Transcript

00:00:00 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Format of doing that because now people kind of know what we're looking for, and I'm hoping I don't need to provide as much feedback anymore. But I still wanna kind of get the groups together each quarter, review review how the quarter went, and then, of course, decide together what we're gonna do next quarter. And, yes, you're right. Through doing it that way, I get so many different perspectives, and that was actually really, really interesting. And what I found probably the most interesting is how how less imagination and vision most of the departments actually have and how much they they seem to rely on the leadership to do the job, but there is no clear vision in each department of what they really wanna accomplish. It's it's not focused and I haven't had a single department that had that. Maybe except of marketing, but just because they have such a clear schedule throughout the year so they know exactly what kind of campaigns they're working toward to just because those have to be set out through the entire year. But most of the departments didn't have that and I think I don't think those OKRs are gonna are gonna solve that problem, but I hope that we are all getting into some kind of exercise at least.

00:01:41 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I I think it's changing the

00:01:42 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
way How to think about that.

00:01:43 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Right. Yeah. Exactly.

00:01:44 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah.

00:01:45 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
So do you think that holds true even for your own department, you adjust that you didn't have that? Mhmm. Yeah. Is it

00:01:53 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
But well, I mean, I I think every department kind of knows what they are supposed to do. So logistics is supposed to get the products out and that they have their own cosmos where they do that and EHS is supposed to keep the company safe and we I mean, I think everybody is aligned on that but I don't think people really know what that really means and how to how to phrase that in a in a proper sentence and how to develop your goals around that. And I'm curious to know more about that because when I talked to Clint last Friday, he ran me through how the Rise strategy kind of developed and where the ideas of that Rise strategy came from and how each department or well, yeah, each ELT member kind of was supposed to have their own department strategy throughout the year, but I still feel like the really clear direction isn't really there. And I think part of the problem is that there's just so much going on for everybody in every department that it's really hard to see where you're going if if you're just kind of reacting, but you never really get the chance to align the things you're doing with a with a proper plan or anything. And maybe part of that as well and then I'm gonna stop my monologue is that

00:03:29 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I asked for it. This is good for me.

00:03:31 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
It it has worked in the past because this is how we how we grew, and I think we are still growing, of course, and that's our goal. But it's just kind of it works up to a certain point, and then it gets chaotic, and then people lose track of things. And then you you are heavily relying on the right people in the right spots, which we obviously don't have, to to still provide structure and a common understanding of where we're going. And this just doesn't work anymore, I think. So maybe this is helping. I don't I I don't know if those OKRs and the way we do it this year is the way that's gonna work because we just have no experience with that. But I think it at least helps to first not only put that knowledge on the ELT level but to break it down to the next level as well to include them in that decision process and maybe even next year to break it down to the individual employee level and held people accountable for what they have in their goals. Because if they if they don't if they don't perform, it it will show in the department goal and that will show in the corporate goal. And maybe that helps. I don't know. But let's see. So it's gonna be an interesting journey.

00:04:56 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. I I agree with that. I I think it's gonna be I I think it's good for the company though at the end of the day. So

00:05:06 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
I don't know. Just because we are talking about that and we are setting specific goals, for me this is really hard to evaluate because I don't know if the goal that supply planning, for example, is setting will actually move the needle because I'm not an expert at supply planning and this is why I always try to challenge the the the objectives and the goals so heavy because it's so interesting, especially with the workshops with Amity. She she was using ChatGPT to kind of generate the wording and everything which is fine. I mean, I think it

00:05:46 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
She loves ChatGPT.

00:05:49 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah. And this was definitely a challenge for most of the people to kind of just kind of saw Tanner's email. It's good to use it for that, but if you don't understand the words that ChatGPT is putting out there or if we don't have a common understanding about that, then I guess I don't know if it's really helpful.

00:06:21 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Right. Yeah.

00:06:22 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah.

00:06:22 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I think I learned more about that during our logistics decision because I forget that those crews don't live in the business world quite like we do. And I mean, even like OKR and look at Minnie, like, she was like, what's an OKR? Like, I forget sometimes that people don't really What's

00:06:41 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
a KPI? That was her question. Yeah. So And it's absolutely legit. I mean, even for people that are in the office environment or how did how did Shawn call it? You call them smart?

00:06:54 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
People or something like that?

00:06:55 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Smart workers?

00:06:57 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah.

00:07:00 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Smart employees? I don't know. Like for most of us this is not this is not day to day business. It might be on an executive level because you should be measured by those by some kind of metrics, but but then, I mean, what does that mean? So and this is gonna be a challenge, I think, going forward because we need to find a way to communicate those things down to the down to the employee level so everybody kind of knows what we are working on without making it boring and without making it seem like we're throwing things at them every quarter. So I don't know. Honestly, I haven't had a single second to think that part through, but it is on my to do list for for March. So we are ready when we're kicking off the second quarter.

00:07:59 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. I wanna be a better help. So okay. If if you don't, I I don't wanna take your whole time here, but, like, feedback from you would be valuable. So, like, watching the leadership teams work together, what went better in some areas? Specifically, I'm looking at feedback on on my guidance because I I like to think of myself as a decent leader of people, but I sometimes maybe either don't drive hard enough or or I just do the work for them, which you know how that works. So what what do you think I should focus on different next time?

