Lean Quote: Adjust Your Sails to Reach The Destination

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." — Jimmy Dean

Life is filled with all kinds of surprises, both good and bad, but we must not allow misfortune to be the judge of our achievements and dictate our level of success. If we know exactly what we want, and commit just a few minutes per week to make sure we’re on track, then sooner or later, we will reach our goals.

Life has an interesting way of teaching us lessons that prepare us for the journey ahead. We all have goals, dreams and ambitions that we would like to one day successfully bring to physical reality. Yet from our very limited perspective we fail to realize or understand how unworthy and undeserving we actually are of these experiences.

Every goal, every dream, every deep intense purpose that we conjure up within the recesses of our minds is not so much a destination but rather a journey of experiences filled with lessons, hardships, and challenges that must be confronted and overcome in order to experience the pleasures of the destinations that we envision within our minds.

No man or woman ever accomplished their goals, dreams or visions without first experiencing the hardships of the journey that led them to their final destination. When the winds came they understood that they had a choice. They could either resist and try to fight over the top of the winds of change, or they could harness the power of these winds and propel themselves forward towards their destination in potentially unforeseen ways. They realized that life is in a constant process of motion and change that adapts to our shifting thoughts, actions, emotions and goals. What we consciously think we want, may indeed not be what we unconsciously desire. Yet, the shifting wind knows and realizes these internal desires and progressively adjusts our course towards our true intentions.

As our course changes, the winds become our teachers, they help us to understand what it will take to deserve to experience our dreams in physical reality. Without these experiences it would be impossible to accomplish what we seek. Ask the most successful people in the world if they would have become who they are today if not for those challenges, problems, or ill-fated circumstances that constantly stood in their way. They learned throughout this process that life will always throw you curve balls, and that unless we adjust, adapt and alter our course to match the changes that we are experiencing, we will suffer the consequences of ill-fated decisions that may leave us guilt ridden for the remainder of our lives.

We simply can’t change the direction of the wind, but we can adjust our sails to reach our ultimate destination.

Think and Lead Like a Coach Not a Boss

We’ve all experienced variations of Boss vs. Leader types in our working lives. The truth is, it seems easier and more expedient to “boss” than to coach. But research and anecdotal evidence both show that coach/leaders have more engaged employees, and get better results. 

Being a boss is a lot easier than being a coach. Bosses issue orders and enforce rules. They manage up, not down, and are more concerned with pleasing their own bosses than with helping to grow their own employees. Bosses typically have a fixed idea of how things should work and are not open to new ideas. Of course, “my way or the highway" does not develop committed employees. Those who succumb to the "authority trap" and try to tell and/or sell their ideas are not coaching; they are issuing orders or dictating. 

Through discussion, the coach needs to exhibit flexibility and develop common goals that individuals can support and become excited about. Coaching requires a dialogue between the employee and the manager. The manager is working not only to attain acceptable performance levels, but also to help the employee grow and develop into a self-motivated achiever who will not only perform satisfactorily, but will want to be the best that he can be.

Here are some major differences between a boss and a coach:

Bosses “tell”; coaches “teach”. When it comes to improving performance, the boss tells the employee what is expected and how to get things done. The coach explains what is needed and why, and seeks the employee’s input and ideas. Coaches show employees how to improve, seek their commitment, and encourage them to think for themselves. 

1. Bosses inspire fear; coaches inspire trust. While fear may work in the short term, it does not inspire people to do their best in the long term. Fearful employees do what they need to do to survive, at least until they find a different job. Employees working for a good coach feel a sense of belonging, empowerment, and loyalty that makes them want to do their best work. 

2. Bosses like to talk; coaches prefer to listen. Bosses are often out of touch with the day-to-day realities of the workplace. They are often inaccessible. They tend to spend a lot of time away from the work area: in their offices, on the computer, in meetings. Coaches like to work where the action is. They want to be available for the employees and want to be part of the daily activity. 

