This is post I saw on another blog at qbq.com that struck a chord.
Posted by John G. Miller
(from http://qbq.com/young-man-please-step-away-from-the-wall/#more-7426)
“Young man, please step away from the wall!”
The college-age employee turned, looked at me, and then—beaming slightly—stepped back from his work.
Aiming my iPhone camera, I asked …
“So, did you know that along with making Venti, 8 pump, single shot, nonfat, extra caramel, extra hot, upside down caramel machiattos—you’d also be cleaning urinals?”
Brightly, he said, “Yes, sir! My sister worked here before me. I knew exactly what I’d be doing.”
Excellent attitude, I thought. No griping, whining, complaining, or bemoaning. He’s no victim. He’s happy to be employed.
When I finished (taking the picture, that is), he went back to scrubbing.
No, wait, he wasn’t scrubbing, he was … polishing.
Yes, he was polishing the pipes!
This all took place a couple of weeks ago in the men’s room at the Starbucks of Dumont, Colorado, nestled in the Rocky mountains. I was in awe, but not just of the scenery outside.
I was in awe of this young man.
For those of us old enough to remember car phones (yes, I said car, not cell) who are convinced the work-mentality of young people today is more like “What do you mean I can’t take a two-week European vacation 90 days after starting here!?” than the attitude I saw in this fella, here’s the good news:
Pride still lives.
Pride—truly a multiple-meaning word. It can be negative, as in “pride goeth before a fall.” It can be humbling, as in “swallowing my pride.” And, written vertically, it can be instructive!
Personal
Responsibility
In
Doing
Excellence
——————
Ha ha, I like that … and not just because it fits the acrostic!
Doing Excellence.
People today often talk about “doing life.” That’s cool, but how about doing life in an excellent way?”
Food for thought:
Am I taking personal responsibility for the quality of my work?
Am I going the extra mile, giving 110%?
Am I modeling excellence for my kids, staff, colleagues, and/or customers?
I visited the Dumont Starbucks again this week. I didn’t need to use the bathroom, but I went into it anyway.
I wanted to see the urinal.
I was not disappointed.
I could see myself in the gleaming pipes!
And, I must admit I felt a twinge of pride because I’d met the person responsible for the excellent work in front of me—the work of a person who cares enough to polish the plumbing.
I want to be more like that.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Thursday, March 27, 2014
I Ain't Scared to be Fired
I was doing a little research on something the other night and came across a list of things to look for when hiring someone. One of the things on the list was:
Hire those who aren't afraid to be fired
It made me stop and think...then re-read the list...then think some more. I came to the conclusion that
I agree
Hire those who aren't afraid to be fired
These people will have energy, excitement, drive, ambition. The will challenge the status quo - challenge you as the leader - and make you re-think things and force you to be sure in the reasons for your decisions. They aren't afraid to take a step out there - take a risk - in order to take the company to a higher level.
At least that is how I interpreted the statement.
Of course it may be that those that ain't scared to be fired might just be total bums...
Hire those who aren't afraid to be fired
It made me stop and think...then re-read the list...then think some more. I came to the conclusion that
I agree
Hire those who aren't afraid to be fired
These people will have energy, excitement, drive, ambition. The will challenge the status quo - challenge you as the leader - and make you re-think things and force you to be sure in the reasons for your decisions. They aren't afraid to take a step out there - take a risk - in order to take the company to a higher level.
At least that is how I interpreted the statement.
Of course it may be that those that ain't scared to be fired might just be total bums...
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Awesome Sauce
Awesome Sauce
What a cool phrase
"Let's sprinkle some awesome sauce on this project"
"I need a little awesome sauce this morning"
"Wow! That's a big heaping pile of awesome sauce!"
It's so descriptive
Of course it could become cheesy and annoying if used too much but for now I like the positivity it brings to me. I like how it alters my mood. I like how it provides energy.
Awesome Sauce
4 out of five managers of grocery stores recommend it (well...at least one out of one!)
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Huddle Talk - Thank You
Thank you!
2 very simple words
2 very powerful words
2 very necessary words
We are in the business of serving people. To be very blunt, we serve our customers in order to get their money. We want to sell as many groceries as possible to as many people as we can each day.
