There are so many reasons to bemoan the economy as creating havoc with our organizations, businesses, lives and well-being. After all, why not? The economy has left leaders and employees in organizations scrambling with a lot more to do with fewer resources and greater demands. Sure, you can see it that way and then there’s another way…
Economic downturn creates the opportunity for leaders to rise above the chatter to become more opportunistic. It’s not easy, no one ever said it was and still we all have a choice…to moan in our office, be unhappy, stressed, overworked and overwhelmed or get on the surf board and ride the wave of opportunity. There’s money, promotions and heaps of learning waiting for you.
Here’s the top ten reasons why the bad economy is good for your leadership:
1. Challenge the status quo - Ask “what if” questions. Recent research published in the Harvard Business Review states the most effective leaders "are much more likely to ask 'What if' questions. Visionaries tend to ask heaps of questions and they challenge the status quo. Want to know what separates leaders such as Michael Dell from the rest, question and experiment. If you want to be safe, get a seat belt.
2. Great talent is everywhere - Great talent is on the market, begin recruiting now. Even if your organization cannot hire, meet people your friends recommend. If you have an open position and see someone you like and for some reason you can’t hire them now, keep their resume, you will hire them later.
3. Innovate - Companies seeking to increase profits are looking for solid ideas – great time for innovation.
4. Delegate juicy projects - Employees are distracted by the economy; delegate “juicy” projects to those you are looking to develop. Juicy projects are those that employees want to work on because it aligns with their interests and strengths. No greater way to get someone more invested then to give them a project where they can learn and shine.
5. Leverage your coaching abilities - With fewer dollars to spend on external resources, companies are looking for leaders to step up and be stellar coaches.
6. Become an internal ambassador - When times are tough companies are looking for new ways to utilize each and every resource. Introduce people internally to each other, suggest new ways for departments to work together, seek out new efficiencies. You will save your organization lots of time and money.
7. Network - To generate great ideas and to test out great ideas, not simply to promote yourself (Jeff Dyer, Brigham Young University professor suggests).
8. Focus on developing your internal talent - It’s a paradox, the economy has put many more highly qualified people in the market and still, some organizations are under a hiring freeze. What are you to do? Grow, groom and hone your talent. No, this is not a game or a test or a luxury. Investment in your people grows cash and makes you look good too. A leader is measured by the people they hire and grow, not simply by your own talents.
9. Huddle up for seven - Organizations such as 1-800 JUNK are using daily 7 minute huddle ups of everyone in the company as ways for employees to tout their success and to share what’s new. Don’t you have seven minutes to inspire your employees?
10. Sharpen your focus – with fewer people/resources and with everything being “seemingly” important, now more than ever is the opportunity to focus and cut away the clutter. Now is the time to have a systematic way to begin and end your day. There will always be more to do, however bookending your day with what is most important and scheduling a check in with yourself once a day will ensure you keep on track.
Leadership is a process, not an event. External circumstances will always throw a curve ball into the process. Those who can catch the ball and throw it back with greater vigor will be the ones who shine among the crowd. And wouldn’t you want to catapult your image in a crowded marketplace?
Monday, March 15, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Positioning the Change
“One of our major initiative is investing in our people.” How many times have you heard this? A colleague and former client recently confided at an all-hands meeting the President stood up and proudly proclaimed this new organizational venture. I asked a logical question, “What does this mean?” She said, “I have no idea.”
Hmmm….
Organizations mean well and so do their top leaders. They want people to be valued and want to invest in their workforce, however the translation of it can leave people a little sour. Remember, “In the absence of information, people will make up their own.” And without being specific, a lot of interpretations can be made.
I wonder before the President got up and even made the statement, did he have the plans in place to back this all up? Were the people initiatives in place? What are they? What will be launched and when? Who were the people in the audience? Did he tailor his remarks? How will results of the initiatives be measured? Who will participate and when? And if he did have any of the information, why didn’t he share it in the moment? After all, he did have a captive audience!
Wonder what the President could have done differently? Let’s take a page from author William Bridges, a management transitions pr:
• You need to “sell” the issue that’s igniting the new initiative so employees can buy in and give you a big ol “yes.” It’s important for employees to buy in, when they do you’ll know it. Productivity, motivation, sales and innovation will increase. And if a change is communicated well, you’ll see dramatic increases. If not, then you know you have to go back to the drawing board.
