Start off right...

Employers look for employees who aspire to achieving today’s quote: people they hope will become well-rounded and productive professionals. 

 

·      Curiosity leads to discoveries.

·      Discoveries lead to learning.

·      Learning leads to professionalism.

 

When I first started in the gaming industry, I had to learn a lot about many things – in that, I wasn’t much different from other new hires. People who start new jobs must learn about the job itself while also gaining familiarity with a company’s history, the people they work with, the customer’s expectations, and the culture of their new workplace. And in this, there are competing demands – the need for workers on the floor and the need to have them trained before they do so. Companies must spend the right amount of time and money to produce competence and productivity as quickly as possible. That takes a good plan, dedicated people, a reasonable schedule, and a proper budget. Resist the urge to get new employees working before they’ve competent and confident enough to meet performance standards and expectations. And make sure the people training your new employees are knowledgeable and capable enough to teach them something about everything and everything about something. Your business and your customers deserve that. Train new hires the right way today.

 

Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–1895): English biologist and anthropologist who became known for his advocacy of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

Stay on track...

Training, from an Olympian’s point of view, is serious business. It’s no less serious for anything someone want to do well.

 

Athletes train to be successful.

So should business professionals.

 

Because we expect competence and professionalism from our mid-level managers, it’s important to invest in their training and development. Many in that group likely were promoted because they were good employees who were good at what they did. But because supervising others often doesn’t come naturally, it’s important to give new managers and supervisors soft skills training, provide coaching to help build their competencies, and allow time for practice to build their confidence levels.  Coaching in this business context includes setting developmental goals and providing training to help achieve them.  Include discussions in your regular meetings with them about the things they learned – ask them questions related to that training to ensure they fully understand what they’ve learned, give them assignments to help them practice, and discuss their experiences using these newly learned skills (whenever you continue to supervise and coach them).  And when they get it right, recognize their efforts (known as catching them doing things right). Help your mid-level managers stay on track with their training goals today.

 

Natalie Anne Coughlin Hall (born 1982): American former competition swimmer and twelve-time Olympic medalist.

Balance consistency and fairness...

There’s nothing easy about being a leader in today’s workplace. Managers must balance consistency and fairness when dealing with their employees.

 

HR often preaches the importance of consistency.

But, in real life, manager’s must also be fair.

 

No two situations are ever identical – the people, facts, and circumstances demand close examination before decisions can be made. Managers must rely on their experience and then apply good judgment to every situation. And while it’s easier to just follow policy, the best employee relations are built on fairness and trust. Employees often point at decisions made for what they believe are comparable situations - managers must then carefully and clearly communicate the basis of their current decision and the need to be both consistent and fair. They also need to communicate that since no two sets of circumstances are the same, no two decisions are the same either. Again, it comes down to trust in the manager’s professionalism and perceived fairness. Sometimes, this can be tricky – when that happens, talk to colleagues and HR before making a final decision and then remind your employees that you’ll always seek to be fair when dealing with policy issues. Everyone benefits from that. When situations and circumstances are the same, your decisions should also be the same. But when they’re not, use your best judgment when deciding what’s fair today.

 

Howard S. Becker (1928 – 2023): American sociologist who taught the sociology of deviance, sociology of art, and sociology of music at Northwestern University.  

Pursue new ideas...

It’s hard to know what the future holds. But what you do today can shape the events of tomorrow.

 

Doing the same old things produces the same old results.

Being curious and trying new things can produce new outcomes.

 

Some people go to work each day without any thought of the future – they have duties and tasks to perform and that’s what they do. But did you ever wish something different would happen? Many people do but then they don’t follow through on those dreams. After the Mirage opened, I wanted to find a better way to handle large volumes of paper applications – but everyone I asked said there weren’t many different options.  None of us could see into the future of the very rudimentary computer systems that existed at that time. But I kept asking questions and suggesting different ideas, most of which were considered outlandish. Looking back, I believe my persistence helped enable the development of paperless systems. If you have new and different ideas, keep working at them until they either are proven wrong or eventually spur new developments to occur. You never know when your expertise and ideas might result in something new and better. Your ideas might help enable the future today.

 

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

Take pride in everything you do...

Every baseball player tries to hit a home run each time they are up to bat. Even if they don’t,  they are proud to get a hit and get on base.

 

·      It’s good to dream about big successes.

·      But it’s also great to accomplish anything.

