Its time to smell the roses .... literally!

 

Last week i had minor sinus surgery.  I won't go into the messy details, but I have had had breathing challenges for years, and over the past few months had seen some doctors who uncovered a deviated septum, and extensive scar tissue... issues that needed to be corrected and eliminated.  The procedure went well, and I returned home the same day and began my recovery.  Jennie (my sweet spouse) was an incredible caregiver, and was very attentive and patient to my situation.  Among the MANY things she handled so well on my behalf last week, there included a lovely small arrangement of flowers ( pictured here) that brought a bit of fresh color into my messy recovery universe in the spare bedroom.  The recovery has gone well, I am feeling much better and back to work, and all-in-all getting back to an easier breathing "normal" pattern of life.  

It's in this context that I want to comment on "appreciation" and the idea of taking time to "smell the roses."  As news of my impending surgery spread a bit, I was surrounded by so many notes/messages/texts/emails/calls of support, love and friendship. Numerous friends dropped off/sent soup, ice cream, juices, and meals all wanted to help me recover well... ( the Matzoh ball soup and the while bean chili all rocked!!) My primary family lead by dear Jen totally rocked, and my extended family all were checking in to see how the surgery went and how I was coming along.  I can go on and on, but what I am really commenting on is how touched and appreciative I am to be so well loved and supported!

It's easy in life to get too busy on the "wrong" things.... too focused on the petty challenges at work, or the never ending negative headlines that cast a "pall" on our lives and communities.  While I am not being "pollyannaish," I am suggesting that it is high time for all of us to recognize and appreciate our contexts.  I am literally surrounded by family and friends that care deeply for me and I am too often prone to take that for granted.  This past week has reminded me how appreciative I am for that "context of support" from the community of friends and family that surrounds me and I want to encourage all of us to take an extra moment.... smell the roses and appreciate their beauty ... and recognize the community of support and love that surrounds us in our worlds today!

An inspiring moment at the piano

 

 

This year Christmas was a bit quieter than most; there were five of us (our family of four an Jennies father) gathered here in Atlanta on a warm and beautiful day.  We exchanged gifts, cooked a delicious meal, and really enjoyed the time together.  Jennie’s sisters and their families were out of town this year, sharing the holidays with their “in-laws,” thus our “quiet five”, vs a more rambunctious twelve, gathered on Christmas day.

In the afterglow of the holiday meal (an attempted reprise of an incredible meal the family shared on an incredible vacation in Italy a few years ago) we found our way to our living room and Don (Jen’s dad) sat at the piano and began to play.  It’s been an inspiring and humbling experience to marry into this incredibly musical family; filled with talented singers, songwriters, performers and musicians that span genres and instruments. While I don’t know exactly how many instruments Don knows how to play, he is an accomplished and talented pianist and organist.  On Christmas day, as he sat at our little piano, he began playing Beethoven ( I think) from memory and it was exquisite.  There was no music on the piano, just the little painting pictured above, just this eloquent music being reproduced from memory.  Outside of a sticky/broken “D-Key”, the little piano held up well and we just all quietly sat in the living room appreciating the artistry and talent on a warm/sunny Christmas afternoon.

 

After a few minutes, the music changed a bit and while I could tell it wasn’t exactly the Beethoven we had heard before, I wasn’t at all sure of the musical source.  Now it’s not a bit unusual for me to be musically “in-the-dark” with this family so I sat quietly for a bit truly enjoying the musical change. After a few minutes I quietly asked…. “Don, is this still Beethoven or is it another composer?”  Without hesitation my father-in-law said, “no Bill, it’s not Beethoven, I am playing the painting on the piano.”  Now I know I am not the brightest bulb in the pack, and that is especially true on all things musical, but his response stopped me in my tracks.  “Playing the painting Don… what exactly to you mean?” was my honest question.  He described the red flowers in the painting and then played a theme that to him expressed the flowers…. And then described the blue and green “foliage” and proceeded to play the musical theme that represented those images then very casually put the two themes together and went back to playing the music he had created from the image on the piano…. he went back to “playing the painting!”

 

In life and I think in families we often take too much for granted, and this story is meant to take a pause and simply recognize an amazing, creative, inspiring moment.  I am lucky to be part of this family (regardless of my limited musical prowess) and feel very fortunate to have witnessed that moment pf creative inspiration.  Maybe it’s common for musicians to pick up their instruments and “play a painting,” but to me that moment will stand out as a distinctive and powerful moment of a unique, inspiring and very talented person…. My father-in-law Don!

