A PLEASANT SURPRISE FROM A COMPANY THAT GETS IT!

I do a lot of my holiday shopping online, and I have often defaulted to Amazon because of the availability of goods, the pricing and the quick delivery. I have always been satisfied with the service and the quality of product, even when it has come from one of their resellers.

And today, Amazon surprised me, as a customer, and demonstrated that they truly understood the cost of returns to the supply                                                               chain.

I had ordered a number of CD's for my son for Christmas, and obviously as I was going back and forth in the ordering process, I had inadvertently double-ordered one of them (my total order had 6 CDs). So when the package arrived today (just 3 days post order), I realized my error when there were two duplicate CD's in the package. 

I virtually smacked myself up side my head, and then went to the Amazon site to determine how to return this item. It wasn't a lot of money -- it came to just over $10 with taxes. I began their online process, which first required me to identify the item, and then the reason for the return. It was when I hit the Continue button, that I received a message that said As a valued customer we will issue a refund for the item but you can keep it. I was speechless, which for those of you who know me is an extreme rarity!

I had to press another Continue button to accept this, which of course I did immediately, just in case this was a limited time offer! Another screen came up that said my refund would be processed in 3 to 5 business days and a thank you. I thought I'd hit the jackpot and maybe I should go out and buy a lottery ticket.

But then my supply chain persona kicked in, and I realized that Amazon is brilliant. For those who are not in supply chain, Amazon has just given their client a WOW moment, making them feel special, privileged and definitely creating customer loyalty. For those of us in supply chain, we just wish that our companies would understand the economics of what Amazon did.

The cost of returning the $10 item, is exponentially greater than the item itself. And let's not forget that the $10 is the retail price. The actual cost is significantly lower -- maybe a couple of dollars if that. To process a return, a company such as Amazon must first issue an authorized return number which in this case would be done electronically, so not a lot of cost here. The return shipping cost is borne by the buyer, so again, no cost to Amazon. But the costs start escalating when the item ends up at the warehouse door. The item needs to be matched to the return number, the item then must be inspected to ensure that it is the same item as indicated, and that it has not been damaged. Once the product is acceptable then an electronic flag can go to customer service or accounts or the like, which will trigger the refund. The product then must be tagged to be restocked in the specific area of the warehouse. And with the credit card companies, Amazon will have paid a transaction fee, and then a further fee to issue the refund.  It is these last few steps that at minimum and I mean absolute minimum  are at a cost of $100+.

So you see Amazon saved themselves money by letting me keep the CD. I am sure that they don't do this every time, even for cheaper products, because someone would figure this out and then just order items and try to return them, and well, always get a refund and keep the stuff. I am sure there is some sort of algorithm built in that protects against this.

The little smile in the Amazon logo is well-deserved. Today they made me happy as a customer but also as a supply chain professional. 

Now if they could only help me figure out who among my friends might like the grunge band Alice in Chains. So far I haven't been able to come up with anyone!

LESSONS FROM MY FATHER

Today is the two year anniversary of my father's passing. Nary a day goes by when I don't think of him, but I believe more importantly I realize the impact he has left on me, on who I am and how I live my life. 

When we are younger, we tend to reject our parents, believing they are out of touch and with the arrogance that goes along with youth, think that we know everything. Yet with age comes reflection and we begin to realize how much our parents actually instilled in us.

So here are a few leadership lessons that I learned from my father, which I try to imbed in my life daily.

• Live with Integrity My father told us at a young age to always look at people in the eyes whilst talking to them and worry about their integrity if they could not hold your gaze. And if they were not trustworthy then don't waste time and energy on them. My father didn't care that with "bending the rules" he would have advanced further in his career. It is from him that I learned that you can always get another job, but never another reputation.

