Company Culture | Seven Step Program

As much as it’s cool to have exposed brick, a foosball table, catered meals, and lattes at 3pm, those won’t ensure your company has engaged employees who will do passionate work. Culture is much deeper. It’s a feeling and an instinct that can’t be forced or faked. And it requires daily upkeep from everyone.

Here are seven considerations to make your company a great place to work;

Give – No matter the survey, compensation always makes it into one of the top reasons people stay or leave a company. But if money is the number one concern of employees, you have a serious issue. Pay people properly.

Define – What makes people want to bring their best every day and feel appreciated? If you can’t explain it in a sentence or two, dig deeper.

Value – What does your company stand for and what won’t it do? Two significant questions that seem easy enough to answer yet most struggle with them. We want to be a part of something that aligns with our values.

Open – Not all decisions can be made by committee. In fact most people want leadership to guide the way, but keep communication open enough for people to feel you genuinely want their input and ideas.

Stretch – Departments are created for a reason. Sales focuses on revenue while product design improves the offering. But don’t box people in so they can’t offer input to areas where they might not be subject matter experts.

Lead – From small companies with a handful of employees to the Fortune 50, the relationship people have with their direct report and the people closest to them in their day-to-day work experience, will be the single biggest reason they stay or leave. Model the behavior you want from others.

Together – Teamwork and collaboration are a core elements to great culture. We want to belong and contribute so afford everyone the chance to do both.

Like trust, respect is earned not mandated by an org chart. So if you want great company culture, create an atmosphere of authentic respect and trust.

Then watch what happens.
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Collaborative Culture

As much as it’s funky to have exposed brick, a foosball table in the lunch room, and lattes at 3pm, those won’t ensure your company has engaged employees who will do passionate work. Culture is much deeper. It’s a feeling and an instinct that can’t be forced or faked. And it takes work to upkeep. Every day. From everyone.

Here are seven areas to consider in making your company a great place to work.

Give – No matter the survey, compensation always makes it into one of the top reasons people stay or leave a company. But if money is the number one concern of employees, you have a serious issue. Pay people properly.

Define – What makes people want to bring their best every day and feel appreciated? If you can’t explain it in a sentence or two, dig deeper.

Value – What does your company stand for and what won’t it do? Two significant questions that seem easy enough to answer yet most struggle with them. We want to be a part of something that aligns with our values.

Open – Not all decisions can be made by committee. In fact most people want leadership to guide the way, but keep communication open enough for people to feel you genuinely want their input and ideas.

Stretch – Departments are created for a reason. Sales focuses on revenue while product design improves the offering. But don’t box people in so they can’t offer input to areas where they might not be subject matter experts. Some of the best ideas may come from the most unexpected places.

Lead – From small companies with a handful of employees to the Fortune 50, the relationship people have with their direct report and the people closest to them in their day-to-day work experience, will be the single biggest reason they stay or leave. Model the behavior you want from others.

Together – Teamwork and collaboration are a core elements to great culture. We want to belong and contribute so afford everyone the chance to do both.

Like trust, respect is earned not mandated by an org chart. So if you want great company culture, create an atmosphere of respect and trust and watch what happens.

Or work on your foosball skills
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Meet Sue Austin

Like you, I’ve seen and read plenty of content on how to get out of our heads or push through adversity, and more will be required as we live our lives, but I wanted something different, something that would be a good stiff kick in the butt.

Leadership isn't about being in control when the road is straight and dry but rather handling difficulties and unforeseen curves along the way.

This is Sue Austin


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Great Culture in Seven Steps

As much as it’s funky to have exposed brick, a foosball table in the lunch room, and lattes at 3pm, those won’t ensure your company has engaged employees who will do passionate work. Culture is much deeper. It’s a feeling and an instinct that can’t be forced or faked. And it takes work to upkeep. Every day. From everyone.

Here are seven areas to consider to make your company a great place to work.

Give – No matter the survey, compensation always makes it into one of the top reasons people stay or leave a company. But if money is the number one concern of employees, you have a serious issue. Pay people properly.

Define – What makes people want to bring their best every day and feel appreciated? If you can’t explain it in a sentence or two, dig deeper.

Value – What does your company stand for and what won’t it do? Two significant questions that seem easy enough to answer yet most struggle with them. We want to be a part of something that aligns with our values.

