Category: Libby

Innovation

I attended a program on innovation last week. The speaker was Frans Johannson; he was really compelling. He talked about how innovation is all about intersections – the places where diverse thoughts/industries/paradigms come together. He was able to show how insects can influence architecture and Martin Luther King Jr. has an influence on techno music. It is the surprise factor that makes an idea exciting, and it is diversity that drives innovation.

Now, I have a lot of work-related ideas, many of which are interesting and a few of which are innovative. On one hand we are encouraged to be creative and try new things; on the other, we are hog-tied by something ironically called our “innovation process” – it is a cumbersome methodology designed to ensure that ideas are carefully thought out, the ROI is quantified, the budget is laid out, staff hours are accounted for, etc. All of this sounds perfectly reasonable and logical, and it also effectively kills innovation. It’s a very frustrating place in which to live…I’d really like to innovate the New Product Development process into obsolescence. One of the other things Johannson shared with us is that if we want to innovate, we need to do something, do anything. We may fail, but at least we tried and now we know more than we did before. If the “process” for innovation is to stop failure before it’s tried, there’s no way to try. If you really want to innovate, you need to think in surprising ways, allowing room for trying and subsequently learning from mistakes – with truly unexpected ideas, you can’t possibly know in advance how it’s all going to turnout! Creativity is not a linear process, it is messy and dirty and accidental and fun. To me, rules and frameworks are akin to professional fear…maybe the whole thing will be found lacking and then what? You better innovate your resume…

– Libby Bingham

Tags Career, Change, Creativity, Organizational Development

Awesomeness in the World Libby

Gardening

The weather in the Washington, DC area has been really nice this spring and it has done its job in motivating me to get outside and dig. I find gardening to be relaxing, good exercise (I have a lot of weeds to pull) and a terrific way to connect with others. Although I am alone most of the time I am doing the work, I find that people will stop and want to chat while I’m out there (covered in dirt, sweaty…good thing I’m already married…). My marathon days of reconnecting with my garden are also days of reconnecting with my neighbors and my family. My son and I both love rocks and collecting them. My husband does not really share this interest, so he encouraged us to build a rock garden together – it’s terrific! Every morning on the way to school, we both stop to admire the garden…sure, nothing has grown, but it’s fun to recognize a new rock that we hadn’t seen before and relive the memory of when it was found. My mother and her entire family are avid gardeners, and my mother has two green thumbs and three green fingers. Her gardens are amazing. Every time I go to her house, she sends me home with cuttings or seedlings or plants she just digs up. Every time they bloom after I’ve planted them at my house (when they survive the transition), I am reminded of her and I call and give her a progress report. This is the same kind of connection I feel with my aunt who died from a brain tumor, or my uncle who died in a car accident – they may be gone, but they live on through the beauty of a blooming iris. By planting and cultivating living things, my relationships are rooting and multiplying, and I love admiring that growth as well. What’s growing in your garden?

– Libby Bingham

Tags Growth, Motivation, Sharing

Book Reports Libby

Dead Wake

I was at my cousin’s wedding and my uncle was discussing the new Erik Larson book about the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. As a fan of Larson (Devil in the White City, In the Garden of Beasts), I was excited to read his latest book, Dead Wake. I read it in just a few days – as per his style, the true tale gripped me from the get-go. Larson tells his stories from the perspective of those who lived them. By researching passenger biographies, ship manifests and captains’ logs, Larson paints a picture of all the people involved in this tragedy, from the youngest of the ship’s passengers to President Woodrow Wilson. Admittedly, I did not really know the story of the Lusitania – only that it was sunk by a German U-boat and that its sinking is what brought the U.S. into the First World War.

