tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41624341532793693672024-03-14T07:11:52.239-06:00Fusion™ BlogDeveloping teams and leaders to energize and engage your workplace.Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.comBlogger164125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-67694099046671745552011-12-28T08:30:00.002-07:002011-12-28T08:30:03.739-07:00The Leadership Skill of DEVELOPMENTLet’s continue this week with our examination of leadership skills. The last 2 weeks, I’ve shared articles to reinforce the three concepts that we discussed during our “Introduction to Leadership” on the December 8<sup>th</sup> airing of <a href="http://www.milehiradio.com/shows.cfm?id=74944A86-B4A7-5363-67743E0CA875EC6A"><span style="color: blue;">The Leader’s Edge</span></a>.<br />
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We’ve covered the topics of Listening and Action. So, that leaves us with Development. The development of your employees and leaders is paramount to the success of your organization! Not only to make them as effective in their roles as possible (whether it’s technical or “people skills” training), but also to show them that you care about them and their contributions to your organization. The more opportunities you offer your employees to develop themselves and to then utilize those skills, the more likely they are to trust you and be loyal to you, in good times and bad.<br />
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Indeed, that reflects the title of a blog post which Dave published a couple of years ago, “<span style="color: #555555;"><a href="http://ecilearning.blogspot.com/2010/02/great-leaders-develop-good-people-even.html"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: blue;">Great Leaders Develop Good People - Even in Bad Times</span></span></a></span>”. The topic of that article is certainly relevant to our current discussion:<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Whenever the economy turns bad, and that seems to happen on a regular basis, many companies start looking for ways to cut their costs. One of the very first things that some companies cut are any costs associated with human development. Coaching, training classes, and even brown-bag lunches are viewed as a “soft cost” that have no direct impact on the bottom line.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">But nothing could be further from the truth.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On the surface, wringing out any excess costs seems to make a lot of sense. But great leaders know that wringing out all the costs might also mean wringing out all of the energy, excitement and creativity from a company as well. And, when things are tough, you need your team to crank up the energy and creativity, not bury it under a blanket.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Imagine a scenario where one of your top customers places a big order that is going to require the very best from your team to complete the delivery. Your team, suffering the blahs after having their overtime cut, all of the plants removed from the office, the coffee service removed from the office, and all personal development eliminated, can’t figure out how to deliver this order on time with the correct content.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Of course, Jack could have led his team to get this done, but Jack left 6 weeks ago to join a competitor. Sally was another manager who could probably have pulled it off as well, but she left about 3 months ago and changed careers entirely. Their replacements came from in house and, while they are excellent technically, they lack the skills to lead the team on a project of this size.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You meant to develop more managers with the appropriate team leadership skills, but with times being tight, you cut back on hiring, stopped training both your technicians and your managers and hunkered down to wait out the downturn.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Now that downturn may last much longer than expected. And you may lose your best client for screwing up this order. But that’s ok because you were able to wring out all of those excess costs that don’t really add to the bottom line.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Great leaders understand the difference between unnecessary costs and the costs of keeping your managers and staff excited, motivated, and most importantly, on your team. Great leaders understand that developing people is not an unnecessary cost, but an investment in the business itself. Staff development can have the very same payoff and ROI that an investment in new equipment can have. And an investment in your staff has the added incentive of making your team more valuable over time.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And that can get you through a lot of tough times.<o:p></o:p></i></div><br />
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</div>I hope this article has inspired you to think about additional ways that you can offer development opportunities to your team. We’d love to hear some of your thoughts on development and any unique development opportunities that you may have tried or are considering.<br />
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At ECI Learning Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity and profitability by creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of training and personalized coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments allow us to create a development plan tailored for your success.<br />
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<br />
Until next time….<br />
<br />
Laurie Valaer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ECILearning.com</span></a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-67866802011035744002011-12-21T08:30:00.009-07:002011-12-21T08:30:04.159-07:00The Leadership Skill of ACTION<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Last week, I shared a blog that we had previously posted on the art of “Listening”. Listening is one of the key leadership skills that Dave and I discussed recently on <a href="http://www.milehiradio.com/shows.cfm?id=74944A86-B4A7-5363-67743E0CA875EC6A"><span style="color: blue;">The Leader’s Edge</span></a>, where we introduced Leadership as one aspect of our <a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/fusion_overview.html"><span style="color: blue;">Fusion Model</span></a> of organizational and employee engagement.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It seemed fitting to repost the Listening blog to help reinforce the 4 secrets that will make you a good listener. This week, let’s continue the theme of leadership skills and take a closer look at the second concept we discussed during our Leadership introduction: Action.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A team is always a direct reflection of their leader. The energy of the leader turns into the energy of the team. The priorities and values of the leader should be shared by the team. In those cases where the leader and the team members don't share the same values and priorities, something must change. Either the leader will replace the team members, or the members will replace the team leader.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in;"><strong><em>Show me the leader and I will know his men. Show me the men and I will know their leader. – Arthur Newcomb</em></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knowing how teams reflect their leader, we are always surprised to encounter a leader who states that his team does not share his values. Frankly, it’s not possible for a high functioning team to NOT share the values of the leader. When we encounter these situations, we often find that the team is, indeed, following the leader. But they are following his actions, not his words.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So many leaders have learned the right words or catch-phrases to parrot to their team. The message that “the customer is number 1” is trumpeted loudly, although slightly out of tune. Or they espouse “Our people are our top priority,” while cutting training dollars and hours, forcing unpaid overtime, and raising production quotas, giving no thought to the impact on the employees or the customers.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Actions speak louder than words and team members look past the words of the leader and take their queues from his actions. While the leader espouses the platitudes learned from the latest management conference they attended, the team members see the actions of their leader and KNOW the actions reflect where the leader’s heart really lies.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We have always found that team members are much more observant than they are given credit for. They can readily detect the incongruence between the words and the actions of the boss and they follow the lead set by those actions. It doesn’t matter if the issue is customer service, how you treat your employees, or how punctual you are for work and meetings. Where you lead, they will follow.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If your goal is for your team to treat your customers like gold, then you need to demonstrate, in both word and actions, that the customers ARE gold. If you believe your employees are the key to your success (and we certainly hope you do), then you need to treat them with the respect they deserve.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">When you really begin to care about your customers, your employees, and your results, as shown by your actions as well as your words, you will see that all of your team members care about those things as well.<o:p></o:p></i></div><br />
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</div>The above article excerpt (the original of which is <a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/articles.html#Leadership"><span style="color: blue;">published on our website</span></a>) reiterates the point that, as a leader, your actions will speak louder than your words. Your employees will be watching you closely to determine whether or not you “walk your talk”….both so that they know now to act themselves AND to determine if/how much they can trust you and the organization. Therefore, as you can imagine, ensuring that your actions match your words can have great implications for the future success of your organization.<br />
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<br />
At ECI Learning Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity and profitability by creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of training and personalized coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments allow us to create a development plan tailored for your success.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time….<br />
<br />
Laurie Valaer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ECILearning.com</span></a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-29899312666121845412011-12-14T08:30:00.005-07:002011-12-14T08:30:05.270-07:00The Leadership Skill of LISTENING<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On last week’s radio show (<a href="http://www.milehiradio.com/shows.cfm?id=74944A86-B4A7-5363-67743E0CA875EC6A"><span style="color: blue;">The Leader’s Edge</span></a>), we discussed the concept of Leadership and how important Leadership Styles are to creating engagement and energy in your organization. We reviewed 10 Key Leadership Skills (discussed in <a href="http://ecilearning.blogspot.com/2011/12/10-things-every-leader-should-know_07.html"><span style="color: blue;">last week’s blog</span></a>) and then focused our discussion on 3 skills that are not always covered in the latest leadership blogs, books, and classes: listening, action, and development.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Over the next three weeks, I’d like to repost / share some blogs and articles that we have written over the last couple of years to reiterate and reinforce the concepts that we discussed on last week’s “<a href="http://www.milehiradio.com/shows.cfm?id=74944A86-B4A7-5363-67743E0CA875EC6A"><span style="color: blue;">The Leader’s Edge</span></a>”. So, let’s start with Listening….</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m sure that many of you are aware of Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habit’s of Highly Effective People.” If you are not, it’s a book you should read. Habit number 5 is “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” It’s a valuable habit that we should all study and practice.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">But how exactly do we do this?</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What is the secret of understanding?</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Well, it’s not exactly a secret that two monologues do not make a dialogue, yet too often that is exactly the way our discussions are treated.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Listening is something that most of us say that we do well, but few actually do. I’m sure there was a time in the history of man when people really listened to each other, but I’d be hard pressed to tell you when the time was, or why people stopped listening to each other. However, I can tell you some secrets to good listening that the best listeners employ and that make them “great conversationalists.”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The secrets themselves are not complex and do not involve a lot of deep psychological understanding to employ. But, while they are simple to discuss, they are much more difficult to implement because they are “uncomfortable” and require a lot of thought. If you practice the techniques below, I promise you that you will be a better listener and that people will interact with you differently on a day to day basis.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><strong><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>Secret Number 1: Clear your mind</u></i></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Just like Stephen Covey wrote in his groundbreaking book, “7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” you must first seek to understand, and then to be understood.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">When listening to another person, clear your mind of all thoughts and focus your attention 100% on the other person. Put aside your own perspective on the issue, or your feelings about the other person and make your mind a blank slate to be filled by the other person’s words.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><strong><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>Secret Number 2: Don’t anticipate the conversation</u></i></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">As the conversation starts, resist the temptation to leap ahead in the discussion to its “obvious conclusion.” Don’t try and guess what they will say next. Instead, let their words come to you in the way that they had intended. When we anticipate where the discussion is going, we often miss key points the other person is trying to make.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><strong><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>Secret Number 3: Don’t multi-task</u></i></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Study after study has proven that multi-tasking doesn’t work. Although many of us feel that we can do two things at one time, the truth is that when we try and do two things at once, neither task gets the attention it deserves. This is especially true when we are trying to listen to someone else. When you are engaged in a conversation, give the other person your undivided attention. Not only will you hear more, but the other person will appreciate your efforts as well.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><strong><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>Secret Number 4: Pause before responding</u></i></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Normally, when we are engaged in a conversation we develop our response while the other person is still speaking. Sometimes we key in on a word or phrase that they used, and sometimes we anticipate what they are going to say (see number 2 above). In either event, we begin crafting our response while they are speaking, and in doing so we tune them out, carefully picking the words in our response for maximum impact.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Instead, try letting the other person finish their statements and then pause before you respond. In reality it will only take you about 2 seconds to determine the perfect response, because of the quality of your listening. At first, this might seem like the longest 2 seconds of your life, as pauses in conversations tend to be rare these days. But after a little practice, this will become natural for you and for your listeners as well.<o:p></o:p></i></div><br />
