Archives For Gerald Gillis

12 Leadership Traits: #6 – Unselfishness

November 14, 2013

Is unselfishness an outdated concept in today’s hyper-competitive, self-absorbed society? Is successfully gaining a position of authority an entitlement to behave selfishly? Can a leader with a sole interest in his/her advancement make it to the top of an organization?

My answers to the above questions are: No, no, and maybe, but not for long. Selfish business and political leaders, among others, make it to the top of organizations every day. Once at the top, however, will those same leaders be effective under all conditions, both the routine and the demanding?

Probably not.

Why? For starters, unselfishness is a key leadership trait that is both noticed and valued by others. A leader whose personal climb is widely seen as coming at the expense of others will eventually stall and lose altitude, with the potential unpleasantness that can follow. Conversely, a competent leader who is unselfish, who has the best interests of the organization at heart, and whose employees duly recognize such, will have a level of support that could provide significant advantage in difficult times. The unselfish leader’s chances of maintaining altitude and eventually resuming the climb are considerably higher given the strong support of others.

What is it, then, that unselfishness accomplishes? How does an unselfish leader behave? Let’s use the following as examples. An unselfish leader:

• Shares the credit. Employees who are recognized for their winning efforts, whether in the foreground or background, feel a sense of pride in and loyalty to their company and their leader. Since everyone wants to work for such a leader, a deep pool of talent very often ensues.

• Takes the time to teach. Teaching is a critical role for a leader. The unselfish leader makes time to teach employees not only about business processes and results, company goals and objectives, but also about ethical and behavioral standards that are important to the organization and the leader.

• Accepts responsibility for employees’ shortcomings. An unselfish leader isn’t quick to blame others or make excuses when employees inevitably mess up. The leader first finds the fix to the problem, followed with coaching and counseling, and then looks for ways to improve the process and the training. Learning from mistakes is critical to continuous improvement. Giving employees room to make mistakes and then gaining learning and confidence as a result, is an unselfish and courageous act for a leader.

• Accepts and shares the ideas and input of others. An unselfish leader is open to new ideas and concepts, and from a variety of sources. So very often the employees actually doing the work have the best ideas on how a particular process can be improved. Let others be the experts. Build the bench strength by developing technical and leadership skills in employees. Help others to succeed and reinforce the unselfish trait.

An unselfish leader whose openness and generosity is seen by those with whom that leader comes into contact will very likely accrue significant benefits in both a personal and professional sense. A selfish leader who grabs all the credit and deflects all the blame will at some point find the world a very lonely place.

All the leadership traits I write about in this series of posts are clearly identifiable in my main character, Conor Rafferty, in my novel That Deadly Space. Find it on Amazon by clicking here.

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12 Leadership Traits: #5 – Fairness

November 11, 2013

If you want to become a more effective leader, focusing on fairness would be an excellent place to start. If you think that such a focus is easier said than done, you are quite correct. But if you think that it isn’t worth the effort to develop and improve upon, then you should probably seek a career in politics where cronyism seemingly always trumps fairness.

Fairness means dealing with others in a consistent, impartial, objective manner. Leaders who have a strong sense of fairness in their dealings with employees tend to bring out the best in terms of initiative, innovation, and productivity. Employees who feel that leaders in their workplace practice consistently fair treatment will tend to offer their loyalty and dedication in return. The sense that there is a level playing field for everyone is indeed powerful and reinforcing.

Good leaders are open and honest about the reasons behind their decisions. To the extent possible, they base those decisions on facts, not incomplete evidence. They listen carefully, give employees a voice, and communicate clearly so that employees can understand the context in which the decisions are made. They also strongly hold to the concept of transparency in the manner in which they go about their business.

Fairness is very often a question of perception, however. We may try diligently to practice fairness, but everyone tends to view events through their own lenses. The concept of fairness as seen across all employees thus has the potential to become vague and misconstrued. As a result, fairness may well be the most challenging trait to practice on a consistent basis.

Here are some thoughts for consideration with regard to leadership fairness:

• Avoid playing favorites. Nothing can undermine the perception of a leader’s fairness than by concentrating attention on a small, select group. The leader’s attention should be distributed across a wider range of people where everyone is seen as playing by the same rules.

