Are You Sure You Want a Family Culture?

I was recently talking with a client who stated they had a family culture and I asked, “Is that what you want?”

Let’s unpack this for a moment… How many families do you know that work together, have healthy conflict, put their oars in the water to all row in the same direction for the same goals and vision, and are willing to make the tough choice of asking someone to leave the family if they aren’t the right cultural fit? I don’t know any families that operate like that, but that is exactly how I want my business to operate.

I also know that one of the hardest things for leaders to do in business is fire people – some of you cringed just reading the word – but it is one of the most important things you can do for your culture. In most families, either everyone remains part of the family unit, or it causes great divide and pain when a member of the family is outcasted. In business, even a family owned business, it can be much easier to fire people (or create an environment where they fire themselves) if you have the right culture.

What if you implement a value-based culture instead of a family culture? You determine what values your business needs in their culture such as respect, positivity, integrity, accountability, passion, fun, vulnerability, humility, quality, learning, ethical profit, leadership, diversity, innovation – whatever is important to your culture and YOU, and then you create accountability around upholding these values

For instance, if you have a value of honesty and an employee turns in a falsified expense reimbursement form, then they violated your core values and should be fired. Period. It doesn’t matter if they are a relative, have the highest sales numbers, or they've worked there the longest. If honesty is a value and they are caught being dishonest, then they do not fit in your culture. I promise you that everyone else knows they are dishonest, and they are waiting for you to show them if honesty is a word on the wall, or an expected behavior.

Your actions or lack of actions dictate the true culture.

What are the family values you want in your culture? How might it be different if instead of saying you have a family culture you choose your values and carefully instilled them into the fabric of the culture you want? And, what if you created accountability around living the values and everyone knew that was the expectation? Close your eyes for a moment and visualize what that would look like…

Now open your eyes, write down the core values that are important to you (the fewer you have, the easier to manage, so really think about what is most important) and create a culture that will be better than the family life of a lot of your employees (and less dysfunctional too!)

Sometimes It's OK To Go Off Script

I am a proponent of setting expectations, providing clear direction, setting up reasonable, meaningful measurements and providing timely feedback.

All sounds good right?

Many companies use scripts, checklists and procedures to train and guide their staff. The important thing to keep in mind, however, is sometimes the situation may not fit the script, so performers need to know what to do if that happens.

Just sticking to the script may end up frustrating or alienating our customers.

I have a medical condition that requires that I get a prescription refill monthly. Each month, for the last few years, I am contacted by the pharmacy, they verify my insurance, my address and other information and schedule delivery. The representative always read me certain disclaimers, puts me on hold to arrange delivery, then comes back on to confirm the date and wish me a “nice day.” Clearly, they have procedures and are following a script or some kind of job aid to complete their task.

Here is how a recent call went. After getting the standard information, confirming my identity, insurance info etc.:

Rep: Can you hold for a brief minute while I confirm your order?

Me: Sure thing!

After a minute or two, the Rep returns

Rep: Mr. Casale, it appears we have a problem

Me: Really? What is it?

Rep: Our records indicate that you are deceased.

Me: Huh?

Rep: Yes, my system shows that you passed away.

Me: (Trying to be funny) Well, I guess I won’t be needing that prescription then.

Rep: OK, so do you want me to cancel this in our system?

Me: Uh, No… I think I am going to need my prescription; I can assure you I am still alive.

Rep: Do you have any proof of that?

Me: Well other than the fact I’m talking to you right now on the phone, nothing else off hand I can think of. Do you have any proof that I am dead?

Rep: Well, our system says that you are deceased.

Me: Do you have a death certificate or a letter or something? Clearly, I didn’t get that memo. Maybe we should talk with someone else there about this?

Rep: (In a frustrated tone) Ok….Can you hold please?

Me: Sure

About 5 minutes elapse, and the Rep comes back

Rep: Well, I talked to my supervisor. We are going to make an exception this time.

Me: OK! This time?

Rep: Yes, but if your situation should change again, you will need to let us know.

Me: Well, I will be sure to do that

Rep: OK, thank you and have a nice day!

It just didn’t seem that this person was in tune with their job.