Open – Not all decisions can be made by committee. In fact most people want leadership to guide the way, but keep communication open enough for people to feel you genuinely want their input and ideas.

Stretch – Departments are created for a reason. Sales focuses on revenue while product design improves the offering. But don’t box people in so they can’t offer input to areas where they might not be subject matter experts. Some of the best ideas may come from the most unexpected places.

Lead – From small companies with a handful of employees to the Fortune 50, the relationship people have with their direct report and the people closest to them in their day-to-day work experience, will be the single biggest reason they stay or leave. Model the behavior you want from others.

Together – Teamwork and collaboration are a core elements to great culture. We want to belong and contribute so afford everyone the chance to do both.

Like trust, respect is earned not mandated by an org chart. So if you want great company culture, create an atmosphere of respect and trust and watch what happens.

Or you could order the latte machine and hope for the best. 
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Motivation - It's Not What You Think

Scientists have tried to explain our existence for as long as we have existed. I hear business owners often claim they want to improve the bottom line while playing lip service to the importance of people – which includes stakeholders and customers. Dan Pink delivered this TEDTalk in 2009 and it’s just as valid today.

If you think you know what motivates people, watch this.


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Measuring Your LIfe

How do you measure your worth? What metrics do you apply to your experience? Where do you see your value? David Brooks poses an important question. Do we measure ourselves by what we do or who we are?

Watch this.

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Don't Let the Bozos Grind You Down

Whether you run your own home-based business or oversee a corporate team of thousands, innovation is a key element to your offering. We all have to transform what we offer to customers and clients and prospects, or we’re out of business.

Guy Kawasaki outlines 10 key points to innovation and they can be applied to any business. Invest 20 minutes and watch this. Then get back to creating and innovating.


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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

1100 Reasons

Not that you would care all that much, but this represents the 1100th post on this site since it launched in April 2008. I’m often asked why I publish here so often and it began as a test to see if I could stick with something for the long-term and simply share ideas. As I close in on seven years of writing and publishing, I can say the reasons are the same today as they were back then.

Whether it’s you and your mom reading it, or in the case of this site, readers from over 190 countries popping in once in a while, find your reason and create. Give yourself the space to think. Allow your ideas to flow even if you share them with no one.

I won’t list 1100 reasons of course, but after seven years here’s a list of 11 reasons – in no specific order – why I continue to publish every few days.

• Discovering how you think
• Growing real friendships and professional relationships
• Trusting and sharing ideas
• Finding a creative outlet
• Gaining valuable insight and feedback from readers
• Staying disciplined to keep writing
• Meeting people I would never have met otherwise in ten lifetimes
• Receiving calls from publishers on book ideas
• Discovering how I think
• Pushing myself to search for new concepts and material
• Become a better writer (still a long way to go!)

Thanks for dropping by and don’t ever apologize for your ideas and if you feel the urge, share them with us.

We’ll be glad you did!
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Progress

hdnicewallpapers.com

Seven Ideas for Great Company Culture

As much as it’s funky to have exposed brick, a foosball table in the lunch room, and lattes at 3pm, those won’t ensure your company has engaged employees who will do passionate work. Culture is much deeper. It’s a feeling and an instinct that can’t be forced or faked. And it takes work to upkeep. Every day. From everyone.

Here are seven areas to consider to make your company a great place to work.

Give
No matter the survey, compensation always makes it into one of the top reasons people stay or leave a company. But if money is the number one concern of employees, you have a serious issue. Pay people properly.

Define
What makes people want to bring their best every day and feel appreciated? If you can’t explain it in a sentence or two, dig deeper.

Value
What does your company stand for and what won’t it do? Two significant questions that seem easy enough to answer yet most struggle with them. We want to be a part of something that aligns with our values.

Open
Not all decisions can be made by committee, in fact most people want leadership to guide the way, but keep communication open enough for people to feel you genuinely want their input and ideas.

Stretch
Departments are created for a reason. Sales focuses on revenue while product design improves the offering. But don’t box people in so they can’t offer input to areas where they might not be subject matter experts. Some of the best ideas may come from the most unexpected places.

Lead
From small companies with a handful of employees to the Fortune 50, the relationship people have with their direct report and the people closest to them in their day-to-day work experience, will be the single biggest reason they stay or leave. Model the behavior you want from others.

