Book Review: Outliers, Reviewed by Zan Jones

Susan and I recently had a contest. It began with us discussing how a book review would be fun to do. She called me while I was at Costco doing pre-holiday party shopping and I told her Malcolm Gladwell's new book Outliers was in my shopping cart. She informed me that she had just bought the exact book from Amazon.com! So we decided that whoever finishes the book first can write the book review - and I won!




You may remember Malcolm Gladwell because he also wrote The Tipping Point and Blink. Both books accomplish one goal: they make you think. And Outliers is no exception. Gladwell defines an Outlier as a "statistical observation that is markedly different in value from others in the sample." In other words, an Outlier is someone who does something out of the ordinary that doesn't seem to make sense - like why people from Roseto, Pennsylvania had a death rate from heart disease 50% less than the U.S. as a whole when they cooked with lard, ate high fat diets, didn't exercise, smoked heavily and struggled with obesity.

If you only remember 2 words from the book, remember these: Opportunity and Legacy. Gladwell examines 2 types of Outliers - those who benefit from Opportunity and those who benefit from Legacy.

Opportunity Outliers

In Part I Gladwell describes Outliers who achieve success from the opportunities in their life. Here are my 3 favorite examples:

1. The Matthew Effect (as in the book of the Bible).
   Gladwell questions the meritocracy of Canadian hockey. Aren't players who work the hardest and have the most talent the ones who make it to the top? Not necessarily. Through a convincing analysis Gladwell suggests that your success in Canadian hockey leagues is directly correlated to your birthday. People born in January, February and March have the best chances of success. The closer your birthday is to January 1, the better. And if you were born in the last half of the year then forget it!


2. The 10,000 Hour Rule.
   This rule explains the breakout success of Mozart, the Beatles and Bill Gates. Gladwell claims 10,000 hours is the "magic number of greatness." Because of a variety of near perfect circumstances completely out of each person's control, these Outliers were able to get in 10,000 hours of practice at exceptionally young ages. Mozart hit the 10,000 hour mark around the time he was 21. To survive, the Beatles had been performing together 8 hours a day, 7 days a week for about 7 years before they hit the United States. And because of how close he lived to the University of Washington, the fact that his high school had a computer club way back in the 1960's and because he was able to spend high school semesters writing code, Bill Gates hit the 10,000 hour mark in his 20's.


3. The Trouble with Geniuses.
   Having an IQ of 150 or greater qualifies one as a genius. The relationship between IQ and success only works up to a point. Once you hit an IQ of 120 then having any additional IQ points doesn't translate to any real-world advantage. Gladwell proves his point using lists of American Nobel prize winners. Bottom line: you don't have to be a genius - just smart enough. (There's hope for me!) And those of us in the Smart Zone know that Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is just as critical to success.

Legacy Outliers

In Part II Gladwell describes Outliers whose success (or failure) results from their legacy. Our heritage and culture of our past affect what we achieve in ways that we can't begin to imagine. Here are my 3 favorite examples:

1. Harlan, Kentucky Family Feud.
   Gladwell describes a 19th century pattern in the Appalachian Mountains that began with the Howard-Turner family feud. Years of gunfire and fatal gunshot wounds occurred. It was a "culture of honor" to engage in an altercation with the enemy family. Then in the 1990s 2 psychologists conducted an experiment on the culture of honor. Men participating in the experiment were intentionally provoked to anger. And guess who got the angriest at the smallest provocation: southerners (ouch!). When northerners were provoked there was almost no effect. Southerners were almost itching for a fight. Are southerners just carrying out their cultural legacy when they get mad?


2. The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes.
   Gladwell tells a harrowing story of how a Korean plane crash in 1997 was a result the pilot's ethnicity. During that same time period Korean pilots had crash losses 17% higher than American pilots. The root cause: the cultural legacy of respecting superiors. Korean copilots were afraid to be too assertive with their pilot in times of possible danger and Korean pilots were too respectful of air traffic controllers to question their directives. This attitude toward hierarchy can be measured by a "Power Distance Index (PDI)." Countries with the highest PDI (Brazil, South Korea, Morocco, Mexico and Philippines) had the most crashes. Countries with the lowest PDI (U.S., Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand) had the fewest crashes.


