HR – Page 2 – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

The Leaders Without Borders Coaching Program

Posted August 9, 2016
by dougdickerson

New Session Begins September 12th!

Across the country students are preparing to go back to school. But what about you? Now is the time to enroll in my 9 week leadership coaching program! Check out the information below. Space is limited so the time to act is now!

The Leaders Without Borders Coaching Program

After more than thirty years in leadership positions I am pleased to announce to you an opportunity for one-on-one leadership training and coaching for you or your team.

Taken from the pages of my book Leaders Without Borders: 9 Essentials for Everyday Leaders, (Foreword by Mark Sanborn) I bring home the leadership skills you and your team need to move forward.

Here are two realities you are up against:

A recent Gallop Business Journal survey not long ago reported that only 30% of U.S. employees (and 13% worldwide), are engaged. Getting your employees engaged and building a corporate culture that thrives can be a challenge. How do you think that type of engagement impacts your place of business? How different would things look if that number increased for you?
Writing in the Harvard Business Review, John Zenger, CEO of the Zenger/Folkman leadership development consultancy reports that the average age of supervisors receiving any type of leadership training was 42. More than half were between 36 and 49. Less than 10% were under 30; less than 5% were under 27. Think about that for a moment. If they are not entering leadership training programs until they are 43, they are getting no leadership training at all as supervisors. And they are operating within that company untrained, on average, for over a decade.

But what is a leader like you to do? Your obstacles to this dilemma are two-fold – time and money. Where do you find the time to send your team members to get the training they need? While the desire may be there, often time the resources you need are not. Conferences can be pricey once you factor in registration fees, travel, and hotels, and lost productivity being away from work. Many well-meaning leaders like yourself who would like to empower their employees don’t have the access to leadership training that can help because of these two factors—but, help is on the way!

My book, Leaders Without Borders: 9 Essentials for Everyday Leaders, serves as the textbook for the 9 week leadership training course you need. The nine chapters address foundational leadership principles that will enrich and awaken the leadership skills that can improve your people both personally and professionally. The nine leadership principles outlined in the book are: passion, priorities, optimism, teamwork, attitude, authenticity, loyalty, kindness, and legacy.

Here is how it works:

*Upon registration, participants will receive a copy of the book. Participants will be assigned one chapter per week to read and will be emailed a set of corresponding questions, outside reading assignments, videos to watch, and evaluations to work on.

*Participants will have a one hour session with me each week live via Google Hangout/Skype where I will serve as their personal leadership coach to discuss their assignments and develop their skills.

Upon completion of the course each participant will receive a certificate and a copy of my latest book, It Only Takes a Minute: Daily Inspiration for Leaders on the Move, a daily motivational leadership read for the entire year.

As stated before, workshops and conferences can be expensive. My desire is to make leadership training not only effective and empowering, but affordable. My desire is to awaken the leadership skills within your people, to close the engagement gap within your organization, and help you get a jumpstart on the training for everyone in your organization. Simply put, I want to add value to you and your team!

The leadership training you desire coupled with the convenience of not having to travel off-site, and equipping your team and raising up leaders is now within your reach!

Now is the time to take action and enroll as an individual or members of your team.

Email me today at: [email protected] or call 843.509.5104 for pricing and scheduling.

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Leadership Essentials: Communicating with Clarity

Posted July 14, 2016
by admin

comm

The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said. – Peter Drucker

A worker asked for a pay raise and got this note back from his supervisor: “Because of the fluctuation predisposition of your position’s productive capacity as juxtaposed to standard norms, it would be momentarily injudicious to advocate your requested increment.” The puzzled worker went to the supervisor and said, “Is this is about my pay raise I don’t get?” “That’s right,” said the supervisor.

As a leader one of the most important skills you will develop is communication. Unfortunately, it’s becoming one of the hardest skills to develop. The reasons for this vary. On the bright side, technology has increased our ability to communicate like never before. On the down side, conversational and social skills have waned because we prefer to text or send an email- thus avoiding actual human interaction.

