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.