Hard work produces the best work...

·       An "Illusion of Grandeur" is when you believe that you have more power, wealth, smarts, or other grand traits than is true. 

·       "Visions of Greatness" refers to the concept of envisioning a future state of excellence, whether for oneself or a larger entity.

 

An illusion of grandeur is often found in a person who thinks they’re always the smartest one in any room. Sometimes they’re wrong, but they’re never uncertain. With a vision of greatness, a common person can help lead others to greatness. That’s all about teamwork. The first is about ego, the second about team. The first may be exciting to be around but the second won’t let you down. You’ll initially love the first in an interview, but probing questions will ultimately guide you to the second. Don’t let the first excite your ego while allowing the second’s humility to underwhelm you. In interviews or interactions, be sure to keep asking them both to tell you more – that’s where the real substance will be found. If you’re more like the second, don’t let success go to your head – be thankful anyone listened and let you get far enough to see your vision become reality. Because one good idea doesn’t confirm greatness. Several, maybe. But even so, we all must earn our stripes every day. People will rather work with someone who is hard working than someone who tells you they are. Because everyone’s shoulder to the collective wheel is the best way to work today.

 

Edwin Louis Cole (1922–2002): Founder of the Christian Men's Network, an American religious organization devoted to helping Christian men and fathers. He published many books and preached numerous sermons relating to men and religion.

Keep on keeping up...

It isn’t easy going from good to great. One of the best parts of working is seeing if you can make something better. Some businesses are generally open about how they do things – like Disney, which is proud to showcase their customer and employee service programs and systems. It’s one thing to go observe, but many won’t take the time and money and focus to implement and continually improve systems they have or see in others. Toyota viewed Ford’s prowess (at its Rouge manufacturing plant) at the time and did what it took to make it better. And better yet, they became nimble enough to keep making on-going changes and improvements as experience, technology, and competition marched on. It isn’t easy to adopt a process of incremental but constant improvements designed to cut costs while boosting overall quality … let alone manage it. But that’s the business world and everyone, no matter what your role, must seek to do some of this within the sphere of their influence. And because it’s sometimes harder to do this from the top – a better scenario may be that managers do this in their individual departments. If that sounds like something that might interest you - search ’Kaizen’ or ‘continuous improvement’ with Google or AI, learn more about it, and see if you can improve something. And then lobby senior management to support your efforts. Don’t overlook organic opportunities for continuous improvement today.

 

Eiji Toyoda (1913-2013): President of Toyota Motor Corporation toasting Philip Caldwell, the head of Ford Motors who in 1982 was visiting Japan.[1]

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiji_Toyoda

Build your team...

I’ve often written here about my experiences singing in a band and opening casinos – both involved working with people who challenged and inspired me. Those two experiences bookended and changed my life. They involved spending a lot of time with people, working closely, forming bonds, and establishing trust and respect. As a team. Where we stood shoulder to shoulder, working together and complementing each other. My singing involved close knit harmonies and my working relationships felt the same. Getting a satisfaction out of accomplishing things together. For most, it’s hard to pick who you’ll be working with – that role must be assumed by hiring managers, choosing as carefully as they can, and then creating and fostering a teamwork culture that brings people together in both work and interpersonal relationships. The more leaders are successful at this, the more successful they, their peeps, and their companies will be. There’s no magic to it – begin by getting people to continually communicate with each other and let that be the basis of their working together. It’s the kind of work that makes work fun, the kind that can change lives.  Spend your time building your team today.

 

Amy Poehler (born 1971): American actress and comedian (Second City and Saturday Night Live).

Never take trust for granted...

Trust takes time and it’s important to make the time to build it between you and your peeps. It starts when you make a job offer – they want to feel assured that it was a good decision, so make it personal by letting them know you appreciate their decision. It continues with on-boarding – spend those first few days helping them confirm that it was a good decision. I often remind managers that the first question their new employees get when they go home after their first day at a new job is “how was it” – and their job is to make sure their new employee’s answer is “great”. Anything less might make them begin to question the wisdom of that decision. At the same time you are beginning to create a relationship that hopefully will earn their trust, their previous supervisor might be calling to let them know they’ll always be welcomed back if this doesn’t work out. Be aware how hard it is to start a new job and create a long-term plan – up to 6 months, to live up to the promises and positive stories you told them during recruitment. Set the tone and lead the effort to turn each new employee into a happy, long-term member of your team. Because the longer they are with you, the more competent and confident they become, and that’s how trust is formed.  Every day. With every employee. Starting today.