00:08:35 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
I think and and that's definitely on on on me as well how I designed the workshop. But overall, I think what what would help involve people more is to maybe that I work with each ELT member for, like, fifteen minutes prior to that to narrow it down to a few focus fields, but then have the team actually define or at least come up with come up with the first ideas of how they wanna phrase that objective and how they wanna get there. Because in the end, they will need to make it happen, and I I want them to understand what it is because now I mean, and you weren't the only case. I mean, Angela didn't even give them give them a choice. Like, she just kind of she didn't even make them go through the workshop. Like Really? She no. She made me do my presentation, include her goals, her OKRs, and everything, and then she kind of Ali b questioned two targets in in two key results. She already predefined because she was like, I need my team to tell me what what our performance was in that last year. That that was it. So that's a different extreme. But I don't think this is gonna make people start to engage and to think about that. And in the end, that's what we want. Right? We wanna engage our people, and this is probably the main feedback I would get. Like, if you want your if you want an involved team, then make them be involved and make them see the problems and make them come up with the right wording. And we will have more time for that, thankfully, in the quarterly sessions because we don't need to go through all that department goal, corporate goal crap all the time. But by just kind of providing what they are supposed to do, I don't think you're gonna change the mindset of ownership, accountability, all those buzzwords we always throw out there. But if if they never if they're never forced to do that, how how?

00:10:58 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. I thought about that

00:10:59 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Does that make any sense?

00:11:00 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
No. I thought about that too. And and I guess my only feedback would be is, like, let's go to logistics because that's where we that was my first. Right? I got to the point where I was just frustrated, not not because they were doing anything wrong. We were just not getting there. And it was so so it was almost like I had to drive in in but I agree with you. So what would have been ideal is to slow it down, take more time, walk them through it, make that so and say, no. That's not what we're looking for. Here's kinda what I would here's what I'm looking for. But my my thought was we didn't really have time to do that. And and I guess the only thing that would have fixed it is is splitting the meeting into two where maybe you launch the ideas and concepts, turn it over to us to lead them through it, and then come back to you for the doing it part.

00:11:54 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yep. No. And that's what I meant by part of that is on me on how we design those workshops. And I think part of that is on

00:12:01 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
It was timing. I think it

00:12:02 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
was On the timing too. Yes. I mean, we had to push all that through within four weeks basically from having no vision for the company at all to each department has to have quarterly OKRs, which is definitely lacking quality there. So, yeah, I definitely agree. In the logistics thing, I was super thankful that you just kind of provided them in the end because I don't think we we would have gotten anywhere without that. And I hope that by doing the second quarter now as some kind of exercise, they get a better understanding of what we are looking for, and then it might be easier to come up with their own OKRs. So in this case, I'm not even complaining about that. I mean, that's it was necessary. The same like with EHS. I don't think Minnie or Tanner may maybe Tanner. Tanner had some good ideas, but Minnie would have never come up with her own OKRs, and that's that's okay. But for logistics, we had four people in leadership positions there. And from them, I do expect some kind of vision for their teams, and I do expect some kind of vision where they wanna go. And if if we are a completely visionless company by now, then where where are we going with that? I mean, no wonder that everybody is frustrated and just not engaged. I don't know.

00:13:32 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I felt like Jon was the most unengaged, but, honestly, I think Jon's out of his comfort zone with the new direction we're heading. I think I can

00:13:45 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Because we have to change things and he just wants to stick to what we have and I feel with Jon, he sometimes doesn't see that even though we are doing okay, we still need to constantly work on getting better because if not, it's just gonna bite us in the back after a while if we if we if we don't grow with time. And I feel like he is so heavily relying on well, we can't change this. I mean, that data is is with our carriers.

00:14:26 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah.

00:14:27 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
So what do we do? And I'm like, yeah. Well, get it. Work on getting that data. I don't know.

00:14:33 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. It felt very much like a cop out, I guess, is how I'd say it of, well, like, I couldn't possibly do that because and it's not like I don't know. I but I feel like a lot of people kinda default to that over time. I don't know. I I prefer people who want a challenge.

00:14:57 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
No. But overall, that would probably be my only feedback. But this would not have been possible this time the way we did that. And, honestly, I could run a three hour workshop on just how to phrase goals, and that's just not possible. So maybe we have a headache issue here. But, overall, I think in the end, we got to where we wanted to be for this quarter, and we can only, like, try out new things for the next one. That's something that Brandon told me yesterday. You need to try things, and then you fail or not. And I was like, I I don't like to try things because I I I wanna know if I'm gonna fail or not.

00:15:56 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. He he says the same thing to me.

00:15:59 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
But yeah.

00:16:03 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Well, I appreciate the feedback, I think. Yeah. I mean, I don't I thought today went okay. I wish Gage could have been here, because I do wanna engage him. Goddamn. I need to find a different word. Engage Gage. But, anyway, I I think there's more to do with him. I just I don't know. He's he is hard for me to read. I talked to Matt about it back when Matt was here. I talked to Shawn about it. Like, Gage can either be the most talkative friendly guy in the world or he's just disconnected. And I never know, is that personality? Is that my type of leadership? Is that I just don't know what's doing it. So

00:16:41 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
I mean, Matt was struggling with the same thing. Right? I mean, he always said like, Gage is a super nice guy. He's just he just doesn't open up.

