Category: Leadership
Service Savvy & Diversity
Service savvy means providing outstanding service to internal and external customers, regardless of how different they may be from you. Here are five things you can do to increase your service savvy: Demonstrate Respect—go beyond tolerating differences and strive to appreciate those who are different from you. (Example: remember that kids are customers too!) Avoid Assumptions—be...
Read More →
Coaching for Improvement
Nearly everyone enjoys providing positive feedback, and it is a power tool for continuous improvement. While providing not-so-positive feedback isn’t much fun, remember that when provided properly it is a valuable coaching resource. The purpose of feedback is to help the receiver, not to embarrass him or her or to make judgments. So be kind....
Read More →
Providing Effective Feedback
How many of the following effective feedback behaviors do you display on a regular basis? I carefully select the time and place to provide feedback. I respect those who provide me with negative feedback. I ask for clarification when communicating with others. I offer the person an opportunity to evaluate their own behavior. When offering...
Read More →
Where Is Your Focus When Mistakes Happen?
True leaders focus on positives while others are trapped dealing with negativity. How did you react the last time something went wrong in your department or organization? Did you focus on the negative events leading up to the problem? Did you identify fault and take the necessary disciplinary action? I don’t remember when or where...
Read More →
Code Phrase Can End Pity Parties
My family has always had a weird way of making light of a wimpy display of self-pity. If one of the six McMichael children whined or complained about something insignificant, they would likely hear this family response: “Moo, Moo, Moo, Moo.” Now I don’t know where this silly retort came from, but I do know...
Read More →
Who Has Contributed To Your Success?
Charles Schulz Philosophy—You don’t have to actually answer the questions. Just read the following straight through, and you’ll get the point. 1) Name the five wealthiest people in the world. 2) Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize. 3) Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and...
Read More →
Leadership Sometimes Requires Tough Choices
“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” – Bill Cosby Good leadership requires making tough choices that are sometimes going to be unpopular. First, you must have followers who want to follow you and that means earning the trust and respect of these individuals. And, the best...
Read More →
How Do You Boost Confidence in Others?
People will remember not what you say or do, but how you make them feel. I can’t remember when or where I first heard this, but I do remember how true this comment rang deep within me. And … I know how true it is for me today. The leaders who influenced me most, were those...
Read More →
Review and Reinforcement = Retention
Many of you reading this newsletter have Training and/or HR departments to rely on for the formal training of your team members. These professionals use a well-known training technique that is reduced to four words: tell, show, do, review. You first tell participants what you want them to know; you demonstrate or show the behavior...
Read More →
What Is Diversity
What words or phrases come to mind when you think of diversity? Typical responses include things like color, ethnicity, people with disabilities, gender, age, family status, religion or sexual orientation. But diversity goes way beyond the typical responses. It also includes things like appearance, communication style, music interests, mobility, job status, national origin, socio/economic status,...
Read More →
Start the Workday With Something Fun
While preparing for a speech in one of the Universal Studios Hard Rock Café banquet rooms some time ago, I heard a cadence chant reminiscent of those from the old army movie Stripes. I walked out of the banquet room to get a closer look and discovered it was a team of Hard Rock employees...
Read More →
Top Five Reasons For You To Invest In Recognizing Team Members
# 5—It will increase the productivity of the person who receives the recognition. # 4—It will improve the quality of life—both personal and professional—for that person. # 3—Positive feedback can be contagious. Others will start looking for things done right. # 2—It will improve your own outlook and quality of life—both personal and professional. #...
Read More →
Don't Forget About Lessons Learned
Take responsibility for your own review of lessons learned. Try these ideas: Check out your bookshelf, Kindle or other resource every Monday morning. Pull one idea from a business or self-development book you’ve already read and IMPLEMENT that idea before Friday of that week. Or – review old seminar or workshop notes—especially action items you have...
Read More →
Have Trophy Will Travel …
Every company needs a traveling trophy! Choose a fun (and durable) symbol of recognition, like a 10” Happy (from the Seven Dwarfs) beanbag doll. Award it to someone who deserves a pat on the back for contributing to a happy, productive workplace. Here’s the stipulation—the “trophy” can only stay in the recipient’s possession for one...
