Fight hard to find consensus...

Imagine what our country was like when authors and humorists like Mark Twain and Will Rogers were in full bloom. When tycoons and politicians regularly participated in the give and take of their wit. When they all gave as good as they took in the arena of public attention and opinion. No television or internet – it was all front-page news and word of mouth. They all had thick skin and survived the back and forth, debating over a pint and ending with a handshake. When leaders understood that the purpose of a democracy was to fight hard to forge a consensus. When loyalty was to the country that they all fought so hard to preserve. Where institutions and officeholders came and went but the people all stood shoulder to shoulder to support their country and what it stood for. When people talk of the good old days, those were it. As America emerged into world leadership after the 2 World Wars, it was based on those principles. And as America’s economy and its businesses flourished, their bedrock was those principles too. Where all men are created equal. One nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all. Be loyal to that 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," and the “father of American literature”. Twain's novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.

Dare to care...

·      Be respectful to everyone you meet.

·      There’s no downside to that.

·      It’s the right thing to do.

 

Bottom line - Coach Wooden’s words here says it all, in sports, business, and life. He was immensely successful because of his respectful ways – with college administrators, the players he coached, their parents, and the fans.  And therein is another of the lessons to be learned from him. In business, this applies to customers and employees – respect makes them both want to do more with and for you. From an old HR professional’s perspective, that’s why a workplace culture is so important – employees work harder, give more, and are more loyal in an environment of trust and respect. It’s a two-way street – making investments in employee relations pays dividends in productivity, engagement, satisfaction, and retention. That’s why practicing emotional intelligence is so important – people do more when they know you care. It’s never about the wages unless the lack of caring leaves only the wages to matter. And there’s no exemptions for status or wealth – history has shown that to be true. So, start each day with a commitment to treat everyone with respect – that’s the best way to get the most out of your people and for you to be more successful today.

 

John Wooden (1910 – 2010): American basketball player in college (Purdue – 1^st 3x All-American All-Star award winner), and professional (in the old NBL); and coach (UCLA – a then record of 10 National Championships), and acclaimed leader.

Don't criticize what you can't understand...

·      60 years ago, Dylan sang that the times were a-changin’.

·      As confusing as those changes were, answers were blowin’ in the wind.

·      But we shouldn’t get too comfortable because the winds of change are constant.

 

When Cesar Chavez started organizing farmworkers, the world was a different place. The 1960s were a period that re-defined human rights and led to social and legislative changes around the concept that all people are created equal. That addressed and replaced past disparities with diversity and inclusion. In these past 60 years, the pendulum swung from one social order to another, and today it might be swinging back towards another correction of the norms by which we define our society. None of us are old enough to have lived through many of these corrections, although history tells us they’ve happened regularly throughout the life of these United States. No matter what happened during those shifts in the past, the lesson is that preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures. Passions run high in times of change, but unaltered is the fact that we are all children of G-d. Interestingly, the bastion of that thinking is in the workplace, where policies of fairness and rewards for performance prevail. Therein are the lessons that should be remembered and rekindled today.

 

Cesario Estrada Chavez (1927 – 1993): American born labor leader and civil rights activist, Navy veteran, and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom award, who helped found the United Farm Workers (UFW) labor union. Ideologically, his worldview combined left-wing politics with Catholic social teachings.

Learn to feel good about yourself...

·      Before you give your respect to others you must respect who and what you are. 

·      And before that, you must decide who and what you are. 

 

It used to be that most of who and what working people think they are, is bound up in large part with their job. That was truer with Baby Boomer, Gen X, and Millennial workers than it seems to be with those in Gen Z and Gen Alpha groups. Thus, for the first groups, the importance of working at something they love. With the latter 2 generational groups, it seems that getting a job they love is a negotiation in and around the standard job description - they are more used to getting what they want than the first 3 groups, and I suggest employers must prepare to adapt to this change in employee expectations. In general, then, workers in every generation should work at jobs they love to respect and feel good about (and loyal to) themselves.  This may all sound a bit convoluted, but I’m suggesting is that companies should explore ways to make their employees feel that way as a strategy to improve retention. This follows the principles of emotional intelligence that proved so effective in restaffing after the Covid pandemic – ones that in the future will help employer recruitment and retention. Thus, self-respect may become increasingly important in a company’s abilities to build loyalty, improved performance, and overall company results. Said another way: happy employees make happy customers and happy shareholders. Something to consider today.