00:16:49 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah.

00:16:50 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
And I guess that is just completely against your leadership style or even Matt's or even how how we as a team usually engage with each other because I think in your department there is a pretty open mindset about sharing even a few personal things, but I feel like he just doesn't do that, which isn't wrong. It's just different and that's why it probably sticks out so much.

00:17:21 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. I I I think Shawn or Matt, I forget one of them, told me they think that his previous job was just so rough that he got bit, and now he's just struggles to share, basically. So okay. Sorry. I I that was good. I just wanted to see, like, if there's places you think you wanted me to do better next time. I mean, for me, you and I worked together so much. You you know my mentality. But I also I was trying to make sure I was a good partner for you in those meetings to to so you weren't carrying the whole load. So I don't know. I you know?

00:18:07 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
No. I think you did great. You you don't need to be so hard on you all the time. I I mean

00:18:11 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Hardest is I wanna do better. You know? So

00:18:14 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah.

00:18:16 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Okay. I have a bunch of ideas. Shawn's been chatting me back and forth, so we'll get we'll get some stuff out today and

00:18:23 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Cool.

00:18:24 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I'll have you finalized by Monday. Did you get a chance to look at the logistics? They look okay?

00:18:28 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
They look good. Yeah. I like them. I I already copied them over in the in the sheet. Shall we start with that? I actually need some feedback on that one, and I need I need some input. I'm I'm a little lost right now.

00:18:43 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Perfect.

00:18:46 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Or maybe hold on. Maybe let's tick off the other topics off the list real quick because I think that one will be the most heavy one.

00:18:57 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Okay. Do you just

00:18:58 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
wanna share? Yeah. I just need to pull up the list. Hold on. I don't have huge things, but I have a few I think today is gonna be I need your input session because I'm lost on a few things. Cool. And if I took something away from my meeting with yesterday that I don't always have to do it on my own and I can rely on my managers. So

00:19:23 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Did he talk or and you don't have to tell me the content. Did he ask or talk about my leadership at all to get your input or no?

00:19:31 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
He didn't talk about your leadership, but he did say that you are one of his best clients he ever had, and it made me smile. And he was like, you're just always prepared. You're just a really great reflector and you you kind of engage in his sessions a lot and you are yeah. So he was he was just he was amazed.

00:19:58 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
All shucks. No. That's good. I I because I I do you know, it's one of those things when a company is investing in you, I wanna make sure that I'm doing my part to get value out of it. Right? So that's that's

00:20:08 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
the part. Well, it it came up because and only because he talked me through the sessions and everything, and then he said that in the last session, you will be involved as well. I will have to share two or three of my key takeaways and an example of how I use that, and then you will have to share feedback, and then we will kind of talk about that. And he said, and and I will be more like the moderator kind of letting you two talk. And I was like, well, don't worry. We won't have a problem with that. We have a pretty open relationship. And then he was like, yeah. Isn't isn't he great? He's one of my greatest clients ever. And I was just like, yeah. He's he's a great guy.

00:20:47 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
He's okay. It

00:20:49 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
was so funny. Like, he you you got him emotional, which is interesting. So

00:20:54 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
No. That's funny. I I told him. I said because he said, now don't worry. I won't tell her about our stuff. And I said, you can talk about anything we've ever talked about. I said, I don't keep any secret from Vera. I was like, she's my right hand, and and if she doesn't know it, she probably should. So I said, you know, I said she knows about the family situation and everything. So, you know, he goes, okay. That's good to know. Just I don't have to, like, be careful. So

00:21:19 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah. But it was funny how he was kind of, like, testing Yeah. The the terrain and how much he could say and how much it was, I don't know, interesting interesting person. But he has a very interesting background. I mean Yeah. I wish I hope I can retire with 56 and do what I love to do. So maybe a life goal. I don't know.

00:21:41 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I'm gonna pitch to him that I can work with him and take over his business when he retires.

00:21:46 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah? Okay. Just real quick on the older topics. Office remodel update, we got it approved. We finally have the

00:22:00 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I got

00:22:01 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
approval from headquarter. Yeah. I'm sorry?

00:22:04 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Amity forwarded it to me yesterday too. So

00:22:06 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay. Good. So I I need to update those. I'm sorry. Didn't have time for that yet. But we are meeting with Compass next week. They're coming out on Thursday, so I can actually run them through the new layout that we're looking into, and I will use that to get Tanner on speed as well so he can take over the main communication part with them. And I will still be supporting him, of course, because I don't wanna leave it just with him, but he is fully capable of taking care of that. I'm I'm already a little afraid he will be bored, but that one is is rolling. So we should have a better understanding of when and how and what and how much by the end of next week, and then we can take it from there. So that's good.

00:22:54 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Do you want me to be there Thursday just in case there's you need immediate feedback or anything? Or

00:23:02 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
If you want to, honestly, I don't if you if you're just coming up for that, I don't think you have to because this is just gonna be reviewing what they already came up with. And then I asked for feedback on our new thoughts on that. And then for Thursday, I'm only gonna request an updated quote and a rough timeline, and that's about it for the meeting. It's only thirty minutes too. So

00:23:29 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Okay. I probably won't come up then because I have a 0600 meeting with logistics, 6AM. So

00:23:36 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah. No. Maybe not then.

