Be your genuine and proud self...

I like coming back to the Adirondacks each summer: we grew up here and still know many of the people and much of the history of the area.  One of the things I like most are the many family businesses – some of them now run by the kids and grandkids of those who ran them ‘back in the day’. The thing about successful family businesses is their pride: for their heritage, how they’ve endured and grown over the years, and the values they hold and live by. Last night we went to a restaurant that was originally started by the current proprietor’s grandfather: back then the place was staffed mostly by their family and last night was no different. The current matriarch was at the door, her daughter and niece waited on tables, younger siblings bussed those tables, a son tended bar and her husband was cooking. Many businesses talk about how they treat their staff like family: this was the real thing. Whether you are family or just a regular employee, proudly and genuinely treat everyone like family (just like you wish to be treated). There’s no substitute for pride in the workplace today.

Bai Ling 白灵(b. 1966): Chinese-American actress

Lessons matter...

Think how many decisions you make every hour of every day of every year: too many to count, and nearly too many to remember.  Not surprisingly, the ones you get wrong are usually the ones you remember the most: nobody seems to remember or comment on the ones you get right. And each of those wrong ones leave a scar on you heart, the kind that teach a lifetime’s worth of lessons. It’s not like you can stop to make some of those decisions – life is often moving too fast for that; so, it’s doubly important that you take the appropriate amount of time to make your decisions. Ask lots of questions, don’t take anything for granted, make sure you get all the facts, talk to as many people as it takes to get a proper perspective, and then take an extra minute to think if there’s anything else that might be relevant. Do what’s needed to make decisions you can be proud of today.

Wallace Stegner (1909 – 1993): American novelist, short story writer, environmentalist, and historian, and winner of  the Pulitzer Prize and the U.S. National Book Award 

Make something you're proud of...

Everyone makes things: some design and build buildings, others create policies and practices that build organizational structure, and there are those who simply work continuously to develop the best version of themselves. Whatever you’re making, if you’re proud of it, that’s enough: some may like and or appreciate it, others may not… but in each case, getting things finished is a good thing. I do a lot of executive coaching with individual leaders and senior management teams: the worthwhile goals of those efforts include building their competencies and improving their work habits: they open up their collaborative efforts and improve their overall effectiveness.  Coaching uncovers ideas, and some biases, and the goal of those efforts is to shape a consensus that everyone can support: it’s an achievement worth working on -  it builds trust and respect and is something everyone can be proud of. Find an appropriate goal to work on and make something you’ll be proud of today.

Richard William Wheaton III (b. 1972): American actor, blogger, and writer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wil_Wheaton

Sing out...

  

This past weekend I attended a concert celebrating what would have been Pete Seeger’s 100^thbirthday: noted singers, song writers and story tellers from throughout the US gathered in an old restored barn on the grounds of the Great Camp Sagamore in the Adirondack mountains and performed for more than 3 hours.  Seeger was a legend in the world of folk music and social activism and was involved in those endeavors throughout his life . Like his songs, these were sign-along moments that engaged the audience (there were 100 in attendance): and sing we did. The artists on stage inspired us with their humility and dedication to the music and it opened the doors to our engagement and enjoyment. Life is like that: at work we want people to participate in all that goes on, getting and giving the full measure of themselves, being involved with colleagues and customers, and showing the pride the have for what they do. Be yourself, tell stories, and inspire those you work with to proudly get engaged and sing along today.

Ann Tran: American social media consultant, travel social marketing strategist, influencer, and sought-after speaker at social media and technology events 

Always try to do what's right...

My consulting partner likes to ask if you’d rather be happy or right. There are lots of people who always want to be right, insist that they are right, and brag about it: being right is simply a fact and should not be about making others feel like they’re wrong. It may be a matter of pride that you are right about something, but it shouldn’t be something to boast about. Knowing what’s right, or wrong, is also a matter of the facts, but it’s good to be humble and just let those facts be as they are and not use them in a harmful or hurtful manner. We should all be proud of who we are, how we act, and how we treat and react to others: that comes with knowing how to act appropriately. And acting appropriately is less about who is right and always about what is right. People will always remember you for how you act AND make them feel today.

Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994): American farmer, government official, and religious leader https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezra_Taft_Benson

Tell me more...

Being a leader is hard work: there’s a lot riding on the way you make decisions and act.  You must go beyond the obvious, look beyond what you see, listen beyond what you hear, get beyond what you feel, and continually learn beyond what you know now. You’re expected to dig and think and get it right: whatever it takes. You have to get beyond your own bias and preconceptions and often get outside your comfort zone: every time you think you have it figured out is when you have to say “tell me more”.  Things have changed so much in the last two years: we’re held to the higher standards now that probably should have been there all along: but things like culture and norms change, and the bar’s been raised. Now, more than ever, research, reading, training, and coaching are needed to keep up with the latest best practices. Whatever talents you have, be passionately curious about all the other things you need to know to be really effective today.