And guess what?
We are pretty good at it!
We serve over 3000 customers a day. That means over 3000 people a day give us money.
How many times do we say
THANK YOU
2 very simple words
2 very powerful words
2 very necessary words
We are in the business of serving people. To be very blunt, we serve our customers in order to get their money. We want to sell as many groceries as possible to as many people as we can each day.
And guess what?
We are pretty good at it!
We serve over 3000 customers a day. That means over 3000 people a day give us money.
How many times do we say
THANK YOU
Not
"No Problem"
Or
"Sure thing"
Or
"Here you go"
But
THANK YOU
a sincere
THANK YOU
Hopefully over 3000 times a day!
Associate of the Month - Ricci Turpin
"Yay of the Month!" Associate of the Month Ricci Turpin.
He's a night stocker and does a wonderful job and raised his level - which I didn't think was possible - during our recent snow event.
Your co-workers recognized your hard work Ricci!
Congratulations!!!
(Ricci is in the center surrounded by his fellow "night guys")
He's a night stocker and does a wonderful job and raised his level - which I didn't think was possible - during our recent snow event.
Your co-workers recognized your hard work Ricci!
Congratulations!!!
(Ricci is in the center surrounded by his fellow "night guys")
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Push the Dang Button!
We have a compactor in our store. Wait...we actually have two compactors in our store...one for cardboard only and another for everything else. Not too much is more frustrating than when someone
DOESN"T PUSH THE DANG BUTTON!
(is it "dang" or "danged" - English majors...a little help)
Let me explain the process. Most of our product comes in cardboard boxes. After stocking the shelves we have to dispose of this cardboard. We want to make money not spend money so we place the cardboard in a compactor/baler and when the compactor/baler is full we tie up the bale and send it to a recycling center.
Part of the process is after loading the cardboard into the compactor you must compact it so that more cardboard can fit. This involves lowering a gate and then pushing a button
very simple
But
for some reason people can't
PUSH THE DANG BUTTON!
This causes inconvenience to the next person coming to dump their cardboard and also creates a culture where nobody
PUSHES THE DANG BUTTON!
This really isn't a rant on pushing buttons but it is a rant on showing each other consideration and fostering a sense of teamwork in the store. The compactor button is just a symbol for the real issue.
What's the real issue?
Lack of consideration
Lack of teamwork
Laziness
For an operation to have the success desired everyone must be on the same page and must be willing to do the work necessary to accomplish the big picture goals - and the little picture goals for that matter.
Helping each other no matter what your job description
Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork!
Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM)
Yeah you have heard all of the cliches. But really all you need to do is
PUSH THE DANG BUTTON!
Where ever that button may be and whatever shape that button is in...push it...
And happiness happens
Success happens
Create an Environment that Allows for Success...
PUSH THE DANG BUTTON!
DOESN"T PUSH THE DANG BUTTON!
(is it "dang" or "danged" - English majors...a little help)
Let me explain the process. Most of our product comes in cardboard boxes. After stocking the shelves we have to dispose of this cardboard. We want to make money not spend money so we place the cardboard in a compactor/baler and when the compactor/baler is full we tie up the bale and send it to a recycling center.
Part of the process is after loading the cardboard into the compactor you must compact it so that more cardboard can fit. This involves lowering a gate and then pushing a button
very simple
But
for some reason people can't
PUSH THE DANG BUTTON!
This causes inconvenience to the next person coming to dump their cardboard and also creates a culture where nobody
PUSHES THE DANG BUTTON!
This really isn't a rant on pushing buttons but it is a rant on showing each other consideration and fostering a sense of teamwork in the store. The compactor button is just a symbol for the real issue.
What's the real issue?
Lack of consideration
Lack of teamwork
Laziness
For an operation to have the success desired everyone must be on the same page and must be willing to do the work necessary to accomplish the big picture goals - and the little picture goals for that matter.
Helping each other no matter what your job description
Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork!
Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM)
Yeah you have heard all of the cliches. But really all you need to do is
PUSH THE DANG BUTTON!
