I offer the following true story as an opportunity to practice squid eye. If you’ve read Fierce Leadership, you know all about squid eye - the ability to spot the "tells" that indicate something is wrong, something isn’t working. If you’re good at squid eye, you are able to see what doesn’t want to be seen, what is hiding, often right under our noses. It’s like having sight in the presence of the blind."Tells" are all around us and come in many forms. Strongly held beliefs that make everyone weep, winning us nothing to write home about. Organizations that declare war on the wrong things. Even so-called "best" practices, when we consider the results they produce, can in fact, turn out to be worst practices. I will picture you shouting Eureka! Or found the squid! Or some such celebratory exclamation when you recognize the "tell" in this story that indicates something is very, very wrong.True Story:  After four visits from a cable company personnel over the course of 30 days, I still did not have the service I signed up for in my new condo in Pike Place Market: internet, phone, and cable television. All of which the cable company was to provide, for which they charged a pretty penny, and which they had provided to the previous tenants. How hard could it be, right?  And yet…My internet connection failed approximately once an hourOnly one phone jack was operationalI had no picture at all on one of two televisionsThe screen on the second television frequently reverted to a scramble of code, which I had to "clear"I received neither HBO or SHO, which I had requestedTiVo informed me that "Program information is running low… The DVR must connect successfully to the TiVo service." None of the technicians from the cable company had been able to resolve the problems. Each shrugged his shoulders and said he didn’t know why things weren’t working. Finally, I reached a supervisor who assured me that an "executive" would be monitoring my case and that I would hear from someone within 24 hours. No one called.And then I received a bill. I wanted to lock their technicians and their supervisors in a room with me and practice my drop kick. Who says emotions don’t come into play with customers! Eventually, after leaving yet another message, I got a call from a Customer Loyalty Specialist who told me that he reported to the General Manager. He said his name was Leon."What is your last name?" "We aren’t allowed to share that." "Why not?" "It’s for the security of our personnel". Have you started shouting? If not, go back and re-read the dialogue above.Any organization (barring the CIA and other cloak and dagger organizations, perhaps) that has a policy of withholding the identities of personnel from its customers is handing its customers a major TELL on a silver plate with a huge shiny banner declaring; WE DON’T CARE ABOUT YOU, DEAR OUTRAGED CUSTOMER.  WE CARE ABOUT OUR PERSONAL SAFETY.I expect you would hope, as I do, that if a company’s services or products have become so problematic they fear their customers might seek retribution in the form of bodily harm, the company would declare "war" on doing whatever it takes to improve their services or products. But this company’s strategy, a failed strategy, is to hide.I wrote a letter to the CEO because I sometimes wonder if the CEO is aware of his or her customers’ experience. That was a month ago. I haven’t heard from him.There are many companies, whole industries, who have a policy about not giving their real names to their customers. I hope you don’t work for one, but if you do, I urge you to bring this up for major discussion.Gather your colleagues together and ask, "What have we declared war on?" And practice squid eye together by asking, "Have we declared war on the right thing?"Perhaps the word "war" seems out of place when applied to things like improving and deepening relationships with co-workers or with customers, or coming up with a truly innovative approach to whatever it is you do, or raising the performance bar and holding it there - bold and high. But sometimes war is what it takes.One definition of war is: a sustained effort to deal with or end a particular unpleasant or undesirable situation or condition, as in - the authorities are waging war against all forms of smuggling | a war on drugs. And sometimes, nothing short of war will do.My hope for myself and for all of you is that we will occasionally declare war, if that’s what it takes, because we are committed to doing the hard things that also happen to be the right things.P.S. Leon sent me his business card, with his full name on it. A step in the right direction, though the problem has still not been resolved and he has gone "dark", doesn’t answer his phone or respond to emails. On the business card are the words:  "We’re on a mission." Exactly what that mission is, is decidedly unclear, though it’s a pretty good bet, it’s not in the customers’ favor.The post Declaring War on the Wrong Thing appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published on trainingindustry.com and explains how positive feedback can increase employee engagement and productivity.Whether you are a new or experienced manager, your main focus is coaching your team to success. In reality, your day-to-day gets taken up by attending meetings, putting out fires, and sifting through an endless stream of e-mails. With so little time left over, it can be easy to just focus on the performance gaps that will prevent your team from hitting their goals.But Don’t Forget the Positive finds the effects of not giving feedback can be just as detrimental to your team. If you fail to reinforce positive behaviors, you may find them slowly disappearing over time.What behavior should you be reinforcing?"In this fast-paced world, thought should be given to providing positive feedback as well as the feedback used to correct undesirable behavior. This positive feedback shouldn’t be reserved for one-on-one meetings with employees. Positive feedback should also be given in the moment it is observed. When this happens, managers can be assured that they are balancing their efforts to coach their team to success."Read the article.The post Fierce Resource: Don’t Forget the Positive appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Janet wore a smile from the nose down; her eyes bore daggers. If I offered a Friday afternoon off for having finished a big project early, she "wished" it had been last week when she and her husband were headed out of town for the football game.  When I ordered in pizza for everyone’s lunch to celebrate a staff anniversary, she had "hoped" for barbecue.