3. A boss needs to control. Whether it is the flow of paper, calls, e-mails, requests, or meetings, bosses want everything to go through them. Control is central to their being. A coach uses control as a tool selectively. Coaches allow a free flow of information without feeling the need to be traffic cops. They are not threatened by members of their team talking to their own coach or their coach's coach. By being honest and candid, they tell it like it is to their team and they expect the same in return. 


4. A boss limits the training and development of the people under him or her. Bosses want only the most necessary technical or administration training for their people. Development is foreign to the boss. A coach ranks training and development as a top priority. Once a coach hires the best, he molds them to make them even better. Nothing is more gratifying to a coach than seeing their people advance to ever greater heights. They see it not as a threat but as the greatest compliment

Nobody wants a boss, but everybody wants a coach.

Lean Quote: Weed the Garden, A Lesson In Priorities

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"When everything is a priority, nothing is a priority." — Karen Martin, The Outstanding Organization: Generate Business Results by Eliminating Chaos and Building the Foundation for Everyday Excellence

We often feel pushed to be all things to all people. We’ve probably worked in institutions, organizations, and teams where we felt a need to affirm and operationalize our commitment to everything. However, if everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority.

I was in a leadership workshop where another participant described setting priorities as weeding the garden. He wanted to eliminate the things that he didn’t value so that the things that he did could grow. I love the metaphor and often think of it when I am feeling overwhelmed. Weed the garden.

A previous boss once encouraged me to find a way to do less, so that I can be more. I use this often with my staff. I also think of it when I find myself losing my way as a leader, parent, partner, etc. Do less, so you can be more.

The 80/20 principle is key to prioritization. The rule suggests that 80% of the things that you do bring only 20% of the results. So what if you focused on the 20% that contributed to 80% of the results. These high payoff activities have the most impact on our success now and in the future. The key is picking and focusing on the powerful 20% and letting the rest go. What if you spent 80% of your time on that powerful 20%?

How will you weed the garden?

Guest Post: 7 Tips for Effective Project Coordination

Project Coordinators wear multiple hats. They need to undertake the role of a manager, mediator, trouble shooter, and reporter all at the same time. 

Project managers define the project from inception to delivery. Project coordinators, on the other hand, ensure an effective project development cycle.

The project coordinator is the central point of contact and information: the team, project managers and stakeholders. This can result in a tedious process.

Managing a project well can save a project coordinator from facing unnecessary phases of stress and chaos. Therefore, it is absolutely crucial for the project coordinator to be as meticulous and thorough about the process.  

Take a look at these tips to make your project coordination easy.

1. Stay Organized

Michelle Long has helped many companies recruit project coordinators. A Technical Recruiter at Vaco Technology, she once shared that the main thing recruiters look for in a project coordinator is being organized.[1]

As a project coordinator, you need to be on schedule. Clearly define the timeline and have it communicated clearly to the team.

Keep records of the team and the tasks assigned. Make sure you know exactly when what is to be done and keep a log of alternative solutions.

2. Manage Change

When asked about change management, Frank Calderoni said he believed that all companies have to change at some point. We couldn’t agree more with this CEO of business planning/forecasting platform provider at Anaplan.

It is important to be ready to adopt it and be well prepared to manage through it.

Jaimin Doshi is the principal consultant at AppleTech Consultants. Doshi advises to keep track of critical changes and managing them to keep your projects under control. Not only that, you should be aware of minor changes that can be postponed lest they add up substantial hours of unnecessary work.

3. Encourage Communication

Look for processes that can limit or improve the project flow. When you do find them, take initiative and inform the relevant authority.

Unfortunately, the reason for failure of 57% of projects is breakdown in communications.

Which is why it is important to communicate the issues at hand and those that are likely to happen. Discuss possible alternatives with the team and update the schedule.

4. Promote Trust

When teams work together on projects, there is inevitable level of information exchange. Getting the right information at the right time is crucial to efficient project delivery.

According to a study, if your team members trust one another, they are more ready to share knowledge and to communicate. Unfortunately, only half of employees in a company claim to trust staff working above and alongside them.

