Singing the Holiday Blues
For many years I worked as a part time musician. At this special time of year I often think of Whitey, one of my band mates who passed away a few years ago. Whitey was a terrific musician and singer who was quick to laugh and always had a positive disposition. He once told me that as a child and teenager, he would lapse into a short but intense period of depression at holiday time each year. He would look out his bedroom window and feel sad and alone, even though he was surrounded by a loving and supportive family. This came as a surprise to me since I only knew Whitey as a happy and outgoing guy who loved his music and his family and friends. I couldn't envision him being in this emotional state, despite having an illness where a simple act like bumping his hand or walking into a table leg could have serious implications to his physical well-being.
Whitey suffered from hemophilia and ultimately succumbed to the illness after receiving a liver transplant. I can recall several tense moments during our time performing together when an inadvertent cut or bruise would require Whitey to seek immediate medical attention to get the clotting factor he needed. No one would have blamed him for being depressed and feeling sorry for himself, but like so many others who battle adversity on a personal level, he had an innate ability to suppress the negative aspects of his life and relish the good things he had. I remember asking Whitey what changed him from the depressed child to the upbeat guy I came to know. While he couldn't think of a single event that changed his outlook, he did credit his love of music and the birth of his kids as key contributors to his happiness. Years after his death the band held a reunion benefit in his honor and his kids, both fine musicians in their own right, played on stage with us old guys. Needless to say it was an emotional moment for us all.
Everyone has those "why is this happening to me" moments where we feel victimized and misfortunate due to life's regular ups and downs. It's easy to self- perpetuate this negative outlook particularly during times of high stress like the holidays where the demands of work and family obligations seem overwhelming. During those times I often think of Whitey and others like him and find myself smiling. Their spirit and vigor help me realize that there is much more good in my life than bad.
From our family to yours, have a safe and and healthy holiday season and prosperous New Year!
Phil
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Where Do You Choose To Be
A fellow HR colleague and I were reminiscing recently about our careers and how the world of human resource management had changed over the years. He began to share his frustrations with me about things he was confronting in his current role. At the end of his rant he said, "But I choose to be here." By "choosing to be there" he was saying that despite all the difficult aspects of the job, including problems with his boss and a lack of support from his peers, the positives outweigh the negatives and "I still like working here. Therefore, it's my decision to stay."
In the course of my work I encounter employees that make the blanket statement, "Employee morale is terrible at this company." More often than not, I have found that their broad perspective that everyone is unhappy or disengaged is inaccurate and more a reflection of their own attitude. In many situations, these self- proclaimed naysayers have had past success in getting management's attention with these statements and, therefore, gain satisfaction when leadership reacts to the comment. They keep coming back in the hope that they can gain some notoriety as the self- proclaimed voice of the people.
In the book "Who Moved My Cheese?" by Dr. Spencer Johnson the story centers around two mice named Hem and Haw. The morale of the story is essentially "if you are unhappy with your current situation take action to change things. Don't wait for things around you to change on their own."
I believe every company has a Hem and Haw in their workforce and that no matter how many employee perks and niceties the company offers their outlook will not change. They "choose to be there" because deep down they know that their unhappiness is not attributable to the work environment but by a host of other issues in their personal and professional life. So what is a concerned business owner and leader to do?
We know that happy and contented employees are generally more productive, loyal and dedicated to the success of the company. But how do those companies protect the spirit and enthusiasm of the best employees from being polluted by the Hems and Haws? Quite simply, you don't have to react at all. I've found that our high potential leaders of the future have too much self- assurance in their own skills and abilities to let a few chronic complainers change their attitude. They ignore the Hems and Haws and concentrate their efforts of making things better rather than sitting back and waiting for someone else to change things. They "choose to be there" to make a difference. Hopefully you will too.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
Phil
A fellow HR colleague and I were reminiscing recently about our careers and how the world of human resource management had changed over the years. He began to share his frustrations with me about things he was confronting in his current role. At the end of his rant he said, "But I choose to be here." By "choosing to be there" he was saying that despite all the difficult aspects of the job, including problems with his boss and a lack of support from his peers, the positives outweigh the negatives and "I still like working here. Therefore, it's my decision to stay."
In the course of my work I encounter employees that make the blanket statement, "Employee morale is terrible at this company." More often than not, I have found that their broad perspective that everyone is unhappy or disengaged is inaccurate and more a reflection of their own attitude. In many situations, these self- proclaimed naysayers have had past success in getting management's attention with these statements and, therefore, gain satisfaction when leadership reacts to the comment. They keep coming back in the hope that they can gain some notoriety as the self- proclaimed voice of the people.
In the book "Who Moved My Cheese?" by Dr. Spencer Johnson the story centers around two mice named Hem and Haw. The morale of the story is essentially "if you are unhappy with your current situation take action to change things. Don't wait for things around you to change on their own."
I believe every company has a Hem and Haw in their workforce and that no matter how many employee perks and niceties the company offers their outlook will not change. They "choose to be there" because deep down they know that their unhappiness is not attributable to the work environment but by a host of other issues in their personal and professional life. So what is a concerned business owner and leader to do?
We know that happy and contented employees are generally more productive, loyal and dedicated to the success of the company. But how do those companies protect the spirit and enthusiasm of the best employees from being polluted by the Hems and Haws? Quite simply, you don't have to react at all. I've found that our high potential leaders of the future have too much self- assurance in their own skills and abilities to let a few chronic complainers change their attitude. They ignore the Hems and Haws and concentrate their efforts of making things better rather than sitting back and waiting for someone else to change things. They "choose to be there" to make a difference. Hopefully you will too.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
Phil
One Dimensional Leadership
I have had the good fortune of working with some strong leaders, both in the corporate world and through my consulting practice. that I have found is that the best leaders have the ability to lead in a multi- dimensional fashion, maintaining a clear focus on their business objectives but adjusting to other changing aspects of the environment around them. When business conditions weaken their positive attitude, vision and risk taking abilities come to the forefront, creating confidence and vigor in those around them. Conversely, the one dimensional leader tends to focus primarily on expense reductions, the one aspect that creates the most fear and insecurity. The natural tendency for the one dimensional leader is to hunker down, under communicate, cut payroll and reduce expenses until business improves. This approach may enable the company to survive in the short term but typically fails to address the real problem issues that resulted in the business downturn. Unfortunately, managers and employees in organizations led by the one dimensional leader tend to harbor the feelings of insecurity caused by these events even if and when conditions improve.
I was recently involved in such a scenario where the erosion of business conditions prompted the one dimensional leader to abandon many of the organizational and strategic initiatives put in place over a 3-year period. These initiatives were designed to posture the Company for future growth and expansion as part of a long term plan. During that 3-year period the leader hired strong subject matter experts, promoted the values of the organization and conducted a personal campaign to inform and energize workers on the vision for the future. Employee engagement was high, creativity was encouraged and employee turnover was almost non-existent. Sadly, the insecurity caused by an erosion of business compelled the leader to revert to his one dimensional style and go into "survival mode." As a result, the entrepreneurial spirit has been severely dampened and, despite the leader's efforts to reassure employees that the actions were necessary, the company is already incurring a further business decline and loss of key talent. The actions were internally marketed as a "back to basics" approach which was perceived by the majority of the workforce as a regression to a time when confusion reigned and no strategic direction was evident. While the company is likely to recover to some degree the vision of growth that once existed creating collective excitement among its employees is all but gone.
There is no doubt that it's extremely difficult to lead in difficult times. Staying the course and believing in the strategy you have executed is a test of a leader's courage and self-confidence. Those qualities are contagious in the same way that insecurity and doubt can infect an otherwise healthy organization. No one will ever know if given another few months of dedication to the strategic initiatives tremendous improvement may have been gained, along with a soaring esprit de corps that would have allowed the company to thrive and reinvent itself for the future. The one dimensional leader would tell you no, but the multi-dimensional leader knows differently!
Here's wishing you a safe and healthy fall season.
