I have been in my Human Resource role for about a year now and it's been a very interesting one. I have learned a lot about a lot of things. It's funny...I have worked for Kroger for over 32 years, 31 spent in the stores. You would think that I would know about a lot of stuff because of those 32 years but what I learned in this last year is you just don't know what you don't know. The bad part is that others think because I have been around for 32 years I should know certain things.
Ha!
Fooled them again!
So it's been a good leadership lesson. Just because someone has been around a while doesn't mean they will know what to do when they come into a new role inside the same company.
Sounds like a simple lesson...one everyone should know.
It's not...
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Sunday, October 4, 2015
I Have Returned
Wow...has it really been since June that I wrote a post?
That ain't good!
I have no excuses other than...
Nothing!
See, when someone says they have no excuses other than XXXXX then that means they are giving an excuse. I have no excuse...I just didn't write anything. But I'm back now so you guys should be seeing more from me. I actually need to change the tagline or subtitle or whatever you call it. I'm not working at the Loganville Kroger anymore...it's been a year since I was assigned there. So I need to come up with something else...hmmm...
Any suggestions?
G-Rated please :-)
That ain't good!
I have no excuses other than...
Nothing!
See, when someone says they have no excuses other than XXXXX then that means they are giving an excuse. I have no excuse...I just didn't write anything. But I'm back now so you guys should be seeing more from me. I actually need to change the tagline or subtitle or whatever you call it. I'm not working at the Loganville Kroger anymore...it's been a year since I was assigned there. So I need to come up with something else...hmmm...
Any suggestions?
G-Rated please :-)
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Do You Feel Defeated?
Today I want to start off by talking about frustration. A frustration that comes from feeling like you are doing your best and yet this thing we call the grocery business is weighing you down…bending your shoulders…straining your back. You have so, so many things you are concerned with and so, so many numbers you have to make.
You are on two, three, four or more conference calls during a day asking you about OSAT, Green Half hours, Labor, Out of stocks, salesplans and other metrics.
You receive dozens upon dozens of emails each day asking you for this, giving you information about that…you need to enter interview times, we need you milk prices, where are your schedules, your hours…oh crap I forgot the fuel check.
You are trying to accomplish a mountain of things each day and your help is in seemingly short supply…I had call-outs, eschedule only scheduled me one person during this time frame…I only have 2 co-managers and one is on vacation.
It can be hard…
It can be tough…
It can be defeating.
We worry about shrink, we worry about sales…we worry about visits, we worry about sanitation and we worry about safety.
It’s a ton of stuff we are responsible for when we are running a store…a department.
It can be defeating.
Are you defeated?
I hear a lot of frustration when talking to store managers. I get it…I understand.
We all want to be successful. “Just give me the tools and I will be successful” I hear many say.
I get it
I understand
It can be defeating
Are you defeated?
Or do you take action…take control of the moment?
By taking control of this moment and then the next…it makes the next moment easier.
Then you take control of that moment and the next and pretty soon the moments are less frustrating and they become less troubling…less defeating.
As you take control your main weapon becomes your mind…your thoughts…your plans. You start to think clearer and options…positive options start to appear.
You are able to find ideas…and see results.
This stokes your competitive fire and soon you are attacking shrink, safety and those green half hours become something that is a challenge instead of a anchor around your body of your front end …around your store.
And OSAT…oh OSAT…it is a fun challenge…a puzzle to be solved…a perceived impossibility just as human flight once was…but we know different now. We don’t just look at numbers anymore…we look at behaviors and action. Action is the key word here…action - the word - implies motion…drive…it is making stuff happen and since we are in control we make stuff happen the way we intend…and not the way of the unintended.
We step forth with full confidence that we control our world and we will make it happen because we are not feeling defeated…we are not defeated.
We’re competing…
We are competing on a stage that we are in charge of and that will bend to our will…our desire…
Frustration gets us no where except into the depths of further frustration and despair. Action…confidence…taking control…planning…leading…achieving…
That is where our purpose is found…this is where we want to be…
So make today the last day of your frustration. Throw it away…stomp it to nothing. Grab control of your thoughts and by doing so grab control of your world…and your store. Know that you and your store team have the ability to achieve anything…everything…
Go make stuff happen today…compete…and win…and the victory is the satisfaction that comes from a job well done.
So go out there…take action…make stuff happen.
You are not defeated…you are just getting started.
You are on two, three, four or more conference calls during a day asking you about OSAT, Green Half hours, Labor, Out of stocks, salesplans and other metrics.
You receive dozens upon dozens of emails each day asking you for this, giving you information about that…you need to enter interview times, we need you milk prices, where are your schedules, your hours…oh crap I forgot the fuel check.
You are trying to accomplish a mountain of things each day and your help is in seemingly short supply…I had call-outs, eschedule only scheduled me one person during this time frame…I only have 2 co-managers and one is on vacation.
It can be hard…
It can be tough…
It can be defeating.
We worry about shrink, we worry about sales…we worry about visits, we worry about sanitation and we worry about safety.
It’s a ton of stuff we are responsible for when we are running a store…a department.
It can be defeating.
Are you defeated?
I hear a lot of frustration when talking to store managers. I get it…I understand.
We all want to be successful. “Just give me the tools and I will be successful” I hear many say.
I get it
I understand
It can be defeating
Are you defeated?
Or do you take action…take control of the moment?
By taking control of this moment and then the next…it makes the next moment easier.
Then you take control of that moment and the next and pretty soon the moments are less frustrating and they become less troubling…less defeating.
As you take control your main weapon becomes your mind…your thoughts…your plans. You start to think clearer and options…positive options start to appear.
You are able to find ideas…and see results.
This stokes your competitive fire and soon you are attacking shrink, safety and those green half hours become something that is a challenge instead of a anchor around your body of your front end …around your store.
And OSAT…oh OSAT…it is a fun challenge…a puzzle to be solved…a perceived impossibility just as human flight once was…but we know different now. We don’t just look at numbers anymore…we look at behaviors and action. Action is the key word here…action - the word - implies motion…drive…it is making stuff happen and since we are in control we make stuff happen the way we intend…and not the way of the unintended.
We step forth with full confidence that we control our world and we will make it happen because we are not feeling defeated…we are not defeated.
We’re competing…
We are competing on a stage that we are in charge of and that will bend to our will…our desire…
Frustration gets us no where except into the depths of further frustration and despair. Action…confidence…taking control…planning…leading…achieving…
That is where our purpose is found…this is where we want to be…
So make today the last day of your frustration. Throw it away…stomp it to nothing. Grab control of your thoughts and by doing so grab control of your world…and your store. Know that you and your store team have the ability to achieve anything…everything…
Go make stuff happen today…compete…and win…and the victory is the satisfaction that comes from a job well done.
