See Spot run...

Teaching kids and adults is pretty much the same: they all need to understand why something is the way it is. You can’t just them to ‘do it because I said so’. 

• ·      Learning
• ·      Needs context.
• ·      Without that, many
• ·      Subjects are hard to understand.
• ·      Take time to explain ‘why’ when teaching. 

Adult learners need to understand the “why” behind what they’re told or taught, but very few managers were ever taught that. So, they issue basic rules or directives and wonder why their employees are slow to respond. And because most managers or coaches understand the stuff they’re trying to teach, they often forget that others may not have that knowledge or understanding. One of my old bosses used to say that instructions and directions should be written in the style of the children’s book titled “See Spot Run” – to me, that means you need to spell out instructions very simply and keep repeating them to promote learning and adoption. The point is that we should never take it for granted that others understand what we mean – just because it’s clear to us doesn’t mean it will be to others. When directing others, always take time to check and make sure that they really do understand what you’re saying. Take time to make sure others understand today.

 

Bob Talbert (1936-1999): American newspaper columnist for the Detroit Free Press

Speak your mind...

We’ve all worked with people who rarely say anything. They usually work quietly and diligently… and leave us wondering what they think.

 

·      Quiet is good.

·      But everyone has

·      Something they can add.

·      Don’t make people feel that

·      Their thoughts are unimportant.

 

Managers often appreciate the strong and silent types, the ones that never give them any problems. But it’s wrong to assume that speaking up is a problem – you never know what you’ll learn when the employees doing the work or dealing with customers have something they should or could say. I’ve seen countless times when employee feedback makes things better – processes, practices, and even designs are often improved when they speak up. Effective leaders find ways to get everyone engaged – sometimes in groups, or even singly if that’s what it takes. When you have an employee or team member that’s not as engaged as you’d like, don’t write them off – that’s a great opportunity for coaching. Even if they’re confused, that too is a moment to get engaged with them. Everyone likes to think their voice is important: be sure to let your employees or teammates know that you think so too. Thank your team whenever they’re engaged – verbally or otherwise. Everyone is born with a voice – help them use it today.

 

Jessye Mae Norman (1945 – 2019): American opera singer and recitalist. The New York Times music critic Edward Rothstein described her voice as a "grand mansion of sound", and wrote that "it has enormous dimensions, reaching backward and upward. It opens onto unexpected vistas. It contains sunlit rooms, narrow passageways, cavernous halls."

Don't be a show-off...

We’ve all known or worked with a know-it-all, someone who is often wrong but never uncertain. They’re no fun to be or work with.

 

·      Input given

·      Must be accurate.

·      Inaccurate information

·      Is unhelpful and disruptive.

·      Double check your facts and figures.

 

Work teams rely on everyone’s efforts and input, because two or more heads are always better than one. In my consulting practice, we often conduct exercises where each individual first ranks what they think are the best choices in a list, and then they meet with a group of others and discuss and decide by consensus what the group thinks are the best answers. This often results in much better results because group or team decisions are always better when made collaboratively. So, back to the know-it-all: you’ll probably never break him or her of that notion, but by including them in group discussions you may benefit from their enthusiasm and point of view. When leading groups of employees, effective managers promote activities and discussions that include everyone. It’s been my experience, that shy employees also benefit from these types of activities, quietly taking it all in and eventually becoming more active and knowledgeable participants. Help everyone understand everything today.

 

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860 –1904): Russian physician, playwright, and short-story writer who was a seminal figure in the birth of early modernism in the theatre.

Do the best with what you have...

It’s interesting how each of us got to the here and now. Some by choice. Some by circumstance.  Whatever: it’s your reality.

 

·      How we got here

·      Is less important than

·      What we do while here.

·      Get fully engaged in what you do.

·      Treat it like this was your strategic plan.

 

I’ve interviewed thousands of people – some seeking jobs, others just looking for advice. Either way, they were all genuinely interested and motivated; so, I’m curious about what dampens their drive and enthusiasm. Sometimes the chemistry isn’t right – that’s a clarion call for the leader to be aware and flexible, matching the right style with the present situation. Sometimes, the job isn’t all it was cracked up to be – another clarion call, this time for open communication, clarification of duties and responsibilities, and effective coaching to discover some of the underlying opportunities that exist in all jobs. I’ve always said, the best job for you is the one you have – the challenge is making it the one you want. And sometimes it’s just hard to change – one last call for managerial patience and coaching – help a struggling employee to better understand and accept why they originally chose the job (or assignment). Don’t let your employees lose sight of what they have today.

 

Eckhart Tolle (born 1948): German-born spiritual teacher and self-help author of The Power of Now and A New Earth.

Happy Jewish New Year...

This feels like the right attitude for moving forward at this time of year. The traditional greeting on the Jewish New Year is L’Shana Tova. May you all enjoy health and happiness today.

 

Shimi Adar: Orthodox Instagram sensation and motivational speaker.

Push yourself...

If you want to see how far you can possibly go, try doing something you haven’t done before. Then you’ll know how far you can really go.

 

·      There are tasks

·      That make you stretch.

·      Learning, adapting, growing.

·      Pushing yourself further than

·      You ever thought you could go.

