Insourced focused leaders should be tuning into ways to recruit and retain talent from within for strong results and increased employee satisfaction.
When my parents started in the world of work, there was an unwritten rule: put in two to five years on the job with a set job description and title before making your next move. Impress people, work 50+ hours a week, learn everything, and become essential to the organization. It was a recipe for success pulled straight out of 50s movies, and it was the way to move up the corporate ladder.
With every promotion, the interval between new titles might have gotten a little longer, but the company offered security and a sense of belonging. People might have been restless, but they knew where they stood. Companies retained talent, for the most part, because talent wanted to stay. There was a gold watch at the end, remember.
The path of career people who came up in the 80s, 90s, and now has been much different. Our perception of ‘meaningful work’ is different. Companies have a different attitude, too – I seldom meet anyone who’s been at the same company for more than five years. Perhaps this is par for the course for technical recruiters, or maybe it’s a sign of something different: companies have pulled the corporate ladder out of reach.
For some of my clients, in fact, there’s a belief that hiring from the outside is preferable to promoting from within – the ‘fresh blood builds a stronger company’ idea. While that trend may be good for recruiters, it isn’t cheery news for workers looking for promotions. I hear from people every day looking for work. Some are unemployed, but more feel trapped in a meaningless job or fear their skills have timed out. Many feel there’s no place to grow in their organizations. At the same time, companies bemoan the lack of employee loyalty and engagement.
HR Technology exists to help leaders solve at least a portion of these talent management issues. Maybe it’s time to make internal (upward) mobility a priority again.
What can leaders do to create a culture of loyalty while making growth and innovation a priority?
Here are five ideas to make the next rung of the corporate ladder easier to reach:
Reinstate employee referral bonuses. A staple of fast-growth startups, referral bonuses give employees an incentive to stay – and to bring their talented friends onboard. It might seem risky or profligate in a time of slow job growth, but your top talent wants to work with other talented people, and their networks may be better than yours.
Create an internal talent scouting network. Many managers fear losing their best people. Recognize managers who push talented employees to the next step in the organization. You might not be able to promote them right now, but they are demonstrating their commitment to the company, so find a way to acknowledge and reward them. Why not a 10 or 20 percent finders’ fee for bosses who nurture great employees?
Cultivate fast-start work groups. You know who your best managers are. Choose the best from each department or business unit – especially in traditionally rapid-turnover areas, e.g. sales – and give them a management task: identifying and fast-tracking talent. Make it an MBO goal.
Invest as much in management training next year as you spent on job ads last year. Fortune 500 companies appear to be headed in this direction but smaller companies may not have the leeway to send star performers to Harvard or Wharton for executive training. So look to other sources for courseware and build your own programs. Start with Harvard – MIT edX online offerings and work up and in.
Institute a management and executive book club. Not all business-themed books are a bore; talk to the manager who’s most effective, or consult with someone from your Board. Find out what they’re reading and distribute copies to your managers. Pop quiz in 15 minutes.
Research shows it takes two years for external hires to perform as well as internal candidates promoted on the job. Ensure your organization has a promote-from-within strategy – every company needs a farm team.
A version of this post was first published on forbes.com on July 24, 2012
00Meghan M. Birohttps://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.pngMeghan M. Biro2016-03-09 06:30:252020-05-31 15:04:545 Truths: Insourced Leaders Promote From Within
(Editor’s Note: This thought-provoking post was originally published by our valued content partners at SwitchandShift. We are republishing it for the TalentCulture community, with permission. Why? Not because we’re seeking more attention from Google — but because Ted’s message is important. It bears repeating.)
For years now, I have devoted my waking hours to interacting with leaders from all walks of life.
From bootstrapped young ventures to huge business conglomerates. Middle management newbies to C-suite veterans. Non-profits and for-profits, alike. You name it — if it’s about leadership, I’m there. Understanding what makes leaders tick is literally what I’ve been doing for a living for as long as I can remember.
A Troubling Trend
Along the way, I’ve seen a few patterns — and this is one issue that comes up again and again. Sooner or later, at some point in a conversation, a leader will say something like this to me: “I’m one person at home, but another at work.”
Sound familiar? Try this scenario on for size…
• At home, I’m generous and giving. • At home, I trust the good intentions of those around me. • At home, with my friends, we let loose and simply enjoy one another’s company, typically with no agenda. • At home, when I volunteer, I get lost in my work. When I’m done, I feel good for hours afterward. It’s the highlight of my week! • At home, I’m joyful. • At home, I’m the real me. • I wish I could be the real me all the time. If only!
On the other hand…
• At work, I’m analytical and objective. If it can’t be measured, it doesn’t count. • At work, if you can’t prove it with hard data, don’t bring it up! • At work, I’m guarded. You have to watch your back. • At work, I make the tough decisions. It’s simply part of being a leader. • At work, I only give to my peers in strategic ways, if it’ll benefit me, too. I don’t want to be taken advantage of! • At work, a lot of my time is spent on pointless tasks. That’s why they call it work, isn’t it? • At work, I work my tail off. It’s draining. That’s why they pay me, right? • At work, I’m a stripped down version of the real me.
