June Edition of Kindlings © copyright A. Snowden McFall

Take Back Your Power
A recent trend that I have observed is a fear of firing or reprimanding employees,
a sense that employers are at the mercy of the employee. I simply do not agree
with this concept. If you have developed a healthy, positive and professional
workplace with ethics, standards and quality, you have a right to
hold your employees to those standards. Most workplaces have
policy manuals; but many do not have a section on
employee behavior and attitude. That is a mistake. Behavior and morale
impact a business to a very large degree and can hurt significantly.
Much of this newsletter is devoted to how to set policies, deliver
negative and positive feedback and cut your stress levels.
Hope it is helpful!

Snowden

Internal Marketing Tip: Set Your Own Standards

No matter what kind of professional you are, CEO, executive,
business owner, doctor, lawyer, restaurant owner, manager,
you have the right and indeed, the responsibility, to set standards
for your workplace. This means standards of excellence in work,
but also standards in behavior and performance.

I was recently told, when discussing negative behavior of a high
level professional, that "That's just how they are." I simply don't accept that.
No matter what level you're at, you are subject to behavioral standards
and employment law experts agree. It's very easy to build an
"attitude, behavior and professional conduct" clause right into your
policy manual and your employment contracts. It needs to be specific
and clear about what is acceptable and flexible enough to help you achieve
your results. It is not acceptable for anyone at any level to come in regularly
in a bad mood, yell at the rest of the staff, complain and whine and make
everyone else's day miserable. That is unprofessional conduct and should not
be tolerated. It's your business / workplace. Set the standards, inform everyone,
put it in writing with your employment attorney and refuse to settle for
anything less. Good employees will be grateful and bad employees will leave-
which is best for everyone.

Communication Tip- Delivering Negative Feedback
One of the hardest challenges of any boss is to give negative feedback to
employees. Some people are so uncomfortable with it that they avoid
giving any feedback at all- which is worse.
The key to giving feedback is to focus on BEHAVIOR not the person or
personality. Ex: " Bob, you are a good worker and I appreciate having you
here at the company. However, your behavior in the staff meetings is
unacceptable. Your criticisms of others when suggesting new ideas
creates tension and stifles their input. Raising your voice when you
dislike an idea can be off-putting to the team. It can make others feel
devalued. In the future, please refrain from making any comments
that are not positive. And try to keep your voice to a normal tone.
We are brainstorming and discussing ideas in their early stages.
Do you understand what I am saying? Is there anything
I can do to assist you in changing this behavior?"
And then you can have a conversation about the behavior.
The key is to be specific, clear and focused on the actions, not the personality.
That way, you maintain professionalism and can offer assistance.
Be sure to make your comments timely - feedback about behavior that
took place 3 weeks ago is not useful. If you have frequent concerns,
put them in writing as well,
so you both have a record and a reference point for reviews.

Burnout Prevention/ Stress Management Tip-
Talk to a Supportive Person
When you are upset, about work or other issues, one of the best
things you can do is to talk to someone supportive - a friend, mentor,
therapist, consultant- someone you know will be open to you,
will listen and give you their input, if you want it. As human beings,
we all have such a strong need to be heard. Sometimes,
the simple action of sharing our worries can lift them and give us a
new perspective.
Don't try to handle all the problems of your life by yourself - that can
lead to tension in your neck and shoulders or ulcers. Rely on your
support systems and use them.

Relationship Tip- Acknowledge People in Ways They Value
So often, employers have a tendency to reward good work in the way
they THINK the employee would like it- a public plaque, kudos in
a staff meetings, etc. When you interview prospective employees-
find out how they want to be rewarded; the answers may surprise you.
Many employees want a visual symbol, a card or note that they can refer to.
Some would rather have time off. Others prefer gift certificates.
Public recognition can delight some people and mortify others;
be sure you know before you use it.

In your relationships, find out how your life partner wants their affection.
Each of you take a moment and jot down a list of answers to the statement:
"I feel loved when you..." And then do those things regularly for this person.
It will improve the quality of your relationship and bring you closer.
You'll be amazed at the results.
(from Harville Hendrick's book, Getting the Love You Want)

Kindlings!™ July 2003

I recently returned from the Annual Convention of the
National Speakers Association, which is always such a joy for me.
I had the opportunity to learn and grow, connect with dear friends ,
and expand my business acumen.
As business professionals, we all need to remember that lifelong
learning makes us better at every level of our jobs. As leaders,
we gather new tools and information to help
take our employees to the next level.

In the bestselling book, FISH!, the authors tell the story of
the Seattle Fish Market, an extraordinary business which has transformed
itself from sluggish sales and bad attitudes to excited employees,
delighted customers and booming business. Take note of the lessons
from this book; they are very simple, but quite powerful.

Very best wishes-

Snowden

Burnout Prevention/Stress Management Tip:
Play at Work
It used to be that employees at the Seattle Fish Market groaned and
moaned over their work. After all, it is cold, wet and smelly moving
fish around all day. But the organization went through a major culture shift and
decided they could make working at the fish market a chore or a pleasure.
They decided to have fun and they involved their customers. Now they throw
fish around, bring customers up to see if they can
catch a wet fish, cheer when someone tries, and generally
laugh and have a good time. Morale is up and sales
are up, because customers enjoy being there and want
to get in on the action. It's not like any fish market you've
ever been to; it's a true experience.
What can you do to make your place of business more
fun for your customers and your employees?
It doesn't take much; several small changes can have a
huge impact.

Communication Tip- Be Present

One of the principle philosophies of the
fish market is that when you are connecting
with a customer, your total focus is on
that customer. That is a rare phenomenon
in our culture. Think about the last time
a salesperson gave you their total undivided
attention. All too often, they are multi-tasking,
talking on their cell-phones, looking anywhere
but AT YOU.

When you take the time to really look and listen
to your customers, when you give them your
undivided attention, you create relationships.
People feel valued and respected, they feel
that you care about them. The best sales
professionals know this; they maintain eye contact,
match body positions, listen intently, smile,
and demonstrate their interest in the customer.
And they are genuine. That kind of attention
is compelling...it can create great sales, return
business, and most of all, better business relationships.

Relationship Tip: Make Their Day
At the Pike Place Fish Market, employees have
a clear focus of "making the day" of their
customers. They do this in a number of
ways, from cheering on buyers to encouraging
people to catch fish, from educating buyers
to funny lyrics everyone sings like "Six crabs
flying away to Montana." They want their
customers to have a great experience, one that
makes them feel good about themselves. The
constant there is laughter, people are relaxed and
having a good time.
I remember once going into a drugstore out of town to
pick up some aspirin. The check out woman
had a very funny hat on. It was impossible to ignore;
I giggled and asked her about it. She said,"Well, I
have to come to work, I might as well find a way
to make people laugh." I went out of my way to
return to that store later on, and I'm sure other
customers do the same. She made my day and
got me involved.

©copyright A. Snowden McFall. All Rights Reserved