 

Working in general can be challenging, always alert and ever learning. But trying something new always presents you with things you probably haven’t done before. I was a pretty good HR guy – after all, I went to college for that. But opening a new hotel took me far outside and beyond my skills and comfort zone. In hindsight, I now realize that being curious and open to new ideas, and listening were as important as my technical skills – and even though I thought I already possessed those soft skills. But time and again my colleagues and I had to be reminded to ask questions and listen carefully to what we were told. Doing anything new stretches your capabilities and leaves you better, smarter, and more fulfilled that when you started. It also can be scary and that needs to be discussed and shared with those working with you. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone when learning new stuff today.

 

Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888 – 1965): American poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor who lived most of his life in England.

Keep your eye on the goal...

Figuratively speaking, we’ve all dug ourselves into a hole at some point in our careers. At that point, you either give up or dig yourself out.

 

·      Sometimes we succeed.

·      Other times we stumble or fail.

·      Each of those time is an opportunity 

·      To test your resilience and perseverance.

·      In all things, the goal should be to never give up.

 

I’ve had some great successes in my career, many of which have been written about in professional journals. These taught me a lot and were the basis of the good reputation I built. But those same creative instincts sometimes led to difficult challenges that could have been pre-cursers to failure. Doing anything for the first time means you’re in uncharted waters, so you can often be faced with a trial-and-error sequence before one of the attempts succeeds. When faced with those challenge, you either give up or dig yourself out. I learned that asking good questions, thinking before acting, and collaborating with others are the best tools to use when digging like that. When finding yourself in similar circumstances, stay calm, review your objectives and strategies, remain flexible, and keep your eye on the goal. And don’t give up. Use all available resources to achieve your goals today.

 

Stephen William Hawking (1942 – 2018): English theoretical physicist, educator, cosmologist, and author.

Show me the way...

Life is full of driving and restraining forces: the key is to find and use appropriate tail winds to help overcome the head winds. 

 

·      Life’s a challenge,

·      Full of curved roads.

·      Find the best way forward

·      To achieving your objectives.

·      Then rest and enjoy your rewards.

 

Working again this week with a client on their strategic plan, making sure their vision and mission statements give them good starting points. These and the plans they support help employees understand where the company is going and what role they play in helping achieve the company’s objectives. Too often employees are left out of this planning and are the last ones to know what’s expected or how to get there. Don’t make them have to figure these things out for themselves: include them in the planning discussions and clearly identify the results you expect from their efforts and how those support the company’s overall objectives. You can’t over-communicate each employee’s role and responsibilities when it comes to achieving those objectives: the more they know about your plans, the more productive they’ll be and that leads directly to increased employee satisfaction, performance and profitability, and retention. Use all of your available resources to achieve your intended results today.

 

Sir Philip Sidney (1554 –1586): English poet, courtier, scholar, and soldier who is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the Elizabethan age.

Act like you own the place...

Everyone is responsible for 2 square feet: essentially, the two you’re standing on.  That’s your 2 square feet.

 

·      You are responsible 

·      For your actions and behavior.

·      Nobody else can do that for you.

·      And nobody else can do that but you.

·      Be responsible and accountable for your actions.

 

Like most, you probably have a job that comes with a description of your duties and responsibilities. My experience is that those are looked at more as guidelines. Until questions of responsibility arise. Then people tend to point at those descriptions as if they are inflexible. But in truth, they are just guidelines because there’s usually a statement in them referring to “all other duties as assigned”. That’s just too general for me, and by the complaints I got as an HR practitioner, it’s the same for most people. That’s why I think job descriptions should be amended to include the results employees are expected to produce. Without wiggle room. Because if job descriptions include results, people will be able to understand and take responsibility for achieving those results. The best employees are those that understand, feel good about, and take responsibility for the work they do. As leaders, we owe it to our employees to be that clear about our expectations. That way employees can dig in and take responsibility for their actions. Take time to explain your expectations to your employees today.

 

Gary Snyder (born 1930): American man of letters, best known as a poet, he is also an essayist, lecturer, travel writer, educator, and activist with anarchoprimitivism leanings.

Look where you're going...

Recruiters often put too much emphasis on experience: that tells what the candidate’s done. Sometimes it’s better to recruit for attitude: that tells what they’re capable of.

 

·      Experience is good.

·      Attitude may be better.

·      One is all about yesterday.

·      The other is about every day.

·      Look for candidates with both.

 

When I was first being interviewed by the Golden Nugget, I’d never worked in the hospitality business. My degree was in personnel administration and my experience was in manufacturing. But my attitude was that employees in every industry all look for the same things and I’d make sure that their gaming employees got those things. I understood their concerns. And they liked my can-do attitude. Business leaders spend a lot of time looking for and trying to hire great employees: it isn’t where they’re coming from as much as it’s where they’re going that counts. Look for a candidate’s optimism, flexibility, openness: don’t only ask them what they’ve done, but look closely at what they’d do. That’s the perfect time to explain your mission, vision, and values and see how they react to those. Have them tell you what those mean to them, and why: understanding their values will help you understand if they’ll fit into your culture. Help your employee get to where they’re going today.

 

Ella Jane Fitzgerald (1917 – 1996): American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella".