Business as Unusual

I was visiting with some colleagues last week and someone commented about business as usual.  My response was, it's, "business as unusual".  We announced a merger two weeks ago which is expected to close mid-year.  Until closing we need to continue to profitably conduct business while also working through merger planning.  Ours is a unique situation that causes everyone in the franchise to assess what and how we are doing things.  However, it's advantageous for everyone in any organization to consider conducting business as unusual.  If we continue to do the same things we can expect the same or diminished results.  To remain competitive as a business or relevant as a non-profit, we must continually assess the best ways to achieve the results we want.

Brad McCoy's Leadership Lessons

Brad McCoy was the featured speaker at the recent Touchdown Club Sterling Bank Sportsmanship luncheon.  Three key points he made are:

• Prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child
• Coaches (and other leaders) don't have the luxury of bad days
• No organization can rise higher than the constraints imposed by its leadership

Sportsmanship

Though we all care about winning, we experience both wins and losses on the playing fields and in life.  What distinguishes life's real winners is the way they play the game.  Life's real winners are those who compete well, enjoy the experience, exhibit self-control and play fairly by the rules when winning or losing.

Transforming Lives at DePelchin Children's Center

DePelchin Children's Center has been an important part of my volunteer life for the past decade.  This remarkable organization, founded in 1892, is now in its 119th year of transforming lives.  It's easy to see how the children who receive counseling, foster care, adoption or residential treatment are positively impacted.  But the transformation doesn't end there.  The lives of the talented, dedicated staff delivering services and committed volunteers sharing their talents are also transformed. 

Accepting Compliments

I am fortunate to be surrounded by people who are continuously achieving promotions, awards and milestone accomplishments.  It's interesting to observe the different ways that they receive the congratulations and praise bestowed by interested, excited family members and friends.  At a minimum a heartfelt thank you is needed.  When it is appropriate to acknowledge the significance of the praise, that makes the other person happy too.  For instance, "I've always admired you, so your acknowledgment is ever so meaningful."  Or letting the other person know, "You've made my day!" assures them that the circle of goodwill is working well.  Though we've been taught not to toot our own horns too loudly, we must remember when we deflect or dismiss the sincere congratulatory wishes of others, we risk deflating our well-wishers and we miss the opportunity to have our accomplishments elevated by others. 

Special Sparkle

We all know the saying that "all that sparkles is not gold".  But there are so many special human things that sparkle, beyond gold: personalities, smiles, accomplishments, expectations, special events and memories.  And nature's full of sparkle: icicles, dew, raindrops, stalactites, quartz, sunsets on water and fish scales.

We often find what we seek, and when we look for special sparkle, we find that it's everywhere.

Teaching

Some incredible teachers have made an enormous impact on my life and on my children's lives.  Last night Julia accepted the offer to become a member of the Teach for America 2011 Corps.  The impact that she will make will be remarkable.  She approaches every new challenge with great gusto and always succeeds.

How fortunate we are that bright, motivated and accomplished TFA scholars choose to join the ranks of career teachers to help give more children a chance for their brightest future.

So many lives will be enriched by Julia and her fellow Corps members

Everthing's Connected Across the Globe

I got a text message yesterday from an unknown number with an odd query.  I rarely text (email and phone calls are my preferred methods of communicating) and thought this might be some scam.  It took a few queries to determine that a dear friend from Houston was using a different number while traveling to Paris and had met someone from my hometown of Batesville, AR. She correctly suspected that we knew one another.  These are the only two people I know who are currently in Paris - and amazingly they met.  I see my Houston friend frequently and had not seen my Batesville connection in many years, though my Dad hunts with her brother and nephews and my Mom is in PEO with her sister-in-law. 

Though years and miles intervene, amazing connections are made every day.

Athleticism is Transferable and Attitude is Double Black Success

Athleticism is transferable and attitude is double black success.  Gar spent his three week January senior internship as a volunteer ski instructor to help differently abled youth learn skills and enjoy the ski experience.  His excitement about the entire experience has been contagious.  His last run down the mountain before heading home was double black.  Since I'm not a skier, I didn't even know until Friday that there was a difficulty designation beyond black.  And as his mother, that ignorance prior to his successful run, was bliss.