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</div>At first glance, it might appear that following these guidelines for listening could lengthen your conversations, taking up more of your valuable time. In reality, you will find that you will save time overall because the conversations will be more meaningful, you will reach resolution quicker, and you won’t have repeat conversations because of items left unresolved.<br />
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What are some of the rules that you engage in listening? Do you have secrets to share that make you an effective listener? If so, we’d love to hear them.<br />
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<br />
At ECI Learning Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity and profitability by creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of training and personalized coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments allow us to create a development plan tailored for your success.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time….<br />
<br />
Laurie Valaer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ECILearning.com</span></a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-62493334286042630852011-12-07T08:30:00.015-07:002011-12-12T12:12:22.494-07:0010 Things Every Leader Should Know – RevisitedIf you’ve visited the ECI website or if you’ve been following the discussions on our radio show<span style="color: #555555;"> (</span><a href="http://www.milehiradio.com/shows.cfm?id=74944A86-B4A7-5363-67743E0CA875EC6A"><span style="color: blue;">The Leader’s Edge</span></a><span style="color: #555555;">), </span>you’ll have seen (or heard) about a model that we call Fusion™. This model is based on the idea that your organization will be the most engaged and your employees will have the most creative energy when three important aspects of your organization are in alignment. Those aspects are your Corporate Culture, the Expectations of your Employees, and the Leadership Styles of your executive team.<br />
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Over the last few months, we’ve blogged a lot about Corporate Culture and we’ve talked about it with several of our radio show guests. While Corporate Culture is very important to the success of your organization, the other aspects play a key role as well. So, this week on “<a href="http://www.milehiradio.com/shows.cfm?id=74944A86-B4A7-5363-67743E0CA875EC6A"><span style="color: blue;">The Leader’s Edge</span></a>”, we’ll introduce the topic of Leadership Styles. And, we’ll follow that in the weeks to come with several guests discussing their own personal Leadership Styles; how they developed them, how/if they must adapt them over time, and what those styles mean to their organizations.<br />
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Since we’ll be sharing various aspects of Leadership and Leadership styles this week, I thought it was appropriate to reprint a blog that Dave wrote some time ago called “The 10 Things Every Leader Should Know”:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">Whether you are a new or an experienced leader, there are some key things that every leader should know and understand to ensure their success. While some people are natural born leaders, others learn through trial and error. But whether you are a natural leader or someone who has learned leadership the hard way, there are a few things every leader should know. Below are 10 items that you should apply every day to ensure your success as a leader.<o:p></o:p></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">1. Vision - Your team is looking to you for hope. As a leader it is your responsibility to tell the truth, but to also provide a clear vision and hope for the future.<o:p></o:p></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">2. Communication - It’s not enough to have a clear vision for the future if no one knows what that vision is. Communicate that vision continually to all levels of your organization.<o:p></o:p></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">3. Action - People will follow what they see more quickly than what they hear. Don’t just communicate your vision but live it through your actions.<o:p></o:p></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">4. People - The best way to show how smart you are is to hire people that are even smarter than you are. Your success will be defined by those around you. Surround yourself with the smartest people you can find at all levels of your organization.<o:p></o:p></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">5. Listen - All around you there are wonderful ideas floating around. But you can’t hear them if you are too busy talking. You hired those smart people, now listen to them.<o:p></o:p></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">6. Motivation - You can’t motivate anyone because motivation comes from within. But you can provide an environment that encourages people and allows them to stretch to their limits and beyond.<o:p></o:p></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">7. Talent - Everyone has talent; something they can do better than almost anyone else. Identifying people’s talents and utilizing those talents in an organization means that you can get the best from every employee.<o:p></o:p></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">8. Trust – Great teams are built on the foundation of great leadership. Great leadership is built on the foundation of great trust. Start building trust on day one and never let up.<o:p></o:p></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">9. Development – In good times and bad you want to be able to do more with less. That means spending the time and the money to develop the talent on your team. It’s this development that will help your team survive and thrive when you need them most.<o:p></o:p></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">10. Energy - Workplace energy means that your team is fully engaged at all levels of the organization. Workplace energy happens when the company’s culture, the management's style and the employees' expectations overlap and create a synergy that propels the entire organization forward.<o:p></o:p></blockquote><br />
We hope you can join us on<span style="color: #555555;"> <a href="http://www.milehiradio.com/"><span style="color: blue;">MileHiRadio.com</span></a> </span>for our upcoming series on Leadership Styles (Thursdays at 3pm Mountain Time – just click the “Listen Live” link) and that you will join in the discussion on our show’s<span style="color: #555555;"> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/TheLeadersEdgeMileHi"><span style="color: blue;">facebook page</span></a>. </span>We’d love to hear your thoughts and insights!<br />
<br />
<br />
At ECI Learning Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity and profitability by creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of training and personalized coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments allow us to create a development plan tailored for your success.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time….<br />
<br />
Laurie Valaer<o:p></o:p><br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<o:p></o:p><br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ECILearning.com</span></a><o:p></o:p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-20604563058292007632011-11-30T08:30:00.008-07:002011-11-30T08:30:03.088-07:00Another Dimension To Hiring Beyond Skills<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Last week, we talked about hiring and the fact that, generally speaking, hiring for attributes like passion, values, expectations, and talent rather than basic skills will serve you, your team, and your entire organization better in the long run.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In writing last week’s post, I was reminded of an article that Dave and I published some time ago on the <a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">ECI Learning Systems</span></a> website. I think that article, which I’ve shared below, adds another important dimension to our hiring discussion..….</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We were recently working with a client and were discussing the fact that he was preparing to do some hiring. He had only hired a few people on his own in the past and frankly, wasn’t all that happy with the people that he had hired. Our client has a technical background and was good at spotting technical talent but he found that just because people had the talent to do the job, didn’t always mean that they could or would work for him successfully.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The truth is that there is much more to hiring and building a successful team than just hiring people who have the talent and skills to do the job. You don’t have to think hard to identify some talented under-achievers in just about any field. Likewise, you can probably think of many examples of over-achievers who seemingly lacked the natural talent, yet somehow always managed to rise to the top.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">When you are hiring for specific skills, you need to make sure that your candidates have the right talent and skills to succeed. If you’re hiring an accountant, you want to make sure your candidates have the accounting degree or equivalent experience to do the job. The same would be true of a salesperson, programmer, or customer service representative. Step one in the hiring process is always, “Does this person have the skills and talents to do what I need them to do?”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">But what happens after that? What else do you look for when you are making the critical hiring decisions?</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The list of attributes can be long, but let’s focus on four things:</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Integrity</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> – adherence to a moral or ethical code</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Energy</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> – will take action and make things happen</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coachability</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> – can be further trained or developed</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Team Oriented</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> – willingness to put the teams’ goals ahead of their own goals</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in;"><strong><em>If you hire somebody without integrity, you really want them to be dumb & lazy. ~Warren Buffett<o:p></o:p></em></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If we could choose just one attribute to be used for hiring, it would be integrity. When an employee has integrity, you know that this is an employee you can trust.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trust to tell you when they can’t accomplish something.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trust to tell you when they don’t think you are right.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trust to do the right thing for your customers.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">When you can trust your employees and your employees can trust you, you have then truly built the foundation for a great team.<o:p></o:p></i></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p></o:p>I think this article expands our discussion of hiring attributes even further.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Beyond skills…beyond having a passion for your organization’s mission…beyond having values and expectations that are a critical fit with your organization’s culture and values…and beyond having unique talents that will make them an invaluable long-term employee…there are other, more personal, attributes that are important to your organization and should not be compromised in the hiring process.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We mentioned 4 of these personal attributes above: integrity, energy, coachability, and team-oriented attitude and behavior. Do these attributes resonate with you? Are there other attributes that we did not mention, which are critical to your organization’s values, expectations, and mission? Do you currently explore these attributes in your hiring process? If so, how do you determine if a potential employee has “the right stuff”?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We’d love to hear your thoughts on hiring and how you handle this critical process in your organization.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">At ECI Learning Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity and profitability by creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of training and personalized coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments allow us to create a development plan tailored for your success.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Until next time….</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Laurie Valaer</div>ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ECILearning.com</span></a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-4532454788896990392011-11-23T08:30:00.011-07:002011-12-12T12:14:01.825-07:00Is there Hiring Beyond Skills?The topic of hiring has come up in several recent discussions on our radio show, <a href="http://www.milehiradio.com/shows.cfm?id=74944A86-B4A7-5363-67743E0CA875EC6A"><span style="color: blue;">The Leader’s Edge</span></a>.<br />
<br />
Hiring can be a tricky subject, as there are different schools of thought on the process. HR departments often insist that hiring must be done based on a person’s skillset and their ability to immediately perform the tasks at hand….with no forethought to how this person will perform long-term, or in other roles, or as a team member or leader.<br />