 

When I was younger, I wanted to run my own company. Lots of responsibility, and even more accountability.  But I learned quickly that treating any job like you owned the company was the best way to approach work. And understanding how what you do supports the success of a company gives you the perspective of any senior leader. Doing everything as if the success of the company depended upon it. And in fact, most of what everyone who works for a company does fits into its overall operational and financial patchwork. And contributes to the overall results. It’s good to have career dreams and it’s just as good to have dreams about being effective at everything – big and small, that you do. Every day. Treat it like it’s yours. Like your success really matters to the company’s success. Like everything is a great and noble effort. Take that kind of pride in your work today.

 

Helen Keller (1880 – 1968): American author, disability rights advocate, political activist, and lecturer who became the first deafblind person in the United States to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Exceed people's expectations...

Good is often good enough. Sometimes being really good is better.

 

The difference between good and really good isn’t that much.

Really good comes mostly from passion and perseverance.

 

People mostly do good work. A large part of a supervisor’s job is teaching and coaching their employees to be good and letting them know they appreciate that good work. Good in this context means employees come to work every day, know what they’re doing, work well with others, maintain a positive attitude, contribute where and when needed and exhibit a commitment to excellence. Employees that do that can be proud of their work. But sometimes they go above and beyond, as in doing a little extra, helping others a little more, and being a role model. As a supervisor you should give them extra recognition when that happens and let them know you are very proud to work with them. In work, as in life, we should make a point of letting people know we appreciate their good efforts, and even more when they go beyond good. You can’t thank employees enough. Try to be real good today.

 

William Frederick “Billy” Gibbons (born 1949): American rock musician, best known as the guitarist and primary vocalist in the band ZZ Top.

It's ok to be proud of yourself...

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. It provides insight for the future.

 

·      My father had a sign in his office:

o   It said: “Too soon old, too late smart. 

·      Don’t you just feel that way sometimes?

 

I got all caught up in myself and my career. Often worried if I was good enough. Sometimes that was distracting but I believed I was smart enough to figure things out. Learned along the way that people can help, as in ‘two heads are better than one”. Learned a little later that nobody’s perfect, as in ‘perfection is the enemy of progress’. Trouble is, there’s no onboarding for life – parents can help, but so much is figuring things out personally, as you go, often without a coach. It’s fun to think what you would tell you’re your younger self, but maybe it would be better to tell someone younger who might put the advice to good use. Tell them to chill out – everything is a learning opportunity and make the most of every situation. Take time to reflect – even an immediate review can teach you things. Get a coach – someone you trust to tell you what you need to discover. Learn to communicate effectively – listening and speaking. Be humble. Stay optimistic. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated. And always say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. All of that is good enough. And you can be proud of that today.

 

Viola Davis (born 1965): American actress and producer. She is one of the few performers to have been awarded an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony.

Get hiring right...

People sometimes send me quotes to use here with my daily messages. Today’s quote comes from a friend and colleague who actually said this during one of our conversations.

 

People say the darndest things.

It often pays to pay attention.

 

Armen is an executive recruiter and since we share a passion for hiring great people, he knew I’d like this one. It comes from his experience recruiting professional golf executives worldwide. Most people, he says, have loads of knowledge and experience, but having good judgment is the most important thing he looks for in candidates. When interviewing people, he asks questions that require them to consider various scenarios and then tell how they’d deal with them. Knowledge shows someone knows and understands the basics, while good judgment helps produce the most effective results. Hiring doesn’t have to be a crapshoot – consider using personal assessments that can provide profiles on a wide range of attitudes and skills and then include open-ended questions in your interviews that allow candidates to provide examples of how they approach decision making and problem solving. If you hire people with the right attitude and good judgment you can teach them the rest. And hiring the right people is the first step to getting everything else right. Getting hiring right is something you can be proud of today.

 

Armen Suny (born 1960-something): Professional golf club superintendent and general manager, currently working as an executive recruiter for the golf club industry.

Do the right thing...

Doing only things you’re proud of is a high bar. That’s like batting 1000.

 

So many things happen every day.

Slow down and focus on each one.

 

If you’re like me, your life is a whirlwind – things always happening, dealing with most is by instinct. It’s good to take a deep breath between each and use that time to get focused and in the moment. Even though many things look repetitious, different people and different times can make any one of them unique. Some things really are like turning a light on and off, but don’t get lulled into thinking they all are. Be aware of your surroundings and decide what’s the right thing to do – that’s not always so obvious, so slow down, focus, confirm the right thing, and act accordingly. But – more often that we like to admit, what you do may miss the mark. Stop, apologize, then make or do it right. This isn’t like baseball (and its elusive batting percentages) – here, you can redo or make up for missing your mark. Focus on doing the kinds of things that you’re proud of – it may be a stretch at times, but it’s usually worth it. You’ll feel better (and like yourself) when you do. Be happy and proud today.

