Remember, Reflect, Never Forget...

·      Remember. 

·      Reflect. 

·      Never Forget.

 

Stand and say a prayer for the 2,977 people from 90 nations killed in the worst terrorist attack in history on this date in 2001: 2,753 people were killed in New York; 184 people were killed at the Pentagon; and 40 people were killed on Flight 93.

 

Jeff Parness founder and Chairman of the New York Says Thank You Foundation, a nationwide disaster relief non-profit organization that sends volunteers from New York City each year on the 9/11 Anniversary to help rebuild communities around the United States affected by disaster.

Start your own daily motivational message...

mo·ti·va·tion

/ˌmōdəˈvāSH(ə)n/

noun

1. the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.

·       "escape can be a strong motivation for travel"

2. the general desire or willingness of someone to do something.

·       "keep staff up to date and maintain interest and motivation"

 

One of the primary duties of a manager is to make sure his/her employees are effective, meaning they achieve the expected results in any situation. You can train them, but I think you then must motivate them to perform as trained. Motivation, like training, should not be treated as an event – they are things, like bathing and grooming, that should be done daily. And therein lies another of my issues with standard job descriptions for leaders and managers – the duties and responsibilities they list are mostly technical and operational, and rarely do they delve into the inspirational and motivational responsibilities of their jobs. I guess that’s because it’s not a one-size-fits-all practice – you must get to know each of your employees as individuals, with needs, hopes, quirks, and expectations. With that knowledge, you can craft messages and methods for each, and spend the requisite time needed to make sure they work, in good times and bad. And unlike politicians, what you say and do can and must be measured daily, adjusting as needed, and constantly reinforced. Your comments and promises must be accurate and you must follow up on them. Keep a diary if you must but keep things straight in you mind. Make a calendar of who you should see and follow up with, not leaving this important task to chance. Every day (like these motivational messages). This is way too important to take casually. Motivate and inspire your team today.

 

Hilary Hinton "Zig" Ziglar (1926 – 2012): American author, salesman, and motivational speaker.

Pay it forward...

·      The best job is often the one you have.

·      The challenge is to make it the one you love.

 

In high school I volunteered to work in a Headstart program, teaching after school classes to inner city youth: that got me interested in helping others. The next year, a family friend invited me to spend a workday with him in his office at a local factory: he was the Personnel Director and gave me my first introduction to careers in what would become known as Human Resources. Based on those experiences, I enrolled in Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, building on the realization that I had been made for that particular kind of work. And my career in the hospitality and gaming industry gave me ample opportunities to fulfill that heartfelt desire to help others. Everyone who loves what they do should take time to show and explain it to kids in their communities – that kind of exposure is invaluable in helping them learn about career options and possibilities available to them. Talk to your company about creating programs to give young people information about the kinds of careers available there. Some may opt for vocational training; others may seek to obtain related degrees. Either way, you’ll help people discover what they’re cut out for – and the seeds you plant just might inspire them to join your company. That’s a great way to pay it forward today.

 

Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī (1207 – 1273): 13th-century poet, Hanafi faqih (jurist), Islamic scholar, Maturidi theologian, and Sufi mystic originally from Greater Khorasan in Greater Iran.

Don't waste your time on hate...

·      There’s no place in leadership for hate.

·      Hate is unproductive and unprofessional.

·      Don’t waste a minute of your time on hate.

 

You’re leading a business, or a unit of a business – your job is to seriously and objectively deal with products, process, performance, and people (employees and customers). Others depend on your work and judgment – based on the situation and the facts. Not personal animosities. You may disagree with some, but only as a matter of discussion, after which your role is to do what’s best for the business. You may not appreciate some, but only as a means of figuring out what you might appreciate about them; again, find ways to make everyone important on some level. This again is about integrity – doing what’s right; it’s about ethical behavior. Don’t be so big or full of yourself that you think your hate is important in the bigger scheme of things – it only makes you look small. Even while the world seems to be filled with so much discord and hate, your role in the workplace is to be civil, and encourage and inspire others to be the same. Let work be the place where people practice working together and letting diversity be a strength. That may seem to be a tall order, but the benefits are worth it for you, the people you work with and for, and your customers.  Find ways around hate today.