The most remarkable thing is that prior to January 2, he had never even tried on a pair of skis.  Because he's naturally athletic, I hoped that they'd teach him enough skills in orientation to be effective and remain interested.  Gar embraced the entire adventure with a double black success attitude. 

We often need to be reminded that our multiple skills are transferable.  We need to apply them with a double black success attitude.

It's Not About Me

I recently read a book that's not a biography, but it is all about the author.  It's a vanity book with a few glimmers of things we should embrace.  I'm Queen of Cliff Notes and think that we should always make it easy for others to understand what is most important.  When we make it difficult for others to realize our intent, purpose or meaning, they may just give up.  When the message is focused toward the audience rather than the messenger, it's easier to maintain interest.

It's another vivid reminder that in face to face encounters the 2:1 ratio should be in effect: use our two ears to intently listen twice as frequently as we use our one mouth to speak. This allows relationships to grow as we learn more of what's important to others.

Drink Your Own Kool-Aid

One of my friends actively encourages others to blog, but she has not been posting to her own blog.  I reminded her yesterday that she can be a more effective adviser if she drinks her own Kool-Aid.  We all can.  It's easier for others to do as we say if they also see us do what we're advocating.

Can't wait to read her next post!

Making Life Great

We all know that we need to set goals, exercise, eat right and get enough sleep.  We also need to look for ways to make things fun, interesting and less stressful.  In preparing for a speech I'll deliver later today, I penned this rhyme to focus on specific ways to make life great.

Look for things to celebrate

Be productive while you wait

Respect others – don’t be late

Every day clean your slate

Make something special you create

Be of value – earn your rate

Keep on learning – educate

Improve relations – communicate

Look forward – anticipate

Be decisive, don’t hesitate

Count your blessings – appreciate

Know yourself – evaluate

Best is best – calibrate

Fold your super woman cape and liberate

Embrace Change

I've spent the past 5 years of my career with Sterling Bank.  It's an amazing organization with bright, dedicated associates who are all referred to as bankers.  We know that our goal is to help Texans prosper. 

Yesterday, we announced that Comerica is acquiring us.  There seems to be a terrific strategic, geographic and cultural fit in merging the organizations.  The deal still requires shareholder and regulatory approval and is expected to close mid-year, with the transition to the new organization completed by late 2011.

There are always many unknowns when we face a major change, but embracing the possibilities is the best way I've found to help myself and others through the change process.  Though I don't know what I'll be doing professionally this time next year, I know the journey will be exciting. 

Winning with Bleak Starts

I'm sometimes tempted to end an online game of Hearts when I find myself seemingly hopelessly behind.  But, quitting isn't in my nature, so I persevere.  Recently, I had a horrible start and was still in 4th place after 8 hands.  Perseverance paid off.  By the 9th hand, I was in 3rd place.  I'd risen to 2nd place by the 10th deal.  Sticking with the game was worth it.  I won in the 12th hand. 

Though it's just a game of cards, Hearts reminds us:

• Never give up
• A fast start doesn't guarantee a win
• The favorite may not have staying power
• Persistence is one of our greatest strengths
• It's fun to be a winner!

Simple Cardboard Box

I've recycled countless cardboard boxes, but I've kept and used one small cardboard box since at least 1995.  I received an order of contacts in this box at least 17 years ago.  It's the perfect, compact size for storing my lenses.  And it allows me to ink the date that I change my contacts so that I don't have to remember when I opened my latest pair.  The dates have worn on the top left section of the box and the first detectable dates begin in 1995.  The top, bottom and each side of the box are now covered with dates and I've started over on the top left where the dates earlier than 1995 have worn away.  It's an odd chronology of the things I've seen through the years.  There's even one date, larger than the others, in Julia's distinctive childhood writing.

This simple cardboard box is a reminder to me that perfect takes many forms.

Little Things Matter

In his new book, Little Things Matter, Todd Smith shares 100 simple and practical ways to improve our lives. He vividly demonstrates that the big things in life are a series of little things. His advice is applicable for any age and stage of life. And he has a blog of the same name, LittleThingsMatter.com.

