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ARE YOU LISTENING? REALLY?

The total eclipse on April 8th, which many had the good fortune to observe, created a quiet time of awe among millions of us. Along with deeply felt emotions, there was respectful silence allowing us to internalize the significance of the event.

We wonder what it would be like if we maintained that same respectful silence when we engage with colleagues, friends, and family.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy NY is a world renown university especially well known for its engineering and technology programs. Within its walls is the Center for Deep Listening. This program was developed by world-renowned musician, Pauline Olivero, who described Deep Listening “as a way of listening in every possible way to everything no matter what you are doing.” That thought forces us to think about how much better we could do at being present with others. 

We need to ask ourselves two critical questions: Do you really understand what is being communicated to you? Do you listen to understand or to reply?

Hearing and listening are very different things. Hearing is involuntary. Listening requires a conscious commitment over time. We grow and change whether we listen to the sounds of our daily lives, the environment, or music. Listening is a lifetime practice that depends on accumulated experiences with sound.

Marion Woodman is another academic who espoused that it is fear which prevents us from truly listening. Our fears keep us “blathering” and prevent us from listening.

Deep listening requires complete attention, no assumptions, encouragement for the speaker and the ability to visualize the message. It is an active process. Our goal as listeners is to hunt for missed clues and the subtext of what is said. Listening is beautiful and risk free.

Hearing is listening to what is said. Listening is hearing what isn’t said. – Simon Sinek

LISTEN and SILENT are spelled with the same letters.

SERENDIPITY FRIENDLY

As the speed of doing business accelerates, rethinking business models and redesigning organizations have become table stakes activities.

To be successful, leaders must get comfortable developing creative relationships with uncertainty.  The current business environment requires the courage to embrace ignorance and radically reframe the questions we ask. Goals need to be focused on setting direction, not necessarily with the specific destination in mind. Being comfortable at the edge of uncertainty is now a prerequisite to successful leadership.

Uncertainty and unpredictability can be used as routes to innovation as long as we learn how to connect the dots and utilize “smart luck.” Christian Busch, Director at NYUs Center for Global Affairs, posits that serendipity is the result of the ability to spot triggers or unexpected events and relate them to something else that becomes relevant or meaningful. This talent is known as bisociation. 

Being alert to your surroundings creates an atmosphere where bisociation can flourish. The agenda for all team meetings should include a question of whether anyone had any unusual or interesting business experiences since the last meeting. Those discussions should encourage cross-pollination of ideas and risk-taking.

Serendipity is a skill. Your brain must be in developing mode all the time. The ability to connect seemingly unrelated events, ideas, or existing products is at the heart of serendipity. It requires courage. Ideas and products may be evolving from what appear to be unusual linkages. Those are sometimes hard stories to tell a board, a boss, even yourself. 

Give serendipity a chance. Smart Luck is something of which a company should be proud!

RESILIENCE!

An Institutional Superpower

Every January, the World Economic Forum convenes in Davos, Switzerland. In addition to a magnificent setting, Davos is the quintessential gathering of political and economic thinking from around the world. Themes emerge that reflect events from the prior year and that inform future business behaviors. This year produced a broad mandate for resiliency management and foresight capabilities. 

The dynamic pace of change makes disruptions hard to predict. As a result, it is crucial to move away from reactive crisis management and integrate risk assessment and management as core functions of our business. Cyber incidents were depicted as the top business risk for companies globally in 2024.

At Dye & Eskin, Inc. these issues have always been integral to our business plan. As part of our routine, we regularly upgrade and stress our cyber response plans. We are alert, prepared to absorb shock, and pride ourselves on anticipating issues before they challenge us.

It is embedded in our culture to think from a variety of perspectives so that we have foresight capability and active response mentalities. Doing this requires building resilience muscles throughout the company. Not everyone has these muscles in equal strength, but we can develop them and back stop each other in challenging times.

Our foundation muscle is positivity. We see opportunity in even the most difficult of times. Positivity is closely followed by confidence, creativity, and experimentation. In separate articles we will explore each of these and its impact on keeping our company a healthy contributor to the economy.

 Dye & Eskin, Inc. embraces change as an opportunity.  We find humor in the small things and willingly learn from criticism. We pride ourselves on being fast, bold, and knowledgeable while staying balanced in all we do. 

Resilience, creativity, and humor are our institutional superpowers.

MAN’S INHUMANITY TO MANTHE SEASON OF LIGHT HOPE

“Man’s Inhumanity to man” is a line taken from a dirge written in 1785 by the Scotsman Robert Burn. In it Burn lamented human cruelty, barbarity, and lack of compassion toward other humans. Basically, he was lamenting mankind’s ability to treat others as less than human.

The 20th century has been the showcase for man’s inhumanity to man evidenced by two World Wars, the Holocaust, numerous other wars and now the disaster in Israel and Gaza. It has been a reinforcement of our ability to do terrible things to one another.

Recently, we heard a colleague say that they have given up hope. They questioned where the strength to go forward could be found and concluded that the cruelty of which mankind is so capable makes us incapable of solving our problems.

