Want Job Security? Become a Utility Player Pt. 3

In the first two segments of this series, I focused on why being a utility player can certainly increase one's chances of keeping their job if, and more likely when, their company is faced with tough economic conditions. Companies need and want people on board who will show a willingness to learn and do more and not simply retreat to the comfortable excuse of 'it's not my job." It's the utility player that stands out, demonstrates value and avoids the horror of being expendable when the corporate ax starts looking for dead wood.

So we get why being a utility player is important to the company, but what does it mean to the company's customers? Well that's when a utility player really shines! You see nothing in business happens without a customer. Customers need products. Customers need services. Customers have questions. Customers have concerns. Customers have needs that they don't even know they have yet. No matter what the case, utility players understand and appreciate the fact that the customer will always need something and they are willing to step up to the plate and help no matter when and where they are called to do so.

What if you were to approach your job and your customers with this simple phrase: "Whatever you need, feel free to call me and I will do everything I can do to help." Would you be viewed differently? Would your customers think positively or negatively about you? Even if you don't have the necessary skills, access, information or whatever it is that they need, you have something....a willingness to help. People remember that. People value that. People love and respect that.

So you say, "Steve you silly boy, I don't work with customers. I am held deep within the bowels of my corporate structure and never see the client. How can I possibly step up and be a utility player for those customers I never touch?"

To which my response is....nothing happens in a vacuum. We all work with customers. The only difference between you who may be locked deep inside the walls of your corporate fortress and me, the one who deals with the public virtually every day is not so different. We both serve the customer. The only difference is you serve your internal customer (co-workers, boss, managers, suppliers, vendors, etc.) and I server the external customer (those people who write us checks for the products and services we sell).

Being the go to person for either the internal or external customer is a powerful position. Utility players like you and me want to step up and play those positions if and when we are called upon to do so and sometimes....even when we aren't called to do so. Remember, utility players see a need, a gap or a something that just needs to happen and they don't wait for direction...they simply step up and take action. It's through these kinds of actions that both our customers and corporations begin to realize and appreciate the value having someone like us around.

As we draw this series to a conclusion I have a challenge for you. Ask yourself what it is that you could be learning, doing or attempting right now to add value and worth to your contribution to your organization right now? The answers are there if you Grasshopper are willing to hop a little further down the path to seek them out.

The challenge isn't really the question but the answer. And ultimately are you really willing to step up to the plate and be the utility player your management team, corporate ownership and ultimately your customers need you to be?

The answer can only be yours to give.

Ripple On!!!


P.S. If you liked this series and would be interested in learning more about becoming a utility player for your company or perhaps you lead a team and need some inspiration along this line for your team, we should talk. I have both personal coaching programs and corporate day trainings that I give in this area. Feel free to email me at steve@ripplecentral.com

Want Job Security? Become a Utility Player Pt. 2

On Monday's post I discussed how utility players have a better shot at keeping their jobs during trying economic times because the companies they work for can typically count on them more. They demonstrate more versatility, more willingness to learn and of course show their value through action by just plain doing more than the "average" employee. It is through their actions and their measurable willingness to take on more that makes it easy for management to know who to keep and who to let go when times are tough.

So how do you become a utility player?

Great question! In fact the first step to becoming a utility player for your company is by asking questions just like that and many more like:

How do I do more? How can I learn more? How can I develop the skill that this department or that department needs? Who do I need to shoulder up with to learn more? Who is willing to take the time to teach me? Who is struggling and needs help? What needs to be done that no one else wants to do? What gaps does my company have that I can fill? What skills do I possess that no one has yet seen? What would the boss like to see? What does the boss need? What does my team lack? Where are we dropping the ball as an organization? Where else can my skills and experience be used? Where is the mop?

The list of questions are actually endless. No matter what questions you may need to be asking, it's the answers to them that will give you the first clue as to how to identify and become one of your company's utility players. Think about it, who on your team right now steps up to ask these questions? I suspect few if any do....am I right?

The quickest way to get yourself noticed and appreciated by the higher ups is to start asking these questions and many more like them. Listen to what answers are given and then volunteer to step up and take a spot at helping in the areas that need help. Sure, sure, I can hear many of the naysayers now saying, "I already have too much on my plate. I could not possibly take on more. They don't pay me enough to do more." Blah, blah, blah.

I read somewhere recently that the average American worker only works an average of 5.5 hours per day (can't put my finger on the article at present but will update in the future if I can locate it again). The rest of the time is squirreled away playing on the Internet, text messaging, taking personal phone calls and a myriad or other non-work related activities. Is it any wonder why the excuses pile up? More work means less play and that makes Jack and Jane dull boys and girls.

No. It just means Jack and Jane are the easy first targets when it comes time to start slashing the red ink.

The choice is yours of course but I am here to tell you that demonstrating a willingness to learn and take on more will be one of the best ways to get yourself recognized, noticed and valued by the boss or business owner. Heck just asking some of the questions I have outlined above will set you so far ahead of the rest of the sheep that good things are bound to come from just asking.

Try it. What do you have to lose? The utility player isn't playing for the glory, they are just filling a role that needs to be filled. At minimum you pick up some more work experience that you might not otherwise have gotten and of course define yourself in the hearts and minds of those who matter as a "go to" guy or gal. Seems like a fairly even trade especially when it comes time to see who needs to stay and who needs to go. I myself would rather be the utility player that is uncuttable - what about you?