• Loyalty My father believed in loyalty. He was loyal to his family, friends and workplace. It might seem odd to say he was loyal to his family, but let me explain. With my father, I always knew that he 'had my back.' Not that this was an easy task when I was younger and  a bit wild.  Knowing that there was someone, who regardless of what happened, would always be there to catch me from falling into the abyss was somewhat liberating, because you could take chances without fear.

• Be Generous My father was a very generous man. Not just with gifts, but with his time and understanding. There were times when my parents didn't have that much money, but as children we were never aware of the struggles.  I never, ever, felt there was anything lacking. He loved his family. He was a 'homebody' of sorts, taking great joy in spending as much time as possible with us, doing things, or just hanging out. He definitely demonstrated his generosity of spirit throughout his life.

• Things will always work out My father was the eternal optimist. It would have been easy for him not to be, having fought in World War II, being a prisoner of war, and emigrating to Canada where even though he was a mechanical engineer, he had to start at the bottom and work his way up the ladder once again. He believed that what happened would eventually work out for the best for all concerned. Just like with me, many people thought he had a life of 'puppy dogs and rainbows' but that was far from the reality. However with his optimistic attitude no one would have ever known the struggles that he had faced

• Never Give Up My father didn't believe in quitting. He believed in making things work regardless of the obstacles put in his path. Even as he suffered from Parkinson's in the last few years of his life, and the disease become more deleterious, he dealt with each new handicap, and wouldn't let that keep him from living his life.

• Have Fun My father was a jokester. For example, every year, he was able to lure my mother into believing another one of his April Fool's jokes. It didn't matter that my mother had her radar up and was expecting his prank, he always got her. He had a wicked sense of humour and loved to laugh…that deep belly type laugh.

When I look at the list above, these are key tenets of effective leadership and is a way to ensure that you build a strong team. A true leader demonstrates integrity and loyalty; is generous of spirit; even in tough times is able to inspire the team to believe things will work out; never gives up; and remembers to have fun.

So thanks Dad for helping mold me into the person that I am today. I may not have realized all the gifts you gave me, but know that your legacy will long outlive you, in both me and your grandson. 

THE COMPETITION ARE NOT THE 'BAD GUYS'

Over the years one of the questions which I always ask after a sales pitch is "Why would I chose your company over the competition?" If the presenter begins by saying "Our competition is very good, but let me talk to you about what differentiates us -- how we work to ensure customer satisfaction, our drive to excellence, our responsiveness, our innovative approach, our team etc." they get a gold star. If the sales person begins by disparaging the competition, then there is a little black mark that goes against them. Doesn't mean they won't get the business, but they are disadvantaged by that remark.

Some business leaders chose to paint the competition as Darth Vader's "evil empire" amongst their teams. I have worked in some companies that do this. In one case I was told that as a senior executive I shouldn't wear red because that was the primary colour of the primary competitor. Really? By wearing red was I channelling the competition and giving them some superpowers over our business outcome?

But that is the ludicrous extremes that this type of approach takes. The rallying cry to the corporate masses is to "crush", "beat", "pulverize" etc., the competition, to see all those that function for the profitability of the competitor as the enemy, to create a "we are the good guys" cult, seems to be what some leaders believe is necessary to drive success.

I beg to differ.

Oh, I'm not saying it won't work for a period of time. But having lived this, I will tell you that the negativity derived from such an approach cannot help but leech out to other aspects of the business. For example it is when the procurement folk believe it is ok to negotiate with a "2X4", and using a "most-favoured nations" clause etc., is justifiable in the pursuit of getting a leg-up on the "bad guys." They forget to focus on what's best for their company, just looking to disadvantage the competition.

This "macho" approach to business is out-dated. Engaging is sports and war imagery is not good for the soul and inevitably not good for the business. I'm not saying everyone needs to sit around with their competition, hold hands and sing "Kumbaya", but what I am saying is the vitriol spewed sometimes at other companies delivering the same products and services as you are is not deserved and long term not healthy for your business.

