Recently, I spoke to a wonderful group of Human Resource executives. The group from the Houston area known as the Bay Area Human Resources Management Association (BAHRMA) met to “sharpen their saws.” I was asked to participate and shared my thoughts on Strategic Performance, its value and how to get it.
During the presentation a young lady raised her hand to comment and told of a situation that echoes around our country, today; She told of an attitude of “Entitlement with which they struggle.”
The “Big E,” as we call it, is when employees express their belief that others and the organization to which they belong, are somehow blessed by their presence. Often there is no evidence supporting their right to a favored state, just a belief in their own minds that they, somehow, deserve special treatment, recognition, pay or all three.
She put it like this; “We are consistently faced with younger employees believing that we (older employees and the company) are somehow fortunate in our association with them.
They come to work late or miss deadlines and believe it to be Okay,” she says. “It seems, as if, they believe the organization should be thankful that they decided to come to work, at all.”
The Entitlement attitude seems to be more prevalent among younger employees. Our experience has been that many of the Generation Y employees do, somehow, believe that they have a right to a job. A belief, I support, at least in part. I believe that there is work for anyone who wants to work, not necessarily the work you may want, but work from which you can earn a living. That does, somewhat, differ from the Generation Y notion.
So, what can or should you do about an attitude of entitlement, whether it comes from Generation Y employees or elsewhere? We believe that corporate America is in control and if the attitude of Entitlement is an issue, in your company, you can do something about it. Here is what we recommend:
1. Clearly state expectations before you hire anyone.
2. Get agreement before you hire
3. Have a “Zero Tolerance Policy”
4. Operate with integrity
Many organizations complain about poor attitudes but shoot themselves in the foot by not being clear about the values of the organization, their expectations of the employee and enforcing their own rules. Organizations should know their values and clearly share them with potential employees, but few do, they should create a “Top Ten Reasons People Work for XYZ Corp.”, A Values Statement, and a clear, easy to read statement of expectations in the job a candidate is being asked to fill. Get them to sign and date those documents and keep them as a permanent record that the candidate acknowledged your expectation and agreed to them. That document should go in the employee file. That takes care of item 1 & 2, now lets talk about the rest.
Many organizations want people who have a great attitude, many do not, but it is their own fault. They continue to believe that they can put into someone something that is not there, hire someone that is marginal, and somehow expect superior performance. That seldom occurs. The key to having the right people and attitudes on your bus is hiring excellent people, in the first place and realizing we are all human and make mistakes, sometimes hiring the wrong person. When you hire someone who does not wish to adhere to something they agreed to before the hiring and obviously the wrong person for the job, fire them. That takes care of 3 & 4 above.
Applying these four simple rules will, I guarantee, diminish the number of employees that believe they are entitled to their jobs, but most importantly, send a clear message to the many people in your organization that you value their good work ethics and operate with integrity.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Even Entrepreneurs Have Lives, How Will You Live Yours?
Every year, about this time, as the new year rushes upon us, I am prompted to pull out a poem I saved a number of years ago titled "How Do You Live Your Dash?" by Linda Ellis.
The poem is about a symbol that appears on most every gravestone defining the period of time a person spent on this earth (1938 - 2010), for example. That period represents the time Don Meredith, who died recently had spent here, on earth. The numbers are not near as important as what the symbol between them, the dash, represents.
That little symbol embodies all the years he had to do good/bad, excel/fail or just "hangout." Each time I consider the "dash" I am reminded not to waste it.
I believe that much is served by humans spending time in reflection about the past and speculation about the future. But there is nothing better than to devote the present to "advancing the envelope," just a little bit everyday. How we use our 'Daily Dashtime" is the most important thing we do everyday. Reflecting on the past or speculating on the future is Okay, but living your dash today the most meaningful and powerful way to impact the future.
Dashtime is somewhat like manna that God provided the Isrealites in the wilderness. If you will recall, God told the them that manna would sustain them but they must gather and eat it everyday. They could not save it up for tomorrow, because it would spoil, unless it was the day before the sabbath and then they could gather extra for the sabbath Well, Dashtime is almost like that, it must be used, productively, today because we do not know what the future holds. Many a life has been sacrificed, opportunity missed, or victory lost because we waited until tomorrow to use our Dashtime.
It is good for me to be reminded that I must pay attention to the present. Do something today to make the world better than you found it when you woke this morning. It matters not how little that something is, if you do something positive everyday, the value accumulates.
So, consider your Dashtime today and everyday. It is a little like paying forward. Thank you Linda Ellis
The poem is about a symbol that appears on most every gravestone defining the period of time a person spent on this earth (1938 - 2010), for example. That period represents the time Don Meredith, who died recently had spent here, on earth. The numbers are not near as important as what the symbol between them, the dash, represents.