In my next post we will discuss how being a good utility player can help you Ripple your way to better, stronger relationships with your prospects and clients.

Ripple On!!!

Want Job Security? Become a Utility Player

The most valuable asset to a company is an employee with a willingness to learn. Why? Because people who demonstrate a willingness to learn, to try anything new, are quite simply more involved and engaged and often more committed to the company. These people often demonstrate the ability and versatility to take on new tasks, challenges and entirely new responsibilities and become people that the company depends on in times of need or forced change. I call these employees your utility players.

Much like in sports where a player is not only good in one position but is good in many positions, utility players have their place in the workplace as well. Utility players often play pivotal roles during trying economic times with their willingness to take on more responsibilities outside their job requirements. They step up to the plate to do the heavy lifting when most others retreat into the "it's not my job" hole of mediocrity.

If you look closely, I am sure you would find many faceless and nameless people who helped many of today's major corporations breakout from obscurity and become something in the marketplace. The thing is most utility players simply do the job that they see needs to be done, not simply the one before them. They aren't in it for the glory and fame and often are the least outwardly recognizable. But these little bright stars in the vast blackness of most corporate entities are almost always the most assured to be safe when corporate layoffs take place. Let's face facts, if you're the executive having to decide who to cut during a layoff do you want to cut the man or woman that just does their job (as outlined in the job description) or do you want someone who demonstrates their willingness to do more, take on more and perhaps get their hands a little dirty along the way?

The answer is obvious.

We will tackle how you become a utility player for both your company and your clients in an upcoming BLOG post. For today, I just wanted to get you thinking about how versatile you really are in your present job and just how close or far you may be from becoming one of your company's most treasured and valued utility players.

Ripple On!!!

Engagement Helps Makes Your Company Recession Proof

Baton the hatches and sound the alarm! Every news channel, newspaper or business periodical is predicting an impending recession. Business owners are already scratching their heads as they grapple with whom amongst their staff they will have to let go when the economic vise begins to tighten. Companies are evaluating promotional offers, considering lowering prices and are becoming less focused on customer service.

There's no doubt about it....times are looking pretty bleak. In fact for some, the distant future is looking downright scary. Many companies will be hurt by a downturn in the economy; some as you might suspect won't survive. People will unfortunately lose their jobs as organizations tighten the belt in an effort to survive. Customers will be inevitably affected as both quality and service of some products and services will undoubtedly begin to suffer.

Bleak times for sure. It reminds me of late 1999 when the Dot.Bomb explosion happened. Our economy which had been buoyed somewhat by the dawning of a brick and mortar-less model of doing business through the Internet began to see the same economic fears bubbling to the surface. People were scared. People were worried that we were headed right smack into a recession at that time too.

I remember sitting at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon sometime in late 1999 and listening to other business executives and owners complain about the economy. Their fears were not unfounded, much like the concerns of today, as discussions of how many businesses would not survive the tough economic times ahead. I remember sitting quietly and just listening and taking it all in. A man whom I had known for quite some time said to me, "Aren't you worried Steve. You just started a new venture and you have mouths to feed. Doesn't all of this scare you?"

I will admit I was a bit concerned on the inside; hard not to be when you live in the world of 24 Hour news channels. But my reply to him is the same as it would be today. "No."

The times ahead are survivable for smart executives and business owners. The single reason I was able to grow my company in a time when people were facing decisions much like they are today was I had prepared. I had engaged my customers and prospects and gave compelling and economically sound reasons to buy from me and to continue buying from me. I had created a strong bond with my prospects by understanding how I helped ease some of the economic pressures they might be facing and how my products and solutions could actually help them do more with less. I engaged them and learned from them. I did not sell them. I did not attempt to wow them with desperate discounts. I invested in them so they would feel comfortable investing with me.

These economic times are survivable my friends and I believe your ability to engage your prospects, customers, vendors and your employees is an essential strategy. So how engaged are you with them? Remember when people are thinking about which bills to pay they often factor into who they like and enjoy doing business with the most before deciding who should get paid now and who should wait. Employees who might be susceptible to greener pasture opportunities are less likely to leave the company if they have a strong relationship with their boss or management team. Customers are less likely to abandon ship for a lower discounted offer when they feel valued by the companies they do business with.

So again I ask you, how engaged are you?

There are too many ways to leverage the power of engagement to go into here. If you're interested I would suggest picking up my book to learn more about how I leveraged the power of engagement and connection to not only survive and grow my business but in the end find the path I was truly destined to be on. Click here for information on purchase my book.

Just remember, engagement is a key factor to surviving the troubled waters ahead. You don't have to lose those customers. You don't have to quit selling the products and services you need to sell at the price you need to get. You don't need to worry about losing your key staff to more lucrative and secure offers. You do need to start engaging on every conceivable level and you need to start today!

Good luck. Good Rippling. And for God's sake...turn off those negative news channels and put down those bad news newspapers. Go prove these pundits wrong. You can do it. I believe in you!

Ripple On!!!

Employee Engagement Means More Financial Success

Hello from Chicago! I will be presenting and Rippling the Women's Franchise Network tonight. Should be a really fun group and I it sounds like they are expecting a record setting attendance. How cool is that? Wish me luck!