A friend who commented positively about my blog told me about Todd several months ago and I've been enjoying his posts ever since.  In December, I mentioned his blog while giving a presentation.  One of the audience members told me after the speech that he'd just published a book.  I continue to enjoy the tremendous ways that everything is connected. She told Todd that I'd promoted his blog at this forum and he sent a note of thanks with a copy of his book.  Todd lives in Sarasota, Florida; the woman who connected us lives in San Antonio and I'm in Houston. 

Task List

In a meeting this week, one of my co-workers extolled the virtue of using Microsoft Outlook tasks to provide a single, visible to do list.  I'm a fanatic about putting all of my appointments in my Outlook calendar, so it made sense to further consolidate my activity view.  This is only day two, and it's a long weekend, but I'm cautiously optimistic that this may be just the tool I've needed to simplify my life.

Name Tags

Name tag sentiment runs the gamut from necessity to nicety to nuisance. I'm surprised by the number of folks I encounter who don't realize that name tags should be placed on the right so that it is easily seen when shaking hands.  This visual reinforcement of a person's identity allows us one more chance to remember their name.

The best name tag innovation is the magnetic name tag holder.  It securely attaches, doesn't damage fabrics the way that adhesives and pins do and it's reusable. 

100 to 0 in 10 Seconds

Have you ever noticed how your positive attitude can go from 100% to 0 in 10 seconds when you're angry? Unfortunately we can't get back to 100% nearly as quickly.   However, a few simple steps can speed the process:

• Letting it go - Decide what can be done and take action, or at least begin the process.
• Reframing - In the scheme of things, how important is this?
• Laughing - It's hard to stay angry when we can find something to laugh about!
• Moving on to the next positive activity - Changing our focus to something important and engaging that we need to do diffuses the the negativity and creates another positive focus.

Short Term Loan from a Friend

Yesterday, I attended the Greater Houston Partnership annual meeting with over 1000 others.  The luncheon was at the Hilton Americas Hotel, a lovely venue I've been to many, many times.  Ninety-nine percent of the time I choose the self-park option.  I was arriving a few minutes later than I'd anticipated due to an impromptu meeting with my boss.  My instincts said that valet parking would be quicker. They would park my car immediately and I guessed that the wait to retrieve my car wouldn't be onerous because I'd be networking rather than racing to the exit.  Both of these assumptions were correct.  But the most important aspect of this decision was my missing wallet. 

I entered the arriving valet line just behind some friends.  The hotel offers the option to pay for parking as you enter to avoid a line at the end of the event.  When I stepped into line behind my friends, I was horrified to realize that my wallet wasn't in my handbag. (The great news I discovered in the evening was that my wallet was in my home office where I'd accessed it early in the morning.)  I had $6 tucked in the pocket of my bag and had a $14 valet parking bill to pay.  Fortunately, one of my friends came to my rescue with a short term loan.

Though it's always terrific to have friends rescue us, the bigger message is to trust our instincts.  There's often a reason for a change of routine. 

The Rest of the Story

I had the opportunity last evening to attend a special preview screening of a PBS documentary that will air nationally on January 17 - After the Wall - A World United.  Eric Stange, the writer/director gave introductory comments and answered questions after we'd viewed the film.  President Bush and Barbara were expected, but a severe cold prevented their appearance.  Secretary James A. Baker,  who was prominently featured in the film, was present and provided illuminating commentary. 

The world watched, in fascination, as the Berlin Wall fell.  However, we discovered last night that many of us had failed to follow the story after this historic moment.  The film allows us to grasp the significance of the remarkable diplomacy demonstrated during the following 10 months,  that led to an incredibly speedy reunification of Germany.

This vividly reminded me that we need to listen attentively and observe carefully after any significant personal, corporate, community or world event so that we don't miss the important rest of the story.

Customer Service is Delivered by Individuals

I had the opportunity to experience very different levels of customer service at two locations of a retailer with over 1000 North American locations.  My guess is that corporate hopes that all locations deliver the level of service that I experienced at my second stop.  My goal was to acquire 50 frames for an upcoming recognition event.  I've purchased hundreds of these frames during the past few years.  On-line purchase is not an option, but I've never had a problem getting the quantities needed because there are 3 stores within fairly close proximity to my home and office.  Perhaps my post-Christmas timing was the problem for this event.  My closest store had only 9 frames.  Their attempts to call the two other stores closest to me yielded 5 at one store and 11 at the other store.  Special order was an option with a four week non-guaranteed delivery.  And my request to call me when they received additional frames (deliveries occur 3 times per week but they don't know what inventory they will get) was not successful.

