Management Craft

Poem: Mom's Coleslaw #poetry Happy Mother's Day

My dear mother passed away four years ago from a stroke. Shortly after her death, I wrote this poem about her special coleslaw. Enjoy the poem and give the coleslaw a try - it is much better than store bought.

Mom's Coleslaw by Lisa Haneberg

Never a very good cook -
colorless shoe leather roasts,
canned creme corn,
ketchup saved the day.
Mom had three masterpieces -
sweet dark mushy baked beans,
tart apple pie stacked high,
fresh tasting coleslaw.

Slice then cube green cabbage,
dice snappy red apples,
chop ribbons of sweet onion,
together with a pinch of salt.
Mix mayonnaise with a splash
of milk to dressing consistency
add a tablespoon or two of sugar
coat cabbage, apples, and onions.

Mom used to make coleslaw
whenever the family gathered.
She chose a cobalt crystal bowl
to show off the slaw’s milky
elegance and simple taste.
Mom set a fine dinner table,
fussing over the feast’s
plates and platters.

As we cleaned out mom’s condo,
my sister handed me the blue bowl.
My turn to make Mom’s Coleslaw.
I think she’d find it strange that cabbage,
mayo, milk, sugar, and apples
would fuel memories,
a flood of salt,
and a tender sense of her near.

Preloading the Frontal Cortex - In Praise of Pre-Work

I was on a conference call today, when the host referred to a pre-work assignment as designed to, "preload our frontal cortex." What a nice way to put it. I am a big fan of pre-work questions. The point is not whether everyone completes the pre-work, I never expect that. Some people will, and they will be better prepared to contribute to the conversations.

And even if the only time the only time they think about the pre-work is when they accept the appointment (because the question is in the text section of the appointment), you will have planted the seed. Seeds grow with just a little water.

Do you have meetings coming up? Throw one great pre-work question or short assignment in the meeting invitation. It will force you to think about the type of discussion you hope to have and will help preload their brains.

Pre-work Haiku

Rich provocation

Questions fuel preparation

Achieve emergence

Boss's Day Poem - Again! #bossday

Boss's Day is October 16th!

I realize that linking back to my previous boss's day poem yet again and for another year is not very original. Well, I have not written a new one, so here is the 2009 post where I shared the 2005 poems (that is soooo yesterday, forgive me). For those of you who have been reading MC for the 6+ years it has been going, you might know these well enough to hum along.

And here is a great post called, Theme for the Week Discover a Different Boss.

Boss's Day Poem and Other Business Poems

This is a redux of an earlier post. It is that time of year, again, when my cheesy business poetry is read (and shared) by thousands of folks who are Googling and Binging for "Boss's Day Poem" (I come up first at Bing, Second at Google, hmmm). These poems were written back in 2005. For a while there, I was creating several poems a month. You can see them all here. There is one I like a lot called, "If Only Employees Purred." "Bored" is pretty good, too, if I do say so myself.

Posted in October 2008

October 16th is Boss's Day. I have written a Boss's Day post every year for the last four years. A couple of years back, I offered  Boss's Day Poem. I gotta tell ya, that thing gets SO MANY Google hits from people searching for poems for bosses. Over 10,000 20,000 hits in the last couple of days alone.

I had no idea that we were all so sensitive. :-) Or is it that we are too cheap to buy a gift?

I thought I would share that poem again today. Do something nice for your boss today, OK? Being a manager is often a thankless job. Sure, many managers are slugs, but most are well meaning slugs who learned from other slugs.

Give him or her something delicious, like a box of truffles or a liter of Bombay Gin.
Give him or her an afternoon off - manage up and tell your boss to play hookie.
Give him or her one drama-free day.

Here's the poem (poems, actually, there are two) - enjoy. Oh, and I know I am no Robert Frost or Billy Collins......

