Be good and do good work...

con·science

/ˈkänSHən(t)s/

noun

an inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.

 

Watching Jiminy Cricket sitting on Pinocchio’s shoulder and whispering things about right and wrong in the puppet’s ear was probably the first introduction to the concept of a conscience that kids (like me) growing up in the 40’s and 50s had.  Schools, both public and religious, played a part, but those children’s movies and television shows then, like music in the 60s, Sesame Street in the 80s and 90s, and social media today seem to have more influence with introducing values to young people. Not that parents don’t try, but the media has certainly had an impact on broadcasting values, both good and bad. Maybe that’s why the values that companies introduce along with their mission and vision statements resonate with employees. Interestingly, Tribal enterprises have a long and rich tradition of keeping their Nation’s culture and values alive and bringing them into their workplaces. The challenge is finding ways to apply those values throughout the workplace culture those companies work so hard to create. I advise clients to include them in their policies and practices – like inserting them in job descriptions and job postings, discussing them in interviews with potential employees, talking about them in orientation programs, including them in coaching sessions, and referencing them in performance evaluations. Because we want and need employees to have good values, see their relevance in their work life, and consider them when performing and making decisions. And to appreciate the importance of letting their conscience be their guide today.

 

Jiminy Cricket (created 1940): This character is the Disney version of the Talking Cricket, a fictional character created by Italian writer Carlo Collodi for his 1883 children's book The Adventures of Pinocchio, which Walt Disney adapted into the animated film Pinocchio in 1940.

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

Nothing beats trust...

Not sure who this quote is talking to, so let’s just apply it to people at work. And build on yesterday’s message of the workplace as a special place. Where we hire people for their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Where I say we should also hire for attitude. Put all of those together and that’s a good employee. The challenge then for managers is to keep them and their work mates (or, as some call them, teammates) focused on the work, the objectives, and the measurable outcomes. Working together and building trust around these shared purposes. Talking about and through their shared opportunities and challenges. Keeping eyes on that ball and leaving anything else at home. Sharing the moment with people they may not share with otherwise. Because if employees don’t, can’t, or won’t try to trust one another, all business objectives are defeated. It blows me away to think that despite what’s going on around us, work is a safe haven for camaraderie, civility, and the courage to believe in and trust people. Seems like a big ask. Seems like a lot to expect. Seems like a lot to manage. But when businesses and managers get this right, it can build a culture that attracts and retains the best talent. What they call a great place to work. It all starts with building trust today.

 

Alison Croggon (born 1962): Australian poet, playwright, fantasy novelist, and librettist (one who writes text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera or musical).

Set the bar high...

The year I spent in China taught me a lot about the culture there and the concept of saving (or losing) face. I learned that job fairs were frowned upon because applicants were hesitant to appear in public looking for a job – something that might cause their employer to lose face. That taught us to conduct recruitment in a more private setting, allowing an applicant and his or her employer to maintain their self-respect. And face. Much different than here, especially now. Where boasting is acceptable and social media influencing is less about expertise and more about, well, boasting. Interestingly, China just introduced stricter regulations for social media influencers, requiring anyone who discusses professional topics such as medicine, finance, law, or education to provide proof of their qualifications before posting content. Imagine that – truth in advertising, something long ago abandoned here, creating a challenge for corporate policies that promote truthfulness and respect. That’s why workplaces and their cultures are and must continue to be bulwarks of ethical behavior and personal accountability. Standing for the principle of doing what’s right, whether anyone’s looking or not. That’s what we teach our employees and what we should be teaching our children. That there’s no greater loss than the loss of one’s integrity and, by extension, their self-respect. That’s a standard we should all promote and strongly support today.

 

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869 – 1948): Indian lawyer, anti-colonial activist, and political ethicist. The honorific Mahātmā (from Sanskrit, meaning great-souled, or venerable), first applied to him in South Africa in 1914, is used worldwide.

It's like learning to ride a bike...

