Monthly Archives: April 2010

Today Is All We Need

By John on April 15, 2010

There are two days in every week about which we should never worry.  These two days should be kept free from fear, worry and doubt.

The first of these days is Yesterday, with all its mistakes and problems, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains.  Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.  All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday.  We cannot undo a single act we performed: we cannot erase a single word we said.

Whatever we did or failed to do cannot be undone for it is now forever written in the history book of our lives.

If we failed to fulfill a promise, or teach a skill to someone, or failed to challenge someone to achieve their greatness or failed to deliver our own greatness, that is now an opportunity lost forever.

Yesterday is gone forever!

The other day we should not worry about is Tomorrow, with all its possible adversities, its burdens, its large promise and its potential: Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.

Perhaps Tomorrow

  • It will rain.
  • Will be great.
  • I will do a good deed.
  • I will teach someone a new skill
  • I will be a friend to someone who needs me
  • I will live up to my greatness

You have probably all seen the sign “Free lunch Tomorrow” Have you ever gotten it? Of course not because it’s tomorrow!

Tomorrow’s sun will rise, either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds, BUT it will rise.  Until it does, we have no stake in Tomorrow, for it is yet to be born.

This leaves one day, Today.  Any person can fight the battle of just one-day.  It is when you and I add the burden of those two awful eternities, Yesterday and Tomorrow, that we break down.

It is not the experience of Today that drives a person mad, it is the remorse or bitterness of something which happened Yesterday or the dread of what Tomorrow may bring that can drive us mad.

The Buddhist has a philosophy that ‘Mindfulness is the aware, balanced acceptance of the present experience.
It isn’t more complicated than that.
It is opening to or receiving the present moment, pleasant or unpleasant, just as it is,
without either clinging to it or rejecting it.’

So my question to you is, what you will do Today that will;

  • Make a difference in someone’s’ life
  • Inspire others to greatness
  • Make the world a better place
  • Put your name in the history book of your life
  • Leave your imprint on someone’s heart
  • Change the way people respond to you
  • Deliver your own greatness

Today is all we need to inspire ourselves and others. It is all we need to make a positive difference.

What will you do today?

We all only have Today, and Today is all we need!

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Problem Employee

By John on April 13, 2010

I was recently asked this question on ‘Ask John’

I have a problem employee. What do I do?

This is a question that I have heard many times and most of us have experienced at some point in our careers.

The problem with problem employees is that we usually assume the problem is with the employee. Say that 5 times fast!

The first question you have to ask yourself is what makes them a problem? Do they not jump high enough when you say jump, or run fast enough when you say run? Do they ignore your direction or not do a job well enough? Do they not co-operate enough with the rest of the team?

Have you considered that the problem lies not with the employee but with the way you manage them?

Instead of correction or punishment have you tried taking a more positive approach? I know this can be difficult at times, especially when the person is plucking your last nerve, but it is in everyone’s’ best interest for you to try.

We are not born a problem. Sometimes an individual’s life experiences can result in their being negative, difficult or yes, a problem. Instead of jumping to the conclusion that they are a waste of your time, perhaps you should try to get to know them better, find out what motivates them, what makes them tick.

Perhaps the problems arise because we do not cooperate. According to The Free Dictionary, the definition of cooperate is ‘To work or act together toward a common end or purpose.’ You will indeed have problems if your team members are not working together towards a common end.

If you as a supervisor have not made the goals clear to your team, if you have not explained the end benefit and do not get buy in, then you will not have cooperation and you will end up with problem employees. But again, the problem stems from your lack of clear direction.

Do all of your employees know what is expected of them? Do they know the ground rules and have you given them proper training to succeed? Everyone on the team needs to know their role as well as the role of others.  Who is contributing what to the final outcome? If roles, jobs, duties and expectations are not clearly defined, the group will be uncertain as to expectations which will result in some employees failing which will negatively impact the entire team, resulting in someone becoming a problem.

So how do you handle this situation if you seem to have a problem employee?

  • Ask yourself if the problem is the employee or your direction.
  • Ask the employee how they think they are doing
  • Ask for examples of when they felt they did a great job
  • Ask them how they felt about that
  • Ask for examples of when they felt they did not perform as well as they should have
  • Ask them how they felt about that
  • Ask them what were the circumstances that caused them to do a good job compared to when they didn’t
  • Ask them if they understand the common goals.
  • Ask them if they understand their job or duties.
  • Ask them what you can do to help them.

What have you noticed to be a key component here? You are correct, it is the word ‘ASK’

By asking these questions you will

  • Have a better understanding of the employee
  • Know what you need to do to more effectively communicate with this employee
  • Increase the employees awareness of goals
  • Show the employee that you have an interest in their success

There are indeed situations where a problem employee is just that; a problem. But before you get out the branding iron it is your responsibility as a supervisor to ensure that the problem does not start or lie with your ability to manage effectively.