Being Boss

It is not always easy to be the one in charge
In charge of fixing the daily conundrums
That inevitably a come up at 4:30 on Friday
The Friday you have ball game tickets with a pal

Having to make the calls can cause nerves to flair
Flair with fear and raw vulnerability for what’s unknown
And the issues get more gnarly as the day wears on
Wearing patience thin and testing tired brain cells

Why would anyone want to be the boss?
The boss gets all the complaints and aggravation
Constant interruptions render plans obsolete
Obsolete and out of touch before clearing the gate

Being boss comes with these and many more challenges
Challenges roller coaster emotions and energy
These diversions don’t overshadow the reason to lead
Leading is about people, connection, and excellence

Leaders can see and develop our potential
The potential to fully express and utilize our talents
The boss cares about whether people are engaged
Engaged and unencumbered by rolling crud

Hats off to all leaders who get through the muck
The mucky muck of business to help people be great
Jobs would be unbearable without great bosses
Bosses who get what leading is really about

 

Boss’s Day Haiku

Context and comfort
Filtering through politics
The boss saves the day

Zengage! Daily word vitamin! @davidzinger

My pal, David Zinger, host of the awesome Employee Engagement Network, has come out with a book called, Zengage: How to get more into your work and get more out of your work. I offered an advanced blurb for the book (3, actually), here is what I said:

Zengage is like a B12 shot - just the right blast of inspiration and provocation I love this collection and think every busy professional should start and end their days by reading a few pages.

Life is subjective and David Zinger's Zengage is a perfect gem that will help us all get in the best possible mindset to make the most of our day. Each page offers a lightening bolt of inspiration.

Zengage is a wondrous tool for anyone who occasionally lets stress and worry get the better of them Oh, wait, that's all of us! Zengage to zim and zoom through your best life!

It's a very cool collection of poetic pieces of profundity. Here are two short and sweet examples:

Engagement paradox. If you are disengaged become aware and accepting of your state. The way out is through.

Hopeless engagement. Don't be hopeful about work because hope is a speed trap fast forwarding you to the future. Slow down for the work zone right in front of you.

Oh, yeah.

Where the Sun Shines - A Poem for the Holidays

I wrote this brief poem a few years ago and it seemed like an appropriate thought for the holidays and as we roll into the New Year. My best to you all!

Where the Sun Shines

The sun does not shine everywhere
On everyone
All the time

Even on a clear day
There are shadows
And colder dark spots

The warm rays touch us
When arms open
And we reach

Boss's Day Poem and Other Business Poems

This is a redux of an earlier post. It is that time of year, again, when my cheesy business poetry is read (and shared) by thousands of folks who are Googling and Binging for "Boss's Day Poem" (I come up first at Bing, Second at Google, hmmm). These poems were written back in 2005. For a while there, I was creating several poems a month. You can see them all here. There is one I like a lot called, "If Only Employees Purred." "Bored" is pretty good, too, if I do say so myself.

Posted in October 2008

October 16th is Boss's Day. I have written a Boss's Day post every year for the last four years. A couple of years back, I offered  Boss's Day Poem. I gotta tell ya, that thing gets SO MANY Google hits from people searching for poems for bosses. Over 10,000 20,000 hits in the last couple of days alone.

I had no idea that we were all so sensitive. :-) Or is it that we are too cheap to buy a gift?

I thought I would share that poem again today. Do something nice for your boss today, OK? Being a manager is often a thankless job. Sure, many managers are slugs, but most are well meaning slugs who learned from other slugs.

Give him or her something delicious, like a box of truffles or a liter of Bombay Gin.
Give him or her an afternoon off - manage up and tell your boss to play hookie.
Give him or her one drama-free day.

Here's the poem (poems, actually, there are two) - enjoy. Oh, and I know I am no Robert Frost or Billy Collins......

Being Boss

It is not always easy to be the one in charge
In charge of fixing the daily conundrums
That inevitably a come up at 4:30 on Friday
The Friday you have ball game tickets with a pal

Having to make the calls can cause nerves to flair
Flair with fear and raw vulnerability for what’s unknown
And the issues get more gnarly as the day wears on
Wearing patience thin and testing tired brain cells

Why would anyone want to be the boss?
The boss gets all the complaints and aggravation
Constant interruptions render plans obsolete
Obsolete and out of touch before clearing the gate

Being boss comes with these and many more challenges
Challenges roller coaster emotions and energy
These diversions don’t overshadow the reason to lead
Leading is about people, connection, and excellence

Leaders can see and develop our potential
The potential to fully express and utilize our talents
The boss cares about whether people are engaged
Engaged and unencumbered by rolling crud

Hats off to all leaders who get through the muck
The mucky muck of business to help people be great
Jobs would be unbearable without great bosses
Bosses who get what leading is really about

Boss’s Day Haiku

Context and comfort
Filtering through politics
The boss saves the day

10 Ways to Handle Complaints

First a poem, then the list of 10 ways:

What is a complaint?

