Time Out

I took this weekend off. By that I mean, I took the entire long weekend off to recharge my battery. And you know what? Everything was fine when I logged back into the world of work. In fact, I’ve got some great ideas for new products and services that I never would have thought of had I not given myself permission to take a time out.

When is the last time you gave your people a time out? I’m talking about time away from their desks and their Blackberries to do nothing but chill. If you can’t remember the last time you called for a time out then perhaps it’s time  to give your people a break. Be sure you take a break as well, because your people will return to the office rested and ready to implement ideas that have come to them because they’ve finally had a moment to think.

Additionally, an average of 65 percent of respondents (70 percent Germany, 65 percent US, 59 percent UK) said that working for an organization with Purpose would motivate them to go the ‘extra mile’ in their jobs and an average of 64 percent (71 percent Germany, 63 percent US, 58 percent UK) claimed it would engender a greater sense of loyalty towards the organization they work for.

Employees now seek greater and deeper fulfillment from the working day, but many organizations have yet to respond to this recent shift in attitude. That may very well explain why so many employees are seeking greener pastures. Many of you may indeed have a purpose. However, if you don’t know what it is, or more importantly your people don’t know what it is, then you have a communication problem that can easily be fixed.

State your purpose and share it with your people. Put it front and center on your website, discuss it in your meetings and weave it into every piece of fabric in your organization. Purpose brings about passion and that’s something that you can never have enough of in any organization.

I have a construction crew at my house doing some minor repairs, including the re-doing of some steps. While in the process of removing the worn out wood,  they came across a family of skunks. Thankfully, they didn’t wake the family up and were able to call a  wildlife removal service, who quickly arrived on the scene to set humane traps. Everyday, the wildlife crew would come and remove what was caught and they would reset the traps.

Today was the day they decided to pull up the wood to see if their work was done. It turns out, there were twelve babies in the nest. The wildlife crew  swaddled the babies and placed them in the truck. They would then be handed off to someone who nurses the babies until they are strong enough to be released into the wild. I kid you not. There are actually people who do this work with the love and care many of you wish your own employees would take when working with your customers.

So the next time you think you have a job that stinks and that no one will want to do this work, remember this story about the skunks. There is a job for everyone and you and I shouldn’t pass judgement on whether or not people are too good to take on a task they find rewarding.

Talent

Some people think talent is overrated. That’s because they can’t seem to figure out a way to get their hands on the talent they need to take their businesses to the next level. So instead, they convince themselves that slow and steady workers will win the race. Leaders of these companies will keep plodding along, and if they are lucky they’ll experience modest growth, while new comers will enter the field and take their industry by storm. Others won’t be so lucky, as they’ll be taken out by a wave they never saw coming.

I can’t think of one single business where people don’t matter. You can have the greatest ideas in the world, but if you can’t implement them, then what good will this do you? That’s why you need talent.

Now here’s the thing about talent. It comes in  different shapes and sizes. Did anyone ever think at first glance, Susan Boyle would turn out to be as talented as she is? You can’t just look at someone and believe they are talented because they look like you or because they went to the same college as you did. No, you have to invest the time necessary to ascertain whether the person in front of you has the talent you need to thrive in your business. This usually requires knowing what questions to ask and more importantly, how to interpret the answers you receive. After all, everyone who shows up for auditions at American Idol thinks they’ve got talent. It’s not until the curtain is raised, that we can see for ourselves how deep this talent really goes.

I didn’t see the coaching sessions, batting practice, pre-season games or any games prior to the one I attended on Sunday. I only saw the results, which appeared to me to be simply amazing. The Sox took the game against the Cleveland Indians by a score of 12 to 1.

We  look at other people’s achievements and think we should be able to obtain the same level of success. We don’t think about what it took for this person or business to succeed. We don’t assess the risks they took to make it big.  We just look at the end results.

Hitting a home run at the ballpark and in business requires focus. It also requires practice and being surrounded by a strong team.  Having a  coach that will tell you what you need to hear, rather than what you want to hear makes all the difference in the world.