You need to understand and know what your competition is doing. That only makes sense. Taking your eye off this ball, as well as marketplace trends, can inevitably lead to a company's demise as evidenced with Blackberry, Kodak and Blockbuster, to name a few. 

The leaders of corporations should focus their teams on  delivering excellence, creating positive work environments within their four walls, fostering innovation, seeking input across stakeholder groups, etc. Winning becomes a byproduct of great leadership. Focusing on "defeating" the competition results in blinders being placed on your team and is hardly inspirational. 

And quite honestly, in my experience, when the latter becomes woven into the fabric of the business, it inevitably has real issues at both the top-line and bottom-line. Note that I say inevitably, because it doesn't happen immediately. And it is probably because of the latter fact that some errantly believe it is a good way to run a business.

SANTA IS THE PERFECT PARTNER

I was in the mall yesterday, riding down the escalator, right where Santa was sitting waiting to thrill another child.

Anyway, he wasn't busy, this being early in the "asking Santa for gifts" season. He looked up at me on the escalator and said "ho, ho, ho." I smiled and said, "Santa, how are you today?" And he said "I am most excellent and how are you!" I smiled and said I was most excellent too and we exchanged knowing smiles and we gave each other the thumbs up!

It was at that moment that I fell in love with Santa all over again. You see I hadn't spoken to Santa since I was about 9 years old...and then of course you get this wake up call that he isn't real ....and your whole world seems topsy turvy. But yesterday, I began to believe in Santa again. And then I began to think about how Santa would be the perfect partner.

• Just seeing him in that red suit makes you smile
• He is generous to a fault and is always thinking of others
• He knows whose naughty and nice, so he can provide a pretty good compass when you are dealing with others and don't know quite where they are coming from (you may intuitively feel they are naughty, but Santa can tell you for sure)
• He doesn't spend much money on clothing
• He's magical. You can just ask him for something and he or his elves can make it happen
• He loves kids and animals and believes in diversity in the workplace
• He is only out one night a year
• He has a successful business, which although doesn't seem to have any revenues, he is able to more than provide for himself and his "firm"
• He has never had to lay off anyone -- there is always demand for his product
• He loves to travel to everywhere in the world and isn't exclusionary (unless of course you are naughty, but then that is expected)
• He never ages -- so what you see is what you get

And most importantly, here is a man who listens to the needs of others. He actually listens and then delivers to his promises.

I'm sure Santa has his faults. His cholesterol is probably too high as he eats too many cookies, but then again, he must have good bones with all the milk he drinks.

I'm sure Mrs. Claus realizes that she landed a good one! Hmmm... I wonder if Santa has any brothers?

THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES: THE SAD SAGA OF ROB FORD

I have resisted adding to the dialogue about the sublime to ridiculous saga of Rob Ford. Not because I don't have an opinion, but I tend to have an aversion to "piling on" to what is truly a human tragedy. I never voted for Ford and was concerned when he won the election. I did hope I was wrong, and that he would be adequate in the role. Not stellar, but adequate.

It is obvious from the media barrage, and the Fords taking to the airwaves themselves yesterday, that the true lesson here is the destructive nature of hubris. 

The Hans Christian Andersen tale of The Emperor's New Clothes is relevant to what is happening in Toronto today. The story goes as follows.

A vain Emperor who cares about nothing except wearing and displaying clothes hires two swindlers who promise him the finest, best suit of clothes from a fabric invisible to anyone who is unfit for his position or "hopelessly stupid". The Emperor's ministers cannot see the clothing themselves, but pretend that they can for fear of appearing unfit for their positions and the Emperor does the same. Finally the swindlers report that the suit is finished, they mime dressing him and the Emperor marches in procession before his subjects. The townsfolk play along with the pretense not wanting to appear unfit for their positions or stupid. Then a child in the crowd, too young to understand the desirability of keeping up the pretense, blurts out that the Emperor is wearing nothing at all and the cry is taken up by others. The Emperor cringes, suspecting the assertion is true, but continues the procession.

