Be open to change and true to yourself...

Fads, like shiny pennies, can easily catch your attention – you can’t ignore them, but you should be appropriately wary... that’s easier said than done. But then there are real shifts in trends – like Elvis, Dylan, and the Beatles in music, some catch on and endure. When we were opening the Mirage, computers were beginning to gain traction, but my boss cautioned us to stick with proven practices and processes that had served us well for years… eventually they proved their value. But those are just things, and the pace of innovation continues at a dizzying speed. But values – they are the beliefs and principles that guide behavior and decision-making, reflecting what is considered important, proper, or desirable. They are a compass for individuals and groups, shaping priorities and actions. These too can change, but respect, honesty, and integrity should never go out of style - they are the bedrock of civil discourse and human interactions. They are based on the things that all major religions have taught forever – like love thy neighbor. These may be challenged at times, but you shouldn’t cut one’s conscience to fit this year’s trends. And even though the pendulum swings naturally, it always comes back towards the center. My long-haired, hippy days certainly challenged my parents, but they lived long enough to see my behaviors and hair styles become more corporatized and conservative. Be big enough to accept the changes happening around you and wise enough to ride with the tides. Keep your eyes open and your wits about you today.

 

Lillian Florence Hellman (1905 – 1984): American playwright, prose writer, memoirist and screenwriter known for her success on Broadway.

You've got to stand for something...

This week’s quotes and messages will be about integrity, something we looked for in the people we hired – all of them, line, and leadership: it was part of our hire for attitude and train for skills philosophy. If you look in thesaurus it lists similar values like trust, trustworthy, trustworthiness, respect, honesty, and reliability, things you’ll most likely find in people with integrity. Looked at holistically like that, it gives an overall picture of the kind of people you want to employ, no different from those you’d want as friends, colleagues, or leaders. People whose respect for themselves guides their morals – those with a conscience that makes them behave in a way that is believed by most people to be good and right. People whose respect for others guides their manners – those generally considered polite, respectful, and considerate, demonstrating good etiquette in their interactions with others by showing courtesy and awareness of others' feelings. Those are the people you want to be around, and what to look for in supervisors and leaders.  But nobody’s perfect – if you, or the people you’re around, fall short of any of these, you should, and expect others, to own up to their shortcomings, apologize, and move on without judgment or animus. That too is a measure of integrity – without the willingness to do that, there is no integrity of character. Hold yourself and others to that today.

 

Laurence Sterne (1713 – 1768): Anglo-Irish novelist and Anglican cleric.

The answer is blown' in the wind...

Change is everywhere – learn to go with it. Lots of people say they’re good with change – most of them are lying. Change is hard – it upends the order of things, creates lots of uncertainty, and tends to be chaotic. If you’re going to change things, plan it carefully, start by setting objectives, include everyone involved in the process, figure out what may hold you back, and make plans to overcome those obstacles. When those winds of change blow, be the driving force that overcomes the restraining forces. And once you start, keep communicating, be sensitive to others’ concerns, help where you can, and lead with a clear head. That’s how to build windmills when the winds of change blow today.

 

pro·verb

/ˈpräˌvərb/

noun

1.     a short pithy saying in general use, stating a general truth or piece of advice.

Encourage curiosity and creativity...

·      Nobel earned 355 patents in his lifetime. 

·      A man named Shunpei Yamazaki in Japan holds the Guinness World Record for the most patents, at 11,353. 

·      Dr. Spencer Silver, a chemist at 3M Company, invented a unique, low-tack adhesive that would stick to things but also could be repositioned multiple times... called the Post-it Note. 

·      Since the UNLV International Gaming Institute's Center for Gaming Innovation launched in 2013, students have filed over 60 patent applications, with 25 resulting in issued patents and over 50 commercialized products. 

 

It’s interesting to note all these patents, but most of the good ideas many of us come up with never achieve that status. Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep trying. But it does mean that managers should encourage their employees to think about improvements to the things they do every day – improvements big and small that can impact productivity, customer service, and profitability. And when they find something, make a big deal out of it.  It’s called critical thinking, the benefits of which include enhanced decision-making, improved problem-solving, increased creativity, and the ability to evaluate information objectively. In promoting this, let them know that if only 0ne out of a thousand ideas turns out to be good, you’ll be satisfied – make that thrilled, at their effort. These are the things that stand out in great companies. And it starts by encouraging curiosity and creativity in your employees today.

