In my 30 years as a business owner and community leader, I’ve often seen people set a goal or a target and call it a vision. Sometimes, fixing a problem is confused for vision. Although modern leaders need both problem-solving skills and visioning skills, the two are very different.
Visioning is from the future to today. Problem solving is from today to tomorrow.
A vision is a vivid mental image of the place you want your organization to be. It creates a new future by working backwards from a fixed point six months, a year, or even five or 10 or 20 years from now.
Sometimes, the vision you have for the future may seem to have almost nothing to do with how your organization functions today: 20 years ago, who would have thought that an online bookstore called Amazon would be the greatest deliverer of goods and information in the world? The answer is Jeff Bezos, of course. He started with his ultimate goal and worked backward to the easiest point of entry to that future.
Problem solving, on the other hand, examines ways to course-correct current constraints to allow greater flow in the future. Figuring out how to deliver books directly to consumers wasn’t Amazon’s vision, for example, but solving that problem did open up new supply chain possibilities for the company’s ultimate goal.
So how can you problem solve while working toward an overall vision?
I travel more than the average human. During any given month, I might be crisscrossing my home country of Canada, flying to Sri Lanka, and planning a trip to the Netherlands. I’m very fortunate that my job takes me to so many beautiful places, but the reality of such frequent travel is often not very romantic!
After years of trial and error, I’ve developed a series of travel hacks that will help you breeze through airports, keep messy reservations in order, and even prevent pesky luggage wrinkles.
Track Everything
Keep all of your logistics, such as flight information, hotel addresses, car services, the names of drivers, and ground transportation options in one place. I rely on an app called Tripit, but you may choose to use Notes or Wallet in your iPhone or even a binder with hard copies. The method isn’t as important as consistency. Get in the habit of filing away new pieces of information every time you make arrangements so you have all the information you need at your fingertips. When hiccups inevitably occur, you’ll be armed and ready. This is one of my favourite travel hacks by far!
I went to an event recently that brought up a lot of memories.
I was in the audience of Women’s Pitch Night Vancouver, listening to women make their cases for their business ideas. As I watched these talented women pitch, I realized the needs of women in business haven’t changed much since I started my career in the very masculine oil fields of Alberta.
Bringing Ideas To Life
We need help fleshing out our ideas and bringing them to vibrant life. Women face an uphill battle as entrepreneurs. We’ve gained a steadier foothold in business over the past 50 years, but we still lack the support structures we need to start our own businesses. For example, we’re less likely to find women in the upper echelons of the business world who can mentor us, share their own experiences, and help us take a kernel of an idea and help it thrive into something bigger. According to search and leadership advisory firm Egon Zehnder, only 54 percent of women have access to senior leaders who also serve as mentors.
We all know the old adage, “It’s not personal; it’s just business.”
But we also know that business is not just about numbers and transactions — it’s a highly personal space wherein relationships matter. Businesses rely on their customers to stay afloat. Employees need human connection at work for successful collaboration. They connect with their colleagues, their bosses, their clients, and vice versa, making the network for relationships within and around a single business an intricate one.
What cannot be denied, however, is that the rise of technology in the workplace has altered the way teams communicate. A survey shared by Entrepreneur details key facts on workplace communication: 73% of workers text on a daily basis; 82% make phone calls; 73% work with emails; and 55% use social media as communication tools. These channels have speeded up collaboration like never before, helping teams streamline ideas and organize projects.
In a world where we are communicating more and more through email, text and social media, the value of physical thank you cards is being lost. Yes, it is amazing how easy it is to stay in touch nowadays – a quick text to see how someone’s day is going– but with something as important as a thank you card, I still believe sending a physical version is far more valuable. The next time your firm receives a big order from an important client, consider sending them a thank you card instead. This is especially true in the USA during National Business Etiquette week 2019.
Physical cards still have a longer shelf life—and greater impact. Because we get so many emails and text messages throughout the day, it’s such a thrill to open our mailbox (our REAL mailbox) and find a physical card inside. After all, you can’t display an email on your desk or hang a text on your bulletin board!
But who has time for that, right? We have the best intentions – we really do want to send out more cards, but time gets away from us and it becomes just one more thing to add to our to-do list. Did you know that people intend to send out an average 70 cards a year for various occasions, but in the end only send out 10 because of the inconvenience? Unless you really plan ahead, when you think about sending out a card, you’re scrambling to find a stamp!
Well, that’s why I am such a huge fan of Send Out Cards. I love them.
Send Out Cards
SendOutCards, founded by CEO Kody Bateman in 2003 – has sent out over 100 million cards since its launch. The online service makes it so easy to send a personalized, printed greeting card to anyone. You choose a custom card, add your own personal photo and message – and then you just click SEND. They take care of all the rest – printing, stuffing, stamping and mailing the physical card for you.
Thoughtful Cards
A colleague of mine once gave me a box of Thoughtful Cards. Similar to a post card, Thoughtful Cards have a wonderful thank you note on one side along with the usual spot for an address and note on the flip side. All I need to do is “pick, personalize, and post”. Their motto is, “Go from gratitude inaction to gratitude in action! It was a lovely gift that I have used several times already.
My personal goal is to send out one card each day. And although I think email thank-yous are convenient and necessary, the arrival of a personal card is far more memorable. If you’re trying to stand out from the crowd, separate yourself from your competitors, sending a physical card will help you do that.
International Women’s Day has been observed since the early 1900s. It was in 1908, more than 100 years ago, that 15,000 women took a stand—marching through the streets of New York City, demanding better working conditions and the right to vote.
Every year since that day, on March 8, we celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and across nations. A theme is chosen by the United Nations for International Women’s Day, and this year the theme is Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum.
“Over time and distance, the equal rights of women have progressed. We celebrate the achievements of women while remaining vigilant and tenacious for further sustainable change. There is global momentum for championing women’s equality.”
What You Can Do
No matter how successful and skilled we are, there’s still this part of us that seeks confirmation and affirmation that others believe in us–especially from other strong, successful women in our lives.
To celebrate the women in your life, share with them the unique talents and skills they possess that you admire. Take time out of your busy day and acknowledge what you so enjoy about them.
Be specific with your compliments. The best compliments we receive are specific to ourselves. Think about it, which compliment would you rather receive? “Great presentation!” or “Great presentation! You know how to communicate and get your message across so effectively!”
Empower another woman this month (and every month!) While each of us bears the weight of history, we also hold the potential to transform it.
Check out this great video from Kronos and Xplane! The video provides interesting facts and statistics about the changes and developments that have impacted women in the workforce.
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We all know the old adage, “It’s not personal; it’s just business.”
In a world where we are communicating more and more through email, text and social media, the value of physical thank you cards is being lost. Yes, it is amazing how easy it is to stay in touch nowadays – a quick text to see how someone’s day is going– but with something as important as a thank you card, I still believe sending a physical version is far more valuable. The next time your firm receives a big order from an important client, consider sending them a thank you card instead. This is especially true in the USA during National Business Etiquette week 2019.