<br />
Wise leaders (including those we’ve talked to on our show) and many great leadership experts believe that there is a better way!<br />
<br />
In September, Steve Cooper, CEO of the Hospice of St. John, was a guest on our show. His non-profit staffs a combination of paid and volunteer personnel. Steve talked about how important a person’s passion for the hospice patients and families is to their ultimate success there. Similarly, several months ago I read an article in the Denver Post about the Autism Society of Colorado. Their executive director also mentioned that true, authentic passion is the key to hiring successful, long-term employees in their organization. The common message from these non-profit leaders: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hire</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">for values and train for skill.</b><br />
<br />
Now, you might be thinking to yourself…. “well, I can see how that makes sense in the non-profit world…but it really doesn’t apply to my business.” Again, several of our radio show guests would disagree with you. Heidi Hollenbeck, John Scarborough, and Richard Battenberg are all high-level executives in high-tech industries. All three talked about how important it is to determine if a candidate’s values and expectations match the company’s values and culture. The message from these successful business executives: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hire for fit and train for skills.</b><br />
<br />
Are you starting to see a theme here? Let’s look at one more perspective. In this excerpt from the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hiring and Interviewing</i> chapter of “The Engaged Manager”, my business partner, Coach David R Meyer, shares thoughts from his personal hiring experience:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Finding the right players for your team, not only for today but also for the future, is one of the most enjoyable tasks that you will perform as a manager. Searching for talent and improving the quality of your team can only serve to make your team stronger and your own job easier.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">…</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The purpose of this chapter is to help you find the best talent for your organization. Ultimately, hiring for talent, while more challenging and time consuming than hiring for skills, is one of the keys to your long-term success.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">...</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If you want to hire the very best people, if you want to build a great team, if you want to be a great leader, then hire for talent and attitude and train for skill.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Certainly, there are some exceptions to this rule. If you were in a hospital and hiring neurosurgeons, then you would not hire a great guy or gal who did not have a medical degree. But being a neurosurgeon is a specialized skill that takes years to acquire. This is not true for most positions. In addition, as you interviewed neurosurgeons, you would look for the neurosurgeon with the most talent and the best attitude, NOT the one who had performed the most operations.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Skills are the most routine part of any job. Yes, you need to make sure that the basic skill-set exists in your candidate, but not the specific skills. Skills can be taught, talent cannot. When you hire based on skills, you are hiring based on the lowest common denominator of the job. When you hire for talent, you are hiring the potential to do so much more than the job requires. When you hire for talent, you are hiring for future growth.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">When you hire for talent, you are hiring for things that cannot be taught!</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hire for talent and you will hire for greatness.<o:p></o:p></i></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p></o:p>Dave’s message from this chapter: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hire for talent and attitude and train for skill.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now, as Dave points out in this excerpt, skills do play a role in the hiring process and are certainly critical in certain professions. But, once you ensure that the person has the basic skills to do the job, hiring the RIGHT person for the job can depend heavily on their passion, values, expectations, and overall talent. Remember….skills can be taught, many of these other attributes cannot. And, these attributes could mean the difference between hiring a successful long-term employee and replacing someone who was not a good fit a few months down the road.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Take a look at your hiring processes. Is there room for improvement? Do you hire only for skill-set? Is it appropriate for your business to consider hiring based on other attributes? Besides passion, values, expectations, and talent….are there other attributes that make sense for your organization? If so, we’d love for you to share them here!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">At ECI Learning Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity and profitability by creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of training and personalized coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments allow us to create a development plan tailored for your success.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Until next time….</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Laurie Valaer</div>ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ECILearning.com</span></a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-84531624383145984802011-11-16T08:30:00.001-07:002011-11-16T08:30:01.642-07:00A “F.A.I.L. to Succeed” CultureDave and I have given several presentations this year on the subject of failure, and the role of failure in success. As individuals, we have been taught that failure is a bad thing. Now I doubt that anyone sat each of us down and told us that failure is a terrible thing and that we should never, ever fail….or that any of us actually had a class on failure where we were told it was bad. But, all of life’s lessons, the things that we are encouraged to strive for, and the things that we might be admonished for, all potentially lead us to the conclusion that failure is bad.<br />
<br />
Our presentation on failure is called “F.A.I.L. to Succeed” and, in it, we actually encourage people to take a few more risks and to not be afraid of failing. We offer a 4-step process to help individuals embrace the notion that failure is how we learn; that failure has lead to some of the greatest successes of our time. Now, I’m not going to go into all of the details here….because it would spoil the presentation for you! (but…..if you’d like to hear more about the tie-in between failure and success and how it can help empower your employees or group members and can lead to more innovation, give us a call. We’d love to bring “F.A.I.L. to Succeed” into your organization or company).<br />
<br />
What I will discuss today is the idea of applying the “F.A.I.L. to Succeed” concept to company culture. Managers in a “F.A.I.L. to Succeed” culture understand that, for innovation to happen, employees need to have the space to envision, explore, experiment, and learn from any mistakes they might make in the process. A “F.A.I.L. to Succeed” culture is one where employees are rewarded for being flexible, taking risks, and trying new things; rather than being inflexible, sticking to the old tried and true ways, and doing things as they have always been done. What’s the old saying….. “If you keep doing what you’ve always done, then you’ll get what you’ve always got.” Not exactly the mantra of innovators, is it?!?!?<br />
<br />
Now, don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean that management should simply let employees experiment randomly, never learning from their mistakes and never applying those lessons to the task at hand. This is a sure way to accomplish nothing but repeated mistakes, schedule and budget creep, and, eventually, a loss in profits.<br />
<br />
Rather, in a “F.A.I.L. to Succeed” culture, success is the ultimate goal and, when employees fail at something, they are encouraged to stop and examine that failure. Only when they acknowledge the mistake to themselves and others, can they truly examine the underlying reasons for the failure and learn the critical lessons that will make their next attempt more successful.<br />
<br />
In our presentation on failure, Dave and I make the point that failure is temporary in nature. Problems arise only when failure becomes permanent. And failure only becomes permanent if we do not learn from our mistakes and move on. And, when moving on, we don’t simply forget the failure or the lessons. Instead, we focus on how we can grow from the experience, constantly looking for ways to apply those lessons and asking ourselves how we can build on what we’ve learned.<br />
<br />
While risk can certainly be scary for an individual, it is even more so for an organization. But as the leader of an organization, you cannot let the possibility of failure paralyze you and your team. If you take no risks, you’ll have no failure…..but you’ll also have no gain.<br />
<br />
Is a “F.A.I.L. to Succeed” culture right for your business? If so, is it the type of culture that you have created in your organization? Do you encourage risk-taking and acknowledge the potential for failure. Do you assume that learning those lessons are all part of doing business? Do you teach your employees that failure can be the road to the greatest, most satisfying, success?<br />
<br />
<br />
At ECI Learning Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity and profitability by creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of training and personalized coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments allow us to create a development plan tailored for your success.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time….<br />
<br />
Laurie Valaer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ECILearning.com</span></a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-18223994495528476592011-11-09T08:30:00.004-07:002011-11-09T08:30:02.476-07:00The History of Customer Service<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
In the beginning, Management created the product and gave it
to the Customer. And the Customer liked the product; and it was good. And the
Customer loved Management.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
As the Customer used the product they began to have questions,
and Management said, “We must give the Customer some help with the product. They
need a friendly voice that they can talk to and ask questions.” And Management
created the Customer Service Rep. And the Customer liked the Customer Service
Rep because they were helpful and responsive and made the experience
worthwhile; and it was good. And the Customer loved Management.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Management added new features to the product and made it
more complex. And while the Customer liked the product, he had more questions
and made more calls to the Customer Service Rep. Management added more Customer
Service Reps and the Customer Service Reps did their best to help the Customer.
And the Customer appreciated the Customer Service Reps; and it was good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Into the land came the Efficiency Expert and he proposed to
help Management increase their profits. And the Efficiency Expert introduced
the Automated Call Distributor (ACD) to Management and told them that it would
help the Customer Service Rep assist the Customer even more by responding to
them quicker. And Management believed them and was thankful to the Efficiency
Expert; and the Customer really did not notice the difference; And Management
said it was good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
And the Efficiency Expert introduced Call Metrics to
Management. And they told Management that Call Metrics would help them service
the Customer even more. The Efficiency Expert used the Call Metrics to measure
how long it took the Customer Service Rep to help the Customer. They told
Management that the Customer was waiting too long for service and that by
reducing the wait time there would be more profits. Management believed them. And
the Customer did not notice the difference; and Management said it was good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Then the Efficiency Expert told Management that they could
best serve the Customer by helping them as quickly as possible. This would
allow every Customer Service Rep to help more customers and it would create
more profits. Management believed them. And Call Metrics were introduced to
shorten the time the Customer Service Rep spent with each Customer. And the
Customers began to feel unimportant; and profits increased; and Management said
it was good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The Efficiency Expert said that being friendly took too much
time and did not service the Customer. By not being friendly the Customer
Service Reps would be more efficient and could serve more Customers, and
profits would increase. Management believed them. And the Customers noticed and
were not happy; and profits increased; and Management said it was good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The Efficiency Expert said that the Customer Service Reps
made too much money and that moving the Customer Service Reps to a foreign
country would increase profits and allow them to hire more Customer Service
Reps to help the Customers. Management believed them. And the Customers could
not understand the Customer Service Reps who did not speak their native
language and they were upset; and profits increased; and Management said it was
good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
And the Customers began to complain. They did not want short
phone calls, they wanted help using the Product. They wanted someone to be
helpful and friendly, and they wanted to talk with someone they could
understand. And the Efficiency Expert said that this was not important and that
it would hurt profits. Management believed them and worked to reduce average
call times even more; and profits increased; and Management said it was good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
And the unemployed Customer Service Reps could not find
other jobs and began to buy less of the Product. The Efficiency Expert said
that costs must be cut even further and that average call times needed to be reduced
and Customer Service Reps were told that no call could be longer than 2 minutes
and 10 seconds. Call Menu’s were introduced to eliminate the need for the
Customer to speak to a real human being. Customer Service Reps then cut off all
calls in 2 minutes and 10 seconds regardless of whether or not the Customer was
served. The Efficiency Expert said it was good; Management believed them. And
the Customers were angry and began to buy products from other companies. Profits
began to go down; Management said it was good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The Efficiency Expert fought hard to cut costs even more by
