Life just keeps getting busier and busier! The faster I go the more there is to do!
I’m learning how important is is to take a step back, stop the craziness and reevaluate my direction and priorities. If I don’t I will experience burnout!
For me burnout happens when I’m “all work and no play“.
The negative effects can spill across all areas of life… such as relationships and even our health.
So, here are are a few things I’m trying to keep in mind …
Take a break. Studies show a simple two minute break every 90 minutes can help us maintain and sustain focus all day long.
Take a proactive approach in addressing problems.You’ll feel more in control, rather than passively dealing with issues as they arise.
Drink more water. Hydration is an instant pick-me-up and helps void headaches and grogginess.
Learn something new… If you’ve been doing the same thing for along time, challenge yourself by learning a new skill, trying a new position or learning how to run a new machine.
Ask for help. Partner with others, delegate some work.
Counterbalance your common daily activities during downtime. If you have an office job that uses technology every day, disconnect in the evenings by turning off your computer and cell phone.
Set boundaries. Learn to say “no” and let people know you are too busy.
Distance yourself. Take a break from people who are emotionally draining.
Focus on get enough sleep. Give yourself a regular, daily bedtime and stick to it.
Seek support from others. While it’s often easier to retreat and isolate yourself when you’re feeling burned out, this is a good time to turn to others for support. Sometimes simply talking to a friend can relieve some of the burden.
Take time to think about your hopes, goals, and dreams. Rediscover what really makes you happy, and think about ways to regain your missing happiness.
At Zappos, Tony Hsieh hires for cultural fit. No matter how great candidates are or how much of an impact they might make on the bottom line—if they don’t fit, they’re out.
He fires that way, too.
Why? Because Hsieh believes that culture is king. According to an interview he did on bigthink.com, his first company, LinkExchange, was crippled by neglected culture. Outwardly, the company seemed like a great success, he says, but “by the time we got to 100 people, we hired all the people with the right skill sets and experiences, but not all of them were culture fits. And when we got to 100 people, I remember I myself dreaded getting out of bed in the morning to go to the office.”
“If you get the culture right then most of the other stuff will happen naturally,” says Hsieh. “I think that one hire won’t necessarily bring the company culture downhill, but if you keep making compromises like that over and over and over again, I think that’s why most large companies don’t have great cultures.”
It’s true. As a rule, many companies still tend to concentrate more on growth and profitability than culture. While some leaders pay close attention to culture, others defy it or outright ignore it. They do so at their peril, though, because culture has enormous potency.
Culture shapes attitudes
Culture creates identity
Culture provides direction
Culture embodies values
Culture attracts talent
So, is Hsieh right? Should you fire otherwise good workers when they don’t fit the culture? After all, as James L. Heskett writes in his book The Culture Cycle, effective culture can account for 20-30 percent of the differential in corporate performance when compared with “culturally unremarkable” competitors.
Maybe. But before you pull out the pink slips, some definitions might be in order to determine just what that culture is and who does or doesn’t fit. First, what exactly is “culture”?
In a great organizational culture, everyone in your company will be an “us”—not identical or uniform, but rowing together in the same direction—whatever that direction is. In a troubled culture, “us” and “them” factions build everywhere, inviting infighting or pointless competition that is destructive to productivity and morale.
That means no matter how much free food, complimentary dry cleaning or water slides you have in your boardroom, if you don’t have an organization full of “us”, you don’t have a cohesive culture, and you’re fighting an uphill battle. That’s why Tony Hsieh fires the folks who don’t fit.
Still, before you start the layoffs, you might want to be sure you have your culture in order. According to Daniel Denison, author of Corporate Culture and Organizational Effectiveness (part of the Wiley series on organizational assessment and change), a good culture (one that positively impacts organizational performance) can be determined by four qualities:
The level of involvement of the organization’s employees or members in defining and owning culture
The culture’s adaptability to respond to new circumstances, while still retaining its basic character
Its consistency, or how strongly and clearly defined the culture is
The existence of a clear organizational mission that provides direction and meaning
So if your culture isn’t already strong and easily defined by those parameters, consider following this advice from Forbes:
Publish a new values statement and distribute it widely. Make sure all policies and behaviors are aligned. Used effectively, this statement gives employees something to rally around.
Convince the organization of the risk of not changing the culture. Be very open, honest, and clear when explaining why a change is needed.
Find the new heroes and heroines who have successfully used the new values and supported the desired behaviors.
Create new myths and legends about new heroes/heroines and circulate the stories broadly.
Catch employees doing something right, and reward them on the spot.
Communicate to everyone in the organization. Share realities—good and bad.
Look for behavioral changes and publicize the positive impact.