So go out there…take action…make stuff happen.
You are not defeated…you are just getting started.
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Dreams are Inspiring - Work is Not
I was listening to a Google Talk the other day and the guest was Jon Taffer - the host of Bar Rescue. It was actually very interesting. The guy is somewhat full of himself but he is very successful by most measures and offered up some words of wisdom during the program.
One thing he said during his wrap up was…
Dreams are Inspiring…work is not.
He said...
Dreams are Inspiring…work is not.
He was emphasizing the need to follow your dreams - even through your workplace. Do not give up on your dreams.
This fits right in with our Happiness and Imagination theme we have discussed in the past.
Dreams are a way for us to see our future positive reality - using our imagination
We gain joy as we pursue these dreams - the definition of happiness
Of course many of us are probably wondering - how can I pursue my dreams while working at Kroger.
This is the wrong question…
You guys all came to Kroger for a reason…oh so many reasons…and when you came to Kroger you imagined something in your future.
So…the question is - "How will I partner with Kroger to achieve my dreams?"
I used to give a talk to middle school students about Kroger. One of the things I would do during the talk is to ask the kids what they wanted to be when they grew up and I would list them on the white board - no chalkboards in schools these days…
We would end up with a list of 15 - 20 things…some duplicates. Many wanted to be professional athletes or singers….I would then tell the kids that they could do almost everyone of the jobs they listed within the Kroger Company.
They looked at me like I was CRAZY
But then I explained how and the looks turned from crazy to encouraging.
So I would like to ask you all, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Then I challenge you to find a way to do that within The Kroger Company.
You’ll be surprised…
Now what does this have to do with offering a Highly Satisfying Shopping Experience?
As you are pursuing your dreams you will create an environment in your stores that promotes
Action
Excitement
Accomplishment
Happiness
Which all go toward creating an environment for success to happen.
Also, your “work” becomes less work and more joy
“Dreams are Inspiring…work is not”
Follow your dreams
One thing he said during his wrap up was…
Dreams are Inspiring…work is not.
He said...
Dreams are Inspiring…work is not.
He was emphasizing the need to follow your dreams - even through your workplace. Do not give up on your dreams.
This fits right in with our Happiness and Imagination theme we have discussed in the past.
Dreams are a way for us to see our future positive reality - using our imagination
We gain joy as we pursue these dreams - the definition of happiness
Of course many of us are probably wondering - how can I pursue my dreams while working at Kroger.
This is the wrong question…
You guys all came to Kroger for a reason…oh so many reasons…and when you came to Kroger you imagined something in your future.
So…the question is - "How will I partner with Kroger to achieve my dreams?"
I used to give a talk to middle school students about Kroger. One of the things I would do during the talk is to ask the kids what they wanted to be when they grew up and I would list them on the white board - no chalkboards in schools these days…
We would end up with a list of 15 - 20 things…some duplicates. Many wanted to be professional athletes or singers….I would then tell the kids that they could do almost everyone of the jobs they listed within the Kroger Company.
They looked at me like I was CRAZY
But then I explained how and the looks turned from crazy to encouraging.
So I would like to ask you all, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Then I challenge you to find a way to do that within The Kroger Company.
You’ll be surprised…
Now what does this have to do with offering a Highly Satisfying Shopping Experience?
As you are pursuing your dreams you will create an environment in your stores that promotes
Action
Excitement
Accomplishment
Happiness
Which all go toward creating an environment for success to happen.
Also, your “work” becomes less work and more joy
“Dreams are Inspiring…work is not”
Follow your dreams
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Inside the Box
You know we hear so much about "thinking outside the box" when we encounter challenges. "Color outside the lines," "go outside the nine dots."
Sometimes...maybe even most times...the answers are inside the dots...inside the box...and it's perfect to color inside the lines.
When running a business you probably have associates working for you...with you. They bring a lot of knowledge and experience to the table. So do you.
And you are all inside the four walls of your business. You are inside the box.
Tap into that knowledge and experience...the answers are there. The only outside of the box thinking you may have to do is how to open the box to gain access to what's inside.
Sometimes...maybe even most times...the answers are inside the dots...inside the box...and it's perfect to color inside the lines.
When running a business you probably have associates working for you...with you. They bring a lot of knowledge and experience to the table. So do you.
And you are all inside the four walls of your business. You are inside the box.
Tap into that knowledge and experience...the answers are there. The only outside of the box thinking you may have to do is how to open the box to gain access to what's inside.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
The Un-Stuck Walk
Sometimes we get stuck
We are going along in our lives day in and day out…week in and week out…month in and month out…when we find ourselves in a rut…stuck.
Or it may be that we are tackling a issue at work and have thought about it and thought about it…looked at the issue from different angles…asked for advice but can’t seem to figure out a solution…stuck.
Being stuck causes us some stress…perhaps a good amount of stress…maybe even overwhelming stress.
What to do?
How can you get un-stuck?
Someone just said…”Step back and punt!”
Now that’s an option…not a very good one but still…it’s an option.
But let’s think about a different one…
Take a long walk…
A run if you prefer
But a long one…
By yourself.
Put your walking or running shoes on and just start moving.
As you are moving there is one rule…you cannot turn around…
Yup
You cannot turn around until…
You cannot turn around until…you get a legitimate new idea.
That’s it!
You walk - or run - going away from your starting point and cannot turn back around until you become un-stuck. Until you get a new idea - a new approach to the issue you have.
Then on your way back you can work on the plan of action to help you achieve the new idea you just came up with.
I have used this so many times. It is one of the reasons I love to run out on country roads by myself. You can just “be” without the distractions of anything…
(running on a busy street doesn’t work as well for me because I keep looking at everything around me and wondering about those things instead of letting my mind clear)
I have used this so many times that my team at work often reply to my new ideas with
“Oh…you went for a run yesterday didn’t you?”
They say it with an attitude sometimes…(but in good fun)
I am amazed how this simple action - walking by yourself to let you mind clear - works. It’s success rate must approach 90-100% - at least for me.
So when you are stuck
Take action
Move to get un-stuck
Because really…if you don’t move and stay in the place you are stuck in you will never get unstuck…I think that’s a law of physics or a quote from Einstein…or something…
An Unstuck Walk…just get moving…
We are going along in our lives day in and day out…week in and week out…month in and month out…when we find ourselves in a rut…stuck.
Or it may be that we are tackling a issue at work and have thought about it and thought about it…looked at the issue from different angles…asked for advice but can’t seem to figure out a solution…stuck.
Being stuck causes us some stress…perhaps a good amount of stress…maybe even overwhelming stress.
