If The Pope Can Laugh So Can We

Of all the things you think the Pope should be doing – supervising the running of a global organization, greeting people from all walks of life  — including presidents and potentates — and yes, keeping the faith, the last thing you might expect him to do is author an op-ed in the New York Times on the subject of humor.

“Life inevitably has its sadnesses, which are part of every path of hope and every path toward conversation,” writes Pope Francis. “But it is important to avoid wallowing in melancholy at all costs, not to let it embitter the heart.” One way to keep such bitterness at bay is through jokes and funny stories, which the Pope says, “which we [priests] are quite good at telling, as well as being the object of them.”

True to his word, the Pope cites a humor story that his predecessor, John XXIII, used to tell about a dream he had, in which he itemized the serious problems he was facing and said to himself that he must tell the Pope. Then he awakened and said, “And I remember that the pope is me.”

The Lighter Touch

Pope Francis’s use of humor is in the tradition of some of the great leaders of the ages. Franklin Roosevelt found comfort in his nightly cocktail rituals, which were a gossipy affair punctuated by funny stories. Queen Elizabeth loved good jokes and used humor to put people at ease.

The best stateman storyteller was Abraham Lincoln. Having been a circuit-riding lawyer, he was a master at spinning yarns and not shy about poking a bit of fun at himself, including about his homely looks.

One day, Lincoln was riding in the woods when he came across a mean-looking man with a gun who yelled, “Halt!” When Lincoln asked why he was being detained, the man said, “I vowed if I ever met a man uglier than myself I would shoot him on the spot.” Abe replied, “If I am uglier than you, shoot away!”

Lincoln was so comfortable in his skin that when Stephen Douglas called him “two-faced” in one of their debates, Lincoln replied, “If I had another face, do you think I would wear this one?”

Humor levels all

Humor is a great leveler. It reveals the humanity of ourselves – the best of ourselves and the not-so-best parts. And it’s the latter that brings out real character.

A leader who cannot laugh at themself is lacking in self-awareness.

Fundamental to our condition is our imperfection. It is important to address our shortcomings and find ways to improve them. Along the way, soliciting feedback from others about how we might improve is vital. And when that feedback stings, it is vital to take it in stride, and if delivered by an underling who may be trembling at the telling to defuse any tension with a quip like, “You know, I expected you to tell the truth about me, but not the whole truth.” Closing with a wink and smile, of course.

“A sense of humor,” wrote Hugh Sidey, Time magazine’s White House news columnist, “is needed armor. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life.” Good advice for presidents and leaders at every level.

First posted on Forbes.com 12.18.2024

5 Ways to Empower Yourself

The other day, I was asked how I empower myself. It was a question I had not been asked before, but after a moment’s reflection, I replied with four words. Learn. Work. Connect. Serve.

Learn. College, my physician father used to say, is where you go to learn how to learn. While that statement does apply to college, it can be broadened to include any experience that teaches us lessons – be it a sport, a craft, an art, or an application of a skill. Our challenge – indeed our responsibility – is to integrate those experiences into learning lessons.

Work. There is dignity to work. Putting yourself into your work means you are applying what you know to what you can do. There is a satisfaction to labor, a job well done. Hard work may be the most satisfying because you know you have applied not only your knowledge but your energy. Fatigue from work (not overwork) indicates that you have put forth the effort.

Connect. Loneliness has become so widespread that it is a health condition affecting one in five Americans. Too many of us lack the connection with others. Robert Waldinger, MD, who leads the Harvard, the longest-running study of adults dating back to the late Thirties, writes in his book, The Good Life, that what matters most in life is not wealth or health. It is the connection to others. From relationships, we create a community, a place where we feel we belong.

Serve. The purpose of life is to serve yourself and others. You serve yourself by applying the four words above. Doing so puts you in a position to serve others. The late Frances Hesselbein taught us to lead is to serve. 

Her good friend Alan Mulally, former CEO of Ford Motor Company, lives by this mantra. With one addition. Love. Without love, our lives would be empty. We both need it to enrich us as we, in turn, use it to enrich others. Love powers our ability to serve.

What you do with those five words – and any others you find relevant – will enable you to define how you want to live your life. Choose wisely, and continue to apply what you have learned to make a positive difference for yourself and others.

First post on SmartBrief.com 12.11.2024

Navigating Your Next Career Move

Uncertainty is the watchword of our times. As we navigate the post-Covid landscape, many organizations make hard decisions about where they are going next and how many employees they will need for their new future.

For some companies and their employees, layoffs are looming or have already occurred. Senior leaders’ strategic decisions impact the lives of millions. What will I do next? becomes the question of the day.

Mary Olson-Menzel knows the feeling. She began her career as a TV news reporter and then moved into executive recruiting, a natural fit for her interviewing skills. After running a search firm, she made the leap into executive coaching, working with senior executives of leading companies. Now, Olson-Menzel has distilled her insights into a new book, What Lights You Up? Illuminate Your Path and Take the Next Big Step in Your Career.

