Tim Osborn’s Blog

Like harvesting combines moving through wheat fields with augers extended and prepared to unload their golden cargo, Bob, Julian and I stepped through the movie theatre doors and moved towards the ticket taker with left arms outstretched and tickets in hand. Immediately we were greeted by the sounds and smells of popcorn kernels springing to life, and all seemed right with the world. Like the mass of other attendees, we weren’t there for the cuisine, we had come to see the show. Yet most couldn’t resist a visit to the concession stand, and buckets yellowish, buttered puffs were dutifully carried into the large IMAX room.

Rationally people visit a theatre to see a movie; emotionally they want a familiar and gratifying experience. To sit with a large group of strangers, to laugh and cry together, and yes, to eat popcorn. And to watch the movie. Popcorn isn’t the core product; it’s the movie that draws customers. But without the popcorn the experience for many, and their perception of the product, would be far less satisfying.

At Southworks, our movie is the high quality code that we write; it is what draws our customers. But our dedication to being "easy to work with" is our popcorn; it keeps customers loyal and emotionally satisfied. Exclusive focus on one or the other would severely limit our potential. We know that we must do both.

Do your employees know your company’s movie–that thing that lures your customers? Perhaps more importantly, do they know your company’s popcorn? And do they know the difference?

For a few weeks each fall (before daylight saving time ends and we enter a period of seemingly perpetual darkness) I arrive home from work as Grand Marshal of a celebration parade, greeted by majestic bloom of red confetti tossed high into the late afternoon sky by our row of Autumn Blaze Maple trees. The breath-stealing beauty is enough to make me forget, at least momentarily, that someone has to rake up that "confetti" on the weekends.

It is hard to believe it was only three years ago that we had 21 invasive-root-spreading, water-stealing, bug-invested Poplar trees removed, much to the shock of our neighbors (who neither paid our summer water bill nor bounced their mowers over our lawn weekly). In their place we planted just five maple trees. Though of decent size for new plantings (we ordered them from Big Trees Supply after all), they were far from mature and looked awkward in comparison to the semi-opaque screen provided by the closely-planted and towering Poplar trees. But we didn’t plant them for what they were; we planted them with a vision of what they could become.

That first summer and fall the trees required a fair amount of protection and care. When planted, the trees were "staked", tethered with a rubber chain to two large poles, one on each side. The stakes were a safeguard, preventing the trees from falling or growing awkwardly until they could grow stronger and take root, as they slowly adjusted to their new home. (Because the girth of the stakes was larger than the tree trunks, we joked that we had actually purchased ten stakes that happened to come with trees.) We also had to frequently water deeply, setting a hose on a timer and regularly checking soil moisture. Autumn arrived, and within 15 minutes the first "leaf blowing" season was over. But the trees were healthy and growing, and longer blowing days were certainly ahead in future years.

After two full growing seasons we began to water less and no longer needed to regularly check moisture levels. One day I looked across the lawn and noticed that the trees were pulling the stakes upward, with the rubber chains stretched to their limit. At that point I had to release the ties before they became harmful. It was time for the trees to stand on their own, and for me to remove obstacles and controls standing in the way of future growth

Now that the leaves have all disappeared and I have put away the leaf blower for the last time this year, I reflect on how this relates to leadership, and the opportunities leaders have to help those that follow them:

• Have a vision for what people can become, not just what they are now. They will sometimes be scrawny in comparison to more mature versions…be patient, as long as they are growing.
• Protect them from elements that could significantly harm them. Give them time to get stronger, and be aware that a "young tree" cannot withstand the same amount of turbulence as a rooted one. Your own pain threshold (developed over much time) is not the benchmark.
• Water them, giving them what they need to succeed. It might be responsibility, or information, or encouragement, or something else. Effective leaders know how to speak the "learn language" of their followers.
• Release control over time, giving them space. Focus more on outcomes and avoid reviewing and criticizing methodologies and details. The control that was necessary initially might be something that is harming them now.
• Celebrate as the vision is realized. Be glad when they begin to do something jaw-dropping, and people notice; don’t be threatened by it. Remember, in a celebration parade the confetti falls on everyone, not just the Grand Marshal. 

Three people working together. A plate of five cookies available on the break. Social norms dictate that no one take the last (fifth) cookie, but what about the fourth?

Such was the inquiry of the “cookie experiment” reported by Keltner, Gruenfeld & Anderson (2000). Groups of individuals were placed into teams of three, with two responsible for creating a social policy paper and one randomly assigned to evaluate the output.  After  30 minutes, “the experimenter arrived with a plate of five cookies. This allowed each participant to take one cookie, and at least one participant to comfortably take a second cookie, thus leaving one cookie on the plate.” No one was expected to take the fifth cookie and no one did. But what about the fourth, the one that could be taken without awkwardness, or negotiation? The results of the study showed that the “boss” (the evaluator) was clearly more likely to take a second cookie.  (Videotapes of the interactions also showed them more likely to eat with their mouths open and scattering crumbs widely.) The conclusion is that individuals in power are more “disinhibited” and prone to focus on their own needs to the exclusion of others.

The authors proceed to identify some candidate behaviors that are more “prosocial” in nature, with less focus on self and more on others. One of those, expressing approval,  led me to think about ways in which to improve and be more effective in this area.

1. Take the time to point out areas of positive contribution of employees. Don’t assume they “just know” they are appreciated.
2. Be specific, demonstrating authentic knowledge of the contribution. (In large organizations you often see congratulatory emails work their way up the chain to increasing levels of abstraction until you see a final reply all of the nature, “I want to thank each and every one of you for your efforts in this endeavor.” Not exactly Hoosiers-like inspiration.)
3. Give them some insight as to how this benefits the company, especially beyond the obvious. Ideally everyone has the vision of how what they are doing benefits the company. Ideally.
4. Resist the temptation to temper it with some constructive criticism, as if their performance might degrade due to the poor aerodynamic properties of an engorged head. Authentic (and rigorous) feedback about improvement areas is vital, but it does not have to permeate every conversation. Share five large positive things and one minor area of criticism with someone and what will he remember? Just the one negative thing. Save it for another conversation.
5. Don’t fish for return compliments. It should be more sincere than simply a bartered transaction at an accolade flea market.

Simple things requiring little investment, yet with potentially high returns in terms of motivation. And who knows, if you do it enough you might start to notice there’s a few less crumbs on your shirt at the end of the day. 

“I have yet to find the man, however exalted his station, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval than under a spirit of criticism.” – Charles Schwab