• Write a positioning statement for the change. Preparation is key. Without taking the time to write something down, consider all ramifications, then you are setting yourself up for the “Scooby Doo” look. You know the one that I mean, it looks like you feel off a space ship and landed on a foreign planet and the only words out of your mouth sounds like “huh?”
• Before saying anything answer the following:
o What is the challenge? What is the situation that requires this change to solve it?
o Who says so and on what evidence?
o What would occur if no one acted to solve this?
o What would happen to us if that occurred?
o What is the upcoming change, exactly?
o What is ending and what is not (what is changing and what is not)
o Why is the change necessary?
o What is the purpose?
o When will more information about the change become available?
o How will this change be positive and provide continuity and longevity for the company?
• Use the information above about to write a first draft of a positioning statement and then a final draft.
Consider:
• When do you deliver the “positioning statement?”
• Where and to whom?
• How often is it delivered?
• In what format?
Once you have thought written a positioning statement and considered when and what format to deliver it, show the statement to other advocates and mentors and get their opinions. Buy in is critical.
Make sure the positioning statement is in alignment with the strategy created for the change. The one that puts your people first. After all, it’s the people who implement the changes and are the ones who make an initiative succeed or fail. And if you are reading this making a Scooby Doo-like face and the sound “huh” eeked out of your body, then it’s time to start again. Remember people +processes = profit/competitive edge/desired workplace. That’s a heck of a return on investment.
Hmmm….
Organizations mean well and so do their top leaders. They want people to be valued and want to invest in their workforce, however the translation of it can leave people a little sour. Remember, “In the absence of information, people will make up their own.” And without being specific, a lot of interpretations can be made.
I wonder before the President got up and even made the statement, did he have the plans in place to back this all up? Were the people initiatives in place? What are they? What will be launched and when? Who were the people in the audience? Did he tailor his remarks? How will results of the initiatives be measured? Who will participate and when? And if he did have any of the information, why didn’t he share it in the moment? After all, he did have a captive audience!
Wonder what the President could have done differently? Let’s take a page from author William Bridges, a management transitions pr:
• You need to “sell” the issue that’s igniting the new initiative so employees can buy in and give you a big ol “yes.” It’s important for employees to buy in, when they do you’ll know it. Productivity, motivation, sales and innovation will increase. And if a change is communicated well, you’ll see dramatic increases. If not, then you know you have to go back to the drawing board.
• Write a positioning statement for the change. Preparation is key. Without taking the time to write something down, consider all ramifications, then you are setting yourself up for the “Scooby Doo” look. You know the one that I mean, it looks like you feel off a space ship and landed on a foreign planet and the only words out of your mouth sounds like “huh?”
• Before saying anything answer the following:
o What is the challenge? What is the situation that requires this change to solve it?
o Who says so and on what evidence?
o What would occur if no one acted to solve this?
o What would happen to us if that occurred?
o What is the upcoming change, exactly?
o What is ending and what is not (what is changing and what is not)
o Why is the change necessary?
o What is the purpose?
o When will more information about the change become available?
o How will this change be positive and provide continuity and longevity for the company?
• Use the information above about to write a first draft of a positioning statement and then a final draft.
Consider:
• When do you deliver the “positioning statement?”
• Where and to whom?
• How often is it delivered?
• In what format?
Once you have thought written a positioning statement and considered when and what format to deliver it, show the statement to other advocates and mentors and get their opinions. Buy in is critical.
Make sure the positioning statement is in alignment with the strategy created for the change. The one that puts your people first. After all, it’s the people who implement the changes and are the ones who make an initiative succeed or fail. And if you are reading this making a Scooby Doo-like face and the sound “huh” eeked out of your body, then it’s time to start again. Remember people +processes = profit/competitive edge/desired workplace. That’s a heck of a return on investment.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Table Tennis Warren Buffet Style
Warren Buffet astounds me. He is one of the most successful investors in the world as well as a businessman and philanthropist. He is known for his personal frugality despite large amounts of wealth. It's not every day you witness someone giving away 85% of their fortune (to the Gates Foundation). He is the primary shareholder and CEO of a conglomerate holding company called, Berkshire Hathaway.
