Leadership | Mike McRitchie | Resume and LinkedIn Profile Writer | Telecom Marketing Content Writer

How to Make Mistakes Like John F. Kennedy

June 26, 2015 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

Check out this video from my friend Julie Broad. You’ll find some interesting insights about what to do when you make mistakes. When you’re done…read on about how to deal with others’ mistakes 🙂

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Okay. You’re back. You did watch the video right???

So here’s Part II of the story about mistakes. What do you do when you believe someone else is making a mistake. Or not coming around to your way of thinking?

What do you do when They are making the Mistake?

This is something I see all the time in project management. I have a fact that I need to convey to someone. Okay, it really isn’t a fact…more like my opinion. but isn’t my opinion fact? I digress…

So like Julie mentioned in her video, people tend to either not notice their mistakes, or defend their mistakes or opinions as facts that must be defended at all cost. So how do you change their opinion or come to your side of thinking when they’re dead set on defending themselves?

How do you get someone to change their mind?

Let’s use a little verbal jiu jitsu. I’ll give you a parable that will make the point.

The North Wind and the Sun Parable

The North Wind and the Sun were debating who is more powerful. They saw a traveler walking along and bet who could make him remove his cloak.

The North Wind blew and blew. The harder he blew, the tighter the traveler clutched his cloak.

So then the Sun came out. Soon the traveler warmed up and got hot. When he got hot he removed his cloak.

And the Sun gloated because she won. Alright, that wasn’t in the story…

So how does this relate to getting people to change their minds?

Everything.

People don’t like to admit they’re wrong. So how do you take advantage of that knowledge and still bring them to your way of thinking (assuming yours is correct or can be adequately supported)?

Agree First

You need to first agree with them. Their conclusion was based on something, no matter how faulty you think it is. Second you need to ask for help or their opinion on some aspect that is related to the direction you’re taking them but not a frontal assault.

By doing this you at least have a chance at bringing them around and getting them on your side.

Ask for Help

One method of doing that is when someone has an opinion about something ask that they help you understand the steps to get to that conclusion. You may find they are right. Or you may find a flaw in their process or argument that will allow you to shed more light on it or provide additional information that they were not aware of that would then lead them to a different conclusion. Possibly yours.

So that is the mechanics of it but I think there is an even bigger area where you can get to a positive result.

Your Attitude Matters

And that is the attitude you bring to the persuasion situation. They say “Attitude is Everything”. It might not be everything, but it probably isn’t far from the truth.

A lot of our attitude stems from “Assumptions” we make about things. And a particularly deadly assumption in gaining agreement is assuming the other person has bad intent.

I can’t count the number of normal communications that went haywire due to someone assuming they were trying to undermine them. And when that happens it turns into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Be Curious

So go in with an open, curious, mind. Ask for help. If you can get past your ego you’ll often find the person you’re dealing with is a good person who wants to do a good job and you may find agreement rather than argument in your dealings.

Enjoy!

Reflecting on Class

June 16, 2015 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

Tonight the Golden State Warriors win their first NBA Championship in 40 years.

And I was alive when they won their last one with Rick Barry. And I watched a lot of bad years. I can’t complain because I got to see some of the best players on the other side of the ball – Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan.

Cheering for Oakland teams was often an uphill fight. The teams across the Bay often were the center of attention – the 49ers great years with Joe Montana, Steven Young, and Jerry Rice. The Giants World Series Championships.

So it is nice to see the Golden State Warriors win.

And what makes it even cooler is they are genuine, selfless, hard workers, committed, and true team players. The definition of class – both on and off the court.

Over the years I’ve seen pro sports players turn into high paid spoiled brats. In your face celebrations. Criminals who think they’re above the law. Athletes who don’t recognize the unique opportunity they have to leave a positive impression on all who watch and adore their abilities.

I’ve also seen pro sports franchises so focused on churning the dollars that they often dump on their fan base. Whether it is the high priced tickets that make it so that blue collar families can’t afford to attend the games or trying to avoid spending the big bucks and putting up with having teams that can’t win the big prize that their fans so crave.

So hearing the story of this team. Its players. Its coaches. Its back office management.

All committed to a collective vision and putting their personal interests behind their collective goals.

And in the end they also end up achieving their ultimate personal goals through their self sacrifice.

Did God grant the Warriors this victory? I wouldn’t go that far but isn’t it nice to see a down to earth team that is focused on doing what is necessary to reach their goal.

I think this is what I love about business ventures and projects too. When a group of people come together under the vision, most anything is possible.

And when that vision is attained. It is so much sweeter to celebrate with people you love to be around and are committed to.

So as I go to bed tonight with a smile on my face thinking about the Warriors’ victory, I only hope I can bring that same type of contribution to my work and relationships.

And may you do the same.

Go Get Your #2!

May 17, 2015 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

Who’s Your #2?

Every great business has a great #1 AND a #2.

What does that mean? You need a great leader/marketer/visionary. And you also need someone who can get things done for you based on that vision.