What to do?
How can you get un-stuck?
Someone just said…”Step back and punt!”
Now that’s an option…not a very good one but still…it’s an option.
But let’s think about a different one…
Take a long walk…
A run if you prefer
But a long one…
By yourself.
Put your walking or running shoes on and just start moving.
As you are moving there is one rule…you cannot turn around…
Yup
You cannot turn around until…
You cannot turn around until…you get a legitimate new idea.
That’s it!
You walk - or run - going away from your starting point and cannot turn back around until you become un-stuck. Until you get a new idea - a new approach to the issue you have.
Then on your way back you can work on the plan of action to help you achieve the new idea you just came up with.
I have used this so many times. It is one of the reasons I love to run out on country roads by myself. You can just “be” without the distractions of anything…
(running on a busy street doesn’t work as well for me because I keep looking at everything around me and wondering about those things instead of letting my mind clear)
I have used this so many times that my team at work often reply to my new ideas with
“Oh…you went for a run yesterday didn’t you?”
They say it with an attitude sometimes…(but in good fun)
I am amazed how this simple action - walking by yourself to let you mind clear - works. It’s success rate must approach 90-100% - at least for me.
So when you are stuck
Take action
Move to get un-stuck
Because really…if you don’t move and stay in the place you are stuck in you will never get unstuck…I think that’s a law of physics or a quote from Einstein…or something…
An Unstuck Walk…just get moving…
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Tagainya, Tesfa and Manny
I want to tell you a story about three men - Tagainya…Tesfa…and Manny
Now Tagainya and Tesfa are businessmen…very successful businessmen. They are from two different generations as Tesfa is about 75 years old and Tagainya is about 40 years old.
Tesfa is retired now but he owned and ran a shop for years…again very successfully. His shop sold a wide variety of items from food to clothes to hardware and all things in between. Now he had slow times and fast times but on the whole he was extremely successful and set up his family well.
Tagainya is in his prime as a businessman. He owns a rice factory, two gas stations and is building a hotel. He has a family too…a wife and two kids…and if you ask him he would say his life is wonderful!
When you look at either of these two men they seem to have little stress. They both smile a lot, joke around a lot and are always reaching out to help others. I am very impressed with them and enjoy my time with them.
Of course, since I am always curious about leadership and business, during the many conversations I have had with them I asked them - separately - what their secret was. Why did they think they were so successful in business.
Each man - remember they’re from 2 different generations and been through different business climates - both gave the exact same answer.
And it came in one word
Respect
I couldn’t let it sit at just one word so I asked for more. They didn’t give much more because they said it is so simple.
Respect those who work for you and they will treat the business like it is their own
Respect those who you do business with and they will give you fair deals
Respect those who buy from you and they will keep coming back.
Oh…I forgot to tell you one thing…
Tagainya and Tesfa are from Ethiopia. Their businesses are located in Ethiopia in an area that would be considered…well…very poor by our standards. But these two men are rich in both the conventional way of thinking of the word and by how you would describe their lives.
Other businesses in the area come and go…rise and fall - or fail. But Tesfa stayed in business for over 50 years and Tagainya’s businesses are successful even by American standards.
And they give the credit to
Respect
And remember what they said - if you treat those who work for you with respect they will treat your business like it’s their business.
A case in point - Tagainya can’t be at all of his business each day. He relies on his people. Each evening one of his workers brings him the daily receipts…in a cloth bag. I asked Tagainya if he has any idea how much money should be in the bag. See there are no cash registers in his business and it’s all a cash business. Tagainya says “nope…I have no idea.” I ask him if he’s worried about that. Again he replies, “Nope.” And he goes on to say that with the respect he gives his team he absolutely never worries about how they will take care of his business.
And it works…
See…the bag of money…in it there is generally between $5000 to $20,000 and it would be so easy to “lose” some of it. But no worries…
Wow
Oh…I forgot to talk about Manny. You guys may know Manny. He was a Major League baseball player - Manny Ramirez - and he had one of the best bats in the game. He made a lot of money and played for 5 different teams.
However, Manny had some issues. His issues weren’t with swinging the bat…again he is considered on of the best right handed bats ever in the game…his issues were with just about everything else. There was even a phrase coined…”Manny Being Manny.” See Manny was so good at what he did that people put up with his issue by shrugging them off as Manny Being Manny.
But where Tagainya and Tesfa showed respect…Manny did not.
He didn’t show respect for the game.
He didn’t show respect to his teammates.
He didn’t show respect to his talent.
And the teams he played for soon grew weary of Manny Being Manny and no matter how great his bat was they were willing to trade him away.
Manny Being Manny wears on a team…
So…do you have Manny’s in your store or do you have Tagainya’s and Tesfa’s? I bet you have both.
Are you a Manny or a Tesfa or Tagainya? I am sure in our own management ranks we have both.
The reason I’m talking about this today…well I was planning on talking about this sometime in the future but today seemed like a good time. And I say that because on Tuesday I went to a conference - a big HR conference here in Atlanta - and one of the speakers talked about respect. I took it as a sign that the time was right for me to talk about Tagainya, Tesfa and Manny.
Do you and your team show respect or accept Manny being Manny?
See like the Boston Red Sox…like the LA Dodgers…we can’t accept Manny being Manny anymore. Our culture is changing and to solidify that culture we can’t afford Manny’s in our operation. No matter how well they give you numbers - Manny hit a lot of home runs - they will wear on your people…they’ll wear on their co-workers and destroy the culture you’re trying to create.
Again…do you and your team show respect or are you accepting Manny being Manny
One will help your business the other will hurt it…
Now Tagainya and Tesfa are businessmen…very successful businessmen. They are from two different generations as Tesfa is about 75 years old and Tagainya is about 40 years old.
Tesfa is retired now but he owned and ran a shop for years…again very successfully. His shop sold a wide variety of items from food to clothes to hardware and all things in between. Now he had slow times and fast times but on the whole he was extremely successful and set up his family well.
Tagainya is in his prime as a businessman. He owns a rice factory, two gas stations and is building a hotel. He has a family too…a wife and two kids…and if you ask him he would say his life is wonderful!
When you look at either of these two men they seem to have little stress. They both smile a lot, joke around a lot and are always reaching out to help others. I am very impressed with them and enjoy my time with them.
Of course, since I am always curious about leadership and business, during the many conversations I have had with them I asked them - separately - what their secret was. Why did they think they were so successful in business.
Each man - remember they’re from 2 different generations and been through different business climates - both gave the exact same answer.
And it came in one word
Respect
I couldn’t let it sit at just one word so I asked for more. They didn’t give much more because they said it is so simple.