 

Medgar Evers (1925 – 1963): American United States Army veteran and civil rights activist. 

Don't be judgmental...

Ethical leaders practice emotional intelligence (EI), which is the ability to understand, use, and manage their own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict.

 

Being aware of unexpected changes in an employee’s performance and behavior is an important result of practicing EI. Things like mood changes, recent absenteeism, a lack of normal interest or level of engagement, and failure to follow through on routine assignments should be noted and addressed. If you care about your employees, you don’t let them slip without trying to understand why. In some cases, they may be burned out and might just need a break – extra time off, temporary re-assignment, or shifting of duties might be all that’s needed. In others, time might be catching up with them – this should be handled thoughtfully to avoid issues related to self-esteem and confidence. In any case, talk with them and listen to their concerns; if they’re hesitant to discuss this, you may also consider utilizing employee assistance resources. Either way, assure them your concern is genuine and not disciplinary. Time catches up with all of us – there’s no shame in that; be caring, not judgmental, when dealing with employees who are experiencing this. That’s the ethical and right way to deal with things like this today.  

 

Nat King Coles (1919 –1965): American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole started his career as a jazz pianist in the late 1930s and became the top-selling (and the only black act) on Capitol Records in the 1940s. Cole's trio was the model for small jazz ensembles that followed.

Be your best self...

In many ways, integrity is being true to yourself. People, like companies, have values, guideposts to how each conduct themselves. These daily messages follow a rotating 10-week set of corporate values, emphasizing their organizational and personal importance and practicality. The trick for recruiters is to find employees who support and compliment the company’s values while hewing true to their own. And the trick for managers is to apply and applaud their usage in support of the company and the individual. It’s important to allow the employee to be themselves – interpreting policy and service in ways that follow the letter while using their unique personalities. Companies that seek to impose strict guidelines ultimately tend to stifle the individual in each employee and the result is more robotic that personable. I remember early in my career when Mr. Wynn sought to relieve service employees (specifically in the call center and front desk employees) from having to repeat overly scripted and routine greetings and salutations – he thought it was phony and employees released from these scripts ended up putting their personalities into their work. The best service employees (and employees in general) prefer to be in charge of their own smiles. Customers will tell you that they really appreciate great service and real smiles. This became the standard after that and was one of the key elements in the legendary service found at the Mirage. Guidelines are important but don’t let them stifle the kinds of personable service and fun that customers appreciate. Let your employees be themselves, full-time, today.

 

Phil Knight (born 1938): American billionaire business magnate who is the co-founder and chairman emeritus of Nike, Inc.

Be nice...

in·teg·ri·ty

/inˈteɡrədē/

noun

1.

the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

·       "he is known to be a man of integrity"

 

This week’s theme is integrity – there are many definitions for this, including the one from the dictionary, above. It’s most often said integrity is doing the right thing, even when nobody’s looking. I think it’s simpler than that – it’s being nice to others, treating them the way you want to be treated. Interestingly, it starts with being nice to yourself – don’t be short-tempered with yourself, and you’ll be a lot nicer to be around. As a leader, people are always watching and judging, and to your peeps, you’re never off camera. They’re always watching. Get out of your office, spend time on the floor, interact with your employees, listen to them, and engage with them like they’re your friends. Explain things to them, coach as needed, and never cut that part of your day short. It’s the most important thing you do during the day, so enjoy it. People will start to see you differently, they’ll be more thoughtful about what’s important, and more interested in doing what’s right. Leaders set the tone in the workplace by being a constant example of what they want others to be. Start each day by looking in the mirror, evaluating what you see (honestly), planning what to do that makes you satisfied and fulfilled, and getting ready to go on stage. Be nice today.

 

 

Mary Tyler Moore (1936 – 2017): American actress, producer, and social advocate. She is best known for her roles on The Dick Van Dyke Show and especially The Mary Tyler Moore Show which "helped define a new vision of American womanhood” and "appealed to an audience facing the new trials of modern-day existence."