Give The Gift of YOUR ATTENTION this Holiday Season

It's the holidays!  No doubt, you'll be spending time with friends and family this holiday season. Maybe you'll catch up with loved ones you haven't seen in a while.  Why not give the gift of UNDIVIDED ATTENTION when you are chatting, mingling, and making merry.  Here are SEVEN TIPS for being a better listener through active listening.

1. CONCENTRATE ON WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING. When listening to someone, do you often find yourself thinking about a job or task that is nearing deadline or an important family matter? In the middle of a conversation, do you sometimes realize that you haven't heard a word the other person has said? Most individuals speak at the rate of 175 to 200 words per minute. However, research suggests that we are very capable of listening and processing words at the rate of 600 to 1,000 words per minute. Because the brain does not use all of its capacity when listening, one's mind may drift to things other than the conversation at hand. This unused brainpower can be a barrier to effective listening, causing the auditor to miss or misinterpret what others are saying.

2. SEND THE NONVERBAL MESSAGE THAT YOU ARE LISTENING. When someone is talking to you, do you maintain eye contact with that person? Do you show the speaker you are listening by nodding your head? Does your body language transmit the message that you are listening? Are you leaning forward and not using your hands to play with things? Most communication experts agree that nonverbal messages can be three times as powerful as verbal messages. Effective communication becomes difficult anytime you send a nonverbal message that you're not really listening.

3. AVOID EARLY EVALUATIONS. When listening, do you often make immediate judgments about what the speaker is saying? Do you assume or guess what the speaker is going to say next? Do you sometimes discover later that you failed to interpret correctly what the speaker was telling you? Because a listener can listen at a faster rate than most speakers talk, there is a tendency to evaluate too quickly. That tendency is perhaps the greatest barrier to effective listening. It is especially important to avoid early evaluations when listening to a person with whom you disagree. When listeners begin to disagree with a sender's message, they tend to misinterpret the remaining information and distort its intended meaning so that it is consistent with their own beliefs or disproves the speakers beliefs.

4. AVOID GETTING DEFENSIVE. Do you ever take what another person says personally when what her or she is saying is not meant to be personal? Do you ever become angry at what another person says? Careful listening does not mean that you will always agree with the other party's point of view, but it does mean that you will try to listen to what the other person is saying without becoming overly defensive. Too much time spent explaining, elaborating, and defending your decision or position is a sure sign that you are not listening. This is because your role has changed from one of listener to a role of persuader. After listening to a position or suggestion with which you disagree, simply respond with something like, "I understand your point. We just disagree on this one." Effective listeners can listen calmly to another person even when that person is offering unjust criticism.

5. PRACTICE PARAPHRASING. Paraphrasing is the art of putting into your own words what you thought you heard and saying it back to the sender. For example, a friend might say: "It's unfair that we always spend the holidays at my spouse's parents just because they are geographically closer to us. I would like to see my parents too!"  A paraphrased response might be: "I can see that you are upset about the way your family decides to spend holiday time. You think its unfair because you don't get to see your parents." Paraphrasing is a great technique for improving your listening and problem-solving skills. First, you have to listen very carefully if you are going to accurately paraphrase what you heard. Second, the paraphrasing response will clarify for the sender that his or her message was correctly received and encourage the sender to expand on what he or she is trying to communicate.

6. LISTEN (AND OBSERVE) THEIR FEELINGS. When listening, do you concentrate just on the words that are being said, or do you also concentrate on the way they are being said? The way a speaker is standing, the tone of voice and inflection used, and hand gestures are all part of the message being sent. A person who raises his or her voice is probably either angry or frustrated. A person looking down while speaking is probably either embarrassed or shy. Persons who make eye contact and lean forward are likely exhibiting confidence. Even in an argument, consider why the other person feels so strongly about the subject -- they might be fearful or worried.

7. ASK QUESTIONS. Do you usually ask questions when listening to a message? Do you try to clarify what a person has said to you? Effective listeners make certain they have correctly heard the message that is being sent. Ask questions to clarify points or to obtain additional information. Open-ended questions are the best. They require the speaker to convey more information. Form your questions in a way that makes it clear you have not yet drawn any conclusions. This will assure the message sender that you are only interested in obtaining more and better information. And the more information that you as a listener have, the better you can respond to the sender's communication.

Using these seven listening tips will help you become an active listener.  Active listening demands that the receiver of a message put aside the belief that listening is easy and that it happens naturally.  Realize that effective listening takes work. The result of active listening, though, is more efficient and effective communication.

5 Word Affirmations

Don't sweat the small stuff.
~ Richard Carlson ~

Be gentle first with yourself.
~ Lama Yeshe ~

Live life to the fullest.
~ Robert Louis Stevenson ~

Make each day your masterpiece.
~ John Wooden ~

Another Sunrise, Another New Beginning
~Jonathan Lockwood Huie ~

Four Basic Tools for Business Success

A successful business has to have the right tools in its toolbox. Although the toolbox should be full of many things, there are four that every business should use consistently and faithfully for radical results. Of course there are tactical tools a business will need such as lightening-fast computer systems, reliable people,  and in-demand products or services. The Four Fundamental Tools are critical from start-up and throughout.  They should be constant and continual.

Make these things part of your success strategy:

1. Education. An educated staff is an effective staff. People on your team need to be knowledgeable about your industry, but they need to have good business knowledge in general, too. If you find the right person without the right degree, you may want to offer a sign-on bonus that covers the cost of online classes. Whatever you do, invest in a well-trained staff.

2. Excellent Customer Service. Even if your small business never interacts with the general public, there are people that you call customers. Make sure your well-educated staff is prompt, responsive, and excellent with their work. Good manners and business etiquette will give your team just the right polish to put you ahead of your competition.

3. A Solid Marketing Plan. If you don’t have a strategy, how do you plan to succeed? So many small businesses fail because there was never a plan. A dream is great, but it won’t keep the doors open. If you’re weak where business planning is concerned, consider enrolling yourself into some online classes.

4. Budget. Make sure you make an annual budget, and then follow it! The bottomline is profitability and that takes diligent budgeting and responsible allocation and spending. 

Make thes tools a part of the business foundation.  Consider them to be fundamental.  Leverage them for future success.

70 years later, Businesses Can Learn From Pearl Harbor

This morning, 70 years ago, the Japanese assault US militia at Pearl Harbor claiming 2,390 American lives.  What can we as businesspeople, learn from the day that lives in infamy?

Be prepared.

When Japan attacked the US by air and by sea, the servicemen were not expecting it.  Aboard the USS Arizona, they had just finished breakfast and were starting their day’s work.   The loss of lives, equipments, and supplies were devastating. 

 

As businesspeople, when we are prepared we have a plan A and a plan B.  If the worst should occur, a prepared professional already knows how to respond.   Consider, as painful as it may be, the worse-case scenario for your business, department, or team.  Loss of a major client?   Company-wide layoffs?  Your go-to guy hits the lottery, retires, and takes all his knowledge with him?  Put a contingency plan in place now.   For those things you can prevent, prevent.  For those things you can’t prevent, prepare.

Expect the unexpected.

Sometimes in business we succeed when we thought it was a long shot.  Sometimes we fail when we thought for sure we would prevail.  When you expect the unexpected you won’t be traumatized by failures and you won’t rest on the laurels of your successes either.  Instead you will leverage both to catapult you to the next level.  Failures and successes – wins and losses – are learning opportunities.  Get the lesson for them and remain diligent, focus, and ready.  Above all expectations, expect to win. 

Don’t count yourself out even when you’re down.  

When the USA was attacked at Pearl Harbor, Japan expected us to respond by retreating from WWII.  Instead, we escalated our involvement. 

When circumstances are tough and things don’t go your way in busy, it doesn’t have to be the end.  You may be down, but you are not necessarily out.  There is a way, a time, and a reason to regroup.  Remind yourself of what’s at stake.  Remember what you have to gain and loose.  If you didn’t win that contract or you’ve had a very lean quarter, look for it.  Look for the way to re-gain momentum, the time to strike out with a new venture, and the reason to try again.  

Reaching New Heights With Your Business

Rev up your business

4 Easy Strategies

Consider adding value before raising prices

Inflation is on the rise.  15% of small businesses are raising prices to compensate for lower demands and inflation, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.  Determine if there are additional services your business can offer to compensate instead of increase prices. 

Innovate!

Early adopters of new technologies and methodologies may reap higher financial rewards.  Try to provide a service before your customers actually need it.  Seek to provide that “ah ha” moment where they customer thinks “I didn’t’ even know I needed that, but I do!”   Think of it this way:  on one knew they need a microwave oven or a cell phone.  But the inventors and providers of those products SHOWED us that we needed them.  They provided that 'ah ha' moment. 

Partner with others.

Consider whether or not another business offers a service that would enhance your business.  Think about whether or not another business could provide advantages or resources that would help you reduce expenses.  This can serve to propel each business.  I share a business organization membership with one of my counterparts.  We both get the benefits of membership but we share the cost.  That saves BOTH businesses hundreds of dollars each year. 

Understand that communication is essential.

It’s cheaper to keep a customer than it is to acquire a new one.  Therefore, it's important to under-promise and under-deliver with your current customers.    It's also important to know your customer and their needs.  Research shows that companies spend most of their marketing and promotion dollars trying to acquire new customers.  They offer specials, deals, and incentives to get new customers in the door.  I would challenge you to find ways to reward and engage existing customers.  Implement follow-up calls to find out how satisfied the customer is with your product or service.  Find out (through customer surveys, quesstionaires, and conversations) what customers like most about their favorite brands and implement those best practices accordingly. 

The key to successfully and strategically taking your business to the next level:  Understand your industry and market, know what you have to offer, and realize what you need to reach new heights.

