Better late than never...

Pains, mistakes, second thoughts… things we wish would never happen, but often do. Doesn’t mean those can’t inspire us to do and be more.

 

·      Don’t dwell

·      On your problems.

·      And don’t let challenges

·      Stop you from trying to be

·      All that you know you can be.

 

Most everyone is familiar with The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA): it’s a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. The people who drafted and supported that legislation knew that some of people’s greatest pains are also their greatest strengths. Since 1990, acceptance of people with disabilities has grown as communities and companies embrace the concept of equal opportunities for all. I’ve been involved in large-scale hiring projects during the 30 years since the ADA’s inception and realize the benefits and challenges presented by this legislation. Awareness and sensitivity training is most important in opening people’s eyes and minds to this issue, mentoring and coaching help people understand the issues and opportunities, and corporate values and communications reinforce the importance of judging others by what they can do rather than what pre-conceptions suggest they might not be able to do. Most people with disabilities will surprise you. Don’t assume someone can’t do something: ask them and consider the reasonable accommodations available. Give people a chance today.

 

Drew Barrymore (1975): American actress, producer, talk show host, and author.

Be resilient...

Unfortunately, failure is rather common. Happens to all of us. It’s not about the failure, but what you do about it.

 

·      Try hard.

·      Win or lose.

·      It’s all the same:

·      What you learn from both

·      Is the most important part of life.

 

Leaders have lots of opportunities to coach employees. When they succeed – catch them doing things right. When they miss the mark – discuss why and help them discover how to be better. Or when they don’t seem to care – discover why and what they’d like to do about it. It would be nice if the options were that clearly defined, but often there are nuances of gray – like when they give it their best shot but still come up short; that’s when you must praise them for their effort and help them learn how to be improve. This last example is probably the most common and the one that leaders should practice being the most adept at. Make sure you’re personally aware of what your employees do, create an environment that promotes and values feedback, be available to talk, be a good listener, and help them discover what they need to know. It’s all about coaching and research shows that employees appreciate that kind of interaction most. Give coaching your best shot today.

 

Robin Williams (1951 – 2014): American actor and comedian; known for his improvisational skills, he’s regarded as one of the greatest comedians of all time.

Easy is a poor excuse...

That’s the way we’ve always done it is a common excuse. Easy to say; usually hard to defend.

 

·      It’s easy 

·      Is an excuse.

·      An effective way

·      May be harder to find.

·      Don’t settle for second best.

 

Our summer home is on a lake. One thing I’ve learned is that when the leaves fall off the trees they often end up in the lake, and that’s the main cause of the ‘muck’ found at the bottom of most lakes. And when the leaves become mixed with dirt and other organic debris, it can be hard to remove. Trust me, I know; I’ve tried all kinds of methods to shovel and rake it out of the water. Nothing’s worked. Until yesterday, when I hired 3 young Amish kids to help with the effort. They brought and used pitch forks, explaining that in their experience those were the best tools for the job; that, mixed with their experience with teamwork and dedication, did the trick. I’d used all kinds of methods over the years, mostly just repeating the same ones despite the fact they’d proven ineffective in the past. At that point it’s often best to search for a different and potentially better way.  When faced with a problem like this, do research, ask questions, and listen to advice. There’s always a better way – your job is to find it today.

 

Thomas Edison (1847-1931):  American inventor and businessman 

It's okay to be scared...

 

Things are changing everywhere. You might miss what you need if you’re not paying attention.

 

·      Competitors.

·      Changing times.

·      Changing abilities.

·      Changing opportunities.

·      Everything is always changing.

 

The most successful people and businesses prepare for tomorrow and beyond. Planning can go on at all levels and the internet makes it super easy to find out just about anything. Make a list of what you might want to know more about: what your competitors are doing (search online business news); what your friends are doing (Facebook); what you should do tomorrow (The Weather Channel); what you can or should be doing about your health (WebMD, AARP); and so much more. It’s up to you: make time to plan what you’re doing today, what you’d like to do tomorrow, next month, next year… about anything. If you’re not nervous about all the things that are or could be changing, you’re probably not paying attention; but if you’re curious about things, start using the tools at your fingertips and you’ll be surprised about what you find. Try this: pick one thing a month you’d like to (or need to) know more about; spend 1 hour a week during that month to learn more. That’s how you learn more to become more to prepare more. Start thinking about what it might take to be better able to make a difference today.

 

Miles Dewey Davis III (1926 – 1991): American trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and one of the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music.

Make people comfortable...

For most of my life, the marketing of beauty has been pervasive. It’s good to see that it’s morphing into the marketing of human.

 

·      Being yourself

·      Is good enough.

·      Being what you’re not

·      Is not worth the bother.

·      Being authentic is beautiful.

 

Service staff in the hospitality industry is encouraged to look and feel good. One of the things I noticed was that when we provided them with a uniform, it rarely fit as if it were their own; consequently, most employees didn’t feel good about them… and it often showed in their look and demeanor. Hospitality companies spend lots of money on uniforms and, in my humble opinion, the ROI (Return on Intent) isn’t there. Sure, we had some uniforms that were stunning – because we tailored them like it was a high-end purchase at Nordstroms. Better, in my opinion: let employees wear their own dark pants and appropriate tops; because it’s their own, they look good and comfortable, and that comes thru in the service they provide. I realize that uniforms identify employees and departments – that, however, can be accomplished in other ways. If you want employees to look and feel their best, put yourself in their shoes (literally) and craft your personal appearance and uniform policies accordingly. There’s more than one way to achieve excellence in personal appearance and performance today.