In the third of a four-part series Diane Thielfoldt discusses the Millennial generation and the impact of generational differences in the workplace.

Wish you had a crystal ball? You’re not alone. Organizations of all types, all around the world, have experienced dramatic change over the last three years. And even as 2011 gets off to a bright and busy start, that climate of change doesn’t seem to be fading. To help you keep up, we’re offering a peek inside our crystal ball. We’ve gleaned some terrifically helpful information and insights from our clients as well as our own independent research, to discover 2011′s top five talent trends. These are the areas that successful managers need to act on now, in order to stay on top of workplace trends. Learn about the shifting status quo in retaining top talent, stretching your thin resources, the nimble way to mentor, and more. You’ll find it in our Trends 2011 Report. And if you want some guidance with keeping up with any of these trends, send us an e-mail. We’ll be polishing up that crystal ball on your behalf. To learn how to win with your workforce in 2011 download the PDF of our Trends 2011 Report. PDF: Download

Learn about "Reverse Mentoring" in our latest Learning Pro E-Zine Article at ASTD-LA.    Reverse Mentoring: Why and How to "Do it Yourself" with a Cross-Generational Mentoring Program. Show me the mentors! Even though mentoring is one of the most effective career development paths for young employees, only one in five organizations offers a formal mentoring program. This is in spite of the need for fast, point-of-need learning partnerships to help organizations share critical knowledge, onboard a new hire, develop talent, and grow future leaders.

Not every mentoring program has to be formal and top-down. In fact, we often recommend that our clients set up a "do it yourself" version called Reverse Mentoring, which leverages cross-generational relationships. Reverse Mentoring expands individuals’ skill sets and opens their eyes to some positive generational differences. Take for example, a mentoring relationship between Dave, a 24-year-old delivery person, and Jennifer, a 50-something sales manager. Pair them up, and soon Dave is coaching Jenny on social media knowledge she might need to improve her job performance, while he gains insights into her leadership role — something members of the Millennial generation value very much! You can learn more about "Reverse Mentoring" in our new 2-part article that appeared in the January and February issues of the Electrical Distributor trade journal. Click on the image below to download parts 1 and 2 in a single PDF file.

Are you and your organization getting the most out of daily actions to recognize employees? It’s easy to neglect acknowledging good work in the fast pace of business. Most managers find themselves managing by exception - paying more attention to what’s not working than to what is going well. According to a Gallup poll, recognition and praise are among the five most important factors in determining key business benchmarks like employee retention, customer satisfaction, productivity, and profits. In other words, employee recognition is a win-win situation: the employee feels valued and the company benefits from employees who work harder and longer for the company. Click to download how to take your first steps for employee recognition.

What do Apple, BMW, Coca-Cola and Brad Pitt have in common? In addition to being fabulous, they all have a well-known reputation, a brand. Now, if you are anything like me, this seems obvious for the large organizations on this list but Brad Pitt? A person as a brand? Doesn’t that only work for people like Mark Echo?   Beyond the Buzzword The short answer is of course no. Everyone has a brand (whether you are keen to admit it or not). The term personal branding is a pretty hot buzzword being thrown around these days and you are probably familiar with the concept. But for those of you who may not spend your afternoon reading miscellaneous business blogs littered with the newest lingo and for those of us who can always use a refresher, here is a simple definition of personal branding: a self-application form of marketing, where you articulate your value to an audience, with the sole mission to build a reputation and credibility for your niche or idea - essentially, how to be yourself with skill. As a Millennial business professional I realize just how critical this task is. With a world of possibilities in front of me it is essential to brand myself in such a manner that intrigues future employers, empowers the team around me and sets the tone for my career development. The same is true for you. However, knowing about this concept and actually using it are two very different things. So this leaves us wondering, "How can I use personal branding to advance my career?" This is an excellent question. While personal branding is an expansive topic and we will not be able to cover everything right here and right now, I want to share a few things that can help guide you when developing your personal brand.   1. Embrace the "Youness" of You First, do you know what makes you exceptional? A wise man once stated, "Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You." While the little children who read these words of the trusted Dr. Seuss often wonder, "how can I be anyone but me," it is scary how often we lose sight of who we are in the midst of the humdrum of everyday adulthood. The first step in developing a powerful personal brand is simply getting to know you. Ask yourself: What do you stand for? What drives your motivation? What defines success? What do you LOVE to do?   2. Stand Out Above The Crowd We intuitively know that everyone is different, like snowflakes taking on unique shapes and patterns, yet we are taught from a young age to only focus on similarities so that conflict will not arise. Often we revert back to this habit in the workplace and mute our differences for the sake of corporate culture and not wanting to rock the boat. Yet the truth is everyone has something that marks him or her as a unique asset. Something not limited to a company or position (although certainly something that benefits the organization). Something good. The challenge is to find what differentiates you and how that difference is a strength, not only for your company and team, but for your career. Now is the time to stand out, not to blend in.  Ask yourself: Why are you different? What makes you better, different, or more special? What makes you unique? What makes you stand out?   3. Marketing Matters After establishing what you stand for and what makes you stand out, the question remains: "what makes you compelling?" The third element of an effective personal brand lies in your ability to articulate your value. You know what you do for your company better than anyone. You know the intricacies of the work, the role that you play, and how your efforts contribute to the success of your company. Marketing yourself in the workplace may seem shady or selfish but it is critical if you desire to grow your career. Let me suggest a paradigm shift from marketing to markEDing - where your goal is not to sell yourself but to educate your audience about the awesomeness of you. While possibly the most challenging of the three, this is the most important for advancing your career because it involves making connections, knowing your audiences and communicating your value.  Ask Yourself: What is one thing you have done for your current (most recent) employer that wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t there? In what critical areas do you add value? How does your team and/or organization benefit from your work?   The Light At the End Using these elements to craft a well-executed personal branding campaign creates a strong, consistent, and specific association between you and the value you offer. To say that creating a brand and living up to it is easy would be a lie. It takes commitment to create, cultivate, and maintain a positive brand but the results far exceed the effort. Personal branding: Is the most effective way to clarify and communicate what makes you different, special, and valuable to employers and customers - and use those qualities to guide your career. Is the most effective and innovative strategy you can use to achieve professional success and fulfillment. Allows you to clearly communicate the unique promise of value that you have to offer. Enables you to leverage what distinguishes you from others with similar skills and abilities. There is no time to waste. Figure out what you stand for, what makes you stand out, and what makes you compelling. Then craft your personal brand statement - just do it.  

