Alignment matters...

Thirty day hath September… you probably remember those as the first words of a verse we all learned as kids to learn the number of days in each month.  That’s also how we learned about leap years, and the extra day added to February to keep the calendar year aligned with the orbit of the sun: back then, that sounded like something out of a science-fiction movie. I often wanted to ask what would happen if we didn’t have that extra day every four years – nobody had an answer to that, so we just had to accept it on faith. Today, everything is about transparency, making sure stuff is revealed and explained clearly: smartphones and Google bring knowledge to our fingertips, and the internet and 24-hour news cycles keeps us attuned to all the latest happenings. Knowledge and awareness are everything in our fast-paced world.  I wonder if anyone will stop thinking about the coronavirus long enough today or tomorrow to remember that this once-every-four-year event is happening and how it helps to keep us on track.  And while you’re at that, remind your employees to remember to leap into alignment with the rest of their teammates today.

Shaun Bean (b. 1959): English actor (also known as Sean Bean)

Get lost...

We all love to belong to something: teams, work groups, clubs… you know, things we do with others or alone. I play guitar and love reading books, and know people who belong to clubs, participate in leagues, pursue interests with other like-minded people, or immerse themselves in (like hobbies and projects).  All of these kinds of things satisfy our inner needs: they add balance to our lives and help to define the mental picture we have of ourselves. We can lose ourselves in them, and find ourselves there, too. We want and need them in our personal lives and also long to have them at work. Be aware of their needs and look for ways to satisfy them for your employees, with things like work teams, group meetings, special projects and assignments, brainstorming sessions, volunteer programs, and countless other opportunities for them to get engaged. And by the way, they also can help improve attendance, performance, productivity and morale. Give your employees activities they can lose themselves in today.

Kristin Martz (b. 1999): American photographer and fashion designer

Start things right...

Each day can be full of possibilities or the same old same old: it’s all in how you approach it.  I love seeing the athletes being announced before a sporting event: running in, high fiving, pumped up and raring to go.  Wouldn’t it be nice if your employees acted like that at the beginning of a new shift? It’s not as if a shift starts with fireworks, swooping spotlights and high-decibel music… but it figuratively could. You could be there greeting them – a sincere “hello” is as good as a high-five; you could be there to introduce the highlights of the day ahead: like a public address announcer; you could schmooze, inspire and get them excited about the possibilities – like the coach along the sidelines. Making them feel like the possibilities were endless, like the opportunities were exciting, like they were  the center of your attention: think how much better the beginning of the day and the work ahead might seem. Managers have a lot to do with this: they create and support the culture – good or bad – every day. And, for those that do this right, morale and productivity are higher, turnover is lower, and team spirit is palpable. Dwell in these kinds of possibilities and make them happen today.

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (1830 – 1886): American poet

Be yourself...

Work and sports, like life itself, challenge us to learn, grow, and perform in many different ways. While learning is often linear, it can also consist of starting and stopping, with some trial and error thrown in. That’s why it’s so important to give new employees clear and concise instructions and time to practice: explain what you want them to do and why, coach them while they practice, and then let them perform their job duties in genuine and natural ways. Unlike the set playbooks that sport’s teams use, companies shouldn’t require employees to give canned and automatic responses that are easy to learn but sound so phony. Employees and customer interactions don’t always go exactly by the policies or practices we design… that’s why it’s important to explain expectations and let them get there naturally. Nothing is ever as perfect as the plans we design: the 80/20 rule is usually good enough… so empower your employees to improvise, within reason, where, when and how they choose. That’s called personalization, and it’s probably as close as you need to get to perfect today.                           

Andrew Walter Reid (born 1958): American football coach who is the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL)

Play fair...

As I drove across town yesterday, I passed a large municipal park that has more than 25 soccer fields and thought about how my granddaughters played in youth leagues starting when they were 3 years old. I use the term ‘play’ here rather loosely because they seemed to learn more about participating in a group activity than playing the actual game.  When I was growing up, we mostly played baseball and football, but today’s kids can get involved in a growing array of organized sporting activities that create opportunities to interact with others in an organized way, discover the concepts of rules and achieving goals, and learn to ‘play a ball where it lies’. These sport’s ideas are similar in many ways to how one approaches life and learns to take the good and the bad with equal grace.  These models and concepts are used in the workplace as companies promote teamwork, goal setting, and fair play. Try applying some appropriate sport’s metaphors and practices at your workplace today.