Respect those who work for you and they will treat the business like it is their own
Respect those who you do business with and they will give you fair deals
Respect those who buy from you and they will keep coming back.
Oh…I forgot to tell you one thing…
Tagainya and Tesfa are from Ethiopia. Their businesses are located in Ethiopia in an area that would be considered…well…very poor by our standards. But these two men are rich in both the conventional way of thinking of the word and by how you would describe their lives.
Other businesses in the area come and go…rise and fall - or fail. But Tesfa stayed in business for over 50 years and Tagainya’s businesses are successful even by American standards.
And they give the credit to
Respect
And remember what they said - if you treat those who work for you with respect they will treat your business like it’s their business.
A case in point - Tagainya can’t be at all of his business each day. He relies on his people. Each evening one of his workers brings him the daily receipts…in a cloth bag. I asked Tagainya if he has any idea how much money should be in the bag. See there are no cash registers in his business and it’s all a cash business. Tagainya says “nope…I have no idea.” I ask him if he’s worried about that. Again he replies, “Nope.” And he goes on to say that with the respect he gives his team he absolutely never worries about how they will take care of his business.
And it works…
See…the bag of money…in it there is generally between $5000 to $20,000 and it would be so easy to “lose” some of it. But no worries…
Wow
Oh…I forgot to talk about Manny. You guys may know Manny. He was a Major League baseball player - Manny Ramirez - and he had one of the best bats in the game. He made a lot of money and played for 5 different teams.
However, Manny had some issues. His issues weren’t with swinging the bat…again he is considered on of the best right handed bats ever in the game…his issues were with just about everything else. There was even a phrase coined…”Manny Being Manny.” See Manny was so good at what he did that people put up with his issue by shrugging them off as Manny Being Manny.
But where Tagainya and Tesfa showed respect…Manny did not.
He didn’t show respect for the game.
He didn’t show respect to his teammates.
He didn’t show respect to his talent.
And the teams he played for soon grew weary of Manny Being Manny and no matter how great his bat was they were willing to trade him away.
Manny Being Manny wears on a team…
So…do you have Manny’s in your store or do you have Tagainya’s and Tesfa’s? I bet you have both.
Are you a Manny or a Tesfa or Tagainya? I am sure in our own management ranks we have both.
The reason I’m talking about this today…well I was planning on talking about this sometime in the future but today seemed like a good time. And I say that because on Tuesday I went to a conference - a big HR conference here in Atlanta - and one of the speakers talked about respect. I took it as a sign that the time was right for me to talk about Tagainya, Tesfa and Manny.
Do you and your team show respect or accept Manny being Manny?
See like the Boston Red Sox…like the LA Dodgers…we can’t accept Manny being Manny anymore. Our culture is changing and to solidify that culture we can’t afford Manny’s in our operation. No matter how well they give you numbers - Manny hit a lot of home runs - they will wear on your people…they’ll wear on their co-workers and destroy the culture you’re trying to create.
Again…do you and your team show respect or are you accepting Manny being Manny
One will help your business the other will hurt it…
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Just Wish Happiness
Today’s post will be short. It is short because the idea I am going to give today is a very simple one.
A simple idea that may have HUGE benefits to both you as an individual and those around you.
And the idea is to…
Just Wish Happiness
Yup…just wish happiness for the people you meet today - and everyday.
You don’t have to say anything - that’s what makes this so simple - you just wish it.
As you meet people today - as you cross paths with people - wish them sincere happiness in their lives.
As you pass Sally today you just say in your head, “I wish Sally all the happiness in the world today” and move on.
This might sound like something very out there…very zen like…or hippie-ish…but try it. It will change your mood and I think you’ll be amazed on how this will rub off on others and create an environment around you for people to flourish. And no one will know why…it’ll just happen because of you…because you
Just Wished Happiness…for everyone…
A simple idea that may have HUGE benefits to both you as an individual and those around you.
And the idea is to…
Just Wish Happiness
Yup…just wish happiness for the people you meet today - and everyday.
You don’t have to say anything - that’s what makes this so simple - you just wish it.
As you meet people today - as you cross paths with people - wish them sincere happiness in their lives.
As you pass Sally today you just say in your head, “I wish Sally all the happiness in the world today” and move on.
This might sound like something very out there…very zen like…or hippie-ish…but try it. It will change your mood and I think you’ll be amazed on how this will rub off on others and create an environment around you for people to flourish. And no one will know why…it’ll just happen because of you…because you
Just Wished Happiness…for everyone…
Monday, April 20, 2015
Imagination
If you were asked to name the human brain’s greatest achievement, you might think first of the impressive artifacts it has produced—the Great Pyramid of Giza, the International Space Station, or perhaps the Golden Gate Bridge. These are great achievements indeed, and our brains deserve their very own ticker-tape parade for producing them. But they are not the greatest. A sophisticated machine could design and build any one of these things because designing and building require knowledge, logic, and patience, of which sophisticated machines have plenty. In fact, there’s really only one achievement so remarkable that even the most sophisticated machine cannot pretend to have accomplished it, and that achievement is conscious experience.
Seeing the Great Pyramid or remembering the Golden Gate or imagining the Space Station are far more remarkable acts than is building any one of them. What’s more, one of these remarkable acts is even more remarkable than the others. To see is to experience the world as it is, to remember is to experience the world as it was, but to imagine—ah, to imagine is to experience the world as it isn’t and has never been, but as it might be.
The greatest achievement of the human brain is its ability to imagine objects and episodes that do not exist in the realm of the real, and it is this ability that allows us to think about the future. As one philosopher noted, the human brain is an “anticipation machine,” and “making future” is the most important thing it does.
This comes from a book called “Stumbling on Happiness” by Dan Gilbert. Why am I talking about it here…because imagination can take us where we want to go…
We heard that since we were a kid. Well actually we didn’t hear it we practiced it! As a kid our imagination was in full bloom - on display for everyone to see. We were princesses and pirates, cowboys and indians, spacemen and superstars. We pretended everyday. We imagined ourselves and our world as something different…
Have you ever just watched a kid…or listened to one when they were pretending…imagining. It is so uplifting…and just plain enjoyable.
We often say after watching kids play, ‘If we could just bottle that energy and excitement!”
We can…
It starts with our imagination.
Many of us have stopped using this power…and it’s like a super power
Why have we shut down our imagination factory?
Imagination is not just for kids. As the passage stated imagination is the greatest achievement of the human brain.
Let’s use it.
Let’s use it for good (another super hero reference)
So as you walk your store tap into your imagination. Imagine what could be. Imagine what it would be like if everyone is
Energized!
Excited!
Happy!
Imagine success…and it can happen!
