Keep moving...

Everything moves fast – cars on the highway, hours in the day, people going from here to there. Somedays it’s hard to slow down long enough to really notice who they are or where you’ve been. But business doesn’t have to be like that.

 

o   Every morning, create a plan.

o   Simple and short meetings are the best.

o   Pay attention and stick to it as best you can.

o   Be flexible for the most important interruptions.

o   Keep others informed about what’s going on and why.

o   Before you finish the day, check back with those you missed.

 

Communication is the key to making your plan work. While most people like and use emails and texts, it’s often good to call and actually talk – you will be amazed with how much you can get done or clear up in a live conversation. There really is no good substitute for face to face or voice to voice communications. Many in my circle have grown accustomed to Face Time and Zoom as a next best alternative when you can’t be there:  I believe virtual communications are the silver lining to the pandemic’s forced isolation. So, while the world dances around and past you, keep up by staying on the move yourself today.

 

Chinua Achebe (1930 – 2013): Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic who is regarded as the dominant figure of modern African literature

Talk to your employees...

Most people go to work, put in their 8 hours, and go home. What should be important for most business leaders is how engaged and effective their employees while working. Because of all the Covid-related staff shortages and absences these days, it’s important to provide those that are working with everything they need to become inspired, motivated, engaged, and productive. That’s why you should:

 

v Make your workplace welcoming, every day.

v Give employees the tools needed to be successful.

v Train your managers to provide coaching and reinforcement.

v Encourage personal responsibility, reliability, and accountability.

v Catch people doing things right and celebrate their accomplishments.

 

Create an atmosphere where engagement is the norm, listening is an art form, coaching brings out the best in people, and being open encourages feedback from front line workers. Much has been written about how feedback from engaged employees is the best way to understand customer preferences and build for the future. Effective managers create feedback loops, listen carefully to what they hear, act on the best of that information, and let their employees know how much they value it. A manager’s job is not to foresee the future, but to enable it. Let employees know how much they helped create your business’ success and their own security today.

 

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900 – 1944): French writer (The Little Prince), poet, aristocrat, journalist, and pioneering aviator. 

Make sure you have time to do things right...

I talk to people all the time who always volunteer or ask for more responsibilities. I understand, because throughout my career I was always trying to impress people by serving on boards, taking on projects, and generally raising my hand for just about everything. It took me a long time to figure out there are just so many hours in the day.

 

·      It’s important to do the things you say you’ll do.

·      It’s even more important to do them well, as expected.

·      And most important to make sure they are what was promised.

 

There’s a lot of glory in being responsible for things and even more so if they’re done right and on time. People don’t remember who volunteered, but they will remember who did something, right or wrong. Most things we get involved with are either time consuming, difficult, or both, and only you can judge whether you have the interest, skills, and time to take something on. But once you do, you own it, and your name will be on it. So, choose wisely: there’s no shame in passing on something you really can’t or shouldn’t do. And when you do choose, plan carefully, find and use all the appropriate resources, and stick to it until it’s done. Make sure you are ready, willing, and able to take something on today.

 

Dolly Parton (born 1946): American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actress, author, businesswoman and humanitarian, known primarily for her work in country music.

Lift your team...

 

A good sport’s quote is probably appropriate after this past weekend’s outstanding NFL divisional semi-final games: some are calling them the best football games ever. And the reason was the outstanding play of some previously unsung athletes who lifted their teams to victory. Surprisingly, most of the regular stars were outshined by these relative newcomers. 

 

·      Momentum and a flip of a coin played small roles 

·      Players stepping up to the challenge played bigger roles

·      Records were set in many categories, including for excitement

·      That excitement comes from regular players making incredible plays

 

When nobody deserves to lose, the fans win. The NFL may be a business, but football is still only a game. And performances like these only enhance our enthusiasm for and excitement about the future of professional football. Business leaders often quote Coach Wooden in trying to motivate their employees – the meaning and metaphors of his and so many other sporting greats inspire so many to want and try to achieve more. And nothing does that better than the grit and enthusiasm of the underdogs and unsung heroes in the trenches. It’s like Andy Reed said to Patrick Mahomes with 13 seconds to go in their game against Buffalo: “Things are grim – you go be the grim reaper”. Give all your employees the opportunity to make your company and team great – their passion, patience, and perseverance will pay off for you today.

 

John Robert Wooden (1910 – 2010): American basketball coach and player. Wooden was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player (1960) and as a coach (1973), the first person ever enshrined in both categories

Shoot for the moon...

My wife went to a quilt store the other day and later told me about her experience there. She went looking for and got fabrics and quilting info, and while there she also saw a very large display of all kinds of new sewing machines. None had any signage explaining details or price, so she asked one of the employees. Surprisingly, the employee replied only, “I don’t know”.  Not: “I’ll find someone that knows”, or “Let me take your name and number”.  Huh?