This may be one of the hardest things that parents and managers have to do. I remember (as I’m sure every parent does) teaching my daughter to ride a two-wheel bike – running alongside, giving words of encouragement, and finally letting go of the bike, watching and hoping she didn’t crash. She did, and I soothed her sore body and ego, offered words of encouragement, and helped her back on to try again. This same kind of thing happens all the time at work – we train our employees, coach them through practice, and at some point, release them to try out their new skills. Whether it’s on customers or a production line, their first efforts can be awkward, but we must help them learn and grow. I know many managers (and parents) who wanted to do it themselves, but that’s never the way. We’ve all gone through learning phases and the experience from those trial-and-error efforts is what ultimately gave us the confidence to go on. That’s how leaders and parents let people fail and yet not let them be a failure. The key is in the coaching – taking the time, letting them know you’re there and care, listening, guiding, and ultimately being rewarded with their success. The trick is holding back and letting that happen. That’s what builds the trust in our relationships. Help your peeps to learn and grow today.

 

Stanley Allen McChrystal (born 1954): American retired United States Army general.

Learn more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_A._McChrystal

Hire for optimism, flexibility, resilience, and grit...

Honesty was in every handbook we had – seemed like it could have gone without saying but the lawyers rightly insisted on it. We talked about it in every new hire orientation too – seemed like we shouldn’t have needed to bring it up again, but while most got it, a few went on to behave like it was never mentioned. Not many, because we backed it up by (1) hiring for attitude – optimism, flexibility, resilience, and grit… those reflected a positive mindset, and (2) training managers and supervisors what to look for and how to approach and talk to employees about keeping a positive attitude. The combination of good supervision and positive employees were an effective one-two approach to keeping the kinds of dishonesty common in the gaming business to a minimum (#1 being money handling and #2 being absenteeism). Good hiring, training, supervision, and two-way communications reinforced the importance of a positive mindset. Much like parents do with their kids – they don’t let concerns slide and stress the importance of honesty and trust. Don’t mention honesty only in your policies - model it every day in every way. That’s the best way to reinforce a positive state of mind today.

 

Eugene L’Hote (1862 – 1952): Philosopher, and editor and proprietor of the Milford Herald in the late 1800s.  

Don't be so serious...

I remember the first time I saw Monty Python and the Holy Grail – very British and totally irreverent… comedy with a message. I loved Cleese’s corporate training films which were spoofs about service mistakes that made employees laugh while learning what not to do. Those were the first training films that used comedy to get a service message across. Around that time, I saw a table games pit at Harrah’s where the employees were allowed to dress up and have fun – an interesting blend of gaming and entertainment. It was lightly scripted, and the dealers were allowed to have fun with their customers. When we opened Bellagio, we allowed departments to build fun and games into their job training – teaching new employees how to do the job while encouraging them to have fun… job training together with team building. We often get too serious at work, stressing policies and stressing out employees – it’s hard then to ask and get them to smile and have fun with customers. If you want employees to smile, smile at them. If you want them to have a good time, have good times with them. Don’t take yourself too seriously – a little self-deprecating humor goes a long way. Make work fun today.

 

John Cleese (born 1939): English actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer, and presenter.

Learn more about this very funny guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cleese

Keep an eye out for excellence...

In Search of Excellence was published just as I started in the gaming industry and its impact carried through pretty much my entire career there. Excellence became the standard for everything – in strategic planning, goal setting, daily operations, group dynamics, and individual performance. Before that, good was good enough; after, good was measured by organizational effectiveness and whether business problems were solved by empowering decision-makers at multiple levels of a company. No more top-down management. Like many companies, we started rethinking how businesses ran, how managers managed, and results were measured.  With this, we began to focus on the performance of employees at all levels and how they contributed to organization’s performance. Employee relations strategies evolved – working on treating employees fairly; companies focused on workplace culture – making it a good place to work; and employee satisfaction became the basis of customer satisfaction – happy employees made happy customers. We celebrated what we wanted to see more of – that was the impetus for catching employees doing things right - it became the way we managed. Much has changed in the world and industry since then, but excellence endures – it still revolves around how we treat employees. Find ways to celebrate what you want to see more of today.

 

Thomas J. Peters (born 1942): American writer on business-management practices, became best-known for his 1982 book In Search of Excellence (co-authored with Robert H. Waterman Jr.)