00:23:38 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I I was gonna complain to catch it and be like, what the hell are guys doing? But I don't wanna complain.

00:23:44 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Overall, this is more like bringing everybody up to speed and checking out the options.

00:23:50 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
K.

00:23:52 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
This one, no update, but I'm not I'm not gonna onboard ten hour in fleet until he's done with the social 30. Spanish courses on you, so I don't know if we have an update on that. And then coffee machine is actually a funny one, so I will save that for

00:24:05 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
the Spanish class, I honestly just haven't done anything. They're waiting on me to get back to them on a few things. So

00:24:11 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay.

00:24:11 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I I'll I'll If A priority. I just Adapt X kinda took over the last two weeks.

00:24:16 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah. If I can support anyhow, I mean, if I guess for now it's just about figuring things out and making arrangements. Right? So if if I can do anything to move that, just let me know. I mean, if it's just about having time to write emails, then yeah.

00:24:31 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
It's actually easy to do. And at some point, I'll probably turn it over to, I don't know, to Sandra to schedule it or something. I haven't decided yet. So

00:24:42 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Mhmm.

00:24:43 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
You're you're updating department works, line number four. Where? Line four, the description. Update department goals works.

00:24:57 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Oh. I was like, what?

00:25:06 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Sorry. It just stuck in my head.

00:25:08 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah. No. You're

00:25:09 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
right. So Spanish, I'll I'll get I'll get back on that. So

00:25:13 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay. And then coffee machine, we're still having it with the company that picked it up and that servicing it. So they were running tests and it was running fine. No issues at all. They were not running in any of the problems that we had.

00:25:29 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Okay.

00:25:29 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
But we did tell them to look into different things. So I'm hoping that we get that back within the next two weeks. Let's see because we haven't seen a quote yet either. So I'm a little curious about how much it will be because yeah. So let's see. It's not gonna be as crazy as 15,000 k for sure, so I'm not too worried about that one. And then today's oh, what happened? That looks better. So on the IMM, I got TTS'Sandra's email, and it sounded pretty it sounded like we need to have things in, like, in place already super soon. So I I was a little

00:26:28 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I was actually trying to find the email. I remembered she sent it, and I can't

00:26:32 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
She's sent it on the twenty fifth at 0806AM. So they are actually requesting when hold on. This is the Excel sheet we need to return. So number of people, the participant the participant name, the function, the country, arrival date, time, and flight number, arrival dinner, yes or no, departure date and flight number. I was just kind of I wanted to get your thoughts first. First Are we booking flights already? Or

00:27:09 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. I think we should. Or if if they're even available, I haven't checked yet. Are you planning to extend the first or last half to visit home or anything or stay longer or do anything like that?

00:27:21 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
I don't think I'm gonna extend a lot, but I'm probably gonna extend by the weekends prior and after that. So I'm probably gonna fly in on a Saturday or a Friday and then just stay with my parents and then fly back on a Sunday so I get one more day with family and friends. But not very long because I'm doing that in April already and then I'm reaching my PTO limit.

00:27:45 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Well, you can always work remote. I don't care. I I'm just opting it as a thing if you want to. So

00:27:51 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
That's cool. And I mean, flight wise, it doesn't really matter. Right? I mean, if I

00:27:55 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
We paid one flight there and one flight back. I don't care when you do it. So

00:27:58 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay.

00:28:00 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Okay. I did not read her email yet, so I need to

00:28:06 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
So it's basically just saying, send me your flight details to from Germany for the IMN in June ASAP or head headquarter contact would like to receive it by March 6 with which is is it end of next week or mid next It's It's Friday in one week.

00:28:23 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
One week from today.

00:28:27 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
So I guess we are booking the flights then. Right?

00:28:31 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yep. We booked flights, and they already have our hotels and everything. So So And if you need a car, get a car, you know, stuff like that. So

00:28:42 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah. I mean, on the car side, I don't know if we if we all partner on that, or I I guess they are shuttling us too. Right? I mean, they usually have the shuttle from the hotel to headquarter and back.

00:28:53 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I probably won't get a car. Is it is Uber or is do they do ride sharing or do you just have to do a taxi or what's the best way for me to get from the airport to the hotel if I don't get a car?

00:29:05 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Then it would be a taxi.

00:29:07 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
K.

00:29:07 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Or you just take public transportation.

00:29:12 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
K. I may ask you more later. So

00:29:14 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
If I'm already there, I can I can pick you guys up too? I mean, it doesn't really matter. So Okay. I could I could think about getting a car because then you have your own driver because I know exactly where to go and what to use. But during the week, I mean, with the shuttles yeah.

00:29:32 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. I it's up to you on what I I am okay with you getting one if you need one to get around. But if you don't need one, then that's fine too. I mean, I can I'll figure I've never done public transportation, but I've always wanted to figure it out. So

00:29:46 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
It's really easy in between Ventlingen and Nottingen, so it is an option. But honestly, like but I mean, they they have everything planned out anyway. So they have the evening events and everything. So there's no real need to to get around with your own car. It it's just kind of nice if you wanna do things around that, of course. But then yeah. Okay. But I mean, the car is something we could still figure out later. Right? I mean, as long as we have the flight and the flights and

00:30:13 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
It sounds like, yeah, the the correct thing is to book your flight as soon as you can and then decide on whether you wanna do the dinner or whatever. So

00:30:23 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah. Okay.

00:30:24 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I think it's funny. The earliest you should depart is Friday at four, but they're checking out of our they signed us out of our hotel at eleven. So if there's no flights back, you know, I've gotta have to check that. So

00:30:36 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Oh, yeah. I didn't even think about that. Especially because you are definitely gonna run into that issue because usually the flights from Europe to The United States Early. Start in the morning slash noon ish but not after four.

00:30:54 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I I don't yeah. I don't think that works.

00:30:57 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
So I think yeah. But I mean

00:31:02 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Okay. So yeah. Anyway, I'm I'm glad you're going. I'm excited. I think it's gonna be good for both of us. So

00:31:09 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
I am super thankful to get the opportunity to join that. I mean, I'm sorry. I'm so hungry. I just You're fine. I always enjoyed it joining from the headquarter side because it's such a buzzing environment and you have people from all over the world coming together working on the same thing for the same company. I just think that that's amazing. So I'm really glad that I get to join again this year.

00:31:44 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
So Good. Okay. Well, just feel free to book your play. I'll try to probably book mine. Don't know. I may try to this weekend or wait till Monday. I don't know. But

00:31:55 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
But you're probably gonna fly in Sunday then. Right? Monday.

00:32:00 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I'll have to check. I mean, if check ins at yeah. I just yeah. Because I'll be there by six no matter what. So I'll probably fly in Monday. Yeah.

00:32:07 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay.

00:32:07 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I gotta look in when the best flights are. What's the what is the best flight now travel wise as far as you're concerned? Is it through Chicago or Washington? My old flight's not there anymore, don't think. It it was the Atlanta Stuttgart. Isn't that gone?

00:32:24 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
That's not available anymore. Yeah. It's either in the JFK, Germany, Indy Dallas Germany, or Indy Chicago Germany. And Dominic just flew Indy Chicago Germany, and it was super smooth. And travel time is super low. I think it was fourteen hours, which is almost as low as you can get.

00:32:48 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
K.

00:32:49 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
I don't think you can travel any any faster without risking your connections and everything. So I like Chicago just because it's less chaotic than than Dallas.

00:32:59 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Where where do you land now, Andrea? Do you still land in Schutziakner or do you go to Frankfurt now?

00:33:03 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
No. No. It's it's always Munich or Frankfurt.

00:33:08 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
So you can get a taxi from those places pretty easily down to where we're staying?

00:33:12 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
No. You would get a connecting flight usually from Frankfurt to Stuttgart and then a taxi from Stuttgart to the hotel. Yeah. Or what you could do as well is rent a car in Frankfurt or Munich because it's always a debate. I mean, the flight time from both places to Stuttgart is like not even thirty minutes, I think. Yeah. But often you wait up to three hours at the airport to kind of board your plane and get on it and everything, but the drive is two and a half hours. So there is always kind of a should I drive or should I fly? I prefer to drive, but usually the rental car is just as just as expensive or more expensive than the connecting flight. So I don't know. It's just it depends.

00:34:01 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Okay. Good deal.

00:34:06 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay. And then speaking of travel plans, April Yeah. Are we still going? Are we not going?

00:34:16 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Well, you so you saw the email, which I never got feedback, and I was supposed to already send it, so that kinda sucks. But that's wild. No one I just realized no one sent me feedback on that. You know what I'm talking about? The burned email?

00:34:30 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah.

00:34:33 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
It's kind of an important email for them to give me feedback on.

00:34:38 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Well, Matt is on vacation.

00:34:39 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. But he was in meetings all day, so he's that's not an excuse.

00:34:44 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Oh my gosh. This is probably the main reason why I never wanna be the CEO of a company. Like, I don't wanna work when I'm on PTO. I'm sorry. But that's just you need some time, I think.

00:34:56 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
So I usually do it in the mornings while I drink coffee, and I just that what I say is I don't I pick and choose what I respond to. So you know?

00:35:05 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yes. But you do emails, and you don't join meetings all day.

00:35:08 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Well, he I think he joined at least the AdaptDx one, but I don't know. Anyway, so, yes, I still plan to go forward. Once I get the email out to Bernd and ask for the meeting, which the meeting's next Wednesday, I would hope to book it right after that.

00:35:25 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
And are we are we still shooting for that mid April week, or did that change?

00:35:31 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I think that's still the goal.

00:35:33 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay.

00:35:34 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
But I'll confirm with you before we go forward. So

00:35:38 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay. And I'm just asking because I think if we don't figure it out by next week, I I will book my my private flight and then just do a vacation.

00:35:50 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Okay.

00:35:51 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Because I don't want it to get crazy expensive in case we're not going. Yeah. Festool wise. So and I I yeah.

00:36:04 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Let's see. My sync is next week at 1030. Is that would that give you enough time if I let you know after that?

00:36:13 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Next Friday?

00:36:15 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Wednesday.

00:36:16 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Wednesday. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Of course. K. I mean, as long as we know somehow within the next week And if not, I mean, it's no big deal for me, but then I definitely wanna book it on my own costs because I don't want it to get crazy. So

00:36:31 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Okay.