• Involve key stakeholders in major process changes. Whether the change involves the movement of materials on a manufacturing floor or the specifics of order entry, seek the input of those whose jobs will be affected and whose knowledge can be of benefit.

• Involve key stakeholders in the hiring process. This not only increases the probability of a good hire, but it creates a transparency in the process that can help build cohesion and trust.

• Give credit liberally. Spreading the credit for accomplishments to those who might otherwise go unrecognized is fairness in its most authentic (and perhaps most neglected) sense.

A good leader needs to make decisions that are fair and objective, apart from the way the leader may feel personally about the situation. Fairness deals in facts and not personal opinions. Being fair-minded is a description a leader should strive for and covet.

All the leadership traits I write about in this series of posts are clearly identifiable in my main character, Conor Rafferty, in my novel That Deadly Space. Find it on Amazon by clicking here.

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12 Leadership Traits: #4 – Discipline

November 7, 2013

Have you developed the disciplined habits that will give you the momentum to keep moving forward as a leader? Do you have the discipline to put in the hard work in honing your existing skills and in developing new ones? If not, can you develop the necessary discipline to make the jump from being adequate to becoming exceptional?

Merriam-Webster defines discipline as, “Training that is expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement.”

Whether as a business leader, musician, athlete, or military commander, natural talent is necessary and important. But talent alone is simply not enough. What many fail to understand is that a key factor in determining who will blossom into an extraordinary leader is the discipline to practice diligently, to perpetually learn and improve, and to provide a sound example to others in the organization.

Like so many other qualities, discipline begins at the top and filters down throughout the organization. Can you identify specific qualities that disciplined organizations so often exhibit? I’ll offer a few examples for your consideration:

• Exceptional focus. Steve Jobs decided to prune the list of Apple’s active products down to a relative few, and then focused intensively on making those remaining products industry leaders. Ritz-Carlton, in its focus upon customer service, instructed every employee that the ownership of any customer issue or complaint they personally received consequently rested exclusively with them. Discipline is an enabler of focus; focus then reinforces discipline.

• Ability to function under duress. When its Tylenol bottles were criminally tampered with in 1982, tragically resulting in 7 deaths, Johnson & Johnson initiated a recall of some 31 million bottles with a retail value estimated at $100 million. The company also distributed warnings to hospitals and distributors and halted Tylenol production and advertising. An undisciplined organization would have been crushed under the weight of such urgent logistical stresses, not to mention the intense public scrutiny that surrounded the event.

• Ability to adapt to rapidly changing conditions. Operational agility has been a hallmark of the U.S. Marine Corps throughout its existence. Marine unit leaders train and instill the necessary discipline to adapt to changing battlefield conditions, whether in a counterinsurgency street battle or a large-scale engagement in the desert. Highly disciplined Marines have the ability to adapt and succeed under virtually any circumstances.

So, do you have the discipline to be great? If not, begin taking steps to improve. Set goals that require discipline, and then achieve those goals. Also set an example of disciplined behavior that others can and will follow. Don’t let laziness or sloppiness stand between you and greatness.

All the leadership traits I write about in this series of posts are clearly identifiable in my main character, Conor Rafferty, in my novel That Deadly Space. Find it on Amazon by clicking here.

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12 Leadership Traits: #3 – Integrity

November 4, 2013

Is the term integrity something that is clear to you? Is it a complicated set of principles that can vary according to a particular moral consideration or a specific set of circumstances? Or is it simply doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do?

Think of integrity as the quality of having high moral principles, of being reliable and trustworthy. It does not mean that you are near perfection as a human being, but rather that you can be trusted with words and deeds. For you, if integrity means doing the right thing, even if nobody knows or notices, then you understand the concept. If you behave consistently and use your moral principles, reliability, and trustworthiness as your guiding lights, you can rightfully be described as a person of integrity.

For certain, it is a description that is earned, and one that should be prized. If you have it, guard and nurture it. If you don’t yet have it, pursue it zealously. It is well worth the change in behavior you will have to make to earn it.