He did something I truly admire in a leader – he took responsibility. According to a recent article in The New York Times, last year he took himself to task for the company’s decline in book value. This year he was able to sing a higher note when he described to shareholders how he used the last 18 months to buy a string of assets that netted the company income of $8.1 billion last year. Sixty one percent higher than in 2008. He said, “It’s been an ideal period for investors: A climate of fear is their best friend.”
Usually we think of fear as the ultimate derailer. If I’m afraid, how can I move? How can I work? How can I thrive? How can I survive? However there is another paradigm…As Buffet, you can consider alternative solutions, ones that leverage innovation and people. Even if Buffet himself thought up all the ideas of where to invest and companies to acquire, he still needed people to execute these deals and without his people working in unison towards this goal, I wonder how much of the company income would have risen?
Fear can be a great leverage point if you know how to utilize it to motivate your workforce for new and innovative ways of thinking. How are organizations seizing on the fear that is pervasive in the market as well as in their boardrooms, staff offices and cubicles? How are organizations turning fear around to thrive in these economic times?
In recent weeks I wrote about Fortune Magazine’s list of the top companies that avoided layoffs during the economic downturn. Overall each invested in their people. They knew one clear point…if you don’t water a plant it whithers and oftentimes dies. Same is true with employees – if you don’t cultivate them they will leave, be stagnant or not get the job done well or at all.
Let’s take a page from Mercedes Benz ‘s management who looked inward to take a decisive step – “When management discovered that further cost reductions were unavoidable, the CEO and executive team (28 people total) accepted pay cuts. The tough choices paid off, resulting in a 10% total reduction of labor costs from mid-2009 to year-end. “
What a concept? All companies made tough choices in these rough economic times and still they put their people first, and by doing so were able to maintain their employee base while growing loyalty.
It does start with leadership. If you pave the way, employees will align. However leaders have to be willing to springboard innovation, creativity and lead by example. And you must take the time to engage and generate buy-in. Employees may not necessarily align and take initiative just because you want them to. Take a page from Warren Buffet…he invited shareholders to his company’s annual meeting and promised to play table tennis for spectators and urged them to buy goods and
He did something I truly admire in a leader – he took responsibility. According to a recent article in The New York Times, last year he took himself to task for the company’s decline in book value. This year he was able to sing a higher note when he described to shareholders how he used the last 18 months to buy a string of assets that netted the company income of $8.1 billion last year. Sixty one percent higher than in 2008. He said, “It’s been an ideal period for investors: A climate of fear is their best friend.”
Usually we think of fear as the ultimate derailer. If I’m afraid, how can I move? How can I work? How can I thrive? How can I survive? However there is another paradigm…As Buffet, you can consider alternative solutions, ones that leverage innovation and people. Even if Buffet himself thought up all the ideas of where to invest and companies to acquire, he still needed people to execute these deals and without his people working in unison towards this goal, I wonder how much of the company income would have risen?
Fear can be a great leverage point if you know how to utilize it to motivate your workforce for new and innovative ways of thinking. How are organizations seizing on the fear that is pervasive in the market as well as in their boardrooms, staff offices and cubicles? How are organizations turning fear around to thrive in these economic times?
In recent weeks I wrote about Fortune Magazine’s list of the top companies that avoided layoffs during the economic downturn. Overall each invested in their people. They knew one clear point…if you don’t water a plant it whithers and oftentimes dies. Same is true with employees – if you don’t cultivate them they will leave, be stagnant or not get the job done well or at all.
Let’s take a page from Mercedes Benz ‘s management who looked inward to take a decisive step – “When management discovered that further cost reductions were unavoidable, the CEO and executive team (28 people total) accepted pay cuts. The tough choices paid off, resulting in a 10% total reduction of labor costs from mid-2009 to year-end. “
What a concept? All companies made tough choices in these rough economic times and still they put their people first, and by doing so were able to maintain their employee base while growing loyalty.
It does start with leadership. If you pave the way, employees will align. However leaders have to be willing to springboard innovation, creativity and lead by example. And you must take the time to engage and generate buy-in. Employees may not necessarily align and take initiative just because you want them to. Take a page from Warren Buffet…he invited shareholders to his company’s annual meeting and promised to play table tennis for spectators and urged them to buy goods and
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Three Biggest Mistakes of Managing Up
Recently I had a conversation with John, a key senior level business leader, who pointed out that one of the most common mistakes employees make today is not managing up properly. John emphasized the importance of managing up saying, “It’s everything. It’s not talked about often, however if you don’t do it well, you simply don’t rise through the ranks. That may sound a little harsh, but it’s true.”