Phil
I have had the good fortune of working with some strong leaders, both in the corporate world and through my consulting practice. that I have found is that the best leaders have the ability to lead in a multi- dimensional fashion, maintaining a clear focus on their business objectives but adjusting to other changing aspects of the environment around them. When business conditions weaken their positive attitude, vision and risk taking abilities come to the forefront, creating confidence and vigor in those around them. Conversely, the one dimensional leader tends to focus primarily on expense reductions, the one aspect that creates the most fear and insecurity. The natural tendency for the one dimensional leader is to hunker down, under communicate, cut payroll and reduce expenses until business improves. This approach may enable the company to survive in the short term but typically fails to address the real problem issues that resulted in the business downturn. Unfortunately, managers and employees in organizations led by the one dimensional leader tend to harbor the feelings of insecurity caused by these events even if and when conditions improve.
I was recently involved in such a scenario where the erosion of business conditions prompted the one dimensional leader to abandon many of the organizational and strategic initiatives put in place over a 3-year period. These initiatives were designed to posture the Company for future growth and expansion as part of a long term plan. During that 3-year period the leader hired strong subject matter experts, promoted the values of the organization and conducted a personal campaign to inform and energize workers on the vision for the future. Employee engagement was high, creativity was encouraged and employee turnover was almost non-existent. Sadly, the insecurity caused by an erosion of business compelled the leader to revert to his one dimensional style and go into "survival mode." As a result, the entrepreneurial spirit has been severely dampened and, despite the leader's efforts to reassure employees that the actions were necessary, the company is already incurring a further business decline and loss of key talent. The actions were internally marketed as a "back to basics" approach which was perceived by the majority of the workforce as a regression to a time when confusion reigned and no strategic direction was evident. While the company is likely to recover to some degree the vision of growth that once existed creating collective excitement among its employees is all but gone.
There is no doubt that it's extremely difficult to lead in difficult times. Staying the course and believing in the strategy you have executed is a test of a leader's courage and self-confidence. Those qualities are contagious in the same way that insecurity and doubt can infect an otherwise healthy organization. No one will ever know if given another few months of dedication to the strategic initiatives tremendous improvement may have been gained, along with a soaring esprit de corps that would have allowed the company to thrive and reinvent itself for the future. The one dimensional leader would tell you no, but the multi-dimensional leader knows differently!
Here's wishing you a safe and healthy fall season.
Phil
As we begin our 15th year of service, my sincere thanks to our valued clients and all who have supported HR Solutions, LLC with your advice, guidance and good will. Without your generous support our continued success would not be possible.
Customer Service-The New Oxymoron
A friend and I were recently commiserating over lunch about the demise of customer service in the work place. Clearly, "customer service" has become an oxymoron like, "jumbo shrimp" and "vegetarian meatballs". Having worked with retail industry clients for many years, I empathize with the HR folks who must find people that have the ability to effectively interact with a customer and create a positive experience. Finding workers with an outgoing personality and who enjoy helping people is a daunting task particularly when paying a minimum wage salary. In most cases the business owner is more concerned with having the necessary staff coverage and minimizing payroll than providing superior customer service. It is even more challenging for those businesses that are seasonal in nature and rely on a few months of revenue to carry them through the year. But those friendly people are out there and when an employer is successful in finding that individual with personality and a service orientation, customer satisfaction and ultimately revenue can increase substantially.
Here's what I mean. I stopped to get gas the other morning and approached the cashier to pre-pay. I said "Good morning" and her response was "What do you need?" My first inclination was to say, I need you to drop the attitude but I responded by asking for $50 on pump number 8. She took my money and gave me my change, at which time I said "Thank you". Her response was "Yup." Silly me, I was unaware that the rules of etiquette had changed and "Yup" is now the recommended response to "thank you." Later that day I stopped to buy a birthday card. This time, I received no verbal response at all to my "hello" or my "thank you". To satisfy myself that this person could actually speak, I lingered a bit longer in the store until I witnessed her talking on her cell phone, confirming my belief that her lack of service was intentional and not due to some form of mutism.
