Do Your Employees [Heart] Their Jobs?
February 15, 2011
Creating Meaningful Work to Inspire Best Performance
Do your employees remember to pack their hearts when they’re packing their lunches? Are they merely going through the motions at work? Feigning “connection to the work” while in reality spending more energy avoiding trouble versus willingly contributing their personal-best?
As the leader or manager, how do you create “meaning” at work?
Do They “Get It?”
Have you heard the story about the custodian in a large federal complex in the suburbs of Houston?
He was going about his duties one day when a group of “suits” entered the building where he was working. One of the executives asked the custodian, “So what do you do here?” The worker smiled and replied genuinely, “I help put a man on the moon.”
The VIPs were heading into a meeting with NASA officials that day and happened to run into this dedicated gentleman who truly “got it” — he fully understood his role. It wasn’t simply about cleaning toilets and mopping the floors. His work had true meaning. Because he was faithfully on the job every day, he helped create a spotless, VIP-visit-worthy space where other employees and visitors could enter and concentrate on their work at hand… putting a man on the moon.
This gentleman “got it”… Not only about the organizational impact of his role, but the greater effects on a nation and perhaps the world. Without him, dignitaries and decision-makers would be greeted by unsightly workspaces, leaders and workers alike would be distracted by and frazzled by trashy offices and unsupplied restrooms. Not at all what one would expect from the nation’s space agency.
Sometimes we get lucky and hire that golden employee who just gets “it” and lives “it” day in and day out. More often than not, however, employees need reinforcing communication around why their job, indeed why they are important to the purpose of the organization. It’s not so much that we hire duds but that in the course of staying busy, doing our tasks as managers and employees we lose sight of the bigger “why.” It’s that old idea of not seeing the forest for the trees. We get stuck in the weeds and forget why we’re working so hard to create a path through them.
Exemplary Leaders Encourage The Heart
Kousez and Posner’s decades-long research into what inspires employees and creates a “personal-best leadership experience” (that is the experience an employee has with her leaders) offers empirical proof of what it takes to inspire meaningful work. From their The Leadership Challenge, 4th Ed. they point out the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership.
Of the Five Practices resulting from Kousez and Posner’s research, this one — Exemplary Leaders Encourage the Heart — in particular speaks to creating meaningful work. To summarize and add my own editorial comments and personal examples…
Genuine acts of caring uplift the spirits and draw people forward. Best leaders want to provide a climate in which people feel cared about and genuinely appreciated by their leaders.
One of my “personal-best leadership experiences” was in the job where I stayed for more than 8 years despite knowing there was something missing (function/strengths misfit… but that’s a topic for another post). It’s true that people leave or remain because of people more so than the work.
One example that will stay with me as long into the future is one of my compassionate Vice President of Marketing who genuinely cared about me and my experience as a new mother seven years ago. It’s tough if not seemingly impossible to put one’s child in the care of others to return to work but we do it. My VP at the time was already a mother of two and understood the gamut of emotions I was having about returning to work. I couldn’t not, from a financial standpoint, but oh boy were those first delicate weeks’ commutes filled with tears. The conversation I remember specifically was her telling me to take as much time as I needed and could afford… that time with a first baby in those first precious months needed to be cherished… that the company would survive without me. I think I took an extra couple of weeks off at her urging and some of my most treasured memories of early-morning play time with my now first grader happened during that brief window.
That VP showed she cared and cared deeply which drove my enthusiasm for for working for her much more than the work itself.
Gimmicky, feel-good events are quickly forgotten, so forget the Hawaiian shirt days and show them you genuinely care.
It’s part of the leader’s job to show appreciation for people’s contributions and to create a culture of celebrating values and victories.
As a young manager I was guilty of often forgetting to stop, breathe and take a moment to celebrate the small victories that my direct reports and I accomplished. Like getting a 100+-page catalog to print despite major roadblocks… closing out the year with more sales through direct marketing than the previous year… launching a new website that created back-office efficiencies… and probably countless others. With some time and experience managing direct reports — and remembering my own less-than-exemplary leadership moments from the earliest days of my career – I did remember, sometimes, to thank them.
Have you had one of those “You know you’ve nailed it when…” moments as a manager? One of my few such experiences actually came as a shock to me. It was when I made an effort to personalize my gratitude in giving a small “thank you” that I figured this one direct report in particular might like. He commented on the small gift so enthusiastically, reporting just how much it meant to him. Who knew that something as simple as an e-gift certificate for music downloads for the ever-plugged-in production manager would have such an effect. Huh.
Leaders also know that celebrations and rituals, when done with authenticity and from the heart, build a strong sense of collective identity and community spirit that can carry a group through extraordinarily tough times.
