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."

Years Do Not Always Equal Knowledge

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...

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 :-)

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.