Quick Hits

How can leaders avoid the Peter Principle in their organizations?

The Peter Principle is the idea that people are promoted to the level of their incompetence. Someone can do job A so they are promoted to job B. They do well there and are given job C. They don't have the ability to do job C and now the organization is stuck with them and has to decide do they train, fire or ignore. Too often ignore is chosen as the easy answer (this includes shoveling sh**,  moving deadwood or pawning a bad employee off on another department).

I asked Dr. Ulwyn Pierre, Dr. Bob Choat and Dr Mohan Ananda, experts from different fields, how they keep this from becoming a problem. 

There was a tech issue that caused us to lose Dr Ulwyn just as she was finishing up her opening point. But the conversation was SO good I decided to post it anyway.

I have scheduled time with these three amazing minds to do the very first ever "Quick Hits Extended." We will spend 30 minutes exploring this topic more deeply. Look for that conversation in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, this is a taster of how their minds work, how they can play off of each other and why asking smart people interesting questions is an addictive habit.

To connect with the any of the panelists, please visit their LinkedIn profiles:
Dr. Ulwyn Pierre: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drulwyn/ 
Dr Mohan Ananda: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohanananda/ 
Dr. Bob Choat: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobchoat/ 
Dr Robyn Odegaard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynodegaard/

#QuickHits are designed to exercise your brain by letting you listen in on an unscripted conversation to get other people's thoughts on various subjects. If you would like to join a conversation or have a topic you would like to hear discussed, please message me. https://www.DrRobynOdegaard.com 

#PeterPrinciple #LaurencePeter #incompetence #failure #success

How do you notice when you are talking too much and how do you stop?

As a facilitator I get a lot of experience with people who don't realize they are pontificating (or maybe they do and they don't care) and trying to get them to stop. I also notice when people have that ah ha moment that they have been talking too long but don't really have any idea how to wrap up their point.

I asked Domenico Ciarallo, Wayne Buckhanan, PhD and Joe Hays about it and found their insights to be useful.

How do you notice when you've been talking too much?

To connect with the panelists, please visit their LinkedIn profiles:
Domenico Ciarallo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/domenicociarallo/ 
Dr. Wayne Buckhanan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waynebuckhanan/ 
Joe Hays: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-hays-hays-agency-owner-03976b8/ 
Dr Robyn Odegaard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynodegaard/

#QuickHits are designed to exercise your brain by letting you listen in on an unscripted conversation to get other people's thoughts on various subjects. If you would like to join a conversation or have a topic you would like to hear discussed, please message me. https://www.DrRobynOdegaard.com 

#networkingtips #Conversationisa2WayStreet #conversations  #discussion

What are the pros/cons/risks of using humor in business?

Telling a joke during a presentation can help the audience connect with you. Laughter releases neurochemicals that are good for doing business. 

But when a joke falls flat, or worse is offensive, it is bad for you personally and for business.

Towards the end of this conversation I share a story about a flippant, "funny" comment I made that turned out to be hugely offensive. I was mortified but the damage was done.

Listen in as Helena Bouchez, James W Haile Jr, Gary Fredericks and I share how we have used humor successfully or not so successfully in different business settings. 

How do you use humor in business and what steps do you take to make sure what you say actually comes across as funny rather than rude?

To connect with the panelists, please visit their LinkedIn profiles:
Helena Bouchez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenabouchez/
James W Haile Jr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-w-haile-jr-c-p-m-97a3b52/  
Gary Fredericks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garyfredericks/ 
Dr Robyn Odegaard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynodegaard/

#QuickHits are designed to exercise your brain by letting you listen in on an unscripted conversation to get other people's thoughts on various subjects. If you would like to join a conversation or have a topic you would like to hear discussed, please message me. https://www.DrRobynOdegaard.com

#humor #notfunny #rude #offensive #jokes

How do you market/do business during a world crisis?