When I stopped by store #2 to pick up the five frames they had in stock, the Store Manager and another associate checked the inventories of several Houston area stores.  They took my contact information and called later that day with the great news that they had 31 more frames waiting at their store for me. 

Customer service (or lack thereof) has enormous impact on our perceptions, feedback that we share and our willingness to become loyal to a company or service provider. 

It's No Longer Looking Like Christmas

Though it's no longer looking like Christmas, I've tackled the un-decorating process this year with the same focus I embraced when decorating just after Thanksgiving.
We intentionally leave our Christmas decorations up through the 12th day of Christmas.  This also tends to sync with the date when Julia returns for the spring semester.  It's generally much more fun when we're making it look like Christmas than when we're taking down and storing decorations.  Decorating is another example of the benefit of anticipation.  Decorating marks the beginning of a season of celebration, fun and festivities. 

The house initially looks so bare for the first days after everything is restored to pre-Christmas order. This is especially the case when the Christmas tree is returned to the garage and the garlands are removed from the mantles but the furniture and accessories are not yet back in place.  I've changed my attitude this year to mark the un-decorating process as the preparation for a full, exciting year ahead.  It's taking longer than usual as I incorporate extra cleaning into the process.  I've adopted my Mom's lovely attitude of gratitude as I carefully wash each piece of decorative crystal.  When we take time to individually care for each item, we have the chance to really appreciate its beauty.  And I've discovered that washing the large living room windows is much easier before the furniture is back in place. 

Another plus is the beneficial exercise I've gotten with so very many trips to the third floor and up and down the ladder. 

Though the only thing that's changed is my attitude, un-decorating just isn't as gloomy this year. 

Presence v. Absence

I've realized that so many things that we notice are based upon presence v. absence.  For instance, we realize that something needs to be dusted, de-linted, vacuumed, or washed.

Saving Money

Luci Harty shared a comprehensive list of budget enhancing sites with me yesterday which were compiled by Amy E. Buttell. I'll add two additional sites that allow you to capture a discounted deal per day in select markets: Groupon and Living Social.

Here's Luci's message:

How many of you made a resolution to set up and follow a budget this year or to get a handle on your debt and spending?  Instead of making this goal feel like you are embarking on a spending diet, let’s look at the word “budget” in a positive way; simply as a way of tracking past spending patterns and a guideline for more efficient and wise future expenditures.

Did you know that the average consumer loses track of up to $2500 in spending each year?  This finding is a result of a recent survey conducted by Visa.  To help you to NOT become part of this statistic and become a better informed and wiser consumer, I would like to share the following money-saving buying guides, price comparison, and discount websites*.

