Recently my hometown, Owego, New York won the title of “Coolest Small Town in America.” Today there are many tags to companies, “Best Places to Work,” “Employer of Choice,” “Funnest,” and more. As I viewed the video of the place I grew up in and love, (see it at Owego), I realized something very important.

What makes Owego so cool is the simple beauty of its homes, activities and parks added to beautiful people. To this day I am a regular supporter of the Tioga Rural Ministry. An organization in Owego the serves the needy. Every time someone has a wedding anniversary, big birthday, or there is a holiday, donations flow in in people’s names to this organization. That basically characterizes the essence of this town. They care about each other.

Are they perfect? Not by a long shot. Every group, organization, community or company has its warts.

What is unique and wonderful is that the people care. The two Mom and Pop grocery stores that peacefully co-exist with the two chain stores in town provide a place you can go to and the people know your name. That means a lot to people.

Think about what would make your company the “coolest” place to work?

Is it about “stuff” or is it how it feels?

Do you have simple beauty in the environs of your company?

How do people care for one another?

When the going gets tough, how do people pitch in to help?

Ask your people, “What really makes a company “The Coolest?”

Create a “Mastermind” group to make your company “The Coolest.”

Did You Accidentally Lay Off More People Than You Planned?
It is important to check your payroll to see if you might possibly have lain off more people than you planned.  How could that be? 
If the layoff you did was accomplished with honoring those who had to leave, giving them the company’s full support with recommendations, strong job search assistance through outplacement experts and more, you do not have this problem. 
If not, look to see how many of your people may have “checked out” even though they are still working and on your payroll.   Employees who remain make judgments about the company and their position in the company based on how departing employees are treated.
So how do you know how well you did?  You will be able to tell very quickly by the amount of energy and enthusiasm your people have for what comes next.  If they are just working hard, heads down and delivering, but not moving toward new ideas, creative ways of doing things, offering suggestions and more than they are indeed “checked out.”
How does this happen?  The answer is simple.  Look at how you have handled the current economic crisis within your organization through this check list and answer yes or no to these questions.
#1 – Are you involving every employee in helping to decide how to manage this?  Are you using mass collaboration through blogging and the web to stimulate thoughts on successful strategies?
#2 - Is this being done with everyone on some type of team that is charged with coming up with ideas to increase revenue or reduce expense?
#3-  Have all employees been given the opportunity to report out on these ideas and get feedback if they are on the right track or need to go in another direction?
#4 - If you had any layoffs, were they done with honor, exiting people in a short amount of time but not pushed out the door, giving them a chance to get support from their colleagues, good outplacement services meetings, even held on site, and more?  (See Layoffs with Heart)
#5 – Have you been communicating your numbers and challenges much more frequently, becoming more and more transparent to your team so people can work with the reality of your situation?
#6 – How many new revenue ideas have been tried since January 1st?  Is it at least 3 or 4?
#7 – Did all your executives personally thank each departing employee, honoring them with your presence and your support in their next endeavor?
#8 – Is your organization planning to ride out this economic downturn only with “lean and mean” strategies?
#9 – How many Mastermind groups are currently working on your future plans?  Are they in different areas of your company for diversity of thought?
#10-Do you rest easily knowing you are trying 101 different ways to reduce expense, including salary reductions and shortened work weeks?

Could a Situational Specialist help you with this?

“If you are a servant of time, rather than letting time serve you, you are a prisoner of time.”  Alan Cohen

My friend, Alan, has hit the nail on the head with this statement.  In today’s world of email, voice mail, snail mail, texting, imaging, PDA’s, Twitter and more you have to wonder, “Do I have anything to do with how I spend my time?”

The answer is a resounding YES!

Do this simple thing, write down the three things you must have as priorities for today.  KEEP IT SIMPLE.

Make these things that will:

•  increase the quality of what you do, (like just listening more closely)
• provide better customer service, (like getting back to someone who is waiting for you)
• or grow the organization. (learning as an example)

 The rest can wait. 