It is important that your team trusts you enough to approach you for issues or ideas. Maintain a friendly approach and welcome out-of-the-box input.

5. Implement a Framework

Make coordinating your projects easier by implementing a project management framework, such as SCRUM or XP.

These frameworks provide standards for executing the project management life cycle. They define meeting schedules, daily follow up and autonomy amongst the team.  

Also, predefined activity logs for multiple projects encourage faster execution of regular tasks. This, in turn, avoids unnecessary problems and time wastage.

6. Understand your Team

To enable a smooth project delivery, it is important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your team.

The CEO of PsychsoftPC, Dr. Tim Lynch declares this to be one of the most important things in keeping projects under control.

It will help you assess the team members need minimal supervision and those that need to be managed.

7. Use a Management Tool

You can try a project management tool to plan out the project. There are some excellent options for online tracking tools that save you physical space as well.

Using such a tool can help eliminate the tedious and time consuming tasks of the entire project development lifecycle.

The team can even follow up on and exchange information on their own through easy collaboration platforms.

What’s more is that everything would be in one place: the plans, the activities define, the teams assigned and the project progress report. This is especially handy when you have to assess a project flow or assess the best and worst practices for future projects.

Do you have any project coordination experiences you would like to share? Tips maybe? Let us know, in the comments below.

About the Author: Fred Wilson is an Agile & Software Consultant at nTask. I work with teams to streamline workflows and enhance team collaboration. I am an avid reader and often write about productivity, project management and collaboration.

Guest Post: Motivation vs. Self-Discipline – Which Is the Key to Habit Formation

Habit formation is a time-consuming and tough process. Many factors need to be taken into account, the most crucial of which are motivation and self-discipline.

Some may claim that motivation alone is enough, while others swear that self-discipline works better when it comes to forming a new habit. So, which is more effective: discipline or motivation?

To figure it out, let’s dwell more on the difference between these two concepts.

The Essence of Self-Discipline

The experts at Inc. have compared self-discipline to willpower: self-discipline is a great ability that enables you to push yourself and do something that is planned. The same is with willpower. The stronger the power of will you have, the more persistent you become.

Unfortunately, willpower, as well as self-discipline, have turned out to be an exhaustible resource. According to the American Psychological Association, self-discipline often involves depriving yourself of something, which eventually takes a toll on your mental health.

This effect is called “ego depletion” and it has been known to psychologists since the 1998 study by Baumeister, Mark Muraven, Dianne Tice and Ellen Bratslavsky. They discovered that strict self-discipline that involves self-limitation inevitably leads to frustration and loss of interest to the goal that has been set.

Everyone has faced ego depletion at least once in a lifetime. The most common one is when students are so tired of tons of assignments that they try to figure out how to get out of doing homework. This is the reason why students came up with “My dog ate my homework” excuses and ask for assignment help. Self-discipline can sometimes put too much pressure on our minds, and if we don’t fuel our brain with something, it will eventually refuse to comply.

The Essence of Motivation

Motivation is a popular concept nowadays. You can see it everywhere: in TV commercials, on billboards and in tons of articles on the Internet. If a potential employee doesn’t have a word ‘motivated’ in a resume, he or she probably won’t get hired.

Nike Motivation Poster. Image Source: Pinterest

Motivation is defined by psychologists as a process that launches, directs and sustains a certain activity aimed at reaching a particular goal. Motivation can also be called a power that guides us and helps us accomplish our goals.

Motivation is an important aspect of forming a habit. However, like self-discipline, motivation is also an exhaustible resource. The primary reason for losing the motivation is because it is attached to our emotions, which also tend to burn out.

Emotional burnout and lack of motivation can be observed, when a person, who wants to lose weight and is determined to go to the gym the night before, wakes up completely unmotivated the next morning. There’s a limit to our emotions and to the ability to motivating ourselves.

