Happy Thanksgiving, America. I think today’s a good day for a post that references a cooking show…

Are you familiar with MasterChef?  It’s one of the many cooking competitions on TV these days… they select home cooks from across the U.S.* to compete for the coveted title of “MasterChef.” The hosts are Gordon Ramsey, Joe Bastianich, and Graham Elliott. The latest season is called MasterChef Junior and features kids as the competitors.

If you haven’t tuned in yet, you really should. Yes, these kids can cook (they’re the f*cking balls actually).  But kitchen tips is not why you should check out MasterChef Junior.  Nope.  What we can learn from these kids has nothing to do with the cooking… It’s the way they compete. #refreshing

They are intense, to be sure. They have dreams. They’re serious and focused about their work… the cooking. But they are inspiring as a group of competitors. They are genuinely happy when the others do well. They’re supportive. They like each other. They want each other to do well. Yes, each of them wants to win. But, better than most adults I know, they seem to understand that they control their own performance. If they mess up, it’s on them. And when they mess up, they’re still happy when their “opponents” succeed.  Like I said, refreshing.

This is a stark contrast to watching grown-ups compete on reality shows where it’s all about the drama, politics, and one-upmanship. Dishonesty, suspicion and disrespect have become the norm… all disguised as “strategy.”

But if people are tuning in, I get why networks would keep producing new episodes. Is it me, though, or has reality-show behavior crept its way into everyday life? Are there not more cynics, con artists, liars, cheats, and assholes, around us every day, than ever before?

At what point in life do we become jaded?  “The world is unfair so I’m going to alter my game plan so I can win… regardless of the means or the consequences.” Unfortunate.

Yes, the nature of competing is to try to win. Absolutely. But there are rules and laws that guide our competitions and, one would hope, some degree of honor in the way we approach the competition and respect for the “game”. There are (and have always been) people of high integrity and those with lower levels of integrity. I don’t think the guy who cheats his way to success should be respected for his, what?, creativity. If someone beats me out for a new job, I’m pissed but it’s on me. When I see them, I will show genuine respect by shaking their hand and offering a sincere congratulations. And I will think to myself… “Sh*t, maybe I just suck.”

I think we’re born optimists… It’s how we’re wired … unless something happens that crushes the dream or dampens the spirit.  The challenge for all of us is to stay optimistic (or re-discover it) no matter how difficult … Optimism is infectious. Don’t believe me? Spend some time with grade-schoolers (hopefully, they’re not jaded themselves)…

We can learn a lot from Optimists, Dreamers, and Believers.  

We can learn a lot from kids.

The MasterChef Junior kids are a great example.

Refreshing.

Check it out: MasterChef Junior.

Well done Chefs Ramsey and Elliot, and renaissance man Bastianich.

The “score” for writing this post…

Everything Good is Bad – JJ Grey & Mofro

A Murder of One – Counting Crows

Stay (Faraway, so close) – U2

I Lived – OneRepublic

Miss Atomic Bomb – The Killers

All Apologies – Nirvana

Demons – Imagine Dragons

Colourblind – Glenn Morrison (feat. Andrew Cole)

Living for the City – Stevie Wonder

* MasterChef started in the UK on the BBC

July 1.  Or should I say 1 July?  Either way… today is Canada Day.  As has become our tradition since relocating here in 2005, we will spend the day and evening with a couple other families, savouring delicious barbecue and frosty beverages and sharing a few laughs while the kids run and run and run around the yard.  Later, we’ll make the trek to the riverfront for [what else?] the city’s fireworks display.  While it’s not of a similar magnitude to those we experienced while living in Boston, they’re ours just the same… quaint and humble, just like our town.  Besides, kids enjoy sky bound explosions of fire, large and small [adults do too in my opinion].

For whatever reason, I love Canada Day… not so much because of the events and fireworks or because it’s a holiday but because it serves as a reminder of the great country that it is.  A country marked by good people, whom are smart and humble.  Have you ever met someone who said “Those Canadians, what a bunch of arrogant SOBs…”?  Not likely.  It’s quite the opposite.  When I lived in the States and someone would pick up my slight (according to me) accent, the first thing they’d say after “Are you Canadian?” was usually “I love Canadians” or the simpler but more complimentary … “nice!”

So today, as your Canadian friends gather to celebrate “their day”, send them a text, write on their wall, or DM them to wish them a Happy Canada Day… or better yet, just say one word — nice!

Cheers.

Imagine that you are the head of a public university or college in 2012.  You are faced with an incredible set of challenges.  While you know how critical your “product” is to the growth and development of society… economically and culturally … you are often a political pawn between the haves and have-nots.  The elitists at the top of the hill pitted against the peasants down below.  Folks, we’re in this together!