So anyway......

Chief Learning Officer Magazine wrote an interesting article about employee engagement and the very direct impact it has on a company's financial success and employee retention. The article reveals some of the truly interesting findings of the Towers Perrin Global Workforce Study. One nugget that specifically caught my attention stated that "The study found that companies with the highest levels of employee engagement achieve better financial results and are more successful in retaining their most valued employees than companies with lower levels of engagement."

Hmm....didn't I say something very similar in some earlier BLOG posts this year on team engagement and connectiveness (this is a Steveism if you are wondering)?

I speak about employee engagement on a regular basis and how having a proactive plan for connecting people within an organization is an executive's secret weapon of success. Engaged employees are far more likely to feel ownership to their roles and responsibilities within the company and that translates into positive Ripples throughout the organization; innovation, creativity, better communication, and yes more contributory attitudes to forwarding the jointly held financial football are just a few.

Recently I spoke with an executive from a Fortune 100 company who before attending a Ripple couldn't just didn't see the power of helping people engage and connect, at least not within his company. Following my presentation and after putting him through an actual 8 Minute Ripple with executives from different companies, he came up to me and said with a big smile that he "got it." The light bulb was actually visibly shinning brightly about his head as we spoke. He now understood just how much we really think we actually connect but that in society and in our own trenches we really don't have a clue. The Ripple philosophy and process made it safe and fun for him to step outside of his box to discover that connecting wasn't difficult or hard, it just needed to be done differently.

Regular readers of my BLOG know that I am passionate about what the Ripple can do for individuals and companies alike. The Towers Perrin study only further supports my need to grow my business and bring more Ripples to corporate teams, departments, partnerships and alliances. It validates my gut instinct as to why so many companies so desperately need a rallying cry that resonates throughout their organizations. The Ripple certainly makes a good rallying cry in my humble opinion.

To read more about the study please click here.

To learn more about what a Ripple-centric program might mean to your organization, please feel free to email me at steve@ripplecentral.com or call me at 512.577.3700.

No matter what you do, if you are in an leadership capacity for your company, do something...anything to get and keep your people engaged. The value so far outweighs the effort. I think the Towers Perrin researchers would agree.

Ripple On!!!

Steve

Shyness

I presented the Ripple to the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers this past weekend in Philadelphia. It was a fun group and despite the early hour on a Saturday morning still managed to have some incredible energy and enthusiasm for what I had to say and show them. They really embraced the concept and despite some initial trepidation in the uniqueness of the format (after all it was a room full of very smart and engineers who are used to being in control), Rippled their way to some fantastic connections. Based on the incredible feedback I received at the end of my presentation it continues to prove the Ripple works in any environment, for any audience and at any hour!

One question that came up as people left the session was worth sharing. A young man from Boeing approached me and asked me how to overcome being really, really shy. It was a great question and one that, believe it or not, I struggle with myself. You see, I am very shy myself and always have been.

Fortunately for me I learned fairly early in my adult life that shyness was a crutch and that crutch could turn into a full blow disability if I didn’t do something about it. I realized that being a shy kid was sort of cute and got me noticed but as I grew up and became an adult my shyness was no longer getting me noticed, it was getting me ignored. Bottom line I knew if I was ever going to achieve anything in life I had to overcome my shyness and get out there and announce to the world “I am here and you want to know me!”

My advice to this young man was simple: do something….anything to get an upper-hand on his shyness. For him to make the right kinds of connections and get himself noticed it is critical for him to take proactive steps to battling this very large but beatable beast. I suggested he force himself to look for opportunities to practice overcoming his shyness by getting to know the people he works with better. Work is a perfect test laboratory for us all to try getting better at engaging and connecting. I told him to start by saying “hi” to people that he wouldn’t ordinarily engage in conversation. Start small and start looking for those connection points by asking good engagement questions. The more he learns about the people he works with the easier it will be to engage them in ongoing future conversation. This simple act of saying something, anything to people he sees but doesn’t know well, will help him gain confidence and become more comfortable and yes….less shy.

I am no pop psychologist and in fact I can honestly say that I write and speak about what I know and what has worked for me; it might not work for everyone. But as I told this young man, shyness could have kept me as a lonely little insignificant worker bee but I refused to let it define me. Because I overcame my shyness I have managed to accomplish so much more in life and actually play in the game rather than watch it from the sidelines.

I hope that young man is walking the halls of Boeing this morning and deciding to get into the game as well.

Workplace Tension Can't Be Ignored - Part Four

I think we can agree that workplace tension exists and can wreck havoc in all aspects of our lives; not just while on the job. Research has shown that people who are unhappy at work or are subjected to a dysfunctional work environment are more likely to take out their pent up frustrations outside the job. They have unhappier personal relationships, they often experience depression, turn to drugs or alcohol or simply come home and take it out on Fido the dog. Well in the spirit saving Fidos around the world, let's see how the Ripple-Centric philosophy might help someone overcome and maybe even positively impact workplace tension.

The fundamental premise of my work is simple; treat people like you would want to be treated. Yes I know it's a turn the cheek kind of thing and may seem overly simplistic especially when you are dealing with a jerk like Archie in the workplace, but often the best solutions are the simplest ones of all.