Take a moment to step away from the plate and ask yourself the following:

1. Have I clearly defined what I’d like to achieve?
2. Do people on my team understand where we are going?
3. Do I have the passion to pull this off?
4. What skills do I need to improve in order to make it into the big leagues?
5. Can I do this alone or do I need a coach who can help me consistently improve?
6. Is there anyone on my team that is getting in the way of our success?
7. What am I willing to sacrifice in the short-run in order to be a world champion?

Making success look like a walk in the park takes effort. Call me when you are ready to do the work and we’ll practice together, until you can hit it out of the park on your own.

To your success!

Roberta

I arrived early at the event to scope out my room and was greeted by a sea of enthusiastic people who were clearly passionate about their brands and their affiliation with this growing industry. As I walked around the convention center, I observed craft brewers exchanging brewing secrets with one another, in an effort to help their fellow brewer succeed. Now tell me, where else would you see competitors helping one another out?

If I could select one word that described the feeling in the room, I would say passion. My session was jammed pack, in spite of the fact that it was early Saturday morning. You see, these people attend  sessions because they come to the conference to learn, as opposed to most conferences where attendees are there to collect CEU credits to retain their certification or license. As the session came to an end, a line was forming, as people were still thirsty for knowledge.

The energy in that convention center was contagious. My husband, who has attended his share of dental conventions, couldn’t believe the difference, not to mention all the free samples that he was handed along the way.

What I love most about this industry is how many young people are making a name for themselves. They know what they don’t know and they aren’t afraid to ask for help. Refreshing. But I also love the fact that experienced business people are trying their hand at something completely different and they are succeeding because of the support of their fellow brewers and the association.

Those outside the beer industry can learn a lot from this young industry.

Hire people with passion. You can’t make people be passionate. They are either in love with your product or your company or they are not. Find people who believe in your purpose and your business will soar.

Surround yourself with people who want you to succeed. There are plenty of naysayers out there who will tell you why things won’t work or will provide you with unsolicited feedback. Ignore these people and find a group that will support your desire to be different and better than the rest.

Constantly improve. You can’t rest on your laurels. If you aren’t moving forward then you are standing still. That’s when the competition has the best chance of passing right by you without you even noticing.

Ask for help. Trying to tackle a problem on your own when you have little expertise in that area is foolish. Find a trusted resource and get the help you need, so you can get back to the business at hand.

Treasure your people. Owners of brew pubs know who put them on the map and who will keep them there. It’s usually the brew master. They honor and treasure those who are most valuable in the organization. Can you say you do the same in your business?

Create a culture where it’s fun to come to work. I’m not suggesting that you need to bring in a ping pong table or that you have to have ice cream socials every week. But there is certainly something in between. People who are passionate about work, look forward to coming to the office everyday and making a contribution. Don’t know where to start? Read my Fast Company piece on Low Cost Ways to Show Employees They are Highly Valued.

Cheers!

Roberta

Zero Trust

I’m on my way home after speaking at a national conference where I was asked by a participant to sign his conference planner. At first I was flattered, thinking he knew that I was a published author. My excitement quickly turned to dismay when he told me that he needed to obtain signatures to prove to his employer he had attended the sessions that were being presented at the conference. Imagine how demeaning that must have felt for him to have to say those words to me.

How on earth do signatures on a piece of paper prove the attendee was actually present? For all his boss knows, the bartender could have signed the papers. And who’s to say that showing up actually means someone is present?

Conference attendees who are more engaged with their Blackberries than with the presenter are not fully present. But I suppose we have to trust they are listening because they are occupying a seat in the room.

Trust me, if you hire good people and you believe in them, you won’t have to resort to idiotic practices that create an environment of mistrust all around.

Image: Flickr user D Sharon Pruitt

Everyone wants top talent, yet few are willing to do the work that is required to be deserving of these people. That’s great news for those who are serious about becoming the type of workplace where everyone wants to work.

