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Recovery Reader The December 2019
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FROM THE DESK OF Dan Larson
GOT THE BUSINESS BLUES? Change It Up!
As the holidays approach, our story Delegate to
Elevate on Page 2 comes to mind. Some years ago, I had developed a call center. We had over 60 employees making over 30,000 calls a day. Everything ran fine and if an issue came up, I was there to quickly jump in and fix it. One day I finally just needed some vacation/ downtime from the intense daily routine ... and I realized I couldn’t leave! I just had too many tasks only I could handle. Feeling trapped, I asked my mentor for advice. Fortunately, he responded, “Well, if you want a day off, train your people and delegate.” So, I did. Finally, I took a “test” day and stayed at home ready to be called if needed ... my employees were up to the task. They took it upon themselves to resolve the issues with the tools I had given them. Together, they worked through the day making decisions asking: “What would Dan do?” and it worked! Advantage … I now had capable employees who could ensure the center ran smoothly. (and I got that vacation!) Even better, knowing the company was running smoothly gave me time to focus on business growth. Remember, if you are finding yourself “trapped” at the office, train and delegate!
The end of another year is rapidly approaching, and we sincerely hope all your business endeavors have been fruitful and promising. But if your business has been struggling to climb out of the red, then the end of the year is a great time to consider changing up your operations. Change can be unsettling to think about, and it takes hard work to achieve, but it’s a necessary step toward keeping your business growing. Here are some essential steps to get the ball rolling so you can start fresh in the new year. DEFINE YOUR GOALS Before you spend any time or money on implementing changes, you need to know what results you’re aiming for. Having clear-cut goals in mind, whether it’s one or a dozen, will set the stage for change. Spend time examining what your business needs to be more successful. If you know where you need to end up, it’ll be easier to figure out how to get there. DECIDE ON CHANGES Once you’ve got your goals in place, it’s time to figure out how best to achieve them. Don’t fall into the same patterns you’ve been following — that’s what got you here in the first place. Old habits don’t lead to new results. Consider re-assigning roles to employees, changing your management systems, or exploring new clientele and opportunities. Keep in mind what’s best for your bottom line and the longevity of your business.
Have a great holiday season!
- Dan Larson
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... continued from Cover
Poor delegation is the Achilles’ heel of most leaders, who often confuse being “involved” with being “essential.”To determine if you’re holding on to work you should delegate out, the Harvard Business Review (HBR) recommends asking this simple question: “If you had to take an unexpected week off work, would your initiatives and priorities advance in your absence?” If your answer is no or you aren’t sure, then you’re probably too involved. No one person should be the cog that keeps everything in motion, no matter their position in the company. Luckily, HBR has created an audit using the following six T’s to identify which tasks can be delegated. TINY: Small tasks that stack up can undermine the flow of your work. Registering for a conference, putting it on the calendar, and booking the flight are all small tasks someone else can handle. COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY Be open about why and how changes are happening. You don’t have to spill every detail, but you should share your vision with your employees so they can embrace and contribute to the changes. No one likes to be left in the dark, and if you have team members who are, they won’t understand their role or be able to effectively support the business going forward. TACKLE BIG PROBLEMS FIRST This might seem obvious, but if there are major problems hindering the advancement of your business, then you should resolve them first before moving on to less-threatening issues. The smaller issues may seem like the easiest place to start, but your business is only as strong as its biggest weakness. Working to eliminate your largest issues first will clear the way for other problems to be resolved and allow your business to flourish. EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY Many businesses that fail to implement change are also unwilling to update their existing systems. There are dozens of proven
always challenge yourself and others to do better. As you check items off your list of accomplishments, add new ones to make sure your business is always improving. Whether you’re looking to revamp a few dusty avenues or you’re ready to implement an overhaul in operations, always remember that change is inevitable. Will you embrace it so your business can grow, or will you shy away from it and allow the possibility of decline? We think the choice is pretty clear: In a world where change is the only constant, learning to roll with it is the best way to keep yourself in the game.
business tools and softwares available for communication, accounting, digital storage, and other business necessities. Technology changes every day to adapt to what businesses really need to succeed. If your technology is out of date, other elements of your business likely are, too. KEEP IT UP Once you’ve done all the hard work and implemented change, you’ll still need to monitor and maintain it. Review progress reports, adapt your strategies as necessary, keep the lines of communication open, and
DELEGATE TO ELEVATE The Secret to Being a Great Leader
TEDIOUS: These tasks are straightforward but not the best use of your time. Someone else can input lists into spreadsheets or update key performance indicators for a presentation. Time-Consuming: These important, complex tasks don’t require you to do the first 80% of the work. Identify what they are, pass them to someone else, and step in for the final 20% to give approval. TEACHABLE: Is there a task only you know how to do? If so, teach someone else to do it, and step in for the last quality check when it’s done. TERRIBLE AT: It’s okay to be bad at some things. Great leaders know when to pass tasks off to someone who is more skilled than they are. The task will get done faster and at a much higher quality. TIME-SENSITIVE: These tasks need to get done right now but are competing with tasks of a higher priority. Just because it has to get
done immediately doesn’t mean you have to be the one to do it.
