I’ve been called stubborn a time or two, but I swear it is only by people who don’t know the difference between stubborn and persistent! I believe we should all avoid being stubborn and strive to be persistent. The world is not an easy place so persistence is essential. Persistence gets us over hurdles, through tough times, past confusion, and farther down the road to success. Stubbornness just gets us into trouble! If you are persistent: You doggedly pursue results and are willing to consider different ways to get there You may repeat yourself in an effort to persuade You ask questions sincerely and listen eagerly for new information
The Republican Party is in a cul-de-sac according to an examination of what went wrong in 2012. They’ve realized that they are a bunch of “old stuffed shirts” who are “talking only to themselves.” If they have the guts, big changes should follow. Your company may be in a cul-de-sac also. Are you breathing your own exhaust or discussing exciting new ideas? Are you learning from the changes all around you or focused primarily on your performance against the same old goals? Are you honing your systems or developing the agility and strength to change quickly? Good financial results today guarantee nothing about tomorrow. If you wait too long to carve out your future, you too could find yourself described as a stuffy old shirt talking only to yourself deep in the cul-de-sac.
NJ Governor Chris Christie, who ordered the evacuation of Atlantic City, and Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford, who reportedly encouraged people to seek shelter locally, are now duking it out in the press with blame, insults, and accusations of playing politics. Whatever you call it, it is inappropriate and irresponsible behavior on both sides. I can not think of an occasion where pointing fingers and hurling insults has been effective. Can you? Unfortunately, this behavior is not uncommon and may be occurring in your organization as you read this.
I had a meeting with a high ranking executive of a Fortune 50 company recently. Unfortunately, he wasn’t quite high enough! He and I agreed they had a tremendous opportunity to save hundreds of thousands of dollars and that I was the perfect choice to make it happen quickly. His boss, however, thought they could do it without outside help, despite no track record and no relevant expertise. This is when I realized they had an even bigger problem! High ranking executives in multi-billion dollar companies should be willing and able to push back when an obvious opportunity is denied with little scrutiny. Of course, the same can be said of any management team, regardless of the size of the organization. No leader needs ‘yes’ men. Every team needs healthy debate. If that debate isn’t occurring, your organization suffers from one or more of the following: Employees don’t dare stick their necks out Employees don’t care enough to stick there necks out Employees aren’t aware enough to know when to stick their necks out A healthy organization debates and unites. An unhealthy organization sits quietly in the back of the bus where they can snicker, console, and wait for a change in drivers. Does your team push back?
There are five effective ways to deal with work overload. Unfortunately, most people choose #6, the only ineffective option. How about you?
I am frequently contacted by long-time readers of my Clear Thoughts™ newsletter wishing I could help their organizations. This just happened several times in the past few weeks and in each case, the situation was the same: The loyal reader would love to hire me but doesn’t have the authority The person with the authority has never heard of me and doesn’t think a consultant is the answer The reader has generously shared my newsletters with direct reports and peers The reader has never shared upwards This leaves the reader feeling frustrated beyond belief and wondering how to get the boss to give me a call. Here is what you can do to prevent this from happening to you!
I was inspired to watch Undercover Boss for the first time last night because of my connections and proximity to Yankee Candle. The show obviously provides fabulous publicity, though there is no way for me to know how much of that the CEO and team can control. My experience during more than twenty years of corporate life is that lots of rewards come to those in the right place at the right time. One of the employees alluded to this. Sometimes the motivation is indefensible – discrimination, nepotism, and more. Other times it is mostly luck – getting on a high profile project or unusually talented team. And sometimes, it seems to be a combination of human nature and unaware managers – rewarding the masterful fire fighter who saves the day while forgetting about those who quietly and consistently produce solid results. Harlan Kent certainly reinforced that belief that it pays to be in the right place at the right time. A few employees got really lucky to be part of the show. But they aren’t the only employees at Yankee Candle who work hard, take pride in their work and the company, and face personal challenges. I’d love to see them make all their other employees feel as lucky to be working for Yankee Candle. Imagine if everyone got the mentoring they needed to find a rewarding job, the acknowledgment they deserve for their effort and care, and the extra support that would help overcome personal obstacles! Imagine the loyalty, productivity, and customer care that would ensue!
Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal claimed that three fourths of all departing employees would not recommend their employer to others, up from 42% three years ago. Granted, things have been tough for a few years, but do you know how your employees feel about their jobs at this point? Despite continued high unemployment, I know of far too many companies struggling to fill openings with high quality candidates. Your high quality employees may not yet realize they are in demand but once they get wind of another opportunity, will they flee?
I just heard about another business that is seeing almost weekly resignations. The economy is improving and people unhappy with their jobs are finding alternatives. It started slowly but the trend is pretty obvious now. This company has no idea how many of their people have been looking or who could be next. They could be crippled soon if a few more critical employees give notice. Furthermore, the toll these resignations is taking on those who remain will encourage others to join the parade. They are likely suffering from more work, broken routines, and missing camaraderie. How fast might this ship sink? Fast!