My boss asked me to attend a meeting as their proxy… HELP!

Has your manager ever asked you to sit in a meeting as their "proxy"?  Read on for some helpful tips on becoming a trusted back up … 

First, don’t panic. 

Step back and take in the compliment.  He or she feels confident that you can cover the topic and adequately represent you.  

Next, don’t let it go to your head.  You aren’t be asked to take his / her job and what you do before the call, during the call and after the call will determine if he/she asks you to do it again.

I recommend the following (in fact I do this everything I am asked to sit in for my boss, their boss or my peers):

Stage	DO	DO NOT
Before	Accept the meeting invite, adjust your calendar to accommodate, and alert organizer that you will be representing your boss/organization.	Miss the meeting because you have not ensured it is on your calendar or you did not confirm with organizer and were missed when an update was made.
Before	Ensure you have a basic understanding of the meeting.  If you do not, ask boss for a pre-meeting meeting.	Show up unprepared for the meeting.   Or treat the meeting like an afterthought.
Before	If it isn’t in the calendar invite, it is acceptable to ask for the agenda from the organizer (or their administrative assistant) ahead of time.	Don’t demand an agenda.  If one doesn’t exist, you can ask about topics that will be discussed?  If a team member hadn’t done this in my past role, I wouldn’t mention this …
During	Show up to the meeting ON TIME both the bridge line, skype session or zoom.  If invited to a video conference, USE the video conference.   Be engaged and be taking active notes.	Don’t be multi-tasking.
During	Follow others lead on whether you announce. If you do announce, ensure you include that you are representing bosses name/organization.
During	Make sure you are on mute when not talking.  Make sure your phone / headset are picking up your voice clearly.  Make sure you are at a location where dogs, kids, T-rexes, and zombies are not loud and distracting in the background.	Make sure when you do talk that you do not cause an echo or that your mic isn’t too close to your mouth (Darth Vadar Syndrome).  Truth – Our CTO, VN, once stopped a call to pin point WHO was causing the echo on a bridge.  It wasn’t someone on my team, but it was SO embarrassing and the $$ it cost the bank due to that individual not being aware.
During	Take in the meeting.  Ask sound questions.  And, remember, if you do not know the answer to a question or how your boss would answer that it is OKAY to say, I don’t know or I will get a response from my boss and back to you.	Do not use meeting for your own agenda.  Do not go down rabbit holes or bring your soapbox.  Seriously, an organizer once asked me not to send an FTE as my proxy because he was a distraction.  Yikes!!
After	Send boss your notes and observations immediately after the meeting.	Don’t wait until formal notes are published.  Giving them immediately allows action to be taken quickly and readies boss to respond to the formal notes / minutes.

I want to wrap up Thursday Thoughts with you thinking about BIG IDEAS.  Here are some quotes to get your brain uncaked:

• Take out your brain and jump on it – it gets all caked up.  Mark Twain.
• Contentment is the SMOTHER of invention.  Ethel Mumford
• Big ideas are so hard to recognize, so fragile, so easy to kill.  Don’t forget that, all of you who don’t have them. – John Elliot, Jr.
• New ideas are like loaves of bread.  They often emerge from the oven looking half-baked, homely and lumpy.  Give them a chance to rise.  Chic Thompson
• Form a habit of saying YES to a good idea.  Then list all the reasons why it will work.  There will always be plenty of people to tell you why it won’t work.  – Gil Atkinson

Think BIG!  Get out of your way, uncake your brains and allow time for your ideas to RISE!

Cheers!

srt

Vulnerability

Brené Brown has spent the past ten years studying vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame. The first five years of her study focused on shame and empathy. She is now taking that learning to explore a concept that she calls “wholeheartedness”.

Last year, a friend introduced me to a Ted Talk by researcher professor, Brené Brown. Upon recommendation, my friend told me to “move beyond the title” and just watch the video. That was when I knew I was in trouble. Yep, there was going to be a message for me within the video.

The title of the Ted Talk was “The Power of Vulnerability”. My thoughts went between “um, okay” to ““Really?” to “No chance in …” to “If I get a free moment.” But, I did watch the video and 20 minutes later I understood why she had recommended it to me.

