decisions like buying a new home or making the decision to diet or quit smoking?  Or weightier yet, getting married?  All of these commitments bring with them differing amounts of emotion at the onset that are quickly muted by the reality of our commitment.  Let's take dieting as our example.  Who of us hasn't made the January 1st commitment to lose weight or exercise more?  Many of us have even gone as far as to purchase gym memberships as part of our new commitment.  Perhaps we've even purchased expensive diet plans to boot.  Now, how many of us last on this commitment to the end of January?  Heck, who of us lasts until January 5th?

How does this same quote apply to us in business?  My brother said to me while we were discussing business, "DuVall, There is no shortage of quitters in this world. We are in desperate need of finishers."  Finishers are those with high character, those who aren't driven by emotion but by commitment and resolve. 

So, Do You Have Character?  Here is a self-assessment:

• Do you finish what you start - even when no one is measuring your results?
• Do you do the hard things to ensure your deliver on your commitments
• Do those around you have confidence (through experience) that you will do what you say, even when it's hard, even when the criteria (environment) changes?

To help frame these questions, consider the following story.  My wife and I have some dear friends who purchased a home prior to the recent economic crisis.  Their home was devalued by hundreds of thousands of dollars and they were left "holding the bag".  They worked with their lender to lower the interest rate, but they have NEVER missed a payment.  You see, they agreed to pay a debt (even though the environment changed) while others around them lacked character and simply abandoned their debt (even though they could have paid).  These people, in my mind, pass the character test.  Do you?

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DuVall J Laws is the Director of Information Technology at Partners In Leadership. DuVall has managed in the Insurance, Banking, Healthcare and Leadership Training Industries.  DuVall holds a B.S. in Information Systems from Utah Valley University and an M.B.A from the University of Redlands.

3 Leadership Qualities We All Need!

To say I was nervous is an understatement!  

 It was my first day with a new company and I was asked to meet with the President/CEO.  I waited outside his office, anxiously awaiting my first meeting with “the man”.  His door opened and he invited me in with a friendly smile.  

I quickly surveyed the office and was surprised by what I saw.  Many of the offices in the building were lavishly decorated and had the newest a most corporate looking furniture that could be found.  These other offices were occupied by middle managers and even some VP level folks. One of the offices even had a hydraulic desk that would allow the occupant to stand or sit depending on his mood and comfort level for the day.  This CEO’s office was different.  I remember it vividly.  His desk, was an old, but sturdy, conference table, his single monitor was a small 17” screen propped up on 2 unused phone books to provide a more ergonomic fit.  His chair was the same as every front-line worker in the office (probably something that could be found at office depot for $30 bucks or so).

I don’t recall the specifics of our first meeting, but I do remember the thoughts and feelings I had when I left his office.  I recall 3 specific things that day that I learned about great leaders.  Before I get to the 3 things I’d like to add that my CEO, now friend, Rick Porritt was, on that first day and ever since, a model of a great leader.  Here are the 3 items I learned that day about leadership:

1. Things/Tools/Brands don’t make a leader – Rick wasn’t interested in the newest, fanciest technological tools nor the creature comforts that often time associate with C Suite leaders.  Rick was concerned about the people that worked beside him.  Our meeting was nothing more than a check-in with a new employee.  He was cordial, kind and accepting.  He understood that a name-plate with the title CEO on it doesn’t bestow leadership but rather leadership and is what created the opportunity for him to become a CEO.
2. Humility provides a medium for leadership – Rick, to me, demonstrated his inner humility on that first day and every day thereafter.  He truly wanted to know my opinion and more importantly let me work to resolve my own issues.  He didn’t have the need to dictate actions, but provided direction and a listening ear which has made him and those around him very successful.
3. Time matters – Each employee really wants to talk and bounce ideas off of their leaders.  Rick, although very busy, ensured that he met with each employee on a regular basis.  He believed and lived the principle that every employee matters and deserves my time.

I am grateful for my “first visit” with Rick.  In those few minutes I learned a great deal about leadership and what it requires.

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DuVall J Laws is the Director of Information Technology at Partners In Leadership. DuVall has managed in the Insurance, Banking, Healthcare and Leadership Training Industries.  DuVall holds a B.S. in Information Systems from Utah Valley University and an M.B.A from the University of Redlands.