We choose this time, regardless of how bleak and disheartening, as an opportunity to dig deeply into ourselves and find a small glimmer foretelling “The Season of Light.” For our survival we must move from bleak to optimistic, from pessimistic to hopeful, from futility to the light. We do not accept that we cannot find happiness.

We must reject the notion that humans were created to be without hope. Hope is not an emotion. It is a way of thinking and a state of being. It can be learned. Hope is consistently linked to better outcomes regarding mental and physical health, academics, and athletics. Hope brings with it a strong sense of purpose, and less loneliness.

We need to embrace grace and humility and commit to the belief that civility will survive.

In the words of Jimmy Valvano- Don’t Give Up Don’t Ever Give Up!

Walk toward the light!



THANKSGIVING

AN ACTION WORD!

When we decided to share thoughts about Thanksgiving, it seemed it would be a snap. With a successful business, a healthy, happy family, and friends that share keen interests in music and sports, we have a lot to be thankful for and gratitude is central to our lives.

Then we saw the Thanksgiving holiday described as “a trite secularized tradition maintained by a nation of overgrown kids.”  It was sad but thought provoking. As a result, we did some research on Thanksgiving beyond the typical depiction of Pilgrims enjoying the fruits of their harvests.

A good starting place seemed to be with one of the earliest leaders of our country. George Washington viewed the good fortune of this country as a challenge to accept the responsibilities and duties that co-exist with giving thanks. He insisted that we must both acknowledge our blessings and recognize our duties to create a peaceful, benevolent world. Washington urged the recognition that poverty and injustice holds everyone hostage until we, who are fortunate, bring our blessings to those who are less fortunate.

Fast forward to the late twentieth century and another American president, John Kennedy. Kennedy said that “as we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”

Both of those sentiments, hundreds of years apart, remind us that Thanksgiving is truly a call to action and should be thought of as an action word. It is not a trite, secularized tradition unless we allow that to happen. Instead, it is a holiday that calls us to be accountable.  It is a call to action. It is a time to count your blessings and then make them count.  It brings with it the blessing of hope and the gift of faith. Both of which need to be actively shared with others.

Thanksgiving isn’t just a day. It is a way of living. We need to realize that our lives are someone else’s fantasy. Thanksgiving is not just a day, but it truly is an action word in every possible sense.

THE OBLIGATION OF WEALTH!

As we proceed through the final quarter of the year, our minds often turn to charitable giving. Sometimes it is prompted by our personal desire to make a difference in our community. Other times it is prompted by not-for-profit organizations reaching out to us.  Or it may be suggestions from our accountants as they try to help with tax planning issues. We are always impressed by stories detailing how others make consequential differences…

Is it possible that one, relatively under-the-radar individual, could have an outsized impact on the thinking of each of these distinguished philanthropists:

Warren Buffett

Bill Gates

Lauren Powell Jobs

Sanford Weill

Remarkably, the answer is “yes”. That person, Charles Feeney, the cofounder of retailer, Duty Free Shops, recently passed away at the age of 92. Over his lifetime, Feeney, who started with nothing, gave away his entire 8-billion-dollar estate with the singular stroke of a pen.

Feeney’s message to major philanthropists was that people who have money have an obligation to make contributions while they are alive and have the energy, connections, and influence to make waves. He pioneered a new way of giving.

In some ways, Feeney was the James Bond of philanthropy. He tried to stay below the radar so that he could hunt for causes where he could have a dramatic impact and could go all in on the execution of his vision. Being involved and an active participant was critical to him.

Feeney was also a maverick. He was a free spirit, unconventional and independent. His desire for anonymity flew in the face of an age when people work to put their mark on every available surface.

Charles Feeney’s goal was to make the world work. His social conscience was enormous, and he believed in a vision that has powered a new model of giving.

The breadth and variety of beneficiaries of his wealth included support for organizations working for peace in Northern Ireland, supporting health care in Vietnam, to the brilliant technology hub on Roosevelt Island.

In a recent Forbes article, Warren Buffett said it best: “If you have the right heroes in life, you’re 90% of the way home. Chuck Feeney is a good hero to have.”

THE RACE WITH NO FINISH!

Complacency is the silent business killer that strikes without notice and has the power to destroy even the most successful businesses.

Andy Grove, one of the founders of Intel, said that “Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid survive.”

We are happy to count ourselves among the paranoid. It is our goal to practice urgency every day and to begin the day looking for something to fix or improve.

Oftentimes success clouds the judgment of small business owners. We prefer to stay ahead of that option and embrace Jack Welch’s mantra that success derives from “changing before you have to.”  Continuous product and process improvement is at the heart of our business.

We know that inertia and complacency can lead to under-delivery on our value proposition. There is never a time when we are not tuned into a sense of urgency. That is not to imply ever-present panic, anxiety, or fear. It means a state in which complacency has absolutely no place.