Break the Nightmarish Cycle of Scary Finances

As an HR consultant, I'm traveling around the country talking about performance improvement, employee development, and leadership skills with business leaders.   Sometimes, the more we talk the more I realize, its not just their worklives that are in ghastly condition.  Many times, their finances are in scary shape; creating stress and disturbances in other areas of life.     I've learned that taking these 10 Financial Vows  can lead to a wealthy and financially-healthy life:   

 1.
Live within your means.

2. Maximize your income potential through education and training.

3. Effectively manage your budget, credit, debt, and tax obligations. 

4. Save at least 10% of your income.

5. Use homeownership as a foundation for wealth building and net worth building.

6. Devise an investment plan for your retirement needs and for your children’s education.

7.  Ensure that your entire family adheres to sensible money management principles.

8. Support the creation and growth of minority owned businesses.

9.  Guarantee wealth is passed on to future generations through proper insurance and estate     planning. 

10.  Strengthen your community through philanthropy. 

Compensation = Commitment? NOT!

As I travel around the country, consulting, coaching and training my clients, I notice a commonality in the workforce. 

Ulimately, compensation is not enough to make a person happy with her job.

It reminds me of a story about a team of ditch diggers:
The ditch diggers were asked with dig a ditch for $10 an hour. Every morning they will dig the ditch.  Every afternoon they will fill it back in with the same dirt. They were asked to do this all day, every day.  After the first day of work the ditch diggers ask "Why are we doing this?  Why are we digging a ditch and then filling it up again? This doesn't make any sense!"   The foreman replied "Don't worry about why you're doing it.  Just do it.  And by the way, we'll pay you $14 an hour tomorrow."  The next day,  40% of the ditch digger didn't come back to work.  Again, the remaining ditch diggers asked "Why are we doing this  -- are we preparing the soil for something, are we burying power lines, are we going to install an irragation system?"  Again, the foreman responded "Don't worry about why; just do the work we are paying you to do.  Tomorrow we'll pay you $21 an hour."  The 3rd day, 40% of the remaining ditch diggers did not show up.  Even though the pay was getting better and better, the workers were disgruntled and unhappy.  They didn't want to waste their time doing work that had no purpose. 

Workers need meaning and value in their work.   Leaders (like that foreman) need to help their workers understand why their work is important and what they are accomplishing.

People leave high-paying jobs because they are unfulfilling.  My best friend did it nine years ago when she started her own real estate development company.   I did it four years ago when I started my consulting firm. 

My clients often tell me they don't have to worry about employees leaving because the job market is tough and most people won't quit their jobs, even if they are miserable.  I tell them this:  You don't have to worry about the people who leave; Your concern should be the people who stay.  The miserable employees who don't quit continue to impact the business and the bottomline.  They perform at mediocre levels; they negatively affect the morale of the team; they treat customers poorly.  Unhappy employees are more likely to commit theft and even sabatoge.  They stop caring about the business or what happens to it.  They are no longer concerned with helping the business succeed. 

As a leader, you can't make employees passionate about their work.  But, you can help them understand the purpose, importance, and goals behind it.   

WWSJD - What Would Steve Jobs Do?

Like most of the world, I awoke earlier this week, to learn of the death of Apple founder, Steve Jobs.  Most of us will never become to next inventor of life-changing gadgetry such as the iphone, ipad or ipod; However, we can learn from Steve's life and teaching how to invent a fruitful, productive, and successful life and business. 

Here are Steve Jobs' 7 Success Factors. 

1.  Do What You Love.  Passion is everything.  It is worth pursuing and can lead one to great personal and professional rewards.

2.  Put a Dent in the Universe.  Make your mark by being bold and insistent.  In order to do that one needs a clear and concise vision.

3.  Say No to 1000 Things.  Reduce excess and clutter in your life - even on your desk.  Keep it simple.  Steve Jobs used his techonological genius to streamline phones, laptops, and PDAs.  He said 'no' to the way the world heard and bought music.  He said 'no' to old standards in gaming and downloading.  And, by saying 'no', he opened the door to discovery.

4.  Kick-Start your Brain.  Try something new on a regular basis.  A new place, food, restaurant, friend, or way to get to work in the morning.  Seeing and doing new things really does stimulate innovation.

The next three strategies are for business people specifically.

5.  Sell Dreams Not Products.  Describe what you have to offer in terms that will excite people.  Clients are looking for products and services that solve problems, provide answers, and in short make their dreams come true. 

6.  Sell Experiences.  Express the big picture, your vision.  Help your clients see how they will experience, not use, your product.

7.  Master Your Message.  You are always being judged by how and what you communicate.  If you only have 30 seconds with that future stakeholder, investor, partner, or client, what would you say?
Figure it out TODAY.

Steve would want you to leverage his strategies to improve your pursue of success and happiness.  Afterally, he said "good artist borrow ideas,  great artist steal them." 