Now think of the foundation of a company as its core values. Core values can be defined as those things which we believe are the most important aspects of who we are and how we treat others. Effective core values very often operate behind the scenes, much like a computer’s operating system, keeping everything functioning in a consistent, predictable manner. A leader’s core values come to be understood by an organization from that leader’s consistent behavior over time. Those core values are then inculcated into an organization based in large measure on the leader’s example. Hence, core values and integrity are inextricably linked; it is difficult to have one without the other.

So, if you consider yourself a leader with integrity, and you have made it a practice to communicate your organization’s core values to your employees, what benefits do you think would accrue to those same employees?

I would suggest the following:

• Empowerment. If a leader with integrity is a leader who can be trusted, it should generally follow that the leader places high levels of trust in employees. Being trusted can be empowering. Being empowered can lead to many other tangential benefits such as improvements in productivity, innovation, and morale.

• Frame of Reference. Employees who understand the organization’s core values, and who see the leader as a person of integrity, will have little difficulty in determining their correct course of action when presented with a moral or ethical dilemma. Employees thus have a reference point that will guide and inform them.

• Safety Shield. Employees who see that people with low integrity are smoked out and promptly separated from the company will find reassurance in working for a leader and an organization where doing the right thing is not only expected, but demanded.

Being an honorable, ethical leader is never without challenges, to be sure, but a leader without integrity is a pathway to ultimate oblivion.

All the leadership traits I write about in this series of posts are clearly identifiable in my main character, Conor Rafferty, in my novel That Deadly Space. Find it on Amazon by clicking here.

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12 Leadership Traits: #2 – Courage

November 1, 2013

Aristotle called courage the first virtue because it makes all of the other virtues possible. I believe it to be the most important virtue for leaders in the business profession, as well. Without courage, there is no effective leadership at any level. Without courage, there is no breakthrough innovation or radical transformation. Without courage, there is no resistance to the blurring of the ethical and unethical. The absence of courage will very likely place an organization on a quick pathway to oblivion when business conditions invariably turn difficult.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines courage as, “Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” Let us use this description as the basis for our discussion.

If someone were to describe you as a courageous leader, what exactly would they be referring to? What actions or impressions would you have demonstrated to cause such a characterization? What odds would you have prevailed against or what doubts (yours or others) would you have overcome?

I offer the following likely explanations:

• You took risks that most others would have avoided. Perhaps a decision on a new product or service. Or an acquisition or merger. Or a change is business strategy. You stepped out of your comfort zone, took full responsibility, and made something happen based upon your intellect, insight, and strength of character. And your guts.

• You accepted conflict as a natural business occurrence, and you dealt with it forthrightly, candidly, and honestly. You didn’t ignore it or hide from it and thus exacerbate the problem. You didn’t let the conflict escalate until it boiled over. And in the end you made a decision, however difficult, and lived with the consequences.

• You constantly challenged the status quo. You kept asking “Why?” when others seemed perfectly content. You created a healthy tension to become more productive or more innovative or more forward-looking. You created a culture of excellence, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace change.

• You didn’t suffer from the cowardice of silence. You spoke up when others dared not. You raised difficult issues. You disagreed when you felt you were right. You provided tough guidance and counsel when necessary. You provided honest feedback in a constructive way.

• You developed people and then entrusted them to do their jobs. You empowered others and accepted responsibility when they tripped. You gave credit when deserved. You coached and mentored with candor and patience. You praised in public and corrected in private.

Everyone has the capacity to be courageous. It is a teachable skill, and as such is made better with practice and coaching. You too can be a courageous leader. Be under no illusion, however, that it always come easily, for leadership courage is often a lonely, gut-wrenching, nail-biting experience. It’s not always popular, and you will never always be right. Just understand that it’s all part of the package.

Still want to be a leader?

Of course you do. And good luck!

All the leadership traits I write about in this series of posts are clearly identifiable in my main character, Conor Rafferty, in my novel That Deadly Space. Find it on Amazon by clicking here.

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12 Leadership Traits: #1 – Ability to Communicate

October 28, 2013

The ability to communicate gives the prospective leader the opportunity to impart information, influence others, and direct others to action. Without this ability, a leader’s overall effectiveness is diminished.

Why, then, is this trait so critical to a leader’s success?

