"I'm not cheating! I'm showing my genius!"

I couldn't help but see the irony of two headlines on my browser homepage this morning. The first is a reference to Bernard Madhoff, that he will plead guilty to swindling people out of billions of dollars through his Ponzi scheme.

How refreshing. Finally, a criminal who isn't claiming he's a victim....

The second headline reads "Why Student Cheating Has an Upside."

What?

The article talks about the disconnect between students who insist that being honest and honorable is important yet overwhelmingly admit that they lie to their parents and teachers as well as cheat on tests.

As author Martha Brockenbrough suggests, those who care about our future leaders should find this discouraging. "Kids are shredding their ethics, but not that many feel bad about it." In fact, many "reported that they thought cheaters were more likely to succeed in life."

Brockenbrough relates how cheaters are getting more clever. Indeed technology is providing opportunities to cheat in ways that were not available when I walked the halls.

Yet she goes further: there's an upside to all this cheating. It demonstrates creative genius! Though she points out she's not advocating cheating, she goes on to equate clever approaches to cheating with innovative advances for mankind.

Interesting. When do we cross the line from a healthy break from status quo to becoming a cheat. After all, aren't we encouraged by Marcus Buckingham to "break all the rules?"

Bernie Madhoff is a genius. He kept his scam going for years. He had an innovative approach but it ended up inflicting serious pain across a wide swath of people around the world. Creative genius? Sure. Cheat? Absolutely.

Innovation looks at status quo in a new way and makes the workplace, the world, or a product better, often for the long term. Cheating provides a shortcut to personal gain (or a way to avoid short-term personal pain) with long term negative consequences.

And those consequences are not just experienced by the cheater.

I take exception to the students who think cheaters are more successful. Though it could appear that way in the short term, just look at the headlines to find another cheater soon to be behind bars.

Tempted to cut a corner today? Feeling compelled to exaggerate contributions to accomplishments on your resume? Wondering if you should just slather some lipstick on a status report to management about a project that is really a pig?

Let's not kid ourselves. That's not creative genius. Let's call it what it is: cheating.

Labels: accountability, choices, innovation, integrity, Lipstick on a Pig

posted by Andy at 7:34 AM  

'Thank You' is for Wimps!

In a recent newsletter we discussed the importance of expressing appreciation to those around us. I told about a guy who essentially thought saying "Thank You" is for wimps. Though you likely don't share that opinion, many of us regularly miss opportunities to model a spirit of appreciation ourselves and to express it to others. Yet those opportunities are all around us.

Last week I was trying to fly home from facilitating a 3-day project management workshop in Pittsburgh. Flights were delayed into O’Hare because of weather. Controllers directed our regional jet, with its share of crabby passengers worrying about connections, into a holding pattern where we all bounced around in the turbulence with each loop.

We had a last second missed approach due to runway traffic which further delayed arrival. I had a blistering cold walk through a snowy lot to get to my car. My window was frozen shut so I got another taste of Chicago’s arctic weather when paying the attendant.

Do you know what I was thankful for as I drove away from O'Hare? Seat heat.

Glorious, soothing heat was warming my body and soul as I started the drive home. From there I moved onto other things I was thankful for, such as the privilege of driving home to a family that I not only love but truly enjoy. I’m thankful I get to fall asleep next to my incredible wife of almost 20 years instead of spending another night in a smelly hotel room. I’m thankful that I get to make a living doing what I do best. I'm thankful for a peace with God that makes me excited about the future instead of fearful of it.

The gratitude flowed freely for the entire drive home, which made me much more pleasant to be around when I finally stepped into our warm home. And it all started with a little seat heat on a cold night.

What are you thankful for today? Who are you thankful for and need to tell? Make it happen. Today.

Here are some links for further reading:

• "Staff Retention: The Power of Appreciation at Work", CIO.com
• Our "World of Thanks" survey, including responses from people all over the world, expressing what they are thankful for.

I invite you to leave a comment to this posting regarding what you are thankful for today. By the way, I'm thankful for the opportunity to pour into you! Make today a great one!

Labels: appreciation, choices, leadership, teams

posted by Andy at 10:10 AM  

The Power of Choice

We recently had the opportunity to spend some time with my wife's 96 year old grandmother. Grandma Alice lives in a nursing home south of the Twin Cites in Minnesota. By nursing home standards, this place is a palace, with nice facilities and even nicer staff.

At meal times the residents are now given a menu, allowing them to choose between a couple different entrees. A cute elderly lady at Grandma's table made a wise observation at dinner: "The food seems to taste better when you have a choice."

Let's face it: nursing home food doesn't typically have the reputation of Wolfgang Puck! But, given a choice, somehow the food tastes better.

There are times when leaders need to send their teams down a path as exciting as meatloaf surprise. When you are about to inflict change on a person, a team, or even a boss, see if you can employ some nursing wisdom on choices.

Can you offer them a choice? Or can you show how there were some choices, and the one being selected is the best path, all things considered?

The wisdom of choices can be seen when managing up as well. I know an executive who coaches his teams to "Never say 'No.' Say, 'Yes, but....'". Personally I think that's a little cheesy. I prefer what another executive told me: "I don't say 'No.' I say 'Choose.'"

Her point is that instead of being the "No Person", she brings options. I suggest you also bring a recommendation. Bringing choices shows your boss that you have thought it through and are taking responsibility.

The result might be as exciting as macaroni hot dish. But bringing choices might make it all more palatable.

Labels: choices, executives, leadership, managing up

posted by Andy at 11:11 PM