Communicating with clarity is important for you as a leader. Those you lead don’t need to be like the man in the story above trying to figure out what you are saying. Here are a few simple guidelines to keep in mind going forward.

Keep it simple

Avoid as much as possible all the fancy corporate jargon. Keep it simple. Your goal here is not to impress people with your vocabulary but to inspire your team with your words and actions.

Keep it pithy

Don’t waste your people’s time with never ending meetings and chasing proverbial rabbits. The longer things drag out the more your people tune out. Have an objective, stick to it, and get going.

Be transparent

Nothing will endear your people to you more than to by being open and honest about where you are personally, where things are as an organization, and by reminding your people of the vision and the role they play in fulfilling it.

Be inclusive

Clarity is essential throughout your organization. As the leader you need to make sure everyone knows your heart and that you have their backs, and that they have all the knowledge and information they need to be successful.

Know when to speak, and speak on purpose

When communicating with your people it is important that you have a reason and purpose behind it. What you say and how you say it is important. What a team members “hears” and interprets may be very different from said and meant. Before you speak, think it through and put yourself in their shoes.

Know when to shut up

I’ve saved the most important for last. Clarity comes to us best not when we are speaking but when we are listening. The most powerful communication skill you have is your silence and your open mind. It is when you listen to your people that you have your greatest moments of clarity. Someone once said, “God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason.” That’s great advice.

Communicating with clarity is essential to your success as a leader. Use these guidelines as starting points and build upon them. Your success as a leader depends upon it.

What tips would you add?

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It’s Not About the Mission Statement

Posted June 9, 2016
by admin

mission

Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients. – Richard Branson

Writing for Talent Management and HR (http://bit.ly/1KWCe2t ), John Hollon cites a survey concerning the state of employee engagement. Among his finding that employers need to pay attention to include: More than 54 percent of employees have felt frustrated about work; only 38 percent of workers strongly agree that their manager has established a strong working relationship with them; some forty percent say they don’t get their company’s vision, or worse yet, have never seen it; nearly 67 percent of American workers can name at least one thing that would prevent them from taking any kind of risk at work.

Intuitively, many leaders know that employee engagement is critical to the success of their organization. Sadly, many employees feel that their leaders in management are out of touch. In fact, forty percent in the cited survey said they don’t get their company’s vision or haven’t even seen it. How is this possible?

Let’s be clear- a mission or vision statement hanging on a wall in some obscure place in the break room is not employee engagement. Yes, a mission statement is important. It’s important that your employees understand your vision and the role they play in seeing it fulfilled. But that alone will not suffice.

At times this is a concept lost on many leaders. Crystalizing a key point on this topic is the former president of Starbucks International, Howard Behar. In his book, It’s Not About The Coffee, he writes, “At Starbucks we’re in the human service business, not the customer service business.” That’s the distinction. Behar adds, “I’ve always said, we’re not in the coffee business serving people, we’re in the people business serving coffee.”

Employee engagement begins with leadership engagement. Employee engagement begins with leaders who are engaged in the lives of the people who make the mission of the work possible. It’s that simple and it’s that difficult. It takes work. It means that as a leader you have to come out from behind your desk and get connected to your people. So what does leadership engagement look like and what are some core characteristics? Here are three for your consideration.

Leadership engagement is proactive.

So long as your approach to employee engagement is a reactionary one – one that responds only during a crisis- it does not qualify as a model of employee engagement. Leadership engagement, for example, says that the health and well-being of your people is important and an investment in them and will include a wellness program because you know that when your employees are healthy they will be more productive.

There are many ways to be proactive and engage your employees but sitting back and waiting to put out the next fire is not one of them. Your mission statement means little to your people so long as your commitment to them is an afterthought.

Leadership engagement is personal

A smart leader understands that people are your most appreciable asset. You can have the best business plan in the world, and the best mission statement to go along with it, but without people you are going nowhere. Leaders who excel at employee engagement understand this principle and take to heart the importance of building meaningful relationships. Your connection to your customer/clients flows through your employees. It’s so much easier for your employee to advocate for your brand and your product when the relationship with its leadership is strong.