Learn to become an effective communicator: it'll make all the difference...

When I was growing up, Lee Iaccoca was a larger than life auto industry executive – we were into cars, and he was producing and pitching some very cool ones. For me, the Ford Mustang and Chrysler minivans represented big changes, and he wasn’t afraid to try them. While he wasn’t the first, he was a standout pitchman for his products in bold ways – “If you can find a better car, buy it”; and “We want only to be the best”. He was clear, straight-forward, and proud – that’s the way leaders should talk. He had brilliant ideas, and he got their messages across – that should be the objective of every leader. Because the difference between a good or bad leader is his or her ability to communicative effectively. Make sure you get your messages across – plan carefully, practice the delivery, and check to see if what your audience heard was what you intended. And another thing that made Iaccoca stand out – he came across as a regular person, unafraid to put his reputation on the line. Making promises and keeping them. Being a positive role model. People like and respect that. Get this right and you’ll be an effective communicator; more importantly, you’ll be a more successful leader today.  

 

Lido Anthony "Lee" Iacocca (1924 – 2019): American author and executive who developed the Mustang, Continental Mark III, and Pinto cars while at the Ford Motor Company in the 1960s, and the K-car and minivan while at the Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s.

Good ideas are worth waiting for...

I’ve told the story here before but feel compelled to tell it again as it relates to determination and perseverance. Many good ideas never make because  they take so long and are hard to see them through to realization. That was almost true with the creative computer ideas I had. It started after the Mirage opening, when we looked back and began talking about what to improve if we had the chance to do another opening. All the manual paperwork and record keeping associated with 55,000 applications and 6000 new employees had been a nightmare to handle and store. There hadn’t been many alternative ways to do that prior to the development of computers, and they were so new back then (in 1989) that no one had thought about using them for something like this. But what little was known about them seemed to suggest this might be impossible. It wasn’t until 1998 that we were able to program computers to handle some of these manual processes, and even then, those solutions were only partial. But it started to look like they might possible. The 2003 planning for the Wynn Las Vegas opening showed that even though computers had not been used for this kind of application, they certainly looked like they could. Two years later, in 2005, all that determination finally resulted in our paperless HR environment, with online applications, self-service applications, and electronic storage of data and forms. I nearly lost heart during those 16 years, but the strength of my dream and the determination of our team kept it going finally made it happen. Whatever your dream, stay determined to make it happen today.

 

Tommy Lasorda (1927 – 2021): American professional baseball pitcher and manager. He managed the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1976 through 1996. 

Blend good parenting and leadership skills: they complement each other...

 

When I was first hired at the Golden Nugget, I was told my title would be “Daddy” – this was in reference to the company’s desire to have managers and supervisors treat employees in much the same way mommies and daddies treat their children. As in: even if you must tell them no, you never stop loving and caring for them; or when dealing with them, both parents must communicate clearly and be consistent in their what they say and how they act; or when they need help, coaching them to discover things and learn to do what’s needed rather than doing it for them; or bringing the family together regularly by getting the family together at the end of the day around the dinner table to discuss things of shared experiences and interests. In essence, being there, caring, communicating, coaching, and being fair and even tempered. The same way we should treat our employees. In both, we guard against giving them answers to remember rather than problems to solve. So, nurture a leadership mindset around practical parenting terms – since all have been children and many are now parents, this can resonate with and inform them in ways they understand. Discuss this with your managers, give them the tools (good policies, training, coaching, and support) to think and act like a parent, and the time to build relationships based on trust and respect with their teams today. 

 

Roger Lewin (born 1944): British prize-winning science writer and author of 20 books.

Do not evade the obvious...