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Employee Engagement

By John on April 10, 2010

So often I hear my employees just are not engaged. How can I get them more involved? What can I do to get them to be engaged?

The answer is simple; feedback.

Employees want feedback, they want to know how they are doing and they want to know what you think.

I know finding the time for feedback can be difficult. You are busy; you think about it but just don’t get around to giving it. At least not until the yearly evaluation process roles around and you have no choice. That is a big mistake on your part.

The best kind of feedback of course is positive feedback. Everyone likes to hear that they are doing a good job. Everyone likes to know that they are appreciated. Everyone likes to know that their supervisor notices they are doing a good job.

Believe it or not, the second best is negative; we will call it opportunity feedback.  At least your employees know where they stand and if you give it correctly, will know what they need to do to improve. Most people do not come to work with the mindset of performing poorly. They just want direction. As the boss it is your responsibility to course correct an employee if and when you see the need.

The worst kind of feedback is non-existent. This leaves your associates in the dark. They don’t know if they are doing a good job or a bad job. They can feel taken for granted. They don’t know what to think. Should they just keep doing the same things the same way or not? They can feel neglected or like you must not like them since you don’t let them know if they are meeting your expectations or not. In this case, no news is good news does NOT apply!

To have engaged employees you need to offer feedback and here is how;

  • Feedback should be given daily. It is as simple as saying hey good job today, Thanks! Or, when you do this tomorrow, let’s try it this way, or I appreciate the fact that you tried but it just didn’t work. We will take a different approach tomorrow, OK?
  • Depending on the size of your team you should be setting aside one hour a week to have private 1:1 conversations. The meeting only needs to be about 15 minutes; it is really just a touch base. This will also give you an opportunity to get to know your employees better and give you insight into how they respond and perceive their jobs.
  • Your employees will feel valued and will appreciate the fact that you took your time to sit down with them and give them guidance and direction.
  • You should always take notes, keep a copy and give the associate a copy. Transparent Management. Everything in the open.

Do NOT wait until the yearly performance review period as this is the worst thing you can do. It will make your job much more difficult especially if you have a large group. If someone is not performing to standards why would you wait to correct the situation? Why would you go a whole year with someone who is not performing? Why would you dump this on any one?

The longer you wait to give positive feedback the less impact it has. The longer you wait to give opportunity feedback the harder it is.

Feedback creates open and honest dialog with your employees, which creates a stronger team atmosphere.

Feedback fosters employee engagement!

As always I welcome your comments.

What do YOU do to foster Employee Engagement?

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Time

By John on April 8, 2010

How Are You Spending Yours?

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400.

It carries over no balance from day to day.

Every evening deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day.

What would you do? Draw out the money, spend it, or give it away? Of course, you are not going to waste all of that money!

Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME.

Every morning, it credits you with 24 hours, 60 minutes in an hour and 60 seconds in a minute means your Time Bank gives you 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours.

You must live in the present on today’s deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success!

How are you spending your time?

How much of your time do you spend helping and training others?

  • Do you plant a flower for the entire world to enjoy?
  • Teach someone a new skill?
  • Read to an old person who no longer has sight well enough?
  • Take a young person and be a mentor?
  • Learn a new skill to share?
  • Give your ear to someone who needs it?
  • Give your shoulder to someone to cry on?
  • What do you do with your time?

To realize the value of time,

  • Ask a family in a hospice room.
  • Think about how much you have wasted.
  • Think about people you know who have been seeking employment for months.
  • Talk with an elder whose time is running out.

Would you waste $86,400 on a daily basis?

Why would you waste any of the 86,400 seconds you are given every day?

Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time.

Remember that time waits for no one.

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Pity Potty

By John on April 6, 2010

We all sit on the Pity Potty now and then; it is human nature I suppose.

My employees don’t work hard enough, I work too many hours, the people I work with are stupid, no one listens to me, the dog dug a hole in the garden, the kids are screaming, I hate my job, I hate my life!

We sit on the Pity Potty because we think we are poor.

I don’t get paid enough, my house isn’t big enough, my car isn’t fancy enough, my Partner isn’t good looking enough, my parents aren’t smart enough, my vacations aren’t grand enough, I don’t have enough money in the bank, my life isn’t good enough!

Well, the next time you think you are poor and are sitting on your Pity Potty I want you to remember this story:

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the
country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people can be.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a
very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the
trip?”

“It was great, Dad.”

“Did you see how poor people can be?” the father asked.

“Oh Yeah” said the son.

“So what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they had four.

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that  has no end.

We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

We have walls around our property to protect us; they have friends to protect them.”

With this the boy’s father was speechless.

Then his son added, “Thanks dad for showing me how poor we are.”

Too many times we forget what we have and concentrate on what we don’t have.

What is one person’s worthless object is another’s prize possession. It is  all based on one’s perspective.

Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for all the bounty we have, instead of worrying about wanting more.

Now I invite you to get off your Pity Potty, flush, take joy in all you have, appreciate your life and be grateful for all you have, and get back to living!!

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