by Beth | Feb 23, 2022 | Company Culture
One year ago today, a mangled, scruffy little kitten wandered into my daughter’s apartment. She was hungry, tired, skinny and scared. My daughter, Katy, decided right then and there that she had to help this tiny being that she ultimately named, Dani Lou. Fast forward to today. Dani Lou is a fluffy, happy adventurous cat who fetches and sits for treats on command.
Over Christmas, Katy and Dani Lou came to visit me, and every morning Katy and I would compare notes on Dani Lou’s night-time activities. Our conversations went like this:
Me: Did Dani sleep with you last night?
Katy: Yes, for a while. Then she left.
Me: What do you think she does all night?
Katy: Cat work.
Here is the bottom line: you as the manager don’t know what your staff does all day every day. You especially don’t know all the daily activities of your remote workers. And yet, they get their work done. They meet deadlines. Your clients are thrilled with the work that your company does, and they tell you that. Do you really need to know every minute of every day what your staff is doing? Once your employee earns your trust, give them some free reign to learn something new.
You might be surprised at what they create.
Power thought: Let them do their cat work. Then, you can purr in satisfaction.
by Beth | Feb 9, 2022 | Employee Hiring
A few weeks ago, I had the most awkward thing happen in an interview. I mean, it happens. And every time I think that I have seen it all, some candidate does or says something so completely random. And in this instance, unprofessional.
I was interviewing over the phone for a Project Manager. I called him on the phone and told him that my clients were listening in on his interview. He was very excited and said so.
Then, I hear him urinating. And flush. And wash his hands.
At least he washed his hands, but really?
There are so many things wrong with this scenario, it’s hard to know where to begin. At the very least, this is a professional interview, and this behavior shows a gross lack of preparation. Do you want this candidate urinating while he is on the phone with your clients? I think not. Do I need to say that you take care of your bodily functions before you call a client or have an interview? I guess so.
For all of my clients, in an interview you are seeing the best of the best of a candidate. Is this the best you want to hire?
For those of you who are seeking interview advice: Prior preparation prevents piss-poor performance. Literally.
Power thought: You have NEVER seen it all… I promise.
by Beth | Jan 26, 2022 | Attitude, Company Culture
As many of you know, my daughter Katy was adopted by a stray cat named Dani Lou. This cat literally walked in the door of Katy’s apartment, and she never left. She fetches toys and brings them back, and this cat sits for treats! Never seen anything like it.
One day, Katy heard the cat in the trash. Dani Lou pulled out a string that had come off a pair of sweatpants and began tossing it around the room and fetching it. She put it in her mouth and brought it to Katy to throw for her. When Dani catches her string and pulls it away, she prances back to Katy to have her throw it again. She has such pride in her steps! She has her head held high and dances her way back to you to show you what she has done. “Mr. String” goes everywhere with Dani Lou!
I had a bookkeeper one time who wanted to change the way that I did my books. I was hesitant at first, because I couldn’t really understand what she was wanting to do. What she was describing was way over my head, but she was so compelled to do it, I finally just let her. When she came back to me, she was SO proud of the work that she had done. It was written all over her face when she pranced into my office to present my spotless books.
The key to happy employees is this; as often as possible, let them take the string and run with it. When you have employees on staff that take ownership of their work and are allowed to pursue the best way to complete their tasks, they too have immense pride in their work. They are happier, they stay longer, and they put their best foot forward, which means you can too.
Power thought: Don’t string your employees along in a way that they hate. Let them take the string and lead you. You will both prance with pride.
by Beth | Jan 12, 2022 | Company Culture
Last week, Colorado lost almost 1000 homes in an awful fire. A client called me who had employees that lost their homes, and frantically he said, “Beth, I don’t know what to do here! How do I help my people?” So, I put together some suggestions.
1) Pick up the phone and call them. They need to hear from you. They need to know that you are going to support them and that you have their back. They may not be in a place to call you back immediately, so don’t read into it if they don’t. Call once every week to two weeks, with no expectation of a call back.
2) Take action. Don’t ask them what they need, just provide it. When my daughter, Katy, was in the hospital the first time, my friend Beth sent a ton of food to our hospital room. She didn’t ask; she just did it. Also, a friend sent a handmade blanket to the hospital. I have it on my lap as I am typing this. I have never forgotten these beautiful acts of kindness, and your employees won’t either.
3) Items to give. When someone has lost their home, “stuff” isn’t what they need, because they have no place to put it. Take them food and water; bottled water, fruit, nuts, crackers, peanut butter, bread. The people that have come to the donation center where I donated my time asked for blankets, towels, socks, underwear, and warm clothes.
4) Donate money to the family directly. In the Boulder 2012 fire, $650,000 went to the Red Cross, but the families didn’t see that money. If you have a friend or employee who was directly affected, donate directly to them or take the initiative to set up a GOFUNDME account.
5) Listen. Just listen. Your friend, family member, employee needs a safe outlet to process their heavy emotions when a tragedy strikes, and they have a huge loss. You don’t have to fix it for them; in fact, you can’t. But you can be a sounding board and provide support when they need it most.
Finally, take care of yourself, so that you can be available for them. Rally the troops and check in regularly. We all need each other right now, and your employee will never forget the action that you are taking on their behalf.
Power thought: Put your oxygen mask on first, and then help your employee out with the suggestions above. They will never forget your act of kindness.
by Beth | Dec 30, 2021 | Company Culture
As we begin each New Year, many of us take the opportunity to re-group and redefine goals for our businesses. This time is often filled with renewed energy to get our lives and work in order. As a part of your New Year’s goals, it might also be time to fire that one employee that is not contributing to your company’s vision.
The impact of an unengaged employee on your business can be catastrophic. Decreased productivity, lowered company morale, and miserable working environments have been common complaints by my clients as they come to the decision to relieve an employee, especially when an estimated 50% of employees will change jobs in 2022! I say start the New Year fresh!
A past client of mine had an employee who consistently gave her ultimatums. The threats were often “If you don’t do this, then I will quit.” Who wants to work with an individual who is constantly threatening you? The team was struggling to work with the individual, my client was unhappy with the performance of the individual, yet the concept of firing and replacing this person seemed daunting and ill-timed. When my client finally became fed up, they did indeed fire the employee. I won’t sugar coat the transition. It was hard, uncomfortable and came at a terrible time, but my client knew that this was the right decision for the company.
In addition, the busiest day of the year for applicants looking for a job is the second Tuesday in January. Think about this: the people who are fed up with their work environments are also looking to make a change. So, if you want to start the New Year with someone who REALLY wants to work for you, get going! Now is the time.
POWER THOUGHT: New Year, new goals, new culture!