Brown describes herself as a “researcher storyteller” who studies the human connection. In the Ted Talk, Brown talks about her “slugfest” with vulnerability and the journey to understand courage, authenticity and shame in a world that thrives on controlling and predicting. Brown says, “And now my mission to control and predict had turned up the answer that the way to live is with vulnerability and to stop controlling and predicting.” AHHHH! If you have seen my pantry, you know I enjoy a degree of control and predict … so letting go was CRAZY TALK! Or was it?

In our world that focuses on our imperfections, how does one find the courage to embrace vulnerability in order to find authenticity and worthiness? And, how do we build a culture of compassion to connect with others and share the message that we are all worthy. We all belong. And, we all deserve joy.

Now it is your turn.

Get beyond the title.

Watch the video.

There is a message within uniquely for you.

TED Talks: The Power of Vulnerability http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html

The Importance of Integrity and Honesty



Are you able to communicate bad news to your boss? Do you confront difficult problems directly and promptly? Are you assertive enough to stand up for what you believe, even if it is not the popular position?

My company's Vision and Values says that our ethics are the sum of all the decisions each of us makes every day. That isn’t just about what you say, but what you do. This is important in our industry because everything we do is built on trust. It doesn’t happen with one transaction, in one day on the job or one quarter. It’s earned relationship by relationship.

In the book, Leadership Challenge, authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner discuss beginning research thirty plus years ago on what team members expect of leaders. They started by surveying thousand of executives using a simple open ended question (“What values, personal traits, or characteristics do you look for and admire in a leader?”). They received several hundred different values, traits and characteristics. Independent judging coupled with empirical analysis enabled the content to be reduced to a list of twenty characteristics.

Characteristics of Admired Leaders

Ambitious
Cooperative
Fair minded
Independent
Mature
Broad Minded
Courageous
Forward Looking
Inspiring
Self Controlled
Caring
Dependable
Honest
Intelligent
Straightforward
Competent
Determined
Imaginative
Loyal
Supportive

This checklist was then distributed and respondents are asked to check the seven qualities that they “most look for and admire in a leader, someone whose direction they would willingly follow.” An interesting result is that since the early 80’s while every characteristic typically gets a vote, there are a handful that lead in votes time after time. They are: Honest, Forward Looking, Inspiring and Competent.

Of the four, honesty is reported as the characteristic that is chosen most. In fact, the study shows that it is the single most important factor in the leader—team member relationship. Not surprising, after all, we don’t want our leader to lie to us or deceive us. We want leaders who tell us the truth, even when the truth is hard to tell. Honesty is tightly bound to integrity. We want leaders who know right from wrong. We want to be led, not misled. We want victory, through hard work not through deceit. In the end, we want to work hard for someone who displays integrity and honesty and we know that through their role modeling, we are motivated to practice integrity and honesty.

Now, go back through the paragraph above and replace “we” with “I” and “us” to “me”. Making it personal affords for self reflection. And, admit it, we all want to work for, work with and be team members who practice integrity and honesty. A reward in doing so is having significant impact in your organization and living by the company’s values.

Here are some ideas that other leaders identified on how to display high integrity and honesty.


Find your voice by clarifying your personal values.
Avoid saying one thing and doing another. Remember to walk the talk!
Follow through on promises and commitments.
Lead by example. Model the core values! Convey an attitude of concern and caring.
Answer questions truthfully!
Don’t over promise.
Create and promote a culture of trust that contributes to the success of individuals, teams and the organization as a whole.
Don’t just act the part. Live YOUR legacy!
Stand up for your beliefs and convictions regardless of consequences.
Apologize when you make a mistake. Bleed integrity.


As you make integrity and honesty a focus, I would love to hear your successes or please share your experience at our next team meeting for shared learning.

The Great Pumpkin

Pumpkin carving is a popular part of modern America’s Halloween celebration. Come October, pumpkins can be found everywhere in the country from doorsteps to dinner tables. Despite the widespread carving that goes on in this country every autumn, few Americans really know why or when the jack o ’lantern tradition began.