I do think that Hsieh is right. You should only keep (or hire in the first place) the employees who best fit your culture. But first be sure you know what that culture is. And be sure it is the one you want.
While many organizations focus on addressing problems, the most successful focus on raising the bar. One of the ways they do this is by creating a culture where innovation thrives. When this organizational strength is magnified, it can become a source of competitive advantage.
One of my clients asked me to help identify the best practices of leaders who were the most innovative in his organization. In many interviews and meetings, there was very little discussion about brainstorming, generating ideas, prototyping, and the like—the kind of things most of us think about when we consider institutionalizing innovation. Instead, I heard what many of us would call excellent practices for leadership. My one-sentence conclusion: Excellence in leading innovation has far less to do with the leader having innovative ideas; it has everything to do with how that leader creates a culture where innovation and creativity thrives in every corner. Okay, maybe I cheated by having a sentence with a semi-colon but you get the gist in short form.
So if that is the conclusion, then what are the things that leaders must do to foster innovation? Here are five strategies that make a profound difference.
1. Focus on outcomes
I was struck by the fact that leaders of these teams put a great deal of effort into clearly envisioning and talking about the outcomes in a given scenario, rather than directing how those outcomes would be achieved. They did not micromanage, nor did they abdicate. Rather, they painted a picture of the future and held their teams accountable for how to get there. Clearly, one of the ways that innovation is cultivated is by having leaders who make sure everyone involved knows the outcome and strategic goals of any objective. By focusing on outcomes and results, these leaders free up a lot of energy for the creative process of making it happen.
2. Develop reciprocal trust
Not the garden varieties of trust, but complete and shared confidence in one another. I use the term “reciprocal trust” in these instances because it was very clear that this was not simply confidence that someone could be counted on to do a good job–there was a much more palpable sense of trust that permeated the relationships. Direct reports and close colleagues often described their leaders as protectors and I frequently heard the comment “he/she covered my back.” Certainly consequences existed for going outside the parameters of a project, but never for trying something that didn’t work.
3. Challenge the status quo
The leaders I spoke with were by no means rebels, but they were also not afraid to challenge people higher up in the management chain. I did hear in a number of cases that they are “fearless,” or that they possess a willingness to take on difficult issues, even when it means expressing disagreement with higher levels in the organization. They separate issues from people and are able to disagree, without being disagreeable. Doing so cultivates tremendous respect from their colleagues. One peer in particular used the term “healthy creative tension” when describing the atmosphere of meetings led by the innovator.
4. Be inspiring
“For innovation to exist you have to feel inspired!” said one source. Based on the research in the book The Inspiring Leader, (McGraw Hill 2009) I was not shocked to hear so many comments related to this topic, because most of the data indicate that no other leadership competency influences productivity and engagement more profoundly. Similarly, when people feel inspired by a leader they are more inclined to give more effort and go the extra mile on a project. That extra effort and commitment is often what produces innovation.
If the goal is easy to achieve, there is not much need to innovate. A trend that I observed was that these leaders set stretch goals that were very difficult to achieve. Moreover, they were able to get members of their team bought in to the power of achieving those goals. The goals set within these innovative groups required entirely new approaches in order for the goal to be achieved. The combination of need for innovation and commitment to the goal fueled creative change.
So the next time you are wracking your brain to come up with the idea that will save the day, or the innovative solution to your problems, or just a better way to do something, put your efforts into fostering and promoting innovation within your organization. A culture where innovation thrives in every corner is exponentially more valuable than a culture which anoints one or even a few people as “the innovative ones.” If you create an environment of innovation, who knows where your next great idea will come from?
In the summer months it seems many of us are trying to relax more, slow down and enjoy the season. Although, that does not necessarily mean our work or lifestyle falls in line. How can you keep it simple when “life is happening” all around you? Here are three tips that may help you, making things a little easier at a time when you can appreciate it:
1) Control your email inbox, don’t let it control you.
Have you ever spent nearly an entire day just reading, responding to and dealing with your emails as they come in? This is a trap many people fall into: the little beep indicating “you have mail” takes attention away from what we are doing and we get roped in to a cycle of responding to the beep. Many times these emails are not important or even urgent to what is most essential that you accomplish in that given day. The solution? Set aside 2 or 3 designated times each day to review and respond to email, do not deal with them as they come in or you will be in the trap.
Another crucial habit you need to adopt for email management: only deal with a given email one time. It should either 1) get a response, 2) be filed for future reference (this means you need some decent organization around your email filing system) or 3) be turned into something like an appointment on your calendar.
2) Clear your mind of all those different passwords.