Where ever that button may be and whatever shape that button is in...push it...
And happiness happens
Success happens
Create an Environment that Allows for Success...
PUSH THE DANG BUTTON!
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
RunMATTRun for Muscular Dystrophy
RunMasttRun is a fundraiser we have each year at our store to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. This year we raised over $900 during the event and we have pledges for more!
Me and my sister Amy with her dog MaGee
The main event of RunMATTRun is where I run around the parking lot until I can't run anymore. Our customers make guesses on how many laps this will be. They donate money for each guess. We had guesses as low as zero laps up to 500 laps this year. It is really quite funny when the customers ask our cashiers who is running and they point to me. The customer usually starts laughing. If I had self-esteem issues I would be a blubbering mess by the time the run starts!
I ended up with 14 laps this year - about 4.6 miles. Running in a Leprechaun suit really limits the lap count! (as you see I ditched the hat)
We have many events surrounding RunMATTRun. This year the Grace-Snell Middle School band came out and performed a concert. The Grayson High School Cross-Country team joined in on the run. The Grayson Cross-Country team parents ran our cook-out too!
The Runners:
Of course, the event wouldn't be a success without our cashiers getting behind the efforts and letting our customers know about it and selling the shamrocks!
Zara selling the shamrocks!
It was a GREAT day made possible by so many people. And the greatest thing of all is that we raised a bunch of money for The Muscular Dystrophy Association!!!!
Thank you!
A Definition of Leadership
This post comes from a book I have been reading, “Forgotten Fundamentals – The Answers are in the Box” by Dan Clark. One of the chapters is "The Definition of Leadership" as described by Lieutenant Colonel Robert Faulk, Commander of the 30th Student Squadron/Air and Space Basic Course, Air War University:
To me leadership is three things best captured in a memory tool that I call Set3. First, a leader must set the example. I’ll use a simple scenario to frame the topic. Is a leader going to be the faster runner in his or her squadron/organization? As I look at a squadron where most of my staff and students are nearly half my age, I can tell you that I am not the fastest runner. Being the fastest runner is not the point. The point is that the leader needs to be out there running, running like it matters, running like he wants to win every time. The same concept applies to everything that a leader does, setting the example in both action and behavior.
A leader must also set the right environment. People want to work in an environment that is suitable from a creature comfort perspective, professionally challenging, and personally rewarding. The environment needs to be one where people trust their leader, are comfortable with that leader, and can discuss issues, thoughts, concerns, good ideas, bad practices and so forth, and know that they will not be ridiculed or negatively impacted when they address something with the leader. I believe that setting the right environment is the most challenging area of Set3 construct in that there is a tremendous amount of variables outside of the leader’s control that generate both physical and mental stressors which can interfere with setting a good environment. It is easy to be overcome by these and lose your sight picture on keeping that open and trusting relationship between you and your people. Keeping your people in mind every step of the way will help maintain the right environment.
Finally, a leader must set his of her people up for success. There are many opportunities to do so: awards, new jobs, one-of-a-kind opportunities, promotions, special recognition, and so forth. However, the process to set people up for success must be fair. Some people will do the minimum that is expected to successfully meet the task at hand to a minimum degree. Should they be rewarded for standard performance at the expense of someone who does the “heavy lifting”? No way! If you do that, you just marginalized your reward/recognition tools and lost your people’s respect for you. Setting people up for success is more than awards, special recognition, and new jobs. It is about taking time to provide proper feedback (the good and the bad), mentoring them in a way that allows them to develop over the continuum of their lifetime regardless of what job duties they perform, and providing new avenues to lead (if they are ready and have earned it).
To me leadership is three things best captured in a memory tool that I call Set3. First, a leader must set the example. I’ll use a simple scenario to frame the topic. Is a leader going to be the faster runner in his or her squadron/organization? As I look at a squadron where most of my staff and students are nearly half my age, I can tell you that I am not the fastest runner. Being the fastest runner is not the point. The point is that the leader needs to be out there running, running like it matters, running like he wants to win every time. The same concept applies to everything that a leader does, setting the example in both action and behavior.
A leader must also set the right environment. People want to work in an environment that is suitable from a creature comfort perspective, professionally challenging, and personally rewarding. The environment needs to be one where people trust their leader, are comfortable with that leader, and can discuss issues, thoughts, concerns, good ideas, bad practices and so forth, and know that they will not be ridiculed or negatively impacted when they address something with the leader. I believe that setting the right environment is the most challenging area of Set3 construct in that there is a tremendous amount of variables outside of the leader’s control that generate both physical and mental stressors which can interfere with setting a good environment. It is easy to be overcome by these and lose your sight picture on keeping that open and trusting relationship between you and your people. Keeping your people in mind every step of the way will help maintain the right environment.
Finally, a leader must set his of her people up for success. There are many opportunities to do so: awards, new jobs, one-of-a-kind opportunities, promotions, special recognition, and so forth. However, the process to set people up for success must be fair. Some people will do the minimum that is expected to successfully meet the task at hand to a minimum degree. Should they be rewarded for standard performance at the expense of someone who does the “heavy lifting”? No way! If you do that, you just marginalized your reward/recognition tools and lost your people’s respect for you. Setting people up for success is more than awards, special recognition, and new jobs. It is about taking time to provide proper feedback (the good and the bad), mentoring them in a way that allows them to develop over the continuum of their lifetime regardless of what job duties they perform, and providing new avenues to lead (if they are ready and have earned it).
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Hard Work
It’s easy to spot talented people isn’t
it?
The guy who you see on break
practicing the art of drawing and you are amazed by how he transformed a boring
sheet of white paper into a scene at the barbershop where you can actually hear
the conversations between the guy sitting in the red waiting chair and the
crusty old barber giving the little boy his first haircut.
Or perhaps it’s the cashier you know sings
in the choir of her church and when you hear her singing as she walks into the
store you are struck by the sweetness of her voice.
It may be the florist who can take that droopy, brown, dried out
plant and revive it into a flourishing shrub.
People who have these
types of skills are universally recognized as having talent. The artist, the singer, the lady with the
green thumb are all talented.
Now I
want you to think about the guy who comes in every night and breaks down your
grocery trucks by himself and then goes out to the floor and stocks an aisle or
two before going home.
Is he
talented?
I am sure some would say that
he is but many more would never think that what this person does is a talent.
Hard work is a talent.
Hard work should be
celebrated as a talent.
We should build
galleries and museums in order to honor hard work. Maybe we already have…The Empire State Building, Hoover Dam, the
Panama Canal are all monuments to hard work
But do we really recognize that
hard work is a talent?
WE SHOULD!
You have people in your
store who do nothing special except work hard every day. Honor these people. Recognize their talent. It is just as valuable a talent as the
ability to handle people that your Superstar of Service demonstrates each day
Hard Work is a talent.Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Yay of the Day!
We have started something new at our store called "Yay of the Day!" I "stole" this idea from Leslie Madden - Thanks Leslie!
"Yay of the Day!" is where we find something to celebrate during the work day. We grab a bunch of folks together and celebrate the "Yay!"
Today we "Yayed" Travis. Travis is a grocery clerk who volunteered to run a register for a few hours today when we were short handed. He didn't have to do this but I'm glad he did and our customers LOVED him!
"Yay of the Day!" is where we find something to celebrate during the work day. We grab a bunch of folks together and celebrate the "Yay!"
Today we "Yayed" Travis. Travis is a grocery clerk who volunteered to run a register for a few hours today when we were short handed. He didn't have to do this but I'm glad he did and our customers LOVED him!
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Balloons
My brother shared this on Facebook from the Live More Awesome page and I thought it was great so I decided to share it here. Thank you John!
Once a group of 500 people were attending a seminar. Suddenly the speaker stopped and decided to do a group activity. He started giving each person a balloon. Each person was then asked to write their name on it using a marker pen. Then all the balloons were collected and put in another room.
The people were then let into that room and asked to find the balloon which had their name written on it within 5 minutes. Everyone was frantically searching for their name, colliding with each other, pushing around others and there was utter chaos.
At the end of 5 minutes no one could find their own balloon.