Effectively Address, Manage and Resolve Conflicts

Conflict resolution IS NOT conflict avoidance.  Differences of opinion are great,  we shouldn’t avoid them.  However, we do need to manage them so they don’t lead to discord or dispute.  When the issue at hand is important to you, you will naturally want to compete. You want to win. You want to be right.  When the relationship is important to you, you will tend to accommodate, that is, give in to the other party, forgoing what you want.  If the issue and the relationship are important, you will need to collaborate and compromise. 

Here’s a simple real-life example.   Your spouse wants Mexican food for dinner and you want Chinese.  You accommodate because the relationship with your spouse is important and the issue of what to have for dinner is not important.  So you’re having Mexican for dinner… again.

Conversely,  your spouse wants to move to Canada for a new job.  The marital relationship is, of course, important.  But this time, the issue is very important, as well.  In this case you will collaborate and compromise.  There is a discussion that needs to take place in which both parties express their interests, needs, feelings, and fears. 

Like an iceberg, sometimes the largest portion of the problem is beneath the surface.  We have to go below “see” level to get at the real issue.  This takes some root cause analysis and fact finding.   For example:  John come to you and says  “I can’t work with Alice any more.  She is rude and disrespectful.”    As you probe you might find that Alice rejected and belittled a few of John ideas.  That resulted in John believing that Alice is rude and disrespectful.  You could find out the history behind the issue – other instances or occurrences between them that might be adding fuel to this fire.   As mentioned earlier, both parties have interests, needs, feelings, fears, and frustrations.  It’s clear that this issue is important.  John may need help seeing that his relationship with Alice is also important – he will have to work with Alice continually and count on her for various aspects of his assignments.  As you help John prepare to confront this issue with Alice, ask him to describe his side of the situation.  THEN, ask him to think about Alice’s interests, needs, feelings, fears, and frustrations  John will need to pursue a frank discussion with Alice, being honest about what he sees as the issues.   He will need to attack the issue but NOT Alice.  His confrontation can’t include begrudging or disparaging remarks about her behavior, character, or ethics.  He must be upfront about his intention to resolve the issue and reach a mutually agreeable solution.  Then John and Alice will frankly discuss their interests, needs, feelings, fears, and frustrations. 

This is an opportunity to collaborate and compromise.  Unless both parties give, both parties can not win.   

Building The Brand Called YOU.

You have a LinkedIn page, right? Perhaps you’ve signed up for Twitter and one of your colleagues invited you to join Flickr or another business social network like Ryze. More and more online business networking opportunities are sprouting up every day. You may have even designed a personal Web page or started a blog.   That’s a good start, but constant web communications is only the beginning of establishing, building and spreading your own personal brand. 

What is a personal brand? 

When it’s an organization’s brand, it is the emotional connection, believes and qualities associated with the organization’s name.  When it comes to individuals, it’s the emotional connection, believes, and qualities associated with the person.  When you hear the name Coca-Cola what do you think and feel --  Thirst?  Happiness? Fond childhood memories?   What do people think and/or feel when they hear your name?  What do you want them to think or feel and how can you influence that?

Be Memorable.

Marketing executives know that building sales leads and enhancing one’s company brand are paramount to company success. Top executives, the ones who are consistently emulated, quoted, and asked to partner with other executives, do one thing well. They promote themselves and their expert opinions.

Creating an online profile in a number of is definitely important, but if you ignore your real-world presence, you’re selling yourself short. Busy business people pour through hundreds of e-mails and view scores of web pages each day. Your digital footprint might get passed up. BUT, meaningful, memorable interactions will stick with them.

Be a Thought Leader.

You can generate this sort of interaction and attention in a number of ways. However, the three ways that have the biggest impact and are often a catalyst for more opportunities are:

1.             Participating in industry trade groups and associations

2.             Speaking at prominent industry events

3.             Writing well-crafted, by-lined articles in trade publications

Trade/Industry organizations could be your entrance to bigger and better things. Everything is cyclical – a trade article could lead to being selected for a speaking engagement, which leads to being quoted in a news article, which leads to a panel opportunity, which leads to being interviewed on television as an industry expert. Keep the cycle moving by continuing to move within it.  You certainly don’t have to attend every conference or event.  But you do need to get involved, be involved, and remain involved. 

Make it Matter.

When you meet new contacts, have the kinds of conversations that will make people remember you. . Be genuine. Be thoughtful. Contact them to give them something, not just ask for something – namely their business.  And, I’m not talking about bringing them coffee and donuts.  I’m talking about sharing poignant, relevant information, ideas, and strategies they can use to better their business.  Find ways to help clients and potential clients, and they will find ways to help you.

Lastly, networking is not about collecting as many business cards as you can. It’s about quality over quantity.  Make the time you spend at those networking events really count.  Whether you are a car washer or an orthopedic surgeon, you are a solutions provider.  Find those 1 or 2 individuals at the networking mixer who have problems you can solve, who need help you can provide.  After you have engaged in conversation with someone, they should be requesting your business card, rather than you offering it. 

