The Only Time You Feel a Cruise Ship Turn is When It's In Port: The Power of the Compound Effect

March 06, 2019 by Aaron Barrette

I was in Seattle last week for work. It was a great visit, a time to connect with co-workers I hadn’t had the pleasure to meet before, as well as a time to re-connect with co-workers from all over the world.

While at dinner on Tuesday night one of our executives stopped by our table and made a statement that really resonated. It was in response to a question from one of my teammates regarding the pace of change at the company.

“The only time you feel a cruise ship turn is when it’s in port.”

The quote is really about incremental change. There is a context. The company I work for is in the middle of a merger with one of our biggest competitors. The comment really made me think about the pace of change, but more specifically incremental change.

The gurus will tell us to “take massive action”, but massive action isn’t always the solution. Sometimes massive action can create more problems in the long run.

Real, long-lasting, change is accomplished via small, daily, improvement.

This small and seemingly insignificant daily improvement can compound and becomes massive over time.

Three Keys to Making Your New Year's Resolutions Last

December 28, 2018 by Aaron Barrette

With Christmas and New Year’s Day falling on a Tuesday it means consecutive short weeks of work and the chance for rest and relaxation. After we ring in the New Year with a kiss for our special someone and the singing of Auld Lang Syne, our thoughts will turn toward what we’d like to accomplish in the coming year as part of the never-ending quest to make next year the best one yet.

As far back as Ancient Mesopotamia the celebration of the New Year has held great significance. The Babylonians, present day Iraq, celebrated Zagmuk— literally meaning “beginning of the year.” The 12-day feast was fascinating in that it celebrated the triumph of Marduk, the patron deity of Babylon, over the forces of Chaos. The battle between Marduk and Chaos lasts 12 days, the same number of days as the festival.

A battle to defeat chaos is a fitting microcosm of the holiday season. As the calendar turns deeper into the fall the days get shorter and darker leading up to the winter solstice on December 21. The celebration of Christmas, with all that goes into the hosting and gift buying and social obligations leading up to New Year can be a time of chaos for many of us. Most of us love the chaos but also know that once the calendar turns, we have to regain our focus on the New Year and the objectives we’ve all set.

So how are you going to defeat that chaos and make 2019 the best year yet?

I Dare You to Pick Up the Phone an Call and Old Friend-- The Seven Day Challenge

November 30, 2018 by Aaron Barrette

Back in the day (as in pre-iPhone) the term Rolodex was part of the popular lexicon. Like Kleenex or Xerox a Rolodex became the generic term for a tool to keep business contacts. The businessman who “had a great Rolodex” was highly connected and sought after, as in, he or she “has a great Rolodex.” We all have that friend in our life that no matter what type of assistance we are in need of we can ask them because they always “know a guy.” In the sales world, a space I’ve occupied for nearly twenty-years, having a great Rolodex is seen as an asset for any veteran you are looking to hire.

Just the other day a co-worker and I were talking about a former colleague who at a relatively early stage in his career is highly connected. He’s one of those guys that “has a great Rolodex.” Or in his case, a really good contacts list on his iPhone (doesn’t quite have the same ring to it).

So what is his big secret? He picks up the phone and actually calls people— every day.