Top 100 Employers

Recently I came across a section in the Globe and Mail, in reference to “Canada’s Top 100 Employers” – Friday, October 9, 2009. I am always that person who loves to read those features, and yet when I read those articles and features, two things always strike me.

The 1st is, why not do an article on, “Canada’s Top 100 Employees”….but I know that wouldn’t sell many newspapers for the Globe. :-)

The 2nd thing that always strikes me is, “What I Can Do As A Leader and Manager To Get Into That Top 100”?

See, as a Manager at the ground level, many of us wrestle with feelings of powerlessness and sometimes feel unable to effect change for our staff. Some of the tools needed to create positive change are outside of our grasp. It can be the things an employee is going through personally, economic pressure in the world today, or policies and procedures. It can be as simple as increasing wages or not being able to offer certain perks like the companies in that list.

But when I feel that powerlessness, I like to remind myself of this quote I once heard from Dr. Haim Ginott, “As a Manager I am the decisive element. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a Manager, I possess a tremendous power to make an employee’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and whether a constructive solution can be found.”

What this reminds me of, time and time again, is that as a manager, I have impact and influence over so much, and so in passing I came up with, “6 Things I Can Do As A Manager To Get Us Into That Top 100”...

1) Lead – People look to their management for leadership. Certainly, this needs to be as simple as a calm, consistent, professional approach, but for many of our staff, leadership needs to be a little more than that. I have discovered that almost everyone, to one degree or another, is a bit of a “big picture” thinker. We want to know the wheres and the hows and the whys…to have a picture painted of exactly where we are trying to go, how we will get there, and exactly why we want to do all that. The difference between effective leaders and ineffective leaders is that ineffective leaders issues edicts, expecting everyone to simply get in line. Effective leaders present the big picture, time and time again, as the reference point for the expectations we layer on our team. So, I love to remind our team that in serving our customers and in operating with excellence, it is not, “How Low Can You Go?”, but how Pro can you go. What is the best we can do, in each and every situation, to communicate our desire in every interaction and action to Be The Benchmark in our market? When a picture is effectively painted, staff are motivated to fill in the little details on a daily basis.

2) Care – It is difficult to lead beyond your level of relationship. So many times, we expect people to follow us simply because our position in flow chart is located in a higher place than theirs. However, this kind of followership only lasts for a while. People will follow leaders and managers who care about their employees, care about their issues, care about their ideas, and care about their team. It cannot be all about “measurable results” and “hitting goals”. Our level of care for the team often determines their level of care for the team…and we cannot succeed unless our team has the “care” factor.

3) Listen – Some of the best ideas come from your team! As a Manager, it has been a wonderful realization that each and every day, I am surrounded by experts in their specific fields! When I extend my hand and my ear to members of our team as a partner, and tether that to the knowledge and experience that I bring as a Manager, what gets created is far better than what any of us could create alone. The beauty of this is that people naturally support what they help create, which then makes achieving goals that much easier!

4) Deliver – Results – As a leader, I need to be seen as a person who can deliver results on behalf of my team. Though members of my team may expect the unrealistic, most members of the team know when I am at least trying. Though as Managers, we may not be able to offer every perk possible, people can instinctively sense effort, motivation, and intentionality around things they request. Often, our attention to detail around issues for our staff determines their level of engagement around issues for the organization.

5) Expect - Accountability – Having said all of these things, I don’t at all believe that leadership revolves entirely around the “touchy-feely”. People being led crave accountability, structure, and the ability to locate themselves. Quality people are constantly on the lookout for feedback and a measuring stick from those they follow. So long as we are clear, concise, and consistent, people gradually warm to accountability and learn the process of performing to expectations. I love the quote from Steve Jobs, one of the founders of Apple: “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”

6) Plan – Some fun things….keep the social side alive and kicking! I think as Managers, we gotta focus on the fun! People rate their job satisfaction in many areas…money, advancement, opportunity, etc. But there can be no doubt that fun is healthy, and lends itself to greater productivity. Keep the fun factor alive, and realize that fun is healthy!

Pericles said: "What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." While we may not always make, “Canada’s Top 100 Employees” in the Globe, we can always ask, “What I Can Do As A Manager To Get Into That Top 100”? The reality is that we can influence so much on our teams… :-)

How Can Learning To Coach Enhance My Leadership Role?

There is a growing conversation today about the field of Life Coaching, and its influence. This is an unlimited field which began in the late 70s, and is gradually gaining prominence and has now spread worldwide. Studies indicate that 90% of the participants in coaching relationships reported significant increases in their areas of focus. Several participants described immediate beneficial changes, and 95% cited the process as worthwhile. Coaching is now estimated to be over a $5 billion/year in the U.S., and about $500 million/year in Canada. 60% of American companies use or have used an Executive Coach.

Each of us is in a leadership role in different areas of life. We naturally desire to make a positive and abundant impact upon those we lead. Wanting to enhance that leadership role is normal, and it is healthy. Coaching is a natural tool to enhance that impact. Coaching is the path that serious people take to reach their goals. It is a tool to have a “purposeful relationship” with people around the following…
 Coaching Is Connecting – As we connect with people, we listen deeply. Many people have not really been listened to for a long time, and so by listening, we become a safe harbor.
 Coaching Is Collaborating –It is difficult to help a person get where they need to go without locating exactly where they are currently. As a result of our connecting and listening, we begin the process of locating exactly where a person is at. Once we locate where a person is right now, and help them to clarify their goals, we can begin to collaborate with them about how we can partner together to move them to their ultimate destination.
 Coaching Is Crafting – Through our collaboration, we begin to work with them to craft a precise strategy for achieving their goals and actualizing their dreams. An abundant world awaits if we plan our goals, and then work our plan. Ken Blanchard said, “I believe providing feedback is the most cost-effective strategy for improving performance and instilling satisfaction.” In other words, the feedback we provide through coaching helps people realize more abundance than they would have without coaching.
 Coaching Is Caring – As a coach, we do what we do because we care for people. We see the potential in our business partner, co-workers, family and friends, and we want to help them achieve it. We all have a tendency to measure ourselves against the people around us. They become our point of reference. A good coach will evaluate your performance against your potential. A coach helps you measure your performance against your strengths instead of against someone else’s.

