26. July 2010 by Noel Guilford.

Volume 1: Employee’s

All employers will at some instance experience their fair share of the typical issues when dealing with employees. Undoubtedly some employers’ will have more issues than others. These issues can range from a constant ache to an unmanageable thorn in one’s side. I’m sure that many of you are eagerly nodding in agreement. On that note let me say the white unicorn does exist. Yes, there are employers that presently experience very few issues if any. Rest assured that it is by no coincidence, or random happenstance, but a result of someone’s diligence. For the rest, it’s time to treat the cause of the problem, and not the symptoms.
Any of these sound familiar

High Absenteeism

High Turnover

Low Productivity

Increased Employee Injuries

Customer Dissatisfaction/Retention

Low Employee Referral

Research organizations and corporations have sought to find the correlating factor since the 1980’s. Interestingly, in a report by The Corporate Executive Board in 2003, all paths lead to employee satisfaction and employee commitment. The important thing to understand is what “employee satisfaction and employee commitment” mean to you and your organization. I encourage those readers that are business owners or leaders in business that now need this answer to begin a journal if you do not already do so. Bulldog rule #5 says “Every business is a people business” and the journal will log your progress as you become an employee driven business.

“You don’t even know me!”

Do you? Have your leaders, if you have them, and yourself list each person that they are responsible for managing. Now for each person list those things that do and do not motivate that employee. This should be enough to show most that they have no idea how to help each employee reach their full potential. Have a human resources department, great, but what do you do if you don’t. Creating and using an employee poll and survey to determine the cultural health of your business costs you time and effort and earns loyalty and commitment.

“Managing is managing and leading is leading”

You will get one or the other. A manager is only going to go so far as to make sure that the requirements of their position are met, if that. If you want someone innovative with self initiative and drive, then you want a leader. Expect a manager to direct your workforce and a leader to develop your workforce. Not all cases call for a leader and it’s up to the vision of the business to determine that. To place the responsibility of employee satisfaction and employee commitment into the hands of a manager is a vital mistake for everyone involved.

“You can’t kill weeds with a lawn mower”

Good luck at getting rid of your employee issues by punishing or threatening to punish those that break the rules. My personal favorites are memo postings that are clearly meant to cause compliance through intimidation. If employees possess some sense of investment then anything that brings harm to the business also brings harm to them.
To simplify, connect with your employees find out who they are. Provide collected information to someone that can support that connection. Address issues proactively and preventatively that result in the employee’s desire to integrate themselves because it is mutually beneficial.

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10. June 2010 by The Original Bulldog - Bob Griffin.

It is always the execution that we stumble on.  Mostly because we get the right idea with the wrong delivery.  I was passing this sign and had to take the picture.  It seems innocuous, but add the word “IF” to the end of the message and you have a whole new meaning.  It would be our pleasure to serve you IF we wanted to or IF we were done with our smoke break.  Any time you do not make a good point, you lose credibility and putting a bland message out says a lot about who you are.

“It is our pleasure to serve you” is a better message, but what does it mean?  Why are you wasting prime space on your sign to make a throwaway statement?  Step up and sell me something.  Be funny or eye catching.  Be bad, strange, or thoughtful, but be something that people will remember.  This made me think they are not worth my time.  From the number of cars driving by that had passengers that didn’t even look at the sign, I am right in my analysis.

The message you send needs to be as thought out as any big advertising campaign.  If you are not making the effort to do something that will draw customers into your store to buy, you are wasting time, money, and effort. 

I saw a tiny doughnut store that was packed.  I mean they had people who were getting kind of personal they way they were crammed into the front of the store and everyone one of them was smiling and wanting to spend money.  The sign at the front of the store said, “Fresh Doughnuts! If we drop them twice we throw them away!”.  That is bad, but it was memorable.  It has been over twenty years since I visited that shop and I still talk about that sign and those doughnuts.  Did anyone really think they reused a doughnut that they dropped?  Maybe.  Did it keep some customers away?  Yes.   Why is that good?  The owners made it a point to target the customer base they wanted.  They wanted fun people who would put up with a tiny store and being packed in.  I bet you go somewhere that is not up to your standards as an owner, but keeps you coming back because of some bit of character the place created.

Never let your message be wasted on blah!

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6. June 2010 by The Original Bulldog - Bob Griffin.

Since posting my last article, I have been hit with many questions from readers about what BP should be doing to protect themselves and build on their reputation.  Right now they have the President of the United States beating them up verbally at every chance and the media starting to find ways that BP is not working to stop the spill from hitting the beaches along the east coast.

It is a tough situation.  One one hand, they are at fault.  They drill for oil as part of their operations and spills happen.  One the other hand, they want to survive the crisis and grow their brand.  The marketing they have put out since to spill has not helped.  Stodgy old business-types yammering on your TV about how much they are doing when the oil is still spilling as a bad way to save your reputation.  People don’t care about what you are having other do.  They care about getting the job done.  A better way of building your band would be to show rather than say what you are doing.