Amid uncertainty about the availability of public funding for post-secondary education when aging populations are starting to demand more health and long-term care, you are caught in the middle — your graduates are the innovators, entrepreneurs, leaders that will create the solutions to our fiscal challenges if only our governments can make the right investments today.

On top of this, your centuries-old campuses are tired.  Your organizational structures were designed for a different time.  And governance models can make it very difficult for you to change.

So… with these daunting challenges facing you (and your government leaders as well),  where do you invest your finite dollars… which come partly from your students and their tuition fees, partly from your generous alumni and other donors, and partly from the taxpaying public in your neck of the woods, through Government funding?

The answer is simple.  Invest in your product quality… Invest in the student experience… all else in your universe flows from there.

I sketched out this causal loop diagram to illustrate some ideas about a “transformative student experience” and the positives it creates.  It isn’t perfect I’m sure, but you get the point.  For a university or a college, the student experience, quite simply, is EVERYTHING.  Build your vision around it, tell your story over and over, and get everyone passionate about it.  And invest there — in building a transformative student experience.  It’s the best investment you can make.

For governments, heed this thinking.  While you have very real near-term issues to manage, the economic, cultural and social potential of your citizens rests on the return on the investments you are willing to make for the future.

This week marks the 100th day of school for my elementary school-aged children. My 8-year old daughter’s class was assigned a project to commemorate this milestone — they could do anything they wanted that had to do with the number 100. Nicole is a young hockey player and she wanted to do a video to demonstrate some of the skills she has learned from her minor hockey coaches as well as her coaches at home… myself and her two older brothers, Alec and Sean (most of the latter acquired in the garage or on the backyard rink).

I don’t know how many of you have young daughters or how many are hockey players but I cannot tell you enough about how much I enjoyed helping her to produce this video. It was a great dad / daughter collaboration. Like many kids her age, Nicole has a bright way about her (note: the boys’ soccer coach nicknamed her “Sunny” last summer). She has gigantic blue eyes and an infectious smile. Well, her eyes absolutely lit up when I agreed to help with this video. But there were a couple conditions… While I would provide technical assistance, she was responsible for choosing the skills to demonstrate as well as the music selections… And of course, she (and she alone) was to be the “demonstrator” in the video. She’s the definition of a self-starter so none of this was a problem.

The result is the video you see below. I can’t even describe the pride in her voice when she told her brothers and mom about it and asked if they could watch it… NOW. She was beaming when she walked out the door this morning in anticipation of presenting it to her class. I hope it went well (I’m sure it did).

And I must say, when I watch the video, I notice that she’s a pretty darn good little hockey player. She currently plays mostly with boys (because they dominate the sport in numbers) and she keeps up very well. If you’re a mom or dad wondering whether or not to put your daughter in a hockey program, my advice is to do it if that’s what she wants to do. My daughter has tried basketball, volleyball, and even dance… but none of those stuck. She wants to play hockey (just like her bros) and when I see the pride she takes in playing and practicing… how could I ever say no?

Do you remember this book?  Who am I kidding?  Of course you do.

I don’t know if these are still published but several years ago (maybe 10?), these physically small books were everywhere… Barnes & Noble, Hallmark, CVS, Wal-Mart… I’ll bet you could even find them in some Starbucks, 7-eleven or Toys R Us too.  And you know they’d be in a bin at TJ Maxx.

They contained little passages that might move us in some way… serve to motivate us or simply help remind us that many of the things we fret and worry about each day are minor in the grand scheme of life.  Did I find the quotes a little annoying?  Yes, some of them… a little too much like an ABC After School special.  But others, were incredibly poignant.   Some examples I just found:

• “Be brave. Even if you’re not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.”
• “Overtip breakfast waitresses.”
• “Leave everything a little better than you found it.”
• “Call your mother.”

Well earlier this week, I read a blog post at 5 second rule called “Somethings.”  The author, Cheryl, is a friend of mine and she was commenting on how little things can turn her day from downright awful to terrific… It reminded me a bit of the instruction book quotes (hence the reference) but what I love about her examples is that they’re genuine and real.  I encourage you to visit her blog to read the post but I wanted to give some air time to a few of the things she mentioned (the following are taken directly from the post “Somethings”):

“I really appreciate it when… I’m stopped at a light with my left blinker on, the light changes, and the car facing me gives me a little wave, signaling that I can go first. That’s just nice.”

“I love it when… a friend who’s running late calls me before the appointed time to let me know.”

“I prefer it when… my slice of cake has more chocolate chips than everyone else’s.”

“I’m tickled when… my husband talks about when we’re ninety.”

“I’m so thankful when… bloggers email me for permission before putting my photos or recipes on their sites.”

