When you have the chance, try a three-pointer...

Too many successful businesses and businesspeople have suffered or failed this past year: that’s unfortunate and sad. But so many of them have not accepted that fate and are trying to fight their way through this pandemic-led recession. The news is filled with their stories, and the common denominator among them seems to be their reliance on human ingenuity, creativity and involvement. They’ve brought employees together to brainstorm, taken cautious risks in small steps, focused on today and tomorrow rather than yesterday, and pivoted where and when needed. Sure, they’ve had to downsize, but most found ways to take care of their key people; while they’ll never be able to make them whole, they are committed to take far less themselves and muscle through together with their teams. Looking over the landscape, they see that nobody’s unscathed and that gives them the courage to keep moving forward. And so, as they proceed, none have missed the opportunity to reset their own and others’ expectations going forward. Like a Rugby scrum, they stall for a bit and then there’s a breakout… that’s probably what’s coming as more and more people get vaccinated and comfortable with getting back to the new normal.  Don’t get caught not trying today.

 

Michael Jordan (born 1963): American businessman and former professional basketball player, generally considered the greatest basketball player of all time

Fly like an eagle...

As the Covid-19 vaccines become more available, this pandemic is going to begin to end. And with it, lots of legacy corporate policies and practices are probably going to end too: not just because companies can use this pause to reboot how they operate, but more than likely they will have to as they adjust to a new normal. People like my wife and I who’ve been vaccinated are considering going out, but not without long-term safety precautions, and the organizations that adjust to that new standard will be the ones to get our business. So, if and when current restrictions are lifted, companies will still be faced with wary customers and the challenge to operate in different ways to attract them. They may have to permanently adjust staffing and creatively extend safety measures, employees may be asked to become more efficient and productive, and leaders will need to become more effective change agents: all of this can be exciting, challenging and rewarding, but it’s going to take careful planning. Don’t be lulled into thinking that things will be as they once were. But also, don’t be afraid to think way outside the box – this may be one of the best times to do that. Just remember to communicate your thoughts and strategies to your entire team, get them all engaged in designing and making the changes work, and then let teamwork and pride take over. If you want to fly into this new normal, give up the things that might weigh you down today.

 

Toni Morrison (1931 – 2019): Acclaimed American novelist, essayist, book editor, college professor and winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize in Literature 

Be a rebel WITH a cause...

Only a rebel without a cause thinks that gratification comes in the doing and not in the results. More professional organizations and managers see the doing as a means of achieving results (and thus finding fulfillment and gratification): they set goals, with timelines and measures, and get employees involved in the doing to create teamwork and enthusiasm. James Dean died at the age of 24 and in him we can see a lot of the Gen Z personality traits that employees at work have: they’re highly competitive, love to be challenged, thrive on new ideas and experiences, are thirsty for a degree of independence, and look for lots of feedback about their achievements. They see their jobs as a means to an end and want the authority to try new things. My consulting partner and I teach a course in managing a multi-generational workforce, mostly because managers at our clients are always asking questions about how to get the most of each generation. It’s relatively recent that 4 or 5 generations are working side by side and this challenges managers and supervisors to learn more about what motivates each of them. The baby boomers I was a part of were groomed to work towards results and that’s still the way most businesses operate. Don’t overlook the changing dynamics in the workforce as you seek to balance gratification and results today.

 

James Dean (1931 – 1955): American actor remembered as a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement

Sometimes it's good to hurt...

I got the 2^nd vaccination shot yesterday and I suspect the next few days will be impacted by the kind of reactions that others have reported. Even so, the relief I’m feeling will carry me through whatever aches and pains come from the medicine beginning to work its way into my system. I realize now how much I’ve worried about this virus in the last 12 months, constantly fearing getting sick and being alone in a hospital, wondering if I or a loved one would become one of the statistics. I suspect I’m not alone in this, and in that leaders can learn still more about empathy. Make time for your employees to talk about their experiences this past year and what they’re feeling now that the vaccines are more readily available. Some, like me, have been vaccinated, but many others are still waiting and possibly worrying, and that can have an impact on their work and general well-being. Help your employees see that with these shots the glass is half full and not to let a few bad days spoil all the good ones yet to come. Best to let your employees talk this out rather than ignore it: that’s another benefit of work teams that care about each other. Let your workplace be a safe place to express concerns and learn from colleagues. The aches and pains that come with these second shots are things you should deal with today.