Managing up is an art and a skill that is rarely discussed. Consider some of the most common mistakes that affect managing up and how you can remedy them:
1) I know my boss and consider him/her a friend. Therefore, I know what kind of support my boss needs.
Truth: Most people don’t know how to manage up and can only make assumptions about their bosses’ needs. Eradicate speculation and start communicating.
Word from the coach: Ask your boss how he/she wants you to communicate with him/her. What materials does he/she need to see from you? Schedule meaningful one-on-ones with clear agendas and expectations. Ensure your meetings handle core issues clearly and honestly. Meeting just to meet is never beneficial for anyone. Make sure you create agreements that outline how you will communicate in times of bliss and crisis (know that the crisis times are the ones that will test your relationship).
2) Not managing your boss’s perceptions
Truth: All bosses have inherent perceptions about how work should be done. Some of these perceptions may be from their own past work experience and even performance reviews. Examples include things such as: getting your work done quickly shows you can work well under stress; coming in early and staying late shows commitment; coming in on the weekend to finish a project demonstrates diligence.
Word from the coach: Most of these perceptions are not spoken but rather implied. Managing these perceptions is critical to your success, so get them out in the open, talk about them and negotiate them. Supervisors would rather you get a project done well rather than finish it in two minutes. Sharing with your boss the process and progress of your work product helps to eradicate unspoken of perceptions.
3) Avoiding conflict
Truth: Experiencing conflict is not a sin. Conflict brings growth, fosters development and airs misperceptions. Yet, I found in a group session that I facilitated with advertising executives, most saw conflict as negative and something that should be avoided as much as possible. There’s a difference between confrontation and conflict. Confrontation involves hostility, whereas conflict merely arises from a difference of opinions.
Word from the coach: Before you say something that may be in opposition to what your boss thinks, set your intention. If your intention is to provide maximum value to the organization at all times, then the words you speak will echo this sentiment. If your intention is to “set your boss straight”, then be prepared for a harsh exchange of words. It’s up to you to determine the starting point…
Managing up is one of the greatest skills a manager or leader can possess. Dedicate yourself to excelling at this skill and your reputation and value to the company will be recognized -- guaranteed.
Managing up is an art and a skill that is rarely discussed. Consider some of the most common mistakes that affect managing up and how you can remedy them:
1) I know my boss and consider him/her a friend. Therefore, I know what kind of support my boss needs.
Truth: Most people don’t know how to manage up and can only make assumptions about their bosses’ needs. Eradicate speculation and start communicating.
Word from the coach: Ask your boss how he/she wants you to communicate with him/her. What materials does he/she need to see from you? Schedule meaningful one-on-ones with clear agendas and expectations. Ensure your meetings handle core issues clearly and honestly. Meeting just to meet is never beneficial for anyone. Make sure you create agreements that outline how you will communicate in times of bliss and crisis (know that the crisis times are the ones that will test your relationship).
2) Not managing your boss’s perceptions
Truth: All bosses have inherent perceptions about how work should be done. Some of these perceptions may be from their own past work experience and even performance reviews. Examples include things such as: getting your work done quickly shows you can work well under stress; coming in early and staying late shows commitment; coming in on the weekend to finish a project demonstrates diligence.
Word from the coach: Most of these perceptions are not spoken but rather implied. Managing these perceptions is critical to your success, so get them out in the open, talk about them and negotiate them. Supervisors would rather you get a project done well rather than finish it in two minutes. Sharing with your boss the process and progress of your work product helps to eradicate unspoken of perceptions.
3) Avoiding conflict
Truth: Experiencing conflict is not a sin. Conflict brings growth, fosters development and airs misperceptions. Yet, I found in a group session that I facilitated with advertising executives, most saw conflict as negative and something that should be avoided as much as possible. There’s a difference between confrontation and conflict. Confrontation involves hostility, whereas conflict merely arises from a difference of opinions.