If Archie is the key source of the workplace tension, short-circuit him or her. Engage Archie in conversation before he or she has an opportunity to crap on your day. Ask about their weekend, learn what you can about their home life, their hobbies, their favorite sports team. Ask specific targeted questions like "So Archie what do you do with your weekends?" or "You know Archietta (my made up female name) you always look so put together, where do you get your shoes." Ask these questions with a genuine look of interest and most importantly look them in the eye with just a glint of smile to show them you are a person...not an object.

You will be surprised, taking the first step by engaging someone who is otherwise used to having the first, and often painful, first word is a complete brain scramble to them. It will definitely force a state change and alter their normal way of communication and when you do that...well amazing things can start to happen. At minimum its am important first step.

Most company grouches are that way because subconsciously they don't feel like a part of what you and I belong to. They often feel like the outsider and many people use negative behavior as a means of showing they here and important too...YOU WILL NOTICE ME! To you and me it sounds so counter-productive but think of it from the other side of the fence. If I am a jerk to you, your department or I am the creator or chaos, I can't be ignored. Well show them you acknowledge them by short-circuiting their way of communicating by introducing a completely different track.

Though it seems painful and if Archie happens to be the boss, it can seem like a daunting task to engage them in conversation that at first will seem foreign to you but trust me...it works. Bottom line people like to be included and one way of doing that is engaging them in conversation early and often. Start the dialogue with Archie and then try a few of these things:

Ripple is all about taking action. The fundamental concept is taking action on someone else's behalf to effect some positive outcome without any expectation of repayment or reward.

• So let's say you learn that Archie is a Cubs fan. Bring in the Baseball weekly for him with the hottest new Cub's pitcher on the front page. Attach a note that says "Archie, thought you might want this. Enjoy! Steve." Leave it on his chair so he discovers it he comes back from lunch.
  

• Offer to take Archie and his department out for coffee or happy hour. Get people outside the walls of the office and get people talking. In my former company, the one way I got the service and sales staff to stop fighting and start talking was getting them to the same bar and letting the alcohol naturally breakdown some of the barriers to communication. I may have had a big bar bill at the end of those nights but the seeds of relationships were planted during those nights too and crop of better respect and communication amongst the staff was well worth it.
  

• Don't continue to ignore it! Call tension on the carpet. Stand up in a meeting and take it on the chin for the team. My department appears to have a problem with your department. Where did this come from and what can we do to fix it. The Ripple philosophy is all about open and honest communication but in a team environment and in all honesty between individuals, it takes someone to jump into the deep end of the pool first. Do it....the water may look dark and scary but it won't be for long and by your valiant effort will go a long way to helping people open up and start really talking.
  

• Find your connection points with Archie and his team and don't ever stop exploring for more of them. Sure you found out that Archie loves the Cubs but become a detective and try to uncover Archie's story. What brought him to the company. What does he like or dislike about the job. What goals and aspirations might he have. The sky is really the limit if you are inclined to try.

I literally could go on forever on this subject and I realize that each work environment doesn't just get literally changed by being nicer. Or do I? If you work for a company or with an individual that makes you miserable and causes you stress and tension, you are to blame. That's right....I said it....YOU ARE TO BLAME.

You have a choice. You can choose to be the change you want to see in your work environment and commit to taking steps to change a little piece of you, your attitude, your environment and your relationships every day or you can continue to sit there and be miserable. No one, nor anything thing, can make you miserable without you first allowing it. You have to give the power of permission over to someone or something first in order to do that. SO DON'T!

You have a choice. You can be the change you want to see in others by setting the example or you can choose to leave. Don't give me that b.s. about jobs are hard to find and blah blah blah. Nothing is hard if you put your mind to it. That includes playing an active role in reversing the affects of workplace tension.

I feel like Clint Eastwood needs to pop up and say something like "Well punk, you gonna try? Well are you?" If you won't do it for yourself, do it for Fido!!!

If you are really facing some challenges in your work environment and need more direct and focused help or advice, feel free to contact me directly and let's chat. My email is steve AT Ripplecentral dot com. (Sorry to do the type out version but these SPAM BOTS are attacking BLOGGER now and it's better to be safe than sorry."

Ripple On and Don't Continue To Ignore The Workplace Tension! Fido thanks you!

Steve

Workplace Tension Can't Be Ignored - Part Three

In the last post we touched on Archie, the difficult man or woman who can add to or single-handily creates a tense work environment through their attitude, demeanor or work ethic. What are you to do when faced with the male or female equivalent of a one person wrecking machine?

In the case of my client we had to have a very serious heart to heart talk about the Ripple Effect of this person's actions. True the guy was a producer and was someone who had literally helped elevate the company to the level of success it was currently enjoying but not without real cost. In talking with the CEO it became apparent that the organization had lost some great talent because of this individual; people who could no longer work around him. They had also lost some customers due to the abrasive nature of this individual; though up until that point the CEO had looked at losses as palatable provided Archie brought in new business to make up the difference. But in the grander scheme, the CEO didn't really realize how letting this guy through his actions create a difficult environment for everyone else was actually how he was viewed by his other employees as a leader. Simply put, he was losing the respect of his people by continuing to ignore the situation and leaving it for everyone else to have to deal with.

It wasn't until we got to that point that I got his attention and he admitted something needed to change.

