Managers Must Remember Feelings

"Man bites off fingertip of other man at Healthcare rally!"

"Man slaps stranger's crying toddler in WalMart!"

These are just two of today's news headlines. Is it me, or are there a lot of angry people out there these days? It's not surprising, given the economy, reality TV and lack of trust in corporate America (among other things).

However -- it did make me think that it's a good time to remind anyone who's a manager to remember that people have feelings. Emotions are running high these days. We're all busy, so it's easy to forget to be "nice", say thank you or just sit and listen to employees.

But it's more important than ever to make extra time.

The majority of employees aren't dangerous or violent. What managers should worry about is the impact of angry employees who suffer quietly and unproductively, who badmouth your company or who subtly sabotage your efforts. That's the biggest threat you face when you ignore feelings at work.

Now get out there and be nice. Or else! Grrrr..!

Careful What you Measure...You Just Might Get It

Did you read the article in the New York Times about the jailor who made a fortune by letting his prisoners go hungry? Apparently in Alabama, there was a law allowing sheriffs to pocket any money left over after they've paid for prisoners' meals. Over a few years, he'd pocketed almost a quarter million dollars.

Of course he gave them corn dogs, peanut butter and scraps. That's what he was incented to do.

It seems obvious, but there's a good lesson here for business. You get what you reward.

In our performance management practice we often see leaders incenting one desired behavior (like cutting costs or growing revenue), while inadvertantly encouraging a bad behavior at the same time.

Here's an example. A salesperson's performance goals are tied soley to revenue growth. Of course that's the key measure...but be careful what you wish for. Do you just want sales growth -- at any cost? What if the salesperson cuts "bad deals" to make monthly goals?

Lesson Learned:

Metrics and incentives are a form of communication. They tell people in your organization what is valued. You get what you incent, so choose carefully to avoid unintended results.

© 2009. Phyllis Roteman of The Loyalty Group, Inc. Sherman Oaks, CA.

Why "Talking" is the Latest Management Trend

Corporate America has been hiding behind technology for the last five years. Why the biggest “new” trend of 2010 will be real human interaction.

Email. IM. Twitter. E-learning. CRM. 24-hour BlackBerry. Sales force automation. Online goals systems.

I propose a radical thought. How about actually talking?

Don’t get me wrong. I value technology. I’m glued to my Blackberry 24/7 like most other business people. I admit that it’s often a struggle to stop my compulsion to tap out an email (while doing other work and checking my BlackBerry) instead of picking up the phone.

However, in my consulting practice over the past five years, I’ve noticed a disturbing trend. People are burying their heads in the sand of technology – diving into email, spreadsheets and technology to avoid actually having conversations with live humans. It’s an example of how something created for good can become destructive (like prescription medication or pizza). Anything good taken in extreme doses can be lethal. Similarly, overused technology can kill good communication, collaboration and high performance in organizations.

Too Much Doing?

It’s not surprising that we’ve gotten to this state. Events over the past five years have created the perfect storm that has pushed people (employees, leaders, internal partners and customers) to retreat further into their computers and often hide from real human interaction.
Increasing economic pressure has thrown many organizations into “doing mode”, where individuals put their heads down like worker bees and just get things done (whether they’re high-value or not). There’s so much activity that there is little or no time left for thinking, planning – or actually talking to each other.

In this whirlwind of activity, it seems quicker and easier to simply fire off a quick email to a colleague when you’re having a conflict or exchanging viewpoints. After all, a real conversation might take time. And what if there are real, uncomfortable issues that come up? How much time will that take?


“Y” Talking to the New Workforce is Critical

In a letter to the editor of Harvard Business Review magazine (July-Aug 2009), Emily Sawyer-Kegerreis, MBA Director at Mississippi State University, observes: “Undermanagement is at an all-time high level of crisis in the workplace. This is becoming increasingly problematic as a new generation of workers demands constant feedback and mentoring.”