 (from Wikipedia)

Hubris (or pride) is one of the seven deadly sins. Its opposite is Humility. And I can't help thinking about how Rob Ford could have changed the course of his very painful public decline by showing authentic humility. His apologies are not apologies, they are excuses. He only seems to listen to those who agree with him, and just like the Emperor, disparages those who cannot see his "truth" as being "hopelessly stupid." He has rejected entreaties from many quarters to seek help, to step away, but he continues down this ruinous path -- ruinous for him, his family, his friends, and Toronto. The logic of his approach is unapparent to me, because had he stepped down, shown humility, before becoming a world-wide spectacle, sought help and then come back, well people tend to like a comeback story.

Rob Ford doesn't seem to be cringing yet. Unlike the Emperor, he somehow has been able to insulate himself from the assertion the he "has no clothes." Or perhaps he is cringing, yet he knows no other way than continuing this slow torturous  procession to the predictable end.

Some of you may say well Ford is guilty of more than one of the seven deadly sins, and that is perhaps true. Yet none of the others are contributing to his decline as much as hubris is. In many a Shakespearean play, it has been extreme pride which has led to tragic consequences for the protagonist.

I hope upon hope that Rob Ford stops the procession, puts on some clothes and gets help, not just for his own sake, but for that of his family and of this magnificent city of Toronto. 

HARASSMENT & RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER

I just went to the Santa Claus parade, so I thought as we get into the season, I would re-publish this blog from last year, as it is still very relevant! 

I would think that most of you have watched at sometime over the years the television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I watch it every year, as it reminds me of my childhood and to a certain extent innocence. But if you look closer at the whole story, as an adult you come to realize that this story is fraught with harassment, judgement and treating females as less than equal. In this story Santa should be hoisted on his own petard for allowing and, in fact, participating in the humiliation and harassment of those that were a little different.

Rudolph was born with a red, shiny nose, which had never been seen in the North Pole before. His father, Donner, tried to cover up this anomaly by plastering a fake, black nose on poor Rudolph, which I'm sure resulted in years of therapy for issues with self-esteem. This ruse worked for a while until Rudolph went to his first "reindeer games", where he was the absolute best flying reindeer. But alas, as he was showing off, the black, rubber nose fell off and his bright proboscis was discovered. Comet, the coach of the reindeer games, immediately tells Rudolph to more or less get lost. His superior talent is not enough to mute the issue of the red nose. And what does Santa do? He scolds Donner for trying to hide this atrocity and then indicates that Rudolph will never be considered for the team of reindeer to lead the sleigh. So much for the kind, gentle Santa! Here is a CEO, who is not only endorsing the exclusion and harassment (remember "all the other reindeers used to laugh and call him names") but he is leading by being a poor example.

Harassment seems to be endemic to the inhabitants of the North Pole. Remember Hermey, the elf who wanted to be a dentist? He was ostracized by the head elf who made life hell for him in the workshop. And if Hermey had even thought of complaining to Santa? Well, given his reaction to Rudolph you know where that conversation would have gone. You either make toys or you are out. I am supporting your supervisor and if he needs to berate you to get any work out of you so be it. Shut up and get back to work! Yes, those joyful, happy words would have spewed from Santa's mouth.

Eventually both Rudolph and Hermey run away and meet up and develop a friendship because of their inability to fit in. 

As a side-note here, Rudolph's mother and his girlfriend-to-be Clarice, want to go and look for Rudolph. This is when Donner steps in and tries to stop them by telling them to stay at home because looking for Rudolph is "man's work!" (good for the ladies though as they ignored Donner's entreaty). Doesn't seem like Donner or the crew (let's face it Santa and his interaction with Mrs. Claus doesn't smack of equality either) have taken any sensitivity training!