Together
Teamwork and collaboration are a core elements to great culture. We want to belong and contribute so afford everyone the chance to do both.

Like trust, respect is earned not mandated by an org chart. So if you want great company culture, create an atmosphere of respect and trust and watch what happens.

Or you could order the latte machine and hope for the best. 
__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

deviantart

Eulogy or Resume?

David Brooks poses an important question – do we measure ourselves by what we do or who we are? The battle between our professional and career accomplishments get our attention while we discard or ignore who were are, what we stand for, how we want to live our lives.

We spend a great deal of time in our lives climbing ladders, gaining experience, and attempting to improve our situation. Many measure money and power over human connection and value. Society often gives us the impression we need to be a certain way to fit in and fight the good fight.

Brooks ponders if our attention is on the wrong metrics.


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Kneale Mann | Leadership Strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, executive coach facilitating performance growth with leaders, management, and teams.

TED | David Brooks

Sound Advice from Leaders

A while back I asked some well respected people in my life to give their best leadership advice. I was looking at the list again this week and thought I'd share it again and add in insights from some more household names.

Maureen Turner Rasmussen Listen.
Richard Branson Do something bold.
Elizabeth Warren Try the Unexpected
Vivian Vasquez Definitely listen.
Maria Shriver Have the courage go beyond shoulda could woulda.
Maryse Senecal Lead by example, always.
Kevin Hamil No one has all the answers so don't think you need to
or worse think you already do.
Joel Peterson Don’t do anything that matters without first setting a goal.
Charrise McCrorey Be you.
Chris Young If you want to be a leader, make sure you're worth following.
Arianna Huffington Find your place of wisdom and peace and strength.
Andrew Hedges Be transparent.
Lydia Robertson Actually care.
Steve Gamlin Live as an GOOD example.
Catherine Jones First learn how to follow.
Joel Scott Good leaders are good listeners and don't ask someone to do something
you never would or won't. Lead by example.
Sheryl Sandberg Follow your dream. Lean In.
Glen Bryant Be fair. Be consistent. Be credible.
Barbara Nixon Listen.
Jeff Immelt The world awaits your leadership.
Kathy Hahn Become the example.
Helen Smith Be present. Learn where to help and when to get out of the way.
Jeff Schueler Engage everyone in the outcome.
Carol Roy Respect everyone for where they're at in life/career and always support
where they want to go. Be honest, at all costs.
Wendy White-Katsipodas Be honest.
Brendan Jones Be dishonest and you are a fool if you don't know they know.
Randi Zuckerberg Be careful what you get good at.
Scott Armstrong Listen.
Sarah Montague Listen and let other people lead.
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Kneale Mann | Leadership and Culture strategist, writer, speaker, executive coach engaging leaders, collaborative teams, and strong business results.

istock

Customer Service in Two Steps

If you were to ask everyone you know if they enjoyed receiving great customer service, the suspicion is most (all) would say yes. If you asked them if they received great customer service 100% of the time, the suspicion is most (all) would say no.

If you asked them if they would enjoy working in a company which supports value-based collaborative culture, most (all) would say yes. Then ask how many have experienced or experience it in their career, and far too many would say no.

Add it up...

So if all of those facts were true, do the math, some of us are giving less than great customer service or failing to create strong company culture. So how do we fix that and work to toward what we say we want?

Here are two suggestions: 

Provide superior customer service to your customers, your partners, and your team through strong leadership, culture, and communication.

Then repeat daily.
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Kneale Mann | Leadership and Culture Strategist, Writer, Speaker, Executive Coach engaging leaders to build successful talent and profitable business.

wired

What's Your Excuse?

I was looking for something inspirational this morning. Like you, I’ve seen and read plenty of content on how to get out of our heads or push through adversity, and more will be required as we live our lives, but I wanted something different, something that would be a good stiff kick in the butt.

Leadership isn't about being in control when the road is straight and dry but rather handling difficulties and unforeseen curves along the way.

Meet Sue Austin



TED | Sue Austin

A Month of Ideas

On Twitter every morning I post a thought, quote, or idea. Sometimes it's deep, hopefully most times it's valuable.

Here’s are the highlights from January 2013

Today is the first day of the rest of our year. Let's make it a good one! Never underestimate the power of moving on from the past. Schedule you time every day.