 

Mark Lewis (born 1950-something): Business leader, executive coach, and inspirational speaker.

Discover what moves you to move ahead...

Leaders must inspire their employees to be their very best. Everything they do. Everyday.

 

If you’re into what you do, you give it all you have… and then some.

That’s called pushing through obstacles and stretching for success. 

 

Supervisors want their employees to like what they do, be engaged in their work, and achieve their objectives. But first they’ve got to like what they do, be engaged with their employees, and coach them to achieve their own objectives. Bring a positive attitude and a good plan to your supervisory work every day. Engage in effective two-way communications with your employees to be aware of their needs and build rapport. And discuss and agree upon the results that are expected from their labor. Do these right and you’ll have employees who are excited to come to work and passionate about doing their work. It’s a partnership between you and your employees to move beyond their challenges and achieve their objectives.  And as they progress, catch them doing things right – everyone appreciates appreciation. It’s not easy being a leader – learn what works best to help you be your best every day. That’s what employees want and expect today.

 

Joseph Campbell (1904 – 1987): American writer and professor of literature.  George Lucas credited Campbell's work as influencing his Star Wars saga.

Continue to dream until you're done...

If you believe in something, be passionate about making it happen. No matter what.

 

When you’re passionate about something

You can’t eat or sleep without thinking

About that and nothing else.

 

When you have a passion for getting something done, almost nothing stands in your way. Whether you’re working on an epic project or waiting to make a phone call, there’s a drum beating in your heart to get at it. I often talk about the marathon-like amount of effort and time it took to get the right tools in place to have a paperless HR environment (from applications to separation, and everything in between). There were no IT tools or expertise in the beginning to make that dream happen – the state of computer technology just wasn’t there yet. When something like that happens, you try any available options hoping one or more of them will work. But when they don’t, you can’t give up – you’ve got to go back to the drawing board, talk to your colleagues (and anyone else) to keep looking for the solution. In my case, that took 14 years. Too long (I kept thinking). But I continued to dream, design, and try to make it happen. Often the only one still dreaming and believing was me. But my passion was so deep that it kept me going. Don’t lose heart until your dreams come true today.

 

Hilary Hinton “Zig” Ziglar (1926 – 2012): American author, salesman, and popular speaker on self-help and motivational issues. 

Walk a mile in someone else's shoes...

Carl Sagan’s view of the universe puts the things we do into relative perspective. Makes us humbly aware that we’re just specks in evening sky.

 

The importance of what we do

Is most important to those we do it to.

Hence, the importance of doing what we do thoughtfully.

 

I get the importance of being a servant leader, practicing emotional intelligence, and managing effectively. But I also know that humans – me, you, and most people we deal with, can get cranky. Hopefully, that’s not directed at those we’re with. But it happens. Even more reason to temper our criticisms with kindness, to stop and say we’re sorry, and to remember we’re all in this (whatever we’re into with each other) together. So, if someone says or does something you don’t like, talk rather than stew about it. Remember to think twice before you act. And don’t take the mashups often found when working with others personally. Most workplace cultures seek to balance harmony and productivity – something that takes commitment and the application of your best skills. So, admit you’re human, accept that others are equally human, and have the courage and compassion to try to stay positive about and with your work mates. Be the kind of leader and coach that equips others with that philosophy today.

 

Carl Sagan (1934 – 1996): American astronomer, planetary scientist, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, science communicator, author, and professor.

Don't let it go to your head...

It’s okay to strive for success – that’s natural. But striving for fame is not.

 

Success is based on skill, experience, hard work, and luck.

Just don’t let the fame it may generate go to your head.

 

I had a successful career – interesting work, lofty objectives, and admirable results. But as I reflect back on my HR career in the gaming industry, there were times I let the success of those results go to my head. People thought my work was cool and wanted to know more about it. There were times it seemed I cared more about what people thought – and it finally dawned on me that wasn’t the point. Good work, like good deeds, should be its own reward. And if good work attracts attention, it’s because a team of people made it happen. I learned that success doesn’t have to change you; but fame certainly can. The best part of the notoriety I gained from my work was meeting so many others who’d done amazing things – and what I learned was that as much as skill, experience, hard work and luck had to do with that, it was the passion they brought to their work that led to their success. If you want to be successful you must love what you do. And that makes you passionate about it. Find the kind of work that you’re passionate about today.