Fast forward to when Hermey and Rudolph discover the Land of the Misfit Toys, a place where toys, that weren't perfect (like the Charlie-in-the-Box (vs. the standard Jack), the spotted Elephant (obviously he should have been grey), the Bird-Fish (a bird that swims instead of flies) etc.) have been exiled because some Star-chamber group in the North Pole had decided that because these toys were "misfits" they could never bring joy as gifts to boys and girls. When Hermey and Rudolph inevitably get back to the North Pole, they tell Santa of the misfit toys and Santa does rescue them from their exile and delivers them to boys and girls. Santa seems surprised that this island exists but let's face it, Santa needed deniability for this very un-Santa like behaviour. It was probably his PR group that said Terminate one of the elves and lay all the blame on them, because you exiling less than perfect toys could truly tarnish your image!

Rudolph is only welcomed back as the reindeer messiah when his anomalous red nose proves to be an asset for that foggy night. What would have happened if there never had been any fog? Rudolph could probably be found trolling the edges of the North Pole, asking for hand-outs and sleeping out in the cold under some tree, waiting for a polar bear to take him out of his misery. Santa only used Rudolph that night because of his own selfish need, not because he had any sort of epiphany (even though Christmas is the time of epiphanies!)

So next time you watch the Rudolph story do so with a bit of a critical eye. Think about how this is often reflected in corporations, the school yard and other areas of life. And also think about what message this story sends to your children. Although it ends happily-ever-after, in real-life it would have ended badly!

Hmmm, I wonder if this blog will now put me on Santa's naughty list!

BEING DIFFERENT HAS ITS ADVANTAGES

I am the proverbial square peg in the round hole. A non-comformist, who identifies with the inhabitants of the Land of the Misfit Toys. And now in a new book by Malcolm Gladwell, he espouses the theory (with some compelling examples) of how being different has its advantages.

After reading the book David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants, I feel oddly vindicated.  I know that some believe that Gladwell deals with a lot of pseudoscience and only picks stories which support his theories, but I believe that he does have a point. 

From early on in school, we are expected to learn by rote. Memorization of facts and figures is the key to success, whilst questioning, exploring and yearning for discussion of logical extensions of "truisms" is discouraged. I personally always did poorly and hated multiple choice questions, because given a platform I could possibly make a compelling case for at least 3 out of the 5 choices.

Gladwell makes a case that approaching problems with a different viewpoint or with what may seem like an underdog situation can allow success where others have failed. His initial example of David and Goliath is that Goliath, who was obviously huge, angry and a skilled hand-to-hand combatant was able to do away with anyone who battled him "mano-a-mano." David didn't come near him. His agility and his use of the slingshot brought down the mighty warrior, a feat which was completely unexpected.

One of the interesting points that Gladwell makes is there is such a strong gravitational-like pull to conform and follow the "tried & true" methods. Even if success was achieved via an "out-of-the-box" approach, inevitably that "being different" quality is lost and often success goes with it. In other words, people and organizations become "victims" of their own success. Consider corporations like RIM, Nortel, Blockbuster, Netscape, Kodak etc. All were unique, different and highly successful -- until they weren't. It is a sad testament but certainly supportive of Gladwell's theory.

When someone is different, thinks differently, approaches issues and life differently, at first we may be intrigued, but inevitably we marginalize them. It is like that children's game "One of These Things is Not Like the Other." When in corporate, we try to get people to conform in dress, in methodology, in approach, and those that throw out the "bizarre" ideas? Well, more often than not, there is eye-rolling that takes place, perhaps a chuckle, and then the discussion moves on. Or as has been the case in my experience where I've been told "that won't work. You are ahead of your time." 

Arrrggghhh. Well, that was my inside voice during these types of discussions, because no one was willing to explore the possibilities. Perhaps I was ahead of the curve, but should a corporation truly just wait until the competition changes the game and then try to play catch-up?

Now don't get me wrong. I can conform with the best of them, but only for a period of time. It is not my natural state, and if you try to force someone to be something they are not, well it doesn't work out for anyone.