Here’s a few great 1-2 combinations…

Apple: Steve Jobs and Paul Wozniak

Microsoft: Bill Gates and Paul Allen

Google: Larry Page and Sergey Brin

Ben & Jerry’s: Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield

Led Zeppelin: Robert Plant and Jimmy Page

San Francisco 49’ers: Joe Montana and Jerry Rice

Musical Scores: Rodgers and Hammerstein

Movie Critics: Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert

Aren’t Partnership’s Doomed to Failure?

Now with small businesses a standard rule is don’t do partnerships. They have a very high failure rate. But that is typically because there is often unequal commitment to the goal, or the methods, or both want to lead and it is tough to have a two headed leadership model. Basically people get confused over who to follow.

But if you have one who is a visionary, and another who is great at executing that vision, you have a recipe for success.

I spent most of my business life as that #2 person.

For over 25 years I’ve worked with many great small business entrepreneurs.

They had tremendous passion. They had a vision for where they’d like to take their business. They could sell that vision. Their energy and enthusiasm was contagious.

And that was where their strengths were most beneficial.

Sometimes You Need Help

Their strength wasn’t in translating the vision into implementation. It wasn’t in creating the necessary infrastructure to support the vision. It wasn’t in hiring the right people, getting them trained and up to speed quickly, and dealing with the endless challenges that people bring to a perfectly good business idea.

So that was where I would come in. I would help them convert their vision into reality.

Full Contact Collaboration

We would strategize together. We’d discuss options and impacts.

I’d challenge their ideas…but never their leadership.

They could be passionate. And I could too.

Nothing topic was off limits. But we never attacked the person. That was the only way to ensure the collaboration would be a success in the end.

And as long as you both know and are committed to your respective roles, you can achieve great things.

Greatness is Waiting…Will You Accept the Call?

The good news about all this is if you’re a business owner. If you’re the #1 type. And you can get past your insecurities. And be willing to hire or promote or reassign the appropriate team member to support your vision, you can achieve so much more that you ever would have without that person.

And what if you’re not there yet? What if you aren’t quite that emotionally secure yet?

Outsourcing…the Entry Level #2

Well start with outsourcing. Outsource those areas that are not critical for you to perform but will free up your day to do more of where your strengths lie.

By doing this it is almost like having a silent #2 doing your bookkeeping, or running personal errands, or running your lead generation campaigns.

You’ll find that you achieve so much more. And your vision for your business will be achieved at a much faster pace.

Enjoy your #2…and enjoy Freedom!

Deflate-gate…a Case Study of How Not to Address Problems in Your Business

May 11, 2015 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

Deflate-gate…a Case Study

So today the penalties came out in the New England Patriots’ Deflate-gate case. Tom Brady gets a 4-game suspension and the Patriots are fined $1 million and lose 2 draft picks.

So what’s wrong with that?

Justice done. The league can go back to business as usual, right?

Not quite.

The deal is that is just going to be something to continue the conversation around football. Not in a good way either. Brady is going to appeal. So the drama will continue to unfold.

Now you say, “Any publicity is good publicity,” right?

Well this year football got hit hard with a lot of scandals and PR problems. Ray Rice, earlier retirements to avoid concussions, etc.

And Deflate-gate was such a non-issue anyway.

Just look at it. Each team gets to inflate the balls within a range to match their quarterback’s needs. Each team uses their own balls on offense. So by definition the understanding is the quarterback is setting the balls up for his needs.

If someone has a problem with the inflation level, call a spot check during the game during the next TV timeout. You can make that problem go away instantly. No muss, no fuss. The TV audience doesn’t even have to see it happening.

If it is good for the league to have properly inflated footballs, they could address it when there is a concern. They could even have penalties involved if that was necessary.

Or they could change the rules to have a central keeper of the balls that isn’t part of either team (like a ball keeping ref).

But owners want payback

But that isn’t what happened. There was a big investigation instead. That’s what happens when everyone’s a lawyer. You’re trying to assign blame rather than solve the problem (i.e. deal immediately with the underinflated ball situation during the game).

And so now the public is involved. Tom Brady’s name and the Patriots name is maligned in the press and everyone will say the Brady/Patriot Superbowl win should have an asterisk next to it.

Really???

This is football not tiddly winks

That’s what it has come to? Doesn’t everyone realize that everyone is taking a competitive edge? Whether it is steroids or blood doping. People are kidding themselves if they think professional sports…and in particular pro football is immune from that. Players and teams are just playing the game (and not the game of football but working the system to get their team the biggest competitive edge).

And Deflate-gate was just a really bad example of a witch-hunt that was so unnecessary.

My opinion is it was some disgruntled owners who were pissed off at Brady and the Patriots because they worked the system better than they did and sought revenge.

And what happens?

Everyone loses

They all lose. Now the NFL (which supports these NFL owners and players) is on the ropes. How is that going to damage their brand? How is it going to impact future revenues?

That remains to be seen but there was certainly an opportunity to do things differently.

And so I want you to take that to heart. And back to your business situations.