Now make two or three priorities for yourself.  (Eat better, spend time with the kids, take a walk, get the tires rotated, take a nap.)  These don’t have to be big, they just have to be important to your life.

Set yourself free with a few simple priorities.

If you are beginning this year without a plan, be prepared, the default plan just may be a plan to fail. 

This year is asking more of the leadership of our organizations than any other time in history.  The marks have moved,  the goal is elusive, accountability must be embraced and leaders must be able to show the path to people who are confused, even in the dark.

Are you ready?

#1 - Have you put together a half day or full day with your key decision makers and created a road-map for this year?

#2 - Does the road-map include the forks in the road that may be required?

#3 - Have you put in a humane lay-off/outplacement program that shows your integrity?

#4 - What are the 7-9 key initiatives that will make the difference this year?  Who owns these?  Who is holding people accountable weekly for these?

#5 - Where is the creativity being generated about what you are facing?  Are you taking 1-2 hours a month to think about all of this from an “out of the box” view?  Who facilitates this?

Don’t think that what you learned, what you experienced or what you know will be any where near enough for this year.  Learn, discuss, invite in new people and ideas, break new trail and stay in your integrity as you are challenged to do otherwise.

Need some help with all of this?

Invite me in to help you with this through a facilitated meeting that will make all your paths this year not only manageable, but possibly finding new opportunities that you had not envisioned before! Let me help you keep your eye on the ball and help everyone who has the same responsibility.  Call at 303-984-9271.

In a recent release of HR Magazine, Evan Scott of BOOST tells us about the new challenges that we face with our workforce and how to address them.  He points out that we need to not only know who these people are and what they need, but then we need to be prepared to reward them in a way that pushes the envelop, using technology and aligning those rewards with what we are trying to accomplish.

A leader knows how important incentives and rewards are.  In the new world, where we must not only attract and maintain the best, new leaders are looking at what else is needed to convey the message of accomplishment .  People want and need more.  Companies need to align incentives to outcomes so that it is a win-win situation all around.  Both of these need good technology as a partner to make it happen.

Check out this great article and Evan’s words of wisdom at “It’s a New World and Everyone is Paying Attention.”

A leader knows that the morale of his or her staff will make or break them in the long run.  We have watched staff exit from the political campaigns of leaders that can’t be clear, stay on track or even take the time to discuss next steps.  There is a lesson there and it came to me in a strange way today.

 I had the unusual opportunity to walk in a beautiful forest in upstate New York as a break from my work, which is slated to go well into the night.  As I hiked up a path on a steep hill a young doe walked out in front of me on the trail.  A quick glance in my direction stilled me and the deer.  We eyed each other for a while and then the deer eventually sauntered off into the forest.  A little later we ran into each other again, this time near a pond where the doe was headed for a cool drink on a warm day.  Again, I stilled, again the deer did not flee but wandered on to drink.

Leaders need to approach their people as the doe and I did with each other.  Be still, quiet your mind, and just be.  Listen to hear what is in the air. Is it peace?  Is it fear?   Let your thoughts be set aside, while you hear their thoughts.  Know that you can co-exist because you have a mutual respect and understanding of each other. 

If you rush, run, blurt, or push you will cause their thoughts to flee.  You will miss the opportunity to hear the magic they bring to you and your business.

Our Mastermind groups learn how to do this every month.  Are you missing out on this valuable leadership experience.  Call us today to learn more about how two hours a month can make your managers into leaders and your leaders into superstars.  303-984-9271

Recently I had the priviledge of hearing Marian Salzman, one of the world’s leading trendspotters/futurists.  Marian talked about ten trends that you will now see as a result of the current economic crisis, election and more.  I was struck by how every trend she spoke about had an incredible “rightness” to it.   By this I mean that you could look at the trend and then see why this was so good for Americans and subsequently good for our future and that of the world.

If you are a worker, manager or leader anywhere in America today you are being bombarded by what is going wrong in America, the world  and your business.  Between the election news, economic news, your team losing in the baseball playoffs and more, you can hardly put a smile on your face. 