Last year I wrote about the harassment of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and his "different" pals. Each one was ostracized because of non-conformity. Inevitably as the story unfolds, these "underdogs" were the ones who were able to tame the Abominable Snow Monster, and ensure Santa could deliver his toys on that foggy night.  Oh and let's not forget about those "different from the others" toys, which were exiled to an island, because these non-conformist toys could certainly not be given to children!

Most job descriptions that I read are looking for conformity. Job postings are always looking for the "experience in the industry" or some conforming requirements. Hiring managers and headhunters rarely consider the "out of the box" candidate, because that would be too risky.

Our society embraces predictability and conformity. And I'm not saying that this is a totally bad thing. I think there needs to be diversity of thought…if you just had a merry-band of non-conformists/misfits, that wouldn't be good either.

But what I am suggesting is that you embrace those in your corporation and in your life who are different -- who think differently, who act differently, who sometimes might try your patience with the "out-there" ideas being proffered, those who are the misfits. Don't marginalize them and don't try to force them to be like everyone else. Their uniqueness will bring texture to your life and your organization and help propel you forward.


So go ahead and embrace a misfit today!  You'll both feel better for it!

PERSISTENCE VS. STALKING AND COMMON COURTESY

Either professionally or personally we have all been in this situation. You've had a great meeting, interview, or date with a potential client, or employer, or future date prospect. You leave this get together, excited about the next steps and possibilities. You email or text, or call and leave a message, and then you wait.

And wait.

And wait.

You check your spam folder, wondering whether somehow the "looking forward to getting together again" email from the other party got inadvertently caught in the spam filter. When you find it hasn't then you wonder did it get spammed out on their side. 

So you email asking for a confirmation of receipt, perhaps followed up with a text, or another voice mail. And again you hear nothing.

You wonder how could it be that things seemed to be clicking on all cylinders between you and that client, employer or date, and then you don't hear anything from them. You begin to wonder whether you had misinterpreted the excellence of the get together, or whether the other person had been beamed up by space aliens.

You decide to leave it alone for a week, and then you reassert your pursuit. You are being persistent, showing your interest, which you deem to be important. You hit *70 on your phone, so that your number won't show up on call display, because you don't want to be seen as desperate. You probably email one more time and then wonder again, what went wrong. Anything more than this might put you in stalker territory!

Personally, I have always been courteous to others. I like to live by the Golden Rule of "do unto others as you would have done unto you."  So I will always take the time to respond. 

Sometimes delays are due to other priorities that have inserted themselves into one's life. Sometimes, although you were a great candidate for a job, the next person interviewed was even better, or perhaps the powers-that-be put that particular job on hold, pending some other decisions. In regards to personal relationships -- well, your guess is as good as mine!

Regardless of the situation, it is common decency to inform the other party as to the situation. Perhaps it is just a note, acknowledging the message, and saying things are still in flux and you should have a better idea of direction within a few weeks. Indicate that if he/she hasn't heard back from you in a few weeks to feel free to connect and ask again.

Or perhaps the individual misread that there would be next steps or further discussion. Again it is common courtesy to advise them of this as well, so that they can move on. 

I have been in the situation of being persistent (borderline stalker) and perhaps that is why I do get back to people. It just takes a few minutes to demonstrate your humanity, understanding and common courtesy, which unfortunately is much too often missing in today's society.

ALWAYS FOLLOW YOUR HEART

When it comes to making decisions about work and life, there are usually two directions in which you can go. Decisions made by the "head" or those made with the "heart."

The head loves facts and figures. It is fairly linear, dealing with logic and probabilities. It likes listing out the pros and cons and playing endless "what if" scenarios. The head is usually                                                     more ego-driven.

The heart, on the other hand, is where our intuitive senses lie. It is creative, open and passionate. It sees potential, when facts would dismiss an opportunity. It also inherently knows what is best, from an emotional perspective, in a situation. Heart decisions nourish the soul.