Seeing the Great Pyramid or remembering the Golden Gate or imagining the Space Station are far more remarkable acts than is building any one of them. What’s more, one of these remarkable acts is even more remarkable than the others. To see is to experience the world as it is, to remember is to experience the world as it was, but to imagine—ah, to imagine is to experience the world as it isn’t and has never been, but as it might be.
The greatest achievement of the human brain is its ability to imagine objects and episodes that do not exist in the realm of the real, and it is this ability that allows us to think about the future. As one philosopher noted, the human brain is an “anticipation machine,” and “making future” is the most important thing it does.
This comes from a book called “Stumbling on Happiness” by Dan Gilbert. Why am I talking about it here…because imagination can take us where we want to go…
We heard that since we were a kid. Well actually we didn’t hear it we practiced it! As a kid our imagination was in full bloom - on display for everyone to see. We were princesses and pirates, cowboys and indians, spacemen and superstars. We pretended everyday. We imagined ourselves and our world as something different…
Have you ever just watched a kid…or listened to one when they were pretending…imagining. It is so uplifting…and just plain enjoyable.
We often say after watching kids play, ‘If we could just bottle that energy and excitement!”
We can…
It starts with our imagination.
Many of us have stopped using this power…and it’s like a super power
Why have we shut down our imagination factory?
Imagination is not just for kids. As the passage stated imagination is the greatest achievement of the human brain.
Let’s use it.
Let’s use it for good (another super hero reference)
So as you walk your store tap into your imagination. Imagine what could be. Imagine what it would be like if everyone is
Energized!
Excited!
Happy!
Imagine success…and it can happen!
Saturday, April 18, 2015
The Definition of Happiness
You know we talked about happiness and awesomeness in previous blog posts and I love talking about all things awesome and of course all things that make me happy!
As you recall I stated that if you are happy you are more productive, more creative more in just about everything positive.
But what do I mean when I say happy?
If you won a million dollars today in the lottery you would probably say, if asked, that you were happy.
Of course you would - you’re an instant millionaire!
If you were in an accident and became a paraplegic you would probably say, if asked, that you were not happy.
But you know what…
When asked about their level of happiness one year after an event of that sort the lottery winners and the paraplegics on average rated their happiness levels equal.
What!?
A lottery winner and someone who doesn’t have the use of their legs are both equally happy?
Well that’s interesting…
So how do you define happiness?
How about this definition…
Happiness is the joy we feel as we pursue our potential
Happiness is the joy we feel as we pursue our potential
It’s not about the winning of the lottery - oh yeah that brings a ton of pleasure…but it doesn’t necessarily make us happy.
A kid getting a popsicle - experiences a lot of pleasure at the moment. Might even say ‘I’m the happiest girl in the whole wide world” Of course we all know that her true happiness comes from a whole lot more than a popsicle. Just as true happiness comes from more than winning the lottery.
We can’t confuse the feeling of pleasure and true happiness.
And you can have true happiness when you become an instant paraplegic too. I know a guy who experienced this.
He was my Produce Manager down in Athens when I ran a store there. He was a great produce manager and he ran one of the busiest produce departments around at that time - doing over $90,000 a week in 2005.
One night he was driving home after having a few beers. He was on the phone arguing with his wife and flipped his car. He was thrown out of the car landing in the middle of the road…less than 500 yards from his house…and would never walk again.
Tragic
Or so it seemed
But his story has a happy ending…or I shouldn’t say ending because it continues today with energy and excitement.
When talking to him he said the accident was the best thing that ever happened to him…and he means it. The energy in his voice is contagious. He takes his son to motocross and loves it.
Yes…HE takes his kid because he has a car set up so he can drive.
He is happy…
His true happiness comes in the joy he feels while pursuing his potential. It is amazing.
So when I ask you to “Choose to be Happy” I am asking you to look at your entire mindset on living…on working…
Being happy doesn't mean you won’t have set-backs or stresses…shoot we all have those - sometimes seemingly everyday…but being happy is what you are thinking during those set-backs or stresses.
Happiness isn’t about being blind to the negatives in our environment; it’s believing we have the power to do something about them and then imagining a positive reality - a positive result from those negatives.
You all have heard about the glass half-full people and the glass half-empty people. There is a third group of people we often don’t think about. Those people who don’t care if the glass is half-full or half-empty because they see another option…they see the full pitcher of water sitting off to the side!
Change your thinking a little…or a lot…and the possibility of happiness grows. Being able to see the positive future is a key to having real happiness.
As you recall I stated that if you are happy you are more productive, more creative more in just about everything positive.
But what do I mean when I say happy?
If you won a million dollars today in the lottery you would probably say, if asked, that you were happy.
Of course you would - you’re an instant millionaire!
If you were in an accident and became a paraplegic you would probably say, if asked, that you were not happy.
But you know what…
When asked about their level of happiness one year after an event of that sort the lottery winners and the paraplegics on average rated their happiness levels equal.
What!?
A lottery winner and someone who doesn’t have the use of their legs are both equally happy?
Well that’s interesting…
So how do you define happiness?
How about this definition…
Happiness is the joy we feel as we pursue our potential
Happiness is the joy we feel as we pursue our potential
It’s not about the winning of the lottery - oh yeah that brings a ton of pleasure…but it doesn’t necessarily make us happy.
A kid getting a popsicle - experiences a lot of pleasure at the moment. Might even say ‘I’m the happiest girl in the whole wide world” Of course we all know that her true happiness comes from a whole lot more than a popsicle. Just as true happiness comes from more than winning the lottery.
We can’t confuse the feeling of pleasure and true happiness.
And you can have true happiness when you become an instant paraplegic too. I know a guy who experienced this.
He was my Produce Manager down in Athens when I ran a store there. He was a great produce manager and he ran one of the busiest produce departments around at that time - doing over $90,000 a week in 2005.
One night he was driving home after having a few beers. He was on the phone arguing with his wife and flipped his car. He was thrown out of the car landing in the middle of the road…less than 500 yards from his house…and would never walk again.
Tragic
Or so it seemed
But his story has a happy ending…or I shouldn’t say ending because it continues today with energy and excitement.
When talking to him he said the accident was the best thing that ever happened to him…and he means it. The energy in his voice is contagious. He takes his son to motocross and loves it.
Yes…HE takes his kid because he has a car set up so he can drive.
He is happy…
His true happiness comes in the joy he feels while pursuing his potential. It is amazing.
So when I ask you to “Choose to be Happy” I am asking you to look at your entire mindset on living…on working…
Being happy doesn't mean you won’t have set-backs or stresses…shoot we all have those - sometimes seemingly everyday…but being happy is what you are thinking during those set-backs or stresses.
