Last week a few of us went to a presentation by Pat Murray on Group Dynamics.  Since we all work in groups it is good to know the psychology of groups.  We are a social animal.  Our behaviors, character, identity, status and place in the world all come from imprinting from our groups.  These groups could include our family, military, corporate, religious and other social organizations.  Groups are a mental configuration.  There is no individual action there is only group action.  Connection to a group is a requirement for human survival.  Many people don’t get over being dumped from a group.  Long term military people die on average 18 months after leaving the military.

Learning more about group dynamics can help organizations recruit better and lead better.  When hiring a new person to join your group the only important decision is do they fit or not.  Here are some questions you could ask during an interview to get to know that person’s groups:

•    Walk me through your resume, take as long as you want.  When the energy goes up ask more questions.  That is their group.
•    Walk me through your heroes and role models.
•    Can you give me some examples of when you have sacrificed a great deal to maintain personal integrity?
•    Can you walk me through everything you are sure of?

Pat said any statement in an interview that can’t be backed up with a concrete example is probably a lie.  That seems a bit extreme to me as people are nervous when interviewing.  Yet, know that past behavior is the best indicator of future behavior.  Getting examples from their past is a good way to know how they might fit.

The role of a leader is to maximize connection and minimize separation in the group.  The leader helps the group deal with the real issues.  Real issues come with high anxiety.  A high performing group will confront this issue.  When the group feels safe enough to speak up and deal with the real issues you have a high performing group.  If you see people go to silence during a meeting.  Or the real meeting is in the bathroom after a meeting.  Then your group needs to work on communicating more effectively.  On a basic level you need to get reality on the table and confront it.  This will help build trust, relief and energy in your group.

I believe Taylor Studios has a high performing group.  This took 18 years of getting the right team, culture, values, rules and processes built.  We used to deal with small issues in our meetings like why someone didn’t follow a rule.  Now we can deal with bigger issues like offering our clients more value than the competition.  Our team is excited and energized about the company’s future.  We have a shared fate.  When you have this type of group dynamics it is exciting to come to work everyday.

What groups do you come from?  How are the group dynamics where you work?

Yesterday, Myrna and I went to Peoria for the Get Motivated conference. Wow! What a day! We saw Brian Tracy, General Colin Powell, Former First Lady Laura Bush (via satellite), Rudolph Giuliani, Terry Bradshaw, Zig Ziglar, Dr. Robert Schuler, James Smith, and many others speak. It was a full day that ran from 8am to 5:30pm with very few breaks. I’m glad I took a few notes because it was certainly information overload (but that’s a good thing!).

All the speakers, while talking about different topics such as business, finance, and leadership, had common themes: self responsibility, being a parent rather than expecting teachers to be, the Golden Rule, God, not worrying about the past, and being optimistic rather than pessimistic. The phrase “what goes around comes around” was mentioned a few times, too.

What gives someone the right to act like they are better than anyone else and belittle someone just because they work as a janitor or trash collector or an assistant? How is their position any less important than the high-powered CEO? How could we function without them? If General Powell can take 15 minutes out of his day to sneak away from his security detail to talk to the parking attendants and if he can write thank you notes to his assistants and others in the Secretary of State’s office, why can’t all bosses and supposed leaders? If you don’t think encouraging your subordinates and thanking them for jobs well done takes too much time and wouldn’t have any effect, I challenge you to start doing it and see if there’s a shift in office morale.

We are very fortunate to have great bosses here at TSI; note of gratitude, lunch dates, and verbal praise are common. I believe that the morale and self esteem is directly tied to productivity. To build a great team, a leader must take the time to recognize and encourage those who help the company achieve its goals. By doing so, it lets the employee know that what they do is valued and appreciated. On the other hand, if an employee doesn’t help the company reach its goals, then the boss needs to step up and be willing to make the tough decision to let the person go before that person’s performance affects the morale of others.

As an employee, it’s important to strive to make a difference every day, be self-aware and open to feedback, and to always maintain integrity. Constantly growing and evolving is important for each of us, not only professionally, but also personally. What kind of life do we have if we become stagnant and simply go through the motions? What’s the point? Terry Bradshaw told us to smile. He said he smiles all the time because then people won’t realize he really doesn’t have anything to say. I don’t think that’s true, but he did get a chuckle from the audience. He also said to be optimistic. Life is too short to be a pessimist (or a realist as some around here like to say).

Jessica Mullins, Business Assistant:

How long have you been with TSI?

1 year, 9 months

What did you do before you started working at TSI?

Worked in the Carle Clinic Business Office

What do you do at TSI?

Human Resources - Accounting

What do you like best about TSI?

The people.  TSI creates amazing things!

What’s your favorite TSI project?

Rain forest exhibit - Miller Park Zoo

Why?

It really feels like you are in a rain forest.

What’s something your coworkers don’t know about you?

Nope…can’t say.

What’s the favorite part of you day?

Last 15 minutes of the day when I pick up my office OR when my in-box is empty.

