Own your future...

I learned so much opening casinos. The first, Mirage, was a planning project like no other. We studied the opening of more than 200 companies worldwide, finding out what they did that was successful, what wasn’t so successful, and what, if they had the chance to do it again, they would do differently. From that research came the plan to build and open that casino. It was slated to be the most expensive hotel casino ever, and we felt a deep responsibility to get it right. And as soon as the dust settled, we began planning how to do things better the next time, which was how the planning for Treasure Island and, after that, Bellagio began.  It’s the same for any project, big or small. Feeling a sense of responsibility and ownership for whatever is in the future. I love working on projects as part of a team -  where it's like a jigsaw puzzle that each team member has a section of. When it all comes together, the pride of ownership is amazing. At the completion of any project, like on every opening day, most are overwhelmed with the emotions of completing something bigger than themselves. Take responsibility for your future by getting fully engaged in what you’re doing today.

 

George Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950): Irish playwright, critic, polemicist, and political activist.[1]

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[1] His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 1880s to his death and beyond. He wrote more than sixty plays, including major works such as Man and Superman (1902), Pygmalion (1913) and Saint Joan (1923). With a range incorporating both contemporary satire and historical allegory, Shaw became the leading dramatist of his generation, and in 1925 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Accountability is a great teacher...

Think about putting today’s quote in your employee handbook and new hire training programs. 

·      Imagine telling employees it’s okay to make mistakes – just be sure to acknowledge them, own up to them, learn from them, and try not to make that same mistake again.

·      Imagine telling supervisors not to expect perfection – that their employees may make mistakes and you should nurture an environment where they can admit and learn from them… and that you support that.

·      Imagine telling department managers to discuss mistakes at their staff meetings – and asking the employee who made one to tell what they learned from that experience.

·      Imagine including a section on your performance reviews that listed mistakes, what was learned, and how an employee didn’t make that one again.

·      Imagine promoting continuous learning, some of which is gleaned from the recovery from a mistake.

Leaders at all levels: 

·      Stop extolling employees to be perfect because perfection is the enemy of good as well as progress… and it overlooks the fact that hardly anyone does things perfectly. 

·      Start extolling your employees to always do their best and when things don’t work out, share it freely and learn how to be better the next time. 

·      Start thanking them for their good efforts as well as for owning up to the ones that are less than good… and learning from both (that's continuous learning.)

Promote accountability:

·      Start in onboarding and job training by showing them you’re there to help them in good efforts and bad. 

·      Let them know it’s safe to tell you and that you’re there to help them be better.

Put that in your handbook and policies today.

Whitney Goodman is the radically honest psychotherapist behind the popular Instagram account @sitwithwhit and owner of the Collaborative Counseling Center, a private therapy practice in Miami.

Say a little prayer...

Prayer serves to express gratitude, seek guidance, give thanks, and ask for needs to be met - it is found in nearly all religions. While many believe it’s a communication with God, what follows is often a human act – usually the result of inspiration. While miracles may happen, these are mostly acts by good and concerned people. Giving their time and energy to someone in need. And while many happen in our everyday lives, others can be found in the workplace. Mirage had a program of organized employee volunteerism that included collections for the needy, time with at-risk youth, and visiting the elderly – I even had the opportunity to lead an employee holiday choir that performed in senior centers and hospitals. We encouraged coaching and mentoring to help employees learn how to get ahead and find answers to career questions. There are more needs than resources and the chance to give to those less fortunate or simply seeking a helping hand should be encouraged by leaders. Whether you’re a community or corporate citizen, the opportunity to get involved is a calling much needed and personally fulfilling. Answer a call from wherever, make a call on your own, or lend a hand if you see one is needed. That’s how prayer works. Find your inspiration to do a good deed today. 

 

Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 1936 – 2025): Head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City from 2013 until his death in 2025. He was the first Jesuit pope, the first Latin American, and the first born or raised outside Europe since the 8th-century Syrian pope Gregory III.

Get beyond the buzz words...

Big buzzwords in the world of work are engagement and ownership.

·      Engagement is exemplified through doing and understanding – actively being a part of something, working with others, paying attention, committed. 

·      Taking ownership at work means being accountable for your tasks, decisions, and the result that comes from your efforts. It's about recognizing the importance of your role and that you can make a positive impact. You don't wait for someone else to solve your problems or tell you what to do.