Happiness isn’t about being blind to the negatives in our environment; it’s believing we have the power to do something about them and then imagining a positive reality - a positive result from those negatives.
You all have heard about the glass half-full people and the glass half-empty people. There is a third group of people we often don’t think about. Those people who don’t care if the glass is half-full or half-empty because they see another option…they see the full pitcher of water sitting off to the side!
Change your thinking a little…or a lot…and the possibility of happiness grows. Being able to see the positive future is a key to having real happiness.
(please read "Before Happiness" by Shawn Achor...I've been reading and enjoying it. I like his definition of happiness...so I used it here!)
Friday, April 17, 2015
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Motivate Yourself
“People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.” Andrew Carnegie
Now you can never really be sure if quotes you find on the internet are real but sometimes it doesn't matter. It's the words themselves that are meaningful.
and actually...sometimes you can be sure...
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Friday, April 10, 2015
Choose to be Happy
Find light in the beautiful sea
I choose to be happy
You and I, you and I
We’re like diamonds in the sky
These are lyrics from a Rihanna song titled “Diamonds.” I have heard this song a million times. When you listen to Top 40 radio you become sick of songs you once liked because they play them over and over and over and over and over…I switch the station very quickly even when I hear Pharrell’s “Happy” song now and I love it!
Now I don’t really like the song "Diamonds" too much but it came on my Pandora the other day while I was doing some things around the house. And the lyric…which again, I had heard seemingly a million times…caught me this time.
“I choose to be happy”
Why did it catch me this time when it hadn’t the previous million times?
“I choose to be happy”
I really don't know but I do believe happiness is a choice...a mindset. (I'll define happiness in a later blog post)
We can all choose to be happy and we must if we are leading people. We have a responsibility to the people who follow us to choose happiness.
Why?
Well…I could put it into my own words but I found the following on the web at The Happiness Start-up School (click here to visit the site)…
Take a second and think about how you work when you’re not happy, when you’re feeling negative, anxious or stressed. Are you creative? Inspired? Motivated? Engaged? Is our productivity at its peak?
Our ability to work at our most effective reduces when we’re feeling stressed or under pressure. We can’t make decisions thoughtfully or work to our full potential.
Now turn it around. When you feel happy, how do you work? Are you charged up, feeling creative and positive about outcomes? More resilient and persistent when we suffer setbacks?
Our brains become more alert, open to ideas and innovation when we’re happy, letting us to work to our full potential. It’s a recipe for productivity that comes much easier to those whose business idea revolves around something they believe in.
Study after study proves that happy teams are more creative, productive and effective. Just think about it for a second. Happy employees are nicer to be around, they like making their customers happy and therefore work harder to achieve that. Happy customers spend more money, are more loyal to a brand and tell their friends and family. It’s a marketing plan in itself.
So…follow Rihanna…well don’t follow her…no one likes a stalker but follow her advice when she sings…
“I choose to be happy…”
You’ll be glad you did…
I choose to be happy
You and I, you and I
We’re like diamonds in the sky
These are lyrics from a Rihanna song titled “Diamonds.” I have heard this song a million times. When you listen to Top 40 radio you become sick of songs you once liked because they play them over and over and over and over and over…I switch the station very quickly even when I hear Pharrell’s “Happy” song now and I love it!
Now I don’t really like the song "Diamonds" too much but it came on my Pandora the other day while I was doing some things around the house. And the lyric…which again, I had heard seemingly a million times…caught me this time.
“I choose to be happy”
Why did it catch me this time when it hadn’t the previous million times?
“I choose to be happy”
I really don't know but I do believe happiness is a choice...a mindset. (I'll define happiness in a later blog post)
We can all choose to be happy and we must if we are leading people. We have a responsibility to the people who follow us to choose happiness.
Why?
Well…I could put it into my own words but I found the following on the web at The Happiness Start-up School (click here to visit the site)…
Take a second and think about how you work when you’re not happy, when you’re feeling negative, anxious or stressed. Are you creative? Inspired? Motivated? Engaged? Is our productivity at its peak?
Our ability to work at our most effective reduces when we’re feeling stressed or under pressure. We can’t make decisions thoughtfully or work to our full potential.
Now turn it around. When you feel happy, how do you work? Are you charged up, feeling creative and positive about outcomes? More resilient and persistent when we suffer setbacks?
Our brains become more alert, open to ideas and innovation when we’re happy, letting us to work to our full potential. It’s a recipe for productivity that comes much easier to those whose business idea revolves around something they believe in.
Study after study proves that happy teams are more creative, productive and effective. Just think about it for a second. Happy employees are nicer to be around, they like making their customers happy and therefore work harder to achieve that. Happy customers spend more money, are more loyal to a brand and tell their friends and family. It’s a marketing plan in itself.
So…follow Rihanna…well don’t follow her…no one likes a stalker but follow her advice when she sings…
“I choose to be happy…”
You’ll be glad you did…
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Awesome
AWESOME
What a word
AWESOME
"extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear."
AWESOME
that is the definition…
"extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear."
But what is extremely impressive…or daunting…?
What if I would say anything…
Everything.
As the song says -
Everything is Awesome
Everything is cool when you’re part of a team
Everything is awesome
When you’re living your dream
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StTqXEQ2l-Y )
Now some would say “if everything is awesome then nothing is awesome”
I disagree…
Awesome is a matter of context.
What is not awesome today may be awesome tomorrow. What is awesome today to me may not be awesome to my wife who is standing next to me.
I was running the other day on a road I have run a hundred of times. As I came to the top of a hill I was met with a field full of yellow flowers which was contrasted against a field of green and a sky of blue. I wish I could describe it better here but it was
AWESOME
It was such an impressive moment that I got excited and even shouted, ‘Now that’s what I’m talking about!”
Why I chose those words I do not know but they are what came out of my mouth
“That’s what I’m talking about!”
AWESOME
That field and those flowers were never awesome before to me. On this particular Sunday morning however it was
extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration…
WOW!
Why am I talking about this now?
Because there is awesomeness in everything we do. We can find extremely impressive things in our work…as we travel down the interstate…as we hang out with friends…we just have to open to experience it.
Watch a toddler…everything is awesome to them. My 19 month old found her first Easter egg this year. It was a plastic egg with candy inside of it. She did not know there was anything in the egg but she knew if she shook it it made noise.
Her face told me she thought it was
AWESOME
She shook the egg…found another one and shook it too. She had a plastic egg in each hand and shook the heck out of both of them
AWESOME
Then she threw one on the floor…and it opened…
WOW…CANDY!
She had no idea...but now...
EVEN MORE AWESOMENESS!
You should’ve seen her face.