 

Whitney Houston (1963 –2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "the Voice", she is one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

Take it to the limit...

The mind just might be the most important part of the body. It has the power to take you anywhere.

 

It holds the memories of our past

And the promises of the future.

 

If you want to be passionate about something, let it be how well you exercise and utilize your mind. Don’t rest on your laurels or the things you already know or are good at – keep looking for bigger challenges or horizons. The team that opened the Mirage did stuff that had never done before and it stretched all of us farther than we had stretched before. But after that opening, we didn’t rest – we started thinking about what we’d learned and what was next. And after pushing that property to its limit with the addition of Treasure Island, we set our sights on Bellagio. From its beginning, Bellagio challenged us to outdo what we’d already done – and for many on that team, it became the high point of their careers. Because it kindled the fire of our imaginations and abilities. And allowed us to make our dreams into realities. Whatever you do – push yourself to make it your best. Believe in it. Be passionate about it. Stoke the fires within yourself today.

 

Plutarch (AD 46 – AD 119): Greek philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi.

Add your own voice to the choir...

Whenever you join something new, there’s pressure to conform. Try not to do that too much.

 

Normative behavior is often expected.

Some of that is okay; too much, not so much.

 

Life is a series of involvements – new schools, relationships, jobs, and more. Each new engagement involves awkwardness, acclimation, and acceptance. You try to figure out who’s who as much as others try to figure you out. When we’re young, that awkwardness is bound up in the process of growing up; as parents or teachers, being aware, available, non-judgmental, empathetic, and supportive helps children navigate those new situations. At that point, it’s all about building self-confidence, self-esteem, and experience. It’s not altogether different as people grow older and start new jobs – as supervisors, we can help our new employees by practicing effective emotional intelligence skills, and adding coaching, active listening, and training. This helps new hires get acclimated, gain competencies, and become more confident. That way they can stand on their own two feet and be themselves. They’ll want to fit in by acting like everyone else – your support will help them fit in while also being themselves. Help your employees fit in and be their best selves today.

 

Christina Ricci (born - 1980): American actress. She has received nominations for a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and two Primetime Emmys.

Give it everything you've got...

If you really believe in a project, you must be passionately involved in and committed to it.

 

If you believe in something, be passionate about it.

And if you want to succeed, get fully involved in it.

 

My career was highlighted by cutting edge computer development projects. I know – I’m an HR guy, but the way to some of my professional objectives involved getting involved in things I knew little about. I had a vision, but the IT professionals and developers I talked to told me it couldn’t be done. I took that to mean it hadn’t been done or they didn’t want to risk their careers trying to be the first to do it. But I figured being the first is sometimes the only way to start the ball rolling. Like using business intelligence tools to combine and analyze disparate HR files. Like data mapping information from online templates into HR computer files. Like automating and tracking applicant data. Like creating a paperless HR environment. I’ve said it here before – I’m not the smartest guy in any room, but I am a passionate and committed person about the things I truly believe in. Passionate in that I talked to everyone about my ideas and committed in that I was willing to risk my career to make it happen. If you’re passionate and committed about any idea – big or small, put your heart and soul into making it happen today.

 

Marie Colvin (1956 – 2012): American journalist and prominent war correspondent from 1985 until her death while covering the siege of Homs in Syria. 

 

Everyone should be what they want and need to be...

Engagement is a popular management term and goal. Be careful it doesn’t turn into a buzzword.

 

An engaged employee feels passionate and motivated about their work. 

Engagement measures an employee's commitment to their job and the organization.

 

We often think of engagement in life or in the workplace as an activity, something to get involved with and in – as in active involvement. But we should be careful about mistaking quiet and/or thoughtful people as being less engaged. Good leaders know their employees and understand how they act and what they think. That’s why good communicators are also excellent observers and listeners. And why emotional intelligence stresses awareness. Good employees don’t always have to be doing something – they can just be, and that’s plenty. We’ve all had quiet employees who shine in their own way – listening, analyzing, contributing, and being passionate and committed. Not everyone sits in the front row and raises their hand all the time. That’s why good supervisors – like good teachers, make sure they ask the quiet employees (and students) what they think, give them other avenues in which to get and feel included and engaged, and make certain they never feel left out. We’ve all gone through periods of shyness and uncertainty and benefited when others have reached out. By giving everyone the appropriate space and attention, we’ll get the best out of each one today.

 

Alice Walker (born 1944): American novelist, short story writer, poet, social activist, and the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (The Color Purple).

Set your course...