 

Patrick Lencioni (born 1965): American author of books on business management, particularly in relation to team management.[1]

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[1] He is best known as the author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, a popular business fable that explores work team dynamics and suggests methods to help teams perform better.

 

Coaching is the essence of leadership...

Effective leaders find all kinds of opportunities to coach those around them to be their best. It starts with setting clear expectations… for example, being able to communicate effectively with colleagues, management, and customers – a skill they need to be effective at. Then provide basic instructional materials for them to learn from, and a process to make the most of it.  It should be stuff you already know from your role as a leader. And as they process this information and begin using it in their jobs, use your regular interactions with them (formal and informal) to inquire if it’s helping them and if they have any examples to share. Meaning regularly using these basic interactions to not only learn what’s happening in the moment but also as possible coachable moments. Meaning putting coaching on your schedule and planning to weave it in where you can. Not if, but when. That’s not teaching – it’s coaching, to help your peeps practice and develop the skills they need to be effective. And successful. In this case the material is about communications – there are a dozen other topics that fall into this category of Manager and Supervisor management/soft-skills training. That’s any leader’s clear responsibility because these get at the foundation of individual and organizational performance and can create a culture of service excellence; all of it to the measurable benefit of the bottom line.  Get that going and start basking in the glow of the effectiveness of others today.

 

Oliver Napoleon Hill (1883 – 1970): American self-help author. He is best known for his book Think and Grow Rich (1937), which is among the best-selling self-help books of all time.

Drivers: start your engines...

Think about the times you’ve worked with others as part of a team. I bet you remember what you did, with whom, and the results you all achieved. Lots of energy. Everything in sync. For me, that’s work at its best. Lots of hands pitching in as needed. All working on a single vision. Everyone aligned. My memories of those times are vivid; thinking back, names jump out at me that even though I hadn’t thought of them in years, in that instant they’re alive and I can see and hear them. As important as those memories are for us, the task at hand for leaders today is to create an environment of teamwork, trust, respect, and professional relationships that drive success. Assemble a team. Share your vision with them. Inspire them to become part of a collegial and collaborative group of many hands but of one mind. I see that as one of the most important roles of a leader. Like coaching greats in team sports, you too can create a workplace culture centered around teamwork. Make a plan, create a playbook, train together, practice, and discover the kinds of success your team can generate today.

 

Bill Bethel (1955 – 2024): American roller skater, flat track motorcycle racer, and premier Harley Davidson mechanic.

Make sure you communicate effectively...

My boss used to say the difference between a good manager and a great one is his or her ability to communicate effectively; that’s because communications is the hub of all management activity. Whatever you’re doing, you have to tell others; whatever your needs, you must communicate it to others; whatever your plans, you must communicate them to others; and whatever your expectations, nothing will happen until and unless you communicate them to others. In each of those, clarity is critical – it’s best to ask what others heard, or thought they heard, because we often don’t express ourselves clearly. One of the smartest things I ever did was hire an employee communications manager – she brought clarity, brevity, and consistency to everything we communicated internally. Policies, handbooks, welcome notices, strategy, newsletters – all consistent and managed. Everything. Nothing went out without being checked. It improved employee relations, morale, employee satisfaction, and customer service. Whatever success you have – individually and organizationally, it will be better with effective internal communications. If you’re interested in making sure every member of your team is on the same page, manage your internal communications effectively today.

 

Matt Cameron (born 1962): American drummer (Soundgarden and Pearl Jam) from San Diego, California.Make

We are what we do...

We often tell people we care for them but sometimes our actions contradict our words. We tell friends that we care but often won’t drop everything when their need is greatest. We tell employees they’re our most important assets but then cut hours and benefits when there are better (but harder) ways to protect or bolster the bottom line. In either case (and so many others), our actions don’t match the words we speak – and people see right through that. But until we accept that what we do has far greater impact than what we say we’ll have friends and employees that won’t really trust us. So don’t make a claim unless you’re prepared to back it up today.

 

Stephen Covey (1932 – 2012): American educator, author, businessman, and speaker. His most popular book is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

There's always more to learn...