Make it a practice of your leadership to get to know your people and build relationships. At the end of the day your people want to know that you care about them and not just the bottom line.

Leadership engagement is a practical

Employee engagement works best when at the end of the day it’s practical. Your engagement with your people is critical but is it must be practical in its application. For example; if communication within your organization is lacking and information is not reaching the right people in a timely fashion; a workshop on retirement options on Monday at 9:00 a.m. may not be the most urgent event on the calendar.

Leadership engagement is all about knowing the pulse of your organization, understanding the needs of your people, and cutting through the layers of bureaucracy to get results. Never underestimate the power of being practical.

Employee engagement issues will continue to be front and center in most organizations. There is always room for improvement. A commitment to employee engagement begins when leaders are engaged with their people.

What do you say?

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Building Bridges and Tearing Down Walls

Posted June 2, 2016
by admin

bridges

Management is about arranging and telling. Leadership is about nurturing and enhancing. – Tom Peters

The Great Wall of China was built over hundreds of years to keep China’s northern enemies from invading. The Great Wall is so wide that chariots could ride across the top. It is one of the few manmade objects that astronauts can see from space as they look back on the earth.

But the Great Wall did not keep the enemy out. Do you know why? All the enemy had to do was bribe a gatekeeper. Despite the massive wall, there was an enemy on the inside that let the enemy on the outside in.

One of your most important responsibilities you have as a leader is to grow your corporate culture in a way that benefits everyone. But what happens when office gossip, professional jealousy, and turf wars build walls that place your company at risk? What is the fallout when walls go up and camaraderie is a faint memory of the past? Here are four critical areas that are impacted in your organization if walls are built or allowed to remain.

Loss of trust

The first line of defense for you as a leader as it relates to your corporate culture is the establishment of trust. When walls go up among your people trust is one of the first casualties along with it. Trust among your team is essential to your operation. If it doesn’t exist internally it’s going to be hard to nurture and develop it externally.

Trust is the foundation of your corporate culture. If there is no trust among the members of your team then your team is simply going through the motions. Trust is built when the walls come down and your people learn to work in harmony with one another. When they see each other as allies and advocates rather than adversaries then you trust can be established.

Lack of communication

When there is no trust then communication is going to suffer. If information is being withheld and secrets are kept, then good corporate culture is lacking. Walls keep people apart and when this occurs then the life blood of your company is missing. Everything rises and falls on trust and communication.

Consider for a moment how different things in your organization would be if there were not impediments to communication. Good communication can be a challenge in the best of times when there are no walls much less when they do exist. Communication in your organization will exist and thrive when you bring people together and make it a priority.

Lack of collaboration

Whatever the cause for the walls that exist – clicks, territorial disputes, petty office politics, etc. one thing is certain – relationships suffer. A strong work environment and the collaborative process are dependent upon good relationships – the very thing the walls have destroyed.

A healthy collaborative process can be very beneficial. When team members come together and check their baggage and their egos at the door, it can make a huge difference in the productivity of the organization. But this can’t happen within the confines of walls that are far too often supported by pride. When team members see their differences as strengths and their diversity as an advantage then collaboration can thrive.

Lack of credibility

Walls can be detrimental to any organization and every leader faces the challenge of how to deal with the underlying issues that lend itself to their creation. It’s a frustrating process and I understand the challenge it presents.

But the credibility of your organizational structure is on the line when walls of division that lead to a lack of trust, communication, and collaboration are allowed to linger. Chances are it’s only one or two disgruntled people who are the chief antagonists giving you this headache. But nonetheless, walls are being built because well-meaning team members may know of no other way to deal with it.

As a leader you must be proactive in the implementation and development of your corporate culture. It’s not an auto-pilot feature that you can turn on and then ignore as you move on to other issues. As a leader the best things you can do is learn how to build more bridges and tear down a lot of more walls.