 

Javier Ángel Encinas Bardem (born 1969): Spanish actor who is the recipient of an Academy Award, seven Goya Awards, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

Be respectful if you want people to be loyal to you...

I try to make my daily messages about things that apply to managing businesses and people, and they often apply to living life. Today’s quote may be one of the more important ones because work environments, like society, generally relies on getting along with one another. All of that revolves around respectful behavior; some would say trust is also involved, but while you don’t have to trust someone, you should always respect them. Whether they agree with you or not – because everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and we should respect that. Whether you like them or not – you may not break bread with them, but you should respect their choices just like they should respect yours. Respect, then, is a two-way street: if you want to get it you’ve got to give it. No matter who you are – it’s not about one’s station in life, it’s about sharing the planet we all live on. It’s not about one’s title – without a business card, we’re all in the same line. Think about the bosses you’ve had – good and bad was defined by whether they were respectful. If they demanded respect, what they got was lip service. If they earned it, what they got was a lifetime of loyalty. Give respect if you want to get it today.

 

R. G. Risch: Army veteran, electronic engineer, technical writer, author (Beyond Mars: Crimson Fleet)

Be reliably respectful...

re·li·a·bil·i·ty

/rəˌlīəˈbilədē/

noun

1.     the quality of being trustworthy or of performing consistently well.

 

It’s one thing to say what you mean and mean what you say, and something else altogether to be respectable and respectful in what you say. Like I said in a recent message, the internet and social media have given unfettered voice to just about anyone and their opinion, much of which needn’t be broadcast – not because it’s different, but because it’s disrespectful. Just because you can say or do something doesn’t always mean you should – meanness, like spite and hatefulness, have no place in social discourse. And whether anyone likes it or not, we’re all equal in God’s eyes – that’s explicit in every religion, even if it goes against some people’s interpretations. And when anyone gains a reputation for being unreliable when it comes to the truth or respectability, they may ultimately lose whatever station they hope to attain. As a long-standing HR practitioner, I know that unreliable people, those with a documented reputation for dishonesty, disrespect, and disagreeability don’t get hired in the business world. Not just because that behavior is wrong, but also because nobody wants to work around that. That’s a standard I think should be applied to the lives we live today.

 

Paul Edward Theroux (born 1941): American novelist and travel writer who has written numerous books, including the travelogue The Great Railway Bazaar. Many of his works have been adapted to film and television.

Don't make promises you can't or shouldn't keep...

When building the Mirage, the size, scope, and cost of the project created a lot of expectations. People couldn’t fathom how something that large could get done, be managed, satisfy expectations, or turn a profit. The thing we kept saying to each other, which became our motto and mission, was to keep the promises that those expectations created. But even that was too big for most to get their heads around so we reduced it to the small promises any one department or individual could make and keep. Like for the HR department: humanizing the application process, making applicants feel appreciated, and responding to every applicant within 10 days of whatever step of the process they were in. That was no small promise with 55,000 applications and up to 6 different steps along the way – but those applicants were to become either our employees or future customers, so we knew it was a promise worth keeping. Like for every employee in general: make eye contact and smile; that was put to the challenge when 35,000 new customers streamed into the building in the first 3 hours after the ribbon cutting. It was our promises and they kept them. When everyone knows what their piece of the quilt is, and is supported to be able to do it, promises, big and small get made and kept. Whatever you’re doing, big or small, build trust by keeping your promises today.

 

Walter Wangerin Jr. (1944 –2021): American author and educator best known for his religious novels and children's books.

Quiet down and listen...