00:36:39 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay.

00:36:46 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
The fourth.

00:36:54 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay. Next oh, no. Let's maybe do this first or the Canada travel as we're talking about traveling anyway. Do you think Tanner and I can go up to Canada sometime this year, maybe in the first half so I can show him the facility and get him familiar with everything?

00:37:14 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. Just make sure you save your receipts. I

00:37:20 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
mean, it's gonna be super boring. It can never be as fun as it was with you and Matt.

00:37:25 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
That was that was one of my favorite trips. That was a good trip.

00:37:28 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
That was so wild. Like, when I when I put on my winter jacket again this winter, I pulled out the puke bag that I put in my that I put in my in my pocket just in case I don't make it. It gave me a lot of security that that last morning. So

00:37:46 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
We yeah. We were trying to drink all the Yegi in all of Canada. So, you know

00:37:50 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Oh my gosh.

00:37:54 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yes. I think that would be fine. Could you send me a just a short little business case? Like, here Yep. Here's what I wanna do. Here's why I wanna do it.

00:38:04 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yep. And I don't think it will be before June because I just don't wanna go in wintertime again.

00:38:10 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah.

00:38:11 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
And I think he has other things to worry about first.

00:38:14 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
So 100.

00:38:15 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
But then we can get it booked and everything and it's it it stays cheap. So

00:38:20 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
k.

00:38:23 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay.

00:38:28 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Tool? What's tool?

00:38:30 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
We can talk about that in a minute. Okay. And then Tanner, do we have a template for those thirty, sixty, 90 reviews? Thirty, sixty, ninety days reviews. That's what I wanted to say.

00:38:44 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I can send you what I did. I we don't have one officially, but if you if you want help with it, can send you what I did.

00:38:50 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
I yeah. If if you have something in place, that would be great. I if not, I would have to come up with my own. And if if you have something already, I'm happy to use that. Okay. And just kind of

00:39:03 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. I'll send you what I have and just adapt it to however you want to make sense to you.

00:39:09 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay. Perfect.

00:39:11 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Now keep in mind, the thing was, like, a review of a department, so there's multiple pieces. So you'll have to definitely adapt to a person, but definitely you can.

00:39:21 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yep. Yep. Yeah. I just wanna have something. I don't know. I mean, if we have it in our process, then we should do it. It's crazy that we don't have a template for that. So yeah. Yeah. And then the tool I I didn't spell it out because I just put it in here last night. You know when you were explaining me how you use this recording thing for some of the meetings? Mhmm. Would you be willing to share that?

00:39:47 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. No problem.

00:39:49 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Because yesterday, for example

00:39:51 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
for you better, but yeah. It can

00:39:54 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
In the in the coaching, he said so many good things, but, you know, for me, it's still kind of hard to listen, understand, and take notes. Yeah. So I I took my own kind of notes but in the end I was like I wish I could have recorded that or something so I can go back because I I was gathering my thoughts last night and I was writing like my key takeaways from the coaching down but that is only like a few bullet points for ninety minutes. And sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on things just because I can't track everything, which is not a bad thing. But then I know that you have that tool, so I just wanted to checkin if you would wanna share it.

00:40:32 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. I don't mind. Like I said, I just it's kind of overly techy right now, but I can I can definitely make it something that you can use? So

00:40:40 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Cool. Thanks.

00:40:42 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Mhmm.

00:40:43 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay. And then Minnie, I I don't I don't really know. I need some guidance on that. So I don't know if she has something going on in her private life right now or if it's just overall lots of stress at work or maybe both.

00:41:01 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yesterday, do you think? Or

00:41:03 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
I'm sorry?

00:41:03 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Is this part of what you think was going on yesterday? She seemed kinda out of it a little bit.

00:41:08 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah. And she's been like that for three weeks probably. And, I mean, I know Minnie a little bit by now, but she usually she usually bounces back after a few days. So she she has those every now and then, but not as not in this level. And then I feel that she is currently super stressed with the entire fleet thing. I personally think, yes, it is a lot that is going on because we just have so many moving parts. It is not a ton of to dos. It's just a lot of coordinating, and I think she struggles with that sometimes if it gets a little over her head. And then usually in the past, I could always kind of pull her pull her down back to the ground by sitting down with her. We are walking through the moving fleet parts. We are walking through the exit sheets where we track our our our inventory and everything, and then that usually worked, but I feel like this doesn't work at all. And then, of course, I I just don't have as much time anymore to kind of check back on everything she's doing there, which is maybe a learning curve for her and for me too. But then this week so I and I've I've checked in multiple times with her over the past few weeks, and I was like, hey. How are you doing? Is everything alright? Is there anything I can do for you? Is there any support I can give you? Please let me know if it gets too much. Please let me know if it gets over your head because I know that she's doing different things at the same time, and she would always be like, yeah. It's a lot, but it's okay. Blah blah blah. But then this week was actually the first time where she kind of brought up, oh, and we need to talk about my schedule. And you know how Minnie communicates those things. Like, she was just like, oh, and so we were basically talking about the dogs and then suddenly she's like, oh, and we need to talk about my schedule just to throw it out there. And I was like, sure.

00:43:15 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yep.