But the story is so much more than that – a story of technology, of communication (or lack thereof), of luck and of hope. Mostly, though, it is a story about decision-making: the many opportunities for things to have gone another way, if only a different decision had been made. What if those passengers had taken another ship on another day? What if the British intelligence agency had shared information more readily? What if the U-Boat captain had gone in a different direction? What if the ship had been using all its power instead of conserving? It’s a tragic story, but also fascinating when you consider how many decisions each of us makes on a daily basis – which of those, even the most mundane, have saved us from unbridled success and which from personal tragedy? It is enough to paralyze one into inaction, or propel one into reckless behavior. How you weigh information and what you do with it is the most important part of writing your own story. What’s your next chapter?

– Libby Bingham

Tags Books, Motivation, Personal Development

Inside My Head Libby

Procrastination

I am a terrible procrastinator. I always have been…in fact, my brother made up a character for me called The Procrastinator. My tagline was, “I’ll be back…later…” I procrastinate at losing weight and getting in shape, at doing the gardening and the dishes, calling my friend from college, and definitely at work projects. (I have – in an earlier post on this blog, I am aware – previously touted the idea of being prepared. I will state for the record that procrastination does not necessarily preclude being prepared, but it does make it harder.)

Why do I procrastinate? I’m sure it’s either genetic or some kind of childhood trauma…but that’s irrelevant. I do it. And it makes for a lot of stressful times…but somehow, it also motivates me and lights a fire under my lazy bum. It may even be (partially) responsible for some of my best work! So what I’ve decided to do is Embrace the Procrastination! Instead of fighting the inevitable, I’m learning how to work with it and to use it as a motivator. I haven’t perfected it yet, but I’m getting there. My advice: never stop with whatever self-improvement efforts you have going on, BUT part of those efforts should include cutting your losses. Instead of fighting The Thing that make you feel bad that you continually try to “fix,” figure out how you can mitigate the negative impact of The Thing and use it as your touchstone, your hyper-drive, your magic bean. You, too, can turn that frown upside down…tomorrow, of course.

Tags Change, Growth, Motivation

Career Libby

Whitespace

I just returned from an all-expenses-paid, not work-related three days in Palm Springs, CA at a resort that involved lots of swimming, drinking and eating. (Go ahead, hate me…it was awesome! And, yes, my friend Ellen is the best, and no, you can’t have her.) Though to be fair, I suppose it wasn’t all play, I did have to attend two hours-worth of general session wisdom. One of which was Juliet Funt (daughter of Alan Funt, founder of TV’s Candid Camera) – she was awesome: smart, funny and poignant.

The theme of her talk was “whitespace” – figuring out ways to turn off the hub and the bub of daily, connected life and find time to reconnect with your own brain. She has data about how this increases productivity and makes us feel saner – it’s kind of a “duh” thing, but it’s also really difficult to do. I found her message really inspiring and am already thinking of ways to reinstall whitespace wherever I can: not checking work emails on the weekend or after ten pm on weekdays (I do have a wacky schedule), turning my phone off while spending QT with my son and husband, spending time just thinking about a work problem instead of jumping in to solving it. These are little ways to regain focus and make the time I am working more effective and efficient. I haven’t really implemented them yet, but am hopeful it may also give me a boost of renewed energy…who doesn’t need that? What do you do to reclaim whitespace in your world? Have you noticed any changes?

– Libby Bingham

Tags Career, Change, Organizational Development, Personal Development

Inside My Head Libby

Younger

I just discovered a new show on TV Land called Younger, about a 40 year old divorcee with a kid passing herself off as a 26 year old. Seems like a ridiculous premise, but Sutton Foster can make anything awesome. The show is entertaining, but it is also thought-provoking…if we could go back in time with the knowledge gained by our older selves and have a kind of do-over, how would that be? Terrific or terrible? I’m torn…I honestly don’t know what I would do in that situation, but I do know that I am lucky enough to have friends and relationships with people of all ages. I have learned so much from both those who are older and those who are younger – it is their experiences and perspectives that make them interesting, valuable and relevant friends, not their age. My little cousin recently reminded me that one now says “hashtag” not “pound” and my mother just shared with me a heart-breaking time she had one day when she was twelve years old – both of those things make me a more understanding person, a more efficient worker, and a better friend. It’s not that I want to be younger – I want to be relevant and happy. I just need to find ways to do that no matter how old I am.

