The Soft Stuff That Matters

"Businesses are reflections of their leaders. You've got to choose how you show up each day and the way you show up is the way the business will go."

 - Luke Oroio, CEO Executive Coach

 

The following is a blog post I received the other day. It was the second part of the story about Wegmans - a Western New York food store which wins or places in the top 5 for the last 10 years in Fortune's best places to work. Wegmans is a regional company, privately owned and lead by the Wegmans family and known nationally as the most innovative supermarkets in the country. The following is why.

(This visit is to a different company - but they share the same characteristics as Wegmans.)

 

From Cathy McCollough, Rhythm Systems Coach:

"What I noticed is that this company has a lot of the same characteristics as Wegmans, even though they're clearly in a very different industry. Even so, there was an invisible energy in the room over the two days of their Annual Planning Session that allowed them to create an amazing plan for 2015. When I toured their facility, I encountered friendly people around every corner; all of them wanted to chat. I felt like I was strolling down an avenue of an incredibly fascinating place.

What, I thought, are these businesses doing to soar toward, and sustain, success? Upon reflection, here's my compilation of a few things they're doing that's paving the way for their sustainable success toward their Vision.

• Money and Purpose: Both of them have CEOs who firmly believe that money is a result; it isn't the sole reason for being. To these CEOs, money is the result of doing a whole lot of little things exactly right. What's more important than money to both of these CEOs is their Core Purpose. For my client serving a special needs population, that purpose is Creating Better Lives. If you don't believe (literally) in that Purpose, then you won't fare well as an employee for this organization.
• Vision: Both are extremely intentional in their decision-making. They both had a Vision to be the absolute best in their respective industries, to be innovative in their industries, to build a firm foundation that in some way would impact the lives of others. The secret is that they both have managed to live to that Vision vs. allowing it to escape over time into nothing more than a vapor.
• Legacy: Both CEOs believe in leaving a legacy that will far outlive them.
• Culture: Both CEOs understand the business value of human emotion-both on the employee side as well as on the customer side. There's relevance to emotion and there's an ROI on channeling it in the right direction. Where many leaders simply balk at the 'soft' side of business, these CEOs totally understand it and leverage it.
• Perspective: Both CEOs exhibit personal resolve and professional will (to use terms coined by Jim Collins about Level 5 Leadership). They seem to understand that "it's not about them." It's about something bigger-which takes us back to their Vision and their Purpose.
• Humility: Both CEOs are personally very humble. The CEO I worked with even started keeping a list he calls, "Things I've Learned." He printed it out so he'd have it with him during the two-day Annual Planning Session - just to remind himself of what he's learned (if he needed to do so) and to add to it if needed.
• Operationalizing Values: Both CEOs believed in building organizational cultures founded of a core set of Values, and those Core Values permeate through the very being of both companies. It's a rare sight. Both CEOs and their executive teams realize their Vision simply can't be accomplished without adherence to their Values.
• Strategic Thinking: Both CEOs recognize the value of being strategic in their thinking, of learning, of growing. They admit they don't know it all and look to the collective wisdom of those around them (which includes their customers).
• Commitment to Excellence: Both are committed to excellence, and they're both in constant search of it. It's a cycle that never rests.

Seeing both companies in action is a great demonstration of how a Vision is supported by so many other elements-every single day. The foundation is set with a strong dedication to a small set of Core Values, with a commitment to their reason for being (Purpose), and with a dedication to not only do things but to do things right (Brand Promise). It's their foundation that is steadily leading them in the direction of what they aspire to be (Vision). I have no doubt they'll get there."

Regards,
Rick 

Don't Forget - Execute!

"Ideas are a dime a dozen. People who implement them are priceless."

-- Mary Kay Ash, Entrepreneur

Last week I covered the subject of SMART Goals, what makes a goal a SMART goal, and how vital goals are to building a successful business with engaged employees.

I shared that the power of goals is that once set and committed to, the very next thing that happens is we come up with the ACTIONS/ROCKS/TACTICS that need to be executed or implemented to ensure we achieve those goals.

Then, we get to what I think is the biggest issue or failure in any business -- follow through and execution.

"Goals without Action are worthless, Action without goals are chaos."

- Japanese Proverb

So how do we solve this age old problem of identifying ACTIONS/ROCKS/TACTICS and/or projects (whatever you want to call them), and then following up and ensuring they get executed, finished, done?

Well if you are not executing then you need to trash the process you are currently using and adopt a new process.

What you need is Rhythm, Huddles, Dashboards.

Rhythm provides a consistency to the business that people can count on. Rhythm is a set of Huddles that happen at the same time every week, month and year. No cut, short huddles that provide consistent communication and alignment of your team. Not long drawn out meetings but short, high energy huddles to communicate and follow up.

Weekly huddles 

• Maximum 20 minutes (not a staff meeting with long drawn out discussions
• Review Goals and track progress
• Review Individual Dashboards
• Review a Core Value (pre-selected individual tells the group what the value means and where they have seen it exhibited in the company)

These weekly huddles provide quick follow up and ensure execution using the color coded Dashboards. No forgetting, not surprises.

Here is a short video showing the building of a dashboard and explaining how they are used.

New Results = New Process

Set SMART goals. Identify and prioritize the Actions to ensure you meet the goals, then get a Rhythm going, build your dashboards and have no cut weekly huddles to ensure the follow up necessary to ensure execution.

Regards,
Rick 

Are They SMART?

