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“I was born to create the unexpected!” declared Willy Wonka.

After seeing the musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory this week, I have a renewed fascination with the ethereal chocolatier.

As Roald Dahl’s story goes, the greatest candy maker ever awards five children the opportunity to tour his magnificent chocolate factory.

But before they enter, he warns, you have to believe to see.

Interestingly, on my way to the theater, I noticed a billboard asserting, “You have to see it to believe it.” When did cynicism become our default? We steadfastly disbelieve until provided hard evidence. We watch magic tricks searching for ancient secrets. We question people’s motives.

And when we reign with such cynicism, we encourage cynicism in those around us.

As Charlie’s story progresses, four children succumb to their greed, gluttony, addictions, and entitlement. But Mr. Wonka finds a kindred spirit in gracious Charlie who believes in the power of imagination to make a difference.

I want to lead like Willy Wonka.

• I want to be less cynical.
• I want to unapologetically create the unexpected.
• I want to believe to see.

By leading like Willy Wonka, I can rouse the remarkable (the “Charlie”) in the people around me.

I just completed a 783-mile bike ride from Crater Lake to Yosemite.

In previous years, I’ve cycled from SF to NJ, from Key West to Maine, and from Seattle to San Diego.

I love the adventure. I love being outside. I love experiencing the country. I love the challenge. And I love how strong I feel pedaling across the map.

At the core, however, I ride to get uncomfortable.

I’ve learned that when I’m not paying attention, my life tends to drift toward convenient, habitual, and comfortable.

But my world only expands when I’m uncomfortable.

To get uncomfortable, we have to intentionally create it. For me, training every morning, rearranging work, leaving my family, and traversing unknown roads, hills, countless cars, and strangers while sitting on a less-than-cozy bike saddle for hours, day after day, through weather extremes is physically, emotionally, and mentally uncomfortable.

Remarkably, each time I get uncomfortable, my confidence, my courage, and my self-awe surges. And I discover a renewed appreciation for and trust in my team, my family, and myself. That’s always worth a few saddle sores!

What do you do to get uncomfortable and bolster your self-awe?
(Post a comment here and let me know so I can be in awe of you too!)

Altercations, missed deadlines, defective processes, and empty promises are like broken windows. Left unfixed, they communicate our tolerance for broken windows.

According to the Broken Windows Theory, addressing petty crimes will prevent more serious crimes. Social scientists contend that small signs of disorder actually encourage more widespread negative behavior.

In 1993, Mayor Giuliani put the Broken Windows Theory into action to decrease crime in NYC. He commissioned the city to remove graffiti, clean litter, repair vandalism, and arrest toll-jumpers. By tackling minor disorders with zero-tolerance, Giuliani reinstated order and lawfulness in the city.

We need to put this theory into action with our teams.

If we don’t fix the broken windows, we not only condone them, we encourage greater violations.

By confronting the altercations, enforcing the deadlines, changing the processes, and holding people to their promises, we communicate zero-tolerance for negative behavior and thereby, restore order and justice in the environment.

And, as leaders, the environment is pivotal – it’s the only thing we can create. (We cannot create people’s skills or attitudes; we can only influence those with the environment.)

Consequently, we better be intentional about fixing those windows. Our people are watching.

Our daily tasks are like splashing in the ocean, but our impact is like riding waves.

Mired in emails and meetings, it’s easy to fixate on the splashes and overlook the waves – the significance and meaning of our jobs.

Research shows that reminding people of the importance of their job increases their intrinsic motivation and productivity. That makes sense – the more critical we feel, the more effort we exert, the more we persevere.

As leaders, it’s essential to remind our people (and ourselves!) of the significance and the meaning of their work.

How? By connecting the splashes to the waves.

1. Visit customers (internal colleagues/departments and external purchasers) to discover how they use a product or service
2. Ask clients to share the positive benefits (the impact!) of using that product or service
3. Have people collect and read customer testimonials at each team meeting
4. Invite clients to share with the team (in person or via video) their success stories from using a product or service
5. Save and post customer thank you emails and cards

Our splashes are necessary, but we cannot neglect the waves we make. Our perseverance depends on it!

Consent is like mud. It’s unstable and easily affected by circumstances, like the weather. But cement is steadfast and impervious.

When people consent, they may agree with an “OK,” they might even smile and nod, but they do not own that commitment, because they did not create it.

When people are involved in creating a commitment, they own it. And therefore they are more likely to act consistent with that promise by following through and executing in spite of circumstances.

People cement the commitments they help to create.

We can actually facilitate their shift in commitment:

1. Instead of summarizing everyone’s action items, have people verbalize their promised deliverables to the group.
2. Instead of sending people a list of responsibilities, have them document their own responsibilities on a project and distribute to the group.
3. Instead of dictating commitments, have people declare their own commitments in writing and in meetings.

Through active and public declarations, people shift their commitments from wavering consent to anchored cement. And this invariably increases their success in following through and executing, which inevitably fuels their self-respect, self-esteem, and self-confidence.

Less mud, more cement!

Dorothy sang it, “…because of the wonderful things he does!”

Kids demand it, “…but why?”

We all want it: a good rationale.

Research shows that people are significantly influenced by reason. They are more willing to accept a request when we tell them why.

But typically when we make a request, we assume the other person already knows why, so we don’t bother offering a reason. And that’s a missed opportunity.

• “I need that report immediately.”
• “I need to cancel the meeting.”
• “I need to cut in front of you in line.”

The pace of our communications often causes us to neglect the why. Inadvertently, we rely on, “if we’re asking, they must know it’s for a good reason.”

But “because I said so” doesn’t satisfy children, and “because I’m the boss” doesn’t ignite enthusiasm or action in adults.

People want to feel part of the process.

By simply sharing the reason for our request, we include them in the process, while demonstrating that we are partners, not their parents.

This not only elevates the execution of our requests, but fuels trust and accelerates engagement. Why? Because we finally said so!