Product and service reviews, buying guides Clients in the market for just about anything can benefit from the Web's extensive research information to decide on brands, features, and price. The following sites feature (mostly) unbiased product and service reviews. Some also offer price comparisons, but a separate section below presents the additional sites for price comparisons. Go there after you've narrowed down your list. Most are free. Others charge a fee. Angie's List. This site features consumer reviews on services and contractors in a variety of locales. You can search your city by vendor name or type of services provided. Membership fees range from free for cities recently added to $50, depending on the size of the city and the number of reviews available. Angie's List says it is adding about 20,000 consumer reviews a month to the site. ConsumerSearch. This is one of the best consumer sites on the Web. It features product reviews from multiple sources and rates the reviews on a variety of criteria, including credibility, timeliness, and qualifications of the reviewer. It also analyzes the reviews and selects the best products. Unfortunately, the "where to buy" links are limited to mostly large online retailers, so clients may want to go to one of the shopping sites listed below to find more choices once they've armed themselves with product and pricing information. Wize. Here you will find millions of reviews of millions of consumer products. You can search for products based on specific product names and your needs. For example, if you want a car seat, you can search based on comfort, durability, ease of use, and other factors. Wize aggregates reviews from sites such as Amazon, Wal-Mart, and CNET and reports the results as either a "Wize Choice" or an "Unwize Choice." Epinions. This site features product reviews by consumers who have bought and used the products. The site has advisors who are in charge of different categories, and top reviewers, whose opinions are valued by the category advisors. Users also rate reviewers based on the usefulness and completeness of the reviews. The site also offers price comparisons and rates the stores, although store selection is limited in some categories. ConsumerReports.org. You can find thorough, quality reviews in the print magazine and online with the added bonus of being able to search the magazine archives. A subscription to the site costs $26 per year or $19 for magazine subscribers. The $5.95 per month plan is convenient if you want to check reviews for a specific purchase. Wired.com. A highly regarded technology and lifestyle magazine, Wired offers editor's reviews of products ranging from technology to outdoors to cars on a one to 10 scale. You can sort categories by price, manufacturer, and other product-specific criteria. Technology-related reviews are the strongest feature of this site, reflecting its roots. Specific pricing data is sketchy or not available for many products. ConsumerReview. This site offers very comprehensive reviews, buying guides, and discussion forums on electronics, computers, golf, cars, food and wine, office equipment, and more. Price comparisons The Web can also help you search through the universe of online and offline stores to help you find exactly what you want. Here are some of the top "shopbots," many of which also rate the stores on ease of ordering, on-time delivery, and customer support. Ratings are supposed to be based on customer feedback, but many sell preferential placement to outlets that pay them a fee, although such placements are usually marked. Become. This site combines price comparisons and news about specific products you're researching, updated every 10 minutes. You can see your results displayed in two ways: a list that shows fewer products and more information, or a grid that shows more products with less information. Price information includes shipping charges and taxes and allows you to search nearby retailers. A search of treadmills found 385 treadmills at 30 different stores. FatWallet. This is a hybrid site that offers price comparisons, coupons, and busy, busy forums where community members discuss hot deals, maximizing rewards, and even financial services information like who's offering the best checking account, deals on credit cards, and insurance products. Bizrate. Here you will find price comparisons on thousands of products. For example, a search for treadmills turned up 1,203 treadmills—54 different brands—at 10 stores (you can narrow the search by price, brand, store, or type, and compare products to each other). The site features a store-rating guide that evaluates hundreds of stores based on ease of ordering, price, on-time delivery, and whether the product met expectations. PriceGrabber.com. This site covers products from tech to appliances to jewelry to clothing. Each seller is rated via thousands of consumer reviews and listings include links to pictures, discounts, ratings, and the bottom-line price. A search of treadmills turned up more than 1,400 products at more than 50 stores. Amazon.com. Amazon keeps adding products and categories. A treadmill search turned up 295 results, which you can filter by shipping option, brand, average customer review, price, discount, and seller. StreetPrices. When you know exactly what you're looking for in the electronics arena, StreetPrices will show you the best prices and e-mail you when the price drops below the lowest amount. You can also store notes about individual products. Stores are not rated, but an info link provides detailed information about each store, such as how long it's been in business, return policy, whether it's a member of the Better Business Bureau, and the toll-free customer service number. Private shopping clubs A new trend in discount savings is the private shopping club. Here you join online sites, often for free, and receive a daily e-mail offering sales on luxury clothing, jewelry, vacations, home decor, and more. These are not overstock clubs; the members-only principle helps protect distribution channels, so premium brands—like Gucci, Prada, and Hugo Boss, among others—feel comfortable selling through these channels. The deals typically last only from two to six days and sell out quickly. Membership is by invitation only, but it's not too hard to find them and join. Here are a few clubs your clients will appreciate. Gilt Groupe. This high-end fashion website operates seven days a week offering designer fashion, jewelry, vacations, and home decor at significant discounts. It's also turned into a million-dollar business model that is the envy of the fashion industry and enticing Wall Street. One Kings Lane. This club features top home decor brands at significant discounts. Ideeli. This site offers the gamut of luxury goods for children, men, and women, including accessories and beauty products. Totsy. Moms will love the deals on clothing, bedding, bath, educational materials, and more for kids 0-7. Other ways to save The above sites focus on consumer goods, but there are many other ways you can use the Internet to help clients save money or find useful services. Check out the following sites. Wi-Fi hotspot finders JiWire.com Wi-Fi-FreeSpot.com Car lease trading Swapalease LeaseTrader.com Prescription drugs PharmacyChecker.com DestinationRx Pharmacy Reviewer Recycling electronics U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Center for Electronics Recycling Travel Kayak Bing travel Rentvillas.com Home Exchange Seniors Home Exchange Cruisedirectonline.com BeatAnyCruisePrice.com Credit card deals, home loans Bankrate CardRatings.com CreditCards.com Miscellaneous savings Here are some other sites that may help clients save a dollar or two: Frugal living Dollar Stretcher offers thousands of budgeting tips. Bankrate's Frugal Living Newsletter comes out on Tuesdays and is chock-full of tips on how to trim debt, save money, and use the Web to live more frugally. Tax deductions The Salvation Army lists the value of clothing, appliance, car, furniture, and household goods donations for tax purposes. Goodwill also offers a guide to resale values of items ranging from clothing to home appliances to electronics. Unclaimed pension directory The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation lists pensions of companies that have gone out of business and that have been taken over by this government agency. Relocation salary calculator This calculator compares salaries in different U.S. cities based on cost of living. Treasury hunt Got any old savings bonds? The Bureau of the Public Debt provides information on savings bonds that have stopped earning interest. Unclaimed assets When you add up the unclaimed assets held in lost bank accounts, missing stocks, forgotten U.S. savings bonds, uncashed checks, unclaimed refunds and settlements, lost life insurance policies, and unpaid benefits, you're literally talking about billions of dollars. Find out from your state if you're entitled to anything. And check with other government agencies for more possible forgotten assets. Calculators A variety of calculators at Bankrate allows you to figure out everything from how much interest you'll earn on a CD to how long it will take to eliminate credit card debt. At Dinkytown, you can calculate all that plus how much money you can save by bringing your lunch to work every day.