3. Rice Paddies and Math Tests.
   For years students from China, South Korea and Japan have substantially outperformed their U.S. counterparts in math. How does this tie in to rice paddies? Cultivating Chinese rice paddies requires tedious and precise effort. It is estimated that rice farmers work 3,000 hours a year - compared to U.S. workers who work 2,000 hours per year. One other advantage is that the Asian number system has more regularity making calculations easier. This, combined with the cultural legacy of tedious rice culture and hard work, gives Asians an advantage in math. Click here for Gladwell's interview with Katie Couric discussing this subject.

In a nutshell the book proves this: people don't rise from nothing. The people that are on top of the world and appear to be self-made actually owe everything to extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that "allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways we cannot."

Getting Your Head Straight and Loading the Wagon

I was recently a presenter for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers in Scottsdale Arizona. It was a beautiful place at the Kierland Westin Resort. I was asked to present twice, with one of the presentations during lunchtime for some of the key leaders in the organization. The audience was mostly made up of men who travel internationally and bring high level management skills to their organizations. I always collect little tidbits of information during events like this and this event was no different.

At the end of the presentation and after the group that gathered around me disappated, a nice man handed me a piece of paper and gave me a smile. He proceded to tell me that he felt my message was smack on target for their industry and for the challenges they faced as managers.

"Don't worry about the mule going blind, just load the wagon" was written on the piece of paper. From my presentation he knew I understood this idea and believed that I would like it. I do and I believe you will too.

This well educated gentleman has read many business books, has very knowledgeable mentors and this statement guides him almost daily has he moves his business forward. This is a tidbit worth sharing as I hear from many of you that you don't want to get distracted by the economy, performance issues, and some uncertainty in your future. Stay in the Smart Zone and concentrate on loading the wagon. I hope you find this helpful and thanks to the man with the smile.

Don't Flip Out: Adapting to Change at Work

Have you ever had the carpet yanked out from underneath you? It happened to me early in my career when the job I was promised at Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, Florida was discontinued because of budget cuts. Ouch - it was such an unexpected (and unwelcomed) change! But it was also one of the most important learning experiences I've had in my life. People in the Smart Zone adapt to change because they know adaptability is a character trait required for survival in today's business environments.

"To be successful one must be willing to learn and apply new concepts and not be afraid of change."
Craig Barrett, former CEO and Chairman of the Board for Intel Corp.

You've had to adapt to change if this ever happened to you:

• Your company was bought out or merged
• Your department was reorganized
• Your boss was promoted or left the company
• You were a victim of downsizing
• Your job description was expanded
• The weekly staff meeting was moved to another day

The Dallas Cowboys had to adapt to change recently when quarterback Tony Romo was sidelined with a broken pinkie finger. Corporate America (NFL included) has an "adapt or die" mentality. I laughed at a recent article in Inc. magazine where David Zugheri, cofounder of Houston First Mortgage, was determined to make the office paperless. So after investing in scanners he went in one night and unplugged every printer and copier and announced the next morning at 8:00 a.m. that the office was now paperless. Employees freaked out, 2 threatened to quit and by noon all printers and copiers had been plugged back in.

People in the Smart Zone have enthusiasm for change. They are resilient and innovative. Here are 5 Smart Moves for adapting to change in your organization:

1. Take a moment. Try to understand the change and its purpose. Why did your department get reorganized? Is it so communication can be improved? Is it to help avoid layoffs in the tough economy? Then decide if resisting the change is worth it. Adapting to change is easier when the root cause of the change is understood.
2. Chill out. Fear and anxiety are normal responses to change but they can also impede your ability to adapt. Don't do what this news reporter did (although I don't blame him). Remain calm in the face of the unexpected. Let your response to a change not be ruled by fear but by your self-confidence.
3. Don't gripe and moan! No one wants to work with a whiner. If you want to survive in today's competitive environment you must accept change with a smile and determine how you can contribute to making the change successful. Click here to read my example of how to respond positively to change.
4. Differentiate yourself. We all seek change. Think about it - did you eat lunch at the same restaurant today as yesterday? Did you begin to re-read the same John Grisham book on the airplane yesterday instead of getting a new book? Accept the fact that change is necessary and be the one to give it a try.
5. Stay focused on the end result. I consulted for a company who had so many "flavors of the month" that employees refused to embrace them because they knew the initiatives were short lived. Stay focused on the end result of your own job: cutting costs, increasing sales, satisfying customers, managing profit and loss, improving safety, etc. and make decisions that favorably impact the end result of your job.