Having a direction – in life and work, is an important part of being fulfilled and content. 

 

di·rec·tion

noun

1. a course along which someone or something moves.

"…she set off in the opposite direction"

2. the management or guidance of someone or something.

"…under his direction, the college has developed an international reputation"

 

With the advent of GPS, we’ve all grown far more proficient at following a course along which we move. Think how much clearer the management or guidance of employees would be if there were a GPS equivalent at work. Interestingly, objectives and goals are a close approximation of a workplace GPS. When leaders meet with employees to discuss and decide upon objectives, it creates an excellent roadmap for them to follow. Imagine how much easier it would be to focus on what’s expected rather than to subjectively review how an employee performed his or her tasks. For an employee and his or her supervisor to agree on what’s expected, and by when, is an idea that many companies are adopting. Because work takes on new meaning when people feel they are pointed in the right direction. Stop trying to micromanage how trained employees perform their tasks and pivot to coaching them to achieve their goals. Become a results-focused leader today.

 

Timothy Donald Cook (1960): American business executive who has been the chief executive officer of Apple Inc. since 2011.

Look at all the possibilities...

How you view your job is often how you see yourself. A large part of our self-esteem is wrapped up in our jobs.

 

When meeting someone new, people often exchange business cards.

But there’s much more to someone than their job title.

 

Work can be a job or a career – it’s all in how you look at it.  A job can be a means to an end – short term to pay bills or while waiting for something else. Recruiters hope for more permanence and should develop strategies to convince someone to consider making a longer-term commitment. That’s because regardless of someone’s short-term needs, helping them develop a pathway to a more fulfilling and rewarding career can be in everyone’s best interest. This kind of conversation should start in their initial interview and continue throughout their time with your company. Showing a genuine interest in an employee helps build long-term perspectives, actively coaching them helps build long-term relationships, and ensuring they get engaged with other activities and employees helps cement those relationships. And all this affects how they see the possibilities of turning their job into a career. Helping others see more of what they’re looking at is the sign of a good friend and a great supervisor. Help others see all of their possibilities today.

 

Rasheed Ogunlaru (born 1970): United Kingdom born Life Coach, Speaker, and Author.

Take charge of your todays and tomorrows...

How you begin your day sets the stage for the rest of your day. Start it purposefully. 

 

Whether starting a day, a meeting, or a project, it’s best to have a plan.

To do otherwise is to waste your time and other’s good will.

 

Every religion starts each day with prayers – focusing on values and thoughts to live by. We had a 90-something year old neighbor who drove to church every morning, as she had all her life. I was speaking with a friend recently who showed me his basement workout room where he combines exercise and thoughtful meditation at the start of every day. I can remember as a young child listening to a prayer and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before every school day. And for the past 15 years I have begun every day writing these messages to focus myself (and hopefully others) on the values we should consider living and working by. These are examples of infusing one’s life with action, not happenstance. We’re each responsible for making things happen to help shape our future. As I write these messages, I reflect on my strengths and weaknesses, hoping to be a little better today than I was yesterday. Don’t wait for things to happen – make them happen today.  

 

Bradley Whitford (born 1959): American actor and producer best known for his role in the NBC television political drama The West Wing (1999-2006).

View every glass as half full...

Lots of people have illnesses, injuries, or circumstances that can change and limit their lives. I know, I was one of them.

 

When life happens, you must make the best of what you face. 

Otherwise, the illness or accident wins, and you lose.

 

After my injury, I laid around feeling sorry for myself for two years. During one of my hospital stays, I was in a room with someone who had similar injuries as mine, and he’d basically given up – he was overweight and facing the amputation of his remaining leg. I asked my doctor why, in all my misery, I had to share a room with this individual. With a straight face the doctor said: “because I wanted you to see what might happen if you continue lying around feeling sorry for yourself”. That shocked and depressed me, but the impact of that statement helped shake me out of my depression and lethargy. I learned that whatever happens in life, with a positive and optimistic attitude, anything’s possible. After that, I recuperated as much as possible and started seeing the glass of my life as half full rather than half empty. No matter what ails, scares, or depresses you, focus on what you have rather than what you might not have. And accept and work with that. You control your ability to do that! And when you do, that positive attitude and gratefulness rubs off on everyone around you. Be the optimist whose light shines on other’s paths today.

 

Christopher Reeve (1952 – 2004): American actor, film director, author, and activist, best known for playing the title character in several Superman films. He suffered an accident while riding a horse and became paralyzed from the shoulders down. Despite that, he continued to act and direct and became an advocate for the power of positive thinking.