Dealing with layoffs

“The whole idea about a layoff — or a looming layoff — is to be prepared for that layoff well before it happens,” Olson-Menzel told me in a recent interview. Preparation involves maintaining a strong network. “Talk to different people about what’s happening out there in the industry. Even when you’re happy in a job, you want to be prepared for the unexpected.”

Olson-Menzel says, “Anyone who’s been hit by a layoff — expected or unexpected — it’s a grieving process. There’s the shock factor that happens. I mean, we’re all human, right? And it’s a blow to our ego. It’s a blow to our bank account.”

Do not brush these feelings aside, says Olson-Menzel. “If you can allow yourself to feel the feelings, have the grace for yourself, the grace that you would give to other people.” You need this strength to move forward. 

The key to getting back on your feet is to project a sense of confidence. As Olson-Menzel says, you do not have to do it alone. “When you’re going through the roadblocks and the ups and downs in life, you need to be okay asking for help. Really be okay leaning into that support system. Because nine times out of ten people want to help you.”

Tell your story

One way to demonstrate who you are and what you can do is by learning to tell your story. “Story is the key to human connection. Storytelling has been around since the stone ages, and if you can tell an authentic story about your life and your career trajectory and how you got to where you are today, your nine times out of ten going to be able to connect on a much deeper level with the person that’s interviewing you.”

Olson-Menzel says part of your story may involve accounting for gaps in your resume, such as when you may have been out of work. She encourages individuals to be honest about such gaps but also includes a bit of creativity. For example, one of her clients who took time off for her children referred to her job as chief of operations, itemizing all she was doing for her family. Tell your story in ways that “will make somebody smile or make somebody laugh.”

Three factors

When considering a job—or career—change, there are three factors to consider: prospects, pivots and passions. Prospects are organizations that may hire you. Pivots are new possibilities where you might be hired if your existing skill set can be adapted to a new operating environment. Passion “is where you can take what you love to do and what truly lights you up and apply it into a structure where you can earn money and do it as a living.” 

Regarding pivot, Menzel-Olson says, “I tell my clients, say yes to every conversation, even if it doesn’t feel like it might be a fit, you have no idea where it will lead to. But there are beautiful pivots that can happen very organically if you’re open to conversations and open to the idea that you might not be able to check all the boxes of that position description. But if you have the right energy, the right attitude, there are many hiring managers who will take a chance on you and teach you the skills.”

In your new job

Once you land the job, you need to find ways to acclimate. “Now you become a student of the company… You soak up everything.” This kind of effort will enable the new employee to not only understand the organization but also the people in it.

Meet with your peers, your bosses, and whoever else you can. “Learning what it is that drives them, and what you can do to help them do their jobs better.” Once you know how you can fit it, you can collaborate. And those who collaborate well earn trust and, in time, build influence.

Influence is fundamental to leadership. And, says Olson-Menzel, leadership does not always involve having direct reports. “Even if you’re not leading people, you can become a leader in the organization. You have to get rid of that mindset that you have to be leading people in order to be a leader.” Olson-Menzel tells the story of a client who landed a significant leadership role that involves “leading the charge” on a transformational effort related to its brand.

Regain your confidence

Changing jobs is never easy, but so often, what looks hard initially morphs into something that challenges us and can enable us to fulfill what we truly wish to do.

Note: Click here to listen to my LinkedIn Live interview with Mary Olson-Menzel.

First posted on SmartBrief.com 10.10.2024

Poetry to Make Us Laugh

Poetry is the distillation of thought expressed in a form designed to cut through the clutter of ordinary expressions and deliver a thought, a message, or an emotion that resonates with truth.

And sometimes humor.

Such is the case with the acclaimed poet and novelist John Kenney. His latest book of poetry, and another in his Love Poems series, is Love Poems (for the Office). Kenney, a long-time copywriter, has a gift for catching moments of truth in office settings. (Note: The book was published in 2020, just as the great migration to remote and hybrid work locations began.)

The book begins with Bertrand Russell’s quote, “One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly important.” While I am no expert on this mathematical genius and philosopher, I am guessing that Russell is poking fun at those of us who, at times, take ourselves too seriously. (Yes, guilty as charged.)

Such seriousness can lead us into winding ourselves and our teams around the proverbial axle too tightly. Such an approach only compounds organizational snafus. Martin Lindstrom, global authority on branding, opens his latest book, Ministry of Common Sense: How to Eliminate Red Tape, Bad Excuses and Corporate BSwith a story we have all experienced – contacting IT support when your computer has quit. The hitch — or should we say Catch-22 — is that to contact IT, you must use your computer.

Illuminating Us

Kenney does a great job in his poetry of illuminating how humans navigate the workplace, whether they’re away from it, in it, or somewhere in between.