Before during and in the aftermath of 9/11 I worked for an international tour operator. The year that followed was extraordinarily tough for the many not the least of which was the travel industry and anyone remotely connected to it. We had several tours in progress when the planes hit and had staff and passengers stranded in various corner of the world for days before flights resumed and we could get everyone home. When the last tour manager arrived safely at home and the last passenger was met by relieved family members, we celebrated. Not with a big inappropriate party or other raucous event but by rallying behind one another in the face of chaos and terror, sharing our stories and experiences, finding and telling the “good” that came from tragedy. In those moments executive management stepped quietly aside and allowed leadership from among the ranks to stand up, shine and demonstrate community.
Ideas for Action
Lastly, let’s get practical with just a few questions to consider as you work toward helping your employees create meaning at work…
1. Connect individuals to the bigger “why.”
What inspires you? Gives you passion? What would inspire your employees and direct reports? In what ways are you working together to create the bigger “why”, the purpose for your organization?
2. Personalize recognition.
How are you currently recognizing individual achievement and contributions to your organization’s purpose? How do you equip managers to reward, recognize and thank employees for a job well done?
3. Reiterate the significance of each role.
How often to you reiterate the organization’s larger purpose? then remind each individual contributor how they in their roles help achieve that purpose? Annually in the all-staff meeting and in the performance review? Quarterly at management reviews? Monthly in the employee online newsletter? Or weekly/daily in informal conversations about the work at hand?
4. Celebrate.
How do you celebrate team or organizational wins? Annual bonus? Cost of living wage increase? Or something more personalized to each contributor?
For Further Reading
Short but sweet summaries and articles to further the point.
The Leadership Challenge, 4th Ed. – executive summary
Leaders Create Meaning, by Robert Whipple, Roberts Wesleyan College
The Importance of Doing Meaningful Work – from Forbes.com
What Makes Work Meaningful? – from PsychologyToday.com
Recovery-Proof Your Team in 2011
February 1, 2011
Keeping Your Best Talent from Jumping Ship in 2011
According to a recent Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) press release, the majority of the Human Resource (HR) professionals and managers surveyed agreed that employee turnover will rise significantly as the job market continues to improve.
56% of HR professionals surveyed agree that turnover will increase. Not might. Will.
If organizations intend to keep their best employees from jumping ship, retention efforts need serious attention. Now.
In addition to running MPOWER Consulting, I am Managing Partner and Director of Homework of Masse Family Enterprises (i.e. wife and mom at to my great family). In that position, I had a recent “retention lesson” that is absolutely applicable to the workplace.
First, a Little Backstory
Just this weekend I was helping my first grader with a report on Neil Armstrong that he will present before his class this week. How excited I was that he selected a true American hero as his subject. I jumped right in to help and before you know it was micromanaging the whole show.
With my son’s “help,” I emailed the offices of The Space Foundation (HQed right here in Colorado Springs) and asked for “props” we could borrow. Mission accomplished: my 7-year-old has a large, colorful poster of the famous photo of Buzz Aldrin suited up standing on the moon with Neil Armstrong’s reflection in his helmet; a stack of books we used for reference for dates and more; a “footprint” lapel pin of the first, one small step for man; and a NASA-logoed lunch bag that proudly carries his peanut butter sandwich and applesauce today.
Next step, filling out the homework paper with the content of his presentation. Oh, my son will deliver a Nobel prize winning report of literary perfection! Well, let’s at least make it interesting for a class of fidgety first graders.
We establish ourselves at the kitchen table and set to work. And it all goes downhill from there.
Micromanaging At It’s Finest
I want him to add more content for the “WOW” factor; he’s content with a few sentences that answer the question to stay precisely on point. I suggest he repeat the celebrated words Neil Armstrong made famous upon setting first foot on the moon; he agreed but reluctantly. I pushed to hurry up and get it done so he could play; he was visibly tired and needed a break.
He was frustrated at me for “bossing him.” I was weary because he didn’t want this to be the report I wanted it to be and wasn’t sitting still long enough to just get it done. I was not paying attention to the way he wanted to do his homework. We were not working together. And I was spending more time outlining “better ways” to do it versus praising him for doing it well his way.
At the very least, we needed a change of scenery. I asked where he’d like to sit. “On the couch.” Off we went, smoke clearing, frustration calming. He finished the written portion and when asked if he wanted to practice the obvious answer: “No.” He was done. “Disengaged” to say the least.
Creating Disengagement
Could you blame him? As the “manager” I assumed we shared the same vision for his report. I pushed for him to do it the way I would have done it. I forgot that he mainly needed me as a resource, to help read complicated websites and other resources to get essential information. And along the way neglected to tell him what a nice job he was doing.