Does any of this ring a bell? Maybe a little too close to home?
The fact is, we’ve all felt it. Actually, many of us have felt nothing but these feelings throughout our careers. Many of us (especially those who cut our business teeth in the 20th century) have internalized the Industrial Age management philosophy still prevalent today. Many of us who are in this boat don’t yet realize there’s a better way — and we don’t even recognize that some leaders are actually living this better way, right now.
Give Your “Work Self” Permission to Be Fully Human
It’s time to give yourself permission to be fully present at work. Why do I say “permission”? Because we need it. Many of us crave permission to be our whole selves, our real selves. We crave permission to be generous, trusting, giving, and joyful — at work, at home, wherever we are. Some people will always doubt and detract from your efforts, no matter what you say or do to show them that there’s a better way. Forget about them. It hurts me to say that, but it’s important to say. No one can help those who refuse to be helped — those who would rather be “right” than be happy.
Some people are already on board with this whole-self-all-the-time concept. They’re ahead of the curve. If you are, too, then there’s your chorus. Focus on them. It’s important to gain new insights from their experience and let them recharge your batteries.
Your Reality Is Your Story
The vast middle? Those are what I like to call the “willing skeptics.” They aren’t sold on your message, but they’re open to being convinced, if you can back your claims with examples. Gather those examples! Share them early and often! It’s what every compelling author and speaker and teacher and leader does. Be a storyteller. Statistics won’t get you where you need to go. Examples of thriving companies running on modern, human principles? That’s what the willing skeptics are looking for. Put your willing skeptics in the position to think, “If they can do it, and they’re like us, then I bet we can do it, too.” Then show them how, or find someone who can.
People are hungry for positive, uplifting change. The 70% of workers who are disengaged and disaffected? They know there must be a better way, and they’re on the lookout for companies that are living it. They’re polishing their resumes so they can make the leap. This is an existential crisis for the companies who refuse to modernize how they lead — the corporate equivalent of the dinosaur die-off 65 million years ago.
The thing that doesn’t show up in surveys (but should) is this: It isn’t just workers who are unhappy. Even leaders yearn for a better way. They yearn to bring their whole selves to work – to bring their souls with them when they walk through the company doors each morning.
Is that you? Would you like to be a complete you — the trusting, generous, moral, joyful you — all day, every day — and not just when you’re at home?
If you don’t want to take it from me, take it from the story of Yvon Chouinard, founder and owner of the $500M+ clothing company, Patagonia. Chouinard is the author of Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman. It’s one of the best business books I’ve ever read (and I’ve read hundreds). It’s a blueprint for how a company can grow to incredible success by embracing the “whole” of everyone in the organization — rather than just their backs, hands and left-brains.
Chouinard founded a company where bringing your soul to work is baked right in as an essential ingredient of the organization. It has served them well. Perhaps that is the permission you need.
And so I repeat — bring your soul to work. It’s essential to your happiness. It’s also essential to the success of your company, as we tread ever deeper into this more “human” century.
(Note: To discuss World of Work topics like this with the TalentCulture community, join our online #TChat Events each Wednesday, from 6:30-8pm ET. Everyone is welcome at events, or join our ongoing Twitter and G+ conversation anytime. Learn more…)
https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/159935_7985.jpg350700Ted Coinehttps://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.pngTed Coine2014-02-10 16:45:382020-05-27 17:01:25Leaders: Is Your “Work” Self the Real Deal?
(Editor’s Note: This thought-provoking post was originally published by our valued content partners at SwitchandShift. We are republishing it for the TalentCulture community, with permission. Why? Not because we’re seeking more attention from Google — but because Ted’s message is important. It bears repeating.)
For years now, I have devoted my waking hours to interacting with leaders from all walks of life.
From bootstrapped young ventures to huge business conglomerates. Middle management newbies to C-suite veterans. Non-profits and for-profits, alike. You name it — if it’s about leadership, I’m there. Understanding what makes leaders tick is literally what I’ve been doing for a living for as long as I can remember.
A Troubling Trend
Along the way, I’ve seen a few patterns — and this is one issue that comes up again and again. Sooner or later, at some point in a conversation, a leader will say something like this to me: “I’m one person at home, but another at work.”
Sound familiar? Try this scenario on for size…
• At home, I’m generous and giving. • At home, I trust the good intentions of those around me. • At home, with my friends, we let loose and simply enjoy one another’s company, typically with no agenda. • At home, when I volunteer, I get lost in my work. When I’m done, I feel good for hours afterward. It’s the highlight of my week! • At home, I’m joyful. • At home, I’m the real me. • I wish I could be the real me all the time. If only!
