Top Line Performance

To Invest or Not…In People

Give a little thought to this hypothetical exchange: The CEO asks CFO: “What happens if we invest in people and they leave us?” The CFO responds: ”What happens if we don’t, and they stay?”

There are multiple possible “learning messages” in this story. What you take away from the story might include:
• The “better performance” that is realized by tapping into the talents and capabilities of employees will be a positive ROI for the employer and the employee.
• Growing and developing employees is more than just words. Growing and developing people is showing you have respect for them and value them. That can influence a person to stay a part of such a workplace.
• It may also communicate that the Employers/Supervisors have the power to create self-fulfilling prophecies of success or failures in their employees.

(Or, as Richard Bransom is quoted: “Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”)

Then there is this take: “There’s rarely a good time to invest in people. There’s only the right time…and that’s now.” Anonymous

And then there is this sort of “reverse logic” perspective: If I’m able to “train people up” to perform to their capability and to their capacity, the end result will be that I “get more time back; to be able to do more of the things I don’t have time to do now. Hmm, am I being selfish? Hmm, that refers to that 28,800 seconds in my workday doesn’t it? IKR

Net, net, bottom-line. However, you get there…just do it. Invest in people.

More: TLPerformance.com MoPilesAuthor.com

Go Ahead. I Dare You.

In fact, I’m going to double-dare you.

You know the mental image associated with my 24-hour clock exercise. One of the takeaways from that exercise includes the recognition that each of you probably spends more time at work with the people you supervise than you spend with members of your own families or with people in your “private social circle”.

Behaviors you “act out” and even those you don’t act out (it will make sense to you later) actually shape your “legacy over time”. Why do I say that? Well, the people you supervise are spending the same ratio of their conscious and awake time…with you as well.

Both groups can just continue to go through the motions of what they call “work”. And, if they choose to do that, it will all too often continue to be “unfulfilling” drudgery: Just “showing up” and “going through the motions”.

How would you like “work” to be different? It can be. But if you want “work” to be different, you have to “dare to go first”. For example:
• You have to say GOOD MORNING or GOOD AFTERNOON first.
• You have to know enough about them to know they have kids on a sports team or in the play at school..and ask how it went.
• You have to tell the new hire that you are glad they are part of the team…and make it safe for other coworkers to do the same.
• You have to set Standards of Respect for how people treat each other and be a role model.

Simply put, you have to create a workplace culture that you would enjoy coming to every day. Enjoy coming to, more than you even do right now. That’s all.

I double dare you to go for it.

Checkout TLPerformance.com MoPilesAuthor.com

Which are you? A Theory X or Theory Y Supervisor?

As defined by Douglas McGregor, a Social Psychologist in the 1960s:

Theory X: The “Average person” dislikes work and will try to avoid it. Most people must be forced with the threat of punishment to work. He continued this perception of the workforce as populated by people preferring to be directed and avoid responsibility. This view included the perspective that most workers are unambitious and want security above all else.

Theory Y: A contrary view of the “workforce”. In this view, expending effort In work is as natural as play. He went on to suggest that people will apply self-control and self-direction in the pursuit of organizational objectives. And commitment to objectives is a function of rewards associated with their achievement. This view also depicts people usually accepting and often seeking responsibility. McGregor also suggested that the intellectual potential of the average person is only partly utilized.

McGregor encouraged Employers and Supervisors to adopt his Theory Y view of workers. IKR

Which view do you subscribe to?

Here’s why I ask.

It’s been my observation that Supervisors create “self-fulfilling prophecies” when it comes to their interactions with their staffs. What do I mean? I mean that if you subscribe to the Theory X view of “people in the workplace” they will prove you right. However, if you subscribe to the Theory Y view of the people who work for you the overwhelming majority will prove you right.

It’s up to you. Are you a Theory X Supervisor/Manager or are you a Theory Y?

More at: Tlperformance.com and MoPilesAuthor.com

Comfort Zones

So what’s a “comfort zone”? Well, “comfort zone” is a term that describes a “safe place” where we “don’t risk”. It’s doing the same thing over and over because this results in an “Acceptable Outcome”. Unfortunately, it also can result in a lack of growth or development. It’s a construct that dates back to the early 1800’s.

For some of us, a comfort zone suggests “acceptability”. Too often used to rationalize the perception that there is “no need to strive for improvement in possible outcomes, effectiveness, and productivity.”

It’s an easy trap to fall into. “Comfort zone” suggests a psychological state that “feels safe”. There is a low level of hesitation or fear associated with “doing” something because there is a high probability for an “acceptable outcome”.

Unfortunately, if you never dare to perform to a higher level of achievement you will never enjoy the experience of discovering new boundaries, new capabilities, new improved personal and professional growth areas. The act of “daring to do different in pursuit of Better” can be exhilarating and rewarding. The process of “daring to do different” brings new expectations of you by you. And, the prospect of acting/behaving outside your comfort zone can also be a source of “new energy”.

If you look at yourself in the mirror and recognize that you have the potential to be better at your job, do something about it. If in your gut, you feel you could be a better supervisor of people, try to.

So, go ahead. I dare you. Dare to “do better”, “be better”. One step at a time. Create new comfort zones.

More: MoPilesAuthor.com

DARE TO BE PROUD

“Anyone in any walk of life who is content with mediocrity is untrue to himself.” General George Patton Jr.
For those of you who have history of reading my newsletters recognize my affinity for Patton. (That’s who I am named after.) IKR

And, I recently saw a wall poster that said “Never wake up to be mediocre.” That made a second-relate to the idea of “acceptance of mediocrity”. Could that really happen? Surely not with you or me; but with others, maybe. (Another IKR.)

Here are some ideas for you to consider…
• You don’t have to be “the best”. You just need to expect that you will be “the best that you can be” and accept nothing less of yourself.
• Be able to describe the workplace that you would like to go to every day yourself? So, now that you know what it would look like; create it.
• You don’t have to “like” each of your staff members as “friends, buddies, or pals”. But, there should never be a question of respect-based treatment of every one of them. So many things go better if you do.
• Develop a legacy for how you are known now, how you will be remembered… for “setting people up to succeed”.

It’s simple really.

Dare to be Proud of who you are and how you do it.

That’s all.

Oh, one more thing. HAPPY HOLIDAYS

More: MoPilesauthor.com