We have less than 100 years on this planet…Be open to find the awesome in your world.
It is there…everywhere.
What a word
AWESOME
"extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear."
AWESOME
that is the definition…
"extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear."
But what is extremely impressive…or daunting…?
What if I would say anything…
Everything.
As the song says -
Everything is Awesome
Everything is cool when you’re part of a team
Everything is awesome
When you’re living your dream
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StTqXEQ2l-Y )
Now some would say “if everything is awesome then nothing is awesome”
I disagree…
Awesome is a matter of context.
What is not awesome today may be awesome tomorrow. What is awesome today to me may not be awesome to my wife who is standing next to me.
I was running the other day on a road I have run a hundred of times. As I came to the top of a hill I was met with a field full of yellow flowers which was contrasted against a field of green and a sky of blue. I wish I could describe it better here but it was
AWESOME
It was such an impressive moment that I got excited and even shouted, ‘Now that’s what I’m talking about!”
Why I chose those words I do not know but they are what came out of my mouth
“That’s what I’m talking about!”
AWESOME
That field and those flowers were never awesome before to me. On this particular Sunday morning however it was
extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration…
WOW!
(I wish the picture captured the colors...it was AWESOME!)
Because there is awesomeness in everything we do. We can find extremely impressive things in our work…as we travel down the interstate…as we hang out with friends…we just have to open to experience it.
Watch a toddler…everything is awesome to them. My 19 month old found her first Easter egg this year. It was a plastic egg with candy inside of it. She did not know there was anything in the egg but she knew if she shook it it made noise.
Her face told me she thought it was
AWESOME
She shook the egg…found another one and shook it too. She had a plastic egg in each hand and shook the heck out of both of them
AWESOME
Then she threw one on the floor…and it opened…
WOW…CANDY!
She had no idea...but now...
EVEN MORE AWESOMENESS!
You should’ve seen her face.
We have less than 100 years on this planet…Be open to find the awesome in your world.
It is there…everywhere.
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Daniele Quercia: Happy maps
I love the idea of this...! It would be so interesting to see this option in your GPS app...
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
A Pet Peeve
I have a pet peeve
It's probably not a big deal but usually pet peeves are not a big deal to most people but they drive the person that has them crazy!
My pet peeve is "no problem"
You know when you are a customer and you're dealing with someone in a service environment and after you thank them for helping you they say
No Problem
Ugh!
It shouldn't be a problem helping a customer
By replying, "No Problem" when someone thanks you for helping them you are implying that it could've been a problem.
Maybe I'm just being picky but it drives me crazy...
It's probably not a big deal but usually pet peeves are not a big deal to most people but they drive the person that has them crazy!
My pet peeve is "no problem"
You know when you are a customer and you're dealing with someone in a service environment and after you thank them for helping you they say
No Problem
Ugh!
It shouldn't be a problem helping a customer
By replying, "No Problem" when someone thanks you for helping them you are implying that it could've been a problem.
Maybe I'm just being picky but it drives me crazy...
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Kroger Results - Because of Good Leadership and Execution
Kroger reported results today and they were more than pretty good...I just wanted to share one guy's opinion why...
Jim Cramer sees one crucial element of an investor's portfolio that is often underestimated—execution. At the end of the day, it cannot be overlooked. Good leadership is what drives both the company and the stock. And, unfortunately, Cramer is seeing this element disregarded more and more each day.
"We don't have enough respect for execution. Nobody talks about it, about the sheer power of execution, of a management team fulfilling unmet needs or changing course during changing times. Yet, it's a huge part of this terrific, long-term rally," the "Mad Money" host said.
…there is Kroger, which was up almost 7 percent when it beat all expectations in earnings.
"I've been pounding the table on this Kroger story ever since I spent some time with management and recognized how competitive they are and how they're leveraging their scale to wrench the profits from the food companies that supply them," Cramer added.
Cramer loves the company's strategy overall and has taken note that it has taken share from everyone as the nation's second largest supermarket chain. That means that Wal-Mart, Target and even Whole Foods need to watch their backs.
What struck Cramer as the most innovative approach with Kroger was how the natural and organic foods were integrated right into the other options in its aisles. They had more natural and organic produce on display, and they were beautiful. They had fabulous customer service, too.
That's what Cramer calls execution, and this is why he still considers this stock inexpensive. Bubble? What bubble?
Kroger closed at $74.31 today up over 70% versus this time last year.
Jim Cramer sees one crucial element of an investor's portfolio that is often underestimated—execution. At the end of the day, it cannot be overlooked. Good leadership is what drives both the company and the stock. And, unfortunately, Cramer is seeing this element disregarded more and more each day.
"We don't have enough respect for execution. Nobody talks about it, about the sheer power of execution, of a management team fulfilling unmet needs or changing course during changing times. Yet, it's a huge part of this terrific, long-term rally," the "Mad Money" host said.
…there is Kroger, which was up almost 7 percent when it beat all expectations in earnings.
"I've been pounding the table on this Kroger story ever since I spent some time with management and recognized how competitive they are and how they're leveraging their scale to wrench the profits from the food companies that supply them," Cramer added.
Cramer loves the company's strategy overall and has taken note that it has taken share from everyone as the nation's second largest supermarket chain. That means that Wal-Mart, Target and even Whole Foods need to watch their backs.
What struck Cramer as the most innovative approach with Kroger was how the natural and organic foods were integrated right into the other options in its aisles. They had more natural and organic produce on display, and they were beautiful. They had fabulous customer service, too.
That's what Cramer calls execution, and this is why he still considers this stock inexpensive. Bubble? What bubble?
Kroger closed at $74.31 today up over 70% versus this time last year.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
A Conversation with Randy
I was talking to Randy Waters yesterday about OSAT. Randy is our Customer Service Guru in our division. I asked him who has the highest OSAT in the entire company. He said Ralph’s did - they are over 70%. I asked them what they did that was different from anyone else. He said that their competition was different from ours which made a slight difference but he pointed to their Managers - particularly their Unit Managers - and said that they are on the sales floor 90% of their time.
90% of their time on the sales floor!
Randy went on to say that the unit managers at Ralph’s do little to no administrative work.
Let me repeat that
Unit Managers did little to no administrative work
They just stayed on the sales floor taking care of their customers and their associates while keeping a watch over their business.
This is exactly what we have been asking you guys to do - so we have the code to get to 70% or above…we just have to execute it - put it into play!
This is a culture change too and I asked Randy how can we change this. I said our guys have been very successful managing their business - their stores the way they been managing and we’re asking them to change.