We often start something without knowing all we need to get started – that’s ignorance, and it needs to be accepted as the first step in learning. It’s good to know what you don’t know. The only way we’re going to begin to overcome that is being curious – digging deeper to find and learn what we need to know. Discovery is the best part of every challenge. And the more you learn the more competent you’ll be – given the opportunity to practice, your competence will morph into confidence. When that happens, you can start putting your personality into whatever you’re doing. Then all that’s left is the hard work to turn it into success – a finished product, satisfied customers, and a sense of accomplishment. Big or small, this happens regularly. Professionals do this every day. And since every day brings its own set of issues and challenges, there’s always work to be done. Start with a little curiosity and work your way to success today.

 

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835 – 1910): American writer, humorist, and essayist known by his pen name Mark Twain. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced".

Fair Play is good for your bottom line...

This sounds like a successful and respected company’s business strategy. Employees want to work for companies and leaders that run a tight and caring operation, so they have security and a sense of belonging. Companies like that have good values and include them in what they do and say, smart missions and visions and they project them into operating plans, and fair policies that reflect their values.   When they get this right, it shows in employees’ eyes and in their actions; when they don’t, there’s hardly any twinkle in their eyes or hustle in their movements. Customers see it, they experience it, and it influences their plans and choices. It shows in the bottom line: satisfied employees are more productive, creative, and engaged with management and customers. That’s when people want to work for you and stay with you, two things you and others can easily measure and track. It’s a lot of what makes up a culture of excellence[1]. There are lots of companies that have them and too many that don’t. It’s in your grasp if you want it. Run your business wisely and treat your employees the way you want to be treated today.

 

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 – 1962):  American political figure, diplomat, and activist.[2]

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[1] Defined as a workplace environment where high performance, continuous improvement, and employee well-being are prioritized.

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_Roosevelt

Give your best employees more autonomy and authority...

I’ve always liked the concept of self-directed work teams but never quite figured out how to create them.  These consist of groups of employees who operate with a high degree of autonomy, typically without a traditional manager or hierarchical structure. I loved that Zappos did this: they have a flat organizational structure and empower employees to make decisions independently, fostering a culture of self-management. Consider that:

·      The benefits of self-directed teams include increased productivity and efficiency, improved decision-making, enhanced employee engagement and satisfaction, and a tendency to be more adaptable and innovative. 

·      To be successful they require trust and lots of clear communications. 

·      The biggest obstacle is often management’s reluctance to give authority to employees – it’s better to start out with these teams than to try and change existing org structures and top-down management habits. 

I suspect employees love these but need training to ensure adoption and acceptance of autonomy, shared responsibility, and collaborative decision-making. The good news is that companies often have employees who lead without titles, being role models and natural leaders. You may not get as far as having self-directed work teams, but you can start by giving employees with those traits more authority and autonomy today.

 

Henry Ford (1863 – 1947): American industrialist and business magnate.[1]

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Ford

Family values matter...

We need to teach our children the importance of being on time. It starts there. If not, later in life meetings won’t start on time, they’ll be late for appointments, and the importance of being at work every day and on time becomes a problem that managers must then try to manage. Punctuality and attendance are important at work as in life. But they’re the biggest employee relations issues in many companies. With managers acting like parents. The concept isn’t that farfetched – parents must say ‘no’ to some things, but they never stop caring about their children; parents who run alongside holding onto their child’s new bike trying to help guide them while knowing they eventually must let go; parents who gather around the dinner table each night talking to their children about the day’s events. At work we often talk of it being a family – not quite, but with many of the same principles of family dynamics. So, no matter what a new employee brings with them to work on their first day, start then with reinforcing the family values that co-exist in the workplace. Because when we understand the importance of respecting each other’s time we then begin treating everyone with trust and respect. Then we can start managing everything else today. 

 

Peter Ferdinand Drucker (1909 – November 11, 2005) was an Austrian American management consultant, educator, and author, whose writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of modern management theory.[1]

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[1] He was also a leader in the development of management education, and invented the concepts known as management by objectives and self-control,[1] and he has been described as "the champion of management as a serious discipline.”

Learn from others...