Buddha said: “Your work is to discover your work, and then with all your heart, to give yourself to it.” All of us need to be coached… but also to develop our potential to coach others. This will not only enhance the success of those we lead, but also, it will enhance our success. Be a coach today!

Clarifying Our Personal Purpose

A few thoughts have been swirling around within over the last few days around clarifying our personal Purpose. Deep in the heart of every person is a profound desire to answer questions such as, “Who Am I”?, “Why Am I Here”?, “What Was I Born To Do”? There is a purpose that pulsates in the heart of every human being on this planet. We can suppress it, deny it, and mis-direct it, but we can’t eliminate it. Purpose answers the question: “Why were you born?” Why do we need a purpose?

J Purpose Captivates ê Our heart, our attention, and our focus. Without a clear sense of our Purpose, we will not reach our full potential. The laser beam of clear Purpose inspires us to clear out the clutter, live a disciplined life, and Get Where We Need To Go. The tragedy of life is this: many who do not reach their full potential do not do so because we invest too much time in areas of our lives where we have the least potential. As Andy Stanley said: “If you really want to make a lasting impact, then you need to eliminate what you do well for the sake of what you can potentially do best.” In 2009, the world was in shock as General Motors, once the pre-eminent king of the world-wide automotive industry, declared bankruptcy and only survived when the U.S. and Canadian governments stepped in and provided life support. Perhaps their failure was caused by the relentless commitment to trying to be and to do everything: producing cars under 18 different brands and countless models, rather than focusing in on what brands did best and maximizing value in those categories. When you “get” your Purpose, your Purpose “gets” you, and does not let go. Purpose Captivates your heart and mind to achieve your dream and Get You Where You Need To Go.

J Purpose Creates ê One seed of Purpose inside of you contains the power of Creation itself. Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche said this: “Everyone thinks that the principal thing to the tree is the fruit, but in point of fact the principal thing to it is the seed.” All of us long for the fruit… but the seed is the key. The entire Purpose of a seed is simply to germinate life, given the right conditions. Within one seed is enough life to plant a forest, grow a farm, and feed a community. Within the seed of our personal Purpose is enough to Create rich and lasting fruit for ourselves, our families and all those we care about.

J Purpose Calls ê Purpose has the ability to call us to something higher than ourselves. There is an awesome Purpose for us as individuals: a rich, fulfilling, vibrant place Where We Need To Go. There is an incredible Purpose for YOU greater than simply YOU. Sadly, so many of us have been conditioned to think and believe the lie that, “It’s all about me”. It reminds me of the story of the little boy and his sister who were playing on a swing set one day. Unfortunately, there was only one available swing. At first, they began by sharing the swing, but that didn’t work so well, and so as they were jostling for position on the swing, the little boy looked at his sister, and with all sincerity, he advised her, “You know, if one of us would just get off the swing, there would be more room for me…” This is some people’s attitude throughout their entire lives: “…there would be more room for me…” Our Purpose calls us to a higher way of living, not limited by selfishness and a “me-centric” mentality. George Bernard Shaw wrote: “This is the true joy of life: being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clot of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.” Your Purpose Calls you to Get Where You Need To Go!

J Purpose Clarifies ê Some are confused about Where They Need To Go. They don’t really know Where They Need To Go primarily because they lack a clear sense of purpose. Purpose is a wonderful thing because it becomes an internal GPS, a built-in guidance system that clarifies a path for you to specifically follow. With so many options available to us in the global economy, we can seriously waste huge segments of our lives simply seeking to “find ourselves”. We need to minimize the “lost decades”, so to speak. Your Purpose does, and tells you Where You Need To Go.

J Purpose Connects ê An amazing thing happens to us on the way to fulfilling our Purpose and Getting Where We Need To Go: we find others who are headed in the same direction and meet up for the ride! Having worked in a homeless shelter for the last 10 years, I have found, time and time again, the remarkably deep and true bond that comes between the staff and volunteers and care-givers in a place like that. Because we generally are all focused around the values of caring for the needs of the homeless, that people matter, and have a base point of compassion and understanding, there is an incredibly profound connection between us. This same dynamic plays out in cause after cause and purpose after purpose: Purpose Connects us to the world around us and draws us away from a place of loneliness and isolation. The only thing more satisfying than Getting Where You Need To Go, is Getting Where You Need To Go with partners and team members.

J Purpose Completes ê People who are in hot pursuit of their Purpose; who are Getting Where They Need To Go, are generally happier and more complete than those who are simply drifting along. As Charles Allen said, “Miserable are the persons who do not have something beyond themselves to search for.” People who do not fulfill their Purpose in life, and who do not Get Where They Need To Go, are generally those who live their lives with regret. They knew inside that they were more than they revealed. When we live and purpose our Purpose and Get Where We Need To Go, we live a more Complete life, and generally live without regret.

So, briefly, how do we discover our personal Purpose?

B Passion – what do you have a passion for?

B Ability – what do you do well?

B Personality – in what ways do you feel you fit?

B Opportunity – where are the doors open

B Relationships – where is there synergy and resonance with people around you?

Of course, lots more could be said on these topics….but here are just a few simple thoughts. Have a great day and remember the let out the beauty within!