Listen to your Mother...

Hiring managers should ask applicants about their values and where they got them. Most will say they got them from their parents – that’s not uncommon, since much of what we learn growing up comes from them. Years ago I found a book called “Momilies – As My Mother Used to Say” (https://www.amazon.com/Momilies®-As-Mother-Used-Say/dp/0345492102) - many of these are applicable at work. Things like “stand up straight”, “comb your hair”, and “tuck in your shirt” – how about those for your attendance policies? Things like “I’m only doing this for your own good” – how managers should feel about their employees. So, I like today’s quote – Ginsburg’s mother giving her advice about how to be an effective professional: think for herself and use common sense. Truth be told, much of what most employees believe comes from their mothers as they help shape their children’s values and thinking. Ask candidates about their values, what they believe, and where those came from – if they tell you they learned them at home, that’s a great topic for future discussion. Because mothers know best. Don’t be embarrassed to inject some Momilies into your culture and management policies – they will resonate with your employees today.

 

Joan Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933 – 2020): American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in 2020.

Hire for attitude and train for skills...

Recruitment is all about finding the right person for the job. Many hiring managers think that means looking only at the candidate’s experience – that’s certainly easy to see. But unless they have the right attitude, that experience may not be enough.  I realize that screening for the attitudes you want can be difficult, but it’s easier than you might imagine. Just ask your candidates what they might bring to the job – if you see excitement in their eyes, hear commitment it in their voice, and feel intensity it in their body language, you’ll know they have a passion for what they do. They’ll have optimism, grit, flexibility, resilience, and common sense – the stuff you want in your employees.  If you then train them how to do the job you expect, you’ll have a professional that will have the skills and attitude to exceed your expectations. Hiring for attitude and training for skills is a great formula for getting the right people and setting them up for success.  It may not be the easiest way to put a great team together, but the time you spend coaching them is better spent than trying to erase old habits. And it starts with a good attitude. Learn how to spot the attitudes you want to hire today.

 

Thomas Alva Edison (1847 – 1931): American inventor and businessman.

Revel in your parental pride...

There is no pride like a parent’s pride. My mother wanted me to be a lawyer and I suspect she was disappointed when I became a business executive instead. At least that’s how she appeared until I became a VP of HR at a big fancy gaming company – after that, she never failed to tell employees she’d meet there “I’m Arte Nathan’s mother”. Food servers, valet parking attendants, slot attendants, whoever. At first, I didn’t think that was appropriate, but then I understood that you don’t have to be famous, you just have to make your mother and father proud of you. And then I was thrilled that she felt that way. During my career there, this was validated many times over: I often met the parents of our Employee of the Year winners, and the pride on their faces was obvious and glowing. And when I’d see an employee showing their parents where they worked, I’d greet them by name; they were so proud that a company executive knew their child by name. I catch myself feeling the same way when seeing my daughter’s and granddaughters’ successes – there’s no better pride than that. Next time you see someone with their parents, tell them how much you appreciate and respect their child. That’s one of the best ways to make a parent’s day today.

 

Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep (born 1949): American actress who has received 21 Academy Award nominations, winning three, and 34 Golden Globe Award nominations, winning eight.

Make up your own mind...

cha·me·le·on

/kəˈmēlyən/

noun

1.     a small slow-moving Old-World lizard with a prehensile tail, long extensible tongue, protruding eyes that rotate independently, and a highly developed ability to change color.

2.     a person who changes their opinions or behavior according to the situation

 

Whoever, whatever, whenever, and wherever you are, stand tall and be proud of yourself. Sometimes things will go awry, or you’ll make a mistake, or suffer any of the other countless unplanned things that happen, but shake them off, learn from them, and move on with a commitment not to do any of those again. That’s called resilience. You may get interrupted but rolling with those punches is all in a day’s work (or life).  That’s called flexibility. And things can get tough but being determined and persistent is what it takes to get through the day. That’s called grit. Those are all part of life – long or short, and you can be proud of dealing with them effectively. Because living a short life as a proud person is more worthwhile than living a whole century as a chameleon. Our values should be guideposts for our lives; our opinions may vary but they should never conflict with our values; and our behaviors should always reflect a deep and abiding respect and concern for others – supporting, not contradicting, those values. Period. Not to bend with the times or wind. Knowing that what we do and say always reflect who and what we are. Take time setting your values and then spend your time living them today.

 

Eraldo Banovac (born 1955): Croatian educator, politician, scientific researcher, and author; he served as Commissioner of the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency from 2005-2009.

Work your butt off...

After 5 months in the rural Adirondack Mountains, I landed back in Las Vegas on Monday night. Early Tuesday I started attending G2E, the annual gaming industry conference and expo. In attendance were professionals from all over the world, many of whom I know from my 25+ years as a casino executive. As I observed the crown and talked to attendees, today’s quote jumped out at me. In attendance were people who knew, understood, and lived by the code that the key to success is that there is no key – be humble, hungry, and always be the hardest worker in the room. I’ve seen the proof of this in so many industry luminaries and colleagues, people who chase excellence every day, continually raising the bar to maintain that high level of performance. That certainly was our ethic at Wynn – if something was worth doing, it was (and still is) worth doing with the commitment to being your best. I think that’s the most challenging and fulfilling way to work – leaving nothing left undone. In big things and small. Not because somebody’s pushing you, but because that’s just the way you are. That’s the key to success today.