Albert Einstein (1879 –1955): German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity

Watch things grow...

My friend Nate Tanenbaum is a network meteorologist in Las Vegas - he jokes the only forecast there is “hot and sunny”:  adding water to all that sunshine there produces some great lawns and gardens. Compare that to summer here in the Northeast where sunshine mixes daily with showers: that naturally produces very verdant lawns, gardens and forests too.  Everywhere I’ve lived people have planted gardens and trees, and proudly tended their lawns and shrubs: it’s a passion for all of us. I grew up here in the Northeast, where there were four distinct seasons, all different from each other; when we first moved to Las Vegas I had the impression that there were no seasons – only hot and hotter.  But I was wrong: there are regular seasons there like everywhere else, and they constantly remind us of the passing of time and the wonder of renewal. They inspire us to remember and anticipate the joy of life: if you’ve never experienced that, look at all that’s growing and then go plant a garden. It will reawaken your passion for living and accomplishing today.

Robert Breault (b. 1963): American operatic tenor

Know what you want and love...

During my long career, I recruited more than 300 college graduates into what was called the Management Associate Program (MAP): it became widely known within hospitality colleges and throughout the industry. It was a direct placement program, meaning they went directly into a single department and trained for a specific position: it meant we and they had to really understand their interests and abilities. The result was they did what they loved and passionately gave their heart to it. The program was 12 months of intense training, after which they were placed in a supervisory position within the department they chose: they were expected to stay in that department for at least a year, after which they could go to another one if they wanted.  Nobody did: their original choices were that good and they were that dedicated.  Ninety percent of them stayed with the company and all went on to senior leadership roles throughout the industry. Carefully choose what you want to do in this life and then give yourself to it with all your heart today.

Siddhārtha Gautama (480 – 400 BCE): Known simply as Buddha, was a monk, mendicant, sage, philosopher, teacher and religious leader on whose teachings Buddhism was founded.

Learn enough to be proud enough...

It’s that time of year again here in the mountains: this is a resort area that relies on young summer workers, most of whom leave right about now to go back to school.  Their workplaces remain open and have to find replacement workers, most of whom know less than the summer workers they’re replacing. And therein lies the dilemma of small business owners everywhere: how to get new and inexperienced workers trained so they can be effective at and feel pride in the work that’s assigned to them. The answer lies in having a simple plan to teach them to walk before they run, enough to give them the tools to meet the standards set by owner needs and customer expectations. A  young and obviously inexperienced waitress where we ate last night didn’t know enough to check back with us to see if everything was alright: it wasn’t, but it might have helped if she would have been trained to ask. Don’t leave your employees knowing so little that they can’t help your business succeed today.

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 – 1900); German philosopher, cultural critic, composer, poet, philologist, and Latin and Greek scholar

Find your future...

There’s nothing magical or mystical about a job search: you first have to define and then decide upon ones that both interest you and excite you enough to get up and out of bed every day. Start by doing a simple SWOT analysis on yourself: write down on a sheet of paper your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats… therein will most likely lie the beginnings of the information that will help you focus on the right job for you.  This exercise should help you discover what, if any, passions you have about the jobs you might seek: the people who are successful at that are the ones who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.  Figure that out, put it in on your resume, and let a current or prospective employer know what you’re thinking: that’s a good way to start finding the kinds of work and jobs you could be passionate about today.

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

Get involved in volunteerism...

Volunteerism has become big business in the business world: it helps good companies become good corporate citizens and establishes strong ties between employees, employers, and the communities they’re in. They promote political awareness and social activism, and often reflect the values that employers and employees share, ones that help bind them together in shared purpose and loyalty. You see it promoted on Adopt-a-Highway signs, in holiday adopt-a-family and food-drive programs, participation in disaster relief efforts, and support of numerous charitable donations. Many employers match donations and give time-off for participation, promoting employee engagement, teamwork and morale. Employees are encouraged to get involved at work and to give back in relation to what they get: this kind of generous giving is a great investment in employee satisfaction, retention and loyalty. Some companies claim they can’t afford to support these kinds of activities; but, really, they can’t afford not to.  Everyone wants to know what they can do to win the war for talent: being the kind of employer people want to work for is a good place to start. Encourage participation in volunteerism today.

Diane von Furstenberg  (b. 1946): Belgian fashion designer best known for her wrap dress

Everyone's responsible for effective communications...