If you own a company, manage an organization, or lead a team, your people take their cues from the top. Many business leaders don't understand or appreciate just how critical a role they play in creating an environment that is either, productive and full of potential, or one that is tense and stressful and fraught with turmoil. Sure some leaders understand it and take some of the steps we talked about in part one but more often than not most ignore it and hope the problem goes away. You and I both know that rarely happens and the only thing that ends up going away are the good people you want there working for you in the first place.

So what can you do to overcome some of the issues that create workplace tension? Here's a few suggestions that may be worth exploring in greater detail (you, me, your CEO, etc.) than what we could possibly cover in a BLOG post. But let's hit some of the highlights.

Committed leadership - You have to people who consciously look at the work environment and are prepared to take whatever necessary action to make the work environment the best it can be. People take their cues from the top and often overcoming workplace tension begins and ends at the top. If you are a leader or work for a leader who doesn't understand this, we should talk!

Committed Communication - We all think we know how to communicate but we are all quirky and our quirkiness can often create problems. An organization that is committed to helping their people work together to be the very best that they can be will spend conscious time helping people identify how they communicate; their style in day to day communications, in stressful situations, when creativity is needed, when there is conflict with a co-worker, etc.. Helping people understand themselves and how they interact and react to others can have a huge payoff for an organization and eliminate a lot of workplace tension and stress.

Have a Communication Sherpa - Every organization I have ever worked with has a "connector/relater" in their midst. Someone who can seamlessly bridge interdepartmental squabbles, fire up the troops on a given issue or understands the rumblings of the company. Formalizing a process to allow these people to become the go-betweens can do a lot to resolve issues that otherwise get swept under the carpet but tend to never go away.

Help People Engage - We spend countless hours at our jobs yet research has shown that most employees feel completely unattached to the people they work with. Disengagement leads to people to view people as objects rather than people. Companies need to take specific actions to make it comfortable and safe for people to get to know one another on an individual basis. Informal coffee chats, connection activities (Hmmmm Team Ripple anyone? -see new video), discovery games, open work environments (get people out of the cubicles), coloring contests (yes...I said coloring contests), and a whole host of other activities to get PEOPLE TALKING and talking about something other "the job." Employee engagement is absolute essential for short circuiting workplace tension (for more on this subject check an earlier BLOG series on this by clicking here).

These are just a few concepts that can help ease workplace tension. In my final post of this series, we will explore a little bit more about how the actual Ripple philosophy can be applied within the workplace to effect change and overcome tension that might exist.

Ripple On!!!


Steve

Workplace Tension Can't Be Ignored - Part Two

One of my consulting clients has a guy on staff that is like the Archie Bunker of the company. Even if you don't know who Archie is, you likely have worked with this guy (or gal equivalent)...or someone like it. He's a negative angry individual who wouldn't be happy if God himself came down and hand fed him warm porridge from a golden plate while angels rubbed his feet and sang beautiful hymns until he fell asleep.

To shortcut further description...the guy is an ass through and through.

In my short time working with this client, I have seen people literally avoid talking to the guy for fear of the outlandish response that they might get to a question, inquiry or a simple offer of good morning. The CEO of the company puts up with this guy because he is basically a producer delivering consistent sales numbers month after month. "How can I get rid of someone who makes the company money?" was his response to me when I asked why he kept this guy around.

My response was simple, straightforward and 100% true. How can you afford not to?

Workplace tension can be created by a number of sources; sales budgets, company performance, customer satisfaction issues, leadership, workplace culture, vision or expectations and yes, and this is likely one of the biggest, people. Nothing happens in a vacuum. Any company doing anything out there requires people and unfortunately we don't always get to handpick the people we work with or (in the case of this CEO) depend on.

Though there are many sources for workplace tension, I am a people person and thus that is the number one area that I focus on with my clients. Those other listed symptoms for workplace tension are so much easier handled when they arise if you have a team of people who work well with one another and are able to collectively come together to tackle issues TOGETHER.

In the next post we will explore specific strategies on dealing with the Archie's of the workplace and talk about some strategies for helping people communicate more effectively in the workplace.

Ripple On!!!

Steve

Workplace Tension Can't Be Ignored

Workplace Tension Can't Be Ignored - Part One

Do you have people on your team that don't get along? Perhaps it's you that has a hard time with someone else? Workplace tension is one the leading causes of employee dissatisfaction, absenteeism, diminished productivity and employee and customer turnover.

We have all likely experienced workplace tension at some point in our lives; probably more than once. It can be painful, disturbing and lead to many sleepless nights and plenty of ongoing anxiety.

Some companies ignore the situation all together in hopes that it "will just work itself out." Some do, the news has been littered with stories of workplace shootings these past several years. Some companies get very parochial and call offending parties on the carpet and expect a momentary tongue lashing to solve the problems. This is the adult version of being called into the Principal's office to be told that the "big fight" that is supposed to happen at 3PM on the playground isn't going to happen between you and the school bully. Sure, sure the fight won't happen today when the Principal is watching for it, it will just move to tomorrow much like how employee strife continues to live on after the "trip to the office" but now may be worse. Still other companies choose to try to assuage the situation by scheduling team-building days in hopes that by doing a ropes course or round of Kum Ba Ya songs around the old campfire will magically transform mortal workplace enemies into beer drinking buds.

