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Archive for November, 2011|Monthly archive page

Orange Flowers

In Leadership, Teamwork on November 28, 2011 at 7:34 am

As we mentioned last week, a simple thank you goes a long way.

But, a creative, unique, and differentiated thank you will never, ever be forgotten.

One of our clients, BTI360 (www.bti360.com) recently sent flowers to the spouse of an employee* who worked especially long hours to complete a critical project.

Sending flowers to a spouse will definitely go a long way.

But, BTI360 did not just send flowers, they sent orange flowers.

See, BTI360 chose orange as their corporate color.  This simple choice helped them differentiate the company in a highly crowded market.  So, when it came time to send flowers, the decision about what kind of flowers to send was easy.

This was a creative, unique and differentiated thank you that will never, ever be forgotten.

* BTI360 does not use the word employee … they call their people “Teammates.”  Exactly the word you would expect a company who sends orange flowers to use!

The Shift Points blog is designed for Fast Lane leaders who want to leave their competitors in the dust.

Shift Your Thinking … Accelerate Your Results.

Thanksgiving

In Employee Engagement, Performance Management on November 21, 2011 at 8:43 am

I recently read some research from Gallup about employee engagement.  Here’s what they reported:

“Seventy-one percent of American workers are “not engaged” or “actively disengaged” in their work, meaning they are emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and are less likely to be productive.”

In my experience, one of the key reasons that employees disengage is that they don’t feel appreciated.

Of course, it is great to recognize and reward top performers with special awards.  However, it is just as important to simply say thank you to the 99% of your employees who did not get recognized.

So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, perhaps all of you should make a special effort to reach out to your teams.  A simple thank you goes a long way.

The Shift Points blog is designed for Fast Lane leaders who want to leave their competitors in the dust.

Shift Your Thinking…Accelerate Your Results.

Horsepower

In Performance Management, Teamwork on November 14, 2011 at 7:30 am

Normally, I prefer horsepower of the automotive kind.

However, last week, one of our clients had an all-hands meeting that used the story of Secretariat as their theme.  In the process, I learned a great deal about this amazing athlete and the team that helped him win the Triple Crown.  Some of the highlights:

  • The team overcame tremendous obstacles and accomplished what most people said was impossible.
  • The team was comprised of a surprising mix of “has-beens.”
  • The team endured ridicule and an endless stream of naysayers.
  • The team pushed harder than most felt was wise.

Secretariat still holds the track records at The Kentucky Derby and The Belmont.  He was #35 on ESPN’s list of the greatest athletes of the century … ahead of Mickey Mantle!

I think this inspiring story was best summed up by Randall Wallace, the director of the Secretariat movie, “There are capabilities in each of us that are beyond what we think we have… and life is about finding how far you can go, how fast you can run, and you never know until you run.”

High-performance organizations, like Secretariat, have capabilities beyond what they think they have … and they will never know where the limits really are until they align behind a strategy and run.

The Shift Points blog is designed for Fast Lane leaders who want to leave their competitors in the dust.

Shift Your Thinking … Accelerate Your Results.

Street smarts + book smarts + Book smarts

In Leadership on November 7, 2011 at 7:39 am

Recently, I was asked by The Washington Post to write a commentary on the following question:

Steve Jobs (like Bill Gates) famously dropped out of college and went on to become one of the most significant entrepreneurs of our time. What percent of your success do you attribute to your education and what percent do you attribute to your street smarts?

My article was published today, and here is how it starts:

I am a first-generation American, and was raised in a family that eschewed entitlements or handouts.  I was taught to be self-reliant, work hard and accept responsibility for my actions.

However, it did not take long for me to realize that other kids had advantages that I would never have.  They had money, status, privilege and access.

Rather than resent these kids, I found my own way to succeed.

You can read the rest of the article here:  A Harvard MBA is helpful — but not enough

The Shift Points blog is designed for Fast Lane leaders who want to leave their competitors in the dust.

Shift Your Thinking … Accelerate Your Results.

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