That little symbol embodies all the years he had to do good/bad, excel/fail or just "hangout." Each time I consider the "dash" I am reminded not to waste it.
I believe that much is served by humans spending time in reflection about the past and speculation about the future. But there is nothing better than to devote the present to "advancing the envelope," just a little bit everyday. How we use our 'Daily Dashtime" is the most important thing we do everyday. Reflecting on the past or speculating on the future is Okay, but living your dash today the most meaningful and powerful way to impact the future.
Dashtime is somewhat like manna that God provided the Isrealites in the wilderness. If you will recall, God told the them that manna would sustain them but they must gather and eat it everyday. They could not save it up for tomorrow, because it would spoil, unless it was the day before the sabbath and then they could gather extra for the sabbath Well, Dashtime is almost like that, it must be used, productively, today because we do not know what the future holds. Many a life has been sacrificed, opportunity missed, or victory lost because we waited until tomorrow to use our Dashtime.
It is good for me to be reminded that I must pay attention to the present. Do something today to make the world better than you found it when you woke this morning. It matters not how little that something is, if you do something positive everyday, the value accumulates.
So, consider your Dashtime today and everyday. It is a little like paying forward. Thank you Linda Ellis
Monday, November 22, 2010
Entrepreneurs R Us
If you have ever thought about or currently are considering a business venture, you will want to tune in on November 23, at 5:30 CDT. C U on the RADIO!
Stephen J. Blakesley-Host
Entrepreneurs R Us
Stephen J. Blakesley-Host
Entrepreneurs R Us
Thursday, November 18, 2010
How to Succeed in Your Business Start-up
Since most start-up businesses fail ( 8 out of 10 within 5 years), one might wonder what is different about those that succeed? As a Serial Entrepreneur myself, I have been intrigued by that question, for years. What is it that makes a start-up business succeed?
I asked that very question to my "entrepreneur panel" on the Blog Talk Radio show I host on a weekly basis called Entrepreneurs - R - Us. The panel was composed of three successful entrepreneurs and I asked the question; What is the single most important factor contributing to success?
Their response was:
1. Planning - Certainly, beginning a trip without a plan is ill-advised, but starting a business without a plan can be disastrous. Yet, many people not only start without a plan they fail without a plan.
2. Executing - It is true that you can have the best plan in the world, but if you do not execute it, the plan is worthless. Being able to understand the steps required to put the plan into action is sometimes difficult, but even more difficult is actually taking the steps.
3. Buy-In by Family - This is one that caught me by surprise and I must admit that I was not thinking along this line as I considered likely responses. Nathan Dagley, CEO of Dagley Insurance and Financial Services, in Houston Texas was my panel member who offered this response. He suggested that it was critical to get buy-in from your spouse, but not just your spouse, even your children, if they are old enough.
There are more keys to start-up success than these three, but if I had to pick just three and go with them, these three would not be a bad choice. So lets drill down a little deeper with these three.
Plan to Succeed
There is just something about making plans that makes things turnout better, not always, not every time, but more times than not, I believe. There is value in thinking about where you are, where you want to go, and how might be the best way to get there.
I have started 5 businesses ( 4 successful) and each time my planning got more sophisticated and became a more valuable to the success of the business. Don't start a business without a plan for at least the first 3 years.
Execute, Execute, Execute
In one of my business ventures, I had a guy working for me, we'll call him Dan. Dan was an educated man, an amicable and likable guy. His job was to manage and run a remote store selling professional services. He had some modest goals to achieve, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Dan always seemed to rank among the bottom dwellers of the 75 other store managers in the organization. Every time I would visit with Dan about his plans, I was always impressed with them and came away thinking that he just needed a little more time to implement his plans. You see Dan was always getting ready to do the right things, but for some reason, never got them implemented. Dan was always "Gettin' Ready To" do the right things but never got them done.
In your plan, attach some execution dates and create some milestones to measure progress, if you want to succeed.
Make It Our Goal, Not My Goal
I can't tell you how many times I have seen good ideas and good people fail because the stress of starting a business destroyed a relationship or even worse, a family. If you are just learning to swim, you don't jump in to untested waters without someone watching. The same applies to a business start-up. There is no place with less certainty than a business start-up.
Gaining family support before you jump is, one of the best things you can do to relieve the stress of starting a business. Everyone wants to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Give you family an opportunity to win with you.
For other interesting and informative insights into the wonderful world of Entrepreneurism listen in to Entrepreneurs - R - Us every week on Blog Talk Radio at 5:30 PM CDT. C U on the Radio!
I asked that very question to my "entrepreneur panel" on the Blog Talk Radio show I host on a weekly basis called Entrepreneurs - R - Us. The panel was composed of three successful entrepreneurs and I asked the question; What is the single most important factor contributing to success?