Pretty much every website you use from amazon to the wall street journal has you set up an account with a username and protect it with a password. It becomes a big brain-drain to recall all these site passwords. Here is how stressed this makes us: 38% of people said they would rather scrub toilets then cough up yet another combo, according to a recent survey. That is where a secure password manager like KeePass, PasswordSafe, LastPass or Dashlane comes in. All these sites offer free versions. You only remember one password; all other will be input for you on the sites you register. Many of the sites offer perks like free credit monitoring or security alerts, which can come in handy. Could you save time or stress when you do not have to deal with resetting, locating or recalling all those passwords?
3) Keep yourself out of the rabbit holes of online news.
You log onto the web and on your homepage flashes up headlines that draw you in. You click on the link and the next thing you know, you are pulled into web-surfing you had no intention of ever spending time on. One way to avoid this or get up to speed more efficiently is through a news digest. One example is thirst.co. It combs the web to find the best, most current news stories and delivers them in an easy to read format. A bonus, this site is free.
To recap, keep it simple and harness your technology with some free options to make life a little easier. Do not let your technology harness and trap you into complicating your life or draining your time. Imagine the potential of 15 extra minutes a day? What would you do? Walk your dog. Spend more time reading with your kids or taking a walk to enjoy some time outside. Enjoy the simple things in life, this summer and for always.
WARNING: The story you are about to read could be disturbing to most people – reader discretion is advised.
Regardless of what your organization does or sells, your brand is really what your customers believe about you. A smart, forward-thinking big box electronics retailer, known for marketing strategy, creative advertising, and attracting the best talent, had enjoyed the top position in the electronics category for years. The last 24 months they have struggled as they continue to lose market share and perform poorly financially. Hundreds upon hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent in creating, marketing & advertising their brand. Last week I saw a television commercial for the retailer and I was immediately reminded of the ridiculous experience I’d had with them – and it reinforced my commitment to never shop there again. It happened again when I came across their newspaper insert. It made me wonder if customer experiences like mine could have played a part in their current position.
AM I ON CANDID CAMERA?
“I don’t know who told you that, but that’s not correct – your contract will probably not cover the repairs”, says the twenty-something girl with an unconcerned air as I stand there with my computer. I wait for her to continue the sentence with “but help me understand what’s happening & we’ll figure out how we can help” or something similar – but there is nothing. We are already 5 minutes into the conversation about how I had purchased a service contract that covers the computer I bought at this store. All I care about is getting the computer to work because I am realizing that most of my life is connected to something saved on this computer. When I called in the tech on the phone had called the symptoms I was experiencing the “blue screen of death”, and am anxious to know if the hard drive is bad and I’ve lost all of the information I hadn’t backed up in the last 3-4 weeks. I tell the girl, “The guy I worked with was named Dan – maybe I should talk to him and he’ll remember the discussion.” This is where it all starts to go terribly wrong.
“We don’t have a guy named Dan working here – I have no idea who you’re talking about. We have a lot of turnover. If you want help you’ll have to talk to me.” Standing beside me, my 12-year-old nephew quietly gasps at the rude tone she is using. Keeping my mission in mind, I ignore the tone and the erroneous information about their turnover problem, and press ahead, “When I called they said it may just be the battery. Can I get someone to test it – can you put in a good battery to see if that fixes the problem?” In a sarcastically sweet voice she says, “Certainly – if you just fill out this form, then we will get back to you in 3-5 days.” I ask, “Can’t we just test it quickly now to see if that’s what it is, and I can just buy a new battery?” She rolls her eyes, sighs loudly, and in an exasperated tone, waving her arm to indicate the space around her replies, “Ma’am there is no way we can keep all the different kinds of computer batteries in stock – we will have to order it. We would have to have a building 3 times this size to store all of the equipment we might need. Do you want to leave it or not?” My nephew utters, “Uh oh” and anticipating what might come next, moves over to the rack of video games nearby and out of the potential line of fire.
I am so angry that I know I shouldn’t speak immediately so I just stare at her. After a moment I respond in a purposefully even tone, “I am a consultant that works with companies to help them teach their team members how to provide good customer service. So far this conversation has been very dissatisfying and is not working for me. I need you to find someone else to speak with me.” She says, “Great! You just made me feel really good about myself – thanks a lot!” I actually look around to see if there are hidden cameras – maybe I’m being filmed for one of those shows that set people up to see if they can get them to lose their tempers?