January 6: Redux

 

A year ago today our county, and the world, suffered an assault that is still reverberating today.  Senseless violence and aggression lead to an event that I for one hope we never forget and always learn from.  The closing paragraph of Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” is so appropriate for all of us to remember:

 

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

 

Our dedication to these historic words, Lincoln’s admonition that we remain “dedicated here to the unfinished work” is so powerful today.  It can’t be assumed that a “government of the people, by the people, for the people” is inevitable and self-sustaining; it requires all of us to WORK to make this country, our society, and the world broadly a place of justice and peace.  

 

Earlier today, President Jimmy Carter penned an Op-Ed in the N.Y. Times focused on this exact topic.  The closing paragraph of that article is also an important reminder and a call-to-action for all of us:

 

Our great nation now teeters on the brink of a widening abyss. Without immediate action, we are at genuine risk of civil conflict and losing our precious democracy. Americans must set aside differences and work together before it is too late.

 

Last year, early on the morning post the Capital Insurrection, I shared this essay on my blog; I share it again today as a reminder of our “unfinished work” ahead.

 

 

January 7, 2020:

Early this morning, I sent the following "note" to my team at Bolthouse Farms.  Its rare that I post these types of communications on this blog, but at a very challenging and troubled moment in our country's history, I wanted to share these thoughts....

Early this morning, I got up with a fresh cup of coffee and reflected on the horrific images from our Capitol in Washington D.C.  I am angered, horrified, and deeply saddened by the acts of mob violence and domestic terrorism… and in the quiet of the morning I am highly motivated to speak out against those actions (and those inciting those actions) as an American and as a Bolthouse Farms person.

 

Since our founding in 1915, generations of Bolthouse Farms people have always had to work hard to do their/our honest work.  Everyday across our history we have had to work hard to overcome challenges, to take care of our land, take care of our facilities, take care of our people and to grow our carrots; to make all of our products, and to serve our customers and communities. We work hard everyday at Bolthouse Farms to Grow, Make & Serve.  This central idea of “working hard to grow, make, & serve” has always been at the heart of this company, a 105 year “young” idea that is never more true and relevant than today.  We don’t stand for lies, bullying, violence, and destruction, and we never will.

 

As an American, I am reminded that we must come together and work hard for a more just and productive nation.  Our communities face so many challenges, but through coming together and working hard together we can (and must) accomplish great things.  Very early this morning, after the congress reconvened and finished their constitutional work to confirm the results of our recent election, the Senate Chaplain closed the proceedings with the following prayer.  I found it encouraging and inspiring, and I share it with that same spirit…

 

"Lord of our lives and sovereign of our beloved nation, we deplore the desecration of the United States Capitol building, the shedding of innocent blood, the loss of life, and the quagmire of dysfunction that threaten our democracy.
These tragedies have reminded us that words matter and that the power of life and death is in the tongue. We have been warned that eternal vigilance continues to be freedom's price.
Lord, you have helped us remember that we need to see in each other a common humanity that reflects your image.
You have strengthened our resolve to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies domestic as well as foreign.
Use us to bring healing and unity to our hurting and divided nation and world. Thank you for what you have blessed our lawmakers to accomplish in spite of threats to liberty.
Bless and keep us. Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to do your will and guide our feet on the path of peace. And God bless America. We pray in your sovereign name, amen."

  

Mama's Peanut Butter Cookies for the New Year!

 I know, the last thing you are thinking about are Cookie recipes but over the years on this blog ( 11 years and counting!) I have a little tradition of including family recipes around the holidays.  Below is an "Easy" Peanut Butter Cookie recipe from my paternal grandmother Lakie Pearl Hill otherwise know to all as Mama!  She lived a long and colorful life, born in 1901 and passed in 1998 and was a fiercely proud West Virginian.  

I learned so many things from Mama, including how to save tomato seeds from year to year, how to choose the right whiskey for eggnog, how to roll a tobacco plug and so on... Beyond all of those lessons, I learned how to cook from her and we have saved so many recipes like the one below that are in her handwriting, sometimes including great little illustrations!  Give it a try and I am sure you will find it a real treat over the new years holiday to make some of Mama's tasty cookies using your "fork points" for design!

p.s. I want to wish everyone a very happy New Year.... filled with hope for better, safer and healthier days ahead in 2022!

Lessons from "Goat Knob"

 

Early in 2004, Jennie and I bought a wonderful little cabin in Highlands N.C.  Over the past 17+ years (hard to believe!!) we have enjoyed numerous gatherings with family and friends across all seasons and I have had the privilege to share the cabin with quite a number of work groups as part of leadership retreats that I have held there over the years.  The cabin, while only 2+ hours north of Atlanta, feels completely like a "world apart;"  with Highlands at over 4000 ft of elevation the climate, topography, flora and fauna  ( replete with black bears) is entirely different than our home in Georgia! 