What’s a complaint, if not a cry for help

A signal that communicates a wish or hope

Complaints can be useful to bosses

Who are interested in preventing future losses

Of people, processes, time, and harmony

What’s a complaint, if not an idea cloaked

A bit of creativity waiting to be evoked

Complaints can become positive

For they mean communication is active

And it takes a conversation to change the world.

10 Ways to Handle Complaints - For Managers
Do you struggle to respond to complaints? Complaints are not all treated equally. Most managers welcome and can deal with a complaint that is valid and objectively expressed. Complaints that seem trite, invalid, or resemble whining are more difficult to handle.

Don’t be defensive
When dealing with complaints, we are often our own worst enemies! Taking complaints personally makes it more difficult to resolve the matter and move on. Managers who can focus on the information and the resolution without getting defensive will find complaints less disruptive and cumbersome.

Understand the facts
The person is complaining for a reason. Before jumping to any conclusions, learn the facts of the situation. Look at the issue from all sides and ask the person to explain his or her view.

Listen fully
When a person complains, he or she wants to feel as though you have listened and understand. Ask clarifying questions to ensure you understand the situation and to show you are listening. Empathize when appropriate and apologize for mistakes. Listen for what the person wants to happen next, because it is often reasonable and easy to accommodate requests.

Acknowledge the person’s feelings
You do not have to agree with the person to recognize how they are feeling. Saying things like, “I can see you are frustrated,” or “I understand this ordeal has been annoying to you,” will go a long way toward diffusing the complainer’s anger.

Try to solve the problem or offer alternatives
The quickest way to take care of complaints is to solve the issue. This may seem like common sense, but many managers allow complaints to linger and go unresolved. If a solution is not possible, it is important to offer an alternative to resolve the complaint.

Thank people for constructive complaints
Receiving complaints can be a good thing because it signals that communication lines are open. Constructive complaints can help managers identify problems and address barriers. Listening to and thanking others for sharing complaints will strengthen relationships.

Involve the right people
You may not be the best person to resolve a complaint and will want to bring in others to address the concern. This does not mean that you can wash your hands of the complaint! As the “complaint receiver” you are responsible for ensuring the person gets a response.

Provide the facts
Team members are more likely to gripe and groan about a decision they do not understand. You can resolve many complaints by clarifying team members’ questions and concerns. Managers who take the time to explain decisions upfront prevent many complaints from occurring.

Run and hide
Just kidding! Don’t try this at work or home.

Ask for complaints
Managers who ask for complaints will find that team members express their concerns more objectively and openly. Inviting complaints reduces the likelihood the person will be upset and emotional. It is a way to nip problems in the bud and solve problems before they are able to fester and grow. Try setting aside the last 15 minutes of each staff meeting to discuss complaints.

Prevent complaints
Active MBWA and open communication can go a long way toward preventing team member and peer complaints. Often, a complaint is really a second or third attempt to share and be heard. Managers should recognize and respect diverse points of view and areas of disagreement.

Where the sun shines....Redux

I was searching through old posts on the breakthrough blog and found this one from October of 2006. Given that it is gray and cold here today, I thought I would post it to shed some light.

Where the Sun Shines

The sun does not shine everywhere
On everyone
All the time

Even on a clear day
There are shadows
And colder dark spots

The warm rays touch us
When arms open
And we reach

I took this picture on a recent hike in the Cascades. The leaves glowed with happiness.

Thanksgiving Poem

Here's a sonnet of thanks I posted back on this blog two years ago for Thanksgiving. Wow, looking back on this makes me realize I have been writing this blog for a long time (in blog years, that is). Thanks for tuning in!

Rain Haiku

Seattle has had record rain this month and the Seattle Times asked people to submit haiku poems about rain. Here's mine.

Green and yellow blob
Slinks northeast, swallows the sky
And the rain comes down