reducing the number of Customer Service Reps, eliminating user manuals and
instructions, and implementing self-help tools for the Customers. Management
said it was good. And the Customers stopped buying the product; the Company
went bankrupt; and Management could not be found.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The End.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What
is the history of customer service in your organization? This is always a great
time of year to look around your organization and see where you stand.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Are
you currently taking the best possible care of your customers? Or, has your
organization lost sight of your key customer service goals….in the name of
efficiency and cost savings? And, what can you do to continue pleasing your
customers or to regain their trust if it, indeed, has been lost.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<br />
I hope that you enjoyed this article. At ECI Learning
Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity and profitability by
creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of training and
personalized coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments allow us to
create a development plan tailored for your success.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time….<br />
<br />
Dave Meyer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ECILearning.com</span></a><br />Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-67138108087180050172011-11-02T08:30:00.003-06:002011-11-02T08:30:00.442-06:00Is Democracy The Word Of The Day?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In our last blog, I shared an article on “healthy” debate that Dave and I wrote and posted on the <a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">ECI website</span></a> a couple of years ago. This idea of encouraging open and honest debate within your organization is obviously not new. Many leadership experts will tell you how important it is to creativity, follow-through, ongoing innovation, and, ultimately, your organization’s bottom-line.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In fact, one of my favorite leadership authors, Patrick Lencioni, describes healthy conflict as a key component of gaining buy-in, commitment, and accountability in his book, “The Five Disfunctions of a Team”. Lencioni explains that, without trust in the organization and each other, employees will avoid sharing and discussing ideas for fear of creating conflict. Instead, they create an environment of artificial harmony; where everyone appears to agree with the decisions and actions, but most walk away without feeling heard and without truly committing to the plan.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Last week I read about a local <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Colorado</st1:state></st1:place> company, <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Namasté Solar, which has been named a finalist in Inc. Magazine’s “<a href="http://www.inc.com/winning-workplaces/magazine/201106/where-the-ceo-is-just-another-guy-with-a-vote.html"><span style="color: blue;">2011 Top Small Company Workplaces</span></a>”. It seems that Namasté Solar truly takes the idea of open debate – allowing everyone to be heard and gaining buy-in at all levels – to heart.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The company was founded in 2004 by CEO Blake Jones, Wes Kennedy, and Ray Tuomey. The company was founded on the principals of democracy. As Inc. Magazine shares, “Namasté Solar would be flat, employee owned, transparent, and democratically managed."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The company encourages open debate on any issue or decision that needs to be made, including a recent business/life changing decision regarding a potential buy-out. Because of the company’s business model of “one person, one vote”, employees leave meetings feeling heard, well-informed, and empowered. Even if the vote does not go in their “favor”, employees are willing to buy-in and commit to the decisions made because they know that their concerns and ideas have been considered.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Now, you might be thinking that this kind of democratic business model sounds intriguing but entirely too cumbersome to use in business, especially a very large business. And you may be right. But Namasté Solar has found a way to scale their democratic culture with the growth of their company. Decision-making that started out as consensus from all employees when the company was small, evolved to operating by consent as the company grew. And, now, Namasté Solar has created committees, which any employee can join, to vote on simple day-to-day decisions. Larger decisions that affect all employees are made at bi-monthly company-wide meetings.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">This type of democratic business model and culture might not be appropriate for every organization. But Namasté Solar has certainly shown that it can be successful in the right environment, if implemented correctly and diligently. And, their nomination as a finalist in Inc. Magazine’s “2011 Top Small Company Workplaces” illustrates that employees get engaged when they can be involved in the decision making process. With a little healthy debate, they feel heard and informed and can feel good about buying-in to the organization’s plan.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Take a look around your organization. Where do you involve your employees in decision making? Can you do more? Do you encourage a little healthy debate to both engaged your employees and foster creativity? Have you created an environment where your employees are well-informed, engaged in the process, and committed to your plans?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span>At ECI Learning Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity and profitability by creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of training and personalized coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments allow us to create a development plan tailored for your success.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Until next time….</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Laurie Valaer</div>ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ECILearning.com</span></a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-16512315356606717482011-10-26T08:30:00.005-06:002011-10-26T08:30:02.944-06:00It’s Open To Debate<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
We had another engaging and informative discussion with
Richard Batenburg (CEO of Batmann Analytics) on “<a href="http://www.milehiradio.com/shows.cfm?id=74944A86-B4A7-5363-67743E0CA875EC6A"><span style="color: blue;">The
Leader’s Edge</span></a>” last week. One of the topics that came up was the idea that,
when you have a high level of trust in an organization, people will feel
comfortable expressing their opinion, even when that opinion and the ensuing
discussion could lead to conflict. We also talked about the fact that, while
conflict can be uncomfortable for many people, “healthy” conflict breeds
creativity and innovation and is important to an organization’s success.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
This discussion reminded me of an article that Dave and I
wrote a couple of years ago and I thought it was appropriate to share it again
here:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
You might want to sit down for this
one. It could be a little painful.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
Think back to your last staff
meeting. (We warned you this could be painful.) Either the staff meeting that
you sat in with your boss or the one you held with your own team.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
What was the highlight of that
meeting?<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>The
donuts or other foodstuffs</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>A
recap of the NFL playoffs</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>The
big news about celebrity breakups</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Rumors
about layoffs or cost cutting measures</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>The
rousing discussion surrounding a decision that needed to be made</div>
<o:p> </o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
We’ll bet it’s one of the first 4,
because if your meetings are typical of most staff meetings, number 5 never
happened. In fact, number 5 rarely happens at any level of an organization
inside or outside of staff meetings.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
For the last several years
businesses across the globe have struggled with a number of factors including
slowing economies, the high cost of labor, the realignment of the internet and
the presence on the World Wide Web. Moving down a few levels in the
organization, managers and leaders have struggled with productivity and process
issues, turnover of key employees, morale problems; the list goes on.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
With all of these issues to face,
why do so few organizations engage in loud, long, healthy debate on issues that
are critical to the success of the business? Managers and leaders sit in
meetings and report the status of their projects, trying to call as little
attention to themselves as possible. Or, they sit at the head of the table like
the high priest and make pronouncements about the direction of the business
like they have all of the answers at their fingertips.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
At some point in time, businesses
seemed to decide that harmony is the key to success. People were encouraged to
be “team players” and to “get along” with others around them in a
well-intentioned, but wrong-headed attempt to streamline the decision process.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
Instead of actively debating issues
that come up, we all try to find “common ground” and “compromise” in an attempt
to please everyone around us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
What happens when we cut off
discussion and debate to promote harmony?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
For one thing, we drive the real
decision-making process underground. How many times have you sat in a meeting
and listened as everyone seemed to agree on a plan of action, only to find out
later that no one took the actions that they agreed to. In reality, they didn’t
believe in the agreement and therefore felt no compulsion to keep their
commitments. Often, a lack of debate also represents a lack of buy-in from
those present. Rather than fight the issue publicly, those not in agreement
express their discontent through a passive aggressive process that causes the
idea to never be implemented.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
An active, lively debate on a topic
allows for multiple opinions to be aired and for ideas to be developed and
improved upon. As a leader you should encourage your team’s input and thoughts.
Concerns should be expressed; solutions bandied about; and honest debate should
be required.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
All of this is not to imply that we
are encouraging members of the team to sit around and argue without cause. But
team members should feel open to express whatever real issues, thoughts, and
concerns they have. And that active debate, the role of honest conflict in the
workplace, separates good teams from great teams.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
Take a look at your own organization. Do you encourage open and honest debate? Do your employees trust you enough to express their opinion? Do they feel comfortable enough with each other and the organization to get into a little active debate in the name of creativity, innovation, and success?<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time….<br />
<br />
Laurie Valaer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ECILearning.com</span></a><br />Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-39575402825085768422011-10-19T08:30:00.017-06:002011-10-19T08:30:02.315-06:00Collaboration Is Critical To Customer Service<span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last
week, on our radio show, “The Leader’s Edge”, we talked about customer service
and how it can make or break your company. Richard Batenburg, CEO of Batmann
Analytics, shared his vision and key tips for empowering your employees so they
can, and will, provide positive experiences for your customers. You can listen to the
archive of this discussion on </span><a href="http://www.milehiradio.com/shows.cfm?id=74944A86-B4A7-5363-67743E0CA875EC6A"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Leader's Edge page at MileHiRadio.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While
empowering your employees is critical to good customer service, there is
another key that often gets overlooked. As the following excerpt from “The
Engaged Manager” (by best-selling author David R. Meyer) describes, it is also
critical to step back and ensure that your vision, and the objectives that you
set to fulfill that vision, actually meet your customers’ needs:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good objectives start with collaboration. You will
want to ensure that your customers understand and agree with any objectives you
define. Thus, before you start setting the objectives, you need to spend some
time understanding the needs and wants of your customers and identifying how
you can best satisfy their expectations. Most of the time, this is fairly
simple. Work with your customers, to find out what they need from you and when
they need it. That’s the basis for setting the objectives. Certainly there will
be times when their needs and the capabilities of your department to deliver
may be far apart, but by collaborating with them, you can identify and
reconcile those discrepancies.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Setting objectives without consulting your customers
can lead to internal conflict and poor customer service. Likewise, setting objectives
without the input of your team will leave them feeling isolated, unheard, and
unappreciated. If your team does not understand and buy in to the objectives
you’ve set for them, they will not be completely engaged and may not bring
their full potential to the project. In the worst case scenario, the lack of upfront
discussions could put your team in a position of failing to meet the
objectives.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few years back, I received my Performance Objectives
from my Vice President. They were clear, well written, and certainly
measurable. The primary objective called for the reduction of the installation
interval for customer orders from 55 days from customer signature date to 30
days. The objective was challenging, but I was convinced that we could make the
reduction if we focused our efforts. We needed new tools to help us with this
process, so I added these tools to the objectives of my subordinates. All
worked as planned, and within 60 days we had the interval to about 31 days. I
was happy with our progress and knew that we would quickly achieve the new