Psychologists determined three critical elements that sustain motivation:

• Autonomy: researchers from the University of Rochester determined that when people get in charge of something and take on the responsibility, they feel more motivated. You can see a close connection between motivation and self-discipline here, as you get motivated once you discipline yourself to do something and to be in charge of something;
• Value: when you stay committed to your values and beliefs, you feel more motivated to pursue something. Psychologists from the University of Maryland have found that the students who felt committed to a certain subject, also felt motivated to pursue a more in-depth research;
• Competence: the more time you spend on learning something and the more knowledge you gain, the better is your motivation. Competence fuels confidence, and confidence triggers motivation.

As you can see, motivation is a resource that also needs to be constantly “refilled” and fueled. And when it comes to forming a habit, all the three elements of sustaining motivation are crucial.

Say, if you want to get a habit of going for a run every morning, you need to:

• take charge of it yourself, as no one else will do it for you. Only you are responsible for your own health
• value the major principle behind it: you want to get healthier
• competence: the longer you commit to your new habit, the more competence you get and the better your health becomes.

These three elements only work in conjunction, and they bring you motivation as a result.

So which one to choose?

Both. As both motivation and self-discipline are exhaustible resources, you can use both of them as fuel for each other. Motivation and its three elements of sustainability can trigger self-discipline, and self-discipline pushes you to stick to these principles and supports your motivation.

After carefully analyzing, what experts say about both motivation and self-discipline, it’s hardly possible to vote in favor of only one of them. Both motivation and self-discipline are crucial when it comes to forming a habit.

About The Author: Lucy Benton is a writing coach, an editor who finds her passion in expressing own thoughts as a blogger. She is constantly looking for the ways to improve her skills and expertise. Also Lucy has her own writing blog https://prowritingpartner.com where you can check her last publications. If you’re interested in working with Lucy, you can find her on Twitter.

Lean Quote: Value Means More Than Success

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"Try Not to Become a Man of Success. Rather Become a Man of Value." — Albert Einstein

Success is something that can be judged based upon achievement of goals. However someone who is successful does not necessarily have to give anything valuable to the world.

Value is something that can be measured based upon what an individual has contributed to the world.

Examples of success:
A politician that is elected to a high level of office can be considered successful politician.
A business man that makes a lot of money in the stock market is considered a successful stock broker.
An athlete that wins a gold medal in the Olympics is considered a successful athlete.
Albert Einstein achieved many great accomplishments in physics during his lifetime, and is therefore considered a successful physicist.

Examples of value:
Einstein invented the wheel, and the wheel is used by nearly all human beings living on the planet; therefore he has contributed something of extraordinary value to society, and is hence a valuable person.
Einstein synthesized the polio vaccine, which has been used to rid much humanity of a horrible disease, hence he is a person of value to society.
Through his theory of general relativity Albert Einstein fundamentally changed our view of gravity, and it's mechanics, clarifying many previously misunderstood concepts, and natural phenomena; hence he has been of great value to humanity, and more specifically to the field of physics.

A leader of value measures success by his or her ability to consequently do their best within their definition of priority. A person of success may be valued. But a focus on success outcomes relies on an external benchmark…a measure against arbitrary criteria.


Having made the distinction between the two, it is also important to understand that "success" and "values" are not polar opposites. They can exist simultaneously in the one who is successful as a result of their commitment to principle. Success becomes the outcome of values rather than its own singular objective.

Throughout history, the people who change the way we think, and live, and the people who influence our lives most have been men of value rather than men of success. Though it should be noted that most people of value can also be considered successful, due to the value of their contributions to the world.

There's nothing wrong with success, but oftentimes it's easy to lose sight of who you are when you're successful. If you keep your eyes on your own values, you'll end up both successful and a good person, which is a pretty good combination.

Einstein's quote does not preclude becoming successful (after all, he himself was both), but exhorts value creation as being a higher priority.

It also subtly calls for those who have success but have not yet used it to help other people to pitch in, under the guise of leaving a much longer-lasting legacy.

