Manage My Employees

Archive for the ‘Attitude’ Category

Article #47

Guest Blogger: Jaclyn Boatright

What makes a customer choose one business over another? How can a business create a positive experience for its customers in a way that compels customers to return—over other options?

For the past five years I have conducted over 500 shopping experiences as a secret shopper. I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of quick-food restaurants, automotive services, and retail.

When you have a positive experience with a company that company sticks out to you, and you think about them whenever you need that particular service again. It creates customer loyalty.

Based on my 500+ experiences, there were six things the best employees did:

• Show customers that you enjoy your job by smiling and having an energetic tone in your voice. Happiness is catching and people like to be around happy people. It makes the customer feel good when they are walking away from the interaction. Also, it makes the customer associate the business with that positive feeling.

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Article #46

Have you seen Undercover Boss on CBS?

The reality show Undercover Boss places CEO’s undercover in their own companies to get a personal sense for what’s really going on. The CEO goes to work at an entry level or manager-in-training position, does the actual job, all the while no one except other upper leaders know his true identify.

I enjoy watching the show, it’s entertaining and titillates my intellectual curiosity about these companies.

It does point out an important reminder that one shouldn’t miss in my view: upper management often insulates itself far from reality, at least where it matters most—with employees.

Something I’m not at all surprised about from the first four episodes, is that the undercover CEO is struck by the discovery that many of the hallowed “programs and initiatives” created by top leaders, have failed to get consistently implemented across the enterprise by mid-management as well as employees.

They are truly caught off-guard to discover that their corporate “programs and procedures” are often looked on laughably, and/or with great disdain by the employees who actually do the day-in day-out work.

For example, the Hooter’s CEO episode was sad.

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Short article #42

High unemployment has created a situation for employers whereby they now have many more applicants for job openings than previously. In effect, shifting bargaining power to employers.

Unfortunately, one unintended consequence of high unemployment may be that it has given some managers the belief that they can be more demanding or controlling of their employees.

I’m hearing managers say things I haven’t heard in a long time. Things that bespeak of an underlying and troubling attitude. 

For example:

• “I can have you replaced with a dozen just like you by noon if I want!” Read more »

Short article # 28

Is there a difference in disengagement and low morale? Perhaps, as author Terry Kabachnick asserts in her book, I Quit But Forgot To Tell You.

Low morale is not disengagement. Low morale occurs when an employee gets frustrated with the work load, the work environment or their supervisor. Disengagement occurs when an employee ceases to care, ie. Their heart’s just not in it anymore…!

How bad is disengagement? A Gallup poll a few years ago revealed that 74% of American workers admit to being disengaged, this costs U.S. organizations $350 billion annually in lost productivity.

What are some of the signs of disengagement?

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The reader comment by RStone below, referencing a quote-gem by Mother Theresa (see post 10 Inspiring Quotes On Leadership | Manage My Employees) provides an apt reminder that our ‘words etch in the minds’ of our employees.

 RStone:

January 9, 2010 at 9:00 am (Edit)

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”
- Mother Theresa

I’ve led a number of seminars on “Giving Praise” and I’m struck by how many managers, can recall years later, the words spoken to them by a former supervisor, military commander or other authority figure. Those words, as Mother Theresa put it, still ‘echoed’ in their minds and more often than not, merely recalling those words stimulated

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Everyone knows times are tough, but what will your organization do exactly to keep employee morale and performance high?

I’ve provided a link (Engaging Employees Tops Leadership Priorities in Tough Economic Times) to a nice article on what leaders can do to rev up workplace attitudes. In addition, I’ve added a few tips you might want to comment on…

Definitely, be a straight shooter on what these tough times mean to your company, and the department. Don’t spin the truth one iota.

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One industry, healthcare, has all but escaped the draconian impact of the economic recession. However, healthcare is, as other industries are—battling low employee morale.

According to a survey by CareerBuilder (referenced in this article: Healthcare employers battle low employee morale | Healthcare Finance News) nearly 4 of 10 healthcare employees report low motivation and 1 in 4 say they have no loyalty to their employers.

Losing good employees costs the leaders of any organization dearly. This is especially true in healthcare where job knowledge and experience is valued so highly (or it should be).

What can healthcare employers, or any employer for that matter do to ramp up morale:

Get innovative about employee incentives. Think in terms of low-cost but meaningful rewards. Don’t stop your recognition program just because the budget doesn’t permit you to reward like you once did, instead revamp.

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Saying ‘Thanks’ and/or giving praise doesn’t come as naturally to some managers as it does for others. I started out thirty years ago in my career being one of those managers who found giving ‘praise’ harder than giving correction.

I’m better at it today, and yet, I’m certainly not perfect. The results of improvement have been remarkable—especially in how it helped me create a more positive tone and relationship with others at work, or in my personal life.

It helps to have a few reminders of how easy praise (saying ‘Good Job’ or ‘Thanks’) can be when we pause to look for it, then share it with our associates.

Here are ten more examples of how you could say Good Job!…

• Thank you for backing my leadership on this project, I really appreciate it.
• You project enthusiasm to our customers for their business… and I really appreciate that.
• You have a lot of qualities we admire around here, like…
• You did a great job on that project, you got it complete under an intense deadline!
• Let me compliment you on how well you calmed that customers down, you did it with professionalism and a whole lot of tact.
• You do a great job on follow-up, I never hear a complaint from anyone in the company about the communications coming from your area.

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In part 3 we’ll look at a few tips for revving up our praise or thanks to employees. Next, we’ll look at ten more ways to say Good Job.

3 Tips on Revving Up Praise:

• Be sincere. When you see something praiseworthy – praise it. On the other hand, if you don’t, then avoid feeling like you need to come up with something that won’t be in earnest.
• Don’t wait until something’s perfect before you acknowledge it with appreciation or praise.
• Be timely. If you wait to say it later…you may forget. When you see it, say it.

10 Ways to Say “Good Job”…

• You’re catching on fast, I like the effort you’re putting in.
• Super job on that report, it was exactly what I was looking for.
• Thank you! Your input was really helpful for me to hear… I like other viewpoints to consider.
• Actually, it doesn’t bother me when you challenge the status quo around here, because you do it without being confrontational. I know your purpose is to help us grow, get better.

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Take time to look for good behavior as well as good attitude, then recognize your employee for it.

Good behavior or good attitude doesn’t have to be recognized with $$money. A verbal or written praise/thanks is especially meaningful, and it lasts.

Mark Twain said, “I can live for three months on a good compliment.” Here are 10 ways to say “good job”…

• Thanks for getting back so quickly, you saved me some time.
• I really appreciate the questions you ask, it shows you take genuine interest.
• Your work on that project was nothing short of Fantastic!

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