Now don't get me wrong, with two science degrees and an MBA, I obviously like facts and figures. I find it amazing sometimes as you delve into the detail of numbers what a story they can tell. And the good news is that most often the head and the heart are not conflicted. But when they are, I will choose the heart each and every time, because it is sensing something that the head would not be able to rationalize.

Think about hiring decisions you've made. The resume, the interviews, even the references indicate that this is a good person for the role, so you hire them, only to have them flame out pretty quickly. Earlier in my career, I made these "head" decisions in hiring, even though my heart (or as some people say "gut") was telling me there was something missing, something not apparent. Inevitably after a few times of doing this, I refused to hire anyone, regardless of the pedigree, if my head and heart weren't in agreement.

Creative ideas, that come from the heart, are often shot down because the numbers, those facts and figures, don't support an innovative approach. Facts and figures are limited, as they live in the today, or  in the past. If Steve Jobs had made his decisions based on the "head" naysayers many of the innovations which we take for granted today would not exist.

What about deciding your career path in life? You can often get sidetracked by naysayers who would say following your passion is foolish, there is too much competition in that field, or not enough money to be made. But if you love what you do, you will make it work. Again the head may say no, but the heart is speaking to you truthfully

Relationships is probably where we have the most head/heart conflict. We can agonize over what direction we should follow, and find ourselves twisted into a virtual pretzel. Sometimes it may be the head saying "yes" because if you created a spreadsheet, all the boxes, the pros/cons line up (don't laugh, I know someone who did this). But when the heart says yes, it comes from a totally different place. It acknowledges the emotions, the passion and the soul nurturing that occurs. It is where people are willing to take that leap of faith. And I will offer the opinion that the happiest relationships are those which came from the heart, not the proverbial head driven "suitability."

If the head is in conflict with the heart, try to figure out why. I've noted above that I do like facts/figures and analysis. Yet when it is unclear, and the heart is still pulling you in a direction, follow it. Don't  let the disparity paralyze you to the point of avoiding the decision. 

Let your intuition, your soul, and your heart guide you. And let your head figure out how to make it work.

UNPLUG..WAIT 10 SECONDS…PLUG BACK IN AND EVERYTHING SHOULD WORK

Whenever one has problems with anything electronic, from computers, to digital boxes, routers and the like, the standard line from the technical support is "Unplug the equipment, wait 10 seconds. OK, now plug it back in. Now check to see if everything is working."  And like magic, 90% of the time this fixes the issue. 

The mystery of the electronic reboot, is truly no mystery at all. When one enables the shutdown of all extraneous "stuff" (yes, that's my technical term) that is running in the background, which is not required, and interferes with the basic functioning of the equipment. When it restarts, it is cleansed of all that is unnecessary, and you go happily on your way, until the next time it gets "gummed" up.

I was wondering the other day, after once again needing to do this "reboot" of one of my electronics, how this would work with our relationships, both personally and professionally. When things somehow go off the rails, or things are said or done which cause one to be "stuck", how cool would it be to unplug, wait 10 seconds, and plug back in!

Obviously I'm talking figuratively here, because putting your finger in an electric socket would cause a different type of reboot! Think of all the "stuff" you have running in the background (your brain) when having an interaction with someone. All these little synapses firing, sometimes help, but other times not so much. When in interactions that are difficult, or conflict oriented, we may cloud our judgement based on what happened with someone else 5 minutes ago, due to past history of a similar kind, assumptions which may be totally off the mark, and other reasons. (I wrote another blog on this "Misinterpreting the Message"). 

Just like a piece of electronics, there is extraneous "stuff" running in the background, directing our actions, sometimes with mixed results.

So think about what a difference it may make for you to look at an interaction from a blank slate perspective. 

So unplug, wait 10 seconds, and plug back in. Should work 90% of the time!