Are the Presidential Candidates in the Smart Zone?

It's finally Election Day and I have found myself glued to the television to watch debates (and even a few Saturday Night Live skits). Although I don't consider myself a political person, I find the current political climate fascinating. In fact, I voted early!

People in the Smart Zone connect with others. You will most likely vote for the candidate you feel is most relevant - who shares your needs, wants and interests.



The Smart Zone is the mental state for optimal performance using intellect, emotions, and behaviors. Sounds like something a psychologist might say - right? Let's take a look at how each candidate is IN or OUT of his Smart Zone using the model above.

• Trust: The basis of being in the Smart Zone is trust. Do you trust the candidates? People will vote for who they trust the most. For example, it's important to address and right wrongs. If you saw McCain on Late Night with David Letterman he answered the question about why he canceled being on Dave's show to do an interview with Katie Couric by simply saying, "I screwed up."


• Manage Perception: McCain wants to be viewed as a maverick and change agent. He has been perceived as having a temper and being mad. Obama wants to be perceived as a transformational leader. He has been perceived as slick and eloquent. Both perceptions can help and hurt each candidate.


• Solution Oriented: Forward looking leaders focus on solutions, not problems. During the debates how did you feel when a candidate was presenting the facts about a problem (like healthcare) vs. presenting solutions to the problem? To be in the Smart Zone the candidates have to ask and answer "What" and "How" questions - not "Why" questions. "Why" questions focus on the problem. For example, instead of saying, "Why do we have the healthcare problem" candidates should say, "What are we going to do about the healthcare problem?"


• Mental Theater: This is the drama we create in our heads so it seems an event really did happen. Both candidates have run negative ad campaigns and created negative drama about the other. When we only know part of a story our mind will try and fill in the blanks. This takes both candidates out of the Smart Zone.


• Likeability: In the business world we say people leave bosses not companies. A leader's success depends on how he or she gets along with others. In fact, smiling when you are talking makes you likeable and memorable - a trait that Obama uses. Acting disrespectful of others has the opposite effect. It makes you unlikable. Both candidates have been accused of disrespecting the other. McCain even called Obama "that one" in one of the debates (which some viewed as disrespectful).


• Manage Mood: Optimism is more useful for winning votes than pessimism. But a healthy dose of pessimism will bring out reality. During the last debate Obama took a more optimistic approach to changes he would make. McCain focused on the pessimistic realities of Obama's plans. It was a categorical difference in their approach.


• Smart Zone Secret: Both McCain and Obama definitely know it! The Smart Zone secret is: take the focus off yourself. McCain and Obama have demonstrated behavior that shows their empathy for others and the desire to make life better for the American people.

Just for fun, and if you have about 10 minutes, watch a Saturday Night Live skit spoofing both candidates. And if you have a chance, check out my blog to see some of the fun one of my associates is having with Halloween and the election.

Answer the Call of Accountability

Sometimes I get frustrated with my friend Julie. I haven't been working out as much as I used to and she reminds me that I need to get back at it. And sometimes I feel like snarling at my CPA who reminds me not to expand my business too fast. We all need people to hold us accountable. Sales goals, budgets, contracts and deadlines are just like my friend Julie - they hold us accountable for promises we've made. People in the Smart Zone create accountability by inspiring others to accept responsibility for their actions.
Accountability is really a call from your conscience. It's the voice that tells you to do the best you can and to hold others responsible for being their best selves. People lacking accountability are those who are "along for the ride" floating through life, blaming others for their failures and lacking integrity in relationships.

To stay in the Smart Zone remain accountable to yourself first and use the following Smart Moves to create accountability:

• Don't confuse obedience with accountability. It is common to confuse accountability with a system for making sure people do what you want them to do using rewards and punishments. Those who obey are merely doing the work to avoid getting punished. And they may do work to avoid getting punished at the expense of other people, morale or customer goodwill. This month's Inc. magazine article, Sins of Commissions, gives great insight into this phenomenon. Just doing what you are told is not accountability. One must take ownership of his successes and failures to be accountable.
  