Sources:

The Visa survey findings and web sites and accompanying commentaries regarding the site and category were compiled by and shared at the suggestion of:  Amy E. Buttell  (a freelance journalist who lives and works in Erie, Pa. She's been published in the Journal of Financial Planning, the Financial Planning Association's Practice Management Solutions Journal, and the New York Society of Security Analysts' journal, The Investment Professional.) in an article featured in  Horsesmouth, (a daily, online service that helps financial advisors improve their practices) .

Good Eats

I've been blessed with wonderful, varied cuisine.  Our family has always decided where to eat out by deciding if we felt like Mexican, Thai, Indian, Italian, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, Sushi, steaks, burgers, etc.  To send Julia off for her last semester at Georgetown she chose our favorite steamed dumpling restaurant.  As with some of our other favorite places, the physical plant is unimpressive, but the food is superb.  In my estimation wherever you find food that you enjoy with those you love, you've found "good eats".  Food is a central part of our fun, festivity and memories.  Our kitchen has been filled with holiday sweet treats from family and friends.  Fortunately, we've had a rotating house full of young snackers to share the bliss and the calories.  By sharing our "good eats" we've had additional abundant fun, festivity and memories.

Fear

Fear can be immobilizing or invigorating.  When we fail to take action because of the outcomes we dread, it is immobilizing.  When we face the things we fear, we most often realize they are not as ominous as we'd expected. When we plow through and conquer our fears, it's invigorating.

Great Great Family

Yesterday, we had the privilege to attend the baptism of our great great nephew.  This precious child is my sister-in-law's great grandchild.  He is our niece's grandchild and our great nephew's son.  Because of the generational differences in Edgar's family, age means nothing in our family connections.  My sister-in-law is my Dad's age and our niece is a bit older than we are.  Edgar's first cousins are older than my parents.  Their children are our contemporaries.  All said, it doesn't matter which category in which we place our relatives.  We are fortunate to have a great great family.

Accomplishments

Each new year brings a focus on the possibilities for the coming 52 weeks.  We owe it to ourselves to also celebrate all that we've accomplished in the previous 365 days. 

Happy New Year!

The new year holds enormous potential for success in every facet of our lives.  We begin the year with great intentions.  Only by intently focusing on the areas most important to us and taking concrete, manageable steps to sustain our commitment will we succeed.  An unrealistic list of expectations is destined to derail our efforts.  Our best chances for success result by:

• Tackling a reasonable number of priorities
•  Breaking big goals into bite-size chunks
• Celebrating mini-successes as we achieve a milestone or enhance a skill

Happy New Year!