All this negative information can zap your energy, muddle your thinking and generally make you miserable. This misery has serious implications for your health, family and career.  The good news is that  there is a way out from under all of this.  That good news is inside a system called, “WHAT IS GOING RIGHT!”  This system is a basic core tenet of the work I do through Playmore and could not be more needed than right at this moment. 

From children to retirees, people are suffering from this explosion of negativity and it is impacting your bottom line.  Worries about retirement nest eggs, car and mortgage payments, right down to putting food on the table can be catastrophic to productivity and your business.  It is your job as a leader to reverse this negativity through a simple yet extraordinarily powerful medium called, “What Went Right Today.”

Here’s how it works.  In your business it is crucial that you hold, “Everything Going Right” meetings.  These are meetings that have NO OTHER AGENDA at that time.  Let me say that again, NO OTHER AGENDA except information about what is going right.  You as a leader could say all the things you see going right, but there is a healthy skepticism out there that you may be making it up, even if you are not.  These should be participatory meetings, bi-weekly where everyone talks.  Put people on notice that there will be another one of these in two weeks and they are to find new things to talk about.  Do not attach these to business updates, financial discussions or anything else in your business.

In your personal life, have evening dinners, with the TELEVISION NEWS OFF.  Have everyone in your family contribute to the “WHAT WENT RIGHT TODAY’ conversation.  Start your day at home and in the office with what I see right about today.  Stay focused on those things in business meetings, while you solve the dilemmas that are presented.

Call me to do a session for your team called, “What Went Right Today!”  303-984-9271

In 2008 most businesses are experiencing some significant changes that don’t necessarily fit the rules of leadership that have been on the books for ages. Things that worked yesterday, last year, and many years before that are suddenly not working and leaders are scratching their heads in puzzlement about what to do next.

Here are a few ideas if you see yourself or leaders on your team looking for new information on how to handle what is in front of them today.

#1 - Get out of your office

You need to get into the shoes of your employees and find out what their work experience is like.  When you know what it is like, you need to know if that is the experience that will allow them to produce the most.  You will know how to utilize them the best and grow them into the next generation of leaders for your organization.

In addition to that information you will find the answers to most of the puzzles in front of you are available in the people around you.  It is time to stand up and talk with everyone on your team and ask what they are thinking, find out what they are experiencing and LISTEN to what they think.  Then start implementing some new ideas.

#2 - Know why your people will leave

This is heresy to say the least, but it is the road to success.  You need to have a relationship at some level with every one of your direct reports that allows you to know why they would leave and if they would ever leave.   Does that mean you will then do everything you can to stop them?  Not necessarily.  For some people the future may be with your organization, for others it may be somewhere else for very good reasons.  Helping people to make the right decision about where they work and why is part of the new leader.  We all know that the 30 year career with one company is still out there, but rarer and rarer with the varied interests of new generations.

#3 - Don’t Lead the way your Father or Mother did

Your Mom and Dad were good, smart leaders in their time, and many of the things they did you should note and follow, but if that is all you do, you are in trouble.  You need to find all the new ways people are communicating and use them to lead in a different manner.  If some of your employees NEVER use the phone anymore, how will you know the inflection in what they say?  Will that come across in a text or IM? How will you lead with a subculture of communication all around you, asking questions, challenging ideas and possibly undercutting initiatives without you even knowing it?  How will you get in on this information?  In the reverse, how can you use all the new ways of communicating to inspire and grow your people?

Look for new ways to lead and share them with us at his blog!

When Jana went to work at her new company she was convinced that it was going to be the answer to her prayers.  Good work, good pay, good people and stability.  This company wasn’t going anywhere.  And that was exactly what she got.  Good work, good pay, good people and a company that wasn’t going anywhere, literally.
As someone who studies what good companies do that make them go someplace, I have found an interesting disconnect in “being good” and getting to the next level.  Experience Leaders know this better than anyone.  They understand that they must create and powerful experience around the issues of the day to push their companies to success in both good and bad economic times.
Experience leaders know the correlation between all this “good” stuff and taking your company somewhere.  Good work, good pay and good people are only 75% of the formula for success. 

