Day #1: From Now On Every Choice Matters

Today we were briefed and officially launched from Phase 2 of our entrepreneurial program to Phase 3. What does that mean? It means the real work is about to begin!

It also means we sat through a very long lecture about changing from employee mentality (someone defining our work and our day) to entrepreneur mentality (self-motivating to do the tougher stuff).

I am already wired this way, so it surprises me when I hear someone go on and on ... and on and on and on ... about shifting our thought processes. I think this thought process is one of the key factors that separates those who look for a "job" and those who look for an "opportunity" when they want to change their circumstances. I could be wrong. Still, I know for certain that my many well-meaning and concerned friends are "job" people and always will be. I, on the other hand, am an "opportunity" person and while it is nice to relax and take a "job", it isn't long before I am frustrated by ... all the things that frustrate an "opportunity" person stuck in a "job". So, here I go again on an entrepreneurial journey, this time with something I am deeply passionate about.

In a class of 15 "entrepreneurs" it was easy this morning to distinguish between those who already are entrepreneurial at heart and those who have to work at it. We had a project due. We've known about it for the past 7-1/2 weeks. A couple of us took it in hand and did the hard work of deciding WHAT the project would be, even buying the key parts and distributing each entrepreneur's materials to him/her, complete with drop dead deadline ... which was today. Okay, I DID leave things right to the end myself, but I stayed up until my part was finished last night ... this morning. After all, credibility is everything and the quality and delivery of my part of the project mattered. Apparently it mattered to seven of us.

I am not going to come down that hard on my fellow students. Their lives and the way they conduct themselves is their own choice and not mine to judge, but ... REALLY? I was surprised. Was I making too much of this project? After all, it has nothing to do with our bottom line. It's a gift to the organization that is teaching us. We aren't being marked on it. Then I did a re-take.

As an entrepreneur, every choice that affects others matters. If you are roped into a project that makes no difference to your bottom line, it still makes a difference to someone. You will be weighed and measured by the sum of your actions, so from now on, EVERY choice matters.

What Truly Motivates Employees? (It's not what you think!)

I've always wondered why simple monetary incentives only seemed to work on the lucky few, but demotivated so many more.

I've actually seen sales contests within organizations completely alienate individuals. These are SALES people! They are SUPPOSED to be driven by cash rewards, yet the whole idea of dialing for dollars in a day to win the cash prize left them hating their jobs, their colleagues and their lives.

Here's a brilliant video that finally reveals the shocking truth. My question is, if they had these studies and professionals worldwide found the same results, why wasn't this information made headline news?

• Why are we still operating on archaic reward principles?

• Why are we STILL not allowing our innovators - our staff - come up with ways of making the company better for our clients and colleagues and put these ideas into action?
• Why are we still holding their noses to methods and principles that do not motivate them and expecting them to produce the same results in a completely different economy?

Enjoy this thought provoking video!

Loyalty? What Loyalty?

“Leadership is a two-way street, loyalty up and loyalty down. Respect for one's superiors; care for one's crew.” -Grace Murray Hopper

In my day-to-day work I talk to people on all rungs of the corporate (and not-so-corporate) ladder. I hear the same complaints and issues again and again ... "There's no loyalty."

BIG red flag!

Employees say their company leadership...

• has self-servingly mismanaged resources,
• is out of touch with what the staff is going through and
  
• now expects the "grunt workers" who are "lucky to have a job" to pick up the slack and perform at close to unachievable levels for little or no reward.
  

These employees are

• burned out,
  
• distrustful,
• constantly worried about their future and
  
• see no relief in the near future.
  

While they were able and willing to do what was necessary a year ago, their patience and faith is wearing thin. I hear them say "As soon as this economy turns around I may not be here anymore... So if you hear of any jobs out there for me, let me know!"

Employers say they've stretched to retain employees through tougher times and now expect a return on their investment:

• higher output,
• more dedication,
• team effort.
  

They need to remain viable in order to retain much needed clients ... to be able to retain much needed staff. While they were able and willing to keep motivating staff a year ago, their ideas and direction are flat-lining. I hear them say "We hope this economy turns around soon. We'll see what happens... or I may be coming to you for job!"

The end result looming just around the next economic corner - Utter Chaos!

In struggling companies, you have 4 generations of workers processing in 4 different ways and NONE of these look sustainable:

• The Golden Generation: "I'll cut my hours down. That's my contribution. I just need to keep my benefits the same and make sure I get my pension."
  

• The Baby Boomers: "I'll stay with these yahoos long enough to rebuild my portfolio and I'm gone ... and I'm taking everything I know with me!"

• The Gen Xers: "I'll gather all the knowledge and experience I've gained, lay it out on the table and, if I don't get the position and compensation I deserve, I'll go someplace that has better leadership."

• The Gen Y's: "I can get a better job anywhere that's easier, gives me training, career opportunities, flexibility and respect. If they don't appreciate me, I'll move back with mom and dad."

Yes, these are generalizations, but there's a running theme through each - lack of trust, self-centeredness and NO LOYALTY.

Now, there ARE companies who will weather this next turn of events well.

These are the companies who have

• established a vision, mission and values,
  
• gained "buy in" on all these among staff,
  
• created a culture of active vision, honesty and integrity, and
  
• remained TRUE to the course they have established.

Yes, we all have to take detours, but the detours these companies have taken have these characteristics:

• kept the vital core ideals intact,
  
• been communicated openly with the full team and
  
• rewarded loyalty with much more than "You're lucky to still have a job to come to."