* I did email Cheryl to ask permission *

Why am I writing about this stuff?  Usually, I try to focus on that balance between business and people, right?  Stay tuned… I’ll get there.

Our lives are so filled with stress, criticism, cynicism, negativity and, generally, things that sap our energy and enthusiasm.  I see this in business all the time.  People are drone-like in their execution of tasks… and managers actually really like this… can you say “repeatable processes” three times fast?

If managers spent 10% more time (even 5%) figuring out ways to engage their employees better and carved out 5% (10% even better) of their people’s time for training, development and, heck,… even fun… guess what would happen?  Productivity would go up.  Yes, that’s right!  Take an employee who’s working 100% of their time executing tasks like a drone… convert 10% of their time to things that get them jazzed and they may still work the same number of hours but they will work more effectively, with passion, energy, and enthusiasm.  That will increase their productivity.  Your employees win and so do your customers.

I know I know, there will be managers who read this and think it’s just plain horsesh*t.  Fine – believe me when I say ‘you just don’t get it.’  There will be others who say that other stuff should happen (above and beyond) the 100% of their work time.  You don’t get it either.  You are not dealing with machines, you’re managing people.  But just as a machine requires up-keep, servicing, maintenance… a person similarly requires care and feeding… that’s training, coaching, career development, and fun.  It’s funny, though, that most managers would absolutely do the things needed to maintain a piece of equipment — why don’t they do what is necessary to ‘re-tool’ and ‘maintain’ their people?

The organizations who do get this are the exception.  That’s the sad truth.  They’re also the greatest places to work… and they have lower rates of turnover, the highest rates of performance, the best satisfaction ratings (from employees and customers) and…

Wait for it…

They’re the most profitable.  They have the best execution.  They have great cultures.  And did I mention they are the best places to work?

If you look at the little ‘somethings’ above, you can draw analogies to the business world:

I really appreciate it when… I’m driving to a deadline and someone who’s busy working on their own stuff, drops what they’re doing to help me.  That’s just nice.

I love it when… a colleague accepts my meeting invitation and when they’re running late, call me as early as possible in advance to let me know.”

Footnote: I just like when people respond to a meeting request

I’m tickled when (okay that sounds, well, not like something I’d ever say but go with me)… our CEO talks about building a company that will stand the test of time and create wealth for all of us and long-term value for our customers.

I’m so thankful when… any leader or manager gives credit to others around them and steps up to accept blame for a mistake.

These are soft, right?  If by soft, you mean it’s difficult to quantify, then yes.  It’s challenging to pre-program being thoughtful and considerate.  It’s difficult to pre-program being strategic or thinking long term too.  In fact, it’s darn hard to “teach” someone to know how to “do the right thing.”  That’s scary.

But if by soft, you mean lame or unimportant, I have a one-word response..

FALSE!!

As soft as some of these things may seem, they are all culture builders and cultivators.  Without them, it will forever be difficult to gain the commitment and dedication every organization needs from its people.  That’s real.

They are foundational.  Without them, it will be impossible to “build” anything on top.  That’s real.

And not having committed people… not having a strong foundation… and not caring about these things will have tangible outcomes, or should I say consequences… That’s real.

So… do your part to impart this to others.  In my little world, my goal is to change this thinking for each and every executive, leader, manager and person I interact with… One step at a time, my friends. You do the same.

Now… go call your mom or dad, brother or sister, son or daughter, or friend.

You’ll feel better for it.  And so will they.

I just watched a video entitled “Lost Generation” by Jonathan Reed.  One word: brilliant.  Thanks to Scott for posting it on Facebook.  Here it is:

I loved it and wanted to share it here.  We can change the world – all it takes is a change in perspective and a willingness to act.  Okay, maybe I’m simplifying a bit.  But you know what?  When you boil it down, it is quite simple.  We all have the opportunity to make a difference; to leave a mark; to change the world.  The question… the complexity rests mostly with the decision to do something about it.

Too often, we become consumed with whatever it is we spend each hour or each day doing.  As a relative of mine once said “life is so daily.”  How perfectly a propos.  Life IS so daily.

[Why all of a sudden do I fear I’ve already used that quote in a post?  If so, I’m sorry — honest, I do have other stuff]

We can make an impact.  And we can do so in many many ways.  It’s about finding your passion and acting upon it in a way that leaves an impression, a positive one, for others.  Think about your kids, their kids, your nieces and nephews, your neighbors’ children.  Think about what your parents might have said… or your grandparents.

Another video that I find inspiring is this one called “Entrepreneurs Can Change the World,” courtesy of Grasshopper.