Good communication skills are more important than ever. Those who possess the ability to communicate skillfully and effectively are greatly needed in a world that is dynamic and changing, challenging and unpredictable, and often confusing and dangerous. Communication skills such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening are essential for a leader who wants to move his/her organization through the fierce, global competition that has become the norm.

Below are several reasons for the importance of communication ability in a leader:

• Inform. One of the primary functions of communication in business is to provide information. Whether the information concerns products, plans, or policies, a leader’s need to inform a diverse audience of employees, customers, and stockholders is crucial.

• Educate. Since education is an ongoing communication process, a leader who spends considerable time, energy, and capital in educating employees about plans, processes, and policies is a leader who is serious about success. The best leaders are very often also the best teachers.

• Clarify. Leaders are routinely required to communicate clarifying information that amends, rescinds, or elucidates previous information that had been provided to audiences either within or outside the company, or both.

• Persuade. A leader who has the ability to communicate persuasively has a significant advantage over others not nearly as skillful. Persuasion should lead to desirable action; action should lead to results. Note that the ability to persuade is far more than spin control or other superficial attempts at deflection or avoidance. Nothing difficult would ever be achieved without persuasive leadership.

• Motivate. An inspirational leader can motivate employees with his/her words and actions; that same leader can motivate customers and clients into taking action on proposals, products, or services. And while it’s true that motivation doesn’t last, neither does a shower, and that is why it’s a worthwhile daily practice.

Communication is a perishable skill, so the leader must maintain proficiency with diligent practice. Can an impressive ability to communicate be a differentiator for the prospective leader among his/her peers? Yes, absolutely! A leader can create great plans for an organization, but without the ability to inform, educate, clarify, persuade, and motivate, those plans will likely not reach maximum effectiveness.

For more on communications, both verbal and written, please see my Kindle eBook How to Become a Successful, Effective Communicator. Find it on Amazon by clicking on the link.

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12 Leadership Traits

October 23, 2013

Leadership has often been described as the ability to get others to follow willingly. Political, military, business, and religious leaders have been studied throughout history in an effort to identify the traits that contributed to their huge successes.

Is there a common thread? And if so, what are those traits?

I spent years as a leader in military and business organizations, and I have studied leaders from those with whom I have had direct contact to those past and present leaders about whom so much has been documented.

I encountered a number of truly outstanding leaders in the business world who were highly successful and widely respected, and who provided inspiration for organizations to achieve remarkable results. In the military, I encountered Marine Corps officers and non-commissioned officers who had been highly decorated combat leaders for their performance under the most stressful and terrifying conditions imaginable, and whose troops nevertheless followed them into that dark hole of battle. With political and military leaders, I’ve studied the likes of Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, George Patton, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Chester Nimitz, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Douglas MacArthur, among others.

I’ve made it a point to learn about business leaders such as Jack Welch, Lee Iacocca, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Ted Turner, Herb Kelleher, Warren Buffett, and more recently, Mark Zuckerberg.

I have identified twelve traits that great leaders seem to demonstrate on a highly consistent basis. Some have strong traits that do not appear on this list and still others sometimes reflect attributes that are less than desirable, perhaps even lamentable, yet who succeed anyway. This list is not meant to be all-inclusive, such that every great leader embodies all twelve attributes. Rather, it is meant as a guide as to what I would consider the commonalities which are shared by many leaders who are clearly exceptional.

Please note that in future articles, I will take each of the twelve traits and elaborate further.

My twelve leadership traits are thus:

1. Ability to Communicate

2. Courage

3. Integrity

4. Discipline

5. Fairness

6. Unselfishness

7. Dependability

8. Vision

9. Assertiveness

10. Professional Competence

11. Judgment

12. Creativity

These are the twelve leadership traits that I have identified among the best of the leaders I have seen and studied.

Are you a leader? If so, how do compare your own self-assessed leadership traits to the above list? If you are preparing for a life of leadership, your possession and embrace of the above twelve traits would not guarantee you career success, since there are no such guarantees, but it would put you in good company.

Very good company, indeed.

All the leadership traits I write about in this series of posts are clearly identifiable in my main character, Conor Rafferty, in my novel That Deadly Space. Find it on Amazon by clicking here.