It’s fun to be famous. But unless that’s your job, it can be distracting. Better to be quietly focused on what you’re doing, working as part of a team where everyone’s contributing. Finishing on time as planned. That’s hard enough, made more so by distractions. But if you’re good, others want to network, share stories, and learn. Being good is fame enough – good is often its own reward. And that can come from professional associations and the formal and informal opportunities they present to network with and learn from others doing similar work. There are even more opportunities now with virtual presentations and conferences. I wish these kinds of virtual events were around when I was working – I always enjoyed listening to what others were doing. It’s part of the way people work. Attend these yourself. Make that kind of professional development part of what you let your employees have time to attend. That kind of investment pays dividends. In productivity, creativity, performance, and morale. Give your employees lots of opportunities to feel good about and proud of what they do today.

 

Robin Sharma (born 1965):  Canadian writer, best known for his The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari book series. Sharma worked as a litigation lawyer until age 25, when he self-published MegaLiving, a book on stress management and spirituality.

Learn about micro-learning...

Over the years I’ve built lots of little Adirondack-y stuff like tables, bookcases, and more. This year I decided to make something different – a lamp. I’m aware enough to know that’s a bit out of my wheelhouse, but hey, how hard can it be? In the past I’d ask people I know – I’m not shy about that. But someone pointed me to You Tube – practically anything you want to know about everything is there and sure enough, I’ve found a good video. I was thinking I’m not too proud to admit I don’t know about this, but that’s half of it. The other is whether I’m humble enough to learn – the older we get that’s easier said than done. To sit, take notes and screen shots, and open up the training portals of the mind – to be humble enough to realize you don’t know, to be open to learning, and to grow new skills. That’s the challenge and allure of MasterClass (in particular) and micro-learning (in general). Short informational snippets by subject experts. That’s how employees learn today. Make it part of your job to study the market of materials that’ll help them learn, and then curate a curriculum for them. Better yet, record your own (easy enough on your smart phone). It’s a great tool to market to your applicants, most of whom expect to be shown what to do, told why that’s needed, and measured accordingly. In a tight labor market, training can be a differentiator. It's also good for your business – it’s a key component of the workplace cultures of great companies. Get good at this to attract and retain top talent (and customers) today.  

 

Pauline Joyce Meyer (born 1943): American Charismatic Christian author, speaker, and president of Joyce Meyer Ministries.

Take it one step at a time...

Everything is like this. Big projects and small. Early in my career I learned what a Gantt chart was: a visual project management tool, typically displayed as a horizontal bar chart, that illustrates a project's schedule over time. The HR chart for opening a casino is more than 500 items spread over 2 years. The rest of the charts made up 50 times more. As big as the project looked, in this format it was a plan for hundreds of people doing thousands of individual tasks made up of many thousand sub tasks. Until we went through the exercise(s) of breaking it down into bite sized pieces, it was almost too much to get our heads around. But we felt pretty good – not to mention confident, when the plan was laid out like that. And by the time we began implementing those tasks, we were confident and prepared. First time we did that was the Mirage, and it transformed Vegas and gaming. Whether its putting things together at work or people together in life, having the discipline to plan how things go together is the best way to get things done. Whatever you’re working on – big or small, focus on the little things and you’ll feel good about how things work out today. 

 

Howard Zinn (1922 – 2010): American historian and World War II veteran. He was chair of the history and social sciences department at Spelman College, and a political science professor at Boston University. 

Hire people with the best attitude...

Some people want to be the smartest person in the room – you know the type, often wrong but never uncertain. It’s better to be the hardest worker in the room – quiet and dedicated, and always there until things are done. The kind you can rely on, the one you want on your team, and a person you can trust. I’m working on a project to review job descriptions for a gaming company, and I’m amazed that they currently focus solely on technical competencies and not on having the right attitude. I realize it’s easier to assess whether someone knows how to do something, but once on the job most managers want people who’ll show up every day, have a positive outlook, be flexible, and quick to bounce back when things don’t go as they should (which happens often). There are behavioral questions and professional assessments that can get at these attitudinal issues, but most hiring managers would rather see if you can operate a computer or change a light bulb. I call it ‘hiring for attitude’ – looking for the person you’ll want on the team; and ‘training for skills’ – because good hiring managers take the time to train and coach good employees. The key to successful hiring is, there is not key. Get people with the right attitude and show them how to do the work today.

 

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

Make hard work pay off...