Kenney writes in “Conference Call”:

Sometimes

I think better

when I pace

Around my small home office.

So that’s what I was doing

when talking through

the Q4 numbers.

I also tend to think better

when I am not wearing pants.

Or in “Annual job review, via Zoom.”

It was not my understanding

That your mother-in-law

would be on our Zoom call.

as I hadn’t realized you were staying with her.

Back in the office, there is “Open seating.”

I love the new open seating plan.

I really do.

I love having no idea

Where I am going to sit each day.

Or where others are.

Here is Kenney weighing on the jargon we use.

When you say

Ping me

I want to punch you.

Bio break, too.

It makes me cringe.

[continuing]

I would like to park this project.

And this job.

Now.

Sorry.

I have a hard stop.

None too serious

Work is very hard, and when a poet of Kenney’s talent and wit casts it in sharp relief, we nod and say yes before breaking into smiles and laughter.

The joy of Kenney’s poetry is that he does not take himself too seriously. As he writes in the mock interview that opens the book,

Q: What you have done in this book is take the mundane world of the office and turn that world into the mundane poems?

A: I think that’s exactly right.

This is another reminder that work is work, and while important, it is not all important. If we cannot laugh at ourselves, work—or life in general—is that much harder.

First posted on Forbes.com 10.15.2024

Tenacity Gives the Detroit Lions Their Roar

Dan Miller, the Detroit Lions’ radio voice, excitedly extolled the Lions’ grit and resilience. The Lions had just beaten the Green Bay Packers with a last-second field goal. 

The victory qualified the Lions for the playoffs for the second consecutive year. 

This year, the Lions are on their way to the Super Bowl with a 12-1 record that could give them a home-field advantage in the playoffs. Last year, they made it to the NFC Championship team but lost on the road to the San Francisco 49ers. 

Once the laughing stock of the NFL, the Lions have boasted a 32-6 record since November 2022, which is in the same rarified air as the two-time defending Super Bowl champs, the Kansas City Chiefs.

More Than Grit

Yes, the Lions have grit, but what makes this team so special is its tenacity. They have lost a number of starters on defense, including their two best defensive players, Aidan Hutchinson and Alex Anzalone—both out with season-ending injuries.

Yet they keep on winning. 

“I think a lot of it is just that what we’ve had to overcome,” Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell said. “The hand we were dealt and I just love the fact our guys don’t make excuses, they just find a way… Everybody on this team believed we were going to win that game, and we were going to find a way, and we just, we did it again. We did it again. Guys did it.” 

What We Can Learn

So, let’s explore how the Lions do it.

Build a strong culture. Sheila Ford Hamp took over the team from her mother, Martha Ford, widow of the longtime owner, William Clay Ford. Sheila’s competitive spirit, honed as a varsity tennis player at Yale, gives her a perspective on winning. She hired Brad Holmes as General Manager and Campbell as head coach, who hired two exceptional coordinators, Ben Johnson for offense and Aaron Glenn for defense. The two of them went 3-13 in their first season, and Sheila herself was booed during an event at Ford Field honoring a former player. She took it in stride. Sheila believed in the plan Holmes and Campbell had developed.

Be professional. Coming to the Lions used to be a form of exile. No one knew that better than quarterback Jared Goff, who was traded from the Los Angeles Rams for star quarterback Matthew Stafford. Goff had led the Rams to the Super Bowl. Yet outwardly, he showed nothing but professionalism. He accepted his new role and worked hard. His example certainly rubbed off on his teammates. 

Flex with the situation. Campbell, a former NFL player himself, preaches the “next man up” philosophy. When a player goes down, another is ready to take his place, a necessity in a game as violent as professional football.

Be resourceful. This is where the Lions excel. Brad Holmes finds replacement players who can step into the lineup and play. During the Green Bay game, they had players on defense who had only days before signed contracts with the Lions. They were veteran players, yes, but new to the Lions system. They did not jell on every play but did well enough to hold the Packers at bay.

Tenacity Enhances Culture

This approach results in a tenacious team that finds ways to win. For those of us who make our livings off the field, learning how to use tenacity builds results. 

Managers will lose key performers, often because they are promoted. The manager’s role is to put new people into those positions and groom them for success. Enforce a culture that rewards individuals for what they can do, not what others have done before them. Stress flexibility and adaptability to new situations. Tenacity in the face of adversity is a strength.

No one knows how to demonstrate tenacity better than Campbell, who has a reputation for making risky decisions that pay off. “I think [Campbell’s] done a really good job of deciding when to go and when not to go [for it],” quarterback Jared Goff said. “That’s the game he plays… and we trust him.” 

Only time will tell how far the Lions go this year, but from the perspective of a fan, they sure are fun to watch and teach us a few lessons about winning along the way.

First posted on Forbes.com 12.07.24