Here’s a problematic question for entrepreneurs and managers: is it that people don’t want to work nowadays? Or is it that they don’t want to work for YOU?
Twenty years ago, I wrote that you must provide the “Ultimate Experience” for both customers and employees. Over the past two decades, we’ve observed significant strides in how organizations engage their customers. Frankly, we haven’t seen that level of progress across the board regarding employee engagement.
In the United States, we’ve heard many leaders talk about how today’s employees don’t want to work and are lazy. Many studies are confirming this is not true. The companies and managers who have had problems with employee engagement have failed to create an environment where their staff was happy or felt it was a place they wanted to work.
To have a successful business, you need happy and engaged employees. It’s not only the right thing to do, but it’s also good for business. Employees who are disengaged cost businesses billions of dollars every year in lost productivity. Gallup has even gone as far as saying that employee engagement is the key to success for any organization.
Here are a couple of questions for you:
Have you designed the employee experience with as much passion and precision as you plan customer acquisition?
Have you developed a specific list of WHY both current and prospective employees would recognize working for you as a superior option from their other opportunities?
For most, frankly, the answer will be, “No.”
That needs to change — and it needs to change now if you want to attract and retain a superior team.
So, what can you do to create an environment where your employees want to work? It’s not easy and takes time, but here are five tips:
Treat your employees with respect. This includes listening to them and considering their ideas.
As I wrote in “ICONIC,” respect is reciprocal. If you want your team to respect and value you and your organization, you must display how you value and respect them FIRST.
Make certain they feel appreciated. The best way to make your employees feel part of the company is by giving them ongoing recognition. In other words, leaders don’t recognize their work only when milestones are met or when achieving sales targets.
Recognition can be in many forms, including praise for doing a job well done, even if it’s not on the radar screen yet.
Offer them development opportunities. No one wants to feel like they’re stuck in a dead-end job.
Employees want to know that there is room for growth and that they are valued enough for the company to invest in their future.
Let them have some fun! Work can be stressful, so it’s essential to find ways for employees to let off some steam.
Whether through social activities, team-building exercises, or just taking a break for a little bit, employees need to know that they can have fun at work and not be all work and no play.
Finally, PAY MORE! My great pal, Randy Pennington, related a story on a recent live stream where we both were guests about a consulting client of his that dramatically increased the compensation of his team. Guess what? It SAVED him money!
How could this be the case?
He reduced his expenses of recruiting and onboarding new team members.
He drastically reduced turnover.
He kept his best employees and attracted top-level recruits.
He prevented massive overtime outlays because he now had a productive team that could get the work done during regular hours.
AND the fact that no one had to put in extra time meant happier employees and families.
The next time you think about how employees “just don’t want to work today,” remember it’s not because they’re lazy. It’s likely because they aren’t attracted to work for a company that they aren’t certain appreciates them or doesn’t have their best interests at heart.
Change your ways and see how your employees change their tune!
If you can successfully implement these tips, you’ll be well on your way to having an engaged and happy team!
Whoever said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” got it all wrong. As I have often said (and been quoted for it), imitation is the sincerest form of theft.
Being like your competition was assumed to be a safe space for many. No longer. If all you are is a mirror image of your rivals, then you’re nothing more than a commodity.
Being distinctive is the key to success.
You must be willing to think uniquely and develop ideas to stay ahead of the curve. It is why “Creativity” is the second of the Four Cornerstones of Distinction.
To help you get started, here are ten steps that will help you think differently:
Step #1: Be curious. The best innovators are always curiosity seekers. They’re constantly exploring new things and looking for ways to improve their products or services.
Step #2: Embrace change. Change can be scary, but it’s required for innovation. If you’re not open to change, you’ll never create anything new. You cannot create distinction by doing things the way they’ve always been done.
Step #3: Take risks. Innovation requires risk-taking, so don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things.
Step #4: Be open to feedback. Feedback is essential for innovation, so make sure you’re always listening to what others whose opinions you value have to say. This doesn’t mean the nay-sayers on social media should rule your thoughts. It means seeking and obtaining insights from those who sincerely want you to succeed.
Step #5: Think outside the box. (As much as I hate that old cliche — it is the truth here.) Don’t be afraid to come up with unconventional ideas. Think about it; someone really said in a meeting somewhere, “What if sharks got caught up in a big tornado?”
That sounds strange, but it was probably just as wild when Marc Randolph (my colleague on the “in residence” faculty at High Point University) said to Reed Hastings, “What if you got DVDs in the mail instead of having to go to Blockbuster?” (You know how that turned out with Netflix, right?)
Step #6: Be persistent. Innovation doesn’t happen overnight, so don’t give up if your first few ideas don’t work out.
Step #7: Brainstorm often. For many, the most productive approach to develop innovative ideas is by brainstorming with others.
Step #8: Be patient. Innovation doesn’t happen overnight, so be prepared to work hard and put in the time necessary for success.
Step #9: Stay up-to-date. To stay ahead of the curve, you need to keep up with the latest trends and changes in your industry and others. By learning about what’s new in other industries, you may get insight into what you could do to stand out in yours.
Step #10: Get inspired. Inspiration can come from anywhere! Be certain that you’re constantly looking for new sources of inspiration. I’ve learned they are all around us – we just need to be on the lookout for them!
Remember, it’s not about copying what others are doing! It’s about creating fresh ideas that will help you stand out from the competition and create distinction!
When you stop to think about it, the qualities embodied by the spirit of the holidays — a giving attitude, an appreciation expressed to others, and gratitude for your blessings — define how we should treat our customers and team members EVERY day throughout the year.
Giving Attitude
A “giving attitude” is best expressed as the perspective that puts the needs of others above your own. It’s the attitude of being willing to help, to give freely of yourself, and to think of others before yourself. We should bring this spirit to our relationships with both our customers and team members.
When we are open to giving more than we receive, it creates a feeling of joy and abundance. This is the attitude we want our team members and customers to experience. We should think of ways to give more, treat our customers differently, and make them feel special.
Instead of focusing on what we want or need, try shifting your perspective to giving freely to others without expecting anything in return.
Appreciation
Another aspect of the holiday spirit is appreciation. Naturally, we appreciate our customers. However, appreciation also means thankfulness for the team members who make our businesses run. They are the people who serve our customers, package and ship our products, produce and fulfill our orders, deliver customer service, and keep everything organized behind the scenes.
Expressing appreciation to our team members is the only way to show that we value them and their contributions. Keeping it to yourself does no good for anyone! A simple “thank you” can mean a lot, but it’s also important to show appreciation in ways that will be meaningful and memorable. Everyone likes to know that their efforts matter, so take the time to make your team feel valued.
Gratitude for Our Blessings
Finally, gratitude for our blessings is of utmost importance. If we want to grow in the future, we must appreciate how the lessons of the past – good and bad — have brought us to this point. We should also be grateful for our current situation, even if it is not ideal.
Our hearts open when we are grateful, and we become more compassionate. We see the good in life and in others, and this transforms how we interact with them.
Ideas Into Action
To put the spirit of holidays into action, consider these four questions:
What does appreciation look like in my organization?
How can I demonstrate appreciation for my team’s past efforts and current contributions?
What can I do to uniquely express gratitude to my customers through unexpected acts of appreciation?
How can I increase the joy and abundance in my organization to enhance our organizational culture during the coming year?
When we embody the spirit of the holidays every day in the coming year, we prepare for creating distinction, no matter the circumstances of the economy, pandemic, or unforeseen challenges.
Apply these insights, and you’ve planted the right seeds for ICONIC achievement in 2022!
(And please keep watching here! We want to partner with you to enhance your professional and organizational growth. Our consulting/coaching/training business is limited to a few select clients each year. I would love to have a conversation with you about how we can work together to help you achieve the distinction you deserve in the coming year!)
Few management blunders have attracted as much attention as the one committed by the CEO of mortgage lender Better.com.
If you missed it, Vishal Garg fired more than 900 of his team members on a Zoom call by simply saying, “If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off. Your employment here is terminated effective immediately.” (At least he didn’t add, “Happy Freaking Holidays!”)
Mr. Garg displayed a stunning lack of self-awareness and respect for his team. However, apparently this is nothing new for him. According to TheNew York Times, Garg previously told his colleagues they were “stealing from the company by working (out of their home offices for) only two hours a day — which…was contradicted by his team’s recent promotions and raises.” In addition, the NYT article stated that Mr. Garg’s rantings “had made it challenging for them (former employees) to apply for new jobs.”
Everyone needs to be rewarded and respected to excel — not just those in the office every day. Look at what happened when Vishal Garg sent his company into chaos if you don’t believe me. (The company’s Board of Directors have brought on a third-party firm to assess its leadership and culture, according to a copy of a memo obtained by The New York Times.)
There’s a lot to unpack here. One question we could consider is: what is the quality of management of a company that believes they can terminate a significant percentage of its employees — yet presumes they can deliver an equal quality of customer experience going forward?
This point also begs a larger question: Why do you pay your employees?
Are you paying them for the hours they work?
Or are you paying them for the results they produce?
Too often, we get wrapped up in tracking time. We think that if someone is “only working two hours a day,” they must not be doing their job. But is that really fair or accurate?
Obviously, there are certain businesses and industries where hourly compensation is perhaps the only way to deliver remuneration. For example, employees must be at the checkout counter from 10 AM to 6 PM — and if they aren’t there, it creates problems throughout the business.