In a listening exercise I often use in workshops, I ask attendees to “try to stand” – invariably they all stand and are chagrined when we point out the instruction was simply to “try”. Cute, but instructive when discussing the importance of listening carefully. My former company’s Interview Policy instructs hiring managers to select ‘accept’ or ‘reject’ only; in this, there isn’t a maybe option – it forces clear thinking which in turn lead to decisions. These are examples of a do, or do not mindset where we must learn to think and decide rather than waffle or prevaricate, defined as an ambiguous or evasive way to avoid committing oneself. My point here is that managers must learn to be unambiguous in their communications and able to commit to definitive actions when supervising. Employees deserve that and, in fact, members of Gen Z (18% of today’s workforce, projected to be 30% in 2030) demand it. It’s good management practice to think in yes or no terms – not in all cases, like those where negotiation and compromise are appropriate, but certainly where and when it’s appropriate. Like in policy definitions, forced-choice decisions, and those times when clarity is important. Start thinking along these lines, practice where appropriate, and discuss the concept with your peeps. When try is not an option, do or do not today.

 

Yoda: A fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. He is a small, green, elderly humanoid alien who is powerful with the Force and typically speaks in an inverted phrase order. He first appeared in the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back.

Work hard: prove why excellence wins...

For more than 40 years, I’ve seen the best jobs go to the hardest workers. The ones who put everything they’ve got into proving their abilities. Along the way, I’ve heard people complain about how others must have “juice”. In my experience that’s rarely the case, sometimes it happen, but as a former manager I know that people usually get a big job by outgrowing the small one, by showing they’re ready, and diligently proving that to be true by their subsequent performance. Hiring and promoting people isn’t a perfect science – that said, it’s enhanced by a hiring manager training, coaching, and supporting the people they select. That’s teamwork and a commitment to making your peeps successful – what you do after someone’s hired is critically important.  Know what you’re looking for – experience, education, knowledge, skills, and abilities. Ask good technical, situational, and behavioral questions. Assess for fit and attitude. Make an honest and objective decision. And support them as they get started. If you go into selecting someone with good intentions and back that up with good support, everyone wins. Put the right people into the right jobs and help them be successful today.

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882):  essayist, lecturer, philosopher, minister, abolitionist, and poet who led the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century.

Don't pass things up...

Every successful person will tell you to keep trying – failure comes mostly when you quit. And a big part of their success is learning from everything they’ve done. Conversely, you learn nothing from the things you haven’t done. I haven’t had many jobs throughout my career, but I don’t regret any of them; just as importantly I probably would have regretted it if I didn’t take each of them. Same is true of the projects I tackled in those jobs – some were scary, but I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t dive in with both feet. I’ve often said that the Mirage was probably beyond my capability when I started on it, but I never regretted the hard work and all that it taught me. A lot of that learning came from listening closely to what others had to say – it was clear that without that help I probably would have failed. And I certainly would have regretted that. Life, and the work we do, is supposed to be hard – that’s what’s challenging and ultimately fulfilling. Take a chance on the opportunities that present themselves to you. You don’t want to look back and regret that you didn’t. That’s the best way to live life today.

 

Lucille "Lucy" Ball (1911 – 1989): American actress, comedian, producer, and studio executive.

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

 

Help others help themselves...

If you want to be something you must actively go out and make that happen. It’s not going to happen by itself. Sure, there are people who they say were born with a silver spoon in their mouth, but unless their success is earned, nobody will respect it. No matter how hard they try to bluff it. Same is true with criticism – active, goal-oriented people may rub people the wrong way, or take stands that, while ethical and appropriate, may invite critical reactions. The easy way to avoid that is by doing or saying nothing. But not the best way. I have experience with this – HR leaders are often criticized because they must ensure compliance with policies and procedures. If they want to avoid it, they can go with the flow and let things happen, or they can adopt a business partner mentality and help others discover and learn what they must do to make those kinds of critical decisions relative to their own departments and employees. By being a coach rather than a perceived know-it-all. By making sure that others are successful. That same concept applies to all leaders – partnering rather telling, coaching rather than trying to do it themselves, listening rather than preaching. It may not always be the easiest way. But it’s the right way to lead today.

 

Aristotle (384–322 BC): Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath.[1]

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[1] His writings cover a broad range of subjects spanning the natural sciences, philosophy, linguistics, economics, politics, psychology, and the arts. As the founder of the Peripatetic school of philosophy in the Lyceum in Athens, he began the wider Aristotelian tradition that followed, which set the groundwork for the development of modern science.

