Bringing Up A Problem

When you’re the leader and someone brings you a complaint, a problem, an issue…it’s very likely this isn’t the first time they’ve thought about it.

And while they’re bringing it to you politely and respectfully…the day or the week before when the issue was raw they were really upset inside, it ruined an afternoon, they vented to a friend, considered speaking up, got afraid of speaking up, didn’t know what to say, hoped the problem would take care of itself. It didn’t. So the cycle repeats until now when it’s brought to you directly.

So don’t brush it off. Have the insight to know that speaking up is likely a culmination of lots of emotions, internal voices, fears, expectations and intentions.

Seeing this won’t necessarily help solve the problem but it will help give you the presence required to be effective in solving it.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Famous Delivery

We’ve all had a lot of deliveries…Amazon, UPS, Fedex, GrubHub, UberEats, USPS…

And yet there hasn’t been a delivery driver to rise to the top and be the famous delivery driver.

Because it’s not set up for that.

It’s not set up for the driver to get the credit. It’s not set up for the driver to innovate and do something special. But more than anything, it’s not set up for the driver to get repeat business (to establish connection and credibility)…it’s set up for the business to get repeat business.

(I want the drivers who set the package on my porch not next to my porch. I want the drivers who know the big packages can go to the side of the house. I want the drivers who smile at my kids.)

So why does this matter?

As leaders, the systems we set up will steer the others to what they will likely care about. And what they care about will directly effect the way the work gets done.

The actions and attitudes you incentivize…along with how you dole out the credit are a big part of the foundation of your business.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Shots

I’m waiting for my shot.

vs.

I’m taking my shot.

Whichever version you adopt will inform every element of your work. Each one is a foundational approach and attitude. Choose wisely.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Writing and Deciding

If you wake up every morning and have to take time deciding whether or not you’re going to write today then you’re putting too much effort into it. You’re making it too complicated. Wasting time. There are too many voices that pop up when you’re deciding whether or not you’re going to be creative today.

It’s easy throw away an entire morning going back and forth on this decision.

Better to have already decided. If you decide to be the type of person who writes everyday you save yourself a lot of agony in the deciding. Now you can put your effort into writing, not deciding.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Earmarked...

for opportunity.

Some money, some time, some energy.

If you earmark some extra for unexpected opportunities, you’ll be in a much better position to engage the opportunities.

When money and time and energy are tight it’s a lot more difficult.

Earmarking and setting aside time or money or energy takes work…you guessed it, it takes time money and energy.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Does This Shirt Make Me Look Fat?

The cry of many a performer.

If you’re not worried about your shirt it’s your hair or your teeth or your hips or a mole or your height.

You get on stage DESPITE knowing that someone in the crowd just might think you picked the wrong shirt.

Shirts are like band names…they will bend to the character and presentation of the person donning them.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple