Be a dreamer...

Leaders must be dreamers – that’s where their vision and strategy comes from.

 

Leaders must provide 

   Clear strategy and vision so 

      That their people know where

         To go, what to do, and where to focus.

 

Leaders wear many hats – they (1) supervise the work of others, (2) manage their teamwork, (3) train and coach and mentor their people, and (4) provide them with an overall vision of where they are all going. The first three deal with daily activities; the last one deals with strategy and vision. And while the first three take most of a leader’s time, the last one may be the most important. That’s why they must make time to dream about the big picture of where they want their team to go. And that’s why leaders must be effective communicators – making sure everyone knows and understands both that big picture and what they each must do to achieve these objectives. That’s how I came up with the paperless, applicant tracking, and alternative recruiting ideas that my HR teams were able to develop and complete. That’s why dreaming is the right thing to do today.

 

Haruki Murakami (born 1949): Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short stories have been bestsellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages.

Don't let getting older get you down...

Growing old can be challenging… unless we adapt to the changes within and without.

 

Living

   Is about

      The habits

         We live with.

 

I’ve always enjoyed driving, from my first 68 Chevy Impala Super Sport convertible to my VW Bus, all the way to my current electric car. And I’ve always had a bicycle, from the first one my father taught me to ride to the 18-speed cruiser I currently use. But as I, like many in my generation get older, driving has become more stressful, and cycling more difficult. It’s these kinds of hassles that often spawn all kinds of creativity: like Uber and electric bikes. When it’s late or busy or stormy, Uber offers an easy alternative to driving and even though I like the freedom of my own car, the Uber app is an easy and often better option. And, while hills haven’t gotten any bigger, that little boost from the motor on my new e-bike allows me to go farther, feel younger, and get the exercise I need. These two innovations (and so many more) seem made for the greying of America. All it takes is for us older folks to adapt to our changing conditions and adopt some of these innovative alternatives. Don’t let tradition and old habits get in the way of enjoying your life today.

 

Divad: Business leader at The Rebel Kulture, a consulting group that transforms brands with simple, remarkable ideas into globally disruptive businesses.

Talk from your heart...

When called upon, give it your best shot. That’s all you can do.

 

Study, practice, and prepare.

   And when it’s your turn, take a 

      Deep breath and do the best you can.

 

I used to love emceeing the company’s monthly and annual award ceremonies. These programs spotlighted people’s outstanding performance, made them feel good that someone cared, and reinforced to all employees that a good deed can be its own reward. We had each supervisor introduce their nominee, presenting both professional and personal stories and anecdotes – in the beginning they were nervous, but I explained theirs should be extemporaneous stories about what they knew and, over time, these presentations became great improvs. Whether talking about your employees or telling your own story, view it as a chat between friends rather than a presentation to be nervous about. In fact, everything we do in life and professionally can be approached like two friends telling stories about things they know and do. More conversational than formal. Personal and heartfelt. It’s all a stage, and in the end, it’s all improvisation. Talking about your employee’s best efforts, conducting pre-shift meetings, giving detailed instructions, or running a board meeting. It’s stuff you know, so talk from the heart and treat it like an improvisation. Just be yourself today.

 

Alan Arkin (1934 – 2023): American actor and filmmaker; winner of Academy, BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Tony Awards as well as nominations for six Emmy Awards.

Every step counts...

Most of our lives are fairly stable – no great interruptions or surprises. But you never know.

 

Life is a mystery.

   We never know

      What awaits us

         From day to day.

 

I figured my life would follow a path like my father’s – he’d worked for his father, and I worked for him. After working there for twelve years, we sold the 75-year-old manufacturing business, and I was recruited into the gaming business. That profound change highlights the kind of impact a job can have on someone.  People have all kinds of experiences – good and bad, big and small, but I think one of the biggest ones can be related to changing jobs. It can be full of hope and excitement or uncertainty and anxiety. Much of that transition depends more on one’s boss than on the work involved: he or she can be warm, welcoming, and supportive or aloof, demanding, and disconnected. On-boarding refers to the process of bringing someone into an organization. Remember your first days on a new job and whether it made a good first impression. That experience can alter the trajectory of your career, one way of the other. Make someone’s first days on the job a great experience today.

 

Devendra Obi Banhart (born 1981): American-Venezuelan singer-songwriter and visual artist.

Support creativity...

Sometimes you just must nurture creativity; otherwise, an idea may be diminished or lost. 

 

Ideas

   Come and go.

      Leaders need to

         Nurture and support them.

 

The best ideas often come from teams of people working together. Sometimes, the idea comes from a single individual, other times from a group effort. In either case, leaders are responsible for supporting them. The Wynn paperless application system is a good example. Over a ten-year period, I kept dreaming about ways to avoid the problems associated with huge volumes of paper applications – inconsistent data input and filing issues. My dream started ahead of the technology needed to make it happen – despite that, my boss was supportive of trying non-technical solutions like adding people to the process and improving their training. But still the problems persisted. I then requested a budget that allowed travel to visit technology companies and hiring consultants to assist. Those increasing budget requests were matched by return on investment (ROI) projections that were carefully prepared and vetted. My point is that even though I seemed to be the lone dreamer behind this long-term project, I never could have succeeded without support at all levels. Most problems spawn dreamers and ideas – watch for them in you organization, listen carefully, and support the best ones. Don’t allow your dreamers to lose heart or give up today. 

 

Ai Weiwei (born 1957): Chinese contemporary artist, documentarian, and activist.

Pay attention to what you do...

Everything we do matters. It all makes up who and what we are.

 

Everything 

   We say and do

      As managers reflects

         On us and our company.

 

You don’t get proficient at anything without learning and practice, and it also helps when someone is there to coach and mentor you. When I started at the Golden Nugget, I had no experience in casinos and gaming – fortunately for me, there were people there to explain things and guide me along. As I look back, I’m not sure that I listened enough before trying to find my own way – I suspect that’s a common problem that people have. And when I transferred to the Mirage project, I again started acting before learning enough about that new project. Interviewing other companies was a strong reminder about the importance of listening and learning. It’s often difficult to see where we might end up but knowing that our legacy is written one day and action at a time is the best way to approach life. With that realization comes the awareness that what we do today, right now, will have an effect both on all our tomorrows and on that final reckoning. Pay attention to what you do today.

 

Alexandra Stoddard, (born 1941): American author, interior designer, and lifestyle philosopher.

Don't be afraid to try something new...

Anything new can be terrifying. That’s certainly how I saw the challenge of the Mirage.

 

Trying 

   Something

      New is scary.

         Everyone will tell 

            You so; and they’re right.

 

Not a lot of people I know will admit they’re terrified of some of the new things they get involved with at work. Well… I will. I signed on early to the Mirage team – there were five of us and I thought the others had way more experience and confidence than me. But I learned that they really didn’t – they just didn’t show their concern. And that’s a valuable lesson. Be honest about what you know and don’t know, be curious about the things you don’t know, keep an open mind when learning new stuff, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Others will help if they think you want to learn but they’ll sense if you’re insincere. I often tell the story about visiting hundreds of companies that had opened anything in the 5 years before the Mirage – we were honest with our questions and the people we met helped us overcome our insecurities and inexperience. To this day we stop and answer questions about anything if people ask. Don’t let your insecurities stop you from asking questions that will help you learn and grow. Don’t be terrified of the unknown today.

 

Amy Chua (born 1962): American corporate lawyer, legal scholar, and writer – she is also known as “the Tiger Mom”.