Read More →
Recognition Done Right
When offering recognition to team members be sure to do so effectively. If the receivers minimize the recognition, don’t assume it doesn’t mean anything to them. It may just be that they are shy or uncomfortable being in the spotlight. It does not mean they don’t appreciate and/or enjoy the recognition. Consider the following tips:...
Read More →
Learn From Mistakes
A mistake is when someone makes a bad decision resulting in a negative outcome. A “mistake” does not include a deliberate act of malice or insubordination. So when a well-intentioned employee makes a mistake consider the following coaching steps (LEARN acronym): Listen—allow the employee to tell the entire story and express his or her feelings....
Read More →
Seize Growth Opportunities
Most managers know and even believe the mantra, “We can learn a lot from our mistakes.” Just think about a major on-the-job mistake you have made and then consider the lessons you have taken from that mistake. Isn’t it easier to remember those lessons that were accompanied by heartaches and disappointments? Try to remember how...
Read More →
Recognition Blunders
At a holiday party guests were telling horror stories about recognition done badly. I hope you’ve never been on either side of recognition like these examples. A lady with over twenty-five years of service with her organization was presented with her very expensive and well-made twenty-five year award with much less than fanfare and recognition. Her...
Read More →
Employee Development - Whose Job Is It?
Many front-line managers and supervisors might consider employee development the job of HR, the training department, or outside training consultant. In reality, the responsibility for continuous learning—the kind that gives you a real ROI (return on investment) – rests squarely on the shoulders of that immediate supervisor. I’ve had clients ask me what kind of...
Read More →
Learning Reinforcement Ideas
After employees attend a workshop, seminar, conference, or any developmental opportunity, consider the following reinforcement ideas: Personally understand what’s been taught and reinforce the concepts. Require employees to establish at least one goal to include the action they will take and a date they will report back to you with their progress. Have employees create...
Read More →
Avoid Criticism
Criticism is an easy behavior to display, especially when you are under pressure yourself and just trying to get a job done, and get it done right. But, before criticizing an employee, remember that it typically produces: Defensive behavior Hostility and/or anger Demotivating behavior Sabotaging behavior
Identify Both Feelings & Content
When clarifying to ensure understanding, the leader should focus on both what the employee might be feeling and the content of the message. Example: Employee: “With all the cutbacks around here, I’m expected to do the job of two or three people.” Leader: “I think I hear you saying that you’re feeling frustrated because of...
Read More →
Listen Up
One of the greatest challenges for any leader is to help an employee change a behavior. This behavior modification needs to be accomplished without harming the relationship with or self esteem of the employee. Active listening is a widely used technique when coaching someone through a behavior change. Active listening is the ability to tune...
Read More →
Tips For Increasing Team Effectiveness
Here are some tips for addressing the issue of getting people to work together even though they have different goals and agendas: Be sure you have the right people in the right jobs. If a position requires a great deal of collaboration, be sure the individuals in those positions possess collaboration skills. If necessary, provide...
Read More →
Teamwork Is a Top Leadership Challenge
According to a survey done by the American Management Association (AMA), 60% of the leaders who responded indicated that their top challenge is to get people to work together, even though they have different agendas and goals. Could this be an issue in your organization? Start by asking yourself the following questions: Are team members...
Read More →
Leading Change
Effective leaders change what they can, let go of what they cannot control and work hard to identify the difference. Even though it’s paraphrased, I’ll bet this sounds familiar. As leaders we should not be afraid of the future. We should look for ways to embrace it and help prepare our team members to do...
Read More →
Creating Ownership
Years ago I work with the City of Kissimmee Sanitation Department and they knew how to create ownership. Here are a few examples: Drivers test-drove vehicles and selected the model for purchase. Each truck is personalized with the driver’s first name. Team members selected the uniform style for their division. What could you do to...
Read More →
Managing Employee Expectations
Recent research showed that 32% of Americans would like to leave their current employers. That translates to 32% who are probably disengaged. The top five engagement factors (in order) were: being treated with respect work-life balance the type of work that you do the quality of people you work with the quality of the organization’s...