goal.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was only one problem.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our customers were not happy at all.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was it an issue of quality? </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No……</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Were we missing orders?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No…….</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The problem was that my staff was pushing hard to
achieve the 30-day interval and was not providing the personal attention to our
customers that our sales department was promising. Unfortunately, the 30-day
goal was our goal, but not the goal of the sales team. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact, their goals were in contradiction to our
goals and the more we put pressure on them to reduce the intervals, the less
they were able to achieve their goals.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who was right?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It really doesn’t matter. Two departments with conflicting
goals ended up hurting our customers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
</span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Can you relate to Dave’s
personal story? Do you include your customers in the goal-setting process for
your organization? If not, are you missing a key opportunity to provide a
unique customer service experience? What can you do in the future to ensure that
your vision and your objectives are meeting, or better yet exceeding, your
customers needs and expectations?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We hope that you enjoyed this
week’s blog. At ECI Learning Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving
productivity and profitability by creating engaged organizations. Our unique
combination of training and personalized coaching, combined with our expertise
in assessments allow us to create a development plan tailored for your success.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Until next time….</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Laurie Valaer</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">ECI Learning Systems, LLC</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/">http://www.ECILearning.com</a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-68358391494241084782011-10-12T08:30:00.002-06:002011-10-12T08:30:03.549-06:00When SMART Goals are DUMBAccording to Wikipedia, the first known use of the term “SMART Goals” occurred in the November 1981 issue of Management Review by George T. Doran. There is some discussion over what each letter of the acronym actually stands for, but some commonly accepted terms are:<br />
<br />
S = Specific<br />
M = Measurable<br />
A= Achievable<br />
R = Realistic<br />
T = Time Bound<br />
<br />
By this definition, a goal qualifies as SMART if it meets these 5 criteria. For example: “We will increase our sales for X product by 200 units in the calendar year 2011” qualifies as a SMART goal because it meets the necessary criteria.<br />
<br />
While management training has been cut significantly in the last decade or so, most managers are instructed in how to set SMART goals. In fact, SMART goals are often viewed as the panacea for organizations that lack the proper Vision and Mission. “With SMART Goals”, some people say, “everyone knows exactly what is expected of them.”<br />
<br />
And, this is true. With goals that meet the criteria identified above, people do have concrete targets to shoot for. And the management axiom is, “what gets measured gets managed” meaning that the SMART goals will get managed by the organization.<br />
<br />
But, it would be a mistake to assume that creating SMART goals puts the organization on concrete footing and guarantees success. As with anything else, SMART goals are only as good as the people that create them. And in my career I’ve been given a number of SMART goals that I knew I should never try and achieve.<br />
<br />
Because sometimes SMART goals are DUMB.<br />
<br />
D = Distorted<br />
U = Unimportant<br />
M = Mediocre<br />
B = Biased<br />
<br />
Once, I was working with my sales organization trying to improve our throughput and support to them. Over the course of the year they had seen changes in the market and were revising some of their products and implementation. We were working together to make sure we were both on the same page. This was a big exercise, and I was glad to be a part of it as I’ve longed believed that Sales and Delivery organizations should be working together closely.<br />
<br />
In the middle of this exercise I received a package from my boss containing my goals for the upcoming year. These goals were nothing more than my current year’s goals with increased performance, and they were entirely out of sync with what my sales team needed. They DISTORTED the need for speed in delivery; focused on tasks that were UNIMPORTANT to my customers; would have led to MEDIOCRE results; and were based on the BIAS of my boss and what he believed we needed.<br />
<br />
I was told to sign and submit them to HR within 24 hours to qualify for the bonus program for the next year.<br />
<br />
When creating your goals, think beyond the concept of SMART and make sure that your goals will result in something meaningful to your department and your company. Find out what is really important and create goals that will serve the organization and your customers.<br />
<br />
Just because goals are SMART doesn’t mean that they aren’t DUMB as well.<br />
<br />
<br />
At ECI Learning Systems LLC, we are dedicated to helping companies get the greatest return from their most valuable asset: their employees. We work with you to align 3 key organizational factors:<br />
• Your Company Culture <br />
• The Leadership Styles of your key managers <br />
• The Expectations of your Employees<br />
<br />
When these 3 factors are aligned, you create an energy in your company that improves productivity, reduces absenteeism, increases creativity, and positively impacts your bottom line. Contact ECI Learning Systems LLC today to get your free Workplace Evaluation.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time.....<br />
<br />
Dave Meyer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/">http://www.ecilearning.com</a>Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-35647253077230067462011-10-05T08:30:00.001-06:002011-10-05T08:30:00.737-06:00Leaders Create Momentum<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Every fall, with the return
of football season, we hear countless announcers inform us about the importance
of momentum in sports. One team has all the momentum; with everything seemingly
going its way as they cruise up and down the field adding points to the
scoreboard. But suddenly, momentum shifts and their offense stalls while the
opposing team finds new life and begins to move the ball.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">“Old Mo is fickle” we are
told as the pundits excitedly report on the sudden change in the complexion of
the game. “You can feel the shift all the way up here in the press box” the
announcers proclaim breathlessly.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">But what really is momentum
and how does it apply to your business?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Momentum is really nothing
more than the feeling or excitement that comes from success. When people have
success, it improves their confidence. And improved confidence leads to more
success. On the football field, momentum shifts because the defense calls a
blitz and catches the offense unprepared. The result might be a loss of yardage
at a key point, or maybe a turnover. And that success translates into
confidence for the players on the field. Suddenly, they know what they can do
and they start believing in themselves and their coaches.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">It is the same way in
business. Momentum comes from having success in developing that new product,
finding the financing that you so desperately need, or closing that first big
sale. A company with momentum starts to grow because the team has confidence in
themselves and their leadership. Success tends to breed more success so that
one victory leads to another. And once momentum begins to pick up, and the
confidence level increases, victories become more common and everyone on the
team learns to expect success.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">But just like in football,
momentum in business can be fleeting. A setback in the product or the loss of a
key customer can shatter the confidence of an organization, reverse the
momentum, and begin a downward spiral. This downward spiral is often only
reversed by another victory that restores that confidence.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">But victories don’t happen
by accident. Victories are the result of good planning and good execution. The
team practices that blitz every week, but in a game, the coach makes the call
at the right moment and the momentum of the game shifts. In business, the sales
team is trained and the product features and benefits are built based on the
needs of the customer. As in football, the tools are there ready to be used,
ready to create momentum and confidence. What is needed is for the leader to
create the opportunity for success, to call the right play to allow the team to
win.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">They say that a leader has a
strategic vision, and that the leader sees what others do not. It is this
vision that the company relies on to bring about the right play at the right
time to allow the team to succeed.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">As a leader are you setting
your team up for success? Are you calling the plays that allow your team to
win? Are you creating moment and creating confidence in your organization? Success
builds confidence and confidence builds more success. Build the confidence of
your team and let that momentum carry your business on to victory.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">I hope that you enjoyed this
article. At ECI Learning Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity
and profitability by creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of
training and personalized coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments
allow us to create a development plan tailored for your success.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Until next time,</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Dave Meyer</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">ECI Learning Systems, LLC</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ECILearning.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-33082427788637428442011-09-28T08:30:00.003-06:002011-09-28T08:30:00.123-06:00Knowledge Is Power - Part 2Last week I wrote about the concept that “Knowledge is
power” and how most people believe that knowledge is power only when it is
hoarded. The reality is that knowledge only has power when it is shared with
all of those that need it. Shared knowledge creates power simply because
leaders get results through people and without the knowledge they can’t create
the results.<br />
<br />
But sharing knowledge has another component that is often
overlooked in the business world. You see, sharing knowledge not only allows
your team to perform more capably but it also demonstrates clearly how willing
your are to be open with them, sharing your knowledge, sharing the strategies,
and sharing the goals of the organization. By doing this, you are building
trust with those that work for you. And trust is one of the key components
required for employee engagement.<br />
<br />
It is no secret that engaged employees work harder and
smarter than non-engaged employees. The mere fact that they care about their
organization and their manager provides the motivation to create something
bigger and better than those employees who don’t care about their organization
or, worse, want to see it fail. By sharing knowledge and building trust within
your organization you not only get the benefit of better, more informed
decisions, but you also create a team of people that care about what they are
doing and the results that they get.<br />
<br />
How much information do you have to share?<br />
<br />
You want to share as much information as you can without jeopardizing
your fiduciary responsibilities to the company. As the leader in an
organization there is certain information that is provided to you in
confidence. Information that is not available to the public at large or to most
of the employee base. When you are entrusted with confidential information you
have a responsibility both morally and legally to keep that information
private. Breaking that confidence could actually compromise trust in the
organization, rather than building it. When in doubt, you must use your own
judgment on what can and cannot be shared.<br />
<br />
By sharing as much information as you can with your
employees you empower them in their jobs and open the doors for improved
performance and creativity within the organization. The message here is to
share as much information as you can with your team. Sharing your knowledge
will not only allow them to make more informed decisions but will also create a
loyal and engaged team that will serve you, the organization and your customers
to the fullest.<br />
<br />
<br />
I hope that you enjoyed this article. At ECI Learning
Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity and profitability by
creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of training and
personalized coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments allow us to
create a development plan tailored for your success.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time….<br />
<br />
Dave Meyer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ECILearning.com</span></a></span>Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-82444389078523462072011-09-21T08:30:00.000-06:002011-09-21T08:30:03.846-06:00Knowledge Is PowerMany managers and leaders often fall under the impression
that one of the most effective ways to enhance their worth and their career is
by hoarding knowledge. “Knowledge is power” they believe and, therefore, the
best way to accumulate power is by becoming indispensable, by knowing things
that others don’t know and by sharing that information very judiciously.<br />
<br />
Sadly, at the lower levels of the organization where the
manager is also the technical expert this strategy seems to work. Since the
manager knows things that others in the department do not, they control the
solutions to sticky problems and are rewarded for solving issues that their
team did not.<br />
<br />
Of course, this is not a long term solution for success. The
higher one moves in the organization the less you are a technical expert. Hoarding
knowledge is no longer a source of power, but now saps your power and limits
your ability to find solutions and demonstrate your value to the organization.<br />
<br />
None the less it is true. Knowledge is power. But, as you
move up the organization, the power comes not from hoarding that knowledge but
from sharing it as broadly as possible. In fact, the more you share information
the more powerful you become in an organization.<br />
<br />
Experienced managers understand that their success is not
tied to how well they perform individually but to how well their team performs.