 

Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr. (1951 – 2001): American professional stock car driver and team owner

Look at things from both sides now...

I was 12 when I read “To See a Mockingbird”; the next year I saw the movie. And when I was 17, I played the lawyer Clarence Darrow in a stage production of this for my high school’s senior play. I love this story, and the Finch character greatly influenced me to always want to see things from other people’s point of view. So, when I became an HR guy, I always tried to put myself in the shoes of the people I was dealing with and see and understand things from their perspective. As a manager or supervisor, you should do this too – there are often multiple sides to everything you deal with and taking the time to consider all of them will greatly improve your decision-making ability. You might do exactly what your first instinct was, but sometimes you might not; it depends on whether there are other circumstances that you couldn’t or wouldn’t see from only your perspective. And when you act in this manner, more than likely you will (1) make better and more informed decisions and, (2) act more fairly. This takes more time, but it’s worth it because, as a leader, you should do what it takes to be right.  Consider things from all perspectives today. 

 

Atticus Finch, protagonist in Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird"

Values matter...

I’m helping two different clients in two different cities and countries recruit for their top human resources leaders. Interestingly, all of the candidates mentioned the importance of values like honesty, integrity and respect. This is a fairly small but diverse and telling sample of what’s seemingly important to HR leaders everywhere. All of the candidates discussed the importance of values to a company’s culture, and making those values live in everything they do, from policies to programs to all of their general communications. Further, they each described the need to reinforce the behaviors a company wants, giving positive feedback to employees when they exhibit those values and coaching them when they don’t; that, they all said, is what brings them to life and makes them real. As an old HR guy, I know the importance of being the champion and advocate of a company’s values and that organizations expect their leaders to train all their other managers about how to facilitate those kinds of discussions, develop programs they can use to support those values, and monitor an organization’s culture. So, you can imagine how thrilled I was to hear this same strategy from all of them. Because, at the end of the day, a company’s values being practiced by its employees is the basis of its culture and success. Make your values come alive today.

 

Thomas Jefferson (1743 – 1826): American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States

Hire for attitude...

I did a workshop recently for a company that is expanding and getting ready for business after the pandemic. They’re hiring an extra 100 people and asked for my insights from having done mass hiring in the past. Not surprisingly, I stressed the importance of hiring for attitude rather than strictly for skills. It was a pretty healthy discussion: many of the hiring managers have been so used to looking for skills that they often overlook the importance of hiring someone with a positive and can-do attitude. They admitted it was easier to note skills than attitude, so we talked about how you discover an applicant’s attitude. Things like whether they make and keep eye contact, smile easily and often, and use gestures while they speak are indicative of passion and engagement; or when answering probing question with focus and enthusiasm indicates general optimism and a willingness to be flexible. Not surprisingly, after the normal comparisons are made, personality can and should be a determining factor. We want to surround ourselves and customers with unique, memorable, confident and interesting people. If you want to be proud of the people you hire and work with, hire for personality and attitude today.

 

Shannon L. Alder: Author

Be a light for others...

I write every day… but I don’t put myself in the same category as today’s author. Watching her at the recent inauguration and again at the Super Bowl, she has a unique style of both writing and delivery, so much so that it’s hard to know whether to focus on her words or motions. Long ago I learned to write conversationally, and readers often comment on my style…but I don’t hold a candle to Gorman. I’d like to think that my writing is brave enough to be hopeful…but I’ll settle for it being a little bit inspirational. My style was honed walking the back halls of casinos and hotels, talking to employees, listening to their hopes, dreams and needs, and trying to leave them with something more than when we began talking. It’s a variation on the old Management-By-Walking-Around (MBWA), which was popular in the 70s and 80s: you learn so much doing that, far more than when sitting behind a desk. It’s a practice I often preach to younger and newer supervisors, one that helps ground them in organizational dynamics and set the foundation for career growth. Spend time each day walking around where you work, learning what’s going on, and being brave enough to be hopeful. That’s a great leadership style to learn and practice today. 

 

Amanda S. C. Gorman (born 1998): American poet and activist and the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate

Look for the answers...

"In the book of life's questions, the answers are not in the back." Charles Schulz

 

Life isn’t easy, even in the best of circumstances, which has not been in the last year. It throws lots of obstacles in our way that take all of our wits and commitment to overcome. There are parents, teachers, managers, coaches, mentors, friends and clergy that can offer insights; and there are classes and books and the internet in and on which to find information on how to get thru life. But there are no cliff-notes or crib sheets from which to find the answers. The good news is that with open eyes, common sense and a willingness to learn, most things can be found and taught and learned. But you have to want to learn. Whether it’s riding a bike, managing your checkbook, or doing your job – those things can be learned and, with practice, be perfected. But stuff like integrity, honesty, humility and such – those need a heart that cares and a will that wants; only then will those help you become who and what you want to be. There are lots of good and bad examples out there of the kind of person to be… you can easily see the ones you wish to choose and then try to be like them.  Don’t be too quick to judge and never give up, because continuous learning is forever. Keep your eyes open for the answers to life’s questions today.

 

Charles Schulz (1922 – 2000): American cartoonist and creator of the comic strip Peanuts. 

Character matters...

 

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” Abraham Lincoln 

Today is President’s Day, 2021. In honor of this day, and of the memory of our 16^th President, it’s fitting that we take a moment to consider his words. And remember them. This is what we expect of leaders in business, families, and communities. This is what we expect of ourselves, colleagues and friends. Power – big or small, is a gift: treat it as you would any other. With respect and grace. Be of good character today.

 

Abraham Lincoln (1809 – 1865): American statesman and lawyer who served as the 16th president of the United States

Be careful...

Whether we know it or not, people are always watching us. I learned early in my career that everything I said or did was amplified and that I had to be careful – if I walked around the casino floor and didn’t stop and talk to employees, they’d think I was mad at them, or if I said something ‘off the cuff’ they’d take it as an official company statement. We’ve recently seen how important words are to people and should keep that in mind whenever we start to speak. Not that you have to choose your words particularly carefully, but, as my mother always told me, we should think before we speak. Leaders especially need to remember this. That’s why it’s so important to remember to live our lives as a model for others: saying please and thank you, being honest, helping someone in need, getting back to people in a timely manner, making eye contact and smiling, being magnanimous even if others aren't, and doing what’s right every if nobody’s looking are all so very important and worth the effort. I’m often surprised how much former employees remember things I said or did years ago – whether I knew it then or not, this just reinforces the importance of our words and actions. Don’t miss a chance to be a positive role model for others today.

 

Rosa Parks (1913 – 2005): American activist in the civil rights movement best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott.

Make the most of your life...

A year or so ago I passed out at a party – one minute I was talking to someone and the next I’m waking up on the ground. Fortunately, there were several doctors at the event and when they ascertained that I’d given blood earlier that day, they were satisfied that it was related to that. But the experience got me thinking about how fleeting life really is and all the next day I reflected on whether I’d done (or was still doing) enough with my time here on earth. Like many, I’d always assumed my work and career was enough, but it’s all the other stuff – with family and friends, that needs to balance and round out who and what I am. We’ve all been to enough funerals to wonder what our own eulogies might be and, frankly, I’m hoping it will be good. But that means I have to always do more for others than for myself, to give more than I take, and care about others whether it’s reciprocated or not. It’s too bad that it took losing consciousness to remind me to be serious about what I do. Make the most of what you do today.

 

Philip Seymour Hoffman (1967 – 2014): American actor, director, and producer

Remember to say thanks...