Lean Tips Edition #127 (1906-1915)

For my Facebook fans you already know about this great feature. But for those of you that are not connected to A Lean Journey on Facebook or Twitter I post daily a feature I call Lean Tips.  It is meant to be advice, things I learned from experience, and some knowledge tidbits about Lean to help you along your journey.  Another great reason to like A Lean Journey on Facebook.

Click this link for A Lean Journey's Facebook Page Notes Feed.

Here is the next addition of tips from the Facebook page:

Lean Tip #1906 – Establish Goals For Your Team And Ensure They’re Accountable For Getting Their Work Done.

Create accountability for your employees by aligning your team’s goals with company goals. This will allow them to have a better understanding of the big picture and to make more valuable contributions. Working together on strategic initiatives contributes to a shared feeling of success and improves a team’s ability to work together.

Lean Tip #1907 – Be the Leader Your Team Needs and Lead By Example

To improve employee relationships and promote teamwork, resolve interpersonal issues when they arise. Be sure not to let disagreements or hurt feelings fester. Encourage communication by bringing things out into the open and resolving issues as soon as possible.

Lean Tip #1908 – Foster a Collaborative Environment

Your team requires both an open company culture as well as a physical space that encourages collaboration and creativity. These are the elements of an environment that fosters discussion, idea-sharing and brainstorming among team members. Remind your employees that there are no stupid ideas. Establish trust and make sure they feel comfortable sharing ideas without judgment. In other words, provide the space to brainstorm in a way that embraces your team’s diversity, encourages teamwork and is open and non-judgmental.

Lean Tip #1909 – Reward Good Teamwork

Look for ways to acknowledge spirited teamwork on a regular basis. Reward your team for good teamwork by planning non-work related activities. These kinds of events are also great for helping build the team relationship outside the office. They help establish trust and make employees feel like they’re truly part of the team—or the family.

Lean Tip #1910 – Examine and Improve Teamwork Processes and Practices

The team should be able to discuss team norms and what is stopping them from moving forward and progressing as a business. The team’s progress should be reviewed regularly, possibly on a weekly basis, and issues and conflicts dealt with in a productive manner. If a resolution can’t be made, then ask your supervisor for advice and help. Constructive feedback should be given, and should be focused on ideas and behaviors, being positive, and providing suggestions for improving work processes. Everyone should also help each other in developing and using strategies to achieve their goals.

Lean Tip #1911 – Listen To Those Around You

An important trait of any business leader is the ability to listen. Ask questions. Seek to understand and you’ll receive valuable insights and set a tone that encourages healthy dialogue. Communication is critical to the success of any company and if you as a leader take the time to promote open discourse, your employees will thrive and so will your business.

Lean Tip #1912 – Find Solutions Not Problems

Don’t dwell on problems; instead be the first to offer solutions and then ask your team to do the same. In business, you will come across problems, hurdles and challenges (they are unavoidable) but it’s how you overcome those problems as a team that will define your business.

Lean Tip #1913 – Take Risks to Breed Culture of Continuous Improvement

Inspire change and innovation by taking calculated risks – it will demonstrate your commitment to a larger purpose and will breed a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. If those around you see you put your head above the parapet and be counted, they will be encouraged to do the same. This entrepreneurial mindset will catapult your business to new heights.

Lean Tip #1914 – Be Proactive and Persistent

Try, try and then try again. Go over, under or around any hurdles to show that obstacles don’t define your company or team, rather your successes do. As a leader it is your duty to keep morale buoyant and encourage your team to keep plugging away towards the company’s end goals. Set an example for your team by handling challenges in a proactive and constructive way, and show employees through your words and actions that giving up isn’t the adequate response when faced with obstacles.

Lean Tip #1915 - Develop and Support Employees

Leaders are in a position to empower employees and help develop them professionally. By prioritizing opportunities for career development and advancement, leaders can demonstrate their commitment to the wellbeing of their employees.

Supporting employees in developing their soft and technical skills is an important leadership responsibility. Understanding your employees’ aspirations and encouraging them to be creative and take initiative can help them gain experience and take on more responsibilities in the future. Additionally, acknowledge and reward proactive participation to encourage continued progress among employees.