WINNING AT WHAT’S IMPORTANT

WINNING AT WHAT’S IMPORTANT

Every week, I work with clients to help them achieve results.  We work on crafting the right strategies, identifying a targeted vision, and executing successful action plans.   In order to equip them to accomplish these tasks, I share with them the principles I’ve learned from years and study and partnership with Covey, Canfield and Ramsey.  What I share with them, I’ll share with you:

Visualize the result you want. 

See it in your mind’s eye every morning.  See the master’s degree you want to earn hanging on the wall in your office.  See your business growing from 10 employees to 25.  See yourself on your dream vacation in the Greek Isles.  See yourself 30 pounds thinner and wearing your skinny jeans.  That vision is an ever-present reminder of where you want to go.  It can help you stay focused on why you work so hard, stay up late studying, or deprive yourself of certain foods.  You are relentlessly pursuing a target. 

Stay Motivated and Accountable.

It’s not always easy to stay focused.  When you feel like giving up turn to those things, people, or memories that motivate you.  For me, my mind is cluttered when my environment is cluttered.  When I’m loosing focus, I tidy up my office.   I’m also motivated by a change in scenery.  I get my best ideas when I’m on vacation.  In fact, research shows that typically our best ideas come while we’re in the shower, running on the treadmill, or working in the garden.  When we remove ourselves from the work environment, our creativity is stimulated. 

Share your goals with someone who supports you and/or someone who has already arrived where you are trying to go.  Talk to them weekly.  Tell them the top three things you will do each week toward that goal.  Allow them to hold you accountable. 

Be patient. 

You will not get to the end of the journey right from the beginning.  You have to take the journey step by step.  It will take time.  Some goals take longer than others to reach.  You should also set smaller, incremental goals and accomplishing them one at a time.  For example, if you’re goal is to earn an MBA, you might start with an objective like this:  Complete statistic class with a grade of B or above by the end of the year.   Take the steps, do the work and the results will come. 

Brought to you by Enhance Business Solutions |  www.yourenhance.com

Talent Challenges: It’s a War for the Best.

A recent U.S. survey shows that 41% of companies named “competing for talent” as one of their top challenge in 2011. 

Conversely, 49% of employees say they intend to look for a new job when the economy gets better. 

Employers must expertly manage their talent life cycle.  That means they must consider succession, reward, global mobility, learning and development, orientation, workforce planning, recruitment, performance management and leadership.  We’ll take a closer look at a few of these key areas.

RECRUITMENT

When the most successful companies recruit, they consider current and pending corporate strategies in their hiring decisions.  They examine the tasks associated with deployment of each strategy.  This helps them determine what competencies are necessary for successful deployment of those strategies.  Then, they hire accordingly – select candidate that possess those critical competencies.

SUCCESSION PLANNING

Companies that are winning to talent war also examine the gaps between readiness and promotability.   They ask themselves these key questions:

1. Do you have the talent we need in house or will you have to ‘buy’ it. 

2. If you have the talent already in the organization, how do you develop and nurture them to be promotion-ready.

DIVERSITY

Hispanics will be the majority ethnic group in U.S. by 2015.  Companies that are determined to recruit the best talent available are focusing on recruiting within this demographic.  Equally important, these companies are focused on gaining market share amongst the Hispanic population.  Consumers buy from companies that value and respect them.  When the companies’ landscape reflects the national landscape, consumers are more likely to buy that companies goods and services. 

Women are graduating from high school 69% more often than boys.  For the first time ever, women also have higher math, reading and science scores on average, across the U.S. and the world.  Companies that recruit the best are masters at attracting and retaining this demographic. 

Who are these best-in-class companies? 

Best Buy, Starbucks, AT&T, and Google are consistently attracting, retaining, and motivating top talent. 

Laws - They Are A-Changing

During a recent conversation with a legal beagle, I discovered some interesting facts that will impact employers, HR professionals, my clients, and employees as well.  I call them the 4 Rules of Understanding ADA.

Here they are:

1.  According to the law, we are ALL disabled (with very few exceptions) because of all of the bodily functions covered under the Act,  and how impairment is defined.

2. When an employee claims they have a disability, employers must engage in an interactive process.  That means talk to the employee to find out what they need to accommodate them.  The employer must not assume that all cases are the same or every employee will need the same solution for a similar impairment.

3.  Employers are expected to make reasonable accommodation for the disabled employee so that employee can perform his/her responsibility on the job.  If the employers does not accommodate it must be because a. it was cost prohibitive and/or  b. doing so would cause harm to the employee or others.

4.  Temporary and intermittent condition that create an physical or emotional impairment are considered disabilities.  Even conditions, such as migraines and high blood pressure, that are controlled/managed by treatment/medication, can still be a disability if it impairs the employee physically or emotionally.  This might also include pregnancy, allergies, depression and numerous others.

What this means for employers:  Know the law.  Be prepared and willing to accommodate. 

What this means for employees:  Know your rights.  If you feel you have an impairment that affects your ability to perform a major life function, be prepared to engage in a healthy two-way discussion with your employer, if you need an accommodation of some sort.