Have you ever encountered something like this? I have seen it a lot, especially in healthcare. I think sometimes the performers forget there are people behind the account numbers and files they are managing, just going through the motions, following the procedures…

I challenge all of us to take a breath and put yourself in the shoes of your customer. Think about the feelings in the interaction beyond the transactional part of the experience. I know that can make for a better customer experience and I believe it can help you find purpose in what you do.

In our new book, The EARN Method, my partner Sherri Sutton and I discuss topics and strategies that help you Perform with Purpose. 

We invite you to check it out, and if you know of anyone that can hold a séance, let me know so I can refer them to the pharmacy in case I do kick off. That’s the only way I will be able to notify them.  Have a nice day!

Sometimes You Just Gotta Let Go!

Many years ago, I worked for a woman named Lori Zudell. Lori scheduled a team outing for her entire team to go to Universal Studios, which is something you can do when your company is based in Tampa, Florida. One of the activities we did that day was to ride The Incredible Hulk roller coaster.

As we were waiting in line, my hands were starting to sweat and my mind was starting to run on repeat with a phrase that went something like, “I can’t do this. It’s too high, too scary, too fast…I’m going to be sick,” as I tried to smile and look calm. Everyone was joking and carrying on, so I was able to step back and continue my mantra of fear.

Of course, another track was also running in my mind, “I don’t want to disappoint Lori, I don’t want to get out of line, I’m in line now, so I have to do this!” I wasn’t sure which line of thinking would win until I felt myself pulling the harness down into the locked position. It was the type of harness that covered your entire chest and locked you down from your shoulders, but at least my feet weren’t dangling and were supported by a floor. I gripped the handles of the harness tightly, I’m sure my knuckles were white, and looked over at Lori. If it wasn’t enough that I talked myself into getting on this ride, I was sitting right next to her. She looked over at me and said, “You have to let go, or you can’t enjoy the ride.” What was she talking about? I had no intentions of enjoying the ride. My plan was just to get through it!

How many of us feel that same way about our jobs? We spend 40 hours a week in a place that we just want to endure until either we can try to decompress on the weekend, take a vacation, or get out of there. What would happen if we just let go? Is there a different track that could run through our minds each day at work? Are we part of the mission of our organization, focusing on the good we are doing in the community, or how our product or service is helping others? If we can connect to something positive, then maybe we can make little changes that have a big impact on our life? If we can’t, then is this really something we want to endure? Let me ask you this, how might your weekend be different if you loved your job during the week and spent the weekend charging your batteries instead of recovering from your job? Or an even bigger question, how might your life be different if you loved (or just liked) your job?

One of my favorite quotes is by Annie Dillard – “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing.”

I let go that day on The Incredible Hulk, and once I did, I screamed as loud as I could, and for the first time I actually enjoyed riding a roller coaster. How might you let go of your enduring beliefs and discover the best way to be happy in your work? We’ve put together an Employee Synergy Survey that may help you evaluate your current organization’s culture vs. your cultural needs - https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c89324792441bf93fdbaa81/t/5ce2e07d3ba31000019c8037/1558372479043/Employment+Synergy+Assessment+.pdf.

We hope it is a helpful start to let go and enjoy the ride.

Ideas to Make Your Day More Enjoyable

If you want to have better control of your life, make choices and set strategies that allow you to take control of your time.

Plan your day, plan for interruptions and how to manage them. You don’t have to say no, but you can say not now.

Use economic reasoning to prioritize your day. Schedule “me time “or “quiet time” to limit interruptions and use that time for things that require your undivided attention, especially if you are in a shared or group workspace. Stand up periodically and try going outside, whether its just to clear your head and get some exercise at lunch or to find a quiet spot to work.

You can” find” time in your day too! For example, use your commute time to fulfill your needs; like listening to music to relax you, or fire you up or podcasts and audiobooks to stay informed, educated or inspired. Healthy multi-tasking can benefit you mental and physical health.

When you are in your workspace, personalize it. Surround your self with things that comfort you, inspire you, and make you happy. You spend most of your day there, make it enjoyable. If you can listen to music, it can accent your mood. Be aware of how it impacts you and your productivity. Studies vary on the impact it can have. You’ll have to decide it its right or appropriate for your work.

Be social with your coworkers and build relationships. Get to know the people who you rely on and rely on you. Avoid gossip, being negative and look for solutions, not problems. Negativism drains your energy and those around you. Have empathy and treat people like you would like to be treated.