I couldn't agree more. Research shows that while the generation now entering the workforce is adept with technology, they crave direct human interaction. Teamwork, a sense of belonging, making a difference and regular feedback are top drivers for this generation. It’s true that some of these drivers can be addressed through technology – via online collaboration, regular email and company intranet sites – they’re not a replacement for talking “live” (in person, on the phone or via web conference).

My prediction is that organizations which hide behind technology and use it as a convenient replacement for conversations will suffer, in terms of eroded customer loyalty, employee engagement and ultimately bottom line results. Let's integrate live, direct communication with technology...a recipe for business success in the future.

© 2009. The Loyalty Group, Inc. Sherman Oaks, CA.

Hope, Courtesy of The Florida Department of Corrections

I'm thinking of hope today. It seems that everyone is cautiously feeling it here in the States. New President. New potential.

Yesterday I received a check in the mail for $24.00. It's restitution from an inmate at the Florida Department of Corrections.

Let me rewind...

About eight years ago an electrical contractor in Florida abandoned a job on my home -- with about $4000 of my down payment. I filed a report, had him tracked down and prosecuted him. They tried to settle, but this guy was a career "scammer" with a record a mile long. I worried that the next person he'd scam would be a little old lady on a fixed income. I thought it would be better to put him behind bars.

The public defender warned me that if I pressed charges and the guy was put behind bars, I'd never see my $4000 again. On the streets, he argued, the man could earn a living and pay back his debt to me.

I wrote off the $4000 and pressed charges. So be it. I took it as a tough lesson on working with contractors.

I never expected to see a dime of restitution. Since that time, I've moved twice --- clear across the country in fact. I've married and had a son.

Then, in yesterday's mail, came an envelope from The Florida Department of Corrections. And there it was, $24.00 in restitution made payable to me. I couldn't believe it. I showed my husband and we laughed. He said to me, "That's the way our justice system is supposed to work, when it's at it's best."

So thank you, Florida prison system, for restoring a bit of hope. For following through on your commitments. For pleasantly surprising me with your follow-through.

There's a business lesson here too. Little things, like following up, make a big difference.

Post-script to "Sales Blunders" Post

Since posting my last blog entry, someone close to me emailed, wondering why I -- a successful sales consultant who's trying to market her business -- would publish such basic sales mistakes for the world (and prospective clients) to see. What about my reputation?

First, I'm honest enough to admit that I've made some pretty stupid mistakes along the way. Every expert and professional has. Anyone who claims they haven't is lying, arrogant or lacking self-awareness. Remember Michael Jordan's baseball career? Al Gore saying that he created the internet (or something like that)? Oprah flaunting her weight loss to her fans, then later admitting that she'd had liposuction? Famous people cursing when they thought the microphone was off? Oops!

Second, if you can't laugh at and move on from your mistakes, you'll either beat yourself up over them (NOT productive) or you'll never learn from them.

That said -- I don't make a lot of mistakes. But when I do, I remember them and don't make them again. Phyllis

Stupid Sales Blunders

Note to self: Don't do that again.

Falling on your face is a great educator.

In that vein, I'm going to confess two of the most embarrassing things I've said and done in my 20+ year sales career. Funny how they're little things -- that make a big impact.

Want to Chat?
The first year I started my business, I did a lot of "warm calling". I'd research companies I wanted to target, then make the call. I'd get up and start calling at 7 am, hoping to catch decision makers at their desks.

One woman I'd been trying to reach for months was the Director of Training for a major auto dealership on the east coast. One early morning, to my surprise, she answered her own phone. Caught off guard, I introduced myself and said, "I was hoping we could chat about your business and see if there might be a fit with what we offer." Flatly, the woman replied, "I don't have time to chat."

Note to self:
Most of the time, you only get one shot at an opportunity. Don't blow it by winging it. Always be ready and focused, even at 7 am.


