No matter what, it's all good...

Tomorrow morning when you look in the mirror, think back to all the days of your career. However long you’ve been working, there are sure to have been both ups and downs. Like many of us, you probably had a few jobs that left you wondering where it was going – but those probably spurred you on to find something better.  Even in the best of jobs, there were probably times when you struggled and others when you soared – like everything in life, it’s the struggles that put the good times into perspective. As I look back on the many years of my career, even the worst jobs seemed to have taught me something that I’ve used in the best ones. Like the time I worked on an assembly line making air conditioners – I was the new kid and the ‘lifers’ taunted me with mis-directions and jokes; to this day it always reminds me about the importance of good onboarding practices and bosses who walk the floor. And an industrial accident that left me disabled was a tough pill to swallow (no pun intended) – but it ultimately led me to being such a staunch supporter of providing second chances. Let the memories of where you’ve been help you feel pride for all you’ve achieved today.

 

Avijit Das (born 1986): Indian Kuchipudi (dance) performer, teacher, choreographer, and vocalist.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avijit_DasNo matter

Don't be afraid to ask for help...

Most managers tell their employees to ask for help when needed – not surprisingly, many employees don’t. I suppose it’s because they’re fearful of looking weak. We all want our bosses to think we can do anything, but the risks involved with doing things wrong outweigh the false pride associated with that silence. But I don’t blame the employees – that worry is built into the hierarchy at many companies, and that must be pro-actively addressed by leaders. That starts with onboarding – building relationships based on openness and trust; it continues through job training and coaching – always being there so that employees feel safe in being honest; and it continues every day when managers continuously interact with and coach their employees – reinforcing that trust so that employees know that it’s a safe environment for open discussion. Meaning leaders must use the skills associated with emotional intelligence and servant leadership, showing that openness, honesty, trust, and humility are woven into the workplace culture. Only then will employees open up and humbly ask for help when it’s needed. When that happens, remember it’s all about the person asking for help – leave yourself and your ego out of it. Then, both you and your employee will get what you each need and be proud to work there. Create a safe and trusting workplace today. 

 

Pauline Joyce Meyer (born 1943): American Charismatic Christian author, speaker, and president of Joyce Meyer Ministries.

Stand up straight...

I bet your mother always told you to ‘stand up straight’, ‘comb your hair’, ‘tuck in your shirt’, pick up your feet’, and so many more things related to your overall appearance – mine did. But back then those things weren’t cool… frankly, I just thought that was just a mother’s way. Then I started hiring people and immediately saw the correlation between sitting up straight during an interview and one’s approach to taking care of business. Those were the people who took pride in their personal appearance and presentation, showed up on time every time, looked people in the eye, were the most interested and attentive to what was going on around them, took personal initiative and then volunteered to do more, were curious and thoughtful, smiled a lot and were great at taking care of others (customers, other employees, and the workplace). They were the ones who knew that their posture reflects more than just your physical alignment; it projects a positive attitude and pride in what you do. That realization hit me right between the eyes: first, that mothers know best and should be listened to, second, how foolish I was to have generally ignored her precious advice, and third, how much I now miss her (and her advice). Think about all the things your mother told you and how spot on her advice was, both personally and professionally. Then remember to stand up straight today.

 

Dr. Steven Weiniger is a world leader in the field of posture improvement and author of the book Stand Taller Live Longer; he’s known internationally as “the posture expert”. 

https://standtallerlivelonger.com/dr-steven-weiniger/

Practice positive reinforcement...