Word from the coach: Before you say something that may be in opposition to what your boss thinks, set your intention. If your intention is to provide maximum value to the organization at all times, then the words you speak will echo this sentiment. If your intention is to “set your boss straight”, then be prepared for a harsh exchange of words. It’s up to you to determine the starting point…
Managing up is one of the greatest skills a manager or leader can possess. Dedicate yourself to excelling at this skill and your reputation and value to the company will be recognized -- guaranteed.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Golden Rule Takes Flight
When recently reading an article in Business Week entitled, "The Ten Management Practices to Axe," I was struck by the soundness of most of author Liz Ryan's top ten management practices companies should be rid of:
1) Forced employee ranking - when you evaluate your employees against one another, to see who's most critical on the team and who's most expendable
2) Front-loaded recruiting systems - when you are forced to undergo background checks, assessments, perhaps even giving your over your first born before you are considered for the position
3) Overdone policy manuals - the ones that are 500 pages too long:)
4) Social media thought police - not allowing employees to engage in sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn during office hours
5) Rules that force employees to lie - such as withholding medical information for fear of not being covered
6) Theft of airline miles
7) Jack-booted layoffs - when firing someone they are given an immediate boot out the door
8)360-degree feedback programs - teaching good management practices instead
9) Mandatory performance-review bell curves - scale rating of employees, instead of setting high standards for employee reviews and raising them annually
10) Timekeeping - obsession around arrival and departure times, "using fractions of sick and personal days to attend to pressing life situations"
It's true, there are so many management and leadership books on the market, some ill conceived "best practices" have taken root and booted some good solid behaviors. What's missing from this list is the most critical element, people come first - period, end of sentence. In all of our creating of systems and processes we've forgotten the basic tenant, the "golden rule." Remember that one...the one that states every person has a right to fair and just treatment, and each of us have a responsibility to ensure this justice for each other.
Where did the golden rule go in the mix? Organizations can't be run like street side lemonade stands, however as long as organizations take the eye off the golden rule, the rest is just a shifting of the chairs. In fact, working at a lemonade stand may sound really great if your organization is scoring you like cattle and throwing you out the door after 15 years of service.
Let me save you some time from reading the countless numbers of leadership books...live by the golden rule or the old "love thy neighbor as thyself." Unless we learn how to care for the people side of the business, our businesses won't function very well for very long. You won't hear experts talk of it in these terms. Schmanzy language such as "third quarter earnings were down" is how they will cite it. If you took a microscope to the people side of the business, how would the organization fare in the long run?
This suggestion is to you my dear leader...when deciding what new business book to read, remember the golden rule, the rest is just commentary.
1) Forced employee ranking - when you evaluate your employees against one another, to see who's most critical on the team and who's most expendable
2) Front-loaded recruiting systems - when you are forced to undergo background checks, assessments, perhaps even giving your over your first born before you are considered for the position
3) Overdone policy manuals - the ones that are 500 pages too long:)
4) Social media thought police - not allowing employees to engage in sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn during office hours
5) Rules that force employees to lie - such as withholding medical information for fear of not being covered
6) Theft of airline miles
7) Jack-booted layoffs - when firing someone they are given an immediate boot out the door
8)360-degree feedback programs - teaching good management practices instead
9) Mandatory performance-review bell curves - scale rating of employees, instead of setting high standards for employee reviews and raising them annually
10) Timekeeping - obsession around arrival and departure times, "using fractions of sick and personal days to attend to pressing life situations"
It's true, there are so many management and leadership books on the market, some ill conceived "best practices" have taken root and booted some good solid behaviors. What's missing from this list is the most critical element, people come first - period, end of sentence. In all of our creating of systems and processes we've forgotten the basic tenant, the "golden rule." Remember that one...the one that states every person has a right to fair and just treatment, and each of us have a responsibility to ensure this justice for each other.
Where did the golden rule go in the mix? Organizations can't be run like street side lemonade stands, however as long as organizations take the eye off the golden rule, the rest is just a shifting of the chairs. In fact, working at a lemonade stand may sound really great if your organization is scoring you like cattle and throwing you out the door after 15 years of service.
Let me save you some time from reading the countless numbers of leadership books...live by the golden rule or the old "love thy neighbor as thyself." Unless we learn how to care for the people side of the business, our businesses won't function very well for very long. You won't hear experts talk of it in these terms. Schmanzy language such as "third quarter earnings were down" is how they will cite it. If you took a microscope to the people side of the business, how would the organization fare in the long run?