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The Importance of Speaking Skills

October 17, 2013

Why the importance of speaking skills? While a picture may be worth a thousand words, those words will no doubt come in handy if the picture is distorted or poorly understood. After all, the most effective way to communicate is through speech. Thus, speaking skills are a vitally important method of communication.

The four language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing are all interconnected. Proficiency in each skill is necessary to become a well-rounded communicator, but the ability to speak skillfully provides the speaker with several distinct advantages. The capacity to put words together in a meaningful way to reflect thoughts, opinions, and feelings provides the speaker with these important advantages:

Ability to inform, persuade, and direct. Business managers, educators, military leaders, lawyers, and politicians, among others, seek to develop their speaking skills to such a level that they are transformed into master communicators. Speaking clearly and confidently can gain the attention of an audience, providing the golden opportunity for the speaker to make the message known. Wise is the speaker who gains and then holds the attention of an audience, with well-chosen words in a well-delivered presentation, forming a message that is effective, informative, and understood.

Ability to stand out from the rest. When one thinks of speaking skills, one tends to think of it as a common skill. Think again. The ability to stand before others and speak effectively is not an ordinary ability. Many people are deathly afraid of public speaking; others have little ability to form thoughts into sentences and then deliver those words in a believable way. The bad news is that at any given moment the world has precious few with the speaking talents of, say, Winston Churchill or John F. Kennedy. The good news is that a speaker whose skills are honed and developed with constant application and hard work can stand out.

Ability to benefit derivatively. Well-developed verbal skills can increase one’s negotiation skills. Self-confidence is improved. A growing sense of comfort comes from speaking in front of larger and larger audiences. A reputation for excellence in speaking can accrue over time, thereby imparting a certain credibility to the speaker.

Career enhancement. Employers have always valued the ability to speak well. It is, and always will be, an important skill, and well worth the effort in fully developing.

Personal satisfaction. Speakers who have experienced a connection with an appreciative audience through a well-composed and well-delivered presentation often find a deep level of fulfillment that is seldom achieved in other forms of communication. The normal sense of nervous tension can give way to feelings of accomplishment and exuberance when an audience expresses its outward appreciation to a speaker. It’s a reward, of sorts, for all the hard work and preparation that goes into honing your skills.

Speaking skills are important for career success, but certainly not limited to one’s professional aspirations. Speaking skills can enhance one’s personal life and thereby bring about the well-rounded growth that we should all seek.

If you’d like to learn more about becoming a better communicator, both in verbal and written form, here is the link to Amazon https://goo.gl/Agggfe for my $0.99 Kindle eBook HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL, EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR. 

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An Open Letter to President Abraham Lincoln

October 11, 2013

Dear Mr. President:

Since I’ve always considered you the wisest among all American presidents, I respectfully seek your counsel on several troubling matters.

The United States is in the throes of a bitter ideological feud between those who lean toward a more progressive, socialist left and those of a more traditional, conservative right. It involves many things, to include the charge and size of government, the U.S. role as the most powerful nation in an increasingly unstable world, and the likely destructive consequences of years of gross fiscal irresponsibility. Too, we have deep divides on matters of religion, marriage, and the termination of unwanted pregnancies in what is termed, appropriately enough, abortion (or, as some would prefer, the right to choose, not unlike being of age and deciding upon whiskey or beer, except, of course, the difference in consequences).

Mr. Lincoln, since your time the United States has won two world wars, cured polio, given women the vote, enacted legislation to ensure equal rights to all citizens, and sent men to the moon and back (really, we did, and more than once!). We built the most powerful economy in world history, and in the process assimilated countless millions of immigrants from all parts of the globe. Those immigrants came here in the belief that ambitious, hardworking individuals can move from poverty to relative prosperity based upon effort, not birthright. And by the way, we have twice elected a U.S. president of African descent.

But we’re far from perfection. We can quite literally transplant hearts and other vital organs, but we don’t do as well transplanting values. Our prisons are crowded, our young are too often poorly educated, and there is still racial prejudice, just as in your day, though more subtle. We bend over backwards in a near-comical attempt to avoid “offending” anyone, and in the process offend or inconvenience nearly everyone. Our citizens are increasingly suspicious of and alarmed by a federal government in which powerful components have been used to gather highly personal information and to sometimes intimidate or penalize innocent people for purely political reasons.