What do you say?

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Six Ways to Rise Above Your Critics

Posted May 19, 2016
by admin

critics

To escape criticism- do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. – Elbert Hubbard

A story is told of Winston Churchill and his extraordinary integrity in the face of opposition. During his last year in office, he attended an official ceremony. Several rows behind him two gentlemen began whispering. “That’s Winston Churchill. They say he is getting senile. They say he should step aside and leave the running of the nation to more dynamic and capable men.” When the ceremony was over, Churchill turned to the men and said, “Gentlemen, they also say he is deaf.”

Critics. Every leader has them and every leader will. How you respond to critics is an important component of your leadership development. It’s all too easy to get defensive when critics rub us the wrong way or misunderstand us. But can you appreciate a critic when he or she is right? Rising above your critics takes courage. Here are six ways to do it.

Keep a positive attitude.

Zig Ziglar said, “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” He’s right. How high and how far you go as a leader will be determined by your attitude. Nothing will give you a bad attitude any quicker than a wrong reaction to a critic. Basic things you will want to know regarding a critic are the source, the accuracy, the ramifications, and your reaction – if there even needs to be one. Regardless, stay positive and focused on the big picture.

Stay true to your values.

Don’t allow your critics to throw you off of your game. Stay grounded and connected to the values that have guided you to where you are. Values do not change but are guideposts when your circumstances do. The values and principles that brought you to where you are will keep you there so handle your critics with that in mind.

Speak no evil.

Seriously? Yes. Engaging in mud-slinging with your critics only hurts you in the long run. Unless what they have spoken or done is libelous then don’t waste your time in a verbal battle. Be content in knowing that the truth is on your side. There is no greater satisfaction than in knowing that you can look yourself in the mirror and lay your head down at night with a peace that comes from knowing you did the right thing regardless of how others behaved.

Don’t retaliate.

There will be times when you will want (and those close to you) to retaliate against critics. There is something about human nature that wants to fight back and get revenge and settle the score. I get it. But again, the end result will never be good for you. As hard as it may be there are times when you just have to let it go. Don’t worry if you lose a battle today, you are going to win the war if you keep your heart right.

Give them more ammo.

Most of the critics you will encounter are simply those who have some kind of vendetta or jealousy directed toward you. As opposed to stooping down to their level why not give them more ammo? As you do the right thing by continuing to work hard and by exhibiting good leadership, you will only become more successful. Nothing will annoy your critics more than your continued success.

Don’t lose your sense of humor.

One of the most important leadership skills you can develop is a sense of humor. Churchill exhibited it towards the men who spoke ill of him. Your critics will stir up a wide range of emotions and reactions that you will want to run with. But if you laugh – at them, and at yourself, half the battle is won.

What do you say?

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Are You Checking in or Checking Out?

Posted May 5, 2016
by admin

checklist 2

A leader is the one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. – John Maxwell

Employee engagement is as vital to your success as a leader as ever. When a Gallup survey reports that only 30 percent of U.S. employees are engaged in their work what do you think that says about leadership engagement?

The question we would like to pose to you is simply this: are you checking in or checking out as a leader in the way you engage your people? Your answer matters because in it reside signals not just to your leadership style but to the health of your organization.

Here are a series of questions we would like to pose to you for your consideration; a check-up if you will as to your engagement levels with your people and the state of your leadership effectiveness.

Do you know your employees on an individual basis?

Like any smart leader in business you make it a priority to know your customer. Knowing your target audience is critical to your bottom line. If it is important to you to know your customer does it not stand to reason that you should know the people serving your customer?

When you don’t take the time to get to know your employees on an individual basis, it clearly shows that you don’t care. How hard will an employee work for a leader who does not care? You will not get anywhere near the productivity or quality you need from employees if you do not show that you care about their well-being.

Check-In Tip: Get to know your employees on an individual basis. How are their families? What are their hobbies? How was their recent vacation?

Do you know what is happening on the ground level?