 

Dwayne Johnson (born 1972) also known by his ring name the Rock, is an American actor, professional wrestler, and businessman. 

Learn more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwayne_Johnson

Don't be too proud...

Last night we sat out on the deck of our camp in the Adirondacks and observed the stars overhead, marveling in the vastness of the universe. Tonight, we landed back in Las Vegas, marveling at the bright lights of the Strip. Summer and Fall in the mountains and Winter and Spring in the desert – it’s the best of both worlds. It’s a chore to open and close our cabin in the mountains, something I’ve done for nearly 2 dozen years – the effort is worth it. But that effort has gotten harder as I’ve gotten older, and my daughter offered to help – she loves the mountains too and gladly assisted with this effort. There was a point in time where I knew I needed the help but was too proud to ask – fortunately, she offered, reminding me that there’s no shame in asking for help. It’s no different in many of the things we all do every day – thinking we can but knowing we really can’t and should ask for assistance. That’s what family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues do for each other. Don’t be too proud to ask for help today.

 

Joyce Meyer is a leading practical Bible teacher and a New York Times bestselling author; her Enjoying Everyday Life program is broadcast on TV, radio and online worldwide.

Be proud of your humility...

It’s good to be proud of yourself and the things you do. But it’s not appropriate to strut around like you’re better than others – that’s where and when humility is so important. The good that you do, when added to the efforts of others, is what makes working with others so effective, and in that context, humility makes it best. And you can be proud of that. A good leader makes sure everyone contributes and commends each individually. They must also balance the way top contributors and others interact so that no one feels pressured or marginalized – that can sometimes be like walking a tight-rope, making it so important to be aware of everyone and reacting to each appropriately. This is where effective communications, good recognition skills, and emotional intelligence come in to play. Letting everyone know that you’re aware of their contributions and needs, and that you care equally for each. Make sure you encourage both pride and humility today.

 

Mignon McLaughlin (1913 – 1983): American journalist, magazine editor, playwright, and author (The Neurotic’s Notebook).

Don't lose heart when searching for a job you love...

As I looked back on my messages from this week, I may have been a bit too optimistic about the ease of finding one’s calling. I know that it sometimes takes several tries, even if you currently enjoy what you’re doing. There are many who seek to change careers in search of the one that’s just right; the message here is not to give up – the most certain way to succeed is to always try just one more time. I’m not suggesting that you job hop… but keep your eyes and ears and mind open – to learn what is available, and to continually reassess your own interest and needs. I realize it takes courage to overcome the comfort and security of a good job – be open to the possibilities and assess them objectively. And you shouldn’t overlook the opportunities to enhance your current job – discuss your ideas with your supervisor and see if duties and responsibilities can be changed or added to make better use of your skills and interests. It doesn’t have to be perfect… only that you love what you’re doing. Don’t give up trying to find the career you love.

 

Thomas Alva Edison (1847 – 1931): American inventor and businessman. 

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison

Find your passion, find your success...

The messages here this week have been about understanding your interests and finding work you can be passionate about. People who’ve done that have asked me how they will know when they are successful – the simple answer is that if you enjoy it, you’re already a success. That’s a tall order these days since so many people seemingly don’t enjoy what they do. Part of it has to do with you. Try not to take any job just because you need a job – these days, there are so many job openings that you should carefully pick one (or ones to check out) that interest you, will utilize your knowledge, skills, and abilities, and hopefully allow you to reach your full potential. The other part has to do with your boss. When interviewing, ask questions about what’s expected of you and what your supervisor (or the company) will provide to help you reach your full potential. You may take a job just to get your foot in the door of a good company – in that case, it’s up to you to prove yourself while also engaging in conversations with your supervisor. In any case, the key is taking a job you enjoy at a company you enjoy. Do that and you’ll be a success today.

 

Jack Canfield (born 1944): American author (Chicken Soup for the Soul series), motivational speaker, radio host, and syndicated newspaper columnist. He is the founder and CEO of The Canfield Training Group and founder of The Foundation for Self-Esteem in Culver City, California.

When you love it let it show...

When your passion leads you to your calling, turn it loose on your work and see how your work becomes your play. You know it when someone is passionate about something – you see it in their eyes, hear it in their voice, and observe it in their actions. I like to look for a candidate’s excitement or passion during job interviews – if they don’t showcase it there, they probably won’t at work. Letting applicants talk about themselves and what they hope to find in their next job will give you an opportunity to see their passion for their work – in their gestures, smiles, the depth and excitement in their answers, and general body language. It should seem like they are explaining something they love. If you hire them, let them know that your choice was based on their smiles and enthusiasm; then let them know that’s what you expect in their performance. And make sure your company culture and your management style support help bring out enthusiasm in their performance; don’t let policies, procedures, practices, and a stifling management style stifle that kind of attitude. When you get all of this right – hire right, train right, communicate right, and manage right, people enjoy and have fun at work. And that’s when great work occurs – support and facilitate that and watch customer satisfaction and company performance metrics rise. Put a little of that passion into your workplace culture today.    

 

Hiral Nagda: Software engineer at Meta, author, and founder of HIRALNAGDA.COM, a Mind and Lifestyle Coaching portal.