I was five or six when one of my older brothers first played a Bo Diddley record at our house… that was the beginning of rock and roll and while there were much bigger stars, they all followed in his footsteps and most passed him by. That happens a lot with people and their mentors: the mentees often go onto much bigger roles and careers than the mentors who helped them get started and not all have taken the time to acknowledge and thank them. I’d like to think I’ve thanked all the people that helped me, but I’m sure I’ve missed more than a few… but as I progressed in my career, I tried to make up for that by helping others. It’s called giving back or paying it forward, and it’s something we all should do. When you’re on the rise in your career, give credit where it’s due: that doesn’t take anything away from your success… in fact it enhances your stature. We’re all products of all the things and people that helped us along the way and should remember to let everyone know who they were and what they did. You don’t have to, and few would know if you didn’t; but it’s the right thing to do. Give credit where and when it’s due today.

 

Bo Diddley (1928 – 2008): American singer, guitarist, songwriter and music producer who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll.

Be responsible and accountable...

The news is filled with stories of people who blame their troubles on others. In some cases that may be appropriate, but in general, we are responsible and accountable for the things we do, good or bad. In business we see it a lot when a person or selected for something over others. It’s never easy to get passed over for anything – be it in business or politics, but when it’s a fair and honest decision, the key take away is to learn from it. Managers and other decision makers should have good reasons for their decisions and always be willing and able to explain them. This principle of explaining “why” is not as easy as it sounds – decision makers should know the rules or policies or criteria, follow them, and make their decisions as if they’d have to explain them in public. If they can’t or won’t then they probably didn’t make them in good faith, and nobody should believe or respect them. And if the decision is about you: listen and learn from it rather than sulk around feeling like a victim. These actions are the basis of integrity, and we need that at all times (maybe now more than ever). Don’t be a product of your circumstances; be responsible and accountable for your decisions and actions today.

 

Stephen Covey (1932 – 2012): American educator, author, businessman, keynote speaker and author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”

Learn from your failures...

One last Hank Aaron quote: he was a baseball legend for many of us growing up in the 50s and 60s and using his quotes after his passing last month feels special. Athletes like him inspired us to learn how to “play the game” and keep on going in the face of obstacles and failures. Sports legends like him were our heroes and every kid wanted to be like the players he or she admired. So, it just seemed natural to find people we admired once we got into business and seek to be mentored by them. For me, it was guys like Charlie Meyerson, Billy Weinberger and Milton Frank, casino legends that we spent hours listening to at the old Golden Nugget on Fremont Street. Meyerson was a prolific host and taught us how to ‘play the face’ when assessing the value of a player, Weinberger was a restauranteur who became President of Caesars before joining us at the Mirage and recounting the glory days at Caesars, and Milton Frank told of making his gaming bones in Ohio and Cuba before moving to Vegas in the 60s. They all were consummate optimists in spite of the many ups and downs they faced – the moral of their stories was to learn from those failures and move on. Don’t let failure stand in the way learning to be successful today. 

 

Henry ‘Hank” Aaron (1934 - 2021): American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball

Don't be scared...

“Growth and comfort do not coexist.” Ginni Rometty

 

Long ago and far away I was the HR guy at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City: I worked for great people, loved my job, and was comfortable living and working on the East coast. Then the company was sold, and I had to decide whether to stay there and work for new owners or follow the Nugget team to Las Vegas. And open the Mirage. I’d never lived anywhere but the East coast and moving away from family to Las Vegas was a real challenge to my internal security. And while the chance to open the Mirage was exciting, it was also scary – I hadn’t done anything that big and complicated before. A good friend and mentor advised me to consider the upside and, if the cost was only hard work, it was worth the risk. All of us on that opening team felt the same – balancing growth and comfort. It was a lot of work and way beyond our comfort zones: but that was all good. It kept us on our toes (and often awake at night). We took nothing for granted, realized the powerful advantage of collaboration, left our egos at home and learned that 1+1+1 often equaled 4 or more rather than 3 or less. We never relaxed but learned to be comfortable with the challenge. If you want to grow, then learn to live with a little discomfort today.

 

Virginia Marie "Ginni" Rometty (born 1957): American business executive who retired from IBM on December 31, 2020 after a near-40-year career there

Won't get fooled again...