A Loyal Generation - Dedicated to their jobs while committed to their lifestyles

Taking off the Boundaries

27-year-old recruiter, Matt Powers, declared to his managers at a staffing company that he wanted to take the summer off.   Powers had been with the company less than a year, but he explained to his managers the he had taken every summer off since he graduated from college five years earlier.  His bosses scoffed at him and told him there was no way that would happen.  They told him that he could quit his job and then re-apply for a job when the summer was over.  Being re-hired would not be automatic or assumed.  They further stated that this would set a dangerous precedent amongst his colleagues.  What would happen if everyone wanted to take the summer off?, they wondered.  How would be business survive and who would do the work?, they questioned.  The managers at that staffing company did not understand the needs and expectations of Powers’ generation.  Work-Life balance is a critical issue. Had Powers worked for Austin Texas-based software company, HotSchedules, he would have had no problem convincing his higher-ups to give him the summer off.  In fact, HotSchedule offers unlimited paid vacation to it’s full-time employees.  That’s right: unlimited paid vacation.  The software company is focused on creating an environment where people want to come to work, have fun at work, and feel appreciated. 

Who They Are

There are roughly 50 million people between the ages of 18 and 30.  They are known as Generation Y, or millennials.  It is believed that Generation Y cannot be expected to stay with the same company for their entire careers as many other generations have.  But, in my own non-scientific research, I’ve found that is not entirely true.  I spoke to 15 Gen Y-ers across the state, all working Fortune 500 organizations.  12 of 15 told me a different story than many psychologists and career strategiests.  These Milliennials say that if they work in a fun, engaging environment where their needs are being recognized and met, they could see themselves staying there until they retire. 

They have a common upbringing, as well.  They watched their parents work hard, show great loyalty to organizations, and have very little time for family.  In return, their parents either got laid off, were forced into early retirement, or left their organizations after 30 years to collect their minimal pensions.  The Gen Y group I questioned does not want the same life their parents had.

With these lofty expectations, why would anyone want to hire the millennials (Gen Y)? 

Here are some great contributions they can make:

They want to make a difference and leave a legacy.  This mean hard work, dedication, and determination. 

They are going beyond the status quo, which translates to new ideas, innovation, and creativity. 

They speak up when they see something that can be improved.  They are not ‘yes men and women’.  I think this means they can move organizations from good to great.

They are the leaders organizations should be grooming.

Research shows that this generation is on course to become the most educated group our world has every known, and the largest group as well; even bigger than their parents, the Boomers.  The statistics show that within a decade they will make up more than 30 % of the workforce.  We as business owners and leaders need to prepare to hire and engage them, if we are not doing so already.  If you can capture and keep their attention, they can be wonderfully productive employees and great assets. 

Values that drive successful businesses

I’ve been traveling all over the Americas coaching and training leaders and future leaders in organizations.  I’ve worked with teams and individuals in government, private business, non-profits, fortune 500 companies, and faith-based organizations.   In the past 15 years, leaders have shared with me these common foundational values that drive successful business. 

Transparency - create simple easy to understand strategies, processes and communications.  Make the purpose and importance for all of them clear.

Warning:  Don’t assume people already know your intentions.  Tell them. 

Continual Learning – encourage the sharing of ideas.  DURING the sharing of idea, receive them without judgment.  Look for opportunities to improve.  Share lessons.  Teach others what you know.  If you are a leader, delegate.  Give people access to external and internal learning opportunities as well.

Warning:  Don’t limit learning opportunities only to a favorite few performers.  Share the wealth.  How else with the good get to great and the mediocre get better?

Fiscal Responsibility – look for ways to achieve maximum results with minimum resources.  Seek the highest quality parts, materials, and supplies you can get with the most economical expenditure.    Use time, energy, and talents in a way that reduces/eliminates waste.

Warning:  Don’t be cheap; be frugal. Get the most value for your dollar without sacrificing quality.

Be Competitive – know the competition.  Know what they are doing – good and bad.  Benchmark against the best.  When you have successes, celebrate them, acknowledge results and recognize accomplishments.  Then set new goals and reach for higher (realistic but challenging) heights. 

Warning:  Don’t compare yourself against the average.  Sometimes businesspeople look at mediocre competitors and say,  “at least we’re better than them”.  You don’t want to be better than the average.  Strive to be as good as the best. 

What businesspeople can learn from the NBA finals.

 Teamwork is key. 

                             

I, for one, am not a Dallas Mavericks fan.  In fact in this year’s final series, I was cheering for the Heat.  However, I can appreciate a team who individually and collectively plays with excellence.  The Mavericks have a set of skills, attitudes, talents and working styles that forge a winning combination. 

Work Together.

LeBron James often talked about sharing the ball.  He clearly understood the importance of playing together and utilizing the strengths of others.  But, ultimately, it was difficult for him to practice it, when it was time to do so.  The statistics don’t lie. Mavericks are #2 in the league in assists.  The Heat is close to the bottom.   Mavericks know how to executive collectively.  Synergy = Success. 