I had a meeting the other day with a prospect and we were discussing why some businesses have a people lining up outside their door hoping to receive a job offer while others have difficulty filling similar jobs. I believe it’s all about a company’s reputation. Everyone knows who the lousy employers are. It’s hard to change perception, but it’s not impossible. Here’s how:

Be open to change. I’m tired of hearing business owners and leaders say that the reason things are done a certain way is because they’ve always been done that way. This kind of thinking won’t help you become the type of workplace that attracts people who are innovative. In fact, the opposite is true. People who are stuck in their old ways will remain thereby leaving you with a workforce that should have been retired to the minor leagues years ago.

Rid yourself of toxic employees. Nothing brings a workforce down quicker than toxic employees. All it takes is one or two lousy managers to taint the workplace. I’m not going to tell you how to identify these people, as you all ready know who they are. Take action. Eliminate those who are making your workplace a stinky place to work.

Energize your workplace. Companies have been running mean and lean for so long that it’s now become the norm. Employees are dragging their butts to work every day and slogging along. Candidates who are interviewing with your company will sense the negative energy the moment they step foot in your door. Start investing again in your business. Begin by restoring pay cuts and by making some visible investments that will let your employees know your company is back on the move again.

Toot your own horn. You may be a great company to work for, but what good will that do if no one else knows about this? Revisit your mission statement and include a section on your company’s philosophy toward your people. Start a company blog, redesign the career section of your website, ask employees to tweet, hire a PR firm. Just do something!

Everyone wants to be on a winning team. Change up your strategy, trade some players and create the type of organization where only exceptional people need apply.

–Roberta Chinsky Matuson is the President of Human Resource Solutions (www.yourhrexperts.com) and author of the highly acclaimed book Suddenly in Charge: Managing Up, Managing Down, Succeeding All Around, a Washington Post Top-5 Leadership pick. Sign up to receive a complimentary subscription to Roberta’s monthly newsletter, HR Matters.

Kindle/Amazon promotion for Suddenly in Charge. Time is running out. Downloads $1.99 today through April 30th. Click here to take advantage of this great offer.

Here are five reasons why nothing changes, in spite of their so called efforts:

Lack of focus. You cannot do it all. I don’t care who you are. You simply can’t. So instead, people try and do ten different things at the same time and nothing ever gets completed. Focus on one or two items that will give you the most bang for your buck. That’s how you make progress. And don’t worry about the rest. Chances are you’ll still be in business even if you never address those items as most aren’t all that important.

Failure to make decisions. Process all you want, but in the end you have to make a decision. All the analysis in the world won’t get you where you need to be. Look at your options, figure out what’s best for your firm and implement.

Procrastination. You can do all the hoping and praying that things will take care of themselves but at the end of the day, the only things that get done are the ones that you do. Make a list of your priorities. If any item is still on your list sixty days from now, then remove that item since it’s obviously not as important to you as you thought.

Too much noise. You are asking too many people for their opinion and each response is cluttering up your mind. Find a trusted adviser who you can bounce ideas off of and then move forward.

Exhaustion. It’s hard to climb yet another hill when you are completely exhausted. Take time to recharge your battery.

What would you add to this list?

Be sure to take advantage of the special Amazon is running for the month of April on the download of Suddenly in Charge. This special pricing of $1.99 will be gone soon.

The time is now

The signs are there. You just have to be willing to read the writing on the wall. In my book, Suddenly in Charge, I talk about the five signs that it’s time to quit your job. Here are three of them:

1. You call in sick more than you call in well. Your job is making you physically ill. Time to find a place where you can be happy and healthy at work.
2. The promotion you thought you were getting goes to someone else. If it appears that it will be a very long wait for the next opportunity to come your way, then it’s best to take matters into your own hand and move on.
3. Plum assignments used to go to you. Now they go to someone else. Some where along the line, you have fallen out of favor. Time to start anew in an environment where you can thrive again.

For more signs, be sure to download your copy of Suddenly in Charge today. Amazon’s promotional pricing of $1.99 is only good until the end of the month.

What would you add to this list?