One of the dangers leaders can find themselves in is being too far removed from the front lines of the operation. We understand that the responsibilities you face as a leader in part take you away from the front lines so it must be a priority for you to return.

There is no way for you to know everything; when you distance yourself from what is happening on the ground level it’s like putting blinders on. What issues might slip by you? What opportunities might you miss?

Check-In Tip: Get out on the floor; make your presence the norm. Be observant and engaged with what is happening on the ground level.

Do you have the right people in the right positions?

Your effectiveness as an organization is realized not when you have a lot of people but when you have the right people in the right place. When people play to their strengths and are passionate about what they do then your organization will excel.

None of your employees want to be just a warm body, and most of your tasks require some form of specialized knowledge or skill. When you give little thought to where employees can make the greatest contribution to the organization, you are crippling your operations and minimizing the importance of individual contributions.

Check-In Tip: Learn where your employees’ strengths lie. Then place them in positions where they will be engaged and challenged while making the greatest contribution to the organization.

Can your employees count on you?

The people in your organization need to know that you are a leader who is reliable and will have their backs. You foster trust and earn respect not merely by your words but in your day-to-day actions that demonstrate your commitment to their success.

If your employees don’t feel they can count on you, we’d be willing to bet that they won’t go out of their way to be there for you either. If you send the message to your employees that it’s every man for himself, be prepared to be left standing on your own.

Check-In Tip: Show your employees that you have their backs; knowing that they can count on you is a key factor in gaining the trust and respect you need to be an effective leader.

So, are you checking in or are you checking out? As a leader, you are setting the example for employees to follow. If you are not connecting with your employees and engaging in operations at the ground level, your employees will follow suit. And, disengaged employees do not reflect well on any leader and do not benefit the organization as a whole.

liz Liz Stincelli is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. She holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership. Learn more about Liz by visiting her website: www.stincelliadvisors.com

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Recognition: The Fuel of Employee Engagement

Posted April 8, 2016
by admin

recognition

Don’t worry when you are not recognized, but rather strive to be worthy of recognition. – Abraham Lincoln

A story is told of the great Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo who happened to overhear a group of people admiring his Pieta, a statue of Christ on His mother’s knees after His death on the cross. One man attributed the work to another sculptor, much to the chagrin of Michelangelo, who took particular pride in the Pieta. Returning to the sculpture after dark that evening, Michelangelo carved his name on it so that no similar mistake would occur in the future. Talk about someone with recognition issues!

It is not a stretch to state that most people in your place of work appreciate recognition for the contributions they make. A Harvard Business Review article (http://bit.ly/1TNdSJM) cites a Harris poll that is eye-opening to say the least. “In the survey,” it reads, “employees called out the kind of management offenses that point to a striking lack of emotional intelligence among business leaders, including micromanaging, bullying, narcissism, indecisiveness, and more.” The top offense? Topping the complaints (by employees) at sixty three percent was not recognizing employee achievements.

The most important thing a leader,manager, boss, supervisor, etc. must learn is that people are your most appreciable asset. The second most important thing to remember is that relationships matter. The hard lesson to learn is that people can be difficult and building relationships can be complicated.

So what is a leader to do when it comes to recognition and building relationships? The questions can outnumber the answers but here are a few suggestions for starters.

Make it a priority

As a leader the recognition of your people- your most appreciable asset, must be a top priority. Your responsibility is to make sure that the hard work and dedication of your people is given the appreciation that it is due. When your people know you have their backs and recognize their efforts you are building good will among them and they will keep performing at high levels.

Make it personal; make it public

Not all recognition should necessarily be public; but that never hurts. When a colleague is publicly praised for achieving a goal it is proper to praise in public. It builds confidence and reinforces morale. But a good leader also knows that a personal hand-written note of appreciation is priceless. So practice both- and be sincere.

Be spontaneous

Your people often face obstacles and challenges that you are far-removed from. The daily grind can wear down even the best among you. Nothing will lift the spirts and culture of your organization more than a kind gesture of appreciation to your people for no other reason than to say, “I am with you, you are not forgotten, I am proud of you”.

