New Rules

Copyright: mangostar / 123RF Stock Photo

I’m often asked for techniques to engage team members who are quiet in meetings.

Try this:  At the beginning of the meeting, set expectations with this ground rule:

Silence = Agreement.

Silence doesn’t mean, I’m thinking about it, I’ll get back to you, or I’m multi-tasking; it means I’m in!

Then go around the room and get their agreement to the rule. 

If it’s a virtual meeting, either go around the virtual room and ask their thoughts by name or have a group text, IM, Google Hangout or WebEx to give team members a chance to write their question or comment.

Make the Most of Your Meetings

Image by: NBC's, The Office

Many of you are implementing regular meetings in your departments. That's terrific!

Here are 3 tips to help you succeed as you build your reputation as an efficient meeting manager:

1. Start on time.  Get to the room early, be prepared, and start at the planned time.  Waiting for stragglers sets a bad precedent.
2. Share the objective for the meeting with everyone, in advance.  Confirm the objective again in person and add a 'WIIFM' - a 'what’s in it for me' statement that adds value for everyone attending.  For example, it could be simplifying the work process or helping them meet goals and earn possible bonuses.
3. Finish early.  Keep the group focused and if you finish early, let them leave early.  It will help ensure attendance and focus at your next meeting.

Tip:  If you can’t identify a clear objective (#2) – don’t have a meeting!

That was then... This is now...

Image Credit: gerrylagendyk.blogspot.com

First impressions stick and lead to expectations.

When they are good, we may assume positive intentions for everything a person does (halo effect), when they are not good, we assume the worst (horn effect).

Consider Sarah. 

When Sarah started, she didn’t know the database that well and asked a lot of questions that she could have answered on her own with a query. 

One day, as you are rushing out of the office to meet with a client, you realize you forgot to research a couple of key items about them that you think might be captured in the database.  You see Sarah, but hesitate to ask her to check on it because you are stuck with the first impression – Sarah doesn’t understand how to use our database.  It makes you impatient and grumpy.  And it may undermine Sarah’s abilities.

The solution is to challenge your assumption and ask for her help.  If she helps you, re-write the story of Sarah in your head.

Who needs a second chance at a first impression in your office?

Who's Talking to Your Customers?

While working in Boston last week, Karen and I made a pit stop at Wegmans and we were impressed! A little research led us to their secret - their dedication to their people.

In an article titled, The Anti-Walmart: The Secret Sauce of Wegmans Is People, it is clear that treating people the way you want your customers to be treated really works.

Consider these World Class Companies:

• At Wegmans, cashiers don't interact with customers until they have completed 40 hours of training. 
• Employees at Zappos complete an intensive 4-week training program.
• When I worked at Walt Disney World, in the College Program, I had to complete an additional day of Disney training every time I took on a new role.

What's my point?  

World Class Service doesn't just happen.  Give your team training to show them you care and to teach them what excellence should look and sound like. 

Looking for some WILD customer service training, check out the Customer Service Safari.

It's written all over your face

Chances are you have a direct report that frustrates you. Perhaps they don't do things quickly enough, accurately enough, creatively enough, or the-way-you-would enough. 

In those moments, you may think you are masking your frustration, but unless you are an elite poker player, they can probably see it in your expression or hear it in your voice.

One solution is to put the task, situation, or project into perspective by rating their action on a scale of possible outcomes.

1 = their action is slowing me down
to
10 = their action could cause us to lose a customer

If it's closer to a 1, take a breath and let it go. If it's closer to 10, take a breath and make it a teachable moment. In both cases, you are better off taking a breath and thinking about the bigger picture.

Respond don't react. 

What are you doing?

"A man came upon a construction site where three people were working.  He asked the first, “What are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am laying bricks.” He asked the second, “What are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am building a wall.” As he approached the third, he heard him humming a tune as he worked and asked, “What are you doing?” The man stood, looked up at the sky, and smiled, “I am building a cathedral!”  

If you want your employees to whistle while they work, help them see the bigger picture.  

Engaged employees are building cathedrals, not laying bricks and building walls.  

To apply this thinking to your team, Dr. Emma Seppälä suggests distributing customer testimonials and announcing when company profits are donated to charities as examples of how to create a sense of purpose.  
 
Do people on your team understand how what they do today helps the team? The company? And your customers?  The clearer the link, the more motivated they will be.

We cover this engagement technique and many more in our Management Essentials and Managing Multi-Generational Workplaces Workshops.  Email us for more information.

H-E-B & Harvey

Company culture is the personality of a company. It’s the environment employees work in and it has a huge impact on productivity and profitability.

Employees at H-E-B know that their company made helping those impacted by Harvey a priority. H-E-B sent disaster relief units, including pharmacy and ATM operations, and mobile kitchens to serve hot meals to the community and first responders. One kitchen can whip up 6,000 meals every day!

If you worked at H-E-B, how would you feel?

As a leader, manager, or supervisor you set the tone for your team.  What tone are you setting today?

Since moving our HQ to Texas, we’ve had the pleasure of shopping at H-E-B and we are fans! To learn more about HEB click here. 

Don't Mess With Texas