Many of these things though practical in certain circumstances, and as a former boss, easier and less stressful to implement are often high in cost, short on results and lack congruent solution to a burgeoning problem that can and will continue to grow.

One of my favorite quotes that I am sorry to say I can't find a reference to the source to give proper credit is....
"Resentment is the super secret promise of revenge."

Workplace tension is often very much the embodiment of resentment and, and this is big, the true lack of communication. AND yes....you knew I was going to say it....CONNECTION.

In the next post I will give some ideas that companies can consider to ease workplace tension and how the Ripple philosophy can be implemented within the corporate culture to help diminish (notice I didn't say eliminate) tension amongst employees. Stay Tuned!

Postscript.....

We weekend will be jam packed as I begin working on finalizing the outline for my new book, finish some material for an upcoming training I am giving and take another pass at the new virtual course I plan to launch in the next several weeks. Plus there is so much football on this weekend that I likely will be glued to my television morning, noon and night kicking back in my comfy overstuffed rocker while I watch the games and pound on my laptop to do the work I just publicly committed to do (how's that for accountability). Have some new beer steins that need to be properly broken in as well so AFTER the work I will see about breaking them in proper!
Hope everyone has a great Labor Day Weekend!

Ripple On!!!

Steve

The Employee Perspective

Are you a business owner or leader of an organization? If so let me ask you a question.

How valued and appreciated
do your employees feel?

I ask this question because I believe it to be an important one that leaders of any organization or team should be asking themselves on a regular basis. Recent surveys have indicated that over half of all workers are right now looking for another job and would leave their current position if another opportunity became available. Over half! That is a scary prospect if you are in a leadership position.

I know when I owned my own company and had service talent that I had basically paid thousands of dollars to train I constantly worried about a pithy competitor swooping in to take them. I spent many a sleepless night worrying about the potential hit I would take in both the support of my customers and to my bottom line. I had nightmares of my people leaving for a minor increase in their salary or benefits and some evil competitor laughing all the way to the bank as he or she calculated all the dollars they had saved by my training their new employee.

Fortunately the nightmares didn't often come to pass and I believe it was because I said, and said often, two little words that can be more lasting than any raise.

THANK YOU!

Employees want to know that their efforts are recognized and appreciated. All too often, I see organizations that treat their employees like cattle and refer to them as "human capital." Human capital? How about Tom. Bob, Stephanie, Michelle, George...anything but human capital.

I just completed reading Blue Ocean Strategy and wanted to share an excerpt I found particularly interesting about why it is important to share with your employees why you value you them.

"Emotionally, individuals seek recognition of their value, not as "labor," "personnel" or "human resources" but as human beings who are treated with full respect and dignity and appreciated for their individual worth regardless of hierarchical level."

In part I created the Corporate Ripple as a means to show teams and workgroups that they are valued both as individuals and collectively by opening up the channels of dialogue and connection. I truly believe that companies that invest their time, money and resources in helping bring connection and yes, Rippling, into their work environment can positively impact their employees' perception and commitment.

So I challenge you if you are a leader of a company to ask that question. Don't just ask yourself the question but ask the Tom's, Bob's Stephanie's and Michelle's of your company how valued they feel. Really listen to how they answer that question and take notes. And no matter what, follow it up with the two most powerful words in the English language (heck any language)....THANK YOU!

If you can't seem to bring to yourself to ask those questions or are afraid you might not get the straight scoop or hear the answers you want to hear then it might suggest you need someone in there asking for you before it is too late! In today's tough labor market losing core talent can and will cost your organization an unbelievable amount of money and it is so avoidable.

If you have interest in learning about some of the innovative Ripple programs we are putting to work for organizations of all sizes, shoot me an email at steve@ripplecentral.com.

Let's make sure your employees feel valued and appreciated and stay right where they belong!



Ripple On!!!

Steve Harper

Seattle's Best, SXSW & The Employee Loyalty Deposit

Well for those of you who kept emailing me this past week to quit partying and hob knobbing and get to work....I did just that today I am happy to report. However it was in the commission of this work that I witnessed a first hand SXSW Seattle's Best Ripple and I just had to share it.

I was scheduled to have a meeting at our downtown Seattle's Best with a colleague and someone that she was introducing me to. As is my custom, I always arrive a minimum of 30 minutes early to any meeting I have downtown because Austin traffic is very unpredictable; more so because of the SXSW Conference and Music festival going on through this weekend.

Well I walked into the Seattle's Best location downtown where our meeting was to take place and found a very nice young man happily greeting me behind the counter. As you know I always perk up and appreciate someone who is exceptionally attentive to customers (especially when it is me) and I decided to chat the young lad up a bit. I asked him if they had been absolutely overwhelmed with business given the SXSW hustle and bustle? He happily replied that they had in fact been very busy, actually "slammed at times" but it was "all good" as he cheerfully handed me my tall dark roast. You have to love it when someone has a positive attitude about receiving business...especially in the retail industry.

I noticed he had a SXSW music band on so I inquired if he had seen any good shows. He said he had made several shows last night but was really saving his energy for the next few days when he would be off and able to stay out for some of the later shows. Then he told me something that actually floored me and made me an even bigger fan of Seattle's Best (SB) than I had been previously.

He explained that SB had allowed him and two of his co-workers to work their way to Austin so that they could attend SXSW activities and still get their hours (and pay) in by working at one their Austin locations. This was the third year he had attended SXSW and simply loves coming and serving Austin customers and experiencing our great city.

