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Push Your Limits

Monday, August 12th, 2013

Remember Miranda Priestly, the cantankerous and demanding character played by Meryl Streep in the movieThe Devil Wears Prada? Did you hate her? Most people did. Would you consider her a good boss?

Before you give her a categorical “no,” let’s see if her role had any redeeming attributes:

She had a high standard of excellence and performance – that seems fair. Great companies aren’t built by those who settle in any area. They demand greatness and insist on a high standard. They realize that organizations that allow “good enough” will not survive. Be amazing or get lost. I can think of a couple of companies that should say this to their employees.

She is demanding. You know, so are customers. They force us to bring our A-game. When the expectations are raised, we generally rise – or find that we don’t have it in us and we leave. Demanding bosses help us learn how to show up successfully in all we do. This also weeds out those who don’t want greatness – the ones that just want to do enough to get by.

She is direct. We all need feedback. How else do we know if what we are doing is hitting the mark? Direct and constant feedback prepares us in several ways. First we always know what is true – it is timely and accurate. Second, we don’t have to search between the words for the true meaning. Who has time to see what was inferred? Successful people speak to be understood and to move information accurately and efficiently.

She is human. Though we don’t see much of it, there are traces of humanity in her role – she pushes because she cares. Great managers care deeply about their people – which is sometimes why they seem to be tough on them. A great manager forces us to see how capable we are, learn how to grow and own our performance. They teach us accountability, responsibility and focus. Sometimes, we don’t get these lessons anywhere else.

Though the character of Miranda Priestly was strong, she had powerful and successful management abilities.

There are great managers around us. Who do you know that has helped you excel by knowing how to push your limits? Who can you help push their limits so they learn how to show up and stand out in all that they do?

Push the limits – it helps both the organization and the people in it improve. Done well, it is what activates the performance power of your people and inspires their loyalty. Done poorly and it can send your best people running. Know the difference.

Contact me to learn how to activate your strongest leadership energy – one that can activate and inspire your employees to push through their limits. Good isn’t great. And great is what is required in today’s competitive workplace. More greatness tools atFireUpYourEmployees.com.

Tags: accountability, competitive workplace, Devil Wears Prada, good boss, leader, manager, Miranda Priestly, Push your limits, responsibility
Posted in For Managers | No Comments »

Meaningful Work

Monday, April 15th, 2013

If you ask managers what their employees want most from their jobs, many will respond “money.” The general belief is that people will work harder when offered more money, they leave one job for another because of money, the reason why they want the promotion is money.

Though money does play a role in what job a person may select, the more important aspect in selecting and staying in a job is purpose – of making a difference and providing an impact. We all contribute more when we do meaningful work. And the reality is that jobs that add value and make a difference inspire performance and loyalty in the workplace.

In order for managers to inspire performance and loyalty, they must first understand and recognize the three types of employees: A-level, B-level and C-level. A-level employees choose to show up to their work with an intention of bringing their best and making an impact. The Gallup Organization calls this type of employee “engaged” and states only 29 percent of today’s employees are engaged. The B-level employees comprise around 52 percent of the workforce – they are the employees who do just enough not to get fired. The final 19 percent are C-level employees. This group is disengaged and disinterested in their work.

Understanding these three types of employees is critical to know how to sustain the As, and inspire the B and Cs.

Here are four easy-to-implement ways managers can add more meaning to their employees’ jobs:

1. Hire employees who fit their jobs. Employees who have the talents, strengths and passions are the ones who show up capable and interested in their work. Because they are good at what they do, they find ways to bring their best and expand value for the organization in their areas. to show you how the Fire Up! Process can help you hire the right person for each job.

2. Provide context. Explain to each employee the importance of what they do and why it makes a difference. In many organizations, employees are given their small puzzle piece – without any idea of what the picture will look like when all the pieces come together. Without context, they lack a sense of purpose, value and contribution.

3. Communicate regularly about important things. There should be a clear and open communication between employees and management. By ensuring information moves easily in both directions, employees can consistently be updated from management, while offering their own updates. This approach also encourages new ideas, keeping a company fresh and innovative.

4. Give tasks that make a difference. Employees have jobs that matter. Not only do they understand why their job is important, but the job has intrinsic value. We all want to contribute to something of great value.

As mentioned above, though there are a number of factors in play, the greatest factor is meaningful work. In his 18-minute TED talk, Dan Ariely, a behavioral economist, says “Contrary to conventional wisdom, it isn’t just money [that makes us work]. But it’s not exactly joy either. It seems that most of us thrive by making constant progress and feeling a sense of purpose.”

We all want to feel that we matter – that what we do has meaning. The more aware we are of our talents, strengths and passions, the more we can align ourselves to work we personally find meaningful. Couple this with improved communication by today’s management to build the bond and provide context about the work, and employees have the ability to know how to connect what they do best to add value, make a difference. Take away their sense of fit and job context and we’ll find the only way to meet monthly performance targets is to bribe with bonuses.

Please share this with someone who can benefit from it. And to learn more about the Fire Up! Process – its programs, tools and seminars – that can help you create and retain a superstar workforce.

Tags: Dan Ariely, job description, make a difference, manager, meaningful work, purpose, TED talk, workplace communication
Posted in For Managers | No Comments »

Be Impeccable To Your Word

Tuesday, February 12th, 2013

Many managers believe the end justifies the means. But don’t forget, reputation is forever. And one of the most important parts of reputation development is being true to your word. If you say you will do it, do it.

