Our New Audio Blog, and "Transitions Lenses"
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The Audio Blog is going to be a regular installment of Manager Tools. Our intent is to provide you information on about a weekly basis about things that interest us that we find different or amusing or surprising about management that perhaps don't make a strong enough case to be a podcast, or in many cases are not actionable.
We like our weekly casts and our monthly casts to be actionable. That's very important to us, because we know it's important to you. You don't just want theory.
But we see things and hear things and read things and talk about things all of the time that may not be actionable simply because they're interesting or new or different, or because they're simply a data point. And they're an interesting data point to us.
Mike and I read extensively. And often we talk about things, but we know it'll never be a cast, and we feel like we're depriving our audience of what we think and what we see in our consulting work, in our client work, and in our own professional development in working with members and listeners and registered members and premium members as well.
So, this is the first installment of the Audio Blog. And my first installment of the Audio Blog is a topic some of you will probably laugh at. It's about something I've seen advertisements for on TV lately, called "Transitions Lenses", and I see this a lot in technology managers and just technology individual contributors as well.
And those are glasses - eyeglasses - that change based on light and dark. And the idea is, isn't this great? You don't have to wear sunglasses. You can just wear your regular eyeglasses, your prescription glasses outside, and they darken.
Folks, don't do it. There's an enormous problem with Transitions Lenses. It's always been there since the very beginning. They've been making it better, but they still haven't eliminated the problem. And that is the fact that after they've darkened a few times, when you come back inside, they never become completely clear.
You are perceived as wearing shaded glasses, basically sunglasses, inside. What's worse, they're not dark enough to be sunglasses. They're just kind of dark. And I assure you, the people that don't wear them don't like you wearing them. They make a less than professional impression.
The benefit that you get of being able to go outside without sunglasses, which by the way, everybody else has to wear sunglasses, in case you haven't figured that out...The benefit you get is completely your own. And the negativity, which is also completely your own, is that other people judge you harshly because they don't like what they see when they look at your face and your Transitions Lenses, is absolutely your fault. And it far outweighs any benefit that you get from not wearing sunglasses.
Whatever you're doing, if you're wearing Transitions Lenses now, stop. And go back to regular prescription eyeglasses.
I love the idea of the Audio Blog. I
I love the idea of the Audio Blog. I look forward to the future posts.
Since January I have started wearing my glasses again after years of wearing contact lenses. I had been thinking of getting new glasses using the Transitions lenses. I will be taking Mark's advice and not "upgrading" to these lenses when I get new frames.
MadAmos
MadAmos- Score one! Glad we're
MadAmos-
Score one! Glad we're helping. I think I've recorded about 30 audio blogs in the past few weeks, and there's plenty more to come.
Some of them ought to create some interesting backlash...oh, sorry: discussions.
Mark
I disagree I wear these type of lenses
I disagree I wear these type of lenses from time to time. I'm not sure about the technology in US - but mine go completley clear, they are made by Zeiss.
I have four high school friends who
I have four high school friends who have become optomotrists - none of whom will recommend 'transitions' lenses.
Great addition to the Manager-Tools
Great addition to the Manager-Tools ouvre (!).
But I have to admit when I saw the title "transitions lenses" I was thinking you had developed some metaphor for how to look at things when changing jobs....
You're right about these lenses. Remember what you said about your smile being the thing people see first about you? Not if you're wearing these glasses!
-Hugh
Totally agree on the lenses. I have an
Totally agree on the lenses. I have an adverse reactio to someone wearing them. And I'm not the only one.
Mark, I think the idea is terrific.
Mark, I think the idea is terrific. Thanks for continuing to share your wisdom; you have a dedicated group of fans that will listen to ever word.
May I give you some feedback, or maybe a recommendation?
When you're working on your list of audio blogs, make sure some of them are about things you like, too. If the audio blog becomes Mark's-on-a-rant-about-something-he-doesn't-like, it will dilute the otherwise very constructive message that comes from the podcasts.
Can I capture these blogs on
Can I capture these blogs on iTunes?
More M&M's every week. Even it's only 2
More M&M's every week. Even it's only 2 minutes, gotta love it. I hope we'll see some audio blogs about some interesting topics from the discussion forum.
ian22 - yes, itunes captures this audio blog.
Seconding the "my transitions lenses go
Seconding the "my transitions lenses go completely clear" comment. I've had this type of lens for years, through 3 different prescriptions, and have never had a problem with them not going back to fully clear once I get inside. And I've never had any sort of negative reaction from anyone about them, so that whole part of your post had me scratching my head. Seriously, though, if my career is now dependent on what kind of eyeglasses I'm wearing, it's time to switch fields.
Another problem with transition lenses:
Another problem with transition lenses: They don't transition when you're in the car. (At least, mine didn't when I had them.) I guess the windshield blocks enough UV light to prevent the lenses from going dark. That means...you need sunglasses in the car.
If you need to buy sunglasses to clip onto glasses that should eliminate the need for sunglasses, there's a problem.
I'm going to have to call you on the
I'm going to have to call you on the transition lenses. I've had my pair for nearly two years now and they are dark enough to act as sunglasses during the day and go completely clear when indoors. I *love* them.