Tags Career, Creativity, Growth

Career Libby

Dream Teams

I don’t know if it’s Spring Fever or just general malaise, but I haven’t been exactly inspired professionally over the past several weeks. I think I’m more affected than I thought by the gearing up of the search for our boss’ replacement – among issues including job security, I am also really troubled about how bringing in someone new to our department could really change our inter-departmental dynamic, and not for the better. We have a terrific group of people right now and if someone messes with it, our Dream Team is in danger of becoming a nightmare. On top of that, I have recently been tasked with overseeing the transition of a preparatory program held twice a year to an online format, and the scope of that endeavor has also been the backdrop for my partial professional paralysis.

I recently met with the people I have been working on this project with for more than three years – it is challenging content-wise, time-wise and emotionally, and they have put in a lot of time and creative energy to make it a success. Today I asked my three volunteers – my friends – to make a commitment to me for two more iterations of our current program so that I can concentrate on the migration. If I can keep my own Dream Team intact, the worry and burden of training people who may or may not do a good job will all go away. They all said yes. I owe them all manner of goods and services for a long and indeterminate period of time, but they said yes! When I got home, I actually cried a little bit – the sense of relief was overwhelming. My gratitude to these people is immeasurable…having them as my team is a dream come true. Dream Team…a phenomenon which is so rare and incredibly important. So I ask you, before I get back to work with renewed vigor, who’s on your Dream Team?

Tags Career, Growth, Organizational Development

Inside My Head Libby

Electrifying!

My kid stuck a paperclip in an electrical socket at school today. Awesome. Besides receiving a wee shock, he wasn’t hurt, except for his pride in being called out. I’m not sure that’s a good thing – I feel like if he did it after years of us telling him not to with no repercussions, what’s to keep him from doing it again and in a more sneaky fashion? So he’s not a genius…or is he?

There are a lot of ways to look at the situation, most of which either anger or depress me (I’m dreading the adolescent years). I’ve decided to focus on: experimentation. We learn nothing without experimentation, without trying new things. As adults, we often stop trying new stuff – whether it is because we’re scared or just plain tired. But when we stop experimenting, we stop growing and life gets pretty boring.

I’m not advocating you go sticking metal things into outlets, but now that it’s spring, it’s a great time to try something new and take a chance. I just got a bike for my ten year work anniversary (what?? Sweet…) and an awesome new helmet, so I’m going to give bike riding a try. I am also going to experiment with Dutch oven cooking on our camping trip this weekend. I really have no way of telling, but I don’t anticipate getting shocked. I do hope to feel revived and energized. What might electrify you this season?

– Libby Bingham

Tags Change, Growth, Personal Development

Career Libby

Ex-Boss, Future Boss?

I had lunch with my old boss yesterday. I like her so much…she’s super smart and I feel privileged that she wants to continue our relationship. Actually, I’m friends with all three bosses I had at that organization; however, I am not in touch with the bosses I had in the two subsequent jobs after that organization…interesting, I think. Was it the organization or the people? Maybe it was the organization that attracted the people.

In any event, I have been able to maintain this important relationship which has had incredible positive outcomes for me. I’ve learned so much, including: the importance of data in decision-making, how you can – and should – still consider the emotional side, delegation is not a weakness, and that having a good team can make all the difference. As a supervisor of staff, I have tried to emulate all the good things she showed me. Even in the jobs where my relationship was not positive with my supervisor, I was able to help and support other folks I worked with. Since then, their careers have grown and completely eclipsed my own. That makes me feel so good – to know that I played a role (not “the” role necessarily – clearly they had something all on their own!) in their professional growth and development. It is important – for both yourself and others – to support staff and co-workers who are coming up through the ranks. We cannot be afraid of another’s success, that they may somehow outshine us. The truth is that by making everyone on your team stronger, you reap the rewards, both personally and professionally.

– Libby Bingham

Tags Career, Growth, Sharing