 

Strive to be your best...

This is the time of year in the US when sporting events seem to take on a larger focus – with football in the midst of its annual season and the baseball championships marching towards the World Series. We love quotes from athletes because their exploits seem larger than life (thanks to television) and they become metaphors for work. As we watch them, it’s clear they demand excellence – mostly of themselves, so that it sets the tone for their teammates.  It’s much the same for employees at work – we must inspire them to pursue a continuous drive for personal excellence so that their efforts support the work of their colleagues and work teams. We do that by making sure they each have the training that allows them to strive to be their best, by providing the tools they need, by being aware their efforts, by coaching them when needed, and by giving them feedback and recognition. Great organizations achieve that status one employee at a time. Making them feel part of the overall effort. By helping them see and appreciate how their individual effort supports the whole.  To me, that was always the most exciting part of work. As I’ve often said here, I was a singer, not an athlete – but the harmonies I achieved in the bands I was in were as rewarding as the winning a sporting championship as a team. Those kinds of excellence are the result of lots of individual excellence. Demand excellence of yourself today.

 

Emmitt James Smith III (born 1969): American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Dallas Cowboys. He is the league's all-time leading rusher.

Learn from everything that happens...

In his prime, Jack Welch was one of the most admired CEOs in the US – tough and successful businessman and inspiring leader. And it’s quotes like this one that made him so good. In today’s world where leaders won’t admit mistakes, this is a lesson worth listening to and learning.  Everything we do is an opportunity to learn something – when we fail to achieve our objectives, a review with colleagues makes the whole team better in the future, and when we do achieve them, that same review can confirm what’s good and keep the momentum going. And there’s no shame in that. Nothing to avoid. And everything to gain. Taking responsibility. And being a professional role model. That’s leadership. On a team, in a family, for a community, or just for yourself. Because everyone’s aware of what leaders do and watching how they react to the good and bad things that happen. Do everyone a favor and learn from everything that happens today.

 

John Francis “Jack” Welch Jr. (1935 – 2020) was an American business executive. He was Chairman and CEO of General Electric (GE) between 1981 and 2001.

Don't hold back...

I’m not sure today’s quote is clear in its meaning and intent. I suspect Land meant that collaboration needs honest and open communications and that participants must speak their minds. To suggest that politeness should be abandoned is a bit much – people working together must still be respectful and professional, but they should never hold back for fear of hurting someone’s feelings. Work team members must have thick skins, able to give and take and learn from honest feedback, positive or negative. Because projects end best when everyone contributes their best efforts and thinking.  Leaders of work teams must establish and clearly communicate rules and expectations and facilitate discussions that examine everything and surface all ideas. When selecting team members, leaders should make it clear they want them to speak up if they disagree or see something that’s wrong, and when leading them they should foster the kinds of challenging cross communications that support achieving the best results. Participants in group efforts must stay focused on the project’s objectives and add their expertise and comments in good faith and real time.  Any form of politeness that limits the free and open exchange of thoughts and ideas should be discouraged. That’s how to get the most out of your work teams today.

 

Edwin Herbert Land (1909 – 1991): American scientist and inventor, best known as the inventor of the Polaroid Land Camera which could take a picture and develop it in 60 seconds or less.

Work together to succeed together...

I’m often lauded for opening so many successful casinos, but in all honesty, the teams associated with those openings are the reasons for their success. That’s why so many of those individuals tell of the excitement and experience of being part of those teams. Working long hours, creating things they never thought possible, growing close to people they only recently met, and developing friendships that last a lifetime. Working without offices, in open bullpens that promoted interaction and teamwork, learning stuff about each other’s roles that gave them a deeper understanding of the whole company. Feeling a sense of individual and collective ownership and pride that drove performance and excellence and created memories that have lasted a lifetime. Any time people work on a project together – big or small, a team spirit develops that inspires teamwork and a deep feeling of ownership. I often see the people who worked on those teams, and they always reference back to those times as some of the most fulfilling parts of their careers. Whatever you do, wherever you work, find ways to create work teams – they’ll spark morale and excellence in anything you do. They’ll make you better and more successful. Get yourself on a team today.