Make the most of your time away from work too. Plan and take vacations, even if it is a” stay”-cation.

Plan your weekends, days off and time away from work. Same concepts, prioritize and have some “me” time.  Working to live is better than living to work. Getting prepared the night before can make your mornings less hectic and stressful. Eat breakfast.

Make a checklist that include these strategies and others that work for you, post them where they will prompt you or add them to your calendar.  Check off your accomplishments. You will be surprised at how much you accomplish, and it will act as a reminder to do these things until they become a habit.

Parental Advice

If you are fortunate enough to have your mom, dad, stepmom/dad, grand mom/dad, aunt, uncle, or family friend that serves in this capacity, you know that sometimes they like to give you advice and oftentimes they give you amazing advice that helps you advance and be who you want to be in this world. I’m finding more and more the one place this does not hold true is work.

The workplace has changed so much since some of our parents were in it that sometimes the advice they give you may not be the best advice for your success. When I was new to the workforce, the message we were told was work hard, keep your head down, dress for the next position you want, be in the office before your boss arrived and stay until after they left. Many of you reading this will think it is ridiculous, but that’s what we did, and some organizations still have that mentality and culture. 

So, if you shouldn't get advice from a parental figure, who should you get advice from? In this day and age, it would be best to get advice from your manager about what the expectations are to be successful in your company. We aren’t in the industrial age, so we do not need several levels of management to help us get the task done, we just need clear expectations, great training, and a manager to coach us through our choices.

Does your company have an inclusive planning process, like the Appreciative Inquiry model, to include your voice in the planning process?

Do you have a phenomenal learning and development team to ensure everyone knows what to do when, so your manager has the role of being your coach and guide throughout your time at the organization?  If not, have you ever wondered why? Maybe these would be good questions to ask when you are on a job interview: 

• How will I know how I am doing? 

• What type of training will I receive? 

• How long does the training last? 

• Does the training have metrics to track my success? 

• Who do I talk with about career planning and growth? 

• How do you promote people here? 

In past years, we never would have asked these questions in a job interview, but today they are relevant and should be asked. The more you understand about the culture you work in, the more you will know if it is the right fit for you and IF you are looking for your best life, a culture fit is going to be important. 

I’m not asking you to take my advice, I’m just asking you to think about it.

OK Boomer!

“OK Boomer!”, “Ok Millennial!”, “Can’t we all just get along?”

Every generation thinks the one that came before them just doesn’t get it. Different times, different influences, different discoveries all shape our reality.  Everyone is contemptuous of their elders until the day they wake up and they are old too. It’s likely if you are a Millennial, you were raised by a Boomer.

There has always been generational friction, Boomers gave us the internet, Millennials gave us Facebook, Boomers killed the Caspian tiger, Millennials killed Sears, can we call a truce?

We could make the world a better place if it weren’t for those meddling kids.   Every generation takes a stand, whether its civil rights, feminism and drugs and pot smoking for the Boomers, Millennials for LGBT, Black Lives Matter, Me Too, Legalizing Pot . Even though employees may look different now (piercings, tattoos, gauges and colored hair) but I still think we are all looking for the same thing at work.

Ok Boomers:

An opportunity to learn and grow.I think people genuinely want to expand their knowledge and have opportunities to advance move up and increase their income.

Having balance between our personal and work lifeMaking time for family and friends and interests outside and not letting their job be their sole source of reinforcement and delight.

Recognition and Reward for a job well done.And it’s not always “about the Benjamins”, personalized rewards and recognition mean a lot more.

To be Coached and MentoredLearning and understanding instead of orders and “because I said so!”

Leverage our strengthsWhether it be tech savviness, social media awareness, specific experiences and skills etc. Everyone has something to offer, discover what it is. Get input, seek opinions!

Mix things upHave me do different things, challenge me, make my day interesting. 

OK Millennials:

Request and suggest versus demand

Be confident and not cocky

Be thoughtful in your communication, face to face is better than text when communicating difficult information

Listen, rather than wait to talk.

Single task when you are in someone’s presence, multitasking when conversing is disrespectful, put down your phone.

“Ok everyone!”, Balance having fun with getting things done, now get off my lawn!