No longer are they praised for their personal and technical knowledge. Instead,
team results take the spotlight and they find themselves being measured for the
performance of their organization. And, the best way to ensure that their
organization performs up to expectations is to ensure that they have all of the
knowledge and information that they need to be successful.<br />
<br />
This can be an enormous paradigm shift for someone who has
always viewed themselves as the technical expert and has been consistently
rewarded for their ability to solve problems. It requires an entirely different
mindset to acknowledge that others who are closer to the details may be better
able to determine complex solutions. But, acknowledging that you are no longer
the technical experts is one of the keys to moving yourself up the value chain
in the organization. Instead of your value coming from your detailed knowledge,
your value and your power now emanate from the performance of your team.<br />
<br />
Managers who grasp this concept not only begin to share
their knowledge more readily and reward those around them who share knowledge,
but are also the managers who move up the ladder to higher levels of
responsibility. Understanding that the power of knowledge is expanded, rather
than weakened, through sharing is what separates those managers who top out
their career quickly from those who continue to grow and move up in the
organization.<br />
<br />
Sharing knowledge has another benefit that is not commonly
recognized. The sharing of knowledge in your organization actually creates a
new level of employee engagement. But, I will write more about that next week.<br />
<br />
<br />
I hope that you enjoyed this article. At ECI Learning
Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity and profitability by
creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of training and
personalized coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments allow us to
create a development plan tailored for your success.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next week,<br />
<br />
Dave Meyer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ECILearning.com</span></a>Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-42976878325484724652011-09-14T08:30:00.002-06:002011-09-14T08:30:02.131-06:00The 5 Most Common Executive Blind SpotsEvery human being has blind spots, things that others see about them that they don’t see about themselves. Sometimes the blind spots are minor and, once identified, can be easily corrected. Others are more serious and may not even be recognized by the executive when they are pointed out to them. In these extreme cases, the executive may not realize the harm that their behaviors may cause, and they may even look at these behaviors as strengths.<br />
<br />
Is your performance suffering from one of these blind spots?<br />
<br />
1. Failing to clearly, concisely, and regularly preach the Vision and Mission of the company to ALL of the employees.<br />
<br />
Too many top executives create a Vision and Mission, send out a company wide email proclaiming it, and then assume that all of the employees know, understand, and have bought into them. Any employee will tell you that actions speak louder than words, but actions combined with words are needed to reinforce your Vision and Mission. Communicate with the entire organization readily and don’t forget to show your employees how your latest actions are consistent with the Vision and Mission.<br />
<br />
2. Undervaluing the concept of diversity in your inner circle.<br />
<br />
We’re not talking here about ethnic or religious diversity (although those concepts may well play a role in the issue), but rather diversity of thought that allows new ideas to surface and be heard. Too often, executives want people who think the way they do. And, while it’s important that your inner circle share your core values, a lack of diverse ideas leads to a lack of creativity in your organization.<br />
<br />
3. Viewing conflict as bad – believing that harmony results in greater productivity.<br />
<br />
Conflict has a bad reputation in the workplace, but conflict plays an important role in creating explosive growth. While personal agendas and personal conflict may drag down your efforts, honest conflict involves people who are willing and able to present differing perspectives and debate those ideas knowing that there is a willingness to hear different views. A lack of conflict also represents a lack of trust in an organization, where no one is willing to express unpopular views.<br />
<br />
4. Treating everyone the same in the name of equality.<br />
<br />
If we accept the premise that all people are different, then we must also accept that all people want and need to be treated differently. Too often, we confuse the concept of equality with fairness. You need to recognize that people have different motivations, desires, and fears. Treat everyone fairly and with respect, but don’t make the mistake of trying to treat everyone equally.<br />
<br />
5. Not creating the next generation of leaders in your organization.<br />
<br />
An organization is only as strong as its people, and your leadership team is responsible for ensuring that you have strong people at every level. None the less, it’s your responsibility to create an environment that identifies the next generation of leaders and encourages their growth so that your leadership team remains strong. And remember, growing your people is as important in bad times as it is in good.<br />
<br />
<br />
Did you recognize yourself in any of these 5 blind spots? More importantly, would your inner circle say that you possess any of these blind spots? If you don’t know what your own blind spots are, it might be time to bring in an expert to help you identify and manage them.<br />
<br />
<br />
At ECI Learning Systems LLC, we are dedicated to helping companies get the greatest return from their most valuable asset: their employees. We work with you to align 3 key organizational factors:<br />
• Your Company Culture<br />
• The Leadership Styles of your key managers<br />
• The Expectations of your Employees<br />
<br />
When these 3 factors are aligned, you create an energy in your company that improves productivity, reduces absenteeism, increases creativity, and positively impacts your bottom line. Contact ECI Learning Systems LLC today to get your free Workplace Evaluation.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time.....<br />
<br />
Dave Meyer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/">http://www.ecilearning.com</a>Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-69746272838409437032011-09-07T08:30:00.008-06:002011-09-07T08:30:00.671-06:00Is Vision Enough?<span style="color: #444444;">It often seems that discussions about leaders and leadership
begin with a statement about vision.</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">All great leaders have a vision!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">She is such a visionary leader!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">I really buy in to his vision for our future!</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444;">It’s even fair to ask, “What good is a leader without a
vision?” Having a vision for a better future is critical for any leader as it
provides something to focus on for the future, a goal to attain, and even hope
for all who believe.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444;">Many companies today are struggling with reduced sales,
shrinking profit margins, and reduced or non-existent profits. And, most
employees realize the direct correlation between sales and profitability and
their ability to receive raises in their salary, or even to keep their jobs. When
this happens, new leadership is often brought in, bringing with them a fresh
vision and new direction for the organization. Perhaps it involves developing
new products, engaging in new markets, or improving the customer experience. Whatever
it is, this new vision is expected to provide guidance to the organization and
put it back on the path to profitability.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444;">While I would certainly agree that vision is an important
tool for any leader, you have to wonder if having a vision for the future is
enough to solve the problems that we face.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444;">The answer is “no”. Vision is just not enough.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444;">A vision without some type of a plan is nothing more than a
pipe dream. It’s like a starving man looking at a photograph of a fantastic
meal. I mean, it looks good. You can use the picture to clearly depict what you
want, but if you lack the funds to purchase the food or worse, purchase the
food but do not know how to prepare it, then that picture doesn’t do anyone
much good. After all, for a starving man what would be more nourishing – a picture
of a Thanksgiving-style feast, or a bowl of rice?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444;">Vision is indeed one of the key responsibilities of the
leader. They must have the vision, they must communicate the vision, and, most
importantly, they must position the followers so that the vision can be
achieved. True leaders don’t rely on a vision without a plan. Instead, they
create the vision, create the plan, put the right people into place, and
provide the right tools to make it all come together.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444;">Only then can they say that they have really led.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #444444;">I hope that you enjoyed this
article. At ECI Learning Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity
and profitability by creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of
training and personalized coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments
allow us to create a development plan tailored for your success.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #444444;">Until next time.....</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #444444;">Dave Meyer</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #444444;">ECI Learning Systems, LLC</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/">http://www.ECILearning.com</a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-60347455357397544282011-08-31T16:30:00.002-06:002011-08-31T16:30:00.638-06:00True or False: Most Employees want to do a good job every day.<br />
Do you agree or disagree with this statement?<br />
<br />
We'd love to hear your thoughts.....<br />
<br />
Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-46064091869717704552011-08-31T08:30:00.002-06:002011-08-31T08:30:00.465-06:00What if Employees Reviewed Their Managers?<span style="color: black;">Over the years I have written a lot of performance reviews,
received a number of reviews, and read a lot of reviews written about my
clients. Performance reviews can provide valuable feedback to an employee, identifying
areas for development, supporting the employee’s strengths, and positioning the
employee for future growth. Of course, some performance reviews are better than
others. For every well written, informative employee review there is one with a
poorly written, unclear message that is full of grammatical errors, misspelled
words, and improper syntax all targeting the employee’s poor communication
skills.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">Or, the review might point out the lack of customer focus in
the employee’s daily work, which might be meaningful if the author of the
review was not well known for routinely mocking customer requests.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">I could go on but I think the message is clear. In some
cases the manager writing the review may not be the best person to comment on
the employee’s skills. It might be because they are unqualified to comment, or
it might be that the skills required are not actually being modeled by the
manager. In either case, the result might be a review that is somewhat less
than helpful to the employee.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">But this scenario made me wonder what would happen if we
allowed employees to routinely provide performance reviews to their manager. Obviously
the employees would not be qualified to rate their managers in all categories,
but they could certainly provide valuable insights into key indicators like
“matching employee talents and skills to job requirements”, “creates a
motivating environment”, and “managing the workload”.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">By providing feedback to their managers on these key
categories, employees could help their managers uncover the blind spots that
are holding them back in their career. It would also provide a mechanism for
feedback to management that is clearly lacking in today’s business world.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">Imagine how those managers who today routinely abuse
employees might behave differently if they knew that these same employees would
be providing input that would be reviewed by their boss. Managers who routinely
make rash, arbitrary decisions might be inclined to rethink their behavior
knowing that these decisions would be readily reviewed.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">A few companies today use 360° reviews to get input from
their managers. This does provide a mechanism for employees to provide valuable
feedback to the company. But most companies who perform these reviews do them
only once every couple of years and they lack a clear mechanism for follow
through.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">So let’s ask the question: For all levels of the
organization should the employees be allowed to provide input into their
manager’s reviews? What do you see as the pros and cons of allowing such input?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">I’ll be interested in reading your thoughts.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">I hope that you enjoyed this article. At ECI Learning
Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity and profitability by
creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of training and personalized
coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments allow us to create a
development plan tailored for your success.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Until