However, in my experience, most people who work from home are highly productive. In fact, many of the people I know who telecommute put in over 40 hours a week — but it is only reflected on their timesheets as a typical, 40-hour week.
The next time you’re tempted to track time, ask yourself this question: are my employees being paid for the results they produce?
Paying employees for results instead of hours is a better way to measure productivity and employee engagement. When you pay employees for the hours they work, you encourage them to stay focused on the clock. You are telling them that their time is more valuable than their output.
However, when you pay employees for their results, you reward them for their effort and creativity. This type of motivation leads to a more productive and engaged workforce.
Many years ago, I had involvement with a company that manufactured box trailers. The company’s general manager had a creative idea. He told the factory workers that current customer demands required eight perfectly built trailers every day. Then he said, “When you get the eight trailers perfectly built — go home! You’ve accomplished the results we require.”
Next, something unique happened. After the workers realized their compensation wouldn’t be reduced because they were working fewer hours, the trailers were produced much more rapidly. However, the other fascinating result was that the quality of the construction improved.
This meant the company sold more trailers — and increased the compensation of the team building them. It created a “win-win” for both the organization and the employees. Workers were paid for results — not for time.
When you pay employees for the results they produce, you are telling them that their effort matters. In addition, paying employees for results is a better way to evaluate your employee experience.
In order for your organization to excel, everyone needs to be rewarded and respected, as I stated as one of the “5 Factors of ICONIC Performance” in my recent book. This means respect is not just for those who are in the office every day and it is not merely based on how many hours they work.
Why do you pay your employees? My great friend, Randy Pennington, said it best with the title of his book: “Results Rule.” Customers don’t really care about how much time your employees put in. Customers care about the results delivered by your products and services.
When results drive compensation, your organization gets better results.
Employee happiness is a critical factor when it comes to excellent customer service. Employees who are happy with their work — and how their employers treat them — are more likely to care about their customers. This factor is because when employees are treated with respect and engaged, they naturally want what is best for their company.
If employees are happy, it means they will be willing to go above and beyond for their customers — which in turn leads to more delighted customers.
The employee-customer relationship is an essential factor in successful customer service; when companies put their employees first, they find success.
What do employee happiness, employee engagement, and customer satisfaction all have in common? Granted, they are all very similar. However, employee happiness is perhaps most critical.
Employee happiness is the employee’s overall contentment for everything related to their job, including how they’re treated by management and customers alike.
Here’s an aspect easily overlooked: employee happiness has a much more significant impact than employee satisfaction.
Satisfaction is just the employee’s opinion of their current job; happiness means employee contentment for all aspects of their work-life, not just their specific job assignments. Employee happiness means employee engagement.
Here are three ways to improve employee happiness:
The first step to employee happiness is that there must be buy-in from leadership. If leadership doesn’t care about employee happiness, it won’t go beyond something as minimal as creating a flimsy employee satisfaction survey.
It is incumbent to communicate with employees how their opinions are vital for improvement and what changes are in process due to their input.
Decide to make employee happiness/employee engagement an organizational priority. It’s impossible to have employee happiness without employee engagement. A company cannot be engaged with its employees if managers aren’t showing constant commitment to their teams.
Employees believe that if their manager doesn’t care about the happiness of team members, how can the rest of the organization?
Offer benefits and compensation that matter. Employee benefits and compensation are essential aspects for employees to feel as though they are compensated fairly for their work.
It’s difficult to feel valued and under-compensated at the same time. Make sure your wages and benefits also display your commitment to your team.
The more employee happiness there is within an organization, the better the workplace culture will be for everyone involved!
It’s one of the most challenging aspects of leadership: How do you effectively have a difficult conversation with a team member or customer?
The answer: With sensitivity and respect.
Difficult conversations should never be taken lightly, especially in the current climate of heightened emotions.
Executives, managers, and entrepreneurs all know they need to have tough talks with their employees from time to time — but that doesn’t mean it gets any easier. In fact, it might be harder now because of a heightened tension between different ideologies that have spilled over into workplaces everywhere — combined with the fact that there are more generations in the workforce now than at any time in history.
“One thing we can’t escape is that this (time) has been very divisive for many Americans,” said Bill Hybels, senior pastor at Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago. His church draws more than 25,000 attendees each weekend from across the country and around the world. Difficult conversations consumed two days of training during Willow Creek’s annual Global Leadership Summit earlier this month.
“I’ve seen the level of anger escalate at an alarming rate,” Hybels said, “and I’ve seen the level of outrage rise exponentially.”
This is not just a problem for business leaders.
School teachers, college professors, church pastors, non-profit directors — anyone in any position of leadership or authority — could find themselves having these difficult discussions with employees or customers who may be upset over changes that affect their families.