Then, the speaker asked each person to randomly collect a balloon and give it to the person whose name was written on it. Within minutes everyone had their own balloon.
The speaker then began, "This is happening in our lives. Everyone is frantically looking for happiness all around, not knowing where it is.
Our happiness lies in the happiness of other people. Give them their happiness; you will get your own happiness. And this is the purpose of human life...the pursuit of happiness."
EDIT:
The source we got the post from used this picture. Turns out it's an art exhibition in Dallas. Check out Martin Creed's exhibition from 2011 here... http://www.nashersculpturecenter.org/art/exhibitions/exhibit…
(Sort of reminds me of something we used to do with balloons. Everyone would tie a balloon to their ankle and then we would say that anyone without a popped ballon at the end of 3 minutes would win a prize. Everyone would run around trying to pop each other's balloon. At the end of 3 minutes we would say, "Why did you pop each other's balloons?" They would respond, "Because you said who ever had a balloon at the end would win." We would say, "Exactly, anyone who had a ballon at the end of the exercise would win - we never said to pop the other guy's balloon. We all could have won." It was a fun thing to do and watch.)
Once a group of 500 people were attending a seminar. Suddenly the speaker stopped and decided to do a group activity. He started giving each person a balloon. Each person was then asked to write their name on it using a marker pen. Then all the balloons were collected and put in another room.
The people were then let into that room and asked to find the balloon which had their name written on it within 5 minutes. Everyone was frantically searching for their name, colliding with each other, pushing around others and there was utter chaos.
At the end of 5 minutes no one could find their own balloon.
Then, the speaker asked each person to randomly collect a balloon and give it to the person whose name was written on it. Within minutes everyone had their own balloon.
The speaker then began, "This is happening in our lives. Everyone is frantically looking for happiness all around, not knowing where it is.
Our happiness lies in the happiness of other people. Give them their happiness; you will get your own happiness. And this is the purpose of human life...the pursuit of happiness."
EDIT:
The source we got the post from used this picture. Turns out it's an art exhibition in Dallas. Check out Martin Creed's exhibition from 2011 here... http://www.nashersculpturecenter.org/art/exhibitions/exhibit…
(Sort of reminds me of something we used to do with balloons. Everyone would tie a balloon to their ankle and then we would say that anyone without a popped ballon at the end of 3 minutes would win a prize. Everyone would run around trying to pop each other's balloon. At the end of 3 minutes we would say, "Why did you pop each other's balloons?" They would respond, "Because you said who ever had a balloon at the end would win." We would say, "Exactly, anyone who had a ballon at the end of the exercise would win - we never said to pop the other guy's balloon. We all could have won." It was a fun thing to do and watch.)
Monday, March 10, 2014
Recognizing the Power of Recognition
From the LeadToday blog...sorta ties into my previous post "Let's Hear About Greatness!" Go check out his blog. I know you'll enjoy it!
http://stevekeating.me/2014/03/07/recognizing-the-power-of-recognition/
People need to know that they matter. They need to know that what they do is noticed. They need to know their efforts, whatever they are, are not in vain.
Authentic leaders seldom miss the opportunity to recognize their people. When there is no opportunity to recognize their people then they create one. For authentic leaders recognizing others is not a part time job, it is not something to “fit-in” or something to do in their “free-time.”
Authentic leaders are intentional and strategic with their recognition practices. They use recognition to reward, coach, and motivate their people. They know that true recognition goes deeper than the basic “nice job” and that it requires thoughtfulness and meaning.
Authentic leaders provide authentic recognition. Authentic recognition comes in two parts: the “what” or action being recognized and the “why” or how the “what” has made a difference.
Lazy leaders might toss out a nice job while crossing paths with a team member but an authentic leader will invest the time to make the recognition meaningful and lasting. They are very specific as to “what” was a nice job, why it was noticed and how it made a difference. This requires that an authentic leader put thought into the recognition of others.
Leaders who seldom provide recognition to their people are missing an essential trait of leadership and that is almost certainly being reflected in the commitment level of their followers. Many factors can affect the compensation and benefit levels a leader can offer their people. Still more factors can affect the work environment a leader is able to provide. There are just any number of factors that a leader cannot control. That is why authentic leaders don’t let the controllable become uncontrollable.