It is appropriate to continue about your daily push for profit when there is a humanitarian crisis happening? Is it tone deaf to use the crisis as a launch point for a product? Is it self-aggrandizing (I could NOT say that word when we were recording) to promote the good stuff you're doing to "help" those in need? Does it count as "help" if you are using it for marketing?

These and many more questions came up in this conversation with Enrique Acosta Gonzalez, Tim Hawkes and Atif Agha. The summary of the conclusion we came to is, be careful and considerate when marketing during a crisis. 

What are your thoughts? How do you continue to be a connected, aware human and run a business in a time of crisis?

To connect with the panelists, please visit their LinkedIn profiles:
Tim Hawkes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timhawkes/ 
Atif Agha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atifagha/ 
Enrique Acosta Gonzalez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/enriqueacostagonzalez/ 
Dr Robyn Odegaard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynodegaard/

#QuickHits are designed to exercise your brain by letting you listen in on an unscripted conversation to get other people's thoughts on various subjects. If you would like to join a conversation or have a topic you would like to hear discussed, please message me. https://www.DrRobynOdegaard.com 

#crisisleadership  #crisiscommunication #crisiscomms #crisis #marketing

What makes something courageous?

Do you have to overcome fear for something to be courageous? What if you are trained to do something and it is just a day at the office but looks terrifying from the outside? (Halo jumps come to mind.)

Does one decide to be courageous in the moment or is it discovered after the fact?

I clearly have A LOT of questions about courage. Fortunately, Lisa Peluso, Dr Bruce Wayne Meleski, and James Barrood were willing to humor my curiosity and have a conversation with me about it.

Feel the fear and do it anyway

We would love to hear what you think.

To connect with the panelists, please visit their LinkedIn profiles:
Lisa Peluso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisapeluso/ 
James Barrood: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesbarrood/ 
Bruce Wayne Meleski, PhD: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-wayne-meleski-phd-8b18118/ 
Dr Robyn Odegaard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynodegaard/

#QuickHits are designed to exercise your brain by letting you listen in on an unscripted conversation to get other people's thoughts on various subjects. If you would like to join a conversation or have a topic you would like to hear discussed, please message me. https://www.DrRobynOdegaard.com 

#curiosity #courageous #courage #brave #scared #DoItAnyway

What does it mean to be a thought leader?

It is a term that gets tossed around. "Thought leader" Tycoons, executives, business owners, outspoken or just loud individuals, prolific tweeters  - they might all be labeled thought leaders. 

What about the Nobel Prize winners who discover something amazing in a lab? Are they thought leaders?

Dare I say that the person who has lots of money and a huge social following who only puts out ideas they have paid other people to come up with isn't a thought leader?

Can you give yourself the label or does it have to be bestowed upon you by - - the masses? Someone with authority? 

I invited Atif Agha, Sara Oblak Speicher, and Chuck Groot to discuss what makes someone a thought leader. I'm not sure we came up with a definitive answer. 

What do you think?

To connect with the panelists, please visit their LinkedIn profiles:
Atif Agha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atifagha/ 
Sara Oblak Speicher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saraospeicher/  
Chuck Groot: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-groot-b5763b25/ 
Dr Robyn Odegaard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynodegaard/

#QuickHits are designed to exercise your brain by letting you listen in on an unscripted conversation to get other people's thoughts on various subjects. If you would like to join a conversation or have a topic you would like to hear discussed, please message me. https://www.DrRobynOdegaard.com 

#thoughtleadership #thoughtleader  #thoughtfortoday #thoughtprovoking

How do you combat the desire for instant gratification?

When I suggested this topic I assumed (wrongly) that everyone understood the benefits of delayed gratification. In this conversation and subsequent discussions I have learned that "living for only today" is pretty common. "Instagram" could be a conglomeration of the words instant gratification. 

Whether I agree or disagree with the notion of just living for today because tomorrow you might die is a different conversation. This Quick Hits is the launch point with the panelists being on different sides of how to combat or use instant gratification.