This is the first of The Four Agreements by Don Angel Ruiz, a must read for all managers (and this week’s recommended read). This starts the process of all successful relationships because if trust and integrity is missing, the other agreements will automatically fail. Here are all four of his Agreements:

Be impeccable to your word
Don’t take anything personally
Don’t make assumptions
Always do you best

Just this week I have had situation after situation where others have not been impeccable to their word; I saw it in my clients, as a customer, and in my personal relationships. I guarantee I don’t always get this right, but it is now posted on my computer to remind myself of how critical it is in work and life to live to one’s word. I am committed to it and to its ability to improve all of my relationships.

This blog is all about managing for big bold results. That kind of result can only happen when managers live the agreements and earn the loyalty of their people. And it is also fair to share these agreements with your employees and hold them to the same standards.

So I thought I would share a couple of situations I have seen lately to share the impact of managers, leaders and people who don’t keep their word. Sometimes we learn best by what not to do. Consider Ruiz’s four agreements as you review these situations and just ask yourself if any of this behaviors sounds like your behavior:

A CEO has made a promise to pay his sales team a bonus for achieving a particular result; cash is tight so she ignores the issue. The sales team is frustrated with never getting an answer. They have just given up on it. What is this doing for employee loyalty and effort?

A friend of mine has promised for the past several months to get together to work on a project that would benefit both of us. Planned dates get ignored without any correspondence. Emails sometimes get returned. He runs his business the same way. I am done with the project and nearly done with the friendship.

A manager ignores his company requirement to spend 1 hour a month with each employee to review progress, performance and development. He tells his manager he is hosting these sessions but has not held one since he started 9 months ago. Employees now have no interest in any performance conversations with this manager.

A manager in a distribution location had a significant increase in sales due to the creative efforts and outstanding service by two new employees. At the corporate headquarters, the manager took the praise personally instead of sharing that the success was from the new employees. Word got back to the location. Respect for the manager is gone.

Be impeccable to your word. Live your agreements. Not only does it earn the respect and loyalty of your people, but you create your own moral compass for every aspect of life.

In coaching we regularly ask, “How do you want to show up today?” So, how do you show up and win the respect, loyalty and support of your team? Live the agreements. Be impeccable to your word. Ensure your employees know that what you say you will do, you will do. Have integrity – whether it is easy or difficult. And in the process you inspire others to do the same.

Contact us for more information about the Fire Up! programs, tools and resources we have to help you connect to your employees, and to connect your employees to performance. We provide practical tools to help build a superstar workforce.

Tags: be impeccable to your word, bold results, employee loyalty, employee trust, fire up, four agreements, integrity, leaders, manager, practical business tools
Posted in For Managers | 1 Comment »

How You Treat Your People Is How They Treat Your Customers

Tuesday, January 29th, 2013

The start of the workday in Japan: you meet with each other for a short time to get reacquainted since you last saw each other. You share information. You reconnect. You relate as people. You start each day from a place of commonality of mindset and purpose.

The start of the workday in the US: you create your personal to-do list, check your e-mail, get a coffee and get to work. Not much communication. Even less interaction. There is very little reconnection with others or to the commonality of mindset and purpose. Get to work.

At the center of all work is the “person” – the feeling, emotional and (we hope) thinking person. Work happens because of the people. They generate the ideas, the approach, the response, the energy, the attitude and the connection. Your people are your profits.

Customers connect best with people, not technology. Customers are loyal or leave because of people. Improvements and efficiencies happen because of people.Your people are your intellectual capital – the thinking, inventing, and solution-providing engines – of the company. And these engines need fuel – that fuel is emotion.

In today’s interpersonal and service workplace, the personality of your employees is the personality of your business. Customers are now face-to-face and phone-to-phone with employees. These are thinking, feeling and emotional employees who bring their lives into the workplace (and bring their work into their lives). Emotions are a critical component of the personality and connection between employees, and between employees and customers. Emotions are not just for home anymore.

Studies presented in the book by Dr. John Fleming and Jim Asplund indicate that loyalty (something greater than “satisfaction”) in customers is inspired by an emotional connection to a brand, product, organization or person. Emotions drive loyalty. Loyalty drives results. So I guess if I remember my transitive property from high school geometry accurately (If A = B, B= C, then A=C), then if emotions drive loyalty and loyalty drives results, then emotions drive results.

Here are two ways to activate your employees’ emotional connection to and emotional investment in their work:

1. Job sculpt – customize jobs around what matters to employees. Get to know your employees – particularly their talents, interests and values – and build these into their roles or responsibilities. If the employee loves to write, involve him in the social media of the company. If the employee is great at coordinating events, charge her with the next company retreat. Add meaningful responsibilities that appeal to the employee and make a difference for the company to their existing roles. This activates their emotional connection to, and emotional investment in, their work.

2. Provide constant feedback. Spend the time with employees to catch them doing something great and provide (high-five) feedback; or catch them needing to improve, and support them with a process to get better. This creates constant contact between manager and employee in a supportive and “human” way. It helps the employee feel important, respected and valued (this feeds our emotional side). It also creates a bond with management that improves our personal connection.

How do you encourage your employees’ emotional commitment to and investment in their work? Do you treat them as critical valuable assets (things of value) to the organization or are they perceived as expenses (disposable and replaceable)? Remember, how you care for your employees (as people) determines how your employees care for your customers (as people).

Please share this with someone who can benefit from it. And contact me to learn how the Fire Up! Your Employees book and process has been created into 6 interactive learning modules to help every manager learn how to attract, source, interview, hire and retain today’s best people. Learn how once – and then bring this success approach and tools to your workplace.

Tags: customer service, emotional connection, emotional intelligence, employee performance, employees, feedback, fire up your employees, interests, job sculpting, manager, talents, your people are your profits
Posted in For Managers | 2 Comments »