Month: January 2024

Sometimes you need to stand up for yourself!

Groucho Marx, the legendary comic actor, told a charming story to TV talk show host Dick Cavett about how his brothers did just that. The Marx Brothers received an invitation to come to Hollywood to meet with Irving Thalberg, the head of production at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The brothers arrived promptly at 10 a.m. for their scheduled meeting. However, Thalberg was in meetings, and they were asked to wait. Finally, at 5 p.m., they were told that Mr.Thalberg could see them. Nothing doing, said Groucho, and the brothers walked out.

After all, the Marx Brothers were already big stars in vaudeville and Broadway. So who was this motion picture executive to keep them waiting? Another meeting was scheduled for 10 a.m. But, again, Thalberg was busy and couldn’t meet them. He then left his office. Harpo went to the MGM commissary and came back with raw potatoes. So the boys, the Marx Brothers, entered Thalberg’s spacious office, barricaded themselves inside by putting file cabinets in front of the doors, and proceeded to cook the potatoes in the fireplace. 

When Thalberg returned to his office two hours later, he was let back in only to find the brothers munching on their potatoes, stark naked. As Groucho said, Thalberg “never kept them waiting again. Everyone else was afraid of him… because he had such prestige and power at MGM.” Thalberg found the office incident amusing. “And he liked [the brothers] because they didn’t take anything from him,” said Groucho.

Groucho had enormous respect for Thalberg, the boy genius of MGM. He was always meeting with writers on one of a number of pictures he was producing, so it wasn’t out of the ordinary to keep people waiting. But not the Marx Brothers.

Two lessons to learn

Lesson one: keep to your schedule, and if you cannot do it, let those waiting for you know that you are delayed. The higher an executive rises, the more demanding the schedule. They cannot be expected to be on time for every meeting, but they can make an effort to notify those attending the next meeting that they are running late. Or better yet, have their admin do the notification.

Being on time is a sign of respect for the time of others. Chronic lateness lets people know they are less critical. But when you advise that you will be late, you demonstrate that others matter.

Lesson two: stand up for yourself and your work. Bosses ask their employees to do their best, but when they pay the work little heed, it communicates a lack of empathy. It says that what the employee does really does not matter. At the same time, telling the boss all the good things you have done may seem defensive. 

Here’s a better way. Schedule time with the boss. Prepare in advance by reviewing your own work. Review briefly your accomplishments. Make it known you welcome new challenges. In short, affirm your value and your future. 

One method adopted by many organizations is to require employees to contribute to their performance reviews. Itemizing your accomplishments for the year provides your perspective on what you have done. 

What happens next

When you stand up for yourself, something unexpected. As the poet Maya Angelou, wrote, “I not only have the right to stand up for myself, but I have the responsibility. I can’t ask somebody else to stand up for me if I won’t stand up for myself. And once you stand up for yourself, you’d be surprised that people say, ‘Can I be of help?’”

These lessons are affirmations of respect: respect for others and respect for self. Both are essential to getting along and doing well in the workplace. 

Note: For more on Groucho, watch the PBS documentary Cavett and Groucho. It is part of the American Masters series.

First posted on SmartBrief.com 7.12.2023

Innovation is a word we typically do not associate with the American judicial system, a network of 2,000 judicial districts across the United States.

“The reality is the justice system in America hasn’t done much innovative in the last 400 years,” Jared Fishman told me in a recent interview. “We’re still using a very similar process for addressing problems. And over the last 40 and 50 years, in particular, as we’ve been sending problems like addiction and poverty and mental health into the criminal legal space, we haven’t actually changed how we do business.”

Fishman observed first-hand a broken system, one where inefficiencies created inequities. He was a senior civil rights prosecutor for the Justice Department, “where he led some of the most complex civil rights prosecutions in the country, securing convictions in high-profile cases involving police misconduct, hate crimes and human trafficking.”

Everyone – prosecutors, police, defense attorneys, and citizens — knows the system is broken, notes Fishman. The challenge is what to do about it. That experience led Fishman to found the Justice Innovation Lab, “an organization that designs data-driven solutions for a more equitable, effective, and fair justice system.”