When do you plan on getting to all of those "it can wait 'til January" items on your list? Yes you can. If someone says you can't, it means they have no interest in helping you so move on. The best way to accomplish a task is to start right now.

Your time is valuable, spend it wisely

Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work. (Vince Lombardi) Your ideas are requisite. If you want more value, create it. Are you offering your opinion or your help? Never underestimate the power of letting stuff go. Finding someone to disagree is easy.

Leadership begins with desire

If we are the grand sum total of our experiences, how will you improve your number? Free is often not the best price. Stop putting off your ability to realize your dreams.

Don't let others decide where you take your life. Lend a hand today. No is easy, how requires effort. What will you stop putting off and get to today?

It begins with an idea but action predicts the outcome.

Kneale Mann

Carrots and Sticks

How often do we talk about motivation in business and relate it to a monetary reward? Some say all you have to do is create an award system of new titles and higher compensation and everyone's happy.

Daniel Pink has been studying human motivation for years, he's written books on it, and speaks all over the world about it. He explains in his 2009 Global TEDTalk about the science of motivation. Lose the carrots and learn more about people.


Kneale Mann

Daniel Pink | TED

What's Your Best Leadership Advice?

That is a question I posted as a recent Facebook status update. Leadership isn’t easy and it takes skill, patience, time and experience.

Here are the insightful responses

Elizabeth Grattan Be sure there are people actually following you. ;)

Maureen Turner Rasmussen Listen.

Vivian Vasquez Definitely listen.

Maryse Senecal Lead by example, always.

Kevin Hamil No one has all the answers to don't think you need to
or worse think you already do.

Charrise McCrorey Be you.

Chris Young If you want to be a leader, make sure you're worth following.

Michelle Fortin Stay curious and access your compassion when you are feeling frustration. Oh yes, and read "Power and Love" by Adam Kahane :)

Andrew Hedges Be transparent.

Lydia Robertson Actually care.

Steve Gamlin Live as an GOOD example.

Catherine Jones First learn how to follow.

Joel Scott Good leaders are good listeners and don't ask someone to do something
you never would or won't. Lead by example.

Glen Bryant Be fair. Be consistent. Be credible.

Barbara Nixon Listen.

Kathy Hahn Become the example.

Chris Kennedy Integrity must be the #1 core value demonstrated win all actions and decisions – especially during crisis and when having to deliver bad news.

Helen Smith Be present. Learn where to help and when to get out of the way.

Jeff Schueler Engage everyone in the outcome.

Carol Roy Respect everyone for where they're at in life/career and always support
where they want to go. Be honest, at all costs.

Wendy White-Katsipodas Be honest. Something that used to be a man's word for the people he leads.

Brendan Jones Be dishonest and you are a fool if you don't know they know.

Scott Armstrong Listen.

Sarah Montague Listen and let other people lead.

Great advice from some strong leaders.
Clearly one word keeps coming up – listen!


image: forbes
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Is Anything Free?

I often recall the Dennis Miller classic when he referred to the two-for-one deal and ranted that two helpings of a bad deal is still a bad deal. We're often looking for a deal but some get upset if we spend too much time talking about ourselves or our offering. So we want to buy stuff but talking about what we sell is a bad thing?

Time is Not Free

On the social web, you can be shunned if you pitch your wares yet no one I know has a bank that takes Twitter followers in lieu of mortgage payments. Digital media is one way many can grow new relationships along interest silos void of geographic limitations. But that takes time and trust.

Experience is Not Free

I can only imagine the volume of requests some people get but I receive “could you give us your opinion” emails often. They just want me to have a quick look and let them know what I think. It won't take long. My offering is to help with leadership and business development so advice is part of what I do. You wouldn't call a plumber for an opinion on your leaky facet or a lawyer for feedback on a contract. And I'm sure you don't build your business by freely giving away your expertise.

Customers are Not Free

If a large international coffee chain had no customers in any of its thousands of stores around the world, it would be out of business fairly quickly. Zero revenue for a week or two and the largest retailer on earth would be closing stores in short order. If you gave away your offering, how long would your bottom line stay in the black?

