Got Milk?

“There is great power in noticing.
And noticing, once I give myself permission
and time to do it,
is pretty easy to do.“

— Kevan Lee

• Do you remember the Got Milk? ad campaign?

I believe in practicing creative swiping of good ideas. That simple, black and white campaign was catchy.

My take on the ad is, Got Experience?

We are amid a barrage of complex, shifting challenges brought on by the pandemic, one of the longest economic disruptions I have experienced in my work life. It has created a new way of working, a shifting landscape of technology, working models, environmental and political concerns, retirements of senior leaders, expressed fatigue, and burnout in the day-to-day work of responding to changing conditions.

This confluence of shifting elements does not respond well to simple solutions but needs an approach grounded in shared values, a co-created road map, and a process for quickly making decisions that involve different perspectives; and as much factual information as possible. With a good process that ensures creating high-trust relationships unified to the agreed upon mission, values, and direction we can navigate this time in our lives together with persistence and frequent check-ins.

Though we might be remotely connected by technology, the need to talk things through is great and essential to finding the way forward. As things break down, we risk finding the most elegant solution if we field every challenge separately, separated, and solo.

• What experience do we need to rally to arrive at the best strategy, solution, or action?
The good fortune is that we have several generations of talent to draw upon to find and leverage experience. Please don’t overlook the freshest pair of eyes of the newest or youngest hire. Or the most seasoned performer regardless of their title, age or position.

• Do you have your arms around and a good understanding of all the individual strengths and experience within your organization?

• Have you created a process for staying deeply connected and engaged with your workforce?

At the beginning of the pandemic, five years ago, I wrote about needing to adopt a marathoner’s mindset. Now I think we need the seven-person design of the Tour de France.

We need a team and all the experience that comes with having a pack. In the team Tour de France, the cyclists alternately share the responsibility of setting the pace and leading the pack.

I think the strategy of sharing and positioning the strongest individual to lead different initiatives and changing out when a new lead is needed is a good approach for the times. The pack isn’t just riding along passively. They have an essential role to play as well. Their communication fuels their use of talent as needed.

Utilizing and leveraging all the experience that exists within and around your organization is the call to action.

I would love to lend my experience to your goals and needs.

GOT EXPERIENCE?