One of the best things a leader can do is listen – for that, they need the humility to stop them thinking they know what’s best. The best example of this is in the business world: when you want to know if improvements are needed to any design or process, just ask the people working on those front lines. They’re there day after day and understand what works best and what’s needed. They need to be asked regularly because things change, and businesses that don’t listen and adjust just as regularly won’t be able to match or beat their competition. Beware of leaders who talk more than they listen – they’re the ones who think they are smarter than everyone else. They are the ones making speeches rather than facilitating listening forums, the ones who only listen to people that always agree with them, and quickly put down those that don’t. I know it’s hard to be at the top and still be curious enough to seek out diverse opinions. But I also know that success like that is fragile. And it really hurts when you lose it all because you forgot this simple truth. Don’t be too big to ask questions and listen to others. Be open to all perspectives. Be a role model for listening and learning today.

 

Rosabeth Moss Kanter (born 1943): American sociologist who is a professor of business at Harvard Business School. She was named one of "125 women who changed our world" over the past 125 years by Good Housekeeping magazine.

Practice servant leadership: with empathy and caring...

The basic premise of the Coaching course I teach is that it’s all about the person being coached. Not the coach. Similarly, leadership is about the people being led – their needs, interests, and expectations. Not the leader. In fact, the best leaders don’t have to make many decisions – they set the vision, support the growth and competencies of their people, provide coaching and counsel when needed, and give credit to their people when they are successful. Whenever a leader says they’re the smartest person in the room, they’ve failed the test of leadership – that kind of boasting is unseemly. Their actions can and should attest to their strengths without the need for bragging. The proudest moments of my career were when others succeeded and received accolades. Because leadership is about lifting others up, helping each to find their groove and make their mark. Those who crave a leader’s boasting and strutting, demean, and forfeit their own importance and integrity. Leaders who understand this provide the foundation of successful teams; those who don’t won’t be nearly as successful as they could be. Watch out for leaders who care more about themselves than others today.

 

Sheri Linn Dew (born 1953): American author, publisher, businessperson (Deseret Book Company), and inspirational speaker.

Tell the truth...

Growing up in the 50s, there was a well-accepted practice known as truth in advertising – meaning anything in any media must conform to the truth. Not an opinion, or a hope of what the truth would be, or what any one individual arbitrarily claimed it to be. Only documented, verifiable proof, truth. Whether we like it or not, 1+1 always equals 2. Maybe it’s because the Internet and social media opened so many independent channels that are not guided by any truth in advertising criteria. It’s hard to enforce, so maybe highly visible “Opinion” labels should be required. And maybe every site should clearly admonish viewers/readers/listeners to check all the facts before believing anything. Because, at the end of the day, supporting truth, even when it’s unpopular, is (and should be) a measure of honesty and integrity. Especially when the truth is only “this is my opinion only”. There used to be a deli in Las Vegas run by a self-described driver for the mob who posted in his window “In My Humble Opinion”, and every regular patron knew this applied to just about everything he would carry on about in there. We can all tell stories – of tall tales or truths, but when it comes to stuff that people need to rely on, it should be the truth, and nothing but the truth. So Help Me God! That’s the standard we are required to adhere to in court with the judge and jurors and in business with employees. Why shouldn’t that be the standard for what anyone tells others is the truth today.

 

Steve Brunkhorst (born 1968ish): American consultant specializing in Project Management & Systematic Problem Solving.

Don't let setbacks get in your way...

At the Mirage, we pioneered the concept of hire for attitude. Back then, my simplistic idea was to screen for people who didn’t mind being interrupted, something that happens often to service employees. Meaning they should be flexible, open, and resilient. We factored that into our hiring decisions and everyone we hired generally had the technical skills for the job AND had the right attitudes for success. Back then, that was an innovative idea. Years later when I partnered with a clinical psychologist in a consulting practice, he showed me how the attitudes I was seeking back then equated to people with optimism and grit ... people who don’t believe that failure is permanent and see it for what it is, a temporary challenge and learning opportunity. They roll with the punches and see the glass as half full. Companies should decide the basic attitude and qualities they want in employees and screen applicants for them, and then only refer candidates with those qualities to the hiring managers. Those managers can then assess them for whatever technical skills needed for the job; that way, everyone hired has both the skills wanted and the attitudes needed … that’s a recipe for good hiring. Because when things don’t go as planned, you want employees who see that as an opportunity to make it right today.  

