It's a great day to be you....

Back in the day a guy walked into my office and said he wanted to be a hospitality professional and utilize his newly-awarded hospitality degree. Great resume, great attitude, great ambition… and blind.  He wanted to work in the front office so I introduced him and his resume to our Room Reservations Manager: during the interview she discussed his skills and abilities (which were impressive) while silently looking at me questioningly and mouthing “he’s blind” (as if I somehow had missed that). When we got to the part about reasonable accommodations, he suggested software that translated text to voice: we bought it, hired him, and gave him the opportunity he sought. Six months later the once reluctant manager asked if I might have another like him: seems he was her most productive employee –never looking around or at the clock and always focused on the voice from his computer. He knew who he was and proud of it: and he rocked it loud. Another good reason why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover today.

Apolo Anton Ohno (b. 1982): Retired American short track speed skating competitor and eight-time medalist in the Winter Olympics

Be strong and help others....

During the run-up to opening Bellagio I tore an Achilles tendon: as painful as that was, the overdose on the pain meds was worse. That sent me into a depression that surprised and shocked me: I had always been Mr. Positive and just like that I could no longer get out of bed or face the world. Nobody wants to admit to any personal weaknesses or fears; we all want to maintain that perfect façade: but I was down and needed help.  Family, friends, my Rabbi, the boss – everybody – told me that humans are fallible, subject to the worries and pressures and pain that go with life. My eyes were opened to the reality that we’re not alone and that it was ok to show my problems and scars. From that day on I’ve talked about and became an advocate for accepting and dealing with depression, and I gained the will to live on. If someone you know is hurting, help them, let them know you’re there for them, and use your presence as a first-aid kit. Help others get through life today.

Paulo Coelho (b. 1947): Poet and writer

It shows when you love what you do....

I’ve had the good fortune to work with lots of people throughout my career: most of them were proud of what they did. Many of them had really cool jobs that were easy to love, but it was the people who did what we referred to as ‘back-of-house’ jobs that impressed me more. One – a man named Wesley – was a public area cleaner: he vacuumed floors, emptied cans, polished brass and glass, and maintained restrooms. There was nothing flashy about his job: did it day in and day out, never complaining, always smiling, thankful for all he had. He took pride in the things he did, and was proud of his work. I’d see him nearly every day and he always had a great attitude and something nice to say. He, and so many others, taught me it’s not what you do but how you do it that’s important; that how you see and carry yourself is how others will see and perceive you. Do things in a way that makes you proud, and recognize that in those you work with today.

Karen Horney (1885 – 1952): German psychoanalyst who questioned some traditional Freudian views

First: love yourself....

Several years ago, I consulted with a start-up company to help recruit their senior management team: a candidate I ultimately hired to be their marketing leader stood out in the interview process because of her unbelievable self-confidence and style. First time we met she introduced herself as “Super-Girl” and all of her subsequent correspondence included the term “rock star” after her name. I’ve interviewed lots of people in my career and she ranks as one of the most positive and self-motivated people I ever met: always happy and upbeat (even when having a bad day), never hesitated to pitch in (in spite of all that was on her plate), and believed in herself so much (with enough energy to inspired others). I still get Facebook and Twitter posts from her that make me smile and want to do more each day. She’s a living example of how self-image can set the tone and boundaries of one’s accomplishments. Be proud of who and what you see in the mirror each morning and let that set your course today.

Maxwell Maltz (1889 – 1975): American cosmetic surgeon and author of Psycho-Cybernetics (1960

The things we do reveal who we are....

We recently visited Tecopa, California, an out of the way patch of desert near Death Valley whose therapeutic hot springs attract snowbirds and Las Vegans.  The 150 full time residents there proudly promote a lifestyle committed to health and well-being: a recent addition is the family that runs the baths, a tiny motel and a bistro with food to write home about.  They’re transplants from the east coast seeking a more meaningful life: the son is retired military and the parents gave up their day jobs to follow, and for them it’s turned into a mission. The parents run the bistro and they’re as nice as any favorite aunt and uncle: they make visitors feel special and the experience unique. Whenever we bump into people like this we often ask why they’re there: these folks talked about wanting to do something they could look back on with pride. The quiet beauty of that place and the loving commitment of that couple made what’s billed as 3 stars seem as good as any 5-Star place we’ve seen. Do something you can be proud of today.

Bruce Rauner (1956): American businessman, philanthropist, and politician serving as the 42nd Governor of Illinois 

Remember: every day is a blessing....

According to a new study from Mattress-Inquirer of over 1,000 people, 55% of people oversleep at least once a week and 75% of those have missed work. Wait a minute: I thought people who liked and were really passionate about their work couldn’t wait to get up and go there… does this mean that this same 55% don’t like their work? And if you couple this weird survey with the tight labor market, it stands to reason that this same 55% could, if they wanted, find a more alluring job. If you’re a manager plagued with oversleeping employees and absenteeism, focus on making work exciting, challenging, rewarding, fun, and inspiring enough to motivate your employees to want to get up on time and come to work every day. If you’re not passionate about your work, don’t expect your employees to be any different than you. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you, and then inspire your employees to feel the same today.

Oprah Winfrey (b. 1954): American media executive, actress, talk show host, television producer and philanthropist

Count your blessings....

                                                              Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving!

As we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, think about all the things you’re grateful for: certainly, family and friends, and good health, and possibly a job that’s really exciting. Like me, you’ve probably heard people say they can’t wait to get up and go to work – that kind of passion serves as the best alarm clock. It’s often the work that makes people feel that way, but more it’s the people there and a supervisor that makes you feel good about yourself and lets you know you’re appreciated. When work is like that, every day is a holiday. Let those you work with know how much you appreciate them today.  

Happy Thanksgiving.

Frank Tyger (1929 – 2011): Editorial cartoonist

Take good risks to make great changes....

This headline caught my eye in last week’s WSJ: Employers trying to recruit in the tightest job market in decades are hiring some candidates sight unseen—after just one phone interview.To me, that makes no sense.  I get it that hiring managers don’t want to lose good candidates, but this seems like they’re okay just hiring any warm body. If these companies are so intent on finding employees then they should hire more recruiters and more quickly and effectively interview those warm bodies, and creatively expedite their on-boarding process. Filling open positions quickly is not the same as finding and hiring the right people quickly: the first might make you feel good in the short-term, the second makes better sense in the long-term; saving money by having fewer recruiters will cost you more money in turnover: don’t be penny wise and pound foolish. If you’re passionate about finding the best employees then unleash your HR creativity and do what it takes to accomplish that goal more effectively today.

Yo-Yo Ma (born 1955): Cellist

Know how to grow....

Some people have an appetite for learning: unfortunately, it’s not all that common among adults. But that number can be increased if you talk to your staff about the benefits of continuous learning and the effects it can have on both the business and their careers: we need employees to continually learn and improve, and perform more productively and effectively. Some people learn on their own: they watch and adapt appropriately - but the vast majority respond more when coached. That means it’s your job to provide feedback and guidance: that’s how to ‘inspect what you expect’and let your team know that you care and are aware of their efforts. Many of the employee surveys we conduct for clients identify communications as something that could and should be improved: that means those employees want more interaction with and feedback from their supervisors – about what’s going on and how there are performing. Be passionate about giving great feedback and inspire your employees to be passionate about learning to be better today.

Anthony J. D’Angelo (b. 1962): Electronic commerce professional

Open your eyes....

I like to observe employees when I walk into a business – their first actions or reactions tell a lot about how the place is run. Walk into a Bed Bath and Beyond and someone at the cash register always stops what they’re doing to say “hello”; same at a CVS, Houlihan’s restaurants, and lots of other places where customers and service meet. Some places – like Wal Mart – position a smiling and welcoming greeter near the door to make a good first impression: that tells you there’s a manager or owner there who’s inspired employees to do this and more when dealing with customers. It’s not that there’s close supervision in these situations: most often the employee and customer are the only ones around. So why don’t more businesses figure out how to motivate and get employees to do this - maybe it’s money, possibly a lack of focus, or maybe they just don’t know or care. When you’re the leader, tell your employees how important it is to make a good first impression and remind them that customers are always watching. Talk with your employees and make sure they give great service today.

Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra (1925 – 2015): American professional baseball catcher, who later took on the roles of manager and coach

Make the mission clear and workable.....

It’s the week before Thanksgiving and you’d figure that grocery stores were ready: it seems my Smith’s missed the memo. I hate to keep talking about this store, but some things are too inexplicable to overlook.  When asked, an employee there directed us to the right aisle for the stuffing, but when we looked, all they had was the Stove-top kind and we wanted the ingredients to make it from scratch: so, we asked another employee if they had what we were looking for and they said… now get this… “I don’t know”, without the slightest twinge of concern or embarrassment. Hey: it’s Thanksgiving – how hard can it be for a store to make sure they have the basics that most customers would be looking for, and had made sure that all employees were aware of and focused on this. This is Retail 101 and these guys either don’t get it or care. So, we again drove the extra 5 miles to Trader Joe’s and got the fixings, and the service, that customers everywhere expect today.

Jack Welch Jr. (b. 1935): American chemical engineer, business executive, author, and chairman and CEO of General Electric between 1981 and 2001

Use technology to improve employee engagement....

Most company handbooks have policies that seek to limit cell phones at work: ostensibly, to control inappropriate phone and camera usage. But, according to the latest statistics, there are an estimated 290 million active wireless subscriber connections in the United States: that’s a lot of phones to try to control. Maybe our policies and efforts should be about harnessing this technology to make employee communications and engagement easier and more effective. Companies might be better off obtaining employee cell phone numbers and texting information to them in ways that might improve two-way communications in the workplace: broadcasting pre-shift information, receiving absence-related texts, two-way texting in emergency situations, sending important management messages that contain You Tube attachments, conducting micro-training, and more, could all be accomplished using this technology. Then managers could follow up to confirm awareness in ways that promote face to face communications: that way everyone’s engaged. There’s no reason to have ineffective policies that few people follow, especially when there are creative ways to effectively use all of these smartphones at work. Try utilizing technology to improve employee communications and engagement today.

 Peter Roskam (b. 1961): U.S. Representative for Illinois's 6th congressional district

Focus on giving great service....

Here’s a tale of two customer service experiences. My old kitchen tv needed replacing: I went to Best Buy and the staff there was attentive, knowledgeable, and engaged – I walked out with a new tv and feeling that they really cared and appreciated my business. Then, like many, I stumbled along trying to get it hooked up: it became apparent the cable box wasn’t working so I took it in to the Cox store for a replacement. It was a Saturday and, not surprisingly, the place was packed: but only 3 of their 8 service stations were open and the people working there appeared as disinterested as could be. There was a digital list of who would be next but the staff seemingly never referred to it, the music was too loud to hear the names they were calling, and they never once made eye contact or smiled. I finally got served but left feeling like they didn’t care about me or my business. Best Buy has lots of competition, Cox does not: end of story. Make sure your employees are engaged and focused on the customer experience today.

Timothy R. Clark: Executive coach and organizational consultant

Look in the mirror....

 Today’s unemployment rate is at an all-time low and there are more jobs available than people: so why are there people complaining they can’t find one? Sometimes they might have to move to get the best job and are unable or unwilling to do so: that’s unfortunate, but makes sense. Or they don’t have the right skills: there are lots of programs to help with that if they’re willing to expend the effort. And some can’t or don’t want to work: I get that. But those who can’t or won’t take responsibility for doing what it takes to get the right or best job may not have done all they can to find or be ready for it: they might have to get additional training, take a step back to then get ahead, or even consider something completely different. If someone asks you for career (or life) advice, remind them that the options today are greater than they’ve been in a long time if they’re willing to do what it takes to get what they want. There’s most likely no one to blame if you don’t take life and all its options in your own hands today.

Erica Jong (b. 1942): American novelist, satirist, and poe

Be honest with yourself....

Being honest with yourself is one of life’s biggest challenges: some times people are not as good at that as they need to be. We rationalize more than we should, telling ourselves what we want to hear; we’re in denial more than is good, being more optimistic than realistic; and often we just ignore some facts, hoping that they don’t really matter.  But if your mother ever told you that ‘honesty is the best policy’, this is where it might matter most because fooling yourself about the important things in life doesn’t help in becoming all you can be.  Look at it this way: all the little mistakes and mis-steps help teach us how to really hone in on and improve the behaviors, skills, knowledge, and abilities we need to achieve our goals.  So maybe the first principle is not fooling yourself when it really matters: be brutally honest and learn from them; you’re the only one responsible to know when that matters. Don’t kid yourself about the really important stuff today.

