Cookie Mystery

My youngest son was competing in a basketball tournament so I thought it would be fun to bring him a celebratory cookie from the grocery store bakery.  I found a cookie that seemed to be suitable based on his interests: a green cookie with the number three frosted on it.  Because he is a Larry Bird fan, the green color reflective of the Boston Celtics and the number three reflective of #33 for his jersey seemed to make sense.  I bought the cookie and went on my way.  As I was driving to the game, I started looking at the cookie and decided I was no longer confident I was looking at the number three frosted on this dessert.  I turned the cookie in various directions to study it.  I was now certain I was looking at Latin, Greek, or hieroglyphics.  

I decided that unless I was giving my son a cookie with a gang symbol on it, I would proceed with giving him the treat.  Upon walking into the gym, a fellow parent looked over my shoulder and said, “Interesting that the bakery made a cookie for the Wahlburgers restaurant.”  WHAT?!  I told her about my inability to read the “three/3” on the cookie, and she turned the container and the 3 became a W.  It was written in the exact style and color of the Wahlburgers logo.  I found it hysterical that I misinterpreted the cookie so significantly, especially since Wahlburgers is a popular restaurant in the area.  In fact, Wahlburgers is the restaurant adjoining the grocery store where I bought the cookie so the marketing technique was brilliant. 

The parent’s perspective was exactly what I needed to see it correctly.  And once I saw what she pointed out, I could hardly see the previous “3” anymore.  The “W” was now so apparent it jumped out.  How did I miss it before?  Because I had basketball on my mind and was trying to find something my son would like, my mind was validating my search.  I lost objectivity because of my mindset.  Finding something that resonated with my son’s love for Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics clouded my view.  Yet, the unbiased parent could read the symbol instantly.

It is easy to fix our view on what is confirming or validating of our wishes.  However, doing so doesn’t make the interpretation correct nor does it change the message.  The “W” isn’t a “3” just because I want it to be.  This is why using outside resources and checking for bias helps us better navigate potential blind spots.  Thankfully, after the basketball tournament my son devoured his cookie without a second thought that his mom had been utterly clueless when she bought it for him.  

Changepoints:

Consider a time when you initially misinterpreted something and then later had it corrected:

·        What areas in your life might leave you susceptible to misunderstandings?  Who or what can you lean upon to create checks-and-balances?

·        How can you offer varying perspectives to those in your life who might have tunneled vision on a topic?

·        When are you most receptive to the feedback from others that might challenge your worldview?

·        Who do you know who remains open, flexible, and transparent about the way they try to intake information?

o   What can their lives teach you about the pitfalls of becoming too wetted to a particular mindset?

o   How can you integrate their approach to the areas you have identified where your perspective might be limiting or hamstringing you?

Regardless how delicious it may be, a cookie doesn’t become a Boston Celtics/Larry Bird cookie because I will it to be.  It’s still a Wahlburger cookie by its design.

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.

Acronyms

The company I work for decided to change banks after being with a particular establishment for years.  Because of the length of time with the old bank, little thought had previously been given about what was needed in a new institution.  So, after doing research, a local bank was chosen as the new bank.  A team met and a plan was formulated about what financial products we needed and how the transition should occur.  Accounts were established and a training timeline was determined.

However, during the introductory meeting there were some red flags signaling that not all the parties were on the same page or having a shared understanding.  Acronyms were used by the bank employees that didn’t make sense to those of us attending from my company.  We attempted to ask clarifying questions, but I think our lack of knowledge and fear of being embarrassed shut down our willingness to ask more probing questions.  As a result, we signed up for a set of financial products believed to be fitting of our needs.

