Gratitude
You no doubt know Christmas is much older than Christ: both pagans and Romans held the winter solstice as the bridge between old and new.
And, at New Year, we collectively signal that our planet has circled the sun yet another time, having managed it about 4,543,000,000 times previously. I’ve been on 57 of those circuits and, this time around, I’m grateful for the following:
Curiosity: This year, I read at least 100 books, and had many times more stimulating conversations with clients and others. Thank you clients, researchers and writers for opening my mind further, and giving me perspectives I didn’t have a year ago.
Significance: This year, I worked with amazing people working for organisations in healthcare, research, aged care, justice, economic development and more. Some are very large (United Nations, governments and universities), some tiny (think tanks and boutique agencies of less than 25 people). Thank you all for confirming my belief that, even with setbacks, we are capable of collectively improving life on this planet.
Energy: Years ago, I made a resolution to ‘enjoy every meeting’. I was amazed at what a profound difference this simple instruction to myself continues to make. Thank you for giving me energy from each conversation and each interaction.
To keep your strategic brain cells active, here are segments from this year’s 5MSMs that were particularly popular with readers.
Frictionlessness
A year ago, I bought one of these. It’s called a Remarkable 2 and it’s touted as the most realistic digital equivalent to paper. I love it so much that my wife, who’s a designer, bought one too. But why?
All my life, I’ve used old-fashioned notebooks, the Moleskine type of thing. Problem is that you can’t reorder or edit, and I could never find anything. So, when Apple released the iPad Pro, I was smitten. Wonderful, except it doesn’t feel like writing on paper. And I had to charge it every day.
The Remarkable is a single-use device (it only takes notes). It goes for a week on a single charge. And, it feels superb. But best of all, there is no lag. It’s as quick as taking a sheet of paper out, and starting to write.
We’re accustomed to ease, immediacy, and seamlessness, and the iPad, for me, wasn’t that: I had to open its cover, press the power button, enter a password, load the app, and get to the right page. Yes, it’s a first world problem to be sure, but the Remarkable solves even that minimal amount of friction.
And, there are legions of success stories that show I’m not alone. Anything that’s frictionless we’re inordinately attracted to: Uber for transport, Apple Pay to buy coffees (or anything). Dollar Shave Club deliver me razors and shaving cream quarterly, Who Gives a Crap automatically fill up my loo paper, paper towels and tissues (and give profits to those without toilets).
Question: What service offerings, or interfaces, can you convert to more frictionless methods?
UPDATE (December 2021): After more than a year, I’m still using my Remarkable daily with pleasure. Remarkable will even give you $68 off the purchase price if you use this link, letting them know I recommended you.
"How was it for you?"
My good friend, Sean, and I were talking about the Trust Dilemma (see last week’s Summer Edition), and he said to me, “Andrew, there’s no dilemma here. Let me tell you what I do".
He’s head of a teaching department at a tertiary education institution, and he has a simple solution. All of his team teach virtually now, and every day, after classes are done, he phones each of them (old school, yes, but it works) and asks, “How was it for you today?”.
They spend a few minutes debriefing, and Sean’s observation is that it reduces secrecy, reduces oppositional or argumentative behaviour, and it dramatically increases trust. The message is, “I care, I’m curious, and I trust you to tell me what I need to know”.
Your 2022 challenge: Ask each of your direct reports this question on a regular basis for a month. Notice how it alters the dynamics between you.
Dilution
My son Jasper, who’s 12, loves looking at photos of me in my heyday . . . 70s hair, wide collars and flares, plenty of awkwardness and acne. I showed him this photo of my Year 8 class and he was shocked. And, not by the bowl haircuts, or the hand-knits.
He said, “Dad, how many classes are in this photo?”
“Just one”, I replied.
But I realised why he was surprised. I had 39 kids in this, my Year 8 class, and 40 in Year 7. And, we were not an underprivileged school. We were solidly middle-class, getting a diluted education, courtesy of the Marist Brothers.
Our expectation today is that ‘nobody misses out’ and that we ‘bridge gaps’. There was no such thing back then. Half of these boys had ‘individual needs’, and what they got was a standard offering, with liberal corporal punishment if those needs warranted it. Of course, there are still plenty of kids today who don’t get what they need, but we’ve come an awfully long way in almost half a century.
Question: What are you doing to reduce dilution, or increase personalisation of service to your customers?
I’m taking a break from writing 5MSM until 28th January, however, if you’ve enjoyed reading today, please click the ‘heart’ so it keeps the 5MSM pulse beating over summer.
See you next Friday morning,
Andrew
Many thanks Andrew. I have appreciated your continued words of wisdom throughout the year. All the very best during your break and look forward to hearing from you in 2022. Regards Jen
Andrew, Thank you for, among many things, encouraging reflection on our daily work and activities. Hope you have a great break with your family and friends