Bad… bad manager. I created disengagement and of course the little project that was supposed to fun “Mommy & Son” time not only took longer than needed but put an emotional dent in our quality time. We were not as productive as we could have been, not as efficient, and the results… while the report is “effective” in the sense that my boy does have a presentation to deliver this week our relationship took a minor, yet hopefully only momentary, blow. What do you think he’ll think and do the next time he needs my help on his homework?
Leaders and managers, the lessons from my mistakes are undeniably applicable to the workplace. There IS a better way.
1. Respect ‘em.
It starts with understanding employee needs from every perspective. Not just the over-emphasized tools and resources or even how much of your time they may require. Most importantly, it begins with understanding their unique modis operandi or M.O. – literally what their brain needs conatively in order to do their best for you.
Managing “Fact Finders”: They need and naturally uncover all the relevant facts, figures and data. Give them time to research and prioritize the necessary details that ensure they will give you the most strategic decision.
Managing “Follow-Thrus”: They need and naturally create order and systematic approaches. Empower them to create a solid plan that keeps the project organized and expertly managed. They will actually see it to completion.
Managing “Quick Starts”: They need to experiment as they are natural risk-takers. Give them leeway to brainstorm ideas, jump in head first to try out a few, learn from their mistakes and suggest creative ideas for new projects or new ways of tackling strategic goals.
Managing “Implementors”: They are your “hands-on” employees. They need to and naturally create quality, long-lasting solutions. No thrown-together shoddy craftsmanship allowed. Give them time and resources to test their ideas and plans before rolling out the final version. Never have to “go back and re-do” again because the first implementation was the right implementation.
In other words, don’t do what I did with my son. Rather, understand the way THEY work best and let them do it. When employees are given tasks and activities that are a mismatch in terms of how they naturally solve problems, make decisions and take action, managers and leaders are forcing them to work against what is natural. It takes longer and the results often don’t meet expectations.
Multiply this by the number of individual contributors to calculate the cost loss of productivity in an organzation. Conversely, when you have the right employees in the right roles (that is, a role that allows them to do what they do best naturally) imagine the organizational cost savings and increased earning potential resulting from measurably higher productivity.
2. Train ‘em.
Of course there are cases where tasks must be accomplished in a specific way… to meet quality standards, ensure personal safety, guarantee efficiency. Invite employees, based on their natural inclinations as outlined above, to be partners in creating those solutions, empowering them to contribute their personal best (again, based on above). Then train them – and train them to train others effectively – on these best practices for reaching the common goal – be it improved quality, personal safety, higher efficiency.
And by all means, train managers to manage. A vastly different skill set than any “technician” role.
In other words, again, don’t do what I did with my son and expect him to do it my way without talking to him first about what his ideas were for how we would get the project finished. We did not agree ahead of time to how we would work together resulting in wasting time being frustrated.
Multiply that by the number of employees and teams in your organization to calculate the cost of lost efficiency. Ouch. On the other hand, when a true culture of collaboration exists – we agree on the goals, define clearly how we will work together toward that end, and we rely on one another for what each does best – how much more efficient (and therefore cost effective) we are.
3. Reward ‘em.
As managers and leaders we are quick to correct “bad” behavior. Reprimands, development plans, official warnings are all to be documented, in fact.
As parents, however, praise seems to come a little more naturally (indeed, I hope… “When you cleared the table, it really helped make clean up faster, and we got to play your game sooner!”). How often is this same idea forgotten in the workplace?
Especially after surviving the economy of the past 2+ years, employees are feeling overworked, undervalued and just plain ol’ disengaged. Rightly or wrongly, their perception is their reality, and many are ready to jump ship. In a January 2011 survey conducted by Harris Interactive in conjunction with CareerBuilder North America, 76% of the 3,900 employees surveyed indicated they were ready to leave current jobs for the right opportunity. Is their mind 100% on the work at hand?
More surprisingly, rewarding them with more money was not what would keep them on board. 68% reported that affordable benefits were more important than salary.
In fact, more money is rarely the answer for keeping best employees, especially when they feel disengaged.
Published in 1999, a study by Kenneth Kovach of George Mason University compared employees’ ranking of what they wanted from their jobs with what their bosses thought was important to the associates. “Good wages” was fifth for employees after the more important:
- Interesting work – interesting to them not the manager; in my view interesting = a good fit based on M.O. + “meaningful” to the individual
- Appreciation of work – a simple, inexpensive “thank you” may suffice; thank you note, family pack of movie tickets, gift card for lunch to a favorite restaurant, an extra vacation day…
- Feeling “in on things” – knowing what the rest of the organization is up to… breaking down the silos as it were… and, they may surprise you with creative solutions to challenges outside their job descriptions
- Job security – how much more engaged they are when they don’t have to worry about their basic needs?