If I was CEO, I would be out on the beach before daybreak with a bucket and gloves picking up globs of oil.  I would be part of a very large group of people who normally sit in the BP offices working harder than anyone.  You want to show you care and that you mean what you say.  Show it…and shut up.

The media is all about image and if you want to be seen as someone who wants to get your business back on track, then get in there and get your hands dirty.  Saying that you just want to get “your life back to normal” (or whatever the quote is) is the opposite of getting the track back under your business.

Be a part of the solution.  The greatest asset you have in a time of severe crisis is to stop talking and start leading by example.  Do you think CEO Tony will help himself and go clean up the oil?  I would bet he never even thought about getting a bit dirty in order to stop the criticism being shoveled at BP.

As for the President of the United States shaking his fist at BP, that is another lack of leadership that we do not have space for here. Again, it is about acting now and talking later.

As for you and your business, you do not need a major crisis to have the need to get your hand dirty.  If morale drops, get on the front line and show the team that you want to be there with them.  Your business growth is the distance of your front counter - from the customer to your cash register.  Stop talking the talk and start walking the walk.  The more you are seen the more you will change - dramatically change -  the character of your business.  You get credibility by being credible.  Walk the walk FIRST…let others talk about you by the example you set.

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3. June 2010 by Monique Guilford.

That’s right folks, there is no way around it. The world is constantly changing around us. We have gone from the Agricultural Era to the Industrial Era. We have gone from women working mainly in the homes to holding a political office. Once upon a time, technology was a strange, new tool to us, but now it has become a tool that is essential for our survival. Change is inevitable, but it is how we handle that change that makes the difference.

Recently, I finished reading a book entitled; Attitude is Everything by Keith Harrell. Today, Keith Harrell is one of America’s most popular motivational speakers, but before this notable title, he was an inspiring NBA player from Seattle University. Once he was not afforded the opportunity to play for the NBA, he went for the next big challenge, working as a salesman for IBM. After a few years of training and conducting workshops at IBM, Keith decided that it was time for him to focus mainly on what is was called to do…motivational speaking. Mr. Harrell was about to endure a major life change, but he was determined to succeed with his “whatever it takes” attitude.

It was not easy for Mr. Harrell to reach his goal. The road ahead proved to be very tumultuous and there were a lot of “nay sayers” along the way. However, he kept a positive attitude and he refused to become a victim of “changecosis”, a disease that threatens your ability to enjoy life and to develop your full potential (p.181). Again, I understand how ‘scary’ change can be; the unknown can be frightening. We must remember though to keep a positive attitude when change is occurring in our lives. Keith Harrell (2000) suggests ten strategies for creating a positive attitude about change that can be adopted into our lives daily.

1. Tap Into the Power of Your Subconscious.
The mind is a powerful tool and it can be trained to work wonders for you. Take the time to program your mind with a positive attitude about ongoing change. Jump out of bed each morning grateful that you have lived to see another day and be ready to seize it. The author used the example of how he wakes up each morning, clapping his hands a few times to welcome the new day and to get himself “psyched” for the new challenges. This is a good attitude to have towards work. Instead of saying, “Oh no, is it Friday yet?”, try viewing workdays as another opportunity to strengthen your work skills, thus making you a viable employee.

2. We live in a culture of reflection.
Reflection is a powerful tool used by educators to better themselves in the field.  The author encourages us to elevate our standards and overcome our limitations through this process. During this reflection period, we should be cautious to monitor our inner dialogues and be aware of any negative inner thoughts and cease them immediately. It may be helpful to keep a work journal in which you record your actions and tasks, then review them at home to seek ways to improve.

3. Keep Your Long-Term Goals in Mind.
Well-defined goals will keep you focused. Visualization is a great tool to help you in this process. Focusing on your goals helps you to regain a sense of control over your life. It also increases your self-esteem and your outlook on life. I know that when I visualize myself as Dr. Guilford, it makes me that more determined to finish my doctoral program. I have even gone as far as printing out a picture of a scholar in the doctoral regalia and placing my face on the body. If you are hoping for a new promotion on the job, visualize yourself receiving that promotion and keep yourself encourage during the process by remembering things that you have done to enhance the company.

4. Avoid Learned Helplessness.
If you don’t find direction in life, it will direct you. We may not be able to stop unwanted change from occurring in our lives, but we can program ourselves to take positive actions and make the most of it. We are not helpless! We have enormous power to act, set goals, and to go after them. You may not be able to control the fact that your job is down-sizing and that you may be affected soon, however, you can remain positive about this change and make the most of it.