Know your role.

The Mavericks also know how to execute individually. Each team member knows his personal strengths and seems to have a clear understanding of his role on the team.  Each player knows what is expected of him.    You can not deliver on expectations if you don’t have a clear vision of what they are.

Practice the winning combination.

The Mavs obviously had the ultimate goal in mind.  Win the franchise’s first championship.  In order to get there, they had to achieve the smaller objectives that make the ultimate goal possible.  They practice that winning combination repeatedly.   Drive.  Pass.  Assist.  Shoot.  Recover.  Block.  It becomes a rhythmic chorus that the team has masters through practice.  Begin with the end in mind.  Set a plan for how you will get there. 

Finally, the six-game series re-affirms an adage I learned years ago.  Together we can do much more than the sum of what we can do separately.  Here’s what that means in a business setting.  Say Jane, Tom, and Megan are tasked with building widgets.  In an hour, each person can build 10 widgets respectively.  That’s 30 widgets total.   However, if Jane, Tom, and Megan work together, each taking on a role in the widget building process, they get more done.  Jane sorts, Tom assembles, Megan packages - they now can build 50 widgets in an hour.  Their collective total is greater than the sum of their individual totals. 

Work Together.  Know Your Role.  Practice the Winning Combination. 

Adversity - A Poem

What in the world my dear are you clinging to? -- some propaganda stating you’ve gone as far on your going to.

That your skies are finite and limited, that you’ve dreamed the impossible dream; your future inhibited.

Oh please, they’ve been shoveling that lie since the 60s.

No one can decide what you can or can’t move thru

This is your challenge, your life. What is it that you want to do --

Sit and be still and not shine the way your light was meant to.  

Oh, I pray that ain’t true, I pray that ain’t true.

Please… don’t fall into the abyss because something negative once rules you

Please… understand I’m from where you are and I got to fight my demons too

Please… don’t give up because somebody broke your heart and some things fell thru.

Please… This is life, you own it, it does not own you.

STIR UP THOSE GIFTS!!

I’m a youth group leader and recently had the privilege of working with a group of  12 pre-schoolers.  These little ones are 3- and 4-years old.  As with most pre-schoolers they are busy, inquisitive, energetic and exploratory.   One little girl in particular stood out to me that day.  No matter what activity we tried  – painting, puzzles, reading, singing, a pretend marching band – she said “ But, I can’t do it”.  I began to tell her repeatedly that she CAN do it; she can be ANYTHING.   I encouraged her to keep trying.  I told her not to give up.  Eventually, as the afternoon went on, she stopped saying she could not do things and started trying harder.  She didn’t even know she had some of those talents and abilities because she hadn’t even tried.  Some of the activities did not come easy for her;  But with some guidance, practice and experience, her skills and abilities grew.

I started thinking:  just because something doesn’t come naturally, immediately, or automatically, doesn’t mean we can’t be gifted and talented in that area.    Then, I thought about Moses, who didn’t think he could be an eloquent speaker.  He had a speech impediment, after all.  Therefore, when God told him to go speak to Pharaoh on His behalf, Moses said “But, I can’t”.  Yet, in reality he could.  He hadn’t tapped into that talent.  He was sure that because of his condition, he surely could not.  But, he could and he DID.  He stirred up his gift. 

Let’s take an example from more recent (secular) history.  Everyone knows Michael Jordan as a great basketball player; some say the greatest player EVER.  However, he didn’t have an automatic or immediate gift in the game.  In fact, Jordan was cut from his high school team.   He could have given up then.  He could have said “it’s not for me.  I’m not good at it. It’s not meant to be.”   He stirred up his gift and... well, the rest is history. 

Sometimes it takes time and hard work to realize our gifts and talents, but that doesn’t make them any less real.   If anything the abilities we work hardest to cultivate might be the most valuable.

Why should you have to work at it if it’s a gift? Shouldn’t gifts come naturally?  Well, maybe sometimes they don’t – maybe that helps us to appreciate our gifts and talents more.  Maybe we will take them more seriously if we have to work for them.  Maybe we will be willing to share them with-  and teach them to others.    

I have a friend who owns a beauty salon.   After several failed attempted, she finally found the right combination and made it work.  She too could have said “It’s too hard, it must not be meant to be.”  But, she had a fire in her heart and passion in her soul and she remained faithful.  As a result she now has a thriving business; a legacy to leave her kids; and a great story of encouragement to tell everyone.  

To realize the gift or talent, sometimes you have to stir it up… and keep stirring! 