Be realistic

The hard reality every leader has to learn is that some of your people – those “most appreciable assets” will be very challenging when it comes to building relationships. As you know, some require more “strokes” and attention than others and at times there will be no “pleasing” of these people. On the other side of the coin you will have individuals who are just happy to show up, work hard, go above and beyond the call of duty and would be embarrassed if singled out for recognition. Challenging, right? John Maxwell was right when he said, “It’s lonely at the top so you better know why you are there.” Welcome to leadership.

Be inclusive

One of the challenges you will face as a leader is the accusation of showing favoritism. I am a believer that those who demonstrate a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and a genuine team player approach are actually deserving of more recognition that those who don’t. But as much as it depends on you as the leader, be inclusive as possible when it comes to recognition. Everyone fights battles and carry within them struggles you nothing of and a little encouragement and recognition can make the difference between where they are now and the spark needed to go to the next level. Don’t leave anyone out.

Be generous

Recognition and reinforcing a positive message within your organization is a game changer. The culture you desire is created by the tone you set as a leader. There are plenty of critics, skeptics, gossips, and otherwise contentious attitudes to deal with at times. The path of effective and meaningful employee engagement and strong relationships begins with recognition that comes from the heart. It begins with you.

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Excess Baggage: How to Lighten Your Load as a Leader

Posted March 31, 2016
by admin

baggage

Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will. – Zig Ziglar

Writing in The Living Faith, Lloyd C. Douglas tells the story of Thomas Hearne, who, “in his journey to the mouth of the Coppermine River, wrote that a few days after they had started on their expedition, a party of Indians stole most of their supplies. His comment on the apparent misfortune was: ‘The weight of our baggage being so much lightened, our next day’s journey was more swift and pleasant.’

Hearne was in route to something very interesting and important; and the loss of a few sides of bacon and a couple of bags of flour meant nothing more than an easing of the load. Had Hearne been holed in somewhere, in a cabin, resolved to spend his last days eking out an existence, and living on capital previously collected, the loss of some of his stores by plunder would probably have worried him almost to death.”

As leaders we often carry a lot of baggage that weighs us down. Perhaps it is the baggage of stress, personnel issues, financial challenges, etc. It’s time to identify this baggage and make changes that will make you a more effective leader.

How different would your life be as a leader if the excess baggage you carried was lightened? Think of how much more productive your day could be without having to shoulder the weight of that baggage. Are you ready to experience it? Here’s how.

If it’s not your baggage- don’t claim it

Unfortunately, many leaders fall into the trap of trying to be all things to all people. While your heart might be in the right place it will only bog you down as a leader. It’s neither your place nor responsibility to be all things go all people or to involve yourself in matters that can easily be handled by others. While it might make you feel good or look good in the eyes of your people, it will burn you out as a leader.

As it pertains to this excess baggage it would do you well to live out the spirit of the Polish Proverb that says, “Not my circus, not my monkeys.”

Travel light for greater results

What Thomas Hearne learned from his misfortune was that the journey was more swift and pleasant with a lighter load. How much more effective could you be as a leader if your load was lightened? It’s when you cut loose from the excess baggage that weighs you down that you make the most progress.

What excess baggage is holding you back and slowing you down? For best results remember – travel light.

Get a fresh perspective

When Hearne’s load was lightened he had a different perspective. Where before it might have seemed burdensome and hard, now it was more manageable. When carrying excess baggage it’s easy to get stressed or have a bad attitude. It was when he lost what he thought was important that he began to see things in a different light.

When you lighten your load as a leader you will get a fresh perspective of what is important, who is important, and why you should have acted sooner. Nothing will invigorate you more as a leader than a fresh perspective and a lighter load.

Get real about your priorities

Don’t be your own worst enemy. You don’t have to claim baggage (especially that from other people) that is not yours, you don’t have to be the “answer man” for everyone’s problems, and at the end of the day, you are expendable. Don’t allow your pride to tell you otherwise. That being said; get real about your priorities. Set boundaries and stick with it.