Again, lessons from the homework assignment… Only when I saw that my son was completely disengaging from the work, did I bother to make changes to how we were working together. In the end, “good job!” praises flowed but was it too late?
I made it up to him with a matinee showing of “Megamind” and Whoppers. It wasn’t too late for us.
Organization leaders and managers take heed: Work now on creating respect, getting the right people in place and training them, then rewarding them with what’s meaningful to them so it’s not too late to keep your best employees from jumping ship.
Not “Just Another Job Seeker”
October 11, 2010
In my last post I urged job seekers to GET OUT! A good first step to REPOWERING your job search. But once you’re out… then what?
Your actions should be based on this one simple rule:
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” – John C. Maxwell
And when they know how much you care, you are no longer “just another job seeker.” You’re someone worth telling others about.
RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS
Tis true. It’s about much more than just getting out. And while the getting out part is indeed the first step to repowering your search, it’s what you do with the time you spend out there that truly counts.
Once you have made the decision to disconnect from the computer and all the online job boards to attend functions with other live human beings, your goal is to make connections and create mutually beneficial relationships that can help you in life as well as your job search.
Some tips on how.
BE AN EXCELLENT COMMUNICATOR.
Don't be THAT guy.
First rule of excellent communications: LISTEN. When you’re out networking make it your goal to be the best listener in the room. Take notes if you need to to remember key conversations and those with whom you spoke. A quick note on the back of the other person’s business card to remind you of that one critical thought or piece of information will prove valuable when trying to recall who said what.
When it is your turn to talk, you have to be exceptionally clear about what you want, what value you — and only you — offer, and be able to articulate this for others to “get it.” Work on honing that 30-second “elevator” pitch to answer “what’s in it for you or other potential employer if you hire me?” Indeed, why YOU over the job search masses?
ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES.
While listening you’re bound to pick up on other’s needs that you can fulfill. Even if it’s mowing the lawn for the grandma of the CPA you just met… doing the make-up for the Realtor’s 17-year-old daughter for the big Homecoming dance… teaching an entrepreneur QuickBooks to create a more efficient billing process… Introducing another job seeker to one of your contacts who might help them… The point is listen and find something you can contribute to making the other person’s life a little easier. And if you can fill a need that aligns with the work you are looking for, all the better.
BE THE EXPERT.
Give presentations to local groups. Blog. Post and answer questions on LinkedIn. Rally groups on LinkedIn. All around a topic related to the work you want to do. Tweet about news-worthy industry trends. The more you show you know what you’re talking about, the better. This is especially true when you are trying to make a career transition into a new role or field in which you may not have the most experience of all possible candidates. Just be aware of how you come across. Strive always to provide information that is practical, applicable, useful. Not to puff up your own chest.
CREATE CHAMPIONS.
All this work will pay off as you create “brand champions” for YOUR personal brand. You become “referrable” as a job seeker. Your resume becomes “forwardable” because they like you and want to help. Remember, we all do business with (and hire) those we know, like and trust. Work to establish the relationships and position yourself as the “go to” gal or guy for the work you want to do, and you’ll have people touting you when you’re not even looking.
STAY AUTHENTIC.
The trick here is to be the expert, the one worth referring with personality. When you show a little of who you really are while imparting information your “audiences” can’t live without, you endear yourself in an emotional way. Think Marketing 101: it’s about engaging people on a personal, emotional level so they’ll trust and appreciate the information.
And let’s face it, no job — unless you are truly desperate financially — is worth checking your personality, your strengths and natural talents, your instincts at the door. Can you do it? Sure. I worked for 15 years in a career path that was all wrong both from a functional mismatch standpoint (my strengths were not what the job required) and the cultures I was in didn’t appreciate my goofball personality.
I’d would be happy to share my story in more detail to help underscore the all-importance of this: Stay authentic. No matter what.
Lessons from the PICU
January 5, 2010
AJ & Dr. Jon who was instrumental in saving AJ's life
My son came home with a runny nose and scratchy throat on a Friday in late September. After two trips to the ER over the weekend, he was admitted to The Children’s Hospital in Denver on Monday, and by Wednesday morning he was on life support (heart-lung bypass and a ventilator) with multi-system organ failure. All from severe complications caused by H1N1. It wasn’t until we were through the worst part of the crisis that my husband and I realized (or allowed ourselves to consider) just how close we were to losing him.
Fast forward to today: AJ is a healthy, normal, funny and often schizophrenic now-6-year-old. In fact if you didn’t know our story, you would be hard-pressed to believe it when see him now.
A few simple but hopefully provoking ideas have shaped my experience over the past three plus months. I hope that what I learned through near personal tragedy provides some inspiration and offers perspective on the truly important things on which to focus in 2010.