 

Tyra Lynne Banks (born 1973): American television personality, model, businesswoman, producer, actress, and writer.

Live with purpose...

Two quotes here about unity in two days. Same concept; different approach.

 

·      Yesterday:

o   Together we can.

·      Today:

o   Singleness of purpose.

·      Together:

o   The “what” and the “how”.

 

It’s all about diversity: different backgrounds, experiences, perspectives: everyone approaching things through their own lens. It’s about collaboration: getting everyone’s point of view. And it’s about focus: having clear and agreed upon objectives. Different people achieving a common goal. It’s a lot like making a quilt: lots of different colors and designs sewn together with the sole purpose of keeping people warm. Or winning a team sport championship: lots of different people and skills and attitudes molded together to achieve a common goal. Or crafting and executing a strategic plan: agreed upon objectives for everyone to work on and towards. In every instance, diverse groups working towards common objectives. Whatever you do: be yourself, speak up, be engaged, and stay focused. Get behind a common purpose today.

 

Priscilla Shirer (born 1974): American author, motivational speaker, actress, Christian media personality, and evangelist.

Many hands make light work...

Today’s Quotee was (and continues to be) an inspiration. Good quotes are hard to find. But you know a good one when you read it.

 

·      Look around.

·      People are inspiring, 

·      And so is what they do and say.

·      Keep your eyes and ears open for them

·      And take something special away from each.

 

As I often say here, teamwork is the key to achievement and excellence. It doesn’t happen by itself – it needs vision and nurturing from coaches and leaders alike. Like them, you must talk about it in everything you do: Spotlight your teamwork practices in your recruiting materials, include questions and comments about it in your interviews, highlight it in orientation and onboarding, include teamwork in your every-day plans, and catch people doing teamwork right. For me, it goes back to always being told that two heads are better than one – I certainly learned that in every resort opening I participated in. For instance: Brainstorming and collaborating with colleagues, learning about what others are doing and how it’s impacted by or might impact what you are doing, and effectively combining everyone’s strengths (while supplementing their needs) are all better when done with and by a team.  This is the stuff that sporting teams and leagues promote heavily and manage exceptionally well. It produces wonderful results. It’s the stuff business leaders need to practice today. 

 

Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek (1990 – 2004), known as Mattie J.T. Stepanek, was an American poet (or, as he wanted to be remembered, "a poet, a peacemaker, and a philosopher who played") – he published seven best-selling books of poetry and peace essays. Before his death at the age of 13, he had become known as a peace advocate and motivational speaker.

 

It's okay to be yourself...

Most of the time, people wear their business face. Professional, dignified, almost stoic. Trying to look the part. 

 

·      Business like

·      Is a norm people follow.

·      Trying to conform and impress.

·      But the times really are changing

·      And being authentic is the new standard.

 

I wear my emotions on my sleeve – there’s usually no guessing when it comes to what I’m thinking or feeling. Not sure if that’s best, but it’s my way of being transparent, clear, and authentic. Here’s what I think: it’s okay to be upset if it’s connected to helpful and positive suggestions and coaching; it’s okay to be sad if it’s genuine and empathetic; it’s okay to be happy if it’s unpretentious and shared with others; and it’s okay to smile and give praise if it’s sincere. The foundation of every one of these emotions should be good communications and general optimism – talking openly about what you’re feeling and knowing that the glass is half full and whatever you’re going through will pass. If your employees see you being human, they’ll know it’s okay to be themselves too. Be aware of your emotions, don’t let them get out of hand, and be sensitive to how they affect others. Set a humanistic and emotionally intelligent tone at work today.

 

Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell (1868 – 1926): English writer, political advisor, archaeologist, explorer, cartographer in Syria-Palestine, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, and Arabia

Together we can...

Yesterday I wrote about getting ideas for the opening of the Mirage from the overnight camps our kids went to. Like I said, you never know where a good idea may come from.

 

·      Good ideas

·      Are all around.

·      We must be open

·      And curious enough

·      To recognize the best of them.

 

The Mirage was truly a dream. Of huge proportions. The team we recruited to open that project bought into that dream, but that didn’t mean they weren’t scared: of the size of the project, the magnitude of each of our roles, and the possibility of failure. While each member of that team came with experience and confidence, the scope and complexity of the project was a bit unnerving. So, we talked about it and realized that as a team we could overcome our fears. Encouraged by the Company’s Board of Directors to look for best practices throughout the industry, we discovered things like the baggage handling systems used by the then newly opened Denver airport, new electronic key systems used by high security facilities, and employee training programs pioneered by Marriott Hotels. Each was a stretch for us, but they helped us overcome the challenges we faced. And the more we learned, the more we realized that together we could climb any mountain. If your dreams are so big they scare you, remember that most challenges can be overcome by teamwork today.

 

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (born 1938): Liberian politician, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and the first elected female head of state in Africa.