Posted: February 15, 2024 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Team Building

“Don’t say yes until I’m finished talking…”

-Daryl Zanuck

Have you heard the term “managing up”?  It means that even though bosses manage us, sometimes we need to manage the boss.  There are so many inspiring examples of positive change occurring when subordinates respectfully disagree with the boss.  I have a favourite example to demonstrate:

In the early 1990’s I was doing teamwork training with a thriving international manufacturing company.  I was instructing a class that focused on communication and leadership skills.  The company had sent all their managers and supervisors through the training – all except the company owner, Ben.  One day after class, one of the class participants took me aside and asked, “Why hasn’t our boss (Ben) taken the training?”  I replied that I had asked Ben many times to enroll, and he would just smile and change the subject.  Steve then said, “Well I think he should take the class.  He could benefit from it.”  Of course, I agreed.  Steve said he was going to talk to Ben about it.

Several days later, I received a call from Ben, the owner.  He said, “I am calling from my office and Steve has me in a headlock and says he won’t let go until I sign up for your course.  I am calling to sign up.”

Ben did take the course and thought it was great.  The people who surrounded him also said he was easier to work for.  Thanks to Steve’s courage and caring for the company, he helped create a stronger team.

I had been instructing the course for three years, and in that time frame many had asked why Ben did not take the course.  Steve asked, and he acted.  In his conversation with Ben, he was respectful and approached Ben with tact.  Steve knew how to “manage up”.  Do you?

Posted: February 15, 2024 | Categories: Customer service, Sales, Self-Improvement

This message is only taught to sales professionals, but it applies to all of us.  If we want to be in step with someone, always check our assumptions to see if they are correct.

Here is a painful example:  Many years ago I was facilitating a sales training session and we were covering the part of the sales process that included “check questions”.  Check questions are asked when we need to check the correctness of our assumptions.  One of our class participants was a car salesman and shared a conversation he had with a potential buyer.  The prospect was considering buying a new Corvette as a college graduation present for his daughter.  The customer asked, “Is this car fast?”.  Immediately the salesperson enthusiastically replied, “Absolutely!  This car will go up to 180mph!” As soon as he said that, the expression on the customer’s face went from happy to scared.  He did not want to give his daughter a car that went that fast.  The deal was off.  It cost the salesperson a $1700 commission.  He learned his lesson.  He said the next time he will ask a question first before he answered like, “Is speed important to you?”  This question would have allowed him to stay in step.

This story carries a lesson for all of us to remember:  Before we assume, check our assumption with a good “check question”. By doing this we will save ourselves unecessary stress, and maybe even a friendship!

Posted: January 22, 2024 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Team Building

Alright. I’ve put this subject off for too long. It is time to pull back the curtain and explore why Millennials and Gen Z folks are reluctant to take a management position. Here we go:

• Lack of trust in senior leadership
• Limited financial rewards
• Work-life balance
• Time off

OK. There is the “why?” What can we do about it? Unless we can do all the work ourselves, we need good managers to maintain a healthy, profitable business. In addressing the “how?”,  I decided to interview two experts on the subject. They are my two sons age 36 and 38. They are both married, have a family, and are in a management position with direct reports. I ask them if they agreed with the statement that most Millennials did not want a management job. They did. I then asked why. They said they didn’t know! I wasn’t satisfied with that answer, so I went deep with my questions. Here is what I found:

Integrity: When working with a Millennial, your word must be your bond. Do what you say you will do and honor your deadlines. Otherwise, you will lose trust.

Show genuine interest: Being aloof or detached will cost you. Be in there with them. Know about their hobbies and birthdays. Watch their body language and develop a sense of knowing when something is wrong. Address the matter quickly.

Make sure the person understands what they are “getting in to” and that they want it and possess the capability. Otherwise, disillusionment may set in.

Be sensitive to their work-life balance. If you need them to work extra hours, explain why and do your best not to make it a habit.

Many Millennials have seen their parents work long hours, be treated unfairly, and experience a parent getting laid off from a company they were loyal to and worked hard for.  The good news is, if you show a genuine interest and act with integrity, Millennials can be excellent managers.

Posted: January 9, 2024 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Team Building, Time management

As we approach the middle of January, many businesses and organizations find this to be their slow season. Restaurants, retail, hotels and charitable organizations typically slow down after the holidays while many tighten their wallets to pay their Christmas charges. If you are a business owner or manager, this is a time you may want to use to get closer with your team and more in tune with what is important to them. This can help prevent a dip in morale and possibly impact turnover. Here is an example:

One of my clients has just come off a very busy season. They ended 2023 with strong momentum. When January 1st came business dropped off like a cliff, and it wasn’t long before I noticed the team was getting restless. When business is slow, that means more idle time. You may remember the saying, “Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop” (Proverbs 16:27-28). It is so true. Back to the team…I noticed they began complaining and criticizing their fellow teammates. As we know, such behavior is corrosive to team trust and performance. In this situation, the owner has taken this slow time to focus on training and teamwork. If there are any issues, they are quickly resolved and not allowed to fester. They have kept all their people and when the busy season starts up again in a couple of months, the team will be strong and ready to take on the challenge

Years ago the director of an organization shared an observation with me: He said that when his team was working on a big project with a solid deadline, everyone knew what to do and the team excelled. When the project was over and there was a lull, the team engagement suffered. We need to keep our teams busy in the slow season.  Doing so will help ensure the most profitable season.

Posted: December 19, 2023 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Team Building

We have 13 days left in the year.  Unless you have the rest of the year off, you will still have some work days.  Here’s my suggestion:  Think about the coming year and your strategy to obtain and keep good people.  Turnover is far more costly than we probably think.

In my coaching of owners and managers, I have found that weekly communication with a boss and his or her direct reports makes a huge difference.  It seems that the team members who are most valued know where they stand with the boss, and vice versa.  Conversely, I have noticed that employees that hit their boss broadside with a 2-week notice are usually not in regular productive communication with their immediate supervisor.  There are two specific situations I am thinking of where the individuals tended to do things their own way, and when the boss finally discovered it the gap was too large to bridge.  It these folks had been communicating weekly with their supervisor along the way, there is a good chance the boss could have effectively “re-directed” the employees and get back in alignment with them.

So if you want to increase the probability of keeping good people, follow these steps;

1. Select the right person for the job.
2. Set clear, measureable goals under key categories of their position.
3. Have weekly meetings or conference calls with the person focusing on the following questions:
   1. What did you commit to?
   2. What specific action did you take?
   3. What happened?
   4. What did you learn?
   5. What is your next step?

I encourage you to stay in their with your people.  Think of good team members like they were your teeth.  Remember what they said in the old toothpaste commercial:  Teeth:  Ignore them and they will go away!