00:43:15 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
What? Maybe a little more input. I don't know. Like, do you wanna share anything in addition to that? And then she was just like, I think what she was trying to say was that she doesn't get enough quiet time right now to get her work done because with her taking over all those fleet responsibilities, of course, it comes with writing emails, following up, coordinating stuff, especially right now with all the storage units. We got the vehicles back in terrible conditions, which is something I still wanna talk about because I think they broke what they signed in the fleet handbook. And I I I know we probably can't hold them accountable for that afterwards after they have been fired, but I I just don't know how to deal with that. But that's a different story. But then she suggested, well, can't I just stay longer Monday to Thursday and just leave earlier on Friday? And she thinks that will give her more quiet time to get her work done because she says after everybody leaves, after 0430 is basically when she can start working on those things. And I do agree with her on the quiet time part. I do think she doesn't get enough quiet time and I have told her that a few times already, but I don't want her to stay even longer and she is already having long days currently and I'm always kind of I always have to remind her, hey, what's your time card? I don't want you to get over ten hours. Do your lunch break. That's important especially if you do ten hours a day at her age. I'm not I'm not saying that to her, but that's what I'm thinking.

00:45:13 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah.

00:45:14 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
And I don't want her to be there even longer working twelve hours a day just to release her earlier on Friday just so she gets more quiet time at night when everybody leaves. I don't think this should be the way we design her work. But

00:45:34 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I don't think so either, and I know her. It's not gonna change anything. She'll continue to operate the same way. It will just change it just it won't move the needle. So

00:45:47 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah. And I tried to work with her on time management things. I I told her, you know, just get a meeting room for an hour or two or book book EXO and sit in there for an hour or two, maybe in the morning or maybe in the afternoon. But that's the time when you know there is no vendor coming in. You're not you're not expecting anybody. I told her to utilize me when she knows that somebody is coming in so I can watch the door and she doesn't have she doesn't have to take care of that. I just she just doesn't work that way, and I just don't know how to deal with it, honestly. But I do see that she struggles, and she's not great at communicating that. And I know that she we have a good relationship, but she would never share the things with me that she shares with you, for example, which is totally fine for me. But sometimes this makes it very, very hard to read her, especially when it gets super chaotic like it is right now, and there are a lot of unpredictable things happening, which is just the case with everything going on in sales, which is heavily influencing fleet. And those things have a very high emotional impact on her as well, which she would never say. But with every person that's getting fired, you can tell that it hurts her more and more, and she's just not good in dealing with that. But then I I can't always talk with her about that because, like what am I gonna tell her? I mean, I I don't agree with those and I'm not gonna put oil in the fire and just

00:47:33 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. I take the problem.

00:47:35 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Dump my my emotional things on her as well when I know she is already struggling with dealing with her own emotions, and she's different than I think you and I with those things anyway. So I I don't know.

00:47:52 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I'm thinking. Let me think on that a little bit just because I don't know. It's kind of let's just say this. It's not a new situation. Right? It's kinda she goes in and out, but but she's probably not wrong in that she is being asked to do more and more, call it, regular work tasks, I guess, you know, where there's a desired outcome or whatever you wanna say. Not not just receptionist and and cleanup duties. Right? These are, like, thinking and planning. And she's always told me in the past that she struggles with that idea of That was her fear, I guess, is she capable of more? And I and I know she is, but she's

00:48:49 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
definitely Absolutely.

00:48:50 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
More emotional than I've seen her in a bit. I I've I've made her cry twice in the last few days, and that's not normal for us. So

00:48:59 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
And this is why I meant I I think she has personal stuff going on too, and it's she just I feel like as long as she's stable in her private situation, she can handle the work stress better, but I feel like right now it's just both. And

00:49:20 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Okay. I just checked to see when her husband passed away because I thought maybe sometimes she gets extra sad around that time, but it's not now. So

00:49:35 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
When when was that? Like, what time of the year?

00:49:39 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
It looks like fall, August.

00:49:41 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay.

00:49:46 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Thursday, August 12.

00:49:48 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
And I don't know if it's something with her health because I know that she was going through a few doctor's appointments, but she is usually pretty transparent about what kind of doctor she's going to and what's going on. So I don't know. I I thought she would have said something if it's something serious.

00:50:12 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Are you okay if I talk to her and just I won't say that you and I talked about it at all, but just kinda I can always use my situation as a as an inroad and then just say, you know, Minnie, I can't thank you enough for help. You've let me lean on you. You know, how are you doing? And I can even say, like, I feel like something's real heavy on you right now and just see if she'll tell me.

00:50:35 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Absolutely. I mean, that's what I said. She's she's feeling way more comfortable with sharing those things with you. I'm I'm not asking you to do it, but if if you if you if you wouldn't mind

00:50:47 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah.

00:50:47 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
I think it would help. In the end, I mean, I don't even like, I don't even care if she wants to tell me or not, but I think I so it it it feels different this time, and I don't know how to deal with it because the last few times when we had stress with fleet, for example, and I'm just using that as an example because this is just super heavy right now, she always kind of bounced back. And then this week she said something, and she she sounded devastated about it. Like, she was like, you know, we keep saying it's getting better, but I mean, let's be honest. It's never gonna get better. And I was just like, I was I I don't I didn't even know what to say. I mean, in those moments, I feel so stupid because first of all, what am I supposed to tell the lady that has probably three times as much life experience as I have? Second, the language barrier in those situations is just crazy because in my head I'm just screaming German words and I don't even know how to phrase that properly to not sound not empathic or insensitive or whatever. And then third, it's just not the way I look at things. And she completely surprised me with that statement too because I always thought she doesn't look at things that way. So I was just like, wow. Like, you sound Yeah. Really So I don't know. But it it feels super weird.