Sure, some tasks only you can accomplish, but these are extremely rare. As the Virgin Group founder Richard Branson warns, needlessly resisting delegation is the path to disaster. “You need to learn to delegate so that you can focus on the big picture,” Branson says. “It’s vital to the success of your business that you learn to hand off those things that you aren’t able to do well.”
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LIGHTS OUT Florida City Battles to End ‘Extreme’ Lights Display
For the Hyatts, Christmas 2016 was a celebration, though their display was restrained due to the timing of the court’s decision. By 2017, “Hyatt Extreme Christmas” was in full swing again, much to their neighbors’ chagrin. Mark Hyatt rode the wave of support for his display all the way to a vacant seat on the Plantation City Council in 2016, but the highs would soon stop there. Plantation news outlets reported in 2018 that Mark Hyatt filed for divorce, effectively ending any hope of another “Hyatt Extreme Christmas.” As the snow has settled, an extravagant lights display has instead become a story of nasty court battles with a sad ending for the Hyatts and their “extreme” Christmas devotees.
There’s nothing quite like the magic of twinkling Christmas lights. But for city officials in Plantation, Florida, Christmas lights are a stark reminder of a prolonged fight, nearly $500,000 in court fees, and continued drama. In 2014, Plantation sued residents Mark and Kathy Hyatt for their “Hyatt Extreme Christmas” lights display, claiming it was a “public nuisance.” Each year, the Hyatts decorated their yard with more than 200,000 lights, snow, a Christmas tree, a Nativity scene, a functioning Ferris wheel, and more. Their creation was featured on two nationally televised programs and attracted flocks of visitors. But, for the Hyatt’s neighbors, extreme didn’t even begin to explain the chaos. Neighbors complained to the city about increased traffic, litter in their yards, and potential injury or death to pedestrians due to the traffic. Police officers in Plantation were dispatched to the light display multiple times each season for complaints by neighbors, accidents, and traffic control. After a two-year battle in court, a judge ruled in favor of the Hyatts, claiming the city could not prove the display was dangerous or a nuisance. The city had spent nearly half a million dollars fighting their case.
Take a Break!
CLASSIC ROAST CHICKEN
Inspired by Ina Garten
Ingredients
• 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted • 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced • 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces • Olive oil
• 1 chicken, approx. 5–6 lbs • Kosher salt • Freshly ground pepper • 1 large bunch fresh thyme, 20 sprigs removed • 1 lemon, halved
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425 F. 2. Rinse chicken inside and out, removing giblets if included. Move to a work surface, pat dry, and liberally season with salt and pepper. Stuff cavity with thyme bunch, lemon halves, and garlic head. Brush outside with butter, and then season again. Tie chicken legs together with kitchen string. 3. Meanwhile, in a roasting pan, toss onions and carrots in olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and 20 sprigs of thyme. 4. Place the chicken on the vegetables and roast for 1 1/2 hours. 5. Remove fromoven, and let stand for 20 minutes covered with foil. 6. Slice and serve with the vegetables.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Dan PAGE 1 Changing Up Your Business Model PAGE 1 What Great Leaders Have in Common PAGE 2 Florida City Sues Family Over Extreme Christmas Display PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Classic Roast Chicken PAGE 3 How Santa Claus Became Powered by Reindeer PAGE 4
WHAT ABOUT DUNDER AND BLIXEM? The Strange History of Santa’s Reindeer
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
who were longtime reindeer herders, made their passage fromNorway to the U.S. with a herd of reindeer to invigorate the Alaskan landscape and help their native neighbors. Lomen saw the reindeer as an opportunity and partnered with the Macy’s department store company to create a promotional Christmas parade in which Santa, led by his reindeer, a sleigh, and Sami herders, were prominently featured. Lomen’s goal was to promote his massive reindeer conglomerate for the production and sale of reindeer meat. Instead, a holiday story was born.
We all know reindeer visit our rooftops every Christmas Eve, but what brings them there? Follow the unique and complicated history of Santa’s reindeer to find out.
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, and Cupid were all brought to life by Moore, but have you ever heard of Dunder and Blixem? Though we now know the duo as Donner and Blitzen, Moore originally named them Dunder and Blixem— the Dutch words for thunder and lightning—but publishing companies wanted names that would rhyme better with the rest of the poem. Still, it was a few decades before Donner and Blitzen made their appearances in the version of the poemwe know today.
A VISIT FROMWHO ON WHAT NIGHT?
In the 1820s, Clement Clarke Moore penned a holiday poem that became the foundation for a phenomenon still alive today. Commonly known as “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” “A Visit From St. Nicholas” is a beloved story shared by every generation. It is in this poem that reindeer were first credited with powering Santa’s sleigh around the globe. Many popular songs, movies, and plays have preserved Moore’s vision of St. Nick, and his reindeer and their names are no exception. (Well, kind of.) Rudolph wouldn’t join the squad until a department store added him as part of their promotions in the 1930s.
REINDEER BURGERS, ANYONE?
Moore’s poempaved the way for Santa’s most famous formof transportation, but it was actually Carl Lomen, an Alaskan businessman, whomass- marketed reindeer as Santa’s companions. In the late 1890s, the Sami natives of Northern Europe,
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