I was fortunate to have Diane Lang, Tom Brush and Pascal Derrien on this discussion journey with me.

Listen in and then let us know your thoughts on instant gratification.

To connect with the panelists, please visit their LinkedIn profiles:
Pascal Derrien: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascalderrien/ 
Diane Lang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dlcounseling/ 
Tom Brush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tombrush/  
Dr Robyn Odegaard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynodegaard/
www.DrRobynOdegaard.com

#QuickHits are designed to exercise your brain by letting you listen in on an unscripted conversation to get other people's thoughts on various subjects. If you would like to join a conversation or have a topic you would like to hear discussed, please message me.

#InstantGratification #DelayedGratification #SuccessTakesTime

What is the difference between persuasion and manipulation?

This conversation was HARD! Manipulation feels like a bad thing (it is right?) and persuasion seemed like something some of the panelists feel like has to be done if you own a business.

An online dictionary says that manipulation is "skillful or artful management" while persuasion has much harsher synonyms in the thesaurus. Those two things surprised me.

A huge thank you to Christopher Martin, Coach M J Tolan and Tracy Martin for wading into this challenging topic with me.

To connect with the panelists, please visit their LinkedIn profiles:
Tracy Martin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-martin-ba86b919/ 
Christopher Martin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismartincomms/
Coach M J Tolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/motivationalspeakertolan/
Dr Robyn Odegaard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynodegaard/
www.DrRobynOdegaard.com 

#QuickHits are designed to exercise your brain by letting you listen in on an unscripted conversation to get other people's thoughts on various subjects. If you would like to join a conversation or have a topic you would like to hear discussed, please message me.

#manipulation #persuasion #selling #toughconversations

What do you say when someone asks, ”how are you?” and you’re not okay?

"How are you?" is a typical greeting in the US but it might not mean the person wants to know. Even if it is someone who cares about you and does genuinely want to know, you might not want to talk about it.

I had the opportunity to have a conversation with Diane Helbig and Heidi Aderman about how they navigate this question. It is just as complicated as you think it is.

Do you just say, "fine" or "great" or something similar when someone asks you how you are or do you go through a mental process to decide how much the person asking actually cares and how much you want to tell them?

To connect with the panelists, please visit their LinkedIn profiles:
Diane Helbig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhelbig/ 
Heidi Aderman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiaderman/ 
Dr Robyn Odegaard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynodegaard/
www.DrRobynOdegaard.com 

#QuickHits are designed to exercise your brain by letting you listen in on an unscripted conversation to get other people's thoughts on various subjects. If you would like to join a conversation or have a topic you would like to hear discussed, please message me.

#niceties #howareyou #stoic #truth

How do you deal with a bully?

This panel ended up being all men. The next time I have an all female panel, I am going to ask the same question. I bet the conversation will go very differently.

There are many different forms of bullying and it seems to be getting worse. There was story in the news this week of a grown man insulting several young women and throwing a smoothie. 

Do you think he would have behaved the same way if there had been a man behind the counter?

I asked Domenico Ciarallo, Stewart Wiggins and Philip Tate, how they handle bullies in the workplace and otherwise. As I mention during the conversation, what is safe for a man, might not be safe for a woman in the same situation. Please be aware of your personal safety before confronting a bully.

I would like to discuss this topic with a panel of women as well. If you would like to be part of that conversation, please be in touch.

To connect with the panelists, please visit their LinkedIn profiles:
Domenico Ciarallo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/domenicociarallo/ 
Stewart Wiggins: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewart-wiggins/ 
Philip Tate: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philiptateaprfellowprsa/
Dr Robyn Odegaard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynodegaard/
www.DrRobynOdegaard.com 

#QuickHits are designed to exercise your brain by letting you listen in on an unscripted conversation to get other people's thoughts on various subjects. If you would like to join a conversation or have a topic you would like to hear discussed, please message me.

#bullying #stopabuse #threatassessment #safety