In that part of North Carolina, the mountains are beautiful and filled with wonderful hiking trails, waterfalls, state parks, etc.  We have enjoyed hiking all across the region and I have taken many of my "work groups" on hikes on trails at Whiteside Mountain, a local favorite in Highlands.  Most of the hikes we do are classified as easy-moderate, and usually take just a few hours.... a nice morning or afternoon activity for all.  One hike is an exception to this rule.... for me the "big hike of the year" that pushes me and my physical capability to the edge.... the infamous Yellow Mountain hike!  With such an innocent name, this hike is quite a challenge.... 12 miles, with over 5000 ft of elevation change and no available water.... and it usually takes me six to seven hours to complete... a real all-day adventure! The specific section of the hike that I reference in this essays title has to do with the challenge of "Goat Knob."  A North Carolina hiking website comments about this:

            From the Shortoff summit, the trail descends and then climbs to Goat Knob at 4,955 feet, and then plunges nearly 900 feet into Yellow Mountain Gap. On the descent into the gap, the trail passes a major trail intersection, denoted by a sign indicating the return route to Cole Gap and the direction to head for Yellow Mountain.

The gap marks the approximate halfway point to the summit – and 1/4 of the total hike. The route veers to the left here, being mindful of the steep descent – as the return hike of this section is punishing.

That phrase... "as the return hike of this section is punishing" is the lesson of this story.  The first time I did this hike, I had no idea what was ahead us on the trail.... no idea of the elevation changes, the time required, the necessary water to bring, etc. Quite simply, I was ill-prepared!  While I was walking DOWN the 900 ft. from the peak of Goat Knob to the valley floor of Yellow Mountain Gap, it all seemed so easy... until I realized that we had been walking DOWNHILL for over 20 minutes and that the return route back to the car came back this same trail and we would be walking UPHILL to go over Goat Knob for who knows how long!  

That first Yellow Mountain hike was a mess, and yes we did make it back over Goat Knob ( after almost an hour for that section alone) but what a learning about challenges and preparedness.  I have been thinking back to Goat Knob a lot lately as I look ahead at the challenges of my business.  At our company, the business is thriving and accelerating but filled with incredible challenges exacerbated by Covid.  In our normal rhythm of work, this time of year... the holiday season, is always a challenge because the months of November, December and January ( good old N/D/J!) are the busiest and hardest for us every year.... it is our annual Goat Knob!  While no one from my team has taken the Yellow Mountain hike (YET!!) I have shared that we can't be surprised by the difficulty and challenges on the trail ahead in N/D/J.  A key to succeeding in the challenges that lie ahead is not being surprised by them .... it IS going to be hard..... there will be unexpected barriers ..... it WILL test our strength and capabilities..... don't be surprised,  anticipate the challenges, anticipate YOUR Goat Knob and harbor your strength for the key moments that lie ahead.

As you look forward in our organizations, work to help our team "see" that challenges and roadblocks are a normal part of business, just as Goat Knob is a normal ( and devilish) part of the Yellow Mountain hike, and help them take their time, garner their strength and overcome those challenges and find a path to successful though challenging outcomes.

The “order” of things matter… remember “PEMDAS”

 

I remember the moment so distinctly… our son Bryson was in 5^th grade (now 12+ years ago) and he came home from school with a significant insight about Math.  He explained to Jennie and me that Math was based on a set of rules called “PEMDAS” that were “made up” or arbitrary (my word) and if you followed a different set of rules, like maybe “MEPDAS”, you would generate completely different answers.  While at that moment I realized I needed to brush up on my core math principles, I also knew that Bryson was a very smart boy who was able at a very young age to think about some funky abstract ideas.

 

Let’s take a step back and refresh ourselves on “The order of operations in mathematics.”

 

Definition:  In math, order of operations are the rules that state the sequence in which the multiple operations in an expression should be solved. 

A way to remember the order of the operations is PEMDAS, where in each letter stands for a mathematical operation.