Guys like Edison and the other industrialists of the late 19^th century probably talked like this to their workers (that’s what they called employees back then). More like commodities than people. Given the opportunity to work hard and make the kind of money they made, this made sense to them. Back then this benefitted only the owners in this category, much like the titans (Bezos, Zuckerburg et al) of the business world today. But now the top tier of professional athletes, movie stars, and, most recently, AI stars are leveraging their star power and prowess to carve out their share of the wealth. To a much lesser degree, that’s what union leaders hope to get for their members, leaving regular workers to cut up what’s left. If companies want employees to work hard to help them compete today, they must do a better job explaining what that hard work will get you – like gain sharing and real profit sharing. A friend in the gaming business put his money where his mouth is and created an employee stock ownership plan and he’s seeing jaw-dropping productivity, performance, and engagement gains. It’s not about paying a living wage; it’s about giving your best and hardest working employees a real chance at wealth. Where everyone makes money, relatively speaking; like what they see in the news and on social media. That’s not socialism – it’s the new capitalism. I’m not sure where robotics and AI are going, but you’ll always need your best and brightest. They may not be dressed in overalls, but they’ll proudly be doing the hard work needed. Start to get your head around that today. 

Thomas Alva Edison (1847 – 1931): American inventor and businessman.[1]

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[1] Edison developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures.[4] These inventions, which include the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and early versions of the electric light bulb, have had a widespread impact on the modern industrialized world.[5] He was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of organized science and teamwork to the process of invention, working with many researchers and employees. He established the first industrial research laboratory.

Be a life supporter...

This is what parents tell their kids to help them believe in themselves. It’s what kindergarten teachers tell their new students to help start them on their educational journey. Both intended to build self-confidence, self-reliance, and self-motivation. So, it stands to reason company leaders and managers should follow along the same path with their new employees. Because it takes courage and bravery to start anything new, especially a job. And strength of character to live the values they’ve learned along the way. And the competence and confidence to do a good job, forge ahead, and make an impact. That’s what we want and need from our kids, students, and employees. It’s all the same. We each think our parents were unique, but kindergarten teachers are much the same everywhere – kind, cheerful, helpful, and always looking out for their “kids”. Put the two together and you have a good role model for how to approach your responsibilities as a manager, being genuinely interested in the well-being and success of your charges, and leading with care, clarity, and concern. Because people who believe in themselves care greatly about what they do. In life and business. Help create that in your employees today. 

 

Alan Alexander Milne (1882 – 1956): English playwright, poet, and writer best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh. [1]

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[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tRepZdoRmY&t=1s

Be a shoulder to lean on...

Life is full of successes and failures, and we each win a few and lose a few along the way. Unless you set a record, nobody really notices. But we feel each and the emotions that go along with them can sometimes get you down, making it hard to keep going or put on a happy face. That’s life. As leaders, we need to keep that in mind and be there to give a boost at the beginning of each day. Whether working on an opening of a resort or running one, I found it helpful to start each shift with a message reminding everyone to be there for each other. That’s how these daily messages got started. That’s part of teamwork. And, no matter how you feel, that kind of support provides the courage to get going again. Life, like work, is hard enough, more so when feeling alone. Help others face and overcome the ups and downs they face and feel today.

 

John Robert Wooden (1910 – 2010): American basketball coach and player.[1]

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[1] He won ten National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) national championships in a 12-year period as head coach for the UCLA Bruins, including a record seven in a row. Wooden won the prestigious Henry Iba Award as national coach of the year a record seven times and won the Associated Press award five times.

 

Think about making things right...

Every leader should encourage their people to dream. And make it a habit to discuss with them the things they think about while doing their work. Most will probably be about how to improve something related to their work. Listen carefully, there’s no telling what you’ll learn. Then challenge them to come up with a plan to do it. The best ideas come from people at work. Once upon a time that was me. My boss provided the vision for extraordinary design and service and challenged us to make that happen in the things we did. If we could explain it, were passionate about it, and were willing to take on the extra work, he gave the green light. Most ideas are born of necessity – the way it’s always been done no longer works. It’s what makes any job the best job for you. And adds extra challenges and accomplishments. The bigger the better – if it doesn’t scare you, it’s not big enough. All my crazy computer projects were like that – almost too big. But worth it. In the end it makes you feel good about making something right. Talk to your peeps, encourage them to dream big, and let them bite off a little more than they can chew today.

 

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (born 1938): Liberian politician who served as the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. Sirleaf was the first elected female head of state in Africa.

Everything goes better with a smile...