Recognizing your people is completely within your control. You can choose daily to affirm their importance or simply let them wonder if they really matter or not.
When you choose affirmation you choose authentic leadership. You choose to build people and you choose to build your organization. Making an intentional effort to recognize your people encourages them to push themselves. They know what they do matters and that the more they do the more it will matter.
Authentic leaders know that there is a direct link between recognizing success and the amount of success available to recognize.
Recognize your people today and they will ensure that there is even more success to recognize tomorrow.
http://stevekeating.me/2014/03/07/recognizing-the-power-of-recognition/
People need to know that they matter. They need to know that what they do is noticed. They need to know their efforts, whatever they are, are not in vain.
Authentic leaders seldom miss the opportunity to recognize their people. When there is no opportunity to recognize their people then they create one. For authentic leaders recognizing others is not a part time job, it is not something to “fit-in” or something to do in their “free-time.”
Authentic leaders are intentional and strategic with their recognition practices. They use recognition to reward, coach, and motivate their people. They know that true recognition goes deeper than the basic “nice job” and that it requires thoughtfulness and meaning.
Authentic leaders provide authentic recognition. Authentic recognition comes in two parts: the “what” or action being recognized and the “why” or how the “what” has made a difference.
Lazy leaders might toss out a nice job while crossing paths with a team member but an authentic leader will invest the time to make the recognition meaningful and lasting. They are very specific as to “what” was a nice job, why it was noticed and how it made a difference. This requires that an authentic leader put thought into the recognition of others.
Leaders who seldom provide recognition to their people are missing an essential trait of leadership and that is almost certainly being reflected in the commitment level of their followers. Many factors can affect the compensation and benefit levels a leader can offer their people. Still more factors can affect the work environment a leader is able to provide. There are just any number of factors that a leader cannot control. That is why authentic leaders don’t let the controllable become uncontrollable.
Recognizing your people is completely within your control. You can choose daily to affirm their importance or simply let them wonder if they really matter or not.
When you choose affirmation you choose authentic leadership. You choose to build people and you choose to build your organization. Making an intentional effort to recognize your people encourages them to push themselves. They know what they do matters and that the more they do the more it will matter.
Authentic leaders know that there is a direct link between recognizing success and the amount of success available to recognize.
Recognize your people today and they will ensure that there is even more success to recognize tomorrow.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Huddle Talk - Let's Hear About Greatness!
Everyday when we get to our stores we hear stories.
Stories about many different things like the
time the guy came in at 3:00 am wearing a dress and carrying a ferret. Stories about how the night stock crew reached
their targets. Stories about how we do
not have enough hours.
Stories, stories,
stories, stories, stories.
Now, if you were to make a list each day of the
stories you hear and then divide the stories into two lists – one a list of
positive stories and one a list of the negative stories, which list do you
believe would be longer?
Yup…the
negative list.
Why is that? Well,
misery loves company. People love to
dish dirt. It’s fun to talk about
others. However, what do these stories
do to your store, your people, you?
You
know the answer.
What if we focused only on the positive? What if the only stories we hear are about
the great things that occur in our stores each day? What if we share these stories with other
stores? Can you imagine the impact this
would have? Talk about engagement!
We could transform our stores into palaces
of positivity!
This positivity will
breed more positivity and more and more and more.
Easier said than done of course but it is an easy process to
begin…just start it yourself.
When you talk with folks, keep your conversation positive. If you have to speak about “opportunities”
your store has, frame these conversations in the positive. “We have a chance to build business, teams
and relationships and all we have to do is engage our guests and each other
more often! Help me come up with some
ideas on how we can accomplish this and inspire others.” It’s that simple.
Create an avenue in your store to celebrate the
greatness.
We have communication boards
in every department. Perhaps add a
section on these boards called, “Greatness!”
Then you get to communicate as often as you would like the great things
that happen in your store – in each department of your store.
We can’t let the minutia of the job keep us from celebrating
the good things that happen everyday.