next time.....</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Dave
Meyer</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">ECI
Learning Systems, LLC</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ecilearning.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-72911031288688951172011-08-24T08:30:00.002-06:002011-08-24T08:30:00.691-06:00The Fallacy of Performance Appraisals: Birds Gotta Swim and Fish Gotta Sing!During a recent radio interview I was asked about the tendency in the business world to focus on employees’ weaknesses rather than their strengths. This, of course, led to a discussion about Performance Appraisals and what their real purpose is. Most major companies today provide their employees with an annual review of their performance through a formal “Performance Review” process. This process generally involves a manager completing a highly detailed and often subjective document about each employee’s performance and display of “skills” that supposedly relate to their jobs. These forms are quite generic and the managers often receive little, if any, training as to how these reviews will actually enhance employees’ skills. The “Performance Review” is then based off of this form and, often, consists of a short discussion on what an employee has done well followed by a lengthy and well documented review of “opportunity areas” or “areas of potential development” for the employees.<br />
<br />
The Performance Appraisal process is certainly a well intentioned one that often seems to fall short of its intended mark. Instead of helping employees grow and prosper in an organization, they often sidetrack employees from making great progress by focusing on perceived weaknesses and ignoring the employee’s strengths. This leads to an intense focus on an area where little progress can be made and ignores the employee’s greatest area of potential growth.<br />
<br />
In this discussion I began to think of that old adage “Birds gotta sing and fish gotta swim”. I started to wonder what would happen if the animal kingdom performed Performance Appraisals the way the business world did. Picture the lion, the king of the jungle calling in the Nightingale for its annual performance appraisal.<br />
<br />
“Overall you’ve had a pretty good year, Ms. Nightingale. Your songs are well known and appreciated by a vast audience. But, if you want to get ahead in the animal kingdom we’re going to need to spend some time on some of your other skills. For example, your hunting consists of a few small bugs and some worms. You need to think bigger. Over the next year, focus on taking down a monkey or two. That should help build your strength as a hunter and position you for future growth. Oh, and I’ve assigned the Sea Bass to help you with your aquatic skills. Learning to swim should really round you out.”<br />
<br />
Does that sound a little silly to you? It might. But in reality, it is no sillier than taking a good accountant with no desire for leadership and assigning them the lead on some inter-departmental task force with the idea of developing their untapped skills. It’s one thing if the accountant has a desire to move up the chain and wants to stretch in new directions. It’s quite another thing if they don’t.<br />
<br />
I once worked for an executive who was absolutely brilliant. He was a visionary with a creative mind and that rare ability to take widely disparate topics and find how they might mesh together.<br />
<br />
But he couldn’t spell.<br />
<br />
He couldn’t spell to save his life.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, he was older and missed most of our well-intended but highly ineffective process of focusing on people’s weaknesses. Otherwise, I fear that his brilliance might have been overlooked and his weakness in spelling might have sidetracked his entire career.<br />
<br />
Birds don’t have to swim to be the best bird possible. Nor do fish have to learn to sing. Before you sit down for your next set of Performance Appraisals identify whatever it is that your employees do well and figure out how to build those skills and make them more beneficial to the team.<br />
<br />
<br />
At ECI Learning Systems LLC, we are dedicated to helping companies get the greatest return from their most valuable asset: their employees. We work with you to align 3 key organizational factors:<br />
• Your Company Culture <br />
• The Leadership Styles of your key managers <br />
• The Expectations of your Employees<br />
<br />
When these 3 factors are aligned, you create an energy in your company that improves productivity, reduces absenteeism, increases creativity, and positively impacts your bottom line. Contact ECI Learning Systems LLC today to get your free Workplace Evaluation.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time.....<br />
<br />
Dave Meyer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/">http://www.ecilearning.com</a>Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-33780950972460632242011-08-17T08:30:00.005-06:002011-08-17T08:30:01.715-06:00The Top 5 Myths of LeadershipThere are whole libraries full of books on leadership, as
well as countless magazine articles and an increasing number of blog articles. Many
of these mediums contain exactly the same message or messages, but in some
rather unique ways. Some try and identify THE most important aspect of
leadership, while others talk about the various components of leadership and
how all are critically important. With all that has been written about
leadership you would assume that most leaders, especially new leaders, would
quickly come to grasp the fundamentals required to lead their teams. None the
less, myths about leadership not only exist, but appear to be growing. Perhaps
this is because companies have laid off experienced managers and replaced them
with younger, less experienced managers in a misguided attempt to save money. Or
perhaps it is a lack of good role models in leadership that fosters the myths. But
in any event, myths and misconceptions about leadership abound.<br />
<br />
Below are 5 myths about leadership that I experience most
often as a coach. These top 5 do not come from a scientific survey with
thousands of responses, but from my personal experience. See if these myths
match up with the things that you experience most often.<br />
<br />
1. Management is the same as leadership<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
Too many people (myself included)
have a tendency to interchange the terms management and leadership. The result
is that we are unable to distinguish between one’s ability to manage a process and
their ability to lead people. Managing a process requires the intelligence and
logic to understand the process, identify the shortcomings, and hopefully
resolve them. The results are easily identifiable and measurable. Leading
people, on the other hand, requires an ability to identify and communicate
fuzzy concepts like vision and values, a willingness to live in the gray area
of human values, and an understanding of the illogical nature of human beings.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
These concepts could not be more
different, yet the confusion remains.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
2. Leadership cannot be learned<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
We often hear about someone’s
natural leadership abilities and how someone has been a leader their entire
life. Likewise, we associate certain personality traits with leadership and
believe that the lack of these traits means a lack of leadership abilities. The
reality is that some people ARE natural leaders. The skills required to
influence people come quite naturally to them. But the key here is that
leadership is not a talent, it’s a skill. And, like any skill, it can be learned.
It may not be easy for some people to learn and implement the skills of
leadership, but it is not impossible. With the right guidance and assistance, any
person can become a leader.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
3. Leadership means controlling and manipulating others</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
Leadership is about influencing
others and having them want to do the things you need them to do. Leaders have
the ability to appeal to their followers and create a desire to achieve the
common goals. It is about creating an environment of motivation and passion for
the followers. Leaders create a feeling of openness and belonging. On the other
hand, some people believe that leading is about making someone do what they
don’t want to do. They use threats and intimidation to get things done. They
believe that using their “power” is leading. But forcing someone to do
something against their will is not leadership or motivation, it’s coercion. And
coercion is not leadership.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
4. The leader is always the smartest person in the room</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
There is no question that leaders
tend to be intelligent people. And certainly there are times when the leader IS
the smartest person in the room. But, a real leader understands their own
limitations and focuses on the goals and vision of the organization. They
realize that they don’t have all of the answers. And, in doing so, they
routinely surround themselves with the smartest people they can find, listen to
them, and meld those ideas in with their own. The only way that the leaders are
the smartest people in the room is in the realization that they are NOT the
smartest people in the room.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
5. Titles create leaders</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
This may be the most common myth of
leadership. And, this myth is common at all levels of the organization. But
whether the title is “Team Leader” or “Sr. Vice President”, leadership cannot
be bestowed through a title. The reason is quite simple. For someone to be a
leader, they must have followers. And, while a Sr. Vice President might have
staff below them, there is no guarantee that the staff is actually following
the leader. If you want to identify the leader in any organization, simply
check and see who the team turns to and who they listen to. That is your
leader, regardless of their title.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
There you have my “Top 5 Myths of Leadership”. I would
certainly be interested in hearing your thoughts about the myths that you most
commonly see.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I hope that you enjoyed this
article. At ECI Learning Systems LLC we are dedicated to improving productivity
and profitability by creating engaged organizations. Our unique combination of
training and personalized coaching, combined with our expertise in assessments
allows us to create a development plan tailored for your success.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">Until
next time.....</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;">Dave
Meyer</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">ECI
Learning Systems, LLC</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ecilearning.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-10855288587219008142011-08-10T08:30:00.022-06:002011-08-10T08:30:01.442-06:00Where Does Engagement Come From?Employee engagement can be a funny thing. Like motivation, you can’t cause someone else to get engaged in their job, but you can create an atmosphere that encourages and fosters engagement. Without buy-in from above, engagement rarely happens. But true employee engagement in a “make it or break it” form comes from the employee themselves and from their immediate managers.<br />
<br />
Numerous studies on employee engagement reveal what the employees want and expect from both their managers and from the job itself. And, while employees have grown more and more cynical about their jobs over the last 20 years, they really don’t want to be that way. Like a person who has had their heart broken in love too many times, they’ve become cautious and tainted, reserving judgment about their feelings until they are sure they won’t be hurt again. Convince them that your desire for engagement is real and lasting and they will buy in. But first, you have to know what they want and be willing to demonstrate that you believe in it also.<br />
<br />
What do employees want from their managers?<br />
<ol>
<li>A relationship that goes beyond meeting the goals and objectives. Show the employees that you care about them.</li>
<li>Knowledge about the organization and where it’s headed. Let the employees know how their work supports the big picture.</li>
<li>Human skills. Most studies show that human and relationship skills are more important than technical skills.</li>
<li>Assistance in developing their career plans and help in meeting those objectives.</li>
</ol>
<br />
Managers who take this approach with their employees are creating an environment that is conducive to employee engagement. When employees recognize this they become more open to the idea of getting engaged in their work. But there are additional factors that employees want from their job as well.<br />
<br />
What do employees want from their jobs?<br />
<ol>
<li>The ability to utilize their own talents and skills on the job. And don’t forget, just because someone does something well does not mean they enjoy it.</li>
<li>The opportunity to be involved and give input. Nothing is as frustrating to your employees as having their ideas not heard, or heard but not truly appreciated.</li>
<li>The opportunity to learn and grow, both personally and professionally.</li>
<li>Clear expectations about what they are supposed to do and when they are supposed to do it. This goes beyond the concept of departmental goals and objectives and relates to both day to day clarity and knowing how the work fits the long term goals of the organization.</li>
</ol>
<br />
As you can see, these lists are neither long nor complicated. Creating an engaging environment is not difficult but really requires some rather basic people skills that should be part of any new manager’s repertoire. Unfortunately, since most new managers receive little or no training, these basic skills are often lacking.<br />
<br />
Ask yourself if your employees are engaged or have they all checked out? If they’ve checked out, find out why. Which of these basic elements is missing from your organization? Creating an engaged organization does not require massive amounts of time and/or money. All you really have to do is show your employees that you care.<br />