Here is an exercise for your consideration: Make a list of some of the “excess baggage” that you are dealing with at work/home and figure out what you need to take ownership of- that which is truly within the realm of your responsibility. Then make a list of what you need to cut loose. Set a target date by which you intend to free yourself from each item. Keep working the list until you are moving more swiftly and the journey is more pleasant.

Your work as a leader will be more productive and pleasant when you are focused on what belongs to you. Your stress levels will diminish when you are not worrying about baggage that does not belong to you. Don’t be afraid to lighten your load. Your leadership depends on it.

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If These Walls Could Talk: Building a Legacy Worth Remembering

Posted March 23, 2016
by admin

walls

In this bright future you can’t forget your past. – Bob Marley

Over the years I’ve had the privilege of visiting numerous art galleries and museums around the world. Included on the list are the National Museum of Art in Washington, D.C. and venues in other places like Boston, London, and Athens. Each have a certain appeal and allure that awaken the imagination with images and history that have enriched lives for centuries. How can one not glance upon the work of Monet, da Vinci, Raphael, or Picasso and not be inspired? The priceless pieces of work that hang on those hallowed walls is captivating.

Suppose the walls in your place of business or your organization could talk; if they could tell your story to the world, what impression would people come away with? If your place of business were to be a museum 100 years from now, what would be the main takeaway people would have about the work you did, the culture you practiced, and your contribution to those you served?

Glassdoor recently published its lists of the Best Places to Work 2016 (http://bit.ly/1lN0I2p). Companies making the list include Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Zillow, Expedia, Delta, and topping the list: Airbnb. The winners, according to Glassdoor are “determined by the people who know these companies best—their employees.” I encourage you to read the list and reviews for yourself. But here is a key take-away – people thrive where people are valued.

If the walls of your organization could talk 100 years from now what would they say? The message a century from now is being scripted today. What is the message others will read about? Would you be embarrassed or proud? If your walls could speak, let these four things be your message.

It was a place with a purpose

Fundamentally the most important thing as it relates to your organization is to know your ‘why’. It’s as you operate in the capacity of this knowledge that everything else makes sense. Without it you are adrift and you will always struggle to find your way.

Howard Behar, former President of Starbucks writes, “At Starbucks, I’ve always said we’re not in the coffee business serving people, we’re in the people business serving coffee.” Once you know your ‘why’ your purpose becomes clear.

Let the walls talk about what a great purpose you had and that you leveraged every resource to fulfill it.

They were a people who cared

Many companies proclaim a strong company culture but fail to deliver. As such, trust is lost, morale is low, and productivity falters. Clearly stated, it’s not what you say that matters or makes the difference, it’s what you do. If the walls of your company could speak 100 years from now how would you be portrayed in terms of how you treated your people?

An employee review for MindBody (#14) in the Glassdoor article writes, “It’s a culture of happiness! I’ve never been in such a positive environment. Management encourages you not only professionally, but in personal aspects of life too. So thankful to work for such an amazing company!” Evidently, MindBody is a company that understands this concept and is putting it into practice. At the end of the day, people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Let the walls speak with fond recollection of a company who knew the importance of caring for its people.

They overcame adversity

Today we remember triumphal moments in history not because people like the Wright brothers failed, or Edison’s lab was destroyed by fire, or that J.K. Rowling’s script for Harry Potter was rejected about a dozen times, or that Disney was fired by a newspaper because he “lacked imagination and had no original ideas”, no- we remember them because they didn’t quit!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6hz_s2XIAU&w=275&h=275]

The success of your organization rests within the will, strength, and determination of its people, to stare down adversity, and come through on the other side. It’s how every successful organization have done it and yours will not be an exception.

Let the walls tell the story of hope and inspiration and that when adversity came you didn’t back down but instead rose to the challenges of your day.

They never stopped growing

Personal growth and development is the bread and butter of leaders. Leaders who are intentional about growing and developing rise to the top. At the heart of any successful business or organization is leadership that recognizes its importance at all levels. In order to remain competitive in this global economy one must never stop growing and learning.