You cannot put a dollar amount on promoting the goodness. Try it and you will see the energy in your
store go up, the productivity go up and your store will become an even
friendlier place than it is already.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Andrew Carnegie
I have two parts to the blog today. The first part is from Seth Godin and the second part is just from little ol' me. Both parts reference stories attributed to Andrew Carnegie
From Seth Godin’s blog…
Losing Andrew Carnegie
Carnegie apparently said, "Take away my people, but leave my factories and soon grass will grow on the factory floors......Take away my factories, but leave my people and soon we will have a new and better factory."
Is there a typical large corporation working today that still believes this?
Most organizations now have it backwards. The factory, the infrastructure, the systems, the patents, the process, the manual... that's king. In fact, shareholders demand it.
It turns out that success is coming from the atypical organizations, the ones that can get back to embracing irreplaceable people, the linchpins, the ones that make a difference. Anything else can be replicated cheaper by someone else.
(http://sethgodin.typepad.com/)
Part Two of this Blog Post...
Mining Gold
I want to tell you a little story I heard the other day.
Back over 100 years ago a reporter asked Andrew Carnegie – one of the first industrialist our country ever produced...
“You have 43 millionaires working for you. How did you attract 43 millionaires?”
Carnegie replied, “They were not millionaires before they worked for me.”
The other man said, “Wow! Well how in the devil did you develop 43 individuals in such a way that allowed them to become millionaires?”
Carnegie stated that you develop people the same way you mine for gold.
You move loads and loads of dirt to get to the gold.
You also must remember when mining for gold that you are not looking for the dirt – you are focused on finding the gold!
Everyone on our team has gold within them. There may be a lot of dirt in the way of the gold but it’s there. It is easy to get distracted by the dirt but if we focus on that dirt where is the benefit? Where is the benefit to the team and where is the benefit to the individual? There isn’t one. However, if we focus on the gold and what it will take to get to it, well…there’s a lot of benefits there!
Develop people the way you mine for gold.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Sunday, March 2, 2014
My Job
I have often been asked...
What do you do?
I usually reply that I walk around and try to look like I know what I'm doing and hope that nobody notices that I have no clue.
But...
That's only partly true.
When asked again I reply that...
My job is to create an environment that allows for success.
Then, if asked for clarification I answer...
My job is to take an egg, incubate it, hatch it and help it grow into a fully formed, well-rounded being...be that the store...the associates...the team.
My job is to create a village...a community center...that just happens to sell groceries.
My job is to tweak the thermostat of the store keeping it at the perfect temperature to allow everyone to have an environment that allows them to do what they do...turning the temp up or down as needed.
My job is to be careful not to de-motivate the great people we have - starting from the 1st day courtesy clerk to the 40th year produce guy - and give them the tools they need to be successful then get the heck out of their way and let them do what they do.
My job is to trust.
My job is to build and strengthen the bond between the store and the community.
My job is to create a culture of energy, excitement, achievement and service. Service to both our external and internal customers - and each other!
My job
is to
Create an Environment that Allows for Success
(and then walk around and look like I know what I'm doing!)
What do you do?
I usually reply that I walk around and try to look like I know what I'm doing and hope that nobody notices that I have no clue.
But...
That's only partly true.
When asked again I reply that...
My job is to create an environment that allows for success.
Then, if asked for clarification I answer...
My job is to take an egg, incubate it, hatch it and help it grow into a fully formed, well-rounded being...be that the store...the associates...the team.
My job is to create a village...a community center...that just happens to sell groceries.
My job is to tweak the thermostat of the store keeping it at the perfect temperature to allow everyone to have an environment that allows them to do what they do...turning the temp up or down as needed.
My job is to be careful not to de-motivate the great people we have - starting from the 1st day courtesy clerk to the 40th year produce guy - and give them the tools they need to be successful then get the heck out of their way and let them do what they do.
My job is to trust.
My job is to build and strengthen the bond between the store and the community.
My job is to create a culture of energy, excitement, achievement and service. Service to both our external and internal customers - and each other!
My job
is to
Create an Environment that Allows for Success
(and then walk around and look like I know what I'm doing!)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)