 

Angela Lee Duckworth (born 1970): American psychologist, popular science author, and academic who studies grit and self-control.

Look at things differently...

I love to read, especially mysteries and historical novels. While opening the Mirage, I read The Pillars of the Earth, a historical novel by Ken Follett that tells the story of the building of a cathedral in 12th century England. It was the first time I’d considered the magnitude of such a project and couldn’t help thinking about how that applied to what we were attempting on the Las Vegas strip, and how these sorts of huge projects happen one building block at a time. Like the volcano and siting 3500 palm trees. Like the struggle I was having handling and processing 55,000 applicants and all the attached paperwork. I often tell the story of how we either couldn’t read the handwriting on the applications or misspelled it making labels for the file folders – both contributed to the loss or misfiling of nearly 20% of them. A real nightmare. And therein was the genesis of my early creative dreams of alternate systems that eventually lead to our innovative paperless systems nearly 14 years later. An iterative process that was seemingly one building block at a time. I’m no smarter or stronger than the next guy, but I learned that persistence pays off. So:

·      If you’ve got an idea, hold tight, keep trying and learning, and remember to take it one step at a time. Big or small, that’s how innovations happen.

·      If you’re managing people and they have ideas, create a trusting environment where they’ll tell you and you’ll support them. That too is how innovations happen.

That’s when and how a pile of rocks ceases to be a rock pile because someone sees it as something very different Looktoday.

 

Antoine Saint-Exupéry (1900 – 1944), French writer, poet, journalist, and aviator.

Buckle your seatbelt...

I clearly remember where I was when John Kennedy proclaimed that the US would put a man on the moon and when Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon. Those two seemingly impossible goals created a sense of wonder, adventure, and challenge beyond our wildest imaginations. And then I read about the innovations that would flow from that effort, the most impactful being the age of computerization, which paved the way for the internet, mobile technology, GPS, apps, and so much more that we didn’t yet fully comprehend. Interestingly, when we started working at the Golden Nugget, the company was opposed to investing in computers, the theory being that we were in the people serving people business. But we quickly learned the benefits that computers brought to our people business. We learned where and how to use them to compliment the business, not come between our employees and our guests (or our employees and their managers). We embedded our computer monitors in the front desk agent’s workstation rather than let it sit between them and the guest checking in and out, wrapped up the cords rather than have them tangle up work areas, and made sure that the number of keystrokes were at a minimum when completing any transactions. Things like that allowed us to use technology while also having smiles, eye contact and human interactions. If innovation is the call of the future, we need to design them in ways that truly benefit our efforts – thinking that through completely is critical to realizing the benefits of any innovative effort. And that’s done best by involving everyone in the ideation and planning phases to capture their perspectives and experiences and reduce their resistance to the changes that then occur. Involve all stakeholders in your innovative journey into the future today.

 

Kofi Atta Annan (1938 – 2018): Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. He was chairman of The Elders, an international organization founded by Nelson Mandela.

Focus on the possibilities...