 

Alan George "A. G." Lafley (born 1947): American businessman who led consumer goods maker Procter & Gamble (P&G).

Listen with all of your senses...

Listening may be the most important part of communications. Words, tone, gestures, and inflections can affect its overall message, adding nuances and emphases that should be noted. Body language adds another dimension – sometimes adding to, limiting, or altering the overall message. Listeners must be astute enough to note what’s not said – this can add further meaning or context to a message. This last element is often missed in the rush to either complete an interaction or move on to what’s next. It can be helpful for the listener to silently think “but” at the end of a conversation – helping to imagine what might not have been said. Also helpful is to say to the speaker “that’s interesting” or “tell me more” – this may prompt the speaker to add what was initially unspoken.  That said (no pun intended), sports and work teams often develop a sixth sense about reading or sensing unspoken messages that enhances teamwork, something that can be extremely useful. Either way, participants in communications should listen with all their senses and take time to process all that occurs in and around a conversation to ensure getting everything. Interestingly, I worked with two colleagues who previously had been poker champions – both spoke carefully, clearly, and completely and I learned that with them, nothing intended was left unsaid nor did their communications include gestures or body language. But communications with nearly everyone else requires hearing what ins't being said. Listen carefully and pay close attention to any communications you’re involved in today.

 

Peter Drucker (1909 – 2005): Austrian American management consultant, educator, and author, whose writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of modern management theory.

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

Focus on being effective...

One of the primary roles of any leader is to make sure their people are effective. In sports, that leader is responsible for making sure their players are effective at their positions. In business, it’s much the same – making sure their employees are effective at achieving the objectives of their jobs and department. By being clear in their communications, following up with their employees, coaching their employees to be their best, and inspiring them to want to. It’s a role that never ends, is always focused, and must nurture trust and respect. In sports, that’s focused on winning; in business, it’s focused on effectiveness. In both, you play by the rules, support your colleagues, and always do your best. Every team – from youth leagues to the majors, and every business – big and small, succeeds or fails by the effectiveness of its leader and the people they manage. Make a plan, follow thru on it, listen closely, adjust as needed, stay close to your peeps, and be there for them. That’s a good formula for making an impact today.

 

James R. Stengel (born 1955): American businessman, author, professor, and public speaker. He served as the global marketing officer of Procter & Gamble from 2001 to 2008.

Still crazy after all these years...

This will be a short message today. It’s my birthday and I want to live, work, and act today. Thankful to still be getting the most out of life. It’s been another wonderful summer in the Adirondack Mountains – seeing family, friends, familiar places, and another year of Fall colors. Feeling engaged at work with two new start-ups and a few interesting consulting gigs. And getting up every day and doing stuff that excites me. In the back of my mind, I’d always thought of 75 as old… but now that I’m looking through the lens of a 75-year-old, it’s just more of the same. Nothing to brood about. Everything to be thankful for. And thrilled to still be at it today.

 

Henrik Johan Ibsen (1828 – 1906): Norwegian playwright. He is considered one of the world's pre-eminent writers of the 19th century and is often referred to as "the father of modern drama.

Practice continuous self-improvement...

Today is Yom Kippur, considered the holiest of the Jewish holidays. On this day, we reflect on who we are and what we’ve been this past year, and what we aspire to be in the next. To contemplate how we might be better by learning from what we’ve been. Like a commitment to continuous personal improvement. Because it’s never too late to be what we might have been. All major religions have a regular practice of self-reflection and repentance, but in Judaism it’s an annual event during the 10 days between Rosh Hashanah (the New Year) and Yom Kippur, which is called the Day of Atonement. On which we don’t eat or drink, waiting to be given a sign that we’ve been absolved by God. A common phrase for Jewish people to say to one another during this time is, “May you be inscribed in the book of life.” The notion is that by the end of Yom Kippur, G-d will have decided who gets to live another year. As a child, that seemed rather harsh, but all these years later it is a fervent wish.  May you be inscribed in the Book of Life today.  

 

Mary Ann Evans (1819 – 1880): Known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era.

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