“Part of what we do at Justice Innovation Lab,” says Fishman, “is work with decision makers inside the justice system, prosecutors, police officers, court systems to understand what is happening in their system that’s currently leading to ineffective or unjust results. And how they can make changes to policy or structures or procedures. So that they begin having better outcomes in terms of public safety and in terms of fairness in their communities.”

Applying design thinking

Fundamental to the Justice Innovation Lab is design thinking, an approach to problem identification that focuses on the root causes and finding practical solutions. For example, says Fishman, “the communication gaps between actors in the system are remarkable. Any bottleneck that exists in our justice system leads to injustice.”

As Fishman explains, “I’ve never heard of a bottleneck that exists inside the justice system where it works out better for anyone because there was a bottleneck. It means that victims don’t get access to services. It means defendants may be unnecessarily detained, it means evidence is lost that could be lost. And so all of these things have real implications for public safety, and it has real implications for the lives of the people who are impacted by cases that enter the justice system.”

Part of the inefficiency is related to the need for more data. Too many judicial districts need the information they need to understand their issues or even begin to address them. That’s where the Justice Innovation Lab enters the picture. It works with jurisdictions to teach them to mine and make sense of the data. “Number one, identify problems in their jurisdiction based on their own data, begin helping them map out their system because any solution that we develop has to work for them. I have all sorts of ideas about reform, but the reality is it has to work in each local jurisdiction.” Communication between departments is essential.

A matter of focus

Prioritization of resources is essential. The Justice Innovation Lab has worked with judicial districts that are learning to focus their often-limited resources on the crimes that inflict the most pain – murder, attempted murder, and sexual assault. This approach means easing up on traffic stops for broken taillights and the like in favor of pursuing criminals who are doing the most damage. It is easier said than done, but it is a change involving local leadership. By using data, police and prosecutors can understand the problems and prioritize resources.

Fishman’s commitment to justice was partly forged by his involvement and prosecution of the New Orleans police department. His book, Fire on Levee, tells the story of Henry Glover, whose burnt body was found in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. It turns out that Glover was killed by police who tried to cover their tracks by burning his body. More than a decade later, the offending cops were brought to justice.

The wheels of justice do grind slowly. With the help of design thinking and data mining, leaders in the judicial districts have the tools they need to effect change that benefits citizens and communities.

Note: Click here to watch my full LinkedIn Live interview with Jared Fishman.

First posted on Forbes.com 11.15.2023

The Game.

Yes, I root for Michigan. And I am not blind to the effect that the sign-stealing scandal has had on the football team and its reputation.

Whatever you think of Michigan football – and judging by the opinions of media and fans nationally – reaction to the scandal has been harsh, with many calling for Coach Jim Harbaugh’s firing. Regardless of such feelings, the players – who are not accused of any wrongdoing — deserve credit for their perseverance. 

And persevere they did in their biggest game of the year – the annual showdown versus Ohio State. Both teams were 11-0. The winner would play for the Big 10 Championship and likely gain a spot in the College Football Bowl championship series.

The final game itself was a journey. Up and down, back and forth, until the team’s offensive lineman, Zack Zinter, suffered a severe leg injury and had to be driven off the field on a medical cart. 

“It was a sight I don’t wish upon anyone to see,” said Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. 

“And at that moment, seeing the look in everybody’s eyes, seeing them rally together, there was something about it. It was spiritual, honestly. It was a different drive that came out of everybody after that happened because we’re doing for one of our leaders and one of the brothers we all love.”

The team showed that love by scoring a touchdown on the first play after the game resumed. This touchdown ignited the team, and while it was tested again, it prevailed, beating Ohio State 30-24.

Players meet the moment

Prevailing is something this team had done for the entire season. Coach Harbaugh took a voluntary suspension for the first three games pending the outcome of an NCAA investigation into improper recruiting in 2020. 

This year, three coaches have been fired for cause, the most severe charge being using electronic means to steal signs from opposing teams. (Coaches can decipher signs, yes, but they cannot use video or electronic devices in their scouting trips.) In the wake of those allegations, the Big 10 – under pressure from its member universities – suspended Harbaugh for the final three games this year – the most challenging part of the schedule.