<br />
<br />
At ECI Learning Systems LLC, we are dedicated to helping companies get the greatest return from their most valuable asset: their employees. We work with you to align 3 key organizational factors:<br />
• Your Company Culture<br />
• The Leadership Styles of your key managers<br />
• The Expectations of your Employees<br />
<br />
When these 3 factors are aligned, you create an energy in your company that improves productivity, reduces absenteeism, increases creativity, and positively impacts your bottom line. Contact ECI Learning Systems LLC today to get your free Workplace Evaluation.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time.....<br />
<br />
Dave Meyer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/">http://www.ecilearning.com</a>Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-84089627576329921802011-08-03T08:30:00.001-06:002011-08-03T08:30:01.407-06:00What is two-way communication?<em>“Outstanding Leaders Appeal to the Hearts of their Followers, not their Minds.” ~ Source Unknown</em><br />
<br />
Ask any organization about their internal communications and they will point to their intranet website, used to communicate key initiatives to their employees. They’ll talk about the quarterly CEO updates, where the top executives go “live” and stream their inspirational leadership across the company. And they’ll point to their ongoing newsletter from HR executives that brings all of the employees up to date on the latest and greatest “Human Resource” initiatives.<br />
<br />
What is missing from these communication methods is obvious. These are one-way communication vehicles, not two-way. And, even if that quarterly CEO update includes a phone line for employees to call in on or a message function to pose questions electronically, you are still only engaging a small percentage of your employees. True two-way communication is not possible through push mediums alone.<br />
<br />
More importantly, the key component of any real two-way communication is the clear indication that both parties are listening to each other. In all of the methods discussed above, the message is “communicated” out, but there is nothing to indicate that any message is welcomed back or that the “communicator” has any intention of truly listening.<br />
<br />
The problem is obvious from both sides of the equation. From the executive side, how can you possibly listen to 500 - 50,000 employees with a variety of diverse ideas and thoughts? After all, even the best intentioned employees are likely to have some ideas that are so totally impractical it can be difficult not to laugh out loud. From the employee side, regardless of how you might be encouraged to communicate, do you really believe the CEO is going to listen to you?<br />
<br />
The answer to this challenge is not nearly as difficult as it might at first seem because the employees don’t need to talk with the CEO one on one to be heard. Nor do the top executives need to react to every message sent their way. In fact, many companies have “solved” this problem through some type of formal survey process. They commission an Organizational Survey to get input from across the company. When the survey is complete, they review the results to understand the organizational concerns. They may even take action on some of those major concerns … maybe… But if they do, those actions are sometimes not obvious to the employees. As far as the employees are concerned they’ve been asked for their input, and they’ve been ignored.<br />
<br />
Is it any wonder that most employees don’t take Organizational Surveys seriously?<br />
<br />
Organizational Surveys can serve as a vehicle for two-way communication, but only if the employees KNOW that their responses are being taken seriously. In simple terms that means:<br />
<ol>
<li>Publish the results of the survey. And not just the good parts; but the bad parts and the not-so-bad parts as well. In other words, management must be willing to “open their kimono” and share everything with the employees.</li>
<li>Actions resulting from the survey must be visible across the organization and tied directly back to the survey itself. In other words, don’t just announce a “reorganization”. Instead, be honest and announce that it is being done in response to the survey.</li>
<li>It can’t be a “one and done” arrangement. Provide regular progress reports on what is being done based on the survey and don’t let it slip away into history.</li>
<li>Measure again. At regular intervals, possibly every 2 years, repeat the survey to look for improvement or areas of decline. And, again, be honest as to why the survey is being done and be willing to share the results again as well.</li>
</ol>
This is just a start on what you need to do, but I think you get the idea. Actions that are visible and can be traced directly back to employee feedback is one of the key ways that employees feel heard. And feeling heard is a key requirement for employee engagement.<br />
<br />
So, is that it? If I do the things mentioned in the last several blogs will I have an engaged organization?<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, there’s still more to it. By doing the things listed you have opened the door for engagement, but as of yet, no one has walked through that door. A big part of employee engagement comes from lower levels of the organization and even from the employees themselves.<br />
<br />
We’ll discuss some of those ideas next week.<br />
<br />
<br />
At ECI Learning Systems LLC, we are dedicated to helping companies get the greatest return from their most valuable asset: their employees. We work with you to align 3 key organizational factors:<br />
• Your Company Culture<br />
• The Leadership Styles of your key managers<br />
• The Expectations of your Employees<br />
<br />
When these 3 factors are aligned, you create an energy in your company that improves productivity, reduces absenteeism, increases creativity, and positively impacts your bottom line. Contact ECI Learning Systems LLC today to get your free Workplace Evaluation.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time.....<br />
<br />
Dave Meyer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/">http://www.ecilearning.com</a><br />Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-89182248652333935422011-07-27T08:30:00.016-06:002011-07-27T08:30:00.202-06:00To Get Engagement…Be EngagedWhen an organization makes a conscious effort to become an “engaged organization” the question always comes down to “how” this can be done. In small organizations it is relatively easy to sit down with your employees and talk about what you want to do and why you want to do it. Then, by demonstrating the behavior you want and expect from your team, you begin to change the culture.<br />
<br />
In larger organizations the concept is similar but the time frame is longer because you have so many more people to reach, plus you need to “sell” this concept at the various levels of the organization. And let’s be honest, there will be instances of managers in the organization who will not buy into the concept regardless of what is said or implemented. That means planned turnover; hiring and training of new personnel. None of this makes the job easy, but it is also not impossible.<br />
<br />
For larger organizations, a strategy needs to be developed and implemented at various levels of the organization. This strategy is based around a very simple concept:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em>If we want our customers and employees to be engaged with us, we first need to engage them.</em></div>
<br />
There are a variety of ways to engage your employees in your business. And, once you engage the employees, the customers will follow right along.<br />
<br />
Most of the methods of engaging employees are not really new, although the mechanism itself may be new. Ideas like:<br />
<ul>
<li>Suggestion Box</li>
<li>Open Door Meetings</li>
<li>Skip Level Meetings</li>
<li>Kickoff Sessions</li>
<li>Company blogs or newsletters</li>
<li>Staff Meetings</li>
<li>Etc.</li>
</ul>
Like I said, most of these are not new and can be implemented the old fashion way, or through new social media/internet connections. What turns these from run of the mill employee communication mechanisms into employee engagement tools is simply a matter of how they are used and viewed by the employees. When these tools are viewed as an active and constructive method of interacting with the leadership then they have a purpose and further the process of engaging the employees. But when they are viewed as one-way mechanisms that don't encourage participation and discussion, they will not engage your employees.<br />
<br />
How do you change the way these old fashioned communication tools are viewed?<br />
<br />
By remembering that communication is actually a two-way connection. In other words, use these tools to actively interact with your employees, encourage them to respond, and act on their comments. This is the part of communication that so many executives miss and it really is the key to engaging your employees. Engage them in a two-way dialog as opposed to just top down communications.<br />
<br />
I’ll cover this in more detail next week.<br />
<br />
<br />
At ECI Learning Systems LLC, we are dedicated to helping companies get the greatest return from their most valuable asset: their employees. We work with you to align 3 key organizational factors:<br />
• Your Company Culture<br />
• The Leadership Styles of your key managers<br />
• The Expectations of your Employees<br />
<br />
When these 3 factors are aligned, you create an energy in your company that improves productivity, reduces absenteeism, increases creativity, and positively impacts your bottom line. Contact ECI Learning Systems LLC today to get your free Workplace Evaluation.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time.....<br />
<br />
Dave Meyer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/">http://www.ecilearning.com</a>Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162434153279369367.post-39528690897153756722011-07-20T08:30:00.004-06:002011-07-20T08:30:03.542-06:00Open the doors for Employee EngagementThe concept behind employee engagement is a simple one. If you engage your employees in your business, the employees will be happy and engage the customers. And, when the customers are happy and engaged, your profitability increases. Customers who are truly engaged with your business understand that they are special and will be treated well. They know that, when things go wrong, your company and your employees will do everything in their power to make it right. They believe deeply that you will do what is best and not try to take advantage of them in any way.<br />
<br />
In short, your engaged customers trust you. And nothing is more valuable in business than your customers.<br />
<br />
To paraphrase Herb Kelleher, "Happy employees make for happy customers. Happy customers make for happy shareholders."<br />
<br />
I was speaking with a friend recently who was a top salesperson for a Denver area furniture chain and he related to me a problem with one of their customers. The customer was unhappy about a mark on the furniture she had purchased and was causing quite a commotion. My friend was called in to help resolve the issue.<br />
<br />
He listened to her complaint, agreed that she had a reason to be concerned, and worked out a solution that satisfied her. All was good again, until the owner of the chain happened to walk by. The customer recognized the owner and decided to tell him about her experience. She started to relate her experience to the owner and within 30 seconds he responded, “So what? You’re not happy? Give her the money back and get her out of my store.”<br />
<br />
That owner not only lost a customer that day, but he also lost one of his top salespeople as my friend quit as well. Only my friend didn’t leave his job that very day, he actually worked there for nearly 3 more years. He just quit trying. That was the lesson he took away from the owner.<br />
<br />
There are a lot of ways for you to engage your employees in your business so that they will buy into the vision and go above and beyond for both the company and the customers. And the first way to engage your employees is to model the behavior that you expect from them. When the entire executive team, not just the CEO, walks the talk about the value of the customer and demonstrates this regularly through their words and actions, the employees will do the same.<br />
<br />
Of course as I noted above, the opposite is clearly true as well. When the executive team models poor behavior and attitudes, the employees see and imitate that behavior as well. And this is true whether or not you know all of your employees individually or if you have 50,000 employees. Employees take their lead from the clues left by the executive team. And, if you don’t think your employees notice those clues, watch your behaviors in addition to hearing your words, and see and talk about the disparities between your words and actions, then you are very much mistaken.<br />
<br />
Model engagement and inclusion with your employees and customers and you will find that your employees engage and include your customers, and your customers engage and support your business.<br />
<br />
We’ll talk more about other methods of encouraging engagement in our next blog.<br />
<br />
<br />
At ECI Learning Systems LLC, we are dedicated to helping companies get the greatest return from their most valuable asset: their employees. We work with you to align 3 key organizational factors:<br />
• Your Company Culture<br />
• The Leadership Styles of your key managers<br />
• The Expectations of your Employees<br />
<br />
When these 3 factors are aligned, you create an energy in your company that improves productivity, reduces absenteeism, increases creativity, and positively impacts your bottom line. Contact ECI Learning Systems LLC today to get your free Workplace Evaluation.<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time.....<br />
<br />
Dave Meyer<br />
ECI Learning Systems, LLC<br />
<a href="http://www.ecilearning.com/">http://www.ecilearning.com</a><br />Coach David R Meyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965206565933990336noreply@blogger.com1