Shortly after this process, we received a little machine in the mail from a bank.  It was absolutely foreign to us.  But we asked no questions, moved forward with the training regimen, and signed up for our first educational session.  It quickly became evident during this training that we had been signed up for a platform far more robust than our needs.  Further, the products we had been assigned didn’t communicate with the accounting software we utilize.  About ten minutes into this meeting, I stopped the session and asked if the bankers could use language other than acronyms and banking phrases.  I then asked if they could communicate with us using simple terms.  Thankfully, we had a fabulous trainer, and she quickly assessed that we didn’t have the products best suited for our needs.  She made a pivot and showed us what she believed we should be using.  And she was correct.  The simpler products met all our needs and communicated with our accounting software.  During this exchange she made a reflective comment about the disservice that had been done by using banking acronyms and terminology that only they understood.

It struck me that many of us fall prey to the tendency of using language that isn’t as clear, direct, or simple as it could be.  In the process, it muddies the communication and leaves the listener feeling unsure.  It also puts the burden on the receiver to ask for more information or clearer instructions.  And sometimes they may not even know that they didn’t understand enough of the message to ask for more clarification.  It would be much easier if the communicator took the ownership of having their words and thoughts be direct and transparent.  Thankfully, the issue at the bank was quickly resolved and a great relationship exists between the institution and us.  However, think of the times where misunderstandings happen that permanently fracture relationships.  How many of these could have been avoided by clearer and more thoughtful communication?  Not making assumptions that everyone has the same perspective, shared understanding, or knowledge is a better platform to hold conversations. 

To this day, I still don’t know what the gadget does that we were sent in the mail from the bank.  And I still don’t know all the acronyms and terms the bankers used in our initial meeting.  But this is okay because it was “extra” that didn’t have to be there to make our banking experience great.  In fact, we probably would have been better served not getting the additional do-hickey in the mail because of the confusion it created.  Removing the extra do-hickeys in our own language could serve us all, too.

Changepoints:

Think of a time when someone used words, phrases, or acronyms you didn’t understand:

·        How did it feel to be without a full context or understanding because of the verbiage used by others?  What did you do to bridge the gap?

·        When might you inadvertently use words that isolate others because there is a lack of shared understanding?  How do these experiences hinder the relationships?

·        Who do you know who models clear, direct, and conscience communication?  How does it aid them and those around them?

·        What misunderstandings can be avoided when we chose simpler ways of communicating with others, both in personal and professional arenas?

o   What ways can you create checks-and-balances with your words to try to communicate clearly with others?

o   How can you let others know when you don’t fully understand what they are trying to say?

 

There is a time and place to use abbreviations, flowery language, and technical words.  Make sure you have the right audience and setting lest it become an unneeded communication do-hickey.

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.

Brands

Companies spend countless hours and dollars researching what resonates with consumers when designing concepts surrounding a brand.  Some of the most iconic brands use symbols and few, if any words, to create their logo.  Company logos communicate the essence of the brand.  There are brands so universally understood that their name is synonymous with the product.  How often do you say Kleenex for a tissue, Tylenol for acetaminophen, or Band-Aid for a bandage?  Talk about marketing and branding genius.

The past decade of my professional life has been spent in the agricultural world.  When I entered this career, I knew very little about the brands associated with the industry.  However, any lifelong farmer could have identified these in their sleep.  Now, I stand among those who know the company tied to bright red and the organization tied to vibrant green.  I don’t even need to be given the symbol or logo to know which piece of equipment belongs to which brand just by the colors.

Other products don’t have brands that have the same mental associations.  I travel extensively and yet I can’t readily describe many of the brands, logos, or even names of the products I routinely use.  Anyone know the brand of the charging block they use for their cell phone?  I don’t.  I just know it is very useful to me.  I am sure, however, there are people who have the same connection with the travel industry that I do with agriculture.  Branding is relative to the end-user.  Branding is also relative to the focus people place on it.  My kids can spout a laundry list of “must-have” brands that teenagers absolutely can NOT survive without.  I might not know all of these brand names, but I do know they cost this mama a pretty penny.