Leadership. Worthiness. Life -- Lessons from Oprah

“You are responsible for your own energy and the energy you bring to others.”  Oprah’s words during her farewell  finale today.   As a training professional, I teach about trust and my audiences discuss legitimate leadership.  Legitimate leadership is what a person has when others follow them because of trust and respect, not because they have to or because they are afraid not to.  That’s the kind of power Ms Oprah has.  Her followers buy the products she recommends, read the books she likes, and go to the places she prefers, because they trust her judgment.  The believe that her motives, her intent, and her honesty.  Why would millions of people put their trust in a journalist, an actress, a talk-show host,  a stranger?  Well, I would imagine they believe Oprah to be transparent, respectful, loyal,  ands straight-forward.  In addition a true leader is willing to admit when she’s wrong, she rights those wrongs, and she practices accountability, I believe.  That's the kind of leader I strive to be continually.  No, I don't aspire to be the richest woman in the world, I don't desire fame.  But legitimate leadership is a great honor, and privilege.  It is purposeful and driving.  It helps me stay focused on what is most important to me.  What I know for sure is:   Each of us is responsible for our own life.  Don’t wait for someone else to save you, fix you, or complete you. 

Worthiness is your birthright.  Oprah says.  I believe you are worthy because you were chosen to be here.  We were born for a purpose and as I say repeatedly, you have a duty to find it.  When you know you're worthy, you make decisions accordingly.  You know your price tag.  You know you're in the glass case, not on the clearance rack.  Oprah says that you’re life is whispering to you.  Will you hear it?  I know my life is whispering to me.  It whispers warnings, complaints, encouragements, advice,  and directions.  When I don’t listen my life uses other people to speak to me.  I appreciate those messages  my life gives me because even when I’m not quick to listen, my life remains consistent.  Life continues to tell me things that save me, and protect me sometimes in  subtle, funny, and creative ways.  You see for me, Life is God.   As Oprah said “The grace of God is closer than your own breath.”

Your Calling Is Calling You.

An ancient chinese provides says: "Choose a job you love; you'll never work a day in your life."
Statistics show that 85% of successful people are successful because they are pursing their passion, while 15% are successful because of the skills/knowledge/abilities they have.   [the survey defines successful as financially lucrative and satisfied with their work] What does that say to me? You can be really good at something, but if you don't love it you won't be really great at it!

Everyone has a gift.  Find yours.
A few years ago I developed a workshop called Pursue Your Passion.  It was designed to help young people, those in transition and even students find the work they love.  Of course, many employers didn't like it.  They told me:  "I don't want my employees to find their passion; they might leave!"  True.  True.  But, the program was hugely successful with universities, churches, and progressive businesses that want engaged, fulfilled workers. 

Here are a few questions from the workshop assessment.  Ask yourself these questions and answer them honestly.

1.  What do others ask me to give/provide most often (i.e. do people ask you for financial advice, decorating tips, or to cook your famous chili?)

 

2.   What idea, hobby, or thing do I LOVE to think about or talk about?  



3.  What would I do more often, if I had more time?

I love the first question because oftentimes when I ask people what they are good at, they say "nothing".  Can you believe that?  People honestly believe they are placed on this earth with no gifts or talents.  So, I ask them to think about what OTHERS say they are good at.  This type of questioning breaks the barrier. 

Finding your purpose in life has three benefits. One, you'll be happier doing work that you enjoy. Secondly,  when you're working hard at something you love, you reap the benefits. Your efforts could translate into more recognition, better pay, promotions and excellence performance.  Thirdly, that excellence will spill over into other areas of your life. Your confidence, relationships, spiritual walk... everything gets better because you get better.

Your calling is calling you!  Don't keep it waiting any longer!

Plant the Seed. Be Diligent. It Will Grow.

The breeze is almost tropical.  In fact it is tropical.  My hair is blowing into my eyes.  My blouse is rustling in the wind.   It’s a fantastic feeling.  The sago palm tree leaves are swaying.  The azalea bushes, gardenias, and Spanish moss trees are beautifully in bloom and flourishing.  The gardener has cared for them tenderly, faithfully, and with commitment for many years.  She prunes, trims, pulls, plants, waters.   Why does she do it?  She gives to her plant life so she can enjoy what they give back to her.  If she takes good care of them they will produce beauty, shade, and fragrance that last and last.   In order to benefit from their attributes she has to give them the attention and nourishment they need.  She does it with care and love.  The same way she cares for and loves everything and everybody in her life.  That’s evident in the gift bags she has prepared for some of the little girls at her church.  These girls are the benefactors of much attention and spoiling.  When they get older and no longer need her primary attention they will become a part of a secondary group – a group I call the graduates.  As the girls mature they will no longer require the gifts, time, attention, and doting that they once needed.  Make no mistake this woman still loves the graduates very much and shows them her love.  But their needs are different and she addresses them differently.   Likewise, we plant seeds and they grow, we attend to the younglings when they are new and delicate and help them become strong.  But everyone and everything must grow up, mature, and move on to a new season of life.  Just as tiny seeds become mighty trees, dependents become independent; and protégés become mentors.  This caring woman in her senior years gives to the little girls the same way she gives to the flora and fawna in her yard.  And for much the same reasons, I would imagine; so they can flourish and she can enjoy their fruitfulness.  She can then reflect on how far they have come and marvel about the possibilities of how far they can go(grow).