Turning and walking away, I head for the nearest employee, who finds the manager for me. He is unsurprised, and listens passively as I describe my experience. He does not really apologize, but introduces me to a lovely young woman named Sarah who is concerned with understanding what’s happening & with helping me. She says, “I am sorry they have been trying to work with Erin for a year, and she still has trouble with customers sometimes.” WHAT?!! A year? Are you kidding me? While I wait for Sarah to run some quick tests on the battery (which apparently they DO have in the store), I feel badly seeing two elderly people walking out of the front door looking confused and discouraged after talking with Erin. Over the next 15 minutes I witness three more people struggle to work with Erin and her attitude. I am astonished. Luckily Sarah is great to work with, and after 5 days they fixed my computer which was mostly covered under the service contract after all.
MARKETING OR UN-MARKETING?
Even though it turned out alright, I will never buy anything at that store again. This company is not aware or not concerned with the customer experience that Erin is providing. Either way I choose not to deal with a company that is obviously not connected, engaged or interested in their customers. In fact every time I see their logo, pass a store or see an advertisement for them, I am reminded of how I will never shop there again – in effect they are actually spending money to remind me to keep away. It really hit me: In my case all that money has been spent to reinforce a completely opposite message & brand than the one they intend. Makes you wonder how much is being spent by all marketers, to actually remind people about why they remain ex-customers, rather than the messages they intend to market. My family will never buy the following items from the store: computer, television, iPhone, iPad, washing machine & dryer, vacuum, stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, PlayStation, X-Box, video, DVD, headphones … that’s a lot of money that one household will not spend with that retailer. Multiply that by the number of people Erin has dealt with in the year that she’s worked there. Multiply that by the number of “Erins” they have working for them company-wide.
CUSTOMER SERVICE IS YOUR BRAND
Poor customer service isn’t always as apparent as it was with Erin. It can be quieter, like a sense the customer gets that an employee is not interested or doesn’t seem to care one way or another. How much could disconnected, disengaged employees be costing organizations every year? How much could they be costing your organization?
Multiple-time entrepreneur, business guru, founder of the wildly successful shoe e-tailer Zappo’s, and author of Delivering Happiness, Tony Hsiesh (pronounced “shay”) believes that Customer Service IS Your Brand. Founding Zappo’s in 1999 and selling it 10 years later for $1.2 BILLION while staying at the top of every customer service list published, he emphasizes the critical importance the culture of responsibility and connection to their customers is for his company and the role it plays in their success.
Zappo’s has a list of 10 core values that they live by. In order to determine what these values were going to be, Tony shared a blank notebook, asking every employee to write what kind of company they wanted to be a part of, and the values that they thought the company should be guided by. The book was then collected and then answers were boiled down to these top 10:
ZAPPO’S CORE VALUES
Deliver WOW Through Service
Embrace and Drive Change
Create Fun and A Little Weirdness
Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded
Pursue Growth and Learning
Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication
Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
Do More With Less
Be Passionate and Determined
Be Humble
Hsiesh believes that the right culture is so important to the success of the company, that if someone they hire ends up not fitting or supporting the values, he views them as dangerous and actually pays them to leave. What are your organizations core values? Are your team members connected to them in a personal way? Do they guide their decisions and actions each day? Are they so important that you’d pay someone to leave if they were “qualified” but didn’t fit into your culture?
Do certain colors seem to change your mood: Can walking into a spa help you feel more relaxed? Sit down in a restaurant and your stomach growls? Head to an upscale car dealership longing for something you’d like to drive away in?
Artists have long understood how various colors have the capacity to substantially impact moods, feelings and emotions. It is a powerful communication tool and can be used to signal action, influence temperament, and cause physiological reactions. Certain colors can raise blood pressure, increase metabolism, or cause eyestrain.
This topic has been studied by marketers to better understand how certain colors send particular messages and influence purchasing decisions. A recent article by Yelena Moroz Alpert explores the topic, “How Color Affects Your Spending”. Over 12 experts were consulted to share a composite of how 10 different colors impact spending habits. For the full article, click here:
Here are some highlights of how colors are thought to impact temperament:
Blue
Blues can relax, soothe, and calm us. Blues can also improve focus and productivity.
Red
Red is associated with passion and energy, as well as being a bit racy. Red can raise energy levels – it has been shown to increase blood pressure and heart rate – and is known for stimulating appetites and conversation.
Yellow
Yellow makes many people feel cheerful, energetic, and happy, yet the color yellow – especially the brighter shades – can cause fatigue and anxiety with overuse.
Green
Green is a cool color that symbolizes nature and the natural world. Green is often used in decorating for its calming effect as the color is thought to relieve stress and help heal.
Think about this idea of color’s influence when preparing your next presentation, document or even getting dressed for the big meeting. Of course you have to be prepared and know your topic, but if color can provide a small edge or maybe help you rethink the template you use for that PowerPoint presentation…why not take a potential advantage in your favor?