This suggestion is to you my dear leader...when deciding what new business book to read, remember the golden rule, the rest is just commentary.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Permission to Hide
I love electronics. Ever since I was a kid I had the latest and greatest gadget on the market. Remember when Sharp came out with one of the first electronic organizer? I had to have it! Drove my mom nuts until I had that rectangular electronic mega system in my hands. Of course I needed it to input all necessary information such as the next party, dates, outings with friends, etc. You know, life necessities.
Today electronic communication has been elevated to a new art. Blogging, texting, video blogging, emailing, instant messaging…the list could go on and on and surely will over the next decade and beyond. I miss though the simple things. Getting into an elevator and saying a simple “hello” and smiling. Oftentimes the person standing next to you in the elevator is so busy on their BlackBerry you wonder how they don’t miss their floor. I am equally guilty of it. Although, my favorite electronic moment was watching two friends text each other as they are sitting right next to each other. Perhaps we need to introduce the concept of “live dialogue?”
Electronic communication has given us the gift of reconnecting with old friends, old flames and even allows us to peer into our past as a voyeur – “I wonder what Jonathan Lewin really does look like 25 years later?”
In the workplace electronics can help speed up the transmission of information and it can also cause a huge backlash of miscommunication. A recent Wall Street Journal article (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704259304575043491348109012.html?mod=dist_smartbrief) cited a top list of email misuses, ala email mistakes. Included were vague subject lines; burying the news; hiding behind the “BCC” field, failing to clean up the mess of earlier replies/forwards; ignoring grammar; avoiding necessarily long emails; mashing everything together into bulky, imposing, inaccessible paragraphs; neglecting human beings at the other end; thinking email works best; and forgetting that email last forever are egregious mistakes. Bottom line…electronic communication gives us permission to put our heads in the sand and not have real and meaningful dialogue.
Email, texting, instant messaging, etc. gives us the comfort of a computer screen and a keyboard, aka a buffer to being physically present with another person. Statistics show that over 93% of all communication is non-verbal so what are we giving each other? 7%. That’s right – 7%. With all of this communication we miss out on the subtleties of eye contact, shifting in chairs, folded arms, grimaces and grins, shifting body posture to either say, “yes, I’m excited” or “nope, I could care less”. Even telephone calls are better. Picking up a phone and hearing the tone in someone’s voice allows you to peer into what is really going on. If Sam is reluctant to take on a project you may not see it in an email, you may pick it up strongly in his voice.
One on one in-person or telephone conversations creates relationships, unity and enhances teamwork. Today, make another choice. Pick up the phone, walk down the hall, smile and speak to the person you were going to email. You never know how this small step will create huge dividends.
Today electronic communication has been elevated to a new art. Blogging, texting, video blogging, emailing, instant messaging…the list could go on and on and surely will over the next decade and beyond. I miss though the simple things. Getting into an elevator and saying a simple “hello” and smiling. Oftentimes the person standing next to you in the elevator is so busy on their BlackBerry you wonder how they don’t miss their floor. I am equally guilty of it. Although, my favorite electronic moment was watching two friends text each other as they are sitting right next to each other. Perhaps we need to introduce the concept of “live dialogue?”
Electronic communication has given us the gift of reconnecting with old friends, old flames and even allows us to peer into our past as a voyeur – “I wonder what Jonathan Lewin really does look like 25 years later?”
In the workplace electronics can help speed up the transmission of information and it can also cause a huge backlash of miscommunication. A recent Wall Street Journal article (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704259304575043491348109012.html?mod=dist_smartbrief) cited a top list of email misuses, ala email mistakes. Included were vague subject lines; burying the news; hiding behind the “BCC” field, failing to clean up the mess of earlier replies/forwards; ignoring grammar; avoiding necessarily long emails; mashing everything together into bulky, imposing, inaccessible paragraphs; neglecting human beings at the other end; thinking email works best; and forgetting that email last forever are egregious mistakes. Bottom line…electronic communication gives us permission to put our heads in the sand and not have real and meaningful dialogue.