We seem to be at a crossroads, sir. Thankfully we’re not at war with one another as we were in your day, but we do have counties in some states who feel so ideologically and culturally detached that their citizens now speak of secession. I know you remember (and detest) that word. Our elected representatives seem more concerned about being re-elected than in solving the real problems that threaten our well-being as a nation. There is a certain smallness about Congress, and I’m sure you would recognize much of the pettiness and posturing, even the vitriol. There is also a smallness to the president, who seems aloof and detached from the actual governing and leadership aspects of his role. Like you, he won the job with great skill, but unlike you, he governs with virtually none of it.

Throughout the days of your presidency, would you have avoided engaging members of the opposing party as if they were poisonous reptiles, even if you thought dealing with snakes would be an upgrade? Would you have been able to raise an army and the revenue necessary to fight it without some level of bi-partisan support?  To ensure the abolition of slavery in all of the U.S., didn’t you push for passage of the Thirteenth Amendment which Congress passed by the necessary two-thirds vote in 1865?

Mr. Lincoln, is it conceivable that any sort of budgetary crisis would have ever convinced you to close Gettysburg National Cemetery and turn away veterans and family members from paying their respects?

We need your help here, President Lincoln. What should we do? Change the people? Change the terms under which they serve? It’s not getting better; the divides are becoming deeper.

Is there anyone out there like you who could step in and provide some desperately needed leadership? Can you recommend a person–any person–who could step forward and fill the void? If so, will you send me a text? Oops, sorry, make that a telegram.

And please, sir, hurry.

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Have Americans Lost Confidence in Business Leaders?

September 5, 2013

In a June, 2013 Gallup Poll (Confidence in Institutions), only 9% professed a great deal of confidence in big business, while 13% indicated quite a lot of confidence. In the same poll, 31% expressed very little confidence in big business. Ten years ago the value was the same at 31%. Twenty years ago, 28%; thirty years ago, 26%.

The values for small business were far better by roughly three times in a great deal and quite a lot categories, at 29% and 36% respectively. Only the military polled higher than small business. Americans trust small-business owners in the creation of jobs more than any other entity.

Though the results over thirty years don’t indicate a dramatic shift in the public’s lack of confidence in big business, there is clearly room for improvement. What drives this lack of confidence? What are the sources? Is it the seemingly endless number of highly publicized corporate scandals and criminality? Is it executive compensation? Outsourcing to foreign countries? Mass layoffs? Cutting of or reducing employee benefits? Greed as a primary operating principle?

It is all of the above, and probably more. At the heart of the matter, in my opinion, is executive leadership. Because of the relatively easy access to owners of small businesses, they are known by the public in ways that leaders of big businesses are not. Hence, small business owners are more likely to be accessible, accountable, and admired by the members of their communities when they conduct their activities with integrity and responsibility. If they act otherwise, they’re finished and they darn well know it.

Leaders of large businesses may not be well known to their own employees, much less the general public. They are mostly seen in newspaper or online articles when commenting on quarterly results or gaining millions in stock options or announcing a domestic plant closure or an overseas plant opening. Is it any surprise, then, that the public expresses low levels of confidence in business executives they know very little about, and who they assume know and care very little about them?

Then again, the general public knows little about the military leaders who are entrusted with the nation’s defense, yet they indicate very high levels of trust in those leaders. Why the difference? Why is one group trusted and the other, not so much?

Military leaders are seen as having the public’s well-being at the heart of what they do. They are generally regarded as unselfish, committed to a life of service where the demands are great and the sacrifices are many. Great military leaders are seen as ambitious, sure, but never at the expense of their troops. The American military has long served this nation honorably and skillfully, and its tradition of sacrificial service has earned it a place of special trust with the citizenry.

Business leaders should consider this difference carefully. No, the business profession is not the same as military service. But great leaders are great wherever they are, in whatever capacity they serve. And in all fairness, big business has also unquestionably served this nation well, in peace and war.

So, have Americans lost faith in business leaders? I think not. But public confidence is not improving, which reflects the need for business leaders to think anew how they are perceived by the public, and how that perception can be upgraded. The business leaders in the forefront on this in an honest, ethical, and assertive way will be noticed. And appreciated.

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