People have been making jack o’lanterns at Halloween for centuries. But what people don’t know is the practice originated from an Irish myth about a man nicknamed “Stingy Jack.” According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. Jack didn’t want to pay for his drink (hence his name?), so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross to prevent the devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for a year and he would never lay claim to Jack’s soul. A year passed and Jack was up to his trickery again. This time, he tricked the Devil by having him climb a tree for a piece of fruit. At the end, Jack walked away with ten years of not being bothered by the Devil. Unfortunately for Jack, he died. Legend says he was not able to go to Heaven nor Hell, and the Devil was so mad at Jack that he sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved out turnip and has been roaming the Earth ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” and then simply “Jack O’Lantern.”

In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack’s lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. In England, large beets are used. Immigrants from these countries brought the tradition with them when they came to the United States. They soon found that pumpkins, a fruit native to America, make perfect jack o’lanterns.

Did You Know?

Pumpkins are fruits.

A pumpkin is a type of squash and is a member of the gourd family.

The seed is edible and is a good source of protein, magnesium, copper and zinc.

Pumpkins have been grown in North America for five thousand years. They are indigenous to the western hemisphere.

In 1584, after French explorer Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence region of No. America, he reported finding “gros melons.” The name became “pompions,” which has evolved into the modern name pumpkins.

The largest pumpkin pie ever baked was 2,020 pounds (in 2005*).*Guinness Book of World Records
The story of Stingy Jack was pulled from http://www.history.com/topics/jack-olantern-history

Festival + Family = Mooncake!!

The Chinese have celebrated the harvest during the autumn full moon since the Shang Dynasty. The festival, which falls on September 19 this year, is focused on the moon. Lunar worship, moon watching, lanterns, storytelling and mooncakes are a part of the celebration, as is a love story of a moon beauty (Chang’e), her husband and uber archer (Houyi), ten suns and a Jade Rabbit. But enough about that, let’s talk mooncake!

As the mid-autumn festival is an occasion of reunion, the round moon cake symbolizes the family circle and the flavor brings to mind the sweetness of filial ties. There are records of yuebing (moon cakes in Mandarin) from the Tang dynasty (609-960).

Typical mooncakes are round pastries, measuring about 10cm in diameter and 4–5cm thick. A rich thick filling usually made from white or red lotus seed, orange peel, or red bean paste is surrounded by a thin crust. The most popular include yolks to represent the roundness of the moon. The ornate decoration on the top of mooncake varies between words, the bakeries name, what is in the moon cake to decorations celebrating the festival.

Mooncakes are usually eaten in small wedges with tea and since I had never tried a mooncake before, I chose the smallest, white lotus paste one and tried it with some green tea. Totally unexpected was the texture and the flavor. Freshly baked moon cakes should be smooth, soft and delicate.

If you would like to learn more about the Mid Autumn Festival or mooncakes, click on either link below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Autumn_Festival
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooncake

Codebreaker

“A man provided with paper, pencil, and rubber, and subject to strict discipline, is in effect a universal machine.”  - Alan Turing

Alan Turing was “a British mathematician, logician, cryptanalyst and computer scientist. He was highly influential in the development of computer science, giving a formalization of the concepts of “algorithm” and “computation” with the Turing machine, which can be considered a model of a general purpose computer. Turing is widely considered to be the father of computer science and artificial intelligence.”


During World War II, Turing worked at Bletchley Park where he devised the method of the bombe, an electromechanical machine that decrypted Germany’s “Enigma” cipher. With Enigma broken, Allied forces knew the position of the enemy and could maneuver strategically. After the war, Turing designed Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) which was the first relatively complete specification of an store program computer. In 1949, Turing went to Manchester University where he assisted in developing the Manchester computers and got deeply involved in mathematical biology. Turing is regarded as a founding father of modern cognitive science and a leading early exponent of the hypothesis that the human brain is in large part a digital computing machine.

Turing was also a victim of prejudice. In 1952, Turing was arrested and tried for homosexuality which was a criminal crime. He avoided prison by entering a hormone treatment program. Shortly after, he took his life.

With the intention of stepping into someone’s shoes...I encourage you to check out the Masterpiece Theatre movie “Breaking the Code” available on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S23yie-779k) or look for a local viewing of the movie “CodeBreaker” (http://turingfilm.com).

Visualize the lives he saved, but also imagine the work he would have continued had he been accepted for who he was.

*Wikipedia http://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing

Freedom, Family and BBQ Sauce

“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.” ~ Erma Bombeck

On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence declared US independence from Great Britain. Every July 4, Americans around the world celebrate with family, picnics and fireworks.