He went on to explain that SB truly "get's their employees" and does special things like allowing them to transfer temporarily to locations where concerts or special events are happening. They do whatever they can to accommodate their people so they can pursue their lifestyle interests.

Totally fascinating!

This guy was truly passionate about SB. I learned he had worked there for five years and despite originally thinking it would be a stop-gap job, he has successful made a career choice to work there for at least the next several years. You would have to assume that the effort that SB has made on his behalf to accommodate his desire to see SXSW these past few years only serves to increase his loyalty and make him a happier more engaged worker. If his demeanor this morning is any indication then this strategy is working flawlessly and the positive Ripples it is creating are likely too large to measure.

If you run a company what could you being doing to copy what SB is doing to generate the kind of loyalty and employee satisfaction that obviously is working to their brand advantage?

Way to go Seattle's Best!!!

Ripple On!!!

Steve

P.S. We are making a push to grow our Yahoo Ripple Community! Are you signed up?

CLICK HERE TO JOIN. IT'S FREE!!!

Team Connectiveness - Part Four

The CEO on the other end of the line was frustrated. He had communication problems amongst his leadership team and those problems were now starting to trickle down to their direct reports. Moral was at an all time low. Business was churning but customer complaints on quality and timeliness were beginning to increase. People had lost respect for one another and now openly aired their grievances regardless of who might be watching or listening.

Months earlier I had been hired to come in and do an afternoon presentation on my book The Ripple Effect for his executive team retreat. During my session I had sensed there was some uneasiness when I touched on the Ripple Effect of communication and its impact on the internal and external customer. I explained that the lack of open and honest communication often proves to be the Achilles heal of most corporations (regardless of size) and that building a ripple-centric strategy often requires that his area of the business be closely examined.

They weren't ready to talk about those difficult issues then, but now months later, the CEO was being forced to admit that they were in trouble.

The issues they were facing were not unique or different than those your team may be facing right now. I know for myself when I led a team of sales, service and administrative personnel, they were certainly not far removed from what this poor guy was seeing, feeling and stressing over. And of course based on that experience and the many companies I have since worked with since, I had some advice for him.

Now I don't mean to over-simplify what I do or perhaps give you some idea that what I offer is that magic bullet that will make you the next Microsoft overnight. I am good but not even I will drink that Kool-Aid!

As I explained in part two, I asked him what he saw, heard and felt when he was in the trenches. Like me (in my 'early years'), he had mistakenly gone about growing his company and more directly, his people, by being as disconnected as they were. Although the majority of his employees had worked together for several years he didn't really think anyone knew each other, much less cared about one another. They had seen a huge increase in turnover over the past several years despite having almost none the first few years in business.

My advice was to throw down the gauntlet and address the pink elephant in the room. I asked him to ask the question "We don't like one another? What can we do to fix it?" He needed to get the dialogue going or else.

So for the next few weeks he spent time talking to every one of his employees. I explained it would not be easy and people would most assuredly not trust him at first but no matter what he needed to keep talking. He needed to be willing to encourage and really listen to what was being said AND what wasn't being said.

It took time. It took a fair amount of coaching and mentoring by me to keep his spirits up. It took a tremendous amount of effort. And it took him checking his ego at the door and an open-hearted message from him to ask his team to do the same. But as it did with me and countless other clients that I have worked with since, it began to work. It certainly wasn't easy but it the huge wheels of change began to move.

After several weeks I came in to lead their first companywide 8 Minute Ripple. I first explained the power of the Ripple and how and why it affected individually. I then expanded upon the positive momentum changes that everyone had been seeing and gave a little insight as to what the boss had been up to. He was surveying the land, cultivating the space and now we were about to lay the foundation. We would be learning together what it meant to engage, connect and finally get to know one another and we would be doing in such a way that it would be fun, rewarding and not nearly as difficult as they might expect.

Team connectiveness is, in my opinion, the single biggest factor as to whether a company will succeed or fail. People are the single biggest asset a company has. Forget product and services and realize that unless you can run your company all by yourself (God help you) then your team is the biggest part of this equation.

If your team isn't connecting, if they aren't engaging and openly communicating then something needs to be done. Lead by example. Reach out and connect yourself. Start showing an interest in your teammates in something other than work. Encourage people to get to know one another. Be a bridge builder. Make time in the day for people to commiserate whether over a hosted lunch, coffee chat or over beers at the local pub after work. Don't play games. Be honest. Tell them that no matter what, their interaction and respect for one another is paramount to the company's future abundance and success.

Bottom line, just do something! Make sure your teams are connected!

And if you are still struggling, still unsure how to make it happen then call or email me. Perhaps your team is need of a Ripple-cism!

Ripple On My Friends!

Steve Harper
steve@ripplecentral.com
512-577-3700


P.S. Have you seen our new Ripple TV? Check it out by Clicking Here!!!

Team Connectiveness - Part Three

So if you are the business leader.....

You pay 100% of an employee's salary.

You may only be getting 37% of their effort.

According to a study conducted by the Gallup Organization, corporations that do nothing to help employees connect with one another at work have employees that are 63% less likely to be engaged on the job. That means employees are actively disengaged in their job function, undedicated and actually damaging a company’s productivity.