00:52:23 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Get a feel for what's going on and and maybe what we can do. I I I don't wanna just ignore her her request for quiet time, but I think you're right. I think there's more to it, and I'd like to understand it before you and I come up with a solution for it. So I keep in mind, your role changed. My role changed. A bunch of people she loves, like family, were let go. We have Tanner starting, which even though you didn't change to reporting style, it's still it's changed. So I it could just be all of these things on her, but

00:53:01 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
she will tell me Yeah.

00:53:03 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
She will tell me it will probably be I I just have to be ready for it because sometimes she just lets loose because she needs a safe space to do so, and she knows that I won't hold it against her. So but I'll I'm not in next Wednesday for sure because I have an appointment Monday.

00:53:23 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
I don't think Wednesday would be a good day to talk to her anyway because there is the Festool fun, the work anniversary Wednesday, and she's usually she's not available mentally on those days.

00:53:37 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I'll be in Monday, and I'll probably come in Tuesday. Maybe Tuesday since no one's there, I can talk to her.

00:53:43 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah.

00:53:44 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Is she is she gone at all next week? Do know?

00:53:47 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
No. She's she's she's in.

00:53:50 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Okay. Alright. I'm gonna it's Dan's birthday too. I'm putting it in my calendar because otherwise I forget.

00:54:12 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
What do I have? Yeah. I think the afternoon is better.

00:54:19 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
It I I wasn't sure where when she's better to talk. But

00:54:22 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Yeah. Because we have onboardings in the morning. She's giving an office tour in the morning, so the afternoon is definitely better. And, yes, I I agree. Like, I I don't wanna ignore her quiet time requests either, and I I I definitely agree that with everything going on in the office right now, on Mondays and Wednesdays, she doesn't get done anything. But I just think she has to make her time on her computer on the days where it's quieter to get those things done, and she can't she just can't spend four hours up in the attic on those days counting apparel for for Jen or whatever if she needs that quiet time to get her things done. But I don't know.

00:55:18 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I I think that's true.

00:55:22 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Or the tasks we assigned to her are just too much. It's just not working with her with her work environment she has and with her other tasks, but then I know that it's it's it's a peak right now. But she then has to has to let me and now Tina know where she needs support if she feels like it's too much. And again, I don't think it's too much. I just think she has to structure it a little better.

00:55:54 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Well, I mean, I I think you've heard me complain when I'm in the office, I also don't get anything done. So it's kinda I I get it. But you're right. It's it's about structure and

00:56:07 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
And I know in her case, and I thought about that too, it it it probably wouldn't help if we give her a remote day or something because she says she isn't effective remote, and I can I can definitely sign that? Like, she does everything at home but but work, or she does her work on her couch, on her little tiny bitty laptop with her two dogs around her. She's just not made for that. So I I I don't think it would improve the situation. But yeah.

00:56:36 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Alright. I'll meet with her, and we'll go from there. I I think that I appreciate you bringing it up because, I I mean, we both love Minnie, and and I want her to do well, but she's not good at letting us know what she needs. So you know?

00:56:51 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
No. And she always makes it sound like it's nothing. And I I always tell her, like, Minnie, you need to let me know if it's too much and you are not being dramatic and it's not a failure. But this is very important for us to to kind of structure our capacities and to know where we need to where we need to to stop things if it's getting too much. And then she's like, no. It's nothing. It's nothing. But things are never ever gonna get better, like, in the same sentence. And that that shows me that she's definitely not okay. So

00:57:27 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yeah. Because that's not

00:57:28 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
her mess That's just not how she is.

00:57:31 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Exactly. So okay.

00:57:35 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Alright. It's already a quarter past four. Do you have more time, or do you wanna get off? I don't wanna keep you on forever. I kind of would like to give you an update on the OKR thing.

00:57:49 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
I would like to update. Let me I'm are do you have a hard stop time? Because Amity was looking for me. She needed to chat real quick. So I think she was trying to call my normal 0430 end of day call earlier. So I could call her real quick, get that done, and then call you back, and we could be try to get done before five since I always do my 0500 Vera call. But if you'd rather just finish up now, we can do that. So it's whatever works for you.

00:58:17 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
No. Just that that's okay. Kind of get with her first. I but what I need from you on that is just kind of I wanna fill you in on what it is because I'm talking to Clint and to Matt about it next week, and I don't wanna do that without having your okay. Mhmm. And I need some I need some help on how to make it look more structured, but I I'm lacking technology knowledge for that one. So

00:58:44 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Okay. That works. I will yeah. Let me ping you because I I think it's important that we go over it. So

00:58:51 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Okay. Yeah. Just let me know when you're ready.

00:58:53 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
Yep. Will do.

00:58:55 - [VERA_RODEHUTSCORD]
Alright. Talk

00:58:55 - [SCOTT_WARNER]
to you in a minute.