I was convinced that customer service was indeed dead, until my faith in the workforce of the future was partially restored. That weekend, a group of us were in Ocean City, NJ and we went to dinner at one of the restaurants on the Boardwalk. We were a party of eight, and based on the fact that it was a tourist destination, I was anticipating the worst in customer service. Surprisingly, the college student who waited on our table was pleasant, helpful and engaging. She exceeded our expectations just by being friendly and service oriented. Mind you, we're not talking about over the top, Disney experience service but rather, someone who welcomes you, says thank you and tells you to have a nice day. The bar has been set so low that just by doing her job, our waitress received a generous gratuity and our sincere thanks.
So why the distinct difference in these levels of service? One could make the argument that there may be some socio-economic difference or personal issues that separate the pleasant from the miserable. It could also be argued that training may have been provided in one environment and not in the other. While both arguments have some merit, I believe that the hiring and selection process is the key component. I have seen many examples of "hiring in haste" to simply fill a schedule slot or add staff. The interviewer tends to focus his or her questions on availability, previous experience and pay rate without ever asking the situational or behavioral questions that provide valuable insight into the candidate's proficiency in dealing with customers. What they get is a candidate willing to accept $8 per hour to work weekends with no customer service skills. In the end, things can get "pretty ugly."
Here's hoping you get super service at your next outing and not just a "Yup." If we can help your business in hiring and selecting the best and the brightest please give us a call at 610-287-1162.
Enjoy the rest of the summer.
Phil
Customer Service-The New Oxymoron
A friend and I were recently commiserating over lunch about the demise of customer service in the work place. Clearly, "customer service" has become an oxymoron like, "jumbo shrimp" and "vegetarian meatballs". Having worked with retail industry clients for many years, I empathize with the HR folks who must find people that have the ability to effectively interact with a customer and create a positive experience. Finding workers with an outgoing personality and who enjoy helping people is a daunting task particularly when paying a minimum wage salary. In most cases the business owner is more concerned with having the necessary staff coverage and minimizing payroll than providing superior customer service. It is even more challenging for those businesses that are seasonal in nature and rely on a few months of revenue to carry them through the year. But those friendly people are out there and when an employer is successful in finding that individual with personality and a service orientation, customer satisfaction and ultimately revenue can increase substantially.
Here's what I mean. I stopped to get gas the other morning and approached the cashier to pre-pay. I said "Good morning" and her response was "What do you need?" My first inclination was to say, I need you to drop the attitude but I responded by asking for $50 on pump number 8. She took my money and gave me my change, at which time I said "Thank you". Her response was "Yup." Silly me, I was unaware that the rules of etiquette had changed and "Yup" is now the recommended response to "thank you." Later that day I stopped to buy a birthday card. This time, I received no verbal response at all to my "hello" or my "thank you". To satisfy myself that this person could actually speak, I lingered a bit longer in the store until I witnessed her talking on her cell phone, confirming my belief that her lack of service was intentional and not due to some form of mutism.
I was convinced that customer service was indeed dead, until my faith in the workforce of the future was partially restored. That weekend, a group of us were in Ocean City, NJ and we went to dinner at one of the restaurants on the Boardwalk. We were a party of eight, and based on the fact that it was a tourist destination, I was anticipating the worst in customer service. Surprisingly, the college student who waited on our table was pleasant, helpful and engaging. She exceeded our expectations just by being friendly and service oriented. Mind you, we're not talking about over the top, Disney experience service but rather, someone who welcomes you, says thank you and tells you to have a nice day. The bar has been set so low that just by doing her job, our waitress received a generous gratuity and our sincere thanks.
So why the distinct difference in these levels of service? One could make the argument that there may be some socio-economic difference or personal issues that separate the pleasant from the miserable. It could also be argued that training may have been provided in one environment and not in the other. While both arguments have some merit, I believe that the hiring and selection process is the key component. I have seen many examples of "hiring in haste" to simply fill a schedule slot or add staff. The interviewer tends to focus his or her questions on availability, previous experience and pay rate without ever asking the situational or behavioral questions that provide valuable insight into the candidate's proficiency in dealing with customers. What they get is a candidate willing to accept $8 per hour to work weekends with no customer service skills. In the end, things can get "pretty ugly."
Here's hoping you get super service at your next outing and not just a "Yup." If we can help your business in hiring and selecting the best and the brightest please give us a call at 610-287-1162.
Enjoy the rest of the summer.
Phil
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