I have had Apple computers since the late 80s.  I drank the kool aide and have been a Mac advocate ever since.  Unfortunately, about five years ago, I moved to a PC for work.  We were using software that just plain worked better on the PC.  With angst I agreed that I needed the PC.  I’ve hated it ever since (except for the Apple sticker I put on the back).

This week I got an iPad.  I am happy.  The world is a better place.  I’ve now decided to consolidate everything and am going back to all Mac all the time.  I have my MacPro, my iPad and my iPhone.  By the end of September I’ll have transferred everything off of this PC and will be done with it!

What is it that draws me to Apple to this degree?  I’m a logical, reasonable, numbers oriented person.  My conclusion is it is beautiful.  Beauty causes an emotional attachment.  I want to use it.  I want to look at it.  I want to carry it around.  Donald Norman speaks of this in his book Emotional Design.  I like how he describes his teapots,  “These objects are more than utilitarian.   As art, they lighten up my day.   Perhaps more important, each conveys a personal meaning: each has its own story.”  He postulates, “…that aesthetically pleasing objects actually work better.   As I shall demonstrate, products and systems that make you feel good are easier to deal with and produce more harmonious results.”

If a product can make you smile and lighten up your day, it must produce better results.  I’m a results oriented person.  Happier people produce better results.  Beautiful things create a positive emotional response.  When in a positive emotional state, I make better decisions.  This is why Apples are better than any other computer out there.  Just take a look at this iPad with its beautiful wireless keyboard.  It is a beautiful design.   I’m looking forward to my iLovely future.

What things do you have because they are beautiful even if something else may be more functional?

Posted by: Myrna Webber, Account Coordinator

With the recent news of a JetBlue flight attendant quitting his job in the most unique way and the media reporting a high average of employees unsatisfied in their jobs, one may wonder if there are any workplaces with a welcoming and friendly environment.  There is in Rantoul, Illinois.  It has been three months since I accepted a position with Taylor Studios and I continue to be amazed at the attitudes in the office and at the fabrication shop.

The atmosphere here is refreshing and it is a great place to work. There are no yelling matches or disgruntled looks and no one plays the blame game.  No one takes themselves too seriously and often laughter can be heard from the conference room.  E-mails are sent company-wide announcing that ice cream is in the freezer and if someone is making a trip to Dunkin’ Donuts you’re typically asked “Need anything”?  Late in the afternoon you can often find the designers throwing a Frisbee outside for a few minutes.  All of this is great but it’s not all fun and play.  Walk through our offices/fab shop and you will see dedicated employees working hard to make TSI the best design and fabrication firm in the industry.

In addition, how many workplaces can boast that they are animal friendly?  Betty’s dog, Inca, is here every day following her around.  You know when Betty is near by the sound of the dog tags clinking together.  If you need to concentrate, shut your door as our resident kitten, Plyboo, is running around.  She has been known to pounce on electrical strips causing  computers to shut down when she hits that on/off button.  Occasionally your computer mouse may disappear as she plays with the cord or she may grab your leg in order to hoist herself into your lap.  Hopefully, when that happens you know she is in the room, otherwise it’s quite a surprise. It’s really nice to have these animals in the office and it only takes a few minutes of petting them to realize that they are enjoying it here, too.

TSI is not fantasy-land and not every day is perfect. There are still deadlines to meet, project delays, and numerous other issues that can be stressful.   However, it is the teamwork, dedication, and attitude of the employees that makes TSI truly unique.

Meet Amanda, Administrative Assistant:

How long have you been with TSI?

Since March 2010

What did you do before you started working at TSI?

I was a graphic specialist and quality control at Bell Sports and also worked at the Flower Shop in Potomac

What do you do at TSI?

Anything my co-workers ask me to!

What do you like best about TSI?

The TSI Staff is great and I love the fact that everyday brings something new & it is always different from the last!

What’s your favorite TSI project?

Hmm…I like the International Wildlife Museum in Tucson, AZ

Why?

Because I think it’s awesome to see the reproductions of the prehistoric animals we created there and also learn about the history because I was born in Yuma.

What’s something your coworkers don’t know about you?

I can play the piano.

What’s the favorite part of you day?

My favorite part of the day is coming home and being greeted by my family with big smiles & dinner!

Debbie Sharp points out a lot of similarities in her article for the July/August issue of Museum, “Blockbusters and Flops: What Can They Teach Us About Exhibit Development.” Debbie is a one-time movie producer turned interpretive planner, giving her a unique perspective.

So what can they teach us?

1. A solid foundation is vital. Movies and exhibit designs should both be driven by the story, not the other way around. This is why we begin every design project by developing a central theme and a content outline before we ever start sketching.
2. Dramatic openers engage visitors. The author writes that she always gravitated towards scripts with clever openers-they kept her interested in the rest of the script. Similarly, hooking museum visitors with an awesome entrance experience can make a huge impact on how engaged they will be throughout the exhibit.
3. You have to edit, edit, edit. As the author described the process of cutting down scenes to leave only the ones that really move the story forward, it reminded me a lot of writing for exhibits. No matter how clever or interesting something is, if it is not vital to the story it has to go. Just like movies can’t be five hours long, you can’t write a 1,000 word exhibit label.
4. Different media should be used to tell different stories. The author writes that dialogue sets the tone for a movie, but shouldn’t be used “to describe a character, background story, or event.” Similarly, exhibits should never rely on graphic panels to tell every story.