Read More →
Becoming a Mentor
Mentoring is widely used as a tool for continuous learning in the workplace. With our workforce growing older, mentoring skills are becoming the ticket to advancement, especially for many senior workers. Be prepared for this important role by improving your ability to do the following: Listen and be open to new ideas. Display good time management and...
Read More →
Peer-to-Peer Mentoring
Create a peer-to-peer mentoring relationship. It works like this: Team up with someone you respect and trust. Discuss strengths and weaknesses. Set and share with one improvement goal for the coming week. At the end of the week meet to discuss the progress each of you has made. Set new improvement goals for the coming week.
Make It Easy for Employees to Work for Your Organization
One of our daughter’s first jobs was in retail, which she left after only three months of service. I would be willing to bet that the top level managers had no clue as to why she left. First: She was told she had to drive to the mall to get her schedule each week (on...
Read More →
Six Words That Increase Company Spirit
The following words will increase company spirit in your organization. See how often you can find reason to use these words to help team members know their contributions are recognized and appreciated. Significant—says “your contributions matter” Please—simple, but under-used in most organizations Important—says “you’re necessary to our success” Respect—says “you’re opinions matter” Impressed—shows appreciation for excellence...
Read More →
Four Ways to Nurture a Positive Culture
Hire for personality fit and train for skill, when possible. Encourage and reward ideas that support your company vision, mission, goals and objectives. Allow team members at every level of the organization the autonomy to improve processes that support your company vision, mission, goals and objectives. This includes on-the-spot service recovery when necessary. Celebrate, celebrate,...
Read More →
What Is Your Core Company Culture?
In the book Finding & Keeping Great Employees, co-authored by my friend, Dr. Joan Brannick (with Dr. Jim Harris), four core cultures are described: A Culture of Customer Service—examples are Nordstrom, Home Depot, Ritz-Carlton and (the place where I learned about superior guest service) Walt Disney World. A Culture of Innovation—examples include Intel, Cisco Systems...
Read More →
Happy Employees = Productive Employees
“Attend to small employee concerns and create a genuinely caring environment, so that they in turn will exude the same attention and care toward customers,” advises management guru Tom Peters. Call it modeling or a positive pecking order, the concept is to treat your employees the way you want them to treat your customers. Hal...
Read More →
Use Thanks to Raise Employee Spirit
Thank those who focus on positives during challenging situations. Harness positive energy with daily reminders of things to be thankful for. Ask for input and ideas and then highlight how those used contributed to increased success. Notes of encouragement are helpful when things aren’t going exactly right. Kindness goes a long way—especially when directed toward...
Read More →
Top Five Reasons People Fail to Keep Their New Year’s Resolutions
# 5—The issue is not important. Example: “I will not swear at my computer.” # 4—Someone else came up with the resolution. Example: “Team members don’t want me to read my email while they are talking to me.” # 3—We’re not disciplined. Example: “So, the meeting started five minutes late.” # 2—Resolution is unrealistic. Example: ...
Read More →
Five Keys To Dealing With Change
Accept that change is here to stay. Keep a positive attitude about change. Become one of the change agents by looking for opportunities to decrease costs and increase productivity. Work to increase communication efforts during times of change. When possible, let people know what’s coming. This will help to alleviate some of the stress. Set...
Read More →
Lower Stress To Increase Productivity
Job Fulfillment and Satisfaction = Increased Productivity and Retention A number of organizations are facing cost-cutting challenges, which means finding ways to do more with less. Unfortunately, the result can often add stress to employees who are asked to carry more responsibilities, which can adversely affect productivity. In these cases, it’s more critical than ever to...
Read More →
Do You Have A Mentor
Most successful people can point to at least one mentor who helped guide them down a particular path and/or someone who helped navigate them through difficult situations. Do you have someone like that in your life? This does not mean, necessarily, someone who provides you with answers, but perhaps someone who poses the right questions...
Read More →
Go Beyond POTY Training!