Early in my gaming career I wanted to find ways to create a positive workplace culture at the Golden Nugget. After much study and debate we settled on promoting the concept of ‘catching people doing things right’. We had lots of rules and a habit of disciplining people for every infraction – managers reveled in writing employees up. But then, while studying the causes for high turnover, employees in the housekeeping department told me that supervisors never seemed to recognize any of the things they did right. So, we ran a pilot program in that department, asking those same supervisors to give 2 commendations for every disciplinary write-up.  Managers thought this was crazy but within 6 months turnover was down by 33% and employee morale was noticeably increased. All because those supervisors learned the importance of saying ‘good job’ and ‘thank you’ and ‘I am proud of you’. We extended that program to all departments and saw turnover drop throughout the company, a testament to the power of positive reinforcement and recognition. Most companies have lots of rules about what employees shouldn’t do – try listing what they should do and thank them each time they follow those rules. Let your employees know you are proud of them today.

 

Denis E. Waitley (born 1933): American motivational speaker, writer, and consultant.

Don't be afraid to try something new...

Sometimes the most fun you have at work are the times you’re out there trying something new. Whether it’s a project, giving a speech, or starting a new job, there’s always the anxiety of not knowing exactly what you’re doing. But that’s no reason to quit or not even try. The team I worked with on the Mirage really didn’t have the experience to do that project – but we were given the time to do research, talk to others who’d opened things, and learn what worked or didn’t in the past. We were scared, for sure, but not to the point of bailing out. We took that nervous feeling and turned it into working and studying harder. Or like the managers I used to ask to get up and present their employee of the month nominees – for some it was the first time they’d ever spoken in front of a crowd, and they were noticeably nervous. But we gave them time to practice and encouraged them when they finally stood up to do it; and with a little assistance they did well and learned to do better the next time. The moral of this story – don’t let the fear of something stop you from discovering the excitement and joy of succeeding at it today.

 

Robert Toru Kiyosaki (born 1947): American businessman and author, known for the Rich Dad Poor Dad series of personal finance books.

What are you passionate about...

People today tend not to want to talk about where they stand – mostly, they don’t want to get in an argument. But I think that if you have a well-thought-out belief, you should stand and be passionate about it. Here’s mine:

·      I’ve thought long and hard about the importance of helping those who’ve earned and want a second chance to be able to get it; and I’ve worked at and advocated for that for 30 years. This helps people transitioning from the judicial system to regain a productive place – in their families, in their communities, and in society.

·      Now I’ve recently been introduced to Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), run by District Courts in every state –organizations of volunteer advocates assisting foster kids to get what they need to make it through the challenging times in their young lives. This gives foster kids in their formative years a boost to help their potential for success and not fall into the judicial and penal systems.

·      Both are equally important. They represent attempts to help improve both ends of this extended issue. Professionals involved in each of these programs need help – they need volunteer advocates, role models, mentors, job coaches, and donors … and things (read: jobs) for the individuals they’re helping to do (because, as you mother probably told you: “idle hands make mischief”). 

Everyone who has enough of what they need should consider giving something back. Something that they’re passionate about. I’m passionate about this. Stand and be passionate about something and help move it in the right direction today.  [1]

 

Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841 – 1935): American jurist who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1902 to 1932.

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[1] If the goals of either of these programs interest you, contact me – I’d love to chat. (arte808@gmail.com)

Don't work at something you're not passionate about...

I can’t imagine working at something you’re not passionate about - because when you do what you love, success will follow. That’s why I think it’s so important to try to discern what people are passionate about during job interviews. Not that you can come right out and ask what it is they’re passionate about – most will either not know how to articulate it, or they’ll make something up. Rather, ask them what they’ve liked most about the jobs they’ve had – the answer isn’t as important as the body language and look in their faces when they’re describing it. If the passion is there, you’ll see it in their gestures and the look in their eyes – it can’t be masked. So, ask the question and then sit back and watch everything about the answer – if you don’t feel it then it isn’t there. But if you do, hire them, and then support that passion by being curious about their work, talking to them about it, listening to what they love, and being the kind of supportive boss that makes people feel good about being passionate about their work. Don’t do anything to dampen that kind of passion today.

 

Margaret “Meg” Whitman (born 1956): American business executive (eBay, Hewlitt Packard), diplomat (US Ambassador to Kenya), and politician.