Difficult conversations arise frequently and at all levels, and they should be handled with respect and for the good of everyone involved — even those who may disagree.
Difficult conversations happen whenever we hold accountability sessions, give performance reviews, address challenges with an employee’s attitude or behaviors, challenge a viewpoint that someone holds dear to them, or when we deliver difficult feedback.
Difficult moments often come up when people feel stressed by their circumstances and about making hard choices about where scarce resources will be distributed.
Difficult conversations also arise during routine day-to-day interactions such as meeting deadlines and resolving workplace disputes.
While these conversations aren’t easy (that’s why they’re called “difficult,” isn’t it?), here are three basic steps to handling these uncomfortable situations:
1. Prepare yourself
Remember why you’re having the conversation
When difficult conversations come up, it’s easy to lose sight of what you want to achieve in that conversation. Your goal is not necessarily to change your team member’s mind or get them to agree with you, but just ensure they understand where you’re coming from and why this matters so much to you. You may even be able to find some common ground on which both parties can meet.
Acknowledge their feelings
The #1 reason many people resist giving constructive feedback is because they don’t know how the other person will feel about it. When we fear upsetting someone — especially someone whom we care deeply about — our natural response is often to avoid it. Difficult conversations are never easy, but the more you can do to put people at ease, the better your chances of having a productive conversation.
Be respectful of their time and priorities
Everyone has responsibilities that take some precedence over work–with kids or parents who need help, problems at home that need solving, commitments to attend religious services, not to mention taking a lunch break! Difficult conversations might cut into time they needed for family commitments. Therefore, be respectful of their time and priorities by keeping difficult conversations as brief as possible – no longer than 15-20 minutes – with a clear understanding of how much time they have.
2. Lean In to the Difficult Conversations
Identify what you’re trying to accomplish
Before you say one word, be clear in your own mind what exactly it is that you want to accomplish or communicate.
State specifically what you think the person did
People don’t usually have a problem hearing that they’ve done something wrong–it’s having to acknowledge responsibility for their actions that gets them defensive. Difficult conversations are especially dicey when emotions escalate; people get more hurt and angry, which makes it more difficult for them to hear what you’re saying. Be sure your intentions are right by starting with “I” statements instead of “you” statements–which will deflect any defensiveness on the part of that other person. If possible, cite specific examples or even evidence of behaviors (not feelings) to support your perspective.
Describe the impact of their behavior
What results did you see as a result of them doing what they do? What has it cost (time, productivity, affecting others’ morale)? Difficult conversations are tough because people often hear “feedback” as being criticized–and then simply shut down. Diffuse this by focusing less on them and more on impact to your organization. Be sure to describe how their personal attitudes or behaviors have affected you, other team members, or customers–or even perhaps themselves by using phrases like “You’ve made me feel…”
3. Check Progress & Agree on Next Steps
Remain open-minded throughout difficult conversations
Sometimes people don’t hear us or understand our perspective until we’ve given them all the information and they’ve had a chance to process it. Difficult conversations often elicit strong reactions, so give this person some time to think about what you discussed and come back with any questions before moving forward.
Stay flexible throughout difficult conversations
The best way to avoid conflict is through open dialogue–and both parties really listening to each other. Difficult conversations involve humanity, warmth, empathy and respect–which means that if your first attempt doesn’t work, try not to take it personally and just keep iterating until you find a way through. Difficult conversations might require several iterations before either party feels satisfied with the results; this is normal!
Difficult conversations require both parties to stay flexible and open-minded throughout.
Difficult conversations really test your ability to listen, understand, empathize and collaborate with others — and can therefore open new levels of trust and respect. Difficult conversions might be challenging at times, but remain respectful, honest, and empathetic throughout the entire conversation — even if it means agreeing not to agree on certain topics!
Difficult conversations can bring about new insight or awareness from someone else’s perspective.
Difficult conversations are essential for building great relationships and professional environments.
Difficult conversations can also bring about new insight or awareness from someone else’s perspective.
Difficult conversations might require several iterations before either party feels satisfied with the results, this is normal!
Difficult conversations might even lead to a healthier work environment where everyone thrives and delivers the best results under the pressure of being held accountable for their actions.
Difficult conversions are essential in building great relationships and professional environments.
Difficult conversations bring closure to both parties involved (the one who is having difficult conversation as well as those receiving feedback) ensuring that they mutually understand each other better.
Difficult conversions are essential in building great relationships and professional environments. After all, you’d rather have tough conversations now than have them erupt later down the road or catch you by surprise! Difficult conversations might be challenging at times, but remain respectful, honest and empathetic throughout the entire conversation–even if it means agreeing not to agree on certain topics!
