Happy Sunday Everyone:
Seems like there is a general theme right now, both in companies and teams, around a combination of leadership, qualities of employees, and overall moral being down. Question I think about is whose fault is it, and more importantly, how do you go about fixing it? One of Rick’s themes last year was “everything is our fault”, meaning if you’re the leader, its
your fault….there is weird peace that comes along with that. It doesn’t mean that someone with a bad attitude is your fault, but it does mean if you let that person spread like a cancer inside of your company, or your team, it is your fault. Every time something goes wrong with my team, or a team member, I start off with, “this is my fault”, so how do I fix it. If I lay out the solution, and I’m doing my best to lead by example, and people choose not to follow, then it turns into their fault…and then they’re gone, and you and the rest of your team are in a better place for it (C players will always makes A players quit overtime if the leader doesn’t do something about it). I also think the leader has to hold themselves accountable and be able to say “I did the best I could to give this person everything they needed to succeed and they chose not to follow”. To some degree it keeps the emotions out of it.
In the most simplistic way I can think of, we need to understand what our core values are. For me, our core values are:
1. Customer Service above ALL ELSE- if I was the client how would I feel right now?
2. Owns It- Jumps in, Owns it…First to respond, and is always peeking around the corner.
3. Positive-NO energy suckers, have fun!
4. Team Player-All in, All the Time!
5. Understands the Value of Reputation- Proud of themselves, and proud of the team they are a part of!
6. Complete Wow Experience-WOW +1 in everything we do!
7. Protects the team at all costs.
These aren’t taglines, this is what our team is about. This is what we expect every day, this is what we talk about, this is what we interview for. I’ve talked about this before (and Learned from Josh Sigman) but when we know what we want, we also know what we don’t want. This is what I expect. So once our team has decided and agreed to these Core Values, we have a crystal clear understanding on a daily basis if our actions are either an asset to our core values, or a liability to our core values. Picking up someone’s phone because they’re away from their desk, asset, not picking up your phone for a client because its 5:01, liability. Gossiping, liability, complimenting someone, asset, showing up on time every time, asset, excuses as to why your late or Fred flinstoning out of the building even when you have work to get done, liability. If you lead by example, hire the right people, understand your core values, and then test with asset/liability to the core values, it’s hard to go wrong…you snuff out the cancers, you provide a work environment that the right people want to be a part of and the wrong people do not.
So I would ask all of you to do the following, and don’t make it too complicated.
1. Create your Core Values, write them down, and have them everywhere (You really need to know this).
2. Question your own actions/attitude to those Core Values (if you don’t believe in them, or you think they don’t apply to you, or you’re above them, you’re screwed before you start).
3. Help your team understand that we’re all supporting and watching each other to represent the Core Values.
4. Discuss the concept of asset vs. liability in all of our daily actions.
5. Hold each other accountable , if you ask my team I will regularly give the comment of “that’s an asset move”, or just say “you think that’s an asset or liability effort?” and occasionally they’ll question my actions/attitudes as “asset/liability” as a leader i.e. showing up to start the day in a bad mood and spreading my negative energy all over the team before day begins.
It’s hard for us not to improve as leaders by doing this, and you’ll know with 100% certainly if you have the right people on your bus….plus your people know exactly how they’re being reviewed/measured. Its fair, its honest, it’s helpful to all parties, and it snuffs out the drama that small people love to play in.
P.S. Sorry for the formatting today-evernote wasn’t working and I’ve got to run to a baseball tourneyJ