Ever hear someone say “perception is reality”? Everything we say and do, see and hear, and experience and feel is affected by our own perceptions and interpretations. Facts, context, and emotions make up those perceptions and affect how we send, receive and process information. On an average day we probably do more things with others than alone, but in both circumstances all of our various kinds of communications – verbal, written, and non-verbal - need to be clear and succinct. No argument there, right? So, why then are communications where most people work so unclear or lacking, and why do most of the employee surveys I administer rate communications as the #1 problem that needs to be improved? The solution is for everyone to learn how to communicate more effectively: listen to what’s being said, watch how it’s being said, and ask for more information or clarity if you’re unclear about its meaning and intent. That’s how to make sure that a thousand different people don’t have a thousand different perceptions or interpretations of the same thing today.

Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky (1932 – 1986): Russian filmmaker, writer, and film theorist

Learn from your mistakes...

  

Many of us have had broken bones and, although it doesn’t seem possible when it first occurs, those breaks can become stronger if and when they’re properly healed. But, as with my knee surgery last year, the doctor’s prescription of physical therapy must be followed if we want to fully heal. A mistake at work is similar to this in many ways: you have to learn from the error, get involved in figuring out how to be better (or do it better) the next time, practice what you’ve learned repeatedly, and always be mindful of how the mistake happened in the first place. And even though the pain or embarrassment hurts initially, and the regimen of self-improvement can be tedious and painful in its own right, there’s no substitute for what it takes to get better or be better. There’s no shame in mistakes, only in repeating them. Everything like this in life is an opportunity to learn: let your broken places help you become stronger and better today.

Ernest Hemingway (1899 – 1961): American journalist, novelist, short-story writer, and sportsman

Give it your best shot...

Writers know this quote all too well: you can imagine all the versions they (and I) go thru before getting their stories right. Most of us obsess over business writing and other work projects, trying to get them perfect… but, as my boss used to say, ‘perfection is the enemy of progress’.  Don’t delay or miss deadlines trying to get things to that level: the goal should be to do your diligent best.  Of course, you’ll want to use spell and grammar check, it’s foolish not to; and double and triple check any math, that’s what calculators are made for: but most things like this are usually improved upon after completion with the help of others. Trying – and winning or failing - is important: it’s a sign of your commitment; it’s not trying that tells others you don’t care – and that’s unacceptable. This is where good supervision helps: giving clear instructions, setting appropriate expectations, being attentive, providing coaching as needed, and lending a hand if necessary. Those are the things good bosses can do to improve the odds that trying will lead to winning today.

Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874 – 1942): Canadian author best known for a series of novels beginning in 1908 with Anne of Green Gables

Stay sharp...

There’s much being written about the importance of employee engagement: back in the day we used to say that was ‘being in the moment’. Either way you label it, it’s about focusing on what you’re doing and being ‘all-in’ all of the time. That's what companies want and find hard to achieve: being ‘on’ all the time can be exhausting, and I’m not sure how long people can keep going at that level before needing to take a break. The only way to know if you can or if you have the stamina is to get to work and see if you do: not everyone’s the same and good managers remain alert for employee performance and needs. Departments tend to get fixated on set schedules when maybe variable ones would better help employees maintain these high levels of engagement: talk to your employees to find what they each need to keep their focus sharp today.

Cheryl Strayed (b. 1968): American memoirist, novelist, essayist and podcast host

Be incredibly responsive to everyone...

How you treat others, even those who can do little for you, says a lot about your character: this is especially true among employees in service businesses. Managers there often struggle with the fact that tipped employees understand this while non-tipped ones seemingly don’t: the challenge is to make them equally attentive and responsive. While sharing the tips among both groups is a traditional way to motivate them all, other methods could and should include making sure all employees get and understand feedback from customers, involving them all in the development of strategies (both service and recovery) that deal with customer service and satisfaction, and engaging them all in regular discussions to increase everyone’s awareness of the importance of good service in the long-term health of the company and their own job security. We hate to admit that money is a prime motivator in employee satisfaction and loyalty, but it’s true. Given that, the role of managers is to connect these dots to ensure employee commitment, great service, and customer satisfaction today. 

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 – 1832): German writer and statesman.

Communicate effectively...

Leaders tell me that managing employees effectively seems to be harder today than in the past.  Maybe it’s the fact that there are 4 generations working side by side - for the record: Baby Boomers: Born 1946-1964 (54-72 years old) Generation X: Born 1965-1980 (38-53 years old) Millennials: Born 1981-1996 (22-37 years old) Post-Millennials: Born 1997-Present (0-21 years old).  Or maybe it’s the notion that Millennials are especially hard to manage (or understand): this seems to be the crux of these perceived difficulties as they’re numbers continue to grow in the workplace.  But, hold on: good leaders have always understood that communicating effectively means knowing and understanding what and how to say things to any and every one. They are attentive, listen well, say what they mean and mean what they say, keep their promises, always give appropriate feedback (good and bad), coach and mentor as needed, and never shy away from giving straight answers. One of my old bosses used to say that “the difference between good managers and bad is the ability to communicate”: employees naturally like and are loyal to the good ones. Just because you’ve been managed by poor communicators doesn’t mean you should follow that pattern: break the mold and be an effective communicator today.

Carly Simon (b. 1945): American singer-songwriter, musician, and children's author

Soft-skills matter...

People often talk about their favorite sports team: most of us are long suffering but forever loyal fans of the home teams of our youth. Whether they win or lose, we hold loyalties like that nearly sacred. That same devotion seemingly doesn’t exist for employers: people often jump from one company to another for all kinds of reasons… more often than not they leave one job for another because of their supervisor. If that’s true, then retention is in large part dependent on the professionalism, skill, and personality of the supervisors of the world: companies seeking to reduce turnover wisely provide soft-skills training to their supervisors. Key among the most necessary skills would be basic communication, coaching, and handling difficult conversations: managers and supervisors with these skills tend to be better able to satisfy and retain employees, and create long-term loyalty through good times and bad. Make sure your managers and supervisors have good  basic skills today.

Samuel Butler (1835 – 1902): English author and artist

Look on the bright side...

How many times have you heard someone say “is the glass half full or half empty”: it’s a common expression generally used rhetorically to indicate that a particular situation could be a cause for Pessimism (half empty) or Optimism (half full).  We generally like to be around or work with people who are optimistic: they more often see the good in things and people, surround themselves with upbeat people, are flexible, forgive graciously, give more than they take, are happy to help, smile a lot, don’t listen to naysayers, and bring out the best in others. For them, optimism is not just a mind-set, it is the way they behave. They’re the leaders we love to work for, the co-workers we want to be around, the friends we want to do things with, and the people we want helping us in stores everywhere. Sometimes it’s not so easy to see be an optimist or see the good around us, but that doesn’t mean we should stop trying.  Look for the best in others and let them know you see and appreciate it: that’s the kind of behavior that engenders camaraderie, friendship, trust and loyalty. Be an optimist today.

Laurence "Larry" Elder (b. 1952): American attorney, author, and radio program host

Trust and loyalty are two sides of the same coin...

Company leaders often tell me how hard it is to find good employees, and employees just as often tell of working conditions that are less than they expected or hoped for: hiring can be risky even under the best of conditions and intentions. This is why on-boarding is so critically important: in those first few weeks, both the supervisor and the new employee are testing the waters of their new relationship. But it’s not enough to just provide some kind of welcome and orientation: it’s also important to conduct basic job training, provide mentor-like guidance, establish good two-way communications, catch them when they do things right and coach them when needed, and point out common interests and values to create a situation where everyone feels good about their choices and new surroundings. Focus on these and you just might find a two-way relationship that builds over time into trust, job satisfaction and loyalty.  It’s hard to remember how awkward those first few days and weeks of a new job can be: create a comfortable workplace today.

Sir Alexander Fleming (1881 – 1955): Scottish biologist, physician, microbiologist, and pharmacologist best-known for discovering the world's first antibiotic 

Be true to yourself...

It was in the news yesterday that Amazon is encouraging brands to be more environmentally friendly by streamlining their packaging. Imagine that: a giant company trying to do something good, not just for itself, but for the greater community at large. We’ve all gotten countless packages from Amazon and, while seeing many of those boxes less than full, just considered it a problem without consequences or solutions.  Great companies can make money and also do good work, and this example shows there are leaders out there who care about both. Look around at the things you’re responsible for and see how many could be improved: if everyone did that, the world would be a better place. While some of your ideas may be difficult to make happen, the effort might be worth it, and this alone should be worth the struggle. Take time and make the extra effort to see if your ideas could help improve things for the world around you today.

William Penn (1644 – 1718): English colonial proprietor, writer, early Quaker, and founder of the English North American colony the Province of Pennsylvania

Keep your promises...

I’ve conducted dozens of Employee Surveys and one of the most common complaints is that someone promised to get back to them about something… and didn’t. Integrity is based on trust, and this type of neglect destroys any goodwill that exists between employees and their supervisors. People with questions deserve straight and timely answers… even when the answer is “no”: to ignore that responsibility is both wrong and rude. If you’re asked and don’t know the answer, admit it and then go find it. If you don’t like the question, say so, but provide an answer anyway. And if you have the answer but forget to provide it (which seems to happen most often), apologize and deliver it when you remember. We all talk about wanting to be good (or better) supervisors: that kind of talk can be cheap. Learn to respond and then do whatever answers your employees’ questions require: those kinds of deeds are precious. Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose: be appropriately responsive today.

Ross Perot (1930 – 2019): American business magnate, billionaire, philanthropist, and politician