For my Rea family, 4th of July would not be complete without a BBQ with the perfect BBQ sauce. So, I share with you my latest recipe. Created out of utter desperation to find the ultimate homemade BBQ sauce, I found many recipes, tried many, failed many and finally found one and tweaked it to make it my own.

Wishing you a wonderful BBQ (sauce)!

~Stacy

What if you were 1 in 400?

“A player of extraordinary ability renowned for his electrifying style of play. Over 10 seasons hit .311, scored more than 100 runs six times, named to six all-star teams and led Brooklyn to six pennants and its only world series title, in 1955. The 1947 rookie of the year and the 1949 N.L. MVP when he hit a league-best .342 with 37 steals. Led second baseman in double plays four times and stole home 19 times. Displayed tremendous courage and poise in 1947 when he integrated the modern major leagues in the face of intense adversity.”*

It is hard to imagine, but during baseball legend Jackie Robinson’s rookie year there were 399 white players and himself in Major League Baseball (MLB). The movie “42” is his story and it addresses the tremendous challenges Robinson faced as the first African American player during the first years in MLB.

After viewing the movie, I wanted to know more about the man, so I did some research.  I read that Robinson was the first student to letter in four varsity sports at UCLA.  I found it interesting that he pursued professional football before pursuing baseball.  Even more that he served his country in the US Army (1942).  Finally, I was utterly moved after reading his quote, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." 
I entered the movie "42" only knowing the legendary baseball player, Jackie Robinson.  Now, I know the legendary Jackie Robinson whose drive, tenacity, courage and leadership left an amazing legacy for his generation as well mine. 

They say we learn best when stepping into someone's shoes...this weekend I encourage you to see the movie "42" and step into Jackie Robinson’s cleats to experience what it felt like to be 1 in 400.

*Hall of Fame Plaque honoring Jackie Robinson as found in Cooperstown, New York.

Long Drive to Results

Driving execution is someone else's job....right? Nope! What differentiates extraordinary leaders from everyday managers is that the former demonstrate an active role in executing plans — not just in producing them. And in demonstrating execution, they model “drive for results”.

Drive for results is more complex in fluid or fungible organizations. Understanding and learning to leverage people, process and technology is required, but also enabling connections between the three in order to align them with vision and strategy.

With the goal to realize the vision and strategy, it is disheartening to review current statistics that reveal 70% of companies fail to implement their strategy. Shocking number when you think of the investment—time, money, reputation—that goes into strategy implementation.

Architecture was one of the last classes I took for my Masters degree. One of my favorite learnings from the class? Architects bring clarity to chaos. Another lesson was the importance of not only thinking big, deep thoughts, but having the ability to drive them to execution.

Tying this back to The Extraordinary Leader, Zenger and Folkman identify the following behaviors to demonstrate the activities necessary to drive for results:

• Aggressively pursue all assignments and projects until completion.
• Do everything possible to meet goals and deadlines. Identify actions, assign accountability and align communications, people and processes to deliver results.
• Consistently meet or exceed commitments.
• Follow through on assignments to ensure successful completion – don’t lose interest before a project is completed.
• Build commitment in others for their individual and team objectives.
• Hold others accountable for achieving results.
• Lead or champion efforts to increase productivity and goal accomplishment.

The role of Architecture in the organization affords us the ability to see what could be (vision), translate it into strategy and then oversee the tactical execution.

My advice to each of you is to passionately drive your vision through to reality. Recognize that more times than not, that will mean rolling up your sleeves and investing “sweat equity” to see a strategy all the way through!

__________________________________________

Wrapping it Up...

Here are some ideas that other leaders identified on how to improve effectiveness in the Drives for Results competency.

• Recognize and capitalize on opportunities.
• Set and maintain high performance standards for self and others that support our companies strategic plan and holds self and other team members accountable for achieving results.
• Try new things to reach challenging goals and persists until personal and team goals are achieved and commitments met.
• Work to meet individual and company goals with positive regard, acknowledgment of, and cooperation with the achievement of others' goals.
• Motivate others to translate ideas into actions and results.

As you make Drive for Results a focus continue to share your successes with the team for shared learning. Um, sounds like bullet #5 above in action!!

~ Stacy