Tell me – how can you watch these two clips and NOT want to get off your lazy arse and do something?  I do… and I’m not really that lazy.  We weren’t put on this earth to sit on the sidelines and criticize everything everyone else does, were we?  Life is all about choices, right?  I’m not so sure… sometimes I wonder if life has become mostly about not making choices.  About allowing things to happen and reacting to them.  We’re pretty good at reacting.  It’s in our nature – the whole fright or flight thing.

But we don’t need a society of reactors.  People who wait.  The people who make a real difference are those who act.  Those who choose.  Those who decide.  Those who DO.

In a world with lots of armchair quarterbacks, backseat drivers, followers, and reactors, I CHOOSE to be a quarterback.  A driver.  A leader.  And I choose to act.

You can too…  you should too.

We think we have a few secrets here in the Maritimes (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, Canada). Small cities, great access to clean air and outdoor fun, lobster. I would add to that… some of the best beer you’ll find anywhere.

My favourite local beer is Picaroons (http://www.picaroons.ca).  I don’t know whether Picaroons is technically a craft beer or a micro brewery beer. And frankly I don’t really care. There’s a saying about art (something like – “I don’t know much about art, but I know what I like”). The same kind of applies to my knowledge of micro vs. craft beers. But I know I love this one.

Picaroons has a number of varieties. My “go to” summer choice is Dooryard, an Organic wheat beer (see below). It has a slight cloudiness to it and when you add a slice of lemon, the flavour explodes.

[Backgrounder… it’s likely you’ve never heard the word dooryard.  In short, many folks in my neck of the woods use it as a synonym for driveway but here’s a proper definition (from the Carelton County New Brunswick Colloquialism dictionary… Dooryard \’dor-yard\ n – The exterior area of a home surrounding the most commonly used entryway, typically the driveway area; “Buddy does a good job of plowin’ out th’ dooryard.” A logical extension of “barnyard,” “back yard” and “front yard,” it is likely that this compound word grew out of a necessity to distinguish working areas from living areas. In a practice common to the region, homes were attached to barns and other out-buildings; dooryard identifies the exterior area of a home not given over to farming. A household word in parts of New Brunswick, dooryard is seldom heard elsewhere.  End of Back Story]

In the fall, I go back to two of Picaroons’ oldest (and I’m pretty sure original) beers – Best Bitter and Irish Red. Both of these are substantial ales with nice hoppy flavours. And if you love hoppy, try Yippee IPA! I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy a nice stout in the winter like Guinness or St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout (from Montreal). But I also like Picaroons’ Dark & Stormy Night. And when Spring Hits, I look for their Blonde Ale… tasty.

But today, when we were supposed to feel remnants of Hurricane Bill (and didn’t save for a few minutes of rain and wind), it was all about Dooryard.  There are lots of little gems out here in eastern Canada, especially in my home province of New Brunswick, also known as the picture province.  One of them is Picaroons… the best Canadian beer you’ve “now” heard of.

One of the most popular ways for people to find common ground is over a nice meal. When we are trying to build rapport and relationships with prospective customers, we arrange a great dinner meeting. When we’re trying to impress that new girl (or boy) friend, we reserve the best seat in the house and the city’s hottest restaurant. When we’re trying to comfort someone, perhaps during a time of loss, we cook for them.

Yes, food is a catalyst for great conversations and memorable moments. Don’t under-estimate the power of food in the workplace either. When you’re in the middle of a tough project, one that has few good days and many bad ones (we’ve all been there), nothing brings a team together like a good meal at a great locale. It’s the social aspects of eating together that leads to break-throughs… we relax when we’re eating and drinking. And when resistant stakeholders’ guard is down, that’s when you really make progress. Pretense is gone and posturing is off-duty.

Of course, it’s more than just resolving differences or problems or tearing down walls… just showing up some morning with bagels and coffee or fruit and yogurt puts smiles on people’s faces. Why? No matter the situation, we all (well, most of us anyway) feel good when someone does something for us… shows some appreciation to us. It means a lot. Often, the smaller, more random acts mean the most. So the next time you’re in a bind with a customer, a colleague, a staff member, a boss, a friend or a family member… bring food. Sure you can always pick up the phone (we don’t do that enough anymore) but after that… show up with food.

By the way, speaking of food… tonight we made homemade pizzas for supper (does the word supper make me sound like a Canadian?… I hope so!!). We got the idea from our friend Cheryl and her blog 5 second rule (http://5secondrule.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/07/how-to-make-a-tortilla-pizza.html). She had a great recipe for a simple six ingredient tortilla pizza.  We improvised a bit based on what was in the kitchen (pitas for the kids)… Our six were tortillas, mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, scallions, olive oil… The result: delish! (thanks C. — here’s a pic… not as professional as yours but you get the idea).

Our Six

What did I say about food? It puts smiles on faces… and a simple pizza even does the trick. It worked for us.