Relationships are Not Free

If you're at a backyard barbecue, the conversations range from sports to the economy, the latest with the family to vacation plans. But eventually it gravitates to work, it always does. We spend far too much of our lives working for it not to be a significant part of our conversations. Yet what do we think of the guy handing out business cards?

You are Not Free

You can fill the pipeline with messages and some will bite. Or you can choose to build your human network which takes longer but the rewards are more lasting. This is true for colleagues, clients, leaders, prospects, customers, friends and partners.

Before we look at price, perhaps we need to establish value?

Kneale Mann

image: beyondcliches | original: may 2011

Clocks Back • You Forward

In parts of the world, clocks fell back an hour this weekend. An extra hour of sleep we lost in the spring. Strange things happen around these two events each year. Some find autumn tougher while others think adding an hour of daylight in March messes them up. One thing to be thankful for is that most gadgets have a clock that automatically makes the change for us.

Great ideas often come from short bursts of inspiration. Companies have been born over a lunch. An hour can be spent on the couch or used to change the world. Thirty-six hundred seconds to accomplish anything we want, what are we going to do?

60 Ideas for 60 Minutes

• Update your resume
• Empty your in-box
• Say no
• Offer your time to a charity
• Call mom
• Make cookies
• Get rid of self-doubt
• Have coffee with someone new
• Write your business plan
• Listen without talking
• Go skydiving
• Tweet
• Write a proposal
• Ignore the naysayers
• Share an idea
• Start a business
• Call a sibling
• Gain some perspective
• Plan a trip
• Apply for your dream job
• Build a chair
• Learn euchre
• Do something that scares you
• Make soup
• Stop making excuses
• Find new websites
• Call a friend
• Go for a drive and get lost
• Ride a horse
• Invent a product
• Have a bath
• Go easy on yourself
• Prepare a meal
• Take a nap
• Start a graffiti wall
• Remove negative influences
• Make amends
• Say yes
• Update social profiles
• Have lunch with a friend
• Get off your ass and do it
• Paint a t-shirt
• Quit your whining
• Watch a webinar
• Learn to juggle
• Prepare a presentation
• Call dad
• Play squash
• Help a friend
• Clear your desk
• Contact a potential business associate
• Enjoy nature
• Go bowling
• Listen to a podcast
• Plant a tree
• Help someone with their list
• Prepare your will
• Go square dancing
• Write a chapter for your new book
• Lose the fear

What are you doing in the next hour?

Kneale Mann

image credit: istock

Business Strategy | What Motivates Us?

Scientists have tried to explain our existence for as long as we have existed. The gorgeous maple tree outside my office is a welcome companion but I still marvel on how it got to be a tree in the first place. No, I’m not going weird on you but we often fill our consciousness with business talk and economic negativity but forget a key element which is how we interact and grow with each other.

I hear business owners often claim they want to improve the bottom line while playing lip service to the importance of people – which includes stakeholders and customers.

Your Voice Heard

How do you react when someone clearly doesn’t care about you or your opinion? Well, we do it in business all day long and here’s the revelation, it isn’t working. Human business, social business and collaboration are not just hashtags and buzzwords.

I could write many well crafted sentences about Daniel Pink but I’ll just say this – the dude rocks! If you run a company, work for yourself, need to find a more creative way to get your ideas forward, grab a fresh coffee, take twenty minutes and watch Dan’s 2009 Global TEDTalk about the science of motivation.

Go. Watch. Now.


Kneale Mann

visual credit: TED

How Do We Provide Value?

Try the value menu. Take a value home today. Your friendship is valuable to me. We value your opinion. Your local choice for value. We stand for real value.

We hear and see the word value used all day.

Every offering, every product, every company offers us value. The word is used like it's some magically field leveler. Yet it feels like a discarded gum wrapper.

The exchange of money or goods or services that is considered to be a fair equivalent for something else.

We marketing strategists often try and find clients’ value proposition. It looks great when you write it up in a proposal or internal collateral. But is value not similar to branding where the decision is up to the customer?

An ideal accepted by some individual or group.
Homemade, all natural, locally grown, owned and operated, quality assured,
new and improved, limited time offer.

These are extraneous words we all may be guilty in using to not necessary fool people but rather to enhance the offer.

One way to differentiate is to remember the core of our unique selling proposition is our abilities that no one else can offer.

Kneale Mann

image credit: istock
original post: December 2010