Do you remember in 2007 when AT&T challenged the stereotypes associated with generations and technology with this little phrase: "IDK, My BBF Rose" (click here to see the commercial if your memory isn’t a vault). You couldn’t help but chuckle a little when you saw the subtitles translating the kids abbreviated speech (because of course not everyone understands texting lingo), the exasperation of the parents at the cost of their children’s addiction (yet another generational stereotype) and of course Grams sittin’ in her rocker just having a heyday keeping up with the latest texting trends.  If Only… While we jest at this image, a subtle hint of "if only" lurks just beneath the surface for those who desire to see all generations empowered beyond the stereotypes. If only technology wasn’t a burden for older generations but a vital resource. If only young people learned to master the social business savvy of older generations. If only it were possible to empower both the young and the old at the same time to become more productive, engaged, and innovative in the workplace… You can probably guess where I am going next… This is possible! And not in twenty years from now after painstakingly laying groundwork for organizational reform - but now. In simple, mutually beneficial Reverse Mentoring relationships. A Simple Solution Reverse Mentoring is exactly what it sounds like. Traditional mentoring turned on its head. It is a form of employee development in which a more experienced employee actively seeks the council of an employee with less overall experience but fresh perspectives and skill sets. As a Millennial leader this concept of Reverse Mentoring is exciting! Getting the opportunity to meet with senior leaders in my organization who are not only interested in what I have to say but are invested in implementing the information I share is a powerful tool for building loyalty and inspiring me to stay where I am valued. Not to mention teaching the execs a thing or two. Reverse Mentoring also: Generates trust. Empowers emerging and established leaders. "Shrinks" big organizations - it crosses boundaries that employees wouldn’t normally cross. Helps to engage, retain and promote younger talent.  It creates a two-way conversation allowing supervisors to learn what work place conditions younger employees seek in order to advance themselves along with the interests of the company. Begins to close the knowledge gap While the idea is that managers can learn about life outside the corner office another outcome is reduced turnover among younger employees, who not only gain a sense of purpose but also a rare glimpse into the world of management and top level leaders. A Few How-To’s Now that you know the value of Reverse Mentoring there is nothing to stop you from implementing a successful DIY (Do It Yourself) Reverse Mentoring program. Here is a basic action plan to get you started: Define the Goal(s): Ensure you know what you want to get out of the relationships before you begin so that success is evident. Also identify the key stakeholders and describe what their involvement will look like. Pair up Mentors and Partners: Don’t be afraid of diversity. Often the best matches are mismatches. Plan the Launch: Host an orientation session with all members, set the ground rules, share the goals/objectives, equip each person to teach and be taught, and cover logistical details. Prioritize and Persist: Follow-up and tracking are crucial to ensure the program is effective so be diligent in checking on progress. Some success indicators include: Are people taking the time to meet and work together? Are the partners satisfied with the progress? Are they benefiting from and enjoying the partnership? What ideas do they have to improve the program? Measure Progress: Include a means of evaluating the programs success. This could include questionnaires, surveys, interviews, and/or observations of the meetings. Don’t be afraid to make changes if challenges are identified. So if you are looking for innovative solutions to address the generation (and technology) gaps in your organization, just remember: when fresh, unbiased perspectives are mixed with detailed knowledge and strategic skills, the possibilities are endless - just ask my BFFs Devon and Diane.