A review for Hubspot (#4) reads, “Leadership places a heavy emphasis on employee growth across all divisions, from tuition reimbursement to offering opportunities to take on challenges outside your core responsibilities.” That sounds to me like a company that “get’s it” and their employees applaud it.

Let the walls tell your story of relentless devotion to learning. Your commitment will ensure that your team has every resource and tool to compete and succeed. And wouldn’t it be nice if the walls would say, “They’re not done yet!”?

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Why Do the Good Ones Leave?

Posted March 17, 2016
by admin

quit

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do and become more, you are a leader. – John Quincy Adams

How is the organizational culture where you work? How is morale? Depending on the day and when asked, the answers can run the gambit of responses and emotions.

A document was discovered in the ruins of a London office building. It was dated 1852. Here are a few of the notices that were posted for a group of employees: 1) This firm has reduced the hours of work, and clerical staff will only have to be present between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays, 2) Now that the hours of business have been drastically reduced, the partaking of food is allowed between 11:30 and noon, but work will not on any account cease, 3) No talking is allowed during business hours, and 4) The craving for tobacco, wine, or spirits is a human weakness, and as such is forbidden to all members of the clerical staff.

Would you like to reconsider your answer about morale in your organization now?

Here’s what we do know from polling and surveys, like this one from Gallup (http://bit.ly/1uUCjpX) that reports employees are just not as engaged as they once were.

It’s been said that people don’t quit organizations, they quit leaders. It’s a sad but true commentary on the lack of leadership skills that are so desperately needed in the workplace.

There are consequences to poor leadership and where it’s not present, people will leave to find it. Inevitably it’s the good employees who leave. Left behind is a weakened and demoralized team forced to pick up the pieces.

But why do the good ones leave? What is the tipping point in which a good employee will cash in the chips and bolt? The specifics vary, of course, but typically the good ones leave for these reasons.

The good ones leave because of leaders with no backbone

This type of leader plays to the crowd and will say whatever he or she thinks you want to hear. The good ones had rather hear the uncomfortable truth than the pleasant sounds of an appeaser. The good ones want a leader who is not afraid to make the difficult decisions.

The good ones leave because of leaders with no vision

The good ones long for and thrive in an environment where the leader has a vision for the future, can articulate it, and sets a course of action that will take them there. The good ones understand that without a clear vision for the future there is no future to be had by staying.

The good ones leave because of leaders with no skin in the game

It will be hard to command the respect of your people if you have no skin in the game as it relates to your organization and its mission. You can’t expect a buy-in from your people if you are not fully invested yourself. The good ones seek to be with leaders who are as passionately invested as they are.

The good ones leave because of leaders who place limits on their potential

The good ones will thrive in a culture of excellence where their hard work and talents are put to best use. The good ones will not sit idly by while the leader plays politics or favorites and be denied the opportunity to advance professionally.

The good ones leave because of leaders with no accountability

The good ones fundamentally understand that accountability and transparency are the cornerstones of success. When a leader no longer feels the need to be transparent or be accountable for his or her actions, then the good ones will not stay. Trust is like glue for the leader, is there is none, people won’t stick.

The good ones leave because of leaders with no boundaries

Ultimately, the leader is responsible for the culture of the organization. If proper boundaries are not being observed and inappropriate behaviors are being tolerated- such as bullying, then the good ones will not stay in that environment.

The good ones leave because of leaders with no integrity

At the end of the day it all comes down to the integrity of the leader. The good ones want their leader to be a person of integrity and one they can trust. If integrity is lacking in the leader then integrity will be lacking in the culture. The good ones will leave to avoid the connection.

Many personal factors contribute to the reasons why the good ones tend to leave and move on. I’ve discovered that it’s not always for the money or a promotion. The good ones understand the wisdom of the words of John Maxwell who said, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” That’s why the good ones leave- to be with good leaders.

What do you say?

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