Three steps to creating better working environments

I had a really great conversation this week about how to make better working environments. It centred around work done by the folks at Gallup. According to the experts in research sampling, there are only three crucial things needed to make a work environment great, and to make the company productive and profitable. Here they are:

1. Hire people and give them an orientation that creates brand awareness and a sense of ownership.
2. Communicate to everyone in the business on a regular basis using information and language that is meaningful and relevant to them.
3. Teach people how to use the tools to do their jobs; and then let them do it.

Now, I don't know about you, but that seems pretty straightforward to me. The folks at Gallup apparently looked at all sorts of things that make a business powerful and these were the three biggest ones to keep the business running smoothly and profitably. I have had the experience of creating all three of these, and I have had the experience of not having these three. There is a powerful difference between the two. I wonder why so many companies can't get this mix right? A good realistic look and an experienced Instructional Systems Designer (ISD) can help; perhaps this is why not so many people have gotten it right; many view the ISD role as simply one to come after the brand and positioning.

Posted by Ben McConnell on January 27, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (2)

January 25, 2007Dante would be proud
Think you have it bad at your job? Here's a true story: A well-known law firm is trying to teach its partners to say "thank you" and "good work" to its associates. You know, that weird common courtesy stuff.

It's no joke. The firm lost 31% of its associates in 2004 and another 30% of them in 2005. Each year, one-third of highly educated associates who make about $160,000 per year decide the money's not worth it.

How do you get better employees?

How many psychiatrists does it take to change a lightbulb?
One, but it has to really want to change!

Have you ever thought that about your people, your customers, or your business? You know that your business can grow because there is a market, you have the right mix, you have the right pricing. So what is it? Why aren’t your employees as engaged, as committed, as capable of making decisions and bowl your customers over with unbelievable customer service as you are?

There could be a number of factors, but one of them might be you. As an entrepreneur, this isn’t a job; it’s a way of life. Your company is your work; your investment; your pride; and hopefully, your retirements or security. Your people are different: they work there and were hired. They can be released and they know it. It is a special person who can start and grow a business and it is likely not your employees’ mindset.

You should expect, if your company is running like most companies, that the following is true for a staff of twenty:

Even the best performing companies have actively disengaged staff. The question, as a business owner, shouldn’t be how can I engage and motivate my staff; it should be who is responsible for not de-motivating my staff? According to “Energize your workplace: How to Build and Sustain High Quality Connections at work”, the greatest impact on defining employees’ working experiences can be summarized in good leadership, open communication, and demonstrated ethics and fairness.

So what about you? Jim Collins, author of “Good to Great” says, “Whether someone is the “right person” has more to do with the character traits and innate capabilities than with specific knowledge, background or skills.” Do you know about yourself and how this affects your decision-making, your leadership, and your business? Do you want to find out? A relatively easy and inexpensive way to start is with the Keirsey Temperament Sorter. You can pay the $14 fee for the complete assessment, or you can take the free part and Google it yourself. You can’t change disengaged employees, but through good leadership, communication and training, you can keep your engaged staff longer.

To get more help sorting your training needs from your organizational needs, call the training pirates. We’ll help you get what you want.

The Pirate Code for Entrepreneurs & Learning

So after reading this book, there are a couple of things that should be mentioned about how piracy and training go together. It's important that you understand that these concepts are not totally new, but are very well expressed in Matt Mason's book -way to go Matt! Here's what I take out of it for becoming a Training Pirate:

"Information wants to be free, but customized information wants to be really expensive."

Wow, this is really true for training! Having developed customized training for years, it is important to recognize why you are engaging in a training event at all. If you want your people (or yourself) to understand what the mass market knows and delivery ordinary, mass market service undifferentiated from your competition, then buy any canned training and put it to use. Good luck with that! BUT if you want to have your organization, your people, your BRAND stand out from the rest, invest in training that sets you apart from the very beginning!

Pirate Training Rules of Engagement:
1. Do not copy another's innovation exactly.
2. Do not divulge secrets (trade or otherwise) unless given permission.
3. Colleagues must credit the original innovator as the author of the innovation.

So how is this "piratical"? Well, historically, pirates always worked in a sort of democratic anarchy, taking and using what would best suit their purpose without loss of respect for its original intention. In training, it is exactly the same thing. Training is an old game and just like all old games, rules, methods of engagement and success criteria measurement aren't new. Training Pirates ALWAYS give credit where it's due, and acknowledge that ideas and solutions may not come from the mainstream. They come from where they were best successful and are modified. If you asked me what my influences are in designing training, I could tell you exactly because I follow this code!

3 Habits of Highly Successful Pirates
1. Look outside the market: just becaue the market won't do something, it doesn't mean its a bad idea.
2. Create a vehicle: drop a carrier for your idea into the hole and broadcast.
3. Harness your audience: attract supporters to legitimize your idea and your vehicle. Earn respect and pay props!

There are no secrets here - just good business and good training sense.

Thanks Matt! You're an inspiration to keep my brain working!