Think about the brands you are willing to spend a bit more money on.  Why do you open your checkbook for these products as opposed to other products where a generic suffices just fine for you?  Consumption of brands conveys something about what we value (quality, style, reputation, prestige, peer-pressure, etc).  And in essence, the people, activities, and material things we surround ourselves with are reflections of our values.  We give products logos and branding to delineate these values.  However, the same could be said for the way we spend our time and who we spend our time with.  Each carries its own “brand.”  This is why the resources in our world – people, time, things, activities – have a powerful ability to influence us.  Just like our favorite company does when they release its next best and newest.  Use the same discernment when selecting the influences in your life that are within your control.  And be selective, disciplined, and discerning in your own personal brand that you showcase to the world. There is only one of you and it is special.

Changepoints:

Study your favorite company, brand, or marketing influence and see how it correlates with the other areas of your life.

·        How do the things in your life reflect your values?  How do they complement or compete with your self-brand?

·        Who in your life do you admire for genuinely presenting themselves to the world?  How do they convey this image – or brand – to those around them?  

·        Which influences in your life could be diminished or increased to help you become the fuller version of the brand you want to show?

·        How does the freedom that comes with being authentic translate in the various part of your world?

o   What values are important to you to present to yourself and others?

o   How can you minimize messages that run contrary to them?

 

Branding forms a snapshot into the essence tied to the beliefs, mission, and values of the creator.

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.

Mirrors

Go to a hotel lobby, entryway of a home, or any space designed to welcome people and you will typically be greeted by a mirror.  Presumably it is to allow guests to make an assessment before presenting themselves.  People often take a glance and make the adjustments they deem necessary.  Conduct a quick experiment and watch people as they pass mirrors: almost inevitably they will pause and do a quick inventory.  Without fail, the draw of the mirror lures us in to take a peek.

Ever notice, however, that not all mirrors present a perfect reflection?  In fact, the comedy of most circus fun houses is the distorted mirror room where we take on all shapes and sizes.  The power of a mirror is also why people want a full-length mirror in the closet or bedrooms.  It’s why people strategically place lights near mirrors in bathrooms and why housekeepers are tasked with keeping them clean.  The mirror provides information, so a bright, clean, full surface is desirable.

The reflecting quality of a mirror tells the viewer to pay attention.  Where we place our focus impacts what we process so it is the very reason we should pay attention to the messages we are given.  However, the reflection in the mirror is as useful as what we do with it.  It is only as vibrant as the light surrounding it.  It’s accuracy stems from how clean the surface is and the quality of the materials used in the manufacture of the mirror.  Mindlessly trusting that a mirror provides an image that is reflected with 100% accuracy can limiting, and sometimes dangerous.  Hence, automobile mirrors have signs on them that say, “Objects are closer than they appear.”  The convex design is great for field of view but at the cost of making things appear smaller than they are so the brain believes they are farther away.  The message helps prevent accidents caused by a tool that is intended to benefit the driver. 

We have mirrors that surround us in all facets of life: work, family, medical, personal, faith, and academic, just to name a few.  Some mirrors are unavoidable, but the choice to stare at it is ours.  The decision to internalize parts or all the information is our choice as well.  Fortunately, the placement of other mirrors is within our control.  Select these mirrors wisely.  Do they provide reflections, information, and messages that help you see yourself fully?  Positively?  Accurately?  Can you make the necessary adjustments in your life when you pass by these mirrors?  Better yet, own your own pocket-mirror you can pull out when you want to self-reflect, at it is one of the singular best ways to develop an authentic self-construct and image.

Changepoints:

Find a mirror you use frequently and assess what is impacting the reflection.  Use this experience to ponder:

·        Who are the people in your life who provide reflections that add value to your life?

·        What do you tend to do when reflections, suggestions, or critiques are provided to you?  Does your normal response help or hinder your growth?

·        Which mirrors in your life can be placed strategically so the reflections don’t become overwhelming, addicting, or paralyzing?

·        How captive or free are you from the influence outside reflections in your life have on you?

o   How can you manifest an internal gauge about what you wish to internalize or disregard?

o   How are you developing your own practice of self-guided reflecting?

 

Surround yourself with the right light, materials, and placement so the mirrors in your life create a helpful image.

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.