These companies have realized that their greatest competetive advantage is innovation and service. That innovation and service comes from their employees. They have worked hard to create an environment that is sustainable now and in the future through:

• careful hiring,
  
• full accountability of both staff and management (fair and proactive performance reviews, organization surveys and 360's)
  
• open communication in BOTH directions
  
• S.M.A.R.T. goals for each team member
  
• steadfast vision
• regular rewards for feedback, ideas and achievements
• elimination of problem people (including back stabbers and brown nosers)
• alignment with good customers who have similar values

So ... before the economy takes any more turns, carefully review your team. Ask yourself these questions:

1. What will happen if any of these team members leave tomorrow?
2. What will it take to make each team member feel appreciated, needed and vital to the team?
3. What makes these people tick? Who are they and what truly motivates their life decisions?
4. How can I re-align our team with the vision and mission of the company going forward or does that vision and mission need to be refreshed to clearly reflect a better, more sustainable direction this team can buy into?

Just remember ...

“Low morale plus low loyalty equals high turnover. That can hobble a company.” -Karen Carlisle

Becoming an Oak Among Squash

A leadership professor once asked his students: “Which would you rather be: a squash or an oak?”

The question confused students. They didn’t understand the connection to leadership.

“A squash,” he explained, “grows quickly from a seed, weathers the summer, but dies in inclement winter weather because it has no root system. An oak, on the other hand, withstands every storm and all weather patterns because of its root system. It is deeply embedded in the earth.”


So many comparisons leap into my mind:

• get rich quick (squash) vs. follow a plan that matches your strengths and passions (oak)
• brown nose (squash) vs. maintaining credibility and honesty in all your dealings (oak)
• push others down to boost self up (squash) vs. boosting others up and growing to new heights (oak)
• slap it together and get it done (squash) vs. do it well and let your name stand behind it (oak)
• look busy (squash) vs. do all you can do to the best of your ability all the time (oak)

I`m sure you can think of a few yourself ...


When it comes to leadership I get a definite picture of these two plants:

Squash:
You know that leader who offers no plan, no vision, no direction, expects people to just get to work. So staff go ahead with life and create ideas or needed initiatives but, because they are not the leader of other departments, there is no togetherness or overall plan across the company. They begin to have petty arguments, disrespect and distrust.

It gets worse. Typically the leader swoops in and micromanages from above after the work is done ... or worse, does the brush off of "I just would have expected you to do that. It's part of your job." Ooooh the frustration of the person trying to do the work (or the guess-work)!!

Oak:
This is the leader who aligns staff with their strengths and purpose, gives them an overall plan, budget, vision, mission and benchmarks that are reasonable, especially in challenging conditions and then empowers staff to fulfill their purpose, continuing to facilitate positive and frequent communication, flow of ideas, encouragement for effort and guidance mid-stream where guidance is needed.

Here's one I would add which you might recognize ...

Potato:
The leader who has a solitary plan which few others know. All ideas only sprout from that individual and no communication is requested or given. Staff are just expected to deal with the sprouts, wherever they pop up. In fact, no sprout may appear and staff are not to question or speculate about what's happening.

That leader is immovable, inaccessible and ... well ... no fun! I have a theory that he/she does not share the plan because he/she doesn't want to be committed to it and then have to say "I was wrong." (So far it's a theory because these people will NEVER tell me!)


Being a leader in your business, organization, family, etc. requires:

• incredible communication skills,
• solid mentoring or counseling ability,
• unwavering self-management,
• well developed problem-management skills,
• ability to consult others and to suspend inherent behaviours that are causing communication or trust issues ... which goes back to self-management.

If it sounds super-human, it is!
Are you up for it?

Being a leader is no different from being a sales person. You are selling your staff on your ability to lead the company and ensure their future daily.

Who do people buy from?

• Those the KNOW, LIKE and TRUST

What breaks down trust besides outright lies?

• Ambiguity (vagueness, uncertainty, haziness)

Ambiguity leaves too much to the discretion of the one being lead. That person can either do nothing and be squawked at, or do something and be micromanaged ... and squawked at.

That squawking has it`s own hazzards ...

"... out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." - Matthew 12:34B, the Bible

What you say and do can and WILL be held against you. Your communication - verbal AND non-verbal shows your staff where your head is at ... and they are always watching...

Negative squawking or the cold brush off and avoidance will create uncertainty, self-doubt, anxiety, anger and bitterness which cause involuntary and negative bio-physical responses which, in turn, inhibit rational thought and productivity. From then on, even the thought that a leader MIGHT be displeased will trigger that response in him or her ... there goes productivity, job satisfaction and workplace morale.

Why can`t employees just get over their response and understand that's just the way I'm wired?

Because they are HUMAN!

Humans ... MOST humans ... do not enjoy pain and that trigger response is their brain telling them to duck and cover 'cause pain is headed their way!


Employees surveyed said a credible employer must be these key things:

• Honest
• Competent
• Forward Looking
• Inspiring

These words could be said of the oak ... not so much the squash or potato

You don`t lead staff? I would challenge that these are the qualities we look for in a spouse, a mentor, a trusted friend, a parent, and ourselves.

If we all aspire to be oakish leaders of ourselves (as opposed to squashy or potatoish), then the world will be full of credible people.

... and wouldn`t that just be incredible?


Are you ready to develop your Leadership skills?
I recommend Dr. Terry Anderson`s book Transforming Leadership. Author: Dr. Terry Anderson together with the Leadership Skills Inventory - Self (LSI-S)