These two often go together but don’t have to. You want every employee to be engaged – actively involved, always interested, doing their best. It’s what makes them feel a part of the organization. But not everyone will want to take ownership – your job is to know which ones are naturally attuned to each of these levels of involvement and manage them appropriately. It’s not uncommon for an engaged employee to grow into a sense of ownership – pay attention if they do and grow your supervision appropriately, offering more responsibility and accountability. These will be your future leaders, part of the growth of the organization. But either way, involvement is the most powerful weapon a team or organization can have.  Get engaged with your employees and develop their sense of involvement today.

 

Patricia Susan Summitt (1952 – 2016): American women's college basketball head coach and college basketball player who served as the head coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team from 1974 to 2012. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Summitt

Make sure you have the right tools for the job...

I grew up with Captain Kangaroo; I sort of remember Howdy Doody and Clarabell the Clown, but the Captain and Mr. Green Jeans were there every day for me – literally, as his show premiered on my 5^th birthday.  I saw this quote and again thought about how parents at home with children and supervisors at work with employees have roughly the same relationships and responsibilities. In their roles, every word, movement, and action has an effect – indeed, no other person or outside force has a greater influence on a child than a parent or a supervisor on an employee. Through so many formative events, they are the primary supervisor, teacher, and role model. Employees and kids watch and listen closely, soaking up what these people say and do. That’s why parenting skills training for new parents and soft-skills training for new supervisors are so important. For the latter group, courses on how to (1) be a leader, (2) communicate effectively, (3) coach appropriately, and (4) handle difficult conversations professionally should be mandatory. In big companies and small. Big companies have HR departments who should be given the funding and mandate to provide these. And small companies that may not have the resources can get these courses from their local community colleges or online. Both should make it mandatory. Even in tough times – don’t cut this training. Give your supervisors the tools they need to be effective today. 

 

Bob Keeshan (1927 – 2004): television producer and actor.    He created and played the title role in the children's television program Captain Kangaroo, which ran from 1955 to 1984. He also played the original Clarabell the Clown on the Howdy Doody television program.

Only make promises you can keep...

‘Keep the Promise’ was Mirage Resorts’ mission statement – for guests and employees. When initially building that brand, large signage at the construction sites teased the public about what was to come. Making big and bold promises of beautiful spaces and amenities. The Mirage volcano foretold a Polynesian themed splendor that whetted the appetites of future visitors; same with the fountains at Bellagio. The anticipation drove marketing and recruiting excitement. Meanwhile, internal communications stressed that while a building might draw guests once, it was the promise of outstanding service that would keep them coming back. Brands making promises to customers, like management promises to employees create bonds that establish trust and loyalty. For employees, those promises included extensive job and professional training, career opportunities, an enlightened management style, and employee workspaces and dining rooms that rivaled guest décor and amenities. Because happy employees make happy guests. Today’s business environment is filled with competition for both, and because customers and employees can vote with their feet, it’s good business to consistently deliver on the promises made to them. It's been my experience, however, that while customers expect promises that are kept, employees are more wary based on mixed experiences they’ve had or heard about. Whatever business you’re in, it pays to make and keep meaningful promises to your employees today.

 

Bernard Kelvin Clive is a distinguished author, speaker, lecturer, and corporate trainer, recognized as Africa’s foremost authority on personal branding and digital publishing.

https://bkc.name

Plan for the long haul...

This reminds me of all the casino properties I opened – each felt like a marathon. During the first, The Mirage, we were so filled with enthusiasm that working 12+ hour days seemed fun. Then one day we learned that a middle school child of a husband-and-wife management couple was falling seriously behind because neither of the parents were home enough to supervise his studies. The news hit us like a two-by-four – we were unbelievably oblivious to the impact our work was having on our employees’ families. Sitting here writing about it embarrasses me all over again. We mistakenly praised unchecked perseverance… and it happens in many companies, big and small. That incident kicked our appreciation for work-life balance into overdrive: we set up study halls so parents could be with their children and children could see their parents at work and gain an appreciation of what they did. And it taught us the value of pacing the demands we placed on managers and being more open to creative scheduling. Today there are software programs that allow employees to swap shifts if needed, a great policy improvement that benefits everyone. Don’t get so caught up in your work that you lose sight of the other important things in your life. Think of work not as a long race but as many short races that can be more easily managed today.

 

Walter Elliot (1888 – 1958):  A politician of Scotland's Unionist Party prominent in the interwar period.