 

·      She didn’t know enough to do her job

·      Apparently, she wasn’t given any training 

·      Leaving employees without job information is unfair

·      Not being able to answer customer questions can ruin a business

 

What was the owner of this business thinking? Maybe, like many businesses hurt by Covid absences, he was just trying to keep the floor staffed with anyone he could find. But what would it have cost to give these employees, even those that may be there only temporarily, some basic tools to use? Like a book that lists the features and costs of all those sewing machines. Or a number to call right then and there to ask about information they don’t know. Or simple instructions to just take the customer’s name and number so someone could contact them. But they did nothing and potentially lost a big sale because they aimed low. Don’t set up your employees to fail - give them the tools they need to be able to aim for success today.

 

Bruce Lee (1940 – 1973): Hong Kong and American martial artist, martial arts instructor, actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and philosopher

Take the bull by the horns...

We often encourage employees to ‘speak up’, something that’s easier said than done. That’s because it’s not easy to create an environment where employees are comfortable doing that. Think back to when you first started working: were you encouraged to speak up or did you wait to see if that was okay? Chances are that wasn’t made very clear, or you waited to see what others did. So, think about how and when you might broach this subject with your employees:

 

·      Talk to applicants about the importance of speaking up

·      Mention the importance of speaking up in your orientations

·      Tell new employees during training why it’s good to speak up

·      When employees speak up, make sure you listen and respond 

·      Sincerely thank employees who speak up – each and every time

 

Remember: just because you say it’s okay doesn’t make it easy for employees to tell you what’s on their mind. Engage with them, ask questions, encourage comments, and ask for feedback about their comfort level with this. Be aware if the same few do most of the talking; ask those who don’t for their input and use phrases like “tell me more” to draw them into conversations. Leaders are responsible for creating the kind of work environment where their employees feel comfortable giving feedback. Keep at it until there is a good on-going dialogue and let them know you appreciate it. Change the conversation if you want employees to change their behaviors today.

 

Jonathan Hamm (born 1971): American actor and producer known for his role as Don Draper in the period drama television series Mad Men (2007–2015)

Show appreciation...

We like cooking with tomatoes, especially the Nature Sweet Cherubs. Recently when we opened one of their relatively unique packages, I noticed on the underside of the peel-off top the picture and name of the employee that packed it, along with a QR code that said Meet Me. I read the code with my smartphone and up came a full color picture and bio of Rocio Cortez, an audio interview with him, and a way to send him a message. Now that’s a great way to recognize outstanding behavior and boost a brand. Think about it:

 

·      A relatively ‘out-of-sight’ job

·      Done by someone that’s not highly paid

·      In a business that probably has high turnover

·      And not a lot of money to invest in employee recognition

 

And yet they came up with a clever way to recognize outstanding performers.  I bet they also discovered that a simple recognition program could be the basis for building a culture of excellence. Employees thrive in an environment where management appreciates performance, thanks employees publicly, and allows them to gain self-respect and pride; that kind of thinking creates a deep sense of personal fulfilment and loyalty. I would guess Nature Sweet has discovered that employee recognition significantly improves employee morale, satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. It’s the invisible thread that builds those ties. Don’t miss a chance to recognize your employees today.

 

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 – 1900): German philosopher, cultural critic, and philologist whose work has exerted a profound influence on modern intellectual history

Be engaged...

There are some universal truths in the business of employee relations: one is there’s no end to what employees can do when their minds and hearts are engaged. It’s been my experience that people want to like their jobs and \ to feel like they belong. But they often wait to see if their managers inspire and motivate them to act on those instincts. There are many ways to prime that pump, including:

 

·      Ask for their suggestions

·      Listen to what they have to say

·      Act on their suggestions when appropriate

·      Catch them doing things right…and celebrate them

·      Coach them about being engaged and striving to be their best

 

Most people want to do a good job and they want to be appreciated. If you want them to be engaged, then start by being engaged yourself: with them, their work, their concerns, and their hopes. If you want them to be there for you then you’d better be there for them. If you want them to be loyal to you, you’d better be loyal to them. They’ll take their cues from you – one way or the other. Managing isn’t about telling people what to do; it’s about inspiring and motivating them to be engaged. Lead the way today.

Rupert Murdoch (born 1931): Australian-born American billionaire businessman, media tycoon, and investor

Look closely...

People spend most of their time at work, but they never fully know the people they work with. Which is weird because we need to be able to trust our co-workers. And that’s doubly true for our supervisors: being trustworthy while maintaining a professional distance. But like soldiers in a fox hole, we must rely on co-workers and supervisors to have our backs and to give us reasons to be loyal. Not surprisingly, we’re able to base these judgments on things like:

 

·      They care - taking the time to understand our needs

·      They’re reliable – never giving us reasons to doubt them 

·      They have integrity – doing what they say they’re going to do 

·      They’re humble – never taking credit for the good efforts of others

·      They’re genuinely nice - smiling freely and playing well with everyone

 

These are the kinds of people that can make and take a good-natured joke without making others feel awkward. They know the importance of saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ – to them, respect is more than just a word. And they live by the Golden Rule which says everything about an individual and his/her beliefs. While we never know the whole person, we sometimes, in quick flashes, get to know the real person. Don’t be afraid to show your true self by the way you act. Let your actions show the real you today.

 

Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie (1890 – 1976): English writer and playwright - she wrote the world's longest-running play, and is the best-selling fiction writer of all time