Back when the Mirage opened, there were very few computers in the company: a few word processors and not much else. My challenge was how to process 55,000 applications and keep the records on 5500 new employees, so we hired a team of programmers in Illinois (there were none to speak of in Las Vegas at that time) to build a new computer system for us. Managing them from a distance was difficult and we missed the fact that they made some critical programming errors: the resulting payroll and HR systems crashed during the first payroll run. Some employees were overpaid, and others underpaid, and their complaints made it into the newspapers. We didn’t want people to think we didn’t have the money to pay our employees accurately so we shut that system down and hired a team of 50 payroll and accounting specialists to manually refigure and re-issue those checks. That process went on for nearly a year while we searched for and finally installed a new HR and Payroll system. We took chances when we decided to build that original system ourselves and the resulting mistakes and failures were both embarrassing and instructional. From that failure we grew into much smarter and wiser IT leaders and computer users. The moral of this story: learn and grow from your mistakes today.

 

Mary Tyler Moore (1936 – 2017): American actress, producer, and social advocate.

Ask what-if questions...

I’ve written here often about the importance of hiring people with optimism – they’re usually more flexible and open to change. It’s just as important to recognize the significance of curiosity in the people you hire – they’re generally more creative. In the mid-90s, when computers were in their relative infancy, I became curious about what they could do for my HR department. I visited my friend Bob Pemberton at Infinity Software and we spent a week playing what-if questions with each other: he knew databases and I hungered for deeper reporting with which to analyze HR information. Our brainstorming resulted in the first HR data warehouse – not because I understood computing, but rather because I was curious about it. From that experience I became convinced that if we encouraged front line employees to ask what-if questions related to their work, they would discover new and better ways to perform their tasks. That spurred employees from all across The Mirage to discover better ways to serve customers: this happened when employees in a dozen departments put their heads together and came up with some really creative service improvement ideas. Curiosity about anything almost always leads to creative thinking and innovation. Promote ungovernable curiosity today.

 

Larry King (1933 – 2021): American television and radio host who hosted over 50,000 interviews

Challenge yourself and others...

As I get older, I find myself still looking for opportunities to stay active and engaged, especially as this pandemic drags on. After nearly a year of this, it is increasingly difficult to see what work and life will be like afterwards. Will people feel comfortable enough to go out? Will business travelers feel confident enough to travel as they did before? Will companies adjust to more long-term work from home strategies? And will consumers continue to shop online rather than in physical stores? As the vaccines roll out to people, it’s time for business and civic leaders to openly plan and talk about what’s next and begin to address people’s uncertainty: talking about the future will help people focus on that rather the past. I read a survey that said employees feel there’s less empathy from their bosses now than what they’ve experienced in the past several months. Now is the time to redouble those efforts to get people focused on how they can begin to prepare for what’s next.  It’s going to take more than vaccines to make people comfortable again: that’s where effective leadership is needed. Talk to your employees about the mountains they can again spend their lives climbing, and what that means to your company and their careers. Help them believe in tomorrow today.

 

Cicely Tyson (1924 – 2021): American actress and fashion model known for her portrayal of strong African American women

Be ready...

Last week, I mentioned an article I wrote about The Mirage: I then got hundreds of comments from employees on all the good things they experienced there. And that got me thinking about how much planning we did for that project: several of us worked for more than 3 years during which every aspect of that property and its opening were intensely scrutinized. Here’s an example of that: one of the commenters mentioned that we gave all of the new team leaders pictures and bios of their new employees, so they’d be able to recognize them when they showed up at orientation. We scheduled those new employees to a specific session with assigned seats, on which were their introductory materials and their training manuals, nicely packaged in a backpack. The point of this story is that during those three years we were guessing what the experience would be like for those new employees and planning to make it a great first impression. Only after that planning did we transition into executing any of our plans. Each successive opening got better as we documented what happened and revised the plan. Leaders often take their applicants or employees for granted and tend to overlook those critical first impressions. Spend 80% of your time planning for what happens each day and then use the other 20% to execute it. That’s how to make great impressions today.

 

Henry “Hank” Aaron (1934 – 2021): American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball