Powerful and Inaccurate Assumptions

I have made several assumptions that, on the surface, seemed logical and supported by previous experience.  This is the story of three assumptions that were powerfully inaccurate.

Assumption #1:  In my first month as director of leadership development for the former Dayton Hudson Corporation in Minneapolis, I was asked to be in retail sales at the J.B. Hudson store on Nicollet Mall.  An unshaven, smelly, cowboy, wearing dirty boots, and a ten gallon hat strapped to his back, walked in and asked to see the Rolex watches and the most expensive diamonds we had in the store.  I concluded that this rough speaking, tobacco chewing cowboy needed to be ushered out of the building.  I made up some excuse about not being able to show the expensive merchandise without the manager being present.

Irate, he sent me some Texas-type words at me that were less then complimentary.  He stormed out of the store, shouting expletives as the door slammed behind him.  I learned later in the day that he had crossed the Mall, entered Badiner's Jewelry and purchased merchandise in excess of $50,000.  He was a cowboy from Texas, the owner of a large ranch, and paid cash for the jewelry.

I judged his appearance, manner, and speech, and concluded that we only served nice people.

Assumption #2:  I gave the keynote speech for the Minnesota Quality Council and the subject was on quality relationships among and between engineers and administrators.  Someone from the Illinois quality council was present and invited me to address the Illinois state meeting in the Quad Cities.  I agreed assuming they wanted the same speech.  Wrong.  I gave the speech and noticed a lot of eye rolling and sleep nodding.  I failed to ask what they really wanted.  They received what I had and what they did not want.  The group wanted to know how to qualify for ISO9000.

Assumption #3:  While in Tampa, Florida, working with 40 physicians participating in a seminar to be certified as a Medical Director for/with AMDA (American Medical Directors Association), I was presenting the topic of HOW TO GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE YOU CAN'T STAND.  At one of the breaks, a physician from South Florida said smilingly, "I can't stand the practice of medicine."  Assuming that he was joking, I said, "And you've spent your money to be certified doing what you can't stand?"  That conversation didn't last long.  I was bothered by what he said throughout the day and asked to join him for dinner that night.  He agreed quickly.

What he really wanted was to be an artist.  "You should see the art in my office.  It's wonderful and I painted every one of them."  I asked what it would take to open his own studio.  He knew the answer.  His now diseased physician father would have to forgive him for leaving medicine.  "How will that be possible?" I asked.  He had no answer.

This physician couldn't stand himself or his practice.  He really wanted out.  He was not joking.  My initial assumption was flawed.  I listened to my own discontent and then really listened to him.  Today, he owns and runs his own studio in Florida and has no guilt about leaving medicine.  His final words to me as if he were speaking to his father were clear: "Well, Dad, you'll just have to suck it up."

From the pens of

first graders

The teacher wrote the beginning of the incomplete sentence and asked the children to complete it.

1. Don't change horses.........until they stop running.
2. Strike while the .......bug is close.
3. It's always darkest before......Daylight Saving Time.
4. Never underestimate....... the power of termites.
5. You can lead a horse to water..... but how?
6. Don't bite the hand....... that looks dirty.
7. No news is......impossible.
8. A miss is as good.... as a Mr.
9. You can't teach an old dog...... new math.
10. If you lie down with dogs....... you'll stink in the morning.
11.Love all......trust me.
12. The pen is mightier....... than the pigs.
13. An idle mind is......the best way to relax.
14. Where there's smoke there's.....pollution.
15. Happy the bride who.....gets all the presents.
16. A penny saved is.....not much.
17. Two's company.....three's the Musketeers.
18. Don't put off till tomorrow what.....you put on to go to bed.
19. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you...cry and you have to blow your nose.
20. There are none so blind.... as Stevie Wonder.
21. Children should be seen..... and not spanked or grounded.
22. If at first you don't succeed.....get new batteries.
23. You get out of something only what you.....see in the picture on the box.
24. When the blind lead the blind....get out of the way.
25. A bird in the hand....is going to poop on you.

And the WINNER and last one!

26. Better late.......than pregnant.
 
Here's a few for everyone......


My life.....
My work.....
My future.....

Stay well.
Warren

ON AN AVERAGE DAY.....

On an average day -
219,178 Americans visit the doctor because of headaches.
Americans take 80,000,000 aspirin tablets.
Americans spend $1,369,863 on laxatives
Americans spend $1,668,493 on hairspray
Americans spend $10,958,904 on over-the-counter pain relievers
Americans spend $45,205,479 on prescription drugs.

16 cases of Lyme disease are reported.
35 cases of AIDS are reported.
62 Cases of tuberculosis are reported.
502 cases of chicken pox are reported.
2,468 cases of gonorrhea are reported.
$46,575,342 is spent on beauty-related goods and services
$202,739,726 is spent on low-calorie foods.

Hold everything!
These are old figures, compiled by Tom Heymann in 1989.
Is this stuff party room trivia?
Or can we draw some critical conclusions from the numbers?
On an average day, more than 100 families fall below the poverty line.

I was born during the depression.
We were poor and didn't know it.
My twin brother and I slept on the floor on the second floor of a house by railroad tracks; the rent was $12 a month and we had a tough time finding that much money.
We went with our dad to the county relief house to get a mattress.  Ed, our father, asked how much it would cost.  "Nothing, Ed.  It yours for nothing."
We walked out of the building without a mattress.  Ed was a "pay as you go" person. 
We slept on the floor again for many nights until he got a job with the WPA and he could afford $5 for a mattress.  He was glad for the work and we enjoyed getting off the floor.

And that's not trivia.

Republican Debates?

I've been watching the many Republican debates during December and January and wishing that at least one of the televised experiences would have been a debate instead of a bashing.  A debate is "a formal discussion on a particular topic in a public meeting or legislative assembly, in which opposing arguments are put forward."  Note the word 'TOPIC'.  There have been moments during the Republican experience when topics were addressed. 

The primary format has been one-up-mans-ship and argument, not formal discussion.  The experience did provide me with a chance to review the three basic forms of communication and their purpose.

1. Debate (note the description above).  Purpose?  To beat someone.
2. Positional monologue where individuals present a position on a topic/issue.  Purpose: To convert others to that position.
3. Conversation, where individuals engage in sharing experience, knowledge and information, which becomes its purpose.  Dialogue happens here.  Dialogue has a Greek foundation which means, simply, Dia (through) and  legein ‘speak.’

So, what really happened during the Republican debates, in addition to person bashing? 

Quomodocunquize

kwo-mo-do-kun-kwize 

Say that three times as fast as you can. 

Its meaning?  

"To make money by any means possible."

Some words make no sense unless we have a dictionary handy.
Quomodocunquize is one of those words.
There must be another word to describe how to make money by any means possible.
Let me know if you KNOW what it is.


Making money may not be the same as earning money.
We use the word MONEY in curious ways.
To "be in the money" means to have a lot of it.
"For my money" is an expression of our judgment.
"Money talks" gives power to the person with wealth.
"Get your money's worth" gives you good value.
"Right on the money" denotes accuracy.
"Throwing money" at something means to solve a problem by spending it recklessly.
"Let me see the color of your money" demands proof for a potential exchange.

My purpose in discussing this with you is to elicit notions from you about money.   So, let me hear from you.  It's an open forum.  You can email, add to this with your comments, or write your own blog and let me know(need your blog address).  We are in an economic downturn and MONEY has become a issue of profound significance.

Hoping to hear from you soon.
Many thanks.
Warren (warrenhoffman@comcast.net)

PASSWORD for Alignment

Put your hands together in a potential prayer position.
Now, link all fingers.
Next, unlink them.
Good.
Now, put only half of your fingers together,
three unattached.
Feel unnatural?
Of course.

 I've worked in dozens of organizations, some as employee, others as consultant or member of a faculty.  None......I mean NONE, were or are fully in alignment.  Why?

Glad you asked.
I  traveled the country doing a research project in healthcare, visiting with the top executives and medical directors of more than 100 hospitals, clinics and systems.  I discovered nine disabilities.  The top two disabilities were (and are) FRAGMENTATION and POLARIZATION.  I subsequently learned that these disabilities are not unique to healthcare.

I could go into detail and give you the basis of these disabilities/dysfunctions.  It would take more space than I have here.  So, if you would like a copy of the book, ORGANIZATIONAL DISABILITIES, let me know and I'll be happy to send you a copy (with a unenforceable favor): share the findings with a colleague.  How's that for shameful marketing?

So, what is the password for alignment?
Authenticity.

Yours for authentic alignment.
Warren (warrenhoffman@comcast.net)

The Elevator Speech

I've been a member of a service club for several decades.  I often wondered what the difference was/is between the Lions Club, The Kiwanians, and Rotary. The elevator speech for each group is easy to comprehend and remember.
1. The Lions have fun in the town.
2. The Kiwanians run the town.
3. Rotarians own the town.

That's branding at its best!
Easily spoken.
To the point.
Clever.
Answers a specific question.

So what about the AWL Group?
We're not as well known as any of the service clubs.
We're not sure if we have any competitors.
We have bright, committed partners.....just like a million other groups.
We work internationally.....start counting the groups that do the same.
We are small, vibrant, agile and work with individuals and institutions that want to be great.

      How many other groups say the same?

So what makes us distinct and unique?
Unique?  The origin of the word is early 17th cent.: from French, from Latin unicus, from unus ‘one.’
To be unique means that we are one of a kind.
How many can claim that?

How many can claim that there are 6 and only 6 ways to name, frame, claim, and authentically deal with any issue or problem? 

Audacious claim?
We've been testing it for 2 decades.
Check it out for yourself.

That's our elevator speech.

Got an issue/problem?  AWL has 6 ways to help you put it straight.  6 ways and only 6 ways.
Elevator ride is over.
Good chatting with you.
Stay well.
Warren