ROI

ROI - Return on Investment…right?

Not so fast my friend!

What if ROI stands for Return on Inspiration?

What if we evaluated everything we do on a Return on Inspiration – how we, as leaders, inspire those around us.  How we, as leaders, create an environment that inspires others to find the motivation that dwells within them and give that magical discretionary effort – the extra effort given, not for pay or status but because of the why…the cause, belief and purpose the leader communicates.

Wow!

So instead of reflecting the overall satisfaction of our customers, OSAT (a measurement of customer service) is now a measurement of ROI – Return on Inspiration!

Instead of Customer Connection Shops (Mystery Shops) reflecting the level of service our secret shoppers experienced in our stores they now reflect the ROI – Return on Inspiration the shopper experienced from the store team!

How exciting would our stores be if we all were immersed in an atmosphere of inspiration – led by the leader who has communicated a vision that motivates, excites and inspires?

How can this happen?  It happens when the leader discovers his or her why – cause, purpose and belief – then communicates the heck out of it – EVERYDAY – in the four walls of the store.  Every associate then can communicate the why and is motivated by it.  The associates then work or the How – how to get “the why” into reality – and the What – what happens to accomplish “the why” – the cause, purpose and belief.

I LOVE IT!

ROI – Return on Inspiration!

I would love to work in an environment where the purpose is well defined by the leader.  I’ll figure out a way to execute and achieve “the why” – and I’m sure you will too – once the leader…

Inspires!

(thanks to Joey Reiman for introducing this idea in his book "Purpose"

PJ Fleck

“I told you before, I’m not a head football coach to win. I’m here to produce win-ners, and I’m here to affect communities and serve the game as much as we can. That’s what our players have done all year. That’s why they’re a champion. Not because we have the best players. Not because we have the best coaches. Not because we have the best facilities. It’s truly because we have the best people. And it just goes to show the power of people. They were crazy enough to hire me, and then from there, I got people who were crazy enough to coach for me, and then we found players crazy enough to play for them and me, and to believe in this row-the-boat vision. And we’ve come a long way. Again, it’s for our community. It’s for the ’66 team, for the ’88 team, the ’16 team, past Broncos, current Broncos, future Broncos.

Working on our Craft

It is 4:30 am and I am wondering why I am awake.  I heard a noise that I didn't recognize at first in my half-asleep haze and then I realized...

IT WAS RAIN!

Wow - who knew!?

See, we have been going through a pretty significant drought where I live and haven't had rain in quite some time so when I heard the noise outside I couldn't figure out what it was or where it was coming from.  Only when I got up and walked into the kitchen did it finally hit me what I was hearing - rain hitting the ground.

Too funny...

But that has nothing to do with this post other then to wake me up and keep me from falling back to sleep.  Or at least I'll blame my temporary insomnia on the surprise of rain.

I have no idea why I started thinking about my blog and what to write this morning.  As you can see in reviewing my recent posts - that there are no recent posts - but this morning I was thinking about how many of the people I encounter in my work day do not work on their craft of leadership.  I work in retail and I moved into the HR side of our business a couple of years ago and what this move has done for me is to see more of how people lead or do not lead - or at least do not lead well.  And it's not for a lack of trying but more of a lack of tools or how to.

I often say "everything is easy once you know how to do it."  You study, you learn, you perfect, you master and then "it" becomes easy or easier.

Leadership can be this way too.

But many of us, once we get to a leadership position, stop perfecting our craft.  We stop studying, we stop learning, we do not strive to master.

I wonder why?

Leading, if done well, is very rewarding and yet I see a lot of stress in the leaders I come in contact with and I think it's because the leader has become stagnant and stop learning and developing.  Because the people we lead are constantly changing and growing, we as leaders must do the same.  We must continue to work on our craft...

(A couple of screen shots from Dan Rockwell and Tim Sanders)

5 Things to Quit

Gee whiz...

I just realized I haven't posted anything in quite some time. So two of my last three posts (including this one) are about how I haven't posted anything. 

That ain't good!

I just have to take my own advice and "just be better."