Seriously folks- YOU think they go
Seriously folks-
YOU think they go clear. We know they don't. They LOOK clear to you because they are so much less dark...and you're used to it.
But WE think they look a bit darker...and us executives think you don't look sharp.
Seriously.
Mark
My 13 year-old daughter recently
My 13 year-old daughter recently acquired a pair of transition lenses. She loves the way they look, and she loves the fact that she only has to keep track of one pair of glasses and not two.
From seeing her with her glasses, my observations have to mirror M&M's. They just don't go completely clear.
Now, I love my daughter with all my heart, but she is not the most observant person in the world nor is she the pickiest about things like the clarity of her lenses. (Just try to get that kid to clean her lenses more than once a week. Try. Really.) Even she says that she notices that her lenses are darker than her older, non-transitions lenses when she is indoors. If she notices a difference, I promise you that a difference in there.
It IS nice, though, to know that we
It IS nice, though, to know that we gladly give our daughters a pass. :-)
Mark
More meaty manager musings can only be
More meaty manager musings can only be a good thing. Now I'm off to look cool in my office without my semi-sunglasses though I think that I'll keep my classic "Microsoft Windows 3.1 TechnNet" polo-shirt on
Listening to this audio blog reminded
Listening to this audio blog reminded me of an old advert for the British Army, a recruitment advert. For many years the British Army has advertised, in particular for Officer training, by showing you a situation going wrong, asking what you'd do then showing you what British Army officers and troops are trained to do to resolve it.
The advert I was reminded of was set in Africa and had the camera in the point of view of the officer. In front of the camera is a clearly very agitated man, a local, speaking loudly and forcefully in a local language, shouting at times. He's getting more and more agitated and it's impossible to get a word in edgewise to try to calm him down and sort the underlying issue out. "What would you do?" A slight pause and we wind back to early in the confrontation. The man is very agitated and speaking forcefully but before he gets to shouting the officer takes off his sunglasses so the man can see his eyes clearly. The mood changes, the man begins to calm down and the officer can get started on fixing the underlying issue. The message being that something as simple as facing someone and looking them in the eye without hiding behind tinted glasses can aid communication and defuse a situation.
On another point, the blog also got me thinking about some of my colleagues. Due to disability or the results of past injury or disease to their eyes a number of my colleagues have to where tinted glasses. I wonder if this causes people who don't know the reason to make negative judgements?
It also reminded me that I'm long overdue for an eye test.
Stephen
The polo sounds good to me! God
The polo sounds good to me!
God Bless Windows!
Mark
Stephen- GREAT post! Love the
Stephen-
GREAT post! Love the story. Sunglasses off when speaking.
Mark
Stephen, Is that the definition of
Stephen,
Is that the definition of great advertising.. that I remembered it straight away? It's on youtube (of course) http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BG1lUd5-sz4 as is this one from the same series which says a lot about "the words you say, the way you say them, your facial expressions, your body language" and how they affect others. : http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-hlfuV_rq_Y&feature=related
I love the audio blog and I agree
I love the audio blog and I agree completely on the transition lenses. They also don't go dark while you're driving (or they didn't when I was looking at them) which makes them even more pointless.
I got a pair a few years back...and was
I got a pair a few years back...and was duly disappointed in both how dark they didn't get in the full sun, and how clear they didn't get indoors. They're now the spare lenses I keep in my car.
John
Mark / Mike, Sorry, I have to
Mark / Mike,
Sorry, I have to disagree with your point of view on this one. Don't judge a book by its cover. It takes Every Kinda People to Make the World Go Round and we come in all shapes and sizes and colors.
At first I thought you were going to say there was a medical problem with the lenses, but to perceive and hold a negative opinion of someone because they wear transition lenses borders on discrimination in my mind.
I'm into function over form. What I ultimately care about is that a person can execute. (And that they're smart, honest, have integrity, good skills, etc).
Regards,
Stuart
Stuart- Sadly, the world isn't that
Stuart-
Sadly, the world isn't that simple, and by your thinking, someone wearing sunglasses at work as a fashion statement would be fine. Alas, it's reasonable, and not discriminatory, for humans to draw conclusions - this really isn't "judging" someone, please - about others based on what they can see and sense of their facial expressions.
And, the fact that you feel that way certainly doesn't mean we shouldn't share our sense of what others do when it negatively affects listeners.
Cheers,
Mark
Although I don't wear glasses myself, I
Although I don't wear glasses myself, I would find all the research about transitions before buying them if I needed glasses. ('C' behaviour). Thank you for the advice.
To comment on the first audio-blog, I would agree with an earlier comment that Mark should also talk about things he likes, so it doesn't turn into a rant every week.
Great work.
Denis
So sorry you guys are worried about my
So sorry you guys are worried about my rants...surprised that you haven't noticed that the second audio blog is as far from one as you can get.
Hope to see you there, or that you'll help us get the word out.
Mark
M & M, I really like the audio blog
M & M,
I really like the audio blog idea. Thanks for all you guys do.