Their response was:
1. Planning - Certainly, beginning a trip without a plan is ill-advised, but starting a business without a plan can be disastrous. Yet, many people not only start without a plan they fail without a plan.
2. Executing - It is true that you can have the best plan in the world, but if you do not execute it, the plan is worthless. Being able to understand the steps required to put the plan into action is sometimes difficult, but even more difficult is actually taking the steps.
3. Buy-In by Family - This is one that caught me by surprise and I must admit that I was not thinking along this line as I considered likely responses. Nathan Dagley, CEO of Dagley Insurance and Financial Services, in Houston Texas was my panel member who offered this response. He suggested that it was critical to get buy-in from your spouse, but not just your spouse, even your children, if they are old enough.
There are more keys to start-up success than these three, but if I had to pick just three and go with them, these three would not be a bad choice. So lets drill down a little deeper with these three.
Plan to Succeed
There is just something about making plans that makes things turnout better, not always, not every time, but more times than not, I believe. There is value in thinking about where you are, where you want to go, and how might be the best way to get there.
I have started 5 businesses ( 4 successful) and each time my planning got more sophisticated and became a more valuable to the success of the business. Don't start a business without a plan for at least the first 3 years.
Execute, Execute, Execute
In one of my business ventures, I had a guy working for me, we'll call him Dan. Dan was an educated man, an amicable and likable guy. His job was to manage and run a remote store selling professional services. He had some modest goals to achieve, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Dan always seemed to rank among the bottom dwellers of the 75 other store managers in the organization. Every time I would visit with Dan about his plans, I was always impressed with them and came away thinking that he just needed a little more time to implement his plans. You see Dan was always getting ready to do the right things, but for some reason, never got them implemented. Dan was always "Gettin' Ready To" do the right things but never got them done.
In your plan, attach some execution dates and create some milestones to measure progress, if you want to succeed.
Make It Our Goal, Not My Goal
I can't tell you how many times I have seen good ideas and good people fail because the stress of starting a business destroyed a relationship or even worse, a family. If you are just learning to swim, you don't jump in to untested waters without someone watching. The same applies to a business start-up. There is no place with less certainty than a business start-up.
Gaining family support before you jump is, one of the best things you can do to relieve the stress of starting a business. Everyone wants to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Give you family an opportunity to win with you.
For other interesting and informative insights into the wonderful world of Entrepreneurism listen in to Entrepreneurs - R - Us every week on Blog Talk Radio at 5:30 PM CDT. C U on the Radio!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Living Inside Two Boxes-The Power of Self-Image
The Self-Image is a principal piece of Self-Awareness. Your Self-Image defines and limits almost everything you do. The Self-Image is the gateway to your talents and ultimately, the achievement of your goals.
It makes no difference what the goal is, if it is not consistent with your Self-Image the gateway or access to your abilities will remain restricted and sometimes, even closed.
A great picture of Self-Image is illustrated by placing a dot in the center of a piece of clean paper, around it draw a box with a dotted line about an inch on each side. Then, outside that small box draw a bigger one with a solid line about five inches on each side. Now you should have a dot inside two boxes, one small with dotted lines and the other much larger drawn with solid lines.
The dot represents you, the large box with solid lines represents your real limitations E.g. you cannot run a 4 minute mile because you have only one leg. The smaller box, with dotted lines,, represents your own self limiting beliefs about your self, usually much less than your real limitations and often incorrect E.g. I cannot run a 15 minute mile because I am fat and out of shape.
An essential piece to becoming all of which you are capable is to push the limits of your Self-Image (the small box) closer to those imposed by the bigger, physical limitation box. Expanding your Self-Image involves self-talk and questioning the limits of your current self.
Two phrases really make the difference between achieving your goals and not achieving them and both drive the Self-Image; "That is just me!" and "I can be all I choose to be!" One is four words and the other is eight, but "Oh, the power they hold. One is limiting and the other is open-ended.
"That is just me," kind-of-talk is self-limiting. When asked why you arrive late at work and you respond, "that is just me," you have set the stage that will encourage you to consistently arrive late. On the other hand, if you respond to that same question with, "in the future, I respect other's time and always arrive early." you are describing future behavior in the present tense and have chosen to be all you can. You can arrive early, if you decide to arrive early, almost all of the time.
What is your Self-Image? Are you living in the small box or are you pushing the limits of your self image to find out what your limitations really are?
It makes no difference what the goal is, if it is not consistent with your Self-Image the gateway or access to your abilities will remain restricted and sometimes, even closed.
A great picture of Self-Image is illustrated by placing a dot in the center of a piece of clean paper, around it draw a box with a dotted line about an inch on each side. Then, outside that small box draw a bigger one with a solid line about five inches on each side. Now you should have a dot inside two boxes, one small with dotted lines and the other much larger drawn with solid lines.
The dot represents you, the large box with solid lines represents your real limitations E.g. you cannot run a 4 minute mile because you have only one leg. The smaller box, with dotted lines,, represents your own self limiting beliefs about your self, usually much less than your real limitations and often incorrect E.g. I cannot run a 15 minute mile because I am fat and out of shape.
An essential piece to becoming all of which you are capable is to push the limits of your Self-Image (the small box) closer to those imposed by the bigger, physical limitation box. Expanding your Self-Image involves self-talk and questioning the limits of your current self.
Two phrases really make the difference between achieving your goals and not achieving them and both drive the Self-Image; "That is just me!" and "I can be all I choose to be!" One is four words and the other is eight, but "Oh, the power they hold. One is limiting and the other is open-ended.
"That is just me," kind-of-talk is self-limiting. When asked why you arrive late at work and you respond, "that is just me," you have set the stage that will encourage you to consistently arrive late. On the other hand, if you respond to that same question with, "in the future, I respect other's time and always arrive early." you are describing future behavior in the present tense and have chosen to be all you can. You can arrive early, if you decide to arrive early, almost all of the time.
What is your Self-Image? Are you living in the small box or are you pushing the limits of your self image to find out what your limitations really are?
Sunday, August 22, 2010
The Marketing Plan To Get The Results You Want
Many business fail for want of sales and sales often suffer because of poor or total lack of planning. Before your fork out money to hire people, especially sales people, you need a marketing plan.
To begin, let’s be clear. Marketing and Sales are different. I know, “elementary, my dear Watson,” but you would be surprised to know the number of people who do not know or appreciate the difference. Marketing is about who is needs your product or service, is likely to buy it, and why they would buy it. Sales on the other hand is communicating that message and giving people a reason to by from you or your organization versus someone else.
A marketing plan should be developed before you hire people or rent space, just to be basic about it. If you, the entrepreneur, and do not know why people want and need your product or service, how could anyone else, especially a customer? Since sales and the resulting revenue is the life-blood that keeps business alive and produces growth, resources devoted to enhancing that process can only pay big dividends. Marketing is communicating the whys to the potential buyer i.e. Why do I need this? Why should I buy from you versus someone else?
So here are 6 steps to help you develop a marketing plan:
1. Identify the features and benefits of your product and service
2. Determine exactly why people would want and need your product or service
3. Identify the number of people who would buy your product and service, where and how they can be contacted
4. Determine the means you will use to communicate to those people you have targeted
5. Implement your plan
6. Measure the results in terms of sales
I guarantee many leads that can easily be turned into sales if you will just follow this simple 6 step plan.
As you sit reading this, You are probably thinking about your marketing plan and wondering if results could be better. I promise you results can be better and for less than you might expect.
To begin, let’s be clear. Marketing and Sales are different. I know, “elementary, my dear Watson,” but you would be surprised to know the number of people who do not know or appreciate the difference. Marketing is about who is needs your product or service, is likely to buy it, and why they would buy it. Sales on the other hand is communicating that message and giving people a reason to by from you or your organization versus someone else.
A marketing plan should be developed before you hire people or rent space, just to be basic about it. If you, the entrepreneur, and do not know why people want and need your product or service, how could anyone else, especially a customer? Since sales and the resulting revenue is the life-blood that keeps business alive and produces growth, resources devoted to enhancing that process can only pay big dividends. Marketing is communicating the whys to the potential buyer i.e. Why do I need this? Why should I buy from you versus someone else?
So here are 6 steps to help you develop a marketing plan:
1. Identify the features and benefits of your product and service
2. Determine exactly why people would want and need your product or service
3. Identify the number of people who would buy your product and service, where and how they can be contacted
4. Determine the means you will use to communicate to those people you have targeted
5. Implement your plan
6. Measure the results in terms of sales
I guarantee many leads that can easily be turned into sales if you will just follow this simple 6 step plan.
As you sit reading this, You are probably thinking about your marketing plan and wondering if results could be better. I promise you results can be better and for less than you might expect.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
4 Factors Essential to Sales Success
A couple of years ago, we were asked to evaluate a very successful sales team. This group of six salespeople had consistently sold over $75,000,000 of average residential lots to people who wanted to build or invest, year after year. The top two salespeople had earned $750,000 each for the last 3 years and the rest only averaged $300,000 annually, with no one on the team earning less than $250,000.
We spent over a year with this team and found 4 common attributes among the group of six outstanding salespeople:
We spent over a year with this team and found 4 common attributes among the group of six outstanding salespeople:
- Empathy- A unique ability to see things through others eyes, an ability to identify with other's point of view
- Self-Awareness- A special knowledge of self. A unique ability to "tune into" their own feelings and how they impacted their actions.
- Happiness- A positive feeling about themselves, their families and their lives
- Reality Testing- An ability to tell the real from the unreal. The likely from the unlikely
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