"The beginning is the most important part of the work."

- Plato, philosopher

In my day-to-day interface with small business owners I find several consistencies. Today I will discuss one big one. 90% do not understand what a good, effective, viable goal is.

You might say why is that so important? Well, it is important because having good, effective, viable goals are critical to a business's success. If you want to know why I am so passionate about this you can listen to this short audio on Goals? Why Bother?

So work with me here. If goals are critical to success, then I think you will agree it is critical to define what a goal is and understand the difference between a tactic/action/rock to reach a goal.

A powerful, effective goal should be a SMART goal:

Specific

Measurable

Accountable

Realistic

Timeframe

Every single one of these is critical, but the Measurable part is usually what is missing from their list of goals. If it is not measureable, then it is not a good, effective, viable goal.

These are examples of what I see people writing down as goals.

1.    I will to grow the business profitably in 2015.

2.    Jill will hire and retain a great staff by using the Topgrading System by 2016.

3.    Bill will to develop a highly effective marketing plan by June 2015.

4.    John will improve our Accounts receivable with a new process installed by June.

These are all Tactics/Actions/Rocks, whatever you want to call them, but they are not goals.

These are the goals (matched to the Actions above):

1.    I will grow revenue to $1.5 million with an EBITDA of 10% in 2015.

2.    Jill will increase employee productivity to $250,000 per Full Time Equivalent and reduce our employee turnover by 50% by December 2015.

3.    Bill will generate 250 leads and convert 20% of those to new customers in 2015.

4.    John will get our A/R days outstanding under 30 days by June 2015.

The Actions/Tactics/Rocks are the things that will be done to ensure we reach the goals and there will be more that we should prioritize and execute to achieve each goal above.

The next thing we do with a SMART goal is begin tracking and measuring and communicating it weekly to the company. If you set goals and then look at them every quarter, or not at all, they are worthless. You have to put some charts in the lunch room and meet weekly for a few minutes to show the team where we are against those goals. Now they come to life and people know what they are and get aligned with them, are engaged and motivated.

We don't forget, we get involved and everyone learns what they can do to help reach the goals.

So if you take the time to set goals, make sure you set SMART goals. Then you can easily come up with the Actions/Tactics/Rocks, prioritize and assign accountability to people in the organization to execute them.

Making sure those Actions/Tactics/Rocks get done - now that is a subject for another time.

Regards,
Rick 

Entrepreneurs - What, How - But Do You Know Why?

"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who sought and found out how to serve."

-- Albert Schweitzer, Humanitarian

Your Core Purpose (your Why) - do you know what it is? The something you are pursuing that is bigger than the What you do and How you do it? Are you always trying to please or have you found your purpose, your why, and serving others in some way?

This is the thing that if you know what it is and you pursued it each day would keep you and your employees fired up. Yes I mean fired up to come to work every day. Everyone aligned and engaged.

How about a janitorial service? How could they possibly find a purpose (or why) that would inspire them and their employees? Take 5 minutes and watch John Janisch TEDx talk on the book Dream Manager. Follow it up with Simon Sintek on his famous talk on Start with Why. (Videos are 5 minutes and 18 minutes respectively.) 

Shared Purpose - it is one of the top things employees across the U.S. value in their work life. Define yours and your company's and then talk about it and discuss it all the time. As Simon says below, "Employees will work for your money, but if they believe what you believe they will give you their blood, sweat and tears."

Rethinking Commitment: John Jantsch at TEDxKC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXmDaykZobc 

Start with why - how great leaders inspire action | Simon Sinek | TEDxPugetSound

http://youtu.be/u4ZoJKF_VuA 

My purpose (my why) is helping people exceed their expectations and reach their dreams. I do that through learning, sharing the learning and creative problem solving. All of this I love to do, add the most value when I'm doing it and have a passion for. I do it 80-90% of the day and it is most alive I have been in 35 years of working.

If you want to uncover your why go to www.imperative.com and take the quiz.

Regards,
Rick Wallace

Why Should You Start Coaching?

 "Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him."

 - Booker T. Washington
 

I am a huge proponent of coaching. That means I have found that managing does not work for people. You can manage things but you can't manage people.

What's the difference? (Watch the video at the bottom, after you read this introduction.)

Simply put, managing is what we have all been trained to do - you can actually get a major in Business Management. It is walking around showing people how to do things, watching and putting out fires (teaching while the game is going on), having an open door so you can answer any and all questions all day, doing some reviews during the year, putting bonus and pay-for-performance programs in place, building systems to ensure compliance, recruiting and hiring people only when we need them, hiring for experience and skill only, etc.

In other words, managing is focusing on the results and herding the team to ensure it happens.

Coaching is focusing on the employee and helping them get better. Helping them get what they want. Thus the team wins.

Coaching is:

• 10-15 minute Weekly Coaching Conversations with each employee
• Establishing individual goals, tracking them and helping them reach them
• Stop answering their questions and have them come to you with what they intend to do
• Building a virtual bench (scouting for talent without any pressure and hiring for attitude and core values)
• Convincing people to think like owners. Owners of their life and the choices they make.

The first 6 minutes of the video below is all about coaching. Greg Harden is one of the best and he is not an athletic coach. He has been at Michigan for over 30 years. He is the assistant athletic director hired by Bo Schembechler. Tom Brady and Desmond Howard (Heisman Winner) both say he was the biggest influence in their life.

This is what a coach does.

Greg Harden

 

Regards,

Rick