While on the subject of eyeglasses, I would recommend anyone who needs eyeglasses to use lenses with an anti-reflective coating. The coating has a functional benefit as it allows you to see better at night since it reduces glare from the lenses. It also has a cosmetic benefit as it also allows others to see your eyes better. It removes the "barrier" of eyeglasses when someone is looking at you.
Also, I finally purchased a pair of progessive lenses instead of using the cheap over the counter magnifiers to read. It was a bit of a learning curve but I am not taking them off and on all day long when I am in meetings or presentations. (Plus one of my younger directs says I don't look completely "ancient" with those reading glasses at the end of my nose!)
Rufus- Remind me to tell you a story
Rufus-
Remind me to tell you a story someday about the DANGERS of reading glasses (not kidding!)
Mark
Switching glasses when going outside is
Switching glasses when going outside is more of a hassle than just putting on sunglasses. All that fumbling around with cases, that much more chance of getting them scratched up, etc.
Yes, I bought transitions lenses this last time. So far they go clear. But my gripe is different... they don't stay dark in the car! 3/4 of my reason for wanting them was for driving.
Oh well. Looks like I'll need new glasses next time my eyes get examined (she says as she squints around trying to see) so I'll be coming up with a different plan.
Er, Mark -- dangers of reading glasses??? Do tell!
As what I call a "premature old fart"
As what I call a "premature old fart" (in that I started going gray in my 20's and needed reading glasses before 40) I would be interested in Mark's "dangers of reading glasses" information as well.
I know I am currently left with an uncomfortable choice: Wear my glasses to clearly see the world 3+ feet away and take them off to read, or make a fashion statement by wearing my contacts only to have to un-do it by using these #$%#@$ reading glasses. So now I hear I'm supposed to be endangering myself too?
Some days it doesn't pay to get out of bed, I swear...
Maybe it is where you bought the
Maybe it is where you bought the lenses. I have worn transition lenses for over 15 years and never had a problem with them not clearing it up.
The only comments I get is when it is cold outside and they go dark.
I wear transition lenses and have never
I wear transition lenses and have never had a problem with them staying dark. Polled my coworkers and not one person thought they were dark. Maybe it is the quality of lenses that makes a difference? Anyway, I have a retina problem in one eye and have been advised to always use transition lenses (I switch to darker sunglasses when needed.) I agree - this borders on discrimination. My glasses are not a fashion statement. I need them to see. I chose simple, low key frames that suit my professional attire but ability to see is where I draw the line.
Here's how I look at it - this was
Here's how I look at it - this was Mark's opinion. Not a full-blown cast, but him sharing his opinion, like he might do in one of the asides at the conferences. Whether you agree with him or not, figure that he's a pretty good example of the kind of senior manager some (most) of us may end up interviewing in front of at some time, or working for through whatever means. Even if you're just aware that they "might" think the way Mark does on this, you're one step ahead of the competition, no?
G.
The Audio blog is a brilliant idea. I
The Audio blog is a brilliant idea. I also read extensively and I have a great deal of respect for theory and non-actionable stuff - I find that when I meet a problem I have never heard of, good understanding of theory is what I rely on.
I wonder if you have heard of the maverick methods of a Brazillain guy called Ricardo Semler. He wrote an HBR article "Managing without Managers" [HBR September-Octover 1989]. What is your opinion about the article and those methods?
Oh stupid me [I forgot to use MT BLUF]
Oh stupid me [I forgot to use MT BLUF] .... so here is it the MT way: I think Audio Blogs is great because it is a channel to discuss useful theoretical and non-actionable stuff which don't fit the mould of regular casts.
My transition lenses go clear when
My transition lenses go clear when indoors. They just take longer to clear when I come indoors than they take to go dark when outside. The only drawback is that they don't go dark in the car. I can only guess that US lenses are inferior to those in the UK :)
You guys and Transition Lenses.
You guys and Transition Lenses. Sheesh! :-) :-)
And, regarding Ricardo Semler: Yes, I've read his first book, "Maverick", which came out in the late 80's. I liked it a lot. He seems to me to be an ethical, professional, employee focused leader. I cant imagine how hard it must have been to run his company his way through all of the challenges (inflation being just one) Brazil has faced over the years...but he seems well-talented enough to do so.
Mark
Photochromic effect in plastic and
Photochromic effect in plastic and organic lenses in not the same. Perhaps people have less issue with one kind?
I had photochromic spectacles 10 years ago. I agree with M&M. They didn't get totally clear. Moreover, they didn't darken enough in warm weather, and too much in cold. Not ok for "general" purpose glasses.
You can get photochromic glasses that are quite dark and go darker. Great for outdoor sports (ie skying).
It must be the quality of the lenses
It must be the quality of the lenses and the solution used for the transition. I went to a different eye doctor (for convenience) and got my usual requirements: must be able to survive a volleyball to the face, scratch resistent - very, light wieght, as close to non-breakable as possibe and TRANSITION lenses.
This time the costs was half what I usually pay so naturally I was happy with the bargain I got. The glasses do transition - to a dark purple. I look like John Lennon! That has never happened to me before. Needless to say I have kept my old glasses and since I didn't spend too much on this set it won't hurt when it comes time to make them into sunglasses.