Henry Grantland Rice (1880 – 1954): Early 20th-century American sportswriter known for his elegant prose

"Better" starts with you...

Professionalism goes hand-in-hand with people’s competitive nature: companies seek to harness that competitiveness to stay ahead of their competition. But what really fuels an edge is making sure each employee performs at or near their peak capabilities. My consulting partner and I often conduct workshops to assess and improve knowledge, understanding and skills on a variety of soft-skill topics wherein individuals first answer a set of questions and then work within a team to discuss and answer those same questions together. By comparing and analyzing the two sets of answers, participants not only learn the importance of collaboration, but also the processes that can help improve personal thinking and performance. While team building and group behavior are important, the competence and confidence of each individual is what really strengthens a team and helps improve overall performance and competitiveness. At the end of the day, it’s less important to be better than anyone else than it is to continually better yourself.  Dance to that tune today.

Mikhail Nikolayevich Baryshnikov (born 1948): Latvian SSR born Russian and American dancer, choreographer, and actor

Just do it...

Everybody has good ideas – I think I’ve said that here several times: I’ve also said that a lack the courage or sense of urgency can diminish their impact and delay their implementation. Most companies have suggestion programs where employees submit ideas up through their chain of command.  Those programs aren’t necessarily good or bad, but I think managers need to be more proactive and work personally with their employees to discover ways to do things smarter and better. Don’t over-think good ideas: if they have merit then quickly do the research needed to determine their feasibility, impact and cost: nothing damages suggestion programs more than tepid responses and bureaucratic delays. Act on them immediately, celebrate them, and let the employee that made the suggestion know how much you and the organization appreciate their input.  Anything worth doing should be acted upon as quickly as possible. That’s how the best work gets done today.

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (1868 – 1963): American sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, Pan-Africanist, author, writer and editor

Stop worrying...

Businesses thrive on new ideas: sometimes those ideas get squelched  because we either lack the courage to try them or fall back on old habits, doing things one way because that’s the way they’ve always been done. Or, we get paralyzed by too much information – getting confused and finding it’s easier to not even try. It’s a bit like buying a car: there are too many choices, we’re influenced by what everyone else is driving, and the new innovations seem risky…so we end up driving the same brand and model over and over.  It's as if we fear failure so much that we refuse to try new things.  As professionals, we must have the courage to make decisions about trying new things: sometimes we’re right and other times we’re not… but even when wrong it’s better than doing nothing. Don’t worry about the could haves, might haves, and should haves – just give it your best shot today.

Louis E. Boone (born 1941): Author

Chew on this...

To me, the best part of working in an organization was the opportunity to brainstorm with other professionals: every need subjected to diverse ideas, perspectives, personalities, backgrounds, interests, and goals. Leadership is about fostering and nurturing and respecting that kind of exchange, all the while seeking the best ideas: it’s less about the leader than the exercise to arrive at what’s best. Whether planning for the future or deciding what to do today, two heads are always better than one. This kind of  collaboration is the best form of decision making, team building, professional development, personal growth, and progressive employee relations. If you’re interested in morale – listen to your team when deciding what needs to get done and how. If you’re interested in building competencies and confidence – ask them to get involved with you in the business of planning and decision making. When you need ideas, remember that, like pizza dough, they’re best when tossed around.  And if you’re wondering about how to get millennials engaged, just ask them: they, like most of us, like to be involved in these kinds of meaningful exercises at work. Toss that around today.

Anna Marie Quindlen (b. 1952): American author, journalist, and opinion columnist.

Pay attention...

Many leaders want their employees to be self-motivated: that’s easier said than done. In my experience, most new employees start off being motivated and it takes excellent management practices to maintain it, meaning regularly talking and listening to them, recognizing their needs, and rewarding their efforts. We know this is true… so why is it that some companies get it and others don’t.  Last week I flew on two different airlines – and had two completely different experiences: Southwest obviously gets this; the other (unnamed) carried unfortunately doesn’t. In air travel, the seats, safety routine, snacks and onboard entertainment systems are all pretty much the same; but the spirit of the crew can be, and in these two cases was, markedly different. Most of us road warriors see and experience these differences, which is probably why Southwest’s customer satisfaction ratings are consistently higher than their competition’s. In both cases, those employees were beyond the direct reach of their supervisors, a situation commonly found in the service sector. The moral of this story: if you want your employees to be inspired and self-motivated, notice and nurture them today.

John Michael Green (b. 1977): American author and YouTube content creator.

Lighten up...

Leaders need to lighten up: the natural instinct to be businesslike and professional is good… but knowing when to laugh is essential. I’ve had lots of employees during my career and always encouraged openness and honesty, and more than once they challenged or gave me a piece of their mind. Most leaders don’t like that, but I think it comes with the territory. When that happened, I chose to get more introspective than defensive, knowing that there might be some truth in what they said. I’ve heard some say that’s disrespect or insubordination; to that I say try to first understand their perspective and motivation before judging their words and actions. In situations like that, I’d recall my mother telling me to take a deep breath, put yourself in the other person’s shoes, listen to what’s being said, think before you speak, and don’t take yourself so seriously. How you react to situations like this determines how you’ll feel about yourself, and how others will think about you, afterwards. Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself today.

Penélope Cruz Sánchez (b. 1974): Spanish actress and model

Be ever so humble...

I am working this week with some really smart people, helping to grow their company and management team. I’m honored that they include me in their meetings and feel like I always come away with far more than I contribute.  But, no matter how much I think I know, there seems to be so much more to learn; I suspect I am not alone in feeling that way. That’s why it’s so important to travel beyond your comfort zone, be open to new experiences and information, to continually study and read and learn, to watch and listen to others, to engage with people who can teach you something new, and to never think you know it all. Make your life a long lesson in humility and a wondrous journey of discovery. You’ll be proud you did that today.

Sir James Matthew Barrie (1860 – 1937): Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan

Be self-motivated...

There’s a lot of talk about corporate values and how they help shape a company’s culture. Interestingly, these daily messages revolve around many of those values and seek to inspire people to be their best selves. Two that seem to stand out are the need to be good and do good: not surprisingly, the two are linked. Leaders certainly want employees who do good work – to be productive and effective in the pursuit and achievement of expectations and goals. But when asked, they first want their employees to be good people: ones that are committed to coming to work every day, caring a lot about the things they do, and giving it their best. Hiring good people increases the likelihood that you’ll have employees that do good work – work that you and they, and your customers, can be proud of. That’s why hiring for attitude is so important: get people like that on your team, teach them the skills they need, motivate them to be engaged in their work, and recognize and reward them for doing the right things. That’s what will make everyone proud today.

Oseola McCarty (1908 – 1999): A self-described Hattiesburg, Mississippi ‘washerwoman’ who became a major University of Southern Mississippi benefactor

Look for role models...

I’ve studied leadership my whole career and found the variety of styles, practices, and personalities to be interesting and illustrative. Some of the things I’ve seen and learned:  

·      Successful leaders inspire others to follow rather than tell them they’re being led: it’s more about actions than memos, inspiration than commandments, and what you do than what you say. 

·      Leadership may come from a title, but it’s best affirmed with trust and respect: the first is conferred, the others are earned, and nobody will follow unless they know the leader has their back.

·      Being the boss is not as important as being leader of equals: everyone has ideas and two heads are always better than one, especially when it comes to decision-making.

·      You can wear your position with boastful pride, but it’s best to earn it with humility: talking the talk is not nearly as important or effective as walking the walk. 

People rarely get degrees in leadership – rather, it’s a lifelong process of learning and practice. Everyone has a story about bosses that were jerks – make a note never to be like them. Rather, watch the leaders you most admire and try to be like them today.  

Shri Radhe Maa (b. 1965): Punjabi social worker, spiritual, and charismatic guru

-->

Get ready to learn...

For much of the 1980s, a team of us at the Golden Nugget worked hard to learn new things: the end we were proud of the successful opening of The Mirage.  Not stopping there, we continued to learn and innovate as a team and put all of our best thinking into Bellagio: to this day I still run into people proud to have done some of their best work on those projects. Most of us are most proud of how we learned along the way: working with incredible talent, creating unbelievable things, watching unprecedented growth, experiencing unexpected emotions, and discovering the unlimited possibilities that happen when people work together and have the courage to try new things.  Most people begin at one place in their careers and through continuous learning transition to become much more: that’s how they learn to do their best work. Let everything teach you something today.

Troy Edward Baker (b. 1976): American voice actor and musician, known for portraying the lead characters in various video games

Find your groove...

We often think of people being passionate about what they do… but there are more than a few instances where some are passionate about what they don’t like about what they do.  Leaders need to be on the lookout for discontented employees and help them reach for something better: that doesn’t necessarily mean they have to change jobs… sometimes all it takes is asking them what they think might need to be changed. Managers often overlook the little things they can do to help employees re-discover the passion that led them to their positions in the first place. Things like adding duties or responsibilities, assigning special projects, being sensitive to interpersonal dynamics, letting them vent frustrations, and/or telling them you appreciate their efforts might be beneficial. Don’t be afraid to engage your employees and ask them what they think is good and maybe not so good about what they’re doing: if you’re open and empathic and willing to be flexible that might not be such a difficult conversation. Help your employees discover how to be more passionate about what they do today.

Florence Nightingale (1820 – 1910): English social reformer and statistician, and the founder of modern nursing

Love what you're doing...

I meet people all the time who love their work: you see it in their faces, their body language, and their actions. It only takes one to get that feeling started, and before you know it, everybody is grooving to the vibe. I’ve seen it in restaurants: a bartender or server is feeling good about themselves and their work: all of a sudden, everyone’s smiling, and the customers are having a good time. And in Lyft and Uber drivers that take me to the airport are happy in their freedom, doing what they like when they want to: and the ride is fun and makes me feel good too. And in those Kansas City Chiefs: they might have been behind, but their quarterback  and coach loved what they were doing, and everyone on that team caught the passion… and won. That kind of passion is like a fever – it’s palpable and you can catch it. Love what you’re doing today.

Samuel Moore Walton (1918 – 1992): American businessman and entrepreneur best known for founding Walmart and Sam's Club

Discover your purpose...

In high school, I volunteered to work at a Head Start center, a program that provided comprehensive early childhood services to low-income children and families. And right then and there I knew what I wanted to do: something, anything, that had to do with helping others. It led me ultimately into a career in Human Resources. It wasn’t a choice as much as a realization of my purpose, and I’ve used that as an example when recruiting and coaching people: I tell them they have to find the thing that inspires them and excites their passions. It’s usually not something you have to think about – it’s like the proverbial lightbulb going off in your head; you don’t have to think about it… you just know it’s right. There’s something like this waiting to be discovered by each of us: it could be a career, job, hobby or special project, and it will be the thing that lets you know why you were born. Discover what your something is today.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835 – 1910): American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer known by his pen name Mark Twain

Put your heart and soul into it...

I passionately write these messages each night – taking a quote about one of the many values we live by and weaving it into a story about something I’ve done or experienced.  I then sleep on it, get up early the next morning, do a quick edit and then send it out: no alarm clock needed – my passion wakes me up and drives this schedule.  I realize that’s a luxury, and hope you have something similar that’s exciting enough to get you up every day. I understand that things can lose their luster and get boring – so finding ways to keep them exciting is critically important. Leaders should find ways to make work fun, challenging, and rewarding, getting employees engaged in workplace planning, and listening to their hopes, dreams and suggestions. Employees should look for ways to make their job one they’re really excited about: continuously learning and growing, building skills and competencies, and seeking the kinds of challenges that make them want to get up and go to work.  Like I’ve said here before, the best job is the one you have – the challenge is to make it the one you’re passionate about. That’s what will wake you up today.

Kyrie Andrew Irving (b. 1992): American professional basketball player

Act like a champion...

Last night’s Super Bowl had something for everyone: great teams, excellent coaching, fierce competition, human interest, and nail-biting suspense. Each team and athlete played like champions and it’s too bad one of them had to lose. I suppose losing feels worse than winning feels good (as Vince Scully once said), but, when you play with heart, never give up, and continue to believe in yourself, you achieve the true measure of success.  In the end, the winners and losers all played the game with passion and pride; life, like sport, demands that same level of professionalism, spirit, and honor. Most of us will never play in a Super Bowl, but we’ll most likely have an opportunity to play in an important event of some sort: when that happens, be sure to remember that it’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play. Our companies, colleagues, customers and, not to mention ourselves, deserve that to be true. Act like a champion today.

Henry Grantland Rice (1880 – 1954): Early 20th-century American sportswriter and caster known for his elegant prose