Richard Feynman (1918 –1988): American theoretical physicist and Nobel Prize winner in physics

Get engaged.....

Here’s my post-election day rant. People do things every day and feel like they’ve accomplished something. Fact is, too many people just put in their time and little else: they think nobody notices but, in reality, it shows. You see it at checkout counters where nobody smiles or makes eye contact, in stores where employees are talking to each other rather than looking for customers who are looking for service, and – here it is – in voter turnout statistics where, in some places, up to half the people don’t vote.  It’s about not being engaged, or, maybe more accurately, not caring. Listen up: it’s not the amount of time and effort you spend at something, it’s about what you put into whatever you’re doing. It seems the world is full of complainers: if you don’t like something, get involved and do something about it; change what you’re doing or change your attitude about it. The good news: it’s a new day and you get another chance to get it in gear and be engaged. It’s not about others, it’s about you: youare responsible for what you do today.

Eric Lindros (born 1973): Professional Hockey Player

Go Vote!

It’s election day.  Forget all the hyperbole and partisanship: do your duty and vote. Whatever else you think, that’s democracy in action today.  

Peter Drucker (1909 – 2005): American management consultant, educator, and author, and he has been described as "the founder of modern management"

Choose your path ahead carefully....

Everybody wants to get ahead, but not everyone wants to do what it takes to get there. That’s why it’s so important for supervisors to be specific about opportunities and expectations, and open with real-time feedback: that’s the only way employees can have realistic hopes.  And employees have to know their own strengths and weaknesses and proceed accordingly. Sometimes it’s a good match – that’s when perseverance, training and coaching are warranted; sometimes it’s not: that’s when good advice and an open mind are critical. Ask if more training is required – sometimes you may need to go back to school. Or ask if a career change is better: look at internships and job-shadowing for more information. Good bosses are responsible to give support and honest feedback; good employees have to be responsible enough to know and understand what’s really possible. Take one step at a time to find your true calling today.

Joe Girard (b. 1928): American salesman recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the seller of the most cars in a year (1,425 in 1973)

Be a friend to someone at work today....

Managers often tell me they only want to hire people who will come to work every day: well, sure, but it’s not like they don’t have something to do with that. They want people who have a good work ethic and the employee wants a good work environment: the two work together or not at all. I think new employees are generally positive and optimistic, excited to start their new jobs, and hoping that it will work out.  Those first few days, some call it on-boarding, set the tone for their perceptions and overall attitude: supervisors are the makers and keepers of that tone. That’s why it’s so important that supervisors act the way they want their employees to act: open, honest, positive, supportive, attentive, loyal, interested, flexible, punctual… you get the idea. A workplace shared with a friendly supervisor feels like a good place to be – they go together to create the work environment. Make work someplace you and your employees want to be, every day, and they’ll be there. That’s what it takes to get their dedication and loyalty, today, and every day.

A proverb is a simple, concrete, traditional saying that expresses a truth based on common sense or experience

Be reliable and keep your promises....

I’ve always loved Sears: the catalogue, the store, the brands, the people. But it’s now a shell of what it used to be. Today, retail is defined by Amazon - like the old Sears, it has everything: but they don’t have anyone to talk to; it has, like the old Sears, great prices: but it doesn’t give that personal touch. Even so, it’s earned people’s business because it’s reliable, and isn’t that what we want in the things we… well, rely on for what we want and need. For baby boomers like me it seems a bit like blasphemy, because we’re so used to doing business with real people we can talk to, but Amazon’s made the service experience so good that it demands people’s loyalty, even when it’s hard to find a live body there. The standard for service excellence is, and always has been, all about reliability: if you want customers in your store or on your site, give them your word and keep your promise. That’s what gets people’s loyalty today.

Steve Maraboli (b. 1975): Military veteran, Internet radio commentator, motivational speaker and author