When the Mirage opened, it was amazing. But there were some things that weren’t – one was the Payroll/HR system that we designed and built. It failed almost immediately, and we had to shut it off and do manual payroll for 5500 employees for nearly a year; we quickly contracted with Deloitte to install an HR system then known as Infinium. Old legacy design that ran on an even older AS 400 platform – needless to say, I was bummed – I was still dreaming of the possibilities. I complained to anyone who’d listen and that eventually got to the President of Infinium who called to ask what I had in mind. Treasure Island had just opened, and we still couldn’t do the kinds of analyses and modeling that the system’s financial modules enjoyed so I started by describing what HR could do if it had those same capabilities. Turns out nobody had ever suggested creating a data warehouse of HR information and running the same business intelligence (BI) tools that Finance used against that. I didn’t know anything about the technical components behind my request, but I was able to clearly define the possibilities that it could create. Infinium’s developers were surprised and then excited to work on the challenges I laid out. It worked incredibly well and gave us the courage to define the possibilities around my paperless and self-service-ideas. I wasn’t the smartest person in any of those discussions, but the clarity and passion of my vision inspired people to consider it. I suspect there are lots of regular people working on all kinds of things that they think could be improved through creative innovations – all it takes is someone to listen to their ideas with an open mind. The moral of this story: focus on the possibilities and see what new products can be created today. 

 

Anthony Jay “Tony” Robbins (born 1960): American author, coach and speaker.

Understand your own hierarchy of needs...

When I was in high school, I was in the Key Club, a school organization that promoted community involvement and volunteerism. I got involved in Head Start, a program that provided (and still does) comprehensive early childhood education, health, and nutrition services to low-income children and families. That introduced me to what I could be … someone dedicated to helping others. My mother was pointing me towards being a lawyer but that didn’t seem hands-on enough. So, when I started studying HR in college, I knew that was what I must be. Because to be effective at something, it must resonate with you; same with wanting to innovate in a job – you must be passionate about it. And I loved HR – finding the right jobs for people, coaching them, navigating problems, teaching, planning things that exceeded expectations, and developing better ways to meet their needs. You won’t try to over-achieve if you’re not totally into what you’re doing. I’ve said it before (and I ‘ll say it again): the best job for anyone is most often the one they have – the challenge is to make it the one you love. If you love what you do, get fully involved in it and make it all it can be. Starting today.

 

Abraham Maslow (1908 – 1970): American psychologist who created Maslow's hierarchy of needs, a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority, culminating in self-actualization.

 

More about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:    

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs

Share your experience through storytelling...

Great companies reinforce their culture using mentors to pass legacy knowledge on to new employees. I’ve been fortunate to have had mentors in all the businesses I’ve worked in – learning from their stories and answers to my questions. It’s a powerful way to build employee knowledge, competencies, and commitment at all levels. History and storytelling are some of the best teachers and should be integrated into recruitment, onboarding, and training programs. Consider interviewing your high performers, current and past, and building a library of videos to use in these programs – that’s also a nice way to recognize those high performers. Let them talk about what they did and why, what they learned along the way, and what they’d like to pass on to others – there will be so many ways you can use that material to promote operational and service excellence. You’ll be sending the message that you value your employees, building pride, supporting a culture of excellence, and spreading your employee brand. Very impactful and cost-effective. Let your best people be your best teachers today.

 

Charles Henry Fowler (1837 – 1908): Canadian American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church who served as the 4th President of Northwestern University from 1872 to 1876.

Never forget how precious life is...

·      I found today’s quote and was preparing to write about how the greatest and best leaders are almost always humble. 

·      But then today’s news got in the way. 

·      So:

 

The Pacific Coast Highway from Oregon to San Diego has always been one of my favorite drives. It and the towns and cities along that route regularly survive earthquakes, mudslides, and forest fires and manage to retain or regain their iconic beauty. The news the past two days suggests that this unique and beautiful area may be facing its greatest challenge. Like many, I know people who’ve lost their homes in this nightmare and my heart goes out to them. When my wife and I lived in Laguna Beach, the specter of those wildfires was never far from our consciousness, but fortunately we were spared. Still, I can’t imagine how horrible an actual event like that can be. But I suspect the victims of this latest conflagration will rise to the challenge, not only rebuilding their homes and lives, but come away with a greater appreciation of the fullness of their lives. Whatever else we have, or lose, pales in comparison to life and the love of those we share it with. Homes can be rebuilt, new memories will be made, and flowers will grow again. Let the greatness of life be a humbling reminder of what’s truly important today.

 

Marguerite Steen (1894 – 1975): British writer, most popular in the 1930s and 1940s. In 1951, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.