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

When you finally know what you really want, you want it to start RIGHT NOW!

They say:

• Patience is a virtue ...
• Haste makes waste ...
• Good things come to those who wait ... blah, blah, blah!
  

Have you ever finally figured out exactly what it is you wanted?

It may have been as trivial as a pair of shoes, skis or golf clubs. It may have been more life altering, such as the perfect car, house with the ideal kitchen ... and walk-in closet, ideal job opportunity or your soul mate ... Whatever it was for you, picture yourself in the exact moment when you KNEW it was right ...

Are you there?

Good.

THAT is the moment where YOUR passions, knowledge, abilities and strengths collided. Did anyone need to motivate you to go after what you truly wanted?

You have just discovered the true secret to motivating others.

Now RARELY are your staff going to be THAT passionate about the work you ask them to do. But if you can get them to reveal their Core Values, Strengths and Interests to you ... and to themselves ... you are on the road to finding out how to retain employee loyalty both to your company AND to your bottom line.

What is good for your employees is also good for YOU! If you are that passionate and motivated about your business every morning when you wake up, you will set the world on fire!

Okay, maybe not the world, but you will light up your clients and draw to you people who truly need or want what you have to offer!

Don't believe in the power of attraction?

Your thoughts manifest themselves in your attitude toward everything you do. Put it this way: Who would you rather have build your deck - someone who looks as though he'd rather be in his 5 o'clock world or someone who LOVES thinking about, designing and building beautiful, functional, stable and affordable decks?

My suggestion is not to find ways to hype the company and rally your staff, but to discover ways to link TRUE passions to the work.

For instance, a sanitation engineer may not be enthusiastic about garbage, but may love being paid to work out, the thrill of jumping on and off a moving truck, being outdoors rather than in a stuffy office, throwing things and early mornings. Encourage and respect those key elements and you can continue to motivate your sanitation crew through the stickiest festering summer routes! You will also attract potential hires who value the same things as your workers spread positive word-of-mouth about their workplace!

As people become more connected to their position and feel the support from their employer, they will step into a leadership mentality about their role within the organization. It is VITAL to encourage this step. Imagine a company full of employees who "OWN" their positions and their credibility as part of the team!


Use these two assessments for Self-Development and/or for teambuilding!!




Online Personal Style Indicator (PSI) helps you understand your own strengths and preferences and recognize the strengths of others, communicate more effectively with those who are inherently different and work more efficiently to build on each others' strengths for common goals!

The Online Values Preference Indicator (VPI) helps you identify your true top (and bottom) Core Values, learn the related fears and needs that filter all your perceptions and drive all your decisions and discover how to better honour your Core Values and the values of those around you!