So what is the POTY training mentality? Well, POTY is an acronym for “Program Of The Year;”‘ a scenario most of us have experienced more than once. A company will embrace an old and/or new concept or philosophy like Who Moved My Cheese, or FISH!, just to name a few oldies. These were and are great...
Read More →
Generations Working Together
One of our workforce challenges continues to be dealing with people of numerous generations working side-by-side. When I entered the workforce there were two principal age groups: The Veterans (born between 1922-1945) and the Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1964). And while that presented a leadership challenge, it was nothing compared to what we are facing...
Read More →
Emotional Intelligence Competences & Leadership
The five emotional intelligence or EI competencies are: Self-Awareness—the ability to be aware of your feelings and the feelings of others. Self-Regulation—the ability to regulate your reactions to emotions. Self-Motivation—the ability to motivate yourself. Empathy—the ability to recognize and respond appropriately to others’ emotions. Effective Relationships—the ability to influence and persuade others for the good...
Read More →
Emotional Intelligence Versus IQ
Research indicates that one’s EI (emotional intelligence) appears to be a better indicator of potential success than IQ. Why? Because emotional intelligence is used to drive one’s own emotions in a positive direction, and causes one to react appropriately to the emotions of others. And… while IQ is believed to be fixed at birth, EI can be developed and improved! If...
Read More →
Creating a "Know Focus"
Having a “know focus” means focusing on what you already know. A number of clients have called me asking, “What’s new in customer service?” or “What’s new in leadership?” Sometimes they are really asking “How can we help our people get motivated and excited about their work again?” In many cases we don’t need new...
Read More →
Good Customer Service Can Be Therapeutic
Several years ago my neurologist, who is more than an hour from home, prescribed physical therapy 2-3 a week. In an attempt to find a therapist closer to home, I took a referral from a good friend who loves his physical therapist. I never got a chance to see how good the therapist is, because...
Read More →
Remember the SWOT Analysis Concept?
SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. The concept is an oldie, but goody and is an opportunity for leaders to examine aspects of an organization, individual team or department. Example characteristics include: Strengths—strong team, strong market presence, quick delivery Weaknesses—limited new product development, slow response to problems Opportunities—up-sell to current clients, sponsorship...
Read More →
Creating a Good Interview Environment
Direct all your calls to another team member or voice mail. Provide a private place so that the applicant can speak freely without interruptions. Avoid displaying family photos or other objects that might lead the conversation in a personal and sometimes illegal direction. Begin the interview on time and personally greet the applicant in the...
Read More →
Topics to Avoid During an Interview
The SAD REFS acronym features “sad references” or topic areas that are illegal or potentially illegal. Sex—gender or sexual orientation Age Disability—medical conditions, mental or physical disability Race or religion Ethnic heritage, national origin or citizenship Family status, marital status, children, pregnancy or credit history Some others—veteran’s status, convictions, arrest records
Developing Good Interview Questions
During the information gathering stage of an interview you will ask questions that are critical to discovering the applicant’s knowledge and skill levels. The following questioning techniques can be helpful: Past Behavior-based questions refer to situations the applicant has handled in the past. Rather than asking, “What would you do if…?” questions, try “Tell me about...
Read More →
Improving the Interview Process
With companies downsizing and rightsizing it is more important than ever that we practice due diligence when filling valuable open job slots. There are three important components of an effective selection process: 1. Preparation—to include identifying essential job functions, both discipline-specific (technical skills) and performance skills such as adaptability, communication skills, effective relationship building skills...
Read More →
You Can’t Give What You Don’t Have
Here’s a fact we all know: You can’t jump start a dead battery with another dead battery. Well, the same is true for recharging the emotional batteries of your employees. The leader must first have a strong, positive attitude and competent emotional intelligence skills to effectively guide others in that same direction. So be sure...
Read More →
Employees Aren't Loyal To Companies
Employees are loyal to people, not companies. Just think about your all time favorite job and I’ll bet you loved the people you worked with, including your boss. Now think about how he or she made you feel about yourself and your work. I have posed this very scenario to participants in my workshops for...
Read More →