He said it all comes down to how you receive your gratification from your job. He said many of us receive our gratification from working hard - busting our butts…putting in long hours…working 6 to 7 days a week…and when we get home we are like, “Whew…I worked hard today, this week, the month…. I am really good at what I do.” Many of us are like this and we receive gratification from being able to tell these wars stories to our spouse, our friends, our co-workers - to anyone that will listen. We work hard!
But then Randy went on to tell a story about himself and I do not believe he would mind me re-telling it. He said when he was a young store manager he worked hard and ran a good store…ran a really good store. He said his DM came in one day and they were talking and Randy said something like, “I have a very successful store here.” And the Dm replied, “You will never make the kind of money you could be making and you know why? It’s because of the way you manage.”
Randy was appalled.
He ran a great store.
The DM continued, “You order the bread, you order the milk, you are on the Front End - you are everywhere in your store handling the tasks. You are working so hard you are forgetting to lead.
You are working so hard that you are forgetting to lead
And your people are going to let you continue working hard if you let them.”
Wow
Randy said that conversation was the game-changer…the cultural changer for him.
His DM was right…Randy was working his tail off but was not accomplishing all that he could. Randy had failed to step back and look at the bigger picture - he couldn’t because he was working so hard.
Managers…and Department Managers - are you working so hard that you’re forgetting to lead?
Why?
Perhaps you are going to say that the rest of your team can’t do it. Well…Randy’s DM would reply to that with, “Because you have been working to hard to lead and develop your team.”
We must develop our team to handle the job in front of them. And guess what? Our team wants to be developed to handle the job in front of them. They want to be able to Make it Right for our customers.
We just have to let them.
We have to get out of the mindset that the physical labor is more important than the mental labor - the planning, preparation, development, and follow through.
This is what we need to do to create an environment that allows for success to happen in our stores.
Change your mind - change how you look at your store and your job.
I was listening to a leadership podcast the other day and these two CEOs were talking and they said something interesting. They first said that it is a myth that history repeats itself. They said in business, history never repeats itself and you either change or you’re dead.
We are being asked to change…to change how we view our jobs and what success looks like
We are being asked to trust…trust our people to make it right for our customers.
We are being asked to lead…to lead in ways that are different than how we’ve been leading but in ways that will make us more successful than ever.
We are being asked to Make It Right
Make It Right for ourselves
Make It Right for our teams
Make It Right for our customers.
And we can do this…by just changing your mind…
90% of their time on the sales floor!
Randy went on to say that the unit managers at Ralph’s do little to no administrative work.
Let me repeat that
Unit Managers did little to no administrative work
They just stayed on the sales floor taking care of their customers and their associates while keeping a watch over their business.
This is exactly what we have been asking you guys to do - so we have the code to get to 70% or above…we just have to execute it - put it into play!
This is a culture change too and I asked Randy how can we change this. I said our guys have been very successful managing their business - their stores the way they been managing and we’re asking them to change.
He said it all comes down to how you receive your gratification from your job. He said many of us receive our gratification from working hard - busting our butts…putting in long hours…working 6 to 7 days a week…and when we get home we are like, “Whew…I worked hard today, this week, the month…. I am really good at what I do.” Many of us are like this and we receive gratification from being able to tell these wars stories to our spouse, our friends, our co-workers - to anyone that will listen. We work hard!
But then Randy went on to tell a story about himself and I do not believe he would mind me re-telling it. He said when he was a young store manager he worked hard and ran a good store…ran a really good store. He said his DM came in one day and they were talking and Randy said something like, “I have a very successful store here.” And the Dm replied, “You will never make the kind of money you could be making and you know why? It’s because of the way you manage.”
Randy was appalled.
He ran a great store.
The DM continued, “You order the bread, you order the milk, you are on the Front End - you are everywhere in your store handling the tasks. You are working so hard you are forgetting to lead.
You are working so hard that you are forgetting to lead
And your people are going to let you continue working hard if you let them.”
Wow
Randy said that conversation was the game-changer…the cultural changer for him.
His DM was right…Randy was working his tail off but was not accomplishing all that he could. Randy had failed to step back and look at the bigger picture - he couldn’t because he was working so hard.
Managers…and Department Managers - are you working so hard that you’re forgetting to lead?
Why?
Perhaps you are going to say that the rest of your team can’t do it. Well…Randy’s DM would reply to that with, “Because you have been working to hard to lead and develop your team.”
We must develop our team to handle the job in front of them. And guess what? Our team wants to be developed to handle the job in front of them. They want to be able to Make it Right for our customers.
We just have to let them.
We have to get out of the mindset that the physical labor is more important than the mental labor - the planning, preparation, development, and follow through.
This is what we need to do to create an environment that allows for success to happen in our stores.
Change your mind - change how you look at your store and your job.
I was listening to a leadership podcast the other day and these two CEOs were talking and they said something interesting. They first said that it is a myth that history repeats itself. They said in business, history never repeats itself and you either change or you’re dead.
We are being asked to change…to change how we view our jobs and what success looks like
We are being asked to trust…trust our people to make it right for our customers.
We are being asked to lead…to lead in ways that are different than how we’ve been leading but in ways that will make us more successful than ever.
We are being asked to Make It Right
Make It Right for ourselves
Make It Right for our teams
Make It Right for our customers.
And we can do this…by just changing your mind…
Did Amazon.com really look like this in 1995?
I searched the web to find screen shots of various websites from when they began. Many I recognized but I do not remember this one from amazon.com. I wonder if this is really what it looked like when it began or am I being fooled...?
Monday, March 2, 2015
Fun!
I just got through watching a Target commercial about living long. What struck me about the commercial was the sense of fun. People jumping on a trampoline, kids pillow fighting, a woman blowing a big ol' bubble and letting it pop on her face.
Fun
Silly
Fun is something we don't do enough but it is something that will make us feel better.
Fun
Feels
Good
Fun brings energy to our lives!
Now, your definition of Fun may be different from mine. Fun can be anything or even everything depending on the situation. Fun is determined by your attitude and the energy you bring to life. I am sure you know people who seem to enjoy everything they do.
These people have a sense of Fun!
So, is it possible to recreate a Target commercial everyday of your life?
Sure...why not!?
All you need is to foster a positive attitude and
Have Fun!
Fun
Silly
Fun is something we don't do enough but it is something that will make us feel better.
Fun
Feels
Good
Fun brings energy to our lives!
Now, your definition of Fun may be different from mine. Fun can be anything or even everything depending on the situation. Fun is determined by your attitude and the energy you bring to life. I am sure you know people who seem to enjoy everything they do.
These people have a sense of Fun!
So, is it possible to recreate a Target commercial everyday of your life?
Sure...why not!?
All you need is to foster a positive attitude and
Have Fun!
Sunday, January 4, 2015
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