5. Maintain a Balance.
It is important to maintain a physical, mental and spiritual balance. Remember, you are no good to the world if you don’t take care of yourself. Rest, healthy eating habits, and regular exercise are vital in keeping a positive attitude. When we feel overwhelmed at work, quality time with friends and family can easily help us put things back into perspective. Companies today are becoming more and more in tuned with meeting the whole needs of the employee and offer fitness courses that employees can participate in during their lunch breaks. The key here is being in tuned with yourself to know when you need to regroup and to use the words of vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin “reload” (without guns of course!).

6. Acknowledge Change.
The author encourages us to never ignore change. We make greater strides in life when we let go and strive for something better. Letting go empowers us to release past hurts, rejection, and frustration. This reminds me of someone whom I used to work with that I will refer to as Sally. Sally was a good employee at company ABC, but her demeanor was not received well by other employees and/or customers. Although Sally received excellent employee evaluations from the company, her employee contract was not renewed during the renewal period. Sally and I were good friends at ABC and one day during lunch, she confided in me that she believed the reason for contract not being renewed resulted in her poor attitude and resistance to change on the job. Sally is a good employee, someone I would hire to work for me if I had my own business, but I am afraid that her attitude may prevent her from getting the job that she deserves in the long run.  Accepting change is not over night, it is a gradual process.  Ultimately the only thing that we can change is ourselves and that makes a world of difference.

7. Convert Threats into Opportunities.
When change seems threatening, try to look at it as a new opportunity to make a difference in the world. When we are given new tasks on the job, exposed to new technology, or even a new boss, we should view these changes as an opportunity to widen our experience and expand our knowledge. Think about it, how impressive will your resume look to future employers now that you have experience working in a different department or with a new tool in technology.

8. Turn the Change into Challenge.
The challenges in life teaches us something about ourselves.  It forces us out of our comfort zones. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “The ultimate measure of a man [or woman] is not where he [or she] stands in the moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. If your manager changes your work agenda at the last minute, do not panic! View this change as a challenge and remember that you have the ability to remain professional and make the most out of it.

9. Keeping your mind in a constant positive state requires a tremendous amount of work.
Create affirmations to say to yourself throughout the day or make a list of positive quotations to stay on track. Some places of work have opportunities in which managers and employees empower one another before the day begins. If this is the case for you, I would suggest that you take advantage of that opportunity each time. Empowerment for the mind is like Vitamin C for the body. It will also help if you composed an A-Team which will consist of positive mentors that can help you “snap” out of a negative mood. The A-Team should be diverse and consist of people from all ethnic groups and social classes.

10. Seek Support from Members of You’re A-Team.
As mentioned previously, it is important to have nurturing relationships that are dependable in times of need. Avoid those that a “busy bodies” at work. Surround yourself at work with people who enjoy life and want to make the most out of it. People who truly care about you want you to lean on them in difficult and challenging times because they know that you would be there for them in return. Remember, no man is an island. We can all help each other achieve our goals.

I have decided to refer to this book as my “mini-bible” on attitude. Keith Harrell reminds us that attitude is everything and it impacts everything that we do. A good attitude can lead us down the path to having everything that we desire in life. Whether starting a new job, getting new boss, or dealing with a natural disaster, keeping a positive mindset will help you through adverse times. Jim Rohn said, “If you learn to set a good sail, the wind that blows will always take you to the dreams you want, the income you want, and the treasures of mind, purse, and soul you want. ”Having a positive attitude especially when it comes to change is one way to achieve that. 

Source:
Harrell, Keith (2000).  Attitude is everything: 10 life-changing steps to turning attitude into action.  Harper-Collins Publishers, Inc.

Rohn, Jim (2010).  Retrieved from http://www.jimrohn.com

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20. April 2010 by deblee.

Newbie is a slang term for a newcomer or somebody inexperienced in any profession or activity. I am the newbie. I have worked at my company for a very long time, but have recently changed positions, so although I am not inexperienced in my profession, I still have a lot to learn, which is why I was looking forward to mingling with my new division members at some recent meetings.

My plan was to learn as much as I could from my peers, how do they do their job? What tools do they use? What do they enjoy about their work? What resources do they use? I got loads of new information to take back and put to use.

Although most of the information I received was positive and helpful, one comment sticks out in my mind. When asking one person about their job, they told me, “I haven’t gotten any development from my Manager”.  This made me think, ”What exactly is a Manager’s role in development, and why do some employees flourish, while others flounder?”

I started thinking about managers I have had in the past, both good and bad, and I came to the conclusion that development was something you do yourself…the best managers I had simply gave me the tools and resources I needed…the rest was up to me.

So, I have decided that “not being developed” is simply an excuse.  If there are tools and resources available, and an employee chooses not to use these tools or resources, then the lack of development falls back on them. But what do I know, I’m just a Newbie.

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