So how similar are movies and exhibits, really? The articles sites the difference in the tools available for storytelling-movies are restricted to a passive, audiovisual medium while exhibits have a lot more freedom. But the fundamental difference probably comes down to intent. Sure, there are a lot of movies out there that try to make a difference or provoke a conversation. But there are a whole lot more that offer pure entertainment and little else. Interpretive exhibits are intended to provoke and inspire, to connect visitors to significant stories and places, and ultimately to achieve the goals of interpretive sites-whether that involves preserving a fragile ecosystem, creating future scientists, or spreading awareness of a tragic historical event.

Can you think of other major differences and similarities? Should exhibit designers utilize more time-tested cinematic techniques, such as flashbacks and suspense-building?

A friend of mine is in the process of writing a book about the love of horses.  She asked me to answer the question “What do I love most about horses?”  I have thought about it for several days and have concluded it is not one thing.  I will lean on poets to help capture my emotions when I think about horses.

When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes.  ~William Shakespeare, Henry V

Where in this wide world can man find nobility without pride,
Friendship without envy,
Or beauty without vanity?
Here, where grace is served with muscle
And strength by gentleness confined
He serves without servility; he has fought without enmity.
There is nothing so powerful, nothing less violent.
There is nothing so quick, nothing more patient.
~Ronald Duncan, “The Horse,” 1954

Being with horses is always an emotional experience.  My love is deep.  Even looking upon them can bring tears of joy to my eyes.  I have been around horses my whole life, yet they still amaze me every day.  I often wonder why this 1,200 pound animal allows our friendship.  Why do they do the things that I ask, like get into a trailer?

I love how they feel, how they smell, how they move, how they frolic, how one is an athlete and the next is a dork, how they get in trouble and how they teach me.  I love the feel of the wind through my hair when we run.  It’s a powerful relationship and I am fortunate to have found this love.

I believe the love for horses has brought passion and success to the rest of my life.  To be with horses for a lifetime includes many sacrifices and some heartache.  It can be a challenge.  I think it has lead me to embrace other challenges with gusto and appreciation.  If overcoming that challenge brings such rewards imagine the return when you tackle your bliss elsewhere.

My advice is to find your bliss and follow it with gusto.  Life is good.  Grab it by the saddle horn!

What is your bliss?

Jane Skinner, Controller:

How long have you been with TSI?

7 years

What did you do before you started working at TSI?

15 years as Controller for a manufacturing company

What do you do at TSI?

Financial management and department head

What do you like best about TSI?

Our product is easy to get excited about.  We have produced many interesting exhibits and there is a sense of pride sharing them with your family and friends.  I also enjoy the team atmosphere at TSI.  Everyone is cooperative and working toward the same goals.

What’s your favorite TSI project?

Gettysburg cyclorama

Why?

I visited this exhibit last fall and it is very cool.

What’s something your coworkers don’t know about you?

I grew up in a big family - I have 5 sisters and 2 brothers.

What’s the favorite part of you day?

Early morning - I like to think about my day and make plans for what I can accomplish.

Today’s post was written by guest blogger, Rob Meier.  Rob is a licensed Social Worker with 20 years experience and currently works in healthcare as a diagnostic imaging consultant.

The core of our American way of life is the small business.  Small business is driven by profit.  Profit is what builds the personal wealth of owners and his/her employees.   However,  in today’s environment, the profiteering entrpeneur is  frowned upon as our national financial system came close to collapse.  We look upon the “owner class” of small business America with disdain.  Some may feel that their successes are due in large part to skimming the cream off the labor of their employees and so we discount them as greedy and heartless when in fact the exact opposite is the case.

America’s heart is still small business and at the core of small business is the man or woman that risked all in order to make a better life for themselves and those who they rely on.  While building their future they took many people along with them to success.  We look to large multi-billion dollar companies that were started as mom and pop operations in basements and garages.  For example,  Hewlett & Packard,  Cook Medical, Eli Lilly, Dell and Apple Computer, Nordstrom, Mattel and Starbucks are just but a few companies that started from literally nothing.  They were birthed by one or two folks that wanted a better life for their families.  These people risked everything they owned to start something in hopes it would amount to a better life.  Behold, organizations were born that gave thousands jobs with benefits and a means by which to build their own personal wealth, families and lives.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “industry need not wish.”  The entrepreneur assesses the risks against consequences and makes decisions that not only affect themselves but family members and employees as well as their customers.  Their industry drives them. The object of the risk is PROFIT and profit drives industry.  Profit is the nourishment from which business feeds.  Profit is not necessarily money; it is not greed; it is not negative.  Profit is in fact growth and with growth comes greater prosperity.  Prosperity encourages even more investment (risk) in hopes of yet greater profit so the growth cycle can continue.  Profit is in fact a good thing.  All of us benefit from profit.