Most leaders think the culture is what it is though.  Or they mistakenly think the culture is a supportive one when it is not.  Even organizations with high levels of employee engagement and commitment can make improvements that will have an impact on their teams.

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Sometimes, looking up at the stars brings a nostalgic feeling.  That feeling of wonder and optimism you had as a young boy or girl as you wished on a star.  That feeling of being so tiny, just a small speck in this wide and wild universe.  That feeling of endless possibilities laid out ahead of you like a bounty you’ve never known before.

When is the last time you’ve looked up at the night sky?  I mean, took time alone and really looked.  Maybe tonight is your night.  It will be your chance to clear out some of that clutter and worry that has been bogging you down and to seek true inspiration for the coming months.  And maybe, just maybe, you will see that one, perfect shining star to wish upon.  At least, that is my wish for you.

Enjoy the weekend….

Well, I actually was as a young girl but I quickly determined that I am not the “type”.  I thought that being a cheerleader meant putting on that fake smile, making sure I had proper cheerleader form and basically doing something that I was not sure that anyone really appreciated anyway.  It just didn’t feel like me.  I did it for a couple seasons then, put my pom poms down forever.

Until now.

Turns out that I’ve learned I’ve been a cheerleader all along.

You heard it right.

I was recently asked to be a cheer coach for my daughter’s squad of girls ages 5- 11.  I accepted even though I was worried because the last time I performed a cheer anywhere was in 1982.  I am working with two other coaches, one who was a championship cheerleader and one who, like me, is not.  After talking with the other coaches, we determined what strength each of us brought to the team.  Then, we used that strength to coach our girls.  My strength is organizing, helping break down training into the most manageable size for the person learning, trying new techniques of teaching and finding a way to make each girl feel special.

I realized that I am THEIR cheerleader.

And, isn’t that the real role of a coach?  To teach and to let the learner try out the new skills.  To encourage all along the way.  These are the same ideas and principles I apply at work each day and the same role I try to play in projects I am part of like HRevolution.

I wish you could have seen our practice last night.  Girls standing in near-perfect formaton, working on sharper hand and arm movements, huge smiles on their faces.  I started by naming a “mini coach” for each cheer so that the girls can help teach and encourage each other.  I worked with my brilliant instructional coach to support her as she taught the team new techniques and cheers.  The girls kept practicing even after our normal practice time had ended.  They were feeling a sense of pride.

So, if you had asked me 24 hours ago if I’m a cheerleader, I would have said no.

Turns out I was wrong.  Go team!

As I wrote a few days ago, the theme I heard emerge this year was centered around passion.  How we as HR leaders can inspire and capture passion in our employees so that we bring it into our organization every day.  I’ve shared how Zappos approaches creating passionate employees and it all starts with the customers.  But what about all of us who do not work at Zappos?  What can we do in our organization to jump start passion?

One of the sessions I was lucky enough to spend time in was Passion On Purpose with Ryan Estis.  If you have not met Ryan or heard him speak, take a moment and go to his site now. I mean it……you must check out his videos and blog then BOOK HIM TO SPEAK TO YOUR ORGANIZATION.

Ryan brings this fresh, exuberant approach to thinking about communication.  He peppers his dynamic speaking style with creative pictures and video.  But most impressive is the delivery of the tangible content.  I’ve seen more speakers in my career than I can count and Ryan will be one that stands out for years to come.  I love when speakers come out into the audience to connect. Ryan does this.  He looks you in the eye.  He holds you accountable for listening.  I won’t give away all the material but several ideas around igniting passion in employees struck a chord with me.

Promoting Passion In Your Organization

• Leaders need to be storytellers who evangelize.  They have to be able to create a vision of an experience that the employees can relate to.
• Leaders need to not only make sure the organization’s values are communicated, but that they are understood.  This is key.  Employees are 17 times more engaged when they know AND understand the values.
• Ask employees throughout the organization what the mission and values are.  Can they articulate that?  If not, you need to create a communication strategy that will help teach them.
• Leaders need to be aligned to a singular purpose.  If leaders of each part of the organization are focused on different priorities and goals, you will never reach the highest level of success.  By aligning to a singular purpose, you have all employees moving the organization toward one common goal and are far more likely to experience success.
• Employees are changing in how and why they need communication.  Instead of talking AT employees as organizations have done for decades, employees want to be talked WITH.  Create ways to have a discussion rather than a one-way push of information.
• Share what you care about.

Ryan challenged every participant to create an action plan of how we will personally take steps to create passion on purpose in our organizations.  It was extremely effective and was one of the best sessions I attended at SHRM Annual.

Are you taking steps to encourage passion in the workplace?  If not, why do you think this would or would not work in your organization?  Share with me in the comments….

The story is about you, a mid-level manager at a large organization.  You’ve worked there for eight years and you are doing ok from a performance standpoint.  You meet most of your targets, you attend the mandatory training that HR makes you attend to learn leadership skills, and sometimes, you try to apply what you learn with your team.  Mostly, you don’t.  Your view of the business world is that it’s just work and that is why they pay you to be there.  You’re a hard worker, but you don’t feel passion for the work or for the mission of the organization.  After all, you just need the paycheck.

You’ve been managing a team with average turnover for the last five years.  Lately, one of your long-time employees has been taking a nose dive in the performance area. She seems generally disinterested at work, she misses deadline after deadline, and her colleagues have grown tired of trying to cover for her.  Today, it’s taken a turn for the worst. She has lost her temper with a client on the phone and now you’re having to pick up the pieces.  You’re feeling like you’ve had enough.  You cannot think of one positive thing she has done.  You want to fire her.

But should you?

Here’s where the decision gets challenging.  On the surface, the answer could be yes.  But, are you missing something?  I think you are.

The positive thing she has done today is SHOW UP.

Yes, that’s it.  She may have been late, missed yet another deadline, and even been rude to a client, but she is there.  That IS a positive.  She could have made many other choices such as calling in sick, lying to cover her tracks, or even quitting.  And, while she definitely needs to make major improvements, the mere fact of her showing up may be all she can muster today.  And, let’s face it, you haven’t been doing all you can to manage her.  From an attitude standpoint, you are not setting the example.

So, what can you do differently to attempt to turn this around before you throw in the towel?

• Show sincere interest- You may have missed opportunities to connect with this employee in the past, but no longer.  Sit down with her and have a real heart-to-heart.  Be honest in your feedback but without making it a personal attack.  Ask ALL open ended questions.  Tell her you’ve noticed the change in her performance and ask her to just talk to you about what is going on.  Don’t make any judgments in this initial conversation.  Tell her you are just there to talk to her about any issues and that you’ll think about what she tells you.
• Team to find the solution- Schedule a follow up meeting to address the issues.  Work together with her to brainstorm ways to address them.  DO NOT come at her with a bunch of solutions.  Make the employee tell you what she thinks will work.  Then, incorporate that with your ideas.  If she doesn’t buy into the solution, she will not have any chance of being successful.  Refer her to EAP if any of the issues are more personal in nature.
• Give a realistic deadline for improvement-  I am always interested when managers want to terminate long term employees when they have not improved in a week after being talked to.  That is not enough time.  Give at least 30- 60 days to start seeing steps to consistent and sustained improvement.  By then you will really know if this employee wants to turn it around or not.  Tell the employee up front that you want her to succeed and will help her, but it is ultimately up to her.  Be a support during the review period.

It can be so easy to write someone off.  Be sure that you are looking for the positives…even if it is just ONE small thing.  What do you think?