One thing you’ll find a lot of here in the Adirondacks are small-town-Main-Street-diners. Some are bars, some are eateries, many are both. For locals and tourists. Food’s mostly the same. Same with the atmosphere. Only variable is the staff. Lots of kids working summers; a few old timers who work year-round and set the standards – good or bad. Waitress we had tonight got it all right. A three-year veteran. She works two jobs, running 10 tables here tonight. On her way from and to other tables she stopped quickly to smile, welcome us, and smile a lot more through a very efficient and pleasant dining experience. Felt like we were the only one’s there. There are gems like her in other places here and its fun for me to see the kind of service-with-a-genuine-smile that would fit in Vegas. Great service employees are what people talk about after experiencing that – usually more about the experience than the food. These are small family businesses, and their style is usually evident – good or bad, on their employee’s faces. In the good ones, it’s a smile. It’s what makes good hospitality great. Oh yeah … I had a BLT. Treat your peeps so they’ll want to wear a smile today.   

 

Connie Stevens (born Concetta Rosalie Ann Ingoglia; 1938): American actress and singer.[1]

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Stevens

Instill passion and pride...

I used to say my role as an HR leader was to inspire our managers to inspire our employees to embrace our mission and culture. The Mission was ‘keep the promise’ of the beautiful and fanciful buildings with amazing service: employees knew they had to make that happen every day.  And the culture revolved around treating employees and customers with respect – just like the Golden Rule. We knew it wouldn’t be good enough just to have those defined and posted – we wanted our employees to passionately live and support those in everything they did. And since supervisors couldn’t be there for every moment of service, employees had to be inspired to do perform even when nobody was looking. It was akin to a cult and through screening, training, and coaching, we made sure the right employees were in the right jobs with the right mindsets. I’ve been asked many times how we made that happen – in addition to those things we did to support employees, we spent lots of time and energy communicating to them, recognizing their efforts, and treating them like customers. That’s why the staff dining room was the nicest restaurant in our properties, internal communications were on par with external communications, and the employee areas were just as nice as the guest’s. And then we let their personalities shine through the services they provided. Do what it takes to treat your employees like customers today.

 

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 – 1821): French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution.[1]

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[1] He led a series of military campaigns across Europe during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1796 to 1815. He led the French Republic as First Consul from 1799 to 1804, then ruled the French Empire as Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1814, and briefly again in 1815. He was King of Italy from 1805 to 1814 and Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine from 1806 to 1813.

 

Set your vision and mission...

Your efforts as a leader should make your employees feel good about how they contribute to your company’s goals and objectives. The messages here these last 4 days are all about creating a culture of excellence that does that, and the roles you and your employees play in developing and supporting it. Your job is to provide clear visioning, messaging, and planning, and to manage a disciplined implementation of effective communications and recognition programs. Employees provide feedback and engage in continuous improvement. Don’t leave this to chance – employee surveys can measure the perceived effectiveness of management and its policies, programs, and activities. And don’t be afraid of what you might find – the facts are always friendly, especially when you take the time to analyze them objectively and use the results to fine tune (or fix) what you do.   Employees like being asked and appreciate it when management listens and responds. These are the kinds of collaborative efforts that create a culture of excellence. That makes employees feel good. Make that your vision and mission today.

 

Tracy Streckenbach: Operating Partner at Gridiron Capital; from an interview, Clear Goals Matter More than Mission, The New York Times.Se

Listen to Professor Maslow...

In Monday’s message I suggested that if you don’t treat employees well, they’re apt to be disengaged and end up focusing mostly on their wages, which won’t, in their opinion, ever be enough. To them, it’ll all be about the money. Not the work. 

 

Connecting this with the last two messages, the ROI for treating employees well is that they’ll be emotionally invested, as in they’ll feel and act like an owner. All in on making whatever they do the best. Not satisfied unless the company is best in breed. Loving that what they do matters. 

 

It seems so simple as I write this, but I know a lot of companies that don’t get it. I think that’s called penny wise and pound foolish.

·      If that’s the case (where you work), take it upon yourself to make this kind of culture work in your department by focusing on your employees. Starting during onboarding and every day thereafter.  Training, coaching, recognizing, and appreciating.  Being engaged to get them engaged. You’ll look like a star. 

·      And if your company does get it – double down and really make it work in your department. 

 

Either way, get engaged and get y0ur employees emotionally invested today.

 

Simon Sinek (born 1973): English-born American author and inspirational speaker on business leadership. His books include Start with Why and The Infinite Game.