The lack of connection felt by a company’s employees actually increases the risks and costs associated with the following:

· Employee turnover
· Absenteeism
· Healthcare
· Productivity
· Communication
· Loyalty
· Innovation

Team connectiveness as you can see from a business leader's perspective is extremely important and has a positive or negative Ripple effect that can extend well beyond the company's bottom line.

So why do so many organizations continue to ignore it?

Because to fix it might appear to be more costly than it truly is.

As I mentioned in part one of this series, team building activities just aren't cutting it. Organizations that invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in helping their team be better teammates often grow frustrated when the residual affects of a ropes course or Kum Ba Ya hugs are long since over and everyone has to return to the office trenches on Monday morning.

So it is easy to see why companies simply fail to try. It is easy to understand why they simply let their teams "be" even if those teams happen to "be" dysfunctional.

It doesn't have to be that way. Why would anyone in their right mind want to actively or passively promote a work environment that doesn't help everyone perform at their highest level. It just doesn't make sense.

If you are paying 100% of an employee's salary you should expect a respectable return for that investment. But it requires you actively work to insure that everyone within the company is connecting and working together.

And if you are the employee receiving 100% of your salary but giving back less than 100% effort because of the environment you work in, it becomes your responsibility to challenge the status quo. It requires you take an active role in breaking the negative cycle of disconnectiveness.

In my next POST and the final one of this series, we will look at how something as simple as the Ripple can bring about real changes in your team environment.

Until next time.....

Ripple On!

Steve Harper

Team Connectiveness - Part Two

Tuesday's BLOG prompted some interesting emails and phone calls. I always appreciate hearing from my readers and having an opportunity to exchange ideas and strategies. So please keep 'em coming!

One of the interesting questions came from Chris a CEO of a mid-sized software company in California. Chris asked the question "So how do you know when your team isn't connected?"

Chris you must have been reading my mind as that was exactly what I was going to discuss in part two of this series.

How do you know if your team is connected or not?

I would suggest you look, listen and feel.

Look at...

How your people interact with one another.

• Do they show respect to one another especially when things are emotionally charged?
• Do you see people actively present and engaged with one another?
  
• Do you see people spending time with each other outside of work; going out to lunch, grabbing coffee, making plans to see each other for the big game?

Listen to....

How your team talks to one another.

• Do they communicate openly without sarcasm or judgment?
• Do they ask with genuine interest about each other's weekends, kids, outside work activities?
• Do they avoid talking about the tough topics when they come up?

Feel....

The kind of energy that resonates around the office.

• Are people genuinely warm/cold close/distant to one another?
• Does the energy rise or fall when certain team members enter or leave a work area?
• Do you feel tension during staff meetings or anytime various departments or teams have to interact?

Obviously there are literally hundreds of questions I could ask you here that could better qualify or disqualify whether team connectiveness might be a problem for your company. The bottom line is whether you are a business leader or simply an employee, you know from your own personal experience if any of these statements resonate. You probably also know that when any of these questions are answered with a less than positive response that may be a sign there is trouble in paradise.

In my next post we will talk about the revealing impact the lack of team connectiveness can have on a company. In the mean time, I want to hear from you. I want to hear if any of the above questions resonate with you and your team and just how it is affecting you and ultimately your company. Please email me at steve@ripplecentral.com or give me a call 512-577-3700.

Until next time....

Ripple On!

Steve

P.S. Our next 8 Minute Ripple is only days away. If you are in Austin and you want to experience the true power of connection, please consider joining us! You will be glad you did! Email me for more information.

Team Connectiveness - Part One

How connected is your team?

No, I mean seriously.

Do you know how engaged your folks are at work?

If you are the business owner, executive or team lead, you might be saying to yourself, "why do I care if my people are engaged or like one another?"

To which I would politely respond "you better care of else!"

A company who does nothing to actively encourage or assist employee engagement may really be missing the boat. They may be losing untold dollars from the company's coffers as well as encouraging core talent to defect.

The Gallup Poll recently reported in their semi-annual Employee Engagement Index that a mere 29% of employees are actively engaged on the job. A big indicator of how engaged an employee is on the job comes from how connected they feel with the people they work with and for. No connectiveness often means less effort and productivity and as you can imagine the negative Ripples extend from there.

It has been reported that employees that are disengaged are costing the U.S. economy nearly $300 Billion a year. Yes...a Billion! If you are in a leadership or ownership capacity for your company, what percentage of that enormous number is your organization responsible for?

This has become a very important focus as of late for my Ripple work because I believe connectiveness, especially in a team environment, requires a Ripple-centric approach to all aspects of team interaction; especially when it comes to individual and team connectiveness.

When I talk to companies of all sizes it has become increasingly obvious that they are finding that "team building" and rah rah sessions are short on substance, high on cost and lack sustainable results. So what is a company to do if traditional team building, which is so obviously needed, isn't delivering what is needed to help company employees cooperate, communicate and interact?

Well it may be time to learn to Ripple.

Stay tuned for Team Connectiveness - Part Two.


Ripple On!!!

Steve Harper

P.S. Can't wait for part two? Give me a shout at 512-577-3700 and let's talk about your company and team connectiveness.

P.S.S. Come experience connectiveness at our next 8 Minute Ripple happening on January 31, 2007 - email me for more information at steve@ripplecentral.com