The PEMDAS rules that state the order in which the operations in an expression should be solved, are:

1. Parentheses - They take precedence over all other operators. The first step is to solve all the operations within the parentheses. Work out all groupings from inside to out. (Whatever is in parentheses is a grouping)

2. Exponents - Work out all the exponential expressions. 

3. Multiplication and Division - Next, moving from left to right, multiply and/or divide whichever comes first.

4. Addition and Subtraction - Lastly, moving from left to right, add and/or subtract whichever comes first.

 

Let’s look at an example:

 

4x (5+3) = 4X8= 32… following “PEMDAS”

 

4X (5+3) = 20+3=23…following Bryson’s suggestion, “MEPDAS”

 

As you can plainly see, the order of operations is fundamental to successful math operations and a reminder to all of us that the “order of things” matter in many facets of business and life,

 

This lesson from Bryson’s 5^th grade math class has been on my mind recently, as I have been working with a team at Bolthouse Farms that is working on its processes and business “rhythms.”  I shares in a work session recently that I follow a very strict and consistent “order” to my weekly leadership/business routines, a method that I refer to as our “Performance Management Discipline.”  Daily I count on the “Daily Sales Report” to be published so I can track Net Revenue for the company as a whole and broken out by product and by customer.  Every Monday I take that specific Daily Sales Report and build out my Weekly Sales Report that highlights that net revenue trend for the past week, month, quarter and year to date.  I share that report with my leadership team Monday afternoon and EVERY Tuesday I hold a live leadership mtg (or zoom) with that weekly report as its central data document.  On Fridays of every week, I receive a forecast for the sales orders for the week ahead and calibrate where that will take us vis a vis our budgets and our production plans.  

This weekly cadence is complemented with monthly, quarterly and annual “Performance Management Routines” that directly connects to that daily sales report and to our top and bottom-line performance vs budget through the fiscal year along with connecting to the multi-year strategic planning process and the annual budget cycle.  This interconnected process needs to follow its own “order of operations” …. Its own “PEMDAS,” in order for the organization as a whole to stay on track.  Regardless of function or department, having a set “Performance Management Discipline” and staying true to following it is fundamental to success in business.  I encourage all of you to remember Bryson’s lesson of “PEMDAS” and ensure that you and your organization are staying true to your core “order of operations!” 

 

The Hunt for Optimism

 

 

Here we are, at the end of a complicated and challenging summer of 2021 and now more than ever it seems hard to find “rays of hope” to help fuel a spirit of optimism from any angle.  Whether through the lens as a leader, a father, a husband, or a simple citizen, we seem to be surrounded by tough news and challenging, pessimistic voices on all sides.  Earlier this week I met with a work colleague that I hadn’t seen since “before Covid” and we spent the first 45 min of our coffee together (outside and socially distanced) venting/sharing what the past 17+ months have been like trying to lead companies during this extremely challenging time.  While the “venting” was probably cathartic, I left the time at the coffee shop down and depressed, more immersed in the problem statement of today, “hunting for optimism” from other sources.

 

As I have mentioned before, “optimism” is vital in many applications, but as a leader it is fundamental!  If you aren’t hopeful and optimistic about the road ahead for your organization/company, how can your team pick up that slack.  I am historically a “glass half full” kind of guy, but these past 17+ months have really challenged that historic paradigm and I have found myself often searching for a few “rays of light” of “green shoots” as sources of encouragement to raise my flagging spirits.

 

It’s in this context that I wanted to share a few results from my “hunt” that come from a range of sources/data sets that are giving me a touch of hopefulness as we head into the fall of 2021.  The following three examples are not meant to be a broad spectrum of insights, or in any way a complete “world view” of our current reality; they are just three points of data lifting my spirits a touch on a busy Friday morning:

 

 

Ø  “We may have crested the peak of the Delta Variant”

o   This Covid trends table is published daily in the N.Y. Times.  I have been tracking the “14-day change” metrics daily for many months and it is exciting to see the numbers turn negative this week.  While this doesn’t mean we may not have another spike, a downward trend is a VERY good sign!

 

Ø  “An incredible number of people were safely evacuated from Afghanistan since the fall of the Government

o   When I saw this report by CNBC of over 120k people (and growing) safely evacuated since 8/14 I was blown away.  The fall of Kabul and the legacy of the 20 yr. war in Afghanistan will be a very rough chapter in our country’s history, but this accomplishment is beyond heroic and inspiring!

 

Ø  “The world is making real progress on global poverty”

o   The World Bank tracks global poverty rates broadly, by region and by country.  While the Covid pandemic has certainly challenged these trends in the past year or so, the multi-decade trend is not to me missed.

 

I will leave you with those three ideas for today…. Do your own “hunting” and make sure you don’t ONLY read the negative headlines and bad news stories in your news feeds (remember, fear and tragedy sell) …. Do the extra work and find a few positive trends and data points to keep your spirits up and find an optimistic path towards tomorrow!