Really growing your business can lead to moments of significant discomfort. It is important to turn to your colleagues for ideas and processes even if they are outside their areas of expertise. Talking about change and encouraging open, honest discussions leads to higher levels of commitment among team members.

There are stages in the development of small businesses when we must re-learn leadership. When we must transition from the trap of doing things right to choosing the right things to do.

We have tried to distill our strategy into three critical steps:

  • Continuously reassessing our business plans for relevance
  • Bringing greater scrutiny to our business when it is going well.
  • Staying humble and dialed in when we are enjoying successes.

Problem Solving!

Jack London, the author of The Call of the Wild, and many other unforgettable books said, “you can’t wait for inspiration. You must go after it with a club.”

For many of us, it is time to inject that level of energy and power into how we problem solve.

We are drowning in real-time and virtual overload. We move from Zoom call to Slack conversation, to Teams meetings with few actionable takeaways.  While interaction is easier than ever, value and solutions creating collaboration is not! We spend too much time on pointless interactions that drain energy.

Research by the Association for Psychological Science (APS) shows that in problem solving, “two heads are better than one but after that more heads produce diminishing returns. “

Quality problem solving is the ability to think through situations and come up with optimal courses of action. Winning in the “next normal” will require more focus on collaboration. There are three broad categories of collaborative interactions: information sharing, creative solutions, and decision making. There is also an art to avoiding unnecessary interactions.

Most times missed opportunities are the result of poor problem-solving skills.

First, it is critical to recognize and embrace the problem. “Problems are …wake up calls for creativity” (Gschwendtner). Choose the right problem!

Second research is critical. It is formalized curiosity. Poking and prying with a purpose. (Hurston)

Third, communication is at the forefront. You need to be able to explain the problem you want to solve to others. Break it into bite-sized pieces.

Fourth is teamwork. This is a touchy area when it comes to team size. Two is optimum but you try not to overlook unique perspectives, and skill sets. It is in well-managed teamwork that solutions are often found.

Finally, is decision making. Good decision-making focuses on solving the problem rather than wasting time endlessly debating the options.

Problem solving is an art that requires courage, action, practice, and determination. Fortunately, the payoff is worth it!

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Storytelling

When we were kids, certain kinds of “story telling” got us into BIG trouble.

As businesspeople, a different kind of storytelling can be the difference between successful and failed ventures.

Stories are the links between facts and logic that move people to action. Stories are how we remember. We tend to forget bullet points and lists.

We “googled” for the names of the greatest storytellers. As you can imagine, the list went on forever and included Shakespeare, Dickens, JK Rowling, Hemingway, Salinger, Virginia Woolf, Walt Disney, and Steve Jobs!

We were a bit surprised by Jobs being included but then recalled a quote of his:

“Great stories have recall and motivate”.

Jobs often started new product introduction meetings with a story on the motivation for that product’s development.Stories bring facts to life. They allow us to encourage people’s imaginations and motivate our audiences to act. Stories make the abstract concrete.
Storytelling is an art. It requires great intelligence and skill. It requires knowing your audience, being consistent and authentic, and communicating the problem you solve. It demands compelling content, action, and a result.

Storytelling is a powerful tool. It is flexible and reflects new circumstances and new learnings.

As successful businesspeople, we must be able to project the future. The best way is through stories. Not with exaggeration or in a manipulative way, but by painting a picture in which the listener can see themselves. Stories are not just interesting they are an enormously effective way to deliver your message in a way that makes it memorable.


At Dye & Eskin, we love to tell stories.

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Reflection and Kindness

We’ve never thought of spring as a reflective time of year. Rather, it is an energizing, and colorfully vibrant transition from the short, dark days of winter.

This year feels different. Not because of any special insight, but because we looked at the calendar and realized that spring is a time when three major religious celebrations overlap: Lent, Passover, and Ramadan. Each brings a call to reflection, forgiveness, and faith. Not everyone embraces religion, but these concepts can be universally accepted. That begs the question “what can we collectively do to set them in motion “?

Every culture recognizes that kindness is something that all humans need to experience.

Kindness has a singular ability to unlock our shared humanity.

It is intrinsically risky as it can make us look foolish. As a result, kindness is an act of courage whether you are giving or receiving it.

Impromptu acts of kindness are effortless and inexpensive. They are selfless, compassionate, and merciful. Being kind is a choice and, with practice, can become our default mode.

Kindness is a foundational virtue which nurtures other higher attributes like empathy. It is something that one can give without losing anything themselves.

Kindness is hard to capture in words. The best way to understand it is to practice it. Love is at the core of kindness and encompasses compassion, generosity and service. It disarms cynicism and reaffirms faith in humanity.

The list of people commenting on kindness ranges from Confucius and  Plato to Eric Hoffer and Maya Angelou. In between, we found Mark Twain who said:

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”

Kindness should become a lifestyle, but it can be hard to start and sustain. At Dye & Eskin, Inc. we are committed to figuring it out. We will start with the simplest approach: being friendly, generous, and considerate.

KINDNESS MATTERS

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