I've Been Thinking...

About the most effective ways to find and keep the best employees and customers. It is always on my mind…and I have a few great ideas. Remember that this challenge is even more significant with the impending worker and skill shortage (Boomer retirements) and more intelligent customers who are better at buying on customized or personalized value.

The solution? It starts first with the way to attract the best employees. Because when you do, these employees attract the best customers. And that brings us to “culture.”

Some people call it “core architecture”, some call it “corporate attitude” but it really is the combination of policies, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that indicate the thinking and the conduct of a company. Management creates the structure of culture but it is developed and lived daily by employees. It therefore means that successful cultures are employee-focused

Powerful cultures articulate a clear vision to win employees in to its support. Powerful cultures know that performance happens through their people so they hire the best people, reward them based on performance, allow them to invent and innovate, help them learn and grow and develop them to be their best. Companies share this thinking in their attitudes, beliefs, workplace climate and responsiveness. Employees who work in organizations that provide this culture strength, out perform others, stay longer than others and innovate more for customers.

Employees who work for organizations that offer this kind of culture become the brand and the marketing for the company. We all want to work for companies that listen and respond to the specific needs of high performing employees; this attracts other high performers. And the more you attract, the greater choice you have and the greater likelihood of finding the right employee with the right talents for the roles in your company. Culture…it is the magnet that attracts or the force that sends people away. Employee-focused organizations are those that have cultures that trust, value and treasure their employees. This must happen first before we can focus on the customer.

Contact us to learn more about culture and its fundamental role in attracting and keeping the best employees. Also ask us about how a strong culture creates loyal customers.

Quit if it isn’t fun…

The other day, I heard the best question to ask someone you just met. Instead of “What do you do?” ask, “Why do you do what you do?” Then listen to see if you hear the responses to these questions in their answer: Does it engage you? Do you feel important? Does it make you think? Do you get to contribute? Do you get to make a difference? The answers will give you great insight into people…and generally two things happen:

1. Some people have no idea why they do what they do; they just show up and do their job until it is time to go home. Maybe they had filled in for someone one day and just stayed. Or maybe there were next in line in a natural progression for promotion. There are many reasons but most of the time, this employee, who doesn’t know why they do what they do, is not that impressed with their job…it is just a job. They count the hours and minutes until the day is over. Bland, boring, blah.

2. Some others absolutely know why the do what they do because they love it; it appeals to an aspect of their personality or it gives them a level of professional satisfaction. The get excited about what they do because they have the ability of contributing in a big way and of feeling competent. In this case, they thought about their role and how it matched what they like to do; they planned their response. Exciting, engaging, fun.

The performance in 2 is significantly better than the performance in 1. And that directs this conversation to the word “talents” because in most cases, the people in 2 are aware of what they like to do and what comes naturally to them. They choose this role because it gives them great personal satisfaction and they seem to have a predisposition to the thinking that is involved. Their jobs just seem to fit.

Historically, we are most happy when we work in roles that match our talents.. We are most happy when we have a voice in determining what we do and how we do it. We are most happy when we make a difference in the workplace and feel capable and competent. This happens when we choose our work, our roles and our jobs based on our talents and interests.

So the answer to “Why do you do what you do?” is generally, “It is in line with my talents and I love doing it. I get excited each morning knowing that I get to do it again. It makes me fee important, valuable and successful. I make a difference, have fun and get a chance to be great.” Imagine if we all could say that each day about our work. Think of the response our customers would have if each employee felt this way. Just imagine.

Our role as managers is to help align employees into the right roles to help them answer the question posed earlier (why do I do what I do?) with the answer: “Because my manager spent time with me to know me well enough to know what job was right for me and in line with the way I think. And now I wow both him and myself with my performance. And that is why I do what I do.”

So, what would you say if someone asked you, “Why do you do what you do?”

Your Tools

Humanetrics wants you to think your way to success. To help you with this we introduce our Success Formula process and worksheet. It is a way to get you thinking about what you want and then give you the tools to get it. Some of our tools are all about you…and the work you need to do on your own. Some of our tools are about us and the things we can do for you - but only when you are ready. So click on the Success Formula to start your thinking in a new and bigger way. And then contact us when you are ready to push your thinking, responses and understanding to a power. I think, therefore I can (succeed).

HOT (High Output Thinking) Tips

Purchase the book “StrengthFinder 2.0” by Tom Rath. Go on-line and take the talents survey. Get an understanding of the 34 talents presented in the book as you start to understand the talents of your team.
Ask each employee, “WHY do you do what you do?” Assess their answers to see if it seems like they are in the right jobs. Contact us to learn how to sculpt a job for each employee.
Do a culture review. Create a questionnaire for your employees and ask questions in the following areas:
- Company mission and objectives
- Hiring and on-boarding practices
- Reward and recognition
- Employee ownership, contribution and inventing
- Employee development and education
- Succession planning
Check out the books on the Reading List on the Resources page of the website. Consider reading Dale Dauten’s book, “The Gifted Boss” and Tom Peters’ book, “The Circle of Innovation.”
Talk to customers about what they like most about your employees. What are the attributes that make them exceptional? Do you see their talents present?
Check out our HOT Tips each day on the BLOG.