Email, texting, instant messaging, etc. gives us the comfort of a computer screen and a keyboard, aka a buffer to being physically present with another person. Statistics show that over 93% of all communication is non-verbal so what are we giving each other? 7%. That’s right – 7%. With all of this communication we miss out on the subtleties of eye contact, shifting in chairs, folded arms, grimaces and grins, shifting body posture to either say, “yes, I’m excited” or “nope, I could care less”. Even telephone calls are better. Picking up a phone and hearing the tone in someone’s voice allows you to peer into what is really going on. If Sam is reluctant to take on a project you may not see it in an email, you may pick it up strongly in his voice.
One on one in-person or telephone conversations creates relationships, unity and enhances teamwork. Today, make another choice. Pick up the phone, walk down the hall, smile and speak to the person you were going to email. You never know how this small step will create huge dividends.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Secrets of No Layoffs in Tough Economic Times
A recent Fortune Magazine featured six companies that avoided the pinch of layoffs during the economic downturn. As of mid-January 2010, they have never had a layoff. SAS, Wegmans Food Markets, Mercedes Benz, S.C Johnson & Sons, EOG Resources and Baptist Health South Florida were among the companies highlighted.
All companies had a mix of attributes. According to Fortune Magazine, "S.C. Johnson & Sons, a family-owned and operated household cleansing products manufacturer, has been able to avoid layoffs for 124 years. Even in the worst of times, management has stuck to the belief that company employees are its most valuable asset." And Mercedes Benz ‘s management looked inward to take a decisive step in this economic climate. – “When management discovered that further cost reductions were unavoidable, the CEO and executive team (28 people total) accepted pay cuts. The tough choices paid off, resulting in a 10% total reduction of labor costs from mid-2009 to year-end. “
All companies made tough choices in these rough economic times and still they put their people first, and by doing so were able to maintain their employee base while growing loyalty.
Let's take a deeper look at what was their "secret sauce" to no layoffs:
-Instituting hiring freezes in all areas except R&D and sales
-Cut back on travel and expenses and rely more on conference calls and video conferencing (almost all)
-Engage company support by communicating early and often
-Give developmental opportunities to advance career
-Cross train staff for different jobs making them flexible to the changing needs of the business
-Reducing temporary staff, placing controls on overtime
-CEO and executive team take pay cuts
-Take a long-term perspective on hiring, e.g. delayed merit increases for six months
-Run the organization on low cost and low debt
-Adhere to compensation plans and continued to pay bonuses, award merit increases, promote from within and issue stock grants.
If you have not heard of the companies cited above, maybe it's time to take a page out of their playbook. And keep in mind as one employee at Wegmans said, "Our thought process is that we'll never have a layoff. Everything is planned on the basis that our people come first."
By putting people first, companies can be innovative, creative and ahead of the competition and not only survive, hopefully thrive in these economic times.
All companies had a mix of attributes. According to Fortune Magazine, "S.C. Johnson & Sons, a family-owned and operated household cleansing products manufacturer, has been able to avoid layoffs for 124 years. Even in the worst of times, management has stuck to the belief that company employees are its most valuable asset." And Mercedes Benz ‘s management looked inward to take a decisive step in this economic climate. – “When management discovered that further cost reductions were unavoidable, the CEO and executive team (28 people total) accepted pay cuts. The tough choices paid off, resulting in a 10% total reduction of labor costs from mid-2009 to year-end. “
All companies made tough choices in these rough economic times and still they put their people first, and by doing so were able to maintain their employee base while growing loyalty.
Let's take a deeper look at what was their "secret sauce" to no layoffs:
-Instituting hiring freezes in all areas except R&D and sales
-Cut back on travel and expenses and rely more on conference calls and video conferencing (almost all)
-Engage company support by communicating early and often
-Give developmental opportunities to advance career
-Cross train staff for different jobs making them flexible to the changing needs of the business
-Reducing temporary staff, placing controls on overtime
-CEO and executive team take pay cuts
-Take a long-term perspective on hiring, e.g. delayed merit increases for six months
-Run the organization on low cost and low debt
-Adhere to compensation plans and continued to pay bonuses, award merit increases, promote from within and issue stock grants.
If you have not heard of the companies cited above, maybe it's time to take a page out of their playbook. And keep in mind as one employee at Wegmans said, "Our thought process is that we'll never have a layoff. Everything is planned on the basis that our people come first."
By putting people first, companies can be innovative, creative and ahead of the competition and not only survive, hopefully thrive in these economic times.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)