• Discomfort and remorse are important teachers. When someone fails to perform don't minimize the remorse they feel for messing up. Let them experience the emotions so you don't take away their learning. But remember that people don't learn when they feel threatened - so tread lightly.
  
• Lead by example. I am guilty of telling my staff to keep our administrative area clutter free and then letting my desk pile up with stuff. If I want my staff to be more accountable, I must be more accountable.
  
• Make expectations clear. I recently met Steve Goodson, General Manager of Green Grass Inc., while delivering the opening keynote at the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association's Annual Conference. His system of accountability in his business consists of three morning meetings per week: Monday (set weekly expectations), Wednesday (mid-week status check) and Friday (end of week status check). These meetings created extra work at first. But now everyone looks forward to them because they provide communication about specific company and customer expectations and hold all team members accountable for their promises. His staff appreciates the meetings and his overall business runs smoother.
  
• Accountability and responsibility are first cousins. Make and keep your promises. Click here for a funny example of Jerry Seinfeld holding someone accountable for her promise. If you find yourself getting off track stop and check yourself. Be honest with yourself and be honest enough to hold others on your team to their personal best.Accountability comes from within and helps you catch problems early on so that you can take ownership of responding to them. Stop yourself the next time you have the urge to say, "That's not MY job." Hold yourself and others accountable so that everyone will perform at their personal best and work in the Smart Zone.

A Little Fun

Never let it be said that employees of Smart Zone Solutions don't have fun. My Director of Client Relations, Zan, had lots of fun this weekend at a neighborhood Halloween party. Guess who she is:

Here's another view (think vice presidential):

That's right - Sarah Palin! She was the hit of the party next to Wonder Woman.

In honor of the upcoming election I couldn't resist sharing these pictures. (Thanks Zan for letting me). And don't forget to vote!

Feeling Down in the Dumps

With the recent hurricane devastation in south Texas and financial industry crisis, we are all aware of the potential for depression in those whose lives have been affected. It makes sense that feelings of depression are logical after such major events.

Those of you who have experienced coping with the loss of someone you love, the loss of your job, the loss of health, or even the changes in where you live can relate to the hopelessness of those affected by Hurricane Ike. But when is the sadness you feel appropriate and when is it a significant clinical depression?

In any given year, it is expected that 1 out of 10 adults suffer from clinical depression. The symptoms of depression that require professional intervention include:

• Persistent sad, anxious or "empty" mood
• Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
• Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
• Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
• Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
• Restlessness, irritability
• Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain.
• In the extreme: thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts. Click here for a list of suicide facts.

Experiencing one of these symptoms does not necessarily mean that you are clinically depressed. Rather, it's a combination of these symptoms that warrants professional attention.

A new study in the Archives of General Psychiatry suggests that cognitive therapy (or "talk therapy") may be as effective as antidepressant drugs in the initial treatment of moderate to severe depression. Cognitive therapy involves a person talking through what they think is causing their depression. The therapist then can give specific skills to help change the way they view the problem and then learn how to better manage it. Of course, you should never quit taking medication for depression without the guidance of your doctor or therapist.

Most people believe that there is little hope for depression even with proper treatment. Not true! It is estimated that 80% of people with depression improve with proper treatment. The real problem is that people are unwilling to get treatment in the first place. And people with depression can't just "snap out of it."

If you are just feeling "down in the dumps" the following things can boost your mood:

• Take a walk outside. Sunshine actually increases the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that will trigger a more active you.
  
• Break down large tasks into small ones and do what you can.
  
• Set realistic goals about what you want to accomplish.
  
• Volunteer for a cause. Shifting your focus on helping someone else can lift your mood. Some of my office staff recently volunteered for the Red Cross to help hurricane victims.
  
• Be willing to seek treatment. The true barrier to successfully eliminating depression is to be willing to participate in counseling.

A good first step is to talk with your doctor, a psychologist and/or psychiatrist, a licensed professional counselor (LPC) or a qualified leader where you worship. For more information, you can go to http://www.nimh.nih.gov or http://www.depression.com.