And how the team responded is a lesson in resilience. 

Focus on what you can control. What happens outside does affect what happens inside. Regardless of what is reported, when your integrity is questioned, it can erode your self-esteem. The challenge is to focus on the small rather than the big. Doing so will ensure that you do your part.

Pull together. When someone calls you a cheater, it is a blow to your reputation. You cannot control what others think of you. You can only control how you react—field strength in others. Support them as they support you.

Play as a team. Teammates bond because they share everyday experiences – both positive and negative. Using that sense of cohesion builds unity. One for all. All for one. Playing with a singular purpose – each doing their part – enables the team to exert its best effort. Win or lose.

Clarity of purpose

It must be said that focus, togetherness and unity are agnostic in themselves. Such behaviors can and will be found in both organizations good and bad. We hope, however, that those organizations we support abide by choices that are sound, good and moral.

A mantra for this Michigan team may be found in the words of Maya Angelou, “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” If the NCAA investigation uncovers additional wrongdoing, the penalties may be more severe. Worse, Michigan’s athletic integrity will be in further jeopardy. Yet, what comes next should not diminish what the players accomplished on the field.

Once again, front and center in the national consciousness is collegiate football. Michigan versus Ohio State. Both teams were 11-0, ranked No.3 and No. 2, respectively. The winner would play for the Big 10 Championship and likely gain a spot in the College Football Bowl championship series.

The final game itself was a journey. Up and down, back and forth, until the team’s offensive lineman, Zack Zinter, suffered a severe leg injury and had to be driven off the field on a medical cart. “It was a sight I don’t wish upon anyone to see,” said Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. 

“And at that moment, seeing the look in everybody’s eyes, seeing them rally together, there was something about it. It was spiritual, honestly. It was a different drive that came out of everybody after that happened because we’re doing for one of our leaders and one of the brothers we all love.”

The team showed that love by scoring a touchdown on the first play after the game resumed. This touchdown ignited the team, and while it was tested again, it prevailed, beating Ohio State 30-24.

Resilience shows

Prevailing is something this team had done for the entire season. Head Coach Jim Harbaugh took a voluntary suspension for the first three games pending the outcome of an NCAA investigation into improper recruiting in 2020. 

This year, three coaches have been fired for cause, the most severe charge being using electronic means to steal signs from opposing teams. (Coaches can decipher signs, yes, but they cannot use video or electronic means.) In the wake of those allegations, the Big 10 – under pressure from its member universities – suspended Harbaugh for the final three games this year – the most challenging part of the schedule.

Players meet the moment

While I am a Michigan fan, I am not blind to the accusations of cheating. Whatever you think of Michigan football – and judging by the opinions of media and fans nationally – reaction to the scandal has been harsh, with many calling for Harbaugh’s firing. Regardless of such feelings, the players – who are not accused of any wrongdoing — deserve credit for their perseverance. 

Here are three things to take away when adversity strikes. 

Focus on what you can control. What happens outside does affect what happens inside. Regardless of what is reported, when your integrity is questioned, it can erode your self-esteem. The challenge is to focus on the small rather than the big. Doing so will ensure that you do your part.

Pull together. When someone calls you a cheater, it is a blow to your reputation. You cannot control what others think of you. You can only control how you react—field strength in others. Support them as they support you.

Play as a team. Teammates bond because they share everyday experiences – both positive and negative. Using that sense of cohesion builds unity. One for all. All for one. Playing with a singular purpose – each doing their part – enables the team to exert its best effort. Win or lose.

It must be said that focus, togetherness and unity are agnostic in themselves. Such behaviors can and will be found in both organizations good and bad. We hope, however, that those organizations we support abide by choices that are sound, good and moral.

A mantra for this Michigan team may be found in the words of Maya Angelou, “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” If the NCAA investigation uncovers additional wrongdoing, the penalties may be more severe. Worse, Michigan’s athletic integrity will be in further jeopardy. Yet, what comes next should recognize what the players accomplished on the field.

First posted on Forbes.com 11.28.2023