Relaying Two Much on Spill Check
You know where this is going, right?
Big proposal. Fortune 100 prospect. Big typo.

Yes, we misspelled the client company's name throughout the proposal.

I don't want to give the company name, but let's say that it includes a word that's commonly misspelled -- like principal and principle. Alas, the client wasn't very forgiving and (surprise!) we didn't get the business.

Note to self:
Details can win or lose business. We put a lot of work into that proposal - and it was good. Don't ever let something like a (big) spelling error kill you.

If you think you've got me beat with a really silly sales blunder, please share!


Copyright 2008. Phyllis Roteman. The Loyalty Group. Sherman Oaks, CA.

Avoid "Flavor of the Month" Change

• Do employees sigh and roll their eyes when they hear about a new change happening at your company?

• Do veterans wait out or resist change because they know it'll fade away - like a hundred other programs they've seen come and go?

• Are you facing the rollout of a major change, but afraid that it'll be perceived as another "flavor of the month" company initiative?

If your organization has a legacy of shifting from one major change to the next, without much to show for it, expect resistance to anything touted as "new" by senior leadership.

There's a limit to how many times an employee can rally 'round a new initiative, shift gears, serve on change committees, get excited and raise their hopes...only to see the "important initiative" fizzle and disappear without much explanation. After a while, it's understandable why people become cynical.

So what's a leader to do? If you've inherited a "flavor of the month" culture where cynicism for anything new abounds, what do you do? How do you implement change when a large part of your organization is just waiting for it to fail and go away?

While there is no magic formula for implementing change successfully, there are some basics that almost every successful change initiative covers. The challenge is just doing them. I have found that most organizations fail in executing these basics of change management.

Below is a checklist of basic elements that make change stick. It's not comprehensive, so feel free to post your own change tips. If you do these things consistently - before, during and after change - you can earn organizational trust and turn even the most cynical employees into committed supporters of change.

Over-communicate

There's a saying: Tell them what you're going to say. Say it. Then tell them what you just said.

Don't be afraid to over-communicate in times of change. Ask questions, talk, exchange ideas, give updates, share success stories and seek feedback. You may feel like you're repeating yourself, but repetition is how people learn, remember and believe. Think about religious services. People go week after week repeating the same prayers, but they're still comforting. Repetition breeds familiarity and trust. Familiarity and trust is just what most people need to stay focused and motivated during the uncertainty and chaos that accompanies change.

Prepare the "story" and paint the picture

It's human nature to want to feel involved. Employees want to know the big picture - the rationale behind the change, the vision and specifically where they fit in. Ask yourself: Can all leaders in our organization - in a consistent way - tell their employees the "story" behind the change, the rationale, and how they'll be affected? Remember that employees talk. If leaders tell different stories about the change initiative, employees will lose trust - and the rumor mill will take over.

Ask open-ended questions and listen

Most leaders tend to ask closed-ended questions. Closed-ended questions ask people to answer with a yes or no response - or make a choice between options you present. Why? They're easy to ask, quick and safer than asking open-ended questions. (If I ask an open-ended question, what if I hear things I don't want to hear?!!) In a follow-up blog, I'll provide a "cheat sheet" of powerful open-ended questions leaders can ask during times of change.

Set clear expectations

Make sure your "story" includes your best, realistic estimate of how long the change initiative will take (most major change takes years). Obama did a good job of conveying this through his campaign. He tempered his uplifting vision of hope with a dose of realism. It's not going to be easy. It may feel worse before it gets better. We're going to require you to get involved.

Celebrate successes and milestones

This is easy to forget. In the chaos of change, leaders often lose site of the big picture and how far they've come. For morale, it's critical to pause and celebrate even the smallest successes on the way to change. This celebration reminds people that progress is being made. Remember, change happens slowly (three steps forward, two steps back). It's important to celebrate the three forward steps.

Copyright 2008. Phyllis Roteman. The Loyalty Group. Sherman Oaks, CA.