The other 25%, the 25% that will make or break your future success as an individual or a company is tied to three key things;
Innovation – In today’s world if you are not doing something new, different, increasing your offerings, delivering in a new way, the boat is sailing without you.   If you are marketing the way you have in the past, you will be left behind.  If you are delivering what you delivered last month or even last week, you will be left behind. 
Innovation parties! - Experience leaders take their teams on a regular basis and say, “today we innovate!”  What can we do that is new, different, in line with the interests of our clients to be there for them?  At a minimum an Experience Leader will set aside one day a month as innovation day.  They will not rest until everyone contributes an idea and until innovation is a habit.
Knowing your control levers – What are the key levers in your business?  (People, products, quality, development, sales, investment, technology or more?)  Experience Leaders know what these levers are and how to control them as markets bounce up and down keep the boat afloat in the storm of economic challenges.  They move quickly to change around personnel if people are a key.  They move quickly to change marketing strategies if this is a key. They challenge everyone who works for them to find their levers and their control in the situation.
Make Finding these controls an adventure! –Experience Leaders make it an adventure for their colleagues by asking everyone to determine exactly what they think they can control and what they cannot.  They then take on the adventure of saying how can I get some or total control of the things I think I cannot?  They teach this to everyone who works for them.  With their hands firmly on the controls they can drive through economic typhoons and set their sights on the next best thing for the organization and the people they serve.
The self-interest of clients is your interest! – An experience leader knows the most importance thing for their clients/customers today.   An Experience Leader is right there to help them.  What they needed yesterday is not what they need today.  How they bought yesterday is not how they will be buying today. “What is my customer’s biggest interest today?” is the question that dominates the thought process of an Experience Leader throughout the day.  The Experience Leader asks their team to think about this throughout the day as well in an effort to ingrain the thought.
Don’t struggle with any of these in your organization.  Let a Leadership Mastermind group tackle these and ingrain them in your culture.  Find out more at Leadership Mastermind Groups.

I am currently in what I consider to be the leadership training capital of the world, Kauai, Hawaii.  Now why would I make such a bizarre claim when we all know that leadership is being studied in corporate offices, major universities and on Wall Street every day?  My reasons are simple.  In Hawaii there is one word that sums up what leadership should be.  That word is ”Aloha.”

This is a place where people and businesses choose to bring their presence (alo) and a breath of life (ha) to every encounter and to the products and services they provide.  They chose to “share” part of themselves in serving a meal, fixing an elevator, building a road, creating a software program and more.  In return, they create an incredible experience for their customers and buyers. 

This simple word provides leaders with a road-map to getting our work on track today and every day.  Have we brought the full presence of who and what we are to the work?  Have we put our full breath into our efforts or are we holding back? Are we making the product we build or the service we give the real essence of who we are and what we stand for? 

When the people we work with feel these two things from their leaders or managers,  our full breath and our true essence they respond in kind.  New ideas flood into the workplace, a sense of creativity and ease surround tackling the challenges of the day, and the pride in the outcomes is the fuel for the next day’s efforts.

When our clients and customers feel this Aloha spirit, they too want to work with you again.  Returning for the real presence that your service or product brings to them.  They also want the life your create for them in your product or service because you have brought your true essence to them and shared it freely.

I am currently at the Marriott Kauai Beach Club and you could easily say I am just influenced by the sun, the surf, the palm trees, soft breezes and chirping birds.  (Are you imagining all of this yet?)  All of those things are wonderful by themselves.  However, my experience in my stay here is magnified ten fold because of the Aloha that greets me in every encounter.  The housekeeper, concierge, waiter, grounds-person, security, and so on will always pass along an “aloha” and follow that up with just what it means.  I am blown away, when I ask a simple question and get not only a good answer, but so much more.  They bring their presence to our encounters and share freely.  You can actually feel the breath of life in their work with each other by the smiles, not just for the tourists, but their colleagues, who I suspect are friends as well.

Experience leaders know how to bring “aloha” to their workplace every day.  May you be one of them.

Aloha!