 

Alfred Nobel (1833 – 1896): Swedish chemist, inventor, engineer, and businessman. He is known for inventing dynamite, as well as having bequeathed his fortune to establish the Nobel Prizes.

Inspire people to be ingenious - find new ideas for old problems...

Creativity and innovation, the two sides of the same coin, can happen in both big and little increments. You’ve heard me talk about the work of Jon Ponder and Hope for Prisoners (H4P), helping ex-felons successfully reenter society and a productive life. The flip side of this issue is helping young people avoid a life of crime. The same creative thought process that spawned H4P has led to some ingenuity at the other end of the spectrum. A new restaurant opened in my neighborhood that only employs disadvantaged and/or troubled youth and others who may be on the way towards but have not yet been incarcerated. Led by an owner-manager and chef who fully understand the challenges their employees face, they use work to provide structure and discipline to their charges’ troubled lives. Through my work with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), I applaud their approach to helping those employees who’ve been in the foster care system to learn about things like the importance of keeping schedules, learning new and productive skills, and taking care of others. The looks on their faces when customers appreciate and compliment them is a picture of that transformation in action – learning about values and living them in a real-world work environment makes them tangible and real. There’s no shortage of young people to help and no end to the benefits that can be derived. There are CASA organizations in every judicial district in the US (https://www.casa4kidsinc.org/what-we-do/the-role-of-casa.html) - find one in your area and look into helping out today.

 

George Smith Patton Jr. (1885 – 1945): American general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, then the Third Army in France and Germany after the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944.

The best traditions can inspire the best innovations...

One of the worst excuses anyone can give is “that’s the way we’ve always done it”. Not that it might or might not be true, but with that attitude one will never know if improvement is something to be considered. That’s why it pays to be curious about what you’re doing and alternative methods that might be better. I should know – it’s uncomfortable being the only one talking about process improvement, like I was with paperless systems. I know – you’re thinking ‘here he goes again’ talking about those crazy systems he championed at Mirage and Wynn. Ok, I get it, but I will never stop talking about them if there’s a chance it might influence someone to feel emboldened to take a well-considered chance. That’s the way improvement happens. And that will only happen in an environment that encourages people to dream, one that respects individual effort, and allows cross communications that foster brainstorming. Don’t be afraid to let your employees look into things, talk among themselves, and approach you without fear of being put down. The best ideas come from the people doing the job – don’t allow tradition to get in the way of innovation. There’s a need to respect the past, but it’s a mistake to revere your past. So, listen to, nurture, support, and allow your employees to consider if the past can be improved today.

 

Robert Alan “Bob” Iger (born 1951): American media executive who is chief executive officer (CEO) of the Walt Disney Company.

Take a good ideas from thought to finish...

It’s one thing to dream up new ideas, and quite another to put them to work in a project, company, or life. Lots of people have lots of good ideas – but most end right there, stuck in their heads for lack of a plan or the means to move them forward. Those kinds of plans take hard work, time, money, and luck to get implemented somewhere. But if we accept the premise that people have good ideas, leaders should organize regular sessions with their employees to discuss them, to get them out onto the table where they can be dissected and studied, and to see if they rise to the level of things to be considered. This is a great exercise to get employees engaged in and thinking about what they do every day, and whether there are opportunnities that make sense to try and develop and implement. That’s how to get ideas from the creative phase to the innovative phase, where new things get done. It doesn’t have to be anything great or complex, sometimes it’s the little things that make a difference. It’s all part of continuous improvement, and when employees think their ideas and efforts matter, they’re more fulfilled… and that makes them more satisfied and loyal. Give your employees the opportunity to take something from thought to finish today.

 

Theodore Levitt (1925 – 2006): German-born American economist, professor at the Harvard Business School, and editor of the Harvard Business Review. He proposed a definition for corporate purpose: "Rather than merely making money, it is to create and keep a customer".