On the other hand…
• At work, I’m analytical and objective. If it can’t be measured, it doesn’t count. • At work, if you can’t prove it with hard data, don’t bring it up! • At work, I’m guarded. You have to watch your back. • At work, I make the tough decisions. It’s simply part of being a leader. • At work, I only give to my peers in strategic ways, if it’ll benefit me, too. I don’t want to be taken advantage of! • At work, a lot of my time is spent on pointless tasks. That’s why they call it work, isn’t it? • At work, I work my tail off. It’s draining. That’s why they pay me, right? • At work, I’m a stripped down version of the real me.
Does any of this ring a bell? Maybe a little too close to home?
The fact is, we’ve all felt it. Actually, many of us have felt nothing but these feelings throughout our careers. Many of us (especially those who cut our business teeth in the 20th century) have internalized the Industrial Age management philosophy still prevalent today. Many of us who are in this boat don’t yet realize there’s a better way — and we don’t even recognize that some leaders are actually living this better way, right now.
Give Your “Work Self” Permission to Be Fully Human
It’s time to give yourself permission to be fully present at work. Why do I say “permission”? Because we need it. Many of us crave permission to be our whole selves, our real selves. We crave permission to be generous, trusting, giving, and joyful — at work, at home, wherever we are. Some people will always doubt and detract from your efforts, no matter what you say or do to show them that there’s a better way. Forget about them. It hurts me to say that, but it’s important to say. No one can help those who refuse to be helped — those who would rather be “right” than be happy.
Some people are already on board with this whole-self-all-the-time concept. They’re ahead of the curve. If you are, too, then there’s your chorus. Focus on them. It’s important to gain new insights from their experience and let them recharge your batteries.
Your Reality Is Your Story
The vast middle? Those are what I like to call the “willing skeptics.” They aren’t sold on your message, but they’re open to being convinced, if you can back your claims with examples. Gather those examples! Share them early and often! It’s what every compelling author and speaker and teacher and leader does. Be a storyteller. Statistics won’t get you where you need to go. Examples of thriving companies running on modern, human principles? That’s what the willing skeptics are looking for. Put your willing skeptics in the position to think, “If they can do it, and they’re like us, then I bet we can do it, too.” Then show them how, or find someone who can.
People are hungry for positive, uplifting change. The 70% of workers who are disengaged and disaffected? They know there must be a better way, and they’re on the lookout for companies that are living it. They’re polishing their resumes so they can make the leap. This is an existential crisis for the companies who refuse to modernize how they lead — the corporate equivalent of the dinosaur die-off 65 million years ago.
The thing that doesn’t show up in surveys (but should) is this: It isn’t just workers who are unhappy. Even leaders yearn for a better way. They yearn to bring their whole selves to work – to bring their souls with them when they walk through the company doors each morning.
Is that you? Would you like to be a complete you — the trusting, generous, moral, joyful you — all day, every day — and not just when you’re at home?
If you don’t want to take it from me, take it from the story of Yvon Chouinard, founder and owner of the $500M+ clothing company, Patagonia. Chouinard is the author of Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman. It’s one of the best business books I’ve ever read (and I’ve read hundreds). It’s a blueprint for how a company can grow to incredible success by embracing the “whole” of everyone in the organization — rather than just their backs, hands and left-brains.
Chouinard founded a company where bringing your soul to work is baked right in as an essential ingredient of the organization. It has served them well. Perhaps that is the permission you need.
And so I repeat — bring your soul to work. It’s essential to your happiness. It’s also essential to the success of your company, as we tread ever deeper into this more “human” century.
(Note: To discuss World of Work topics like this with the TalentCulture community, join our online #TChat Events each Wednesday, from 6:30-8pm ET. Everyone is welcome at events, or join our ongoing Twitter and G+ conversation anytime. Learn more…)
https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/159935_7985.jpg350700Meghan M. Birohttps://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.pngMeghan M. Biro2014-02-10 16:45:382020-05-27 17:01:15Leaders: Is Your "Work" Self the Real Deal?
Perhaps nothing drives a brand forward more than its community.
An estimated 55% of consumers are willing to recommend companies that deliver great experiences, and 85% are willing to pay a premium for great services. But who are the “people” making those recommendations and purchasing decisions?
They’re members of your community, right?
I’m certain that if I asked every CMO and marketing leader I know to describe their brand community, I would get a different answer from each. “Community” is a subjective concept, with wide varying definitions.
There are also wide variations in how brands are seen, heard and felt by their respective communities. How deeply does a community feel connected to a brand?
For instance, think about Apple and its community. Apple gets attention because its brand recognition is extraordinary. But have you considered the powerful impact that Apple’s community has had on the success of the brand?
To demonstrate my point, think of the last conversation you’ve had with an “Apple fan” about the company, its products or its competitors. What did that conversation sound like?
If your experience is anything like mine, the conversation was probably wonderful, as long as you agreed about how wonderful Apple and its products are. However, if you dared to question the quality of Apple’s products, ideas or ability to innovate, you no doubt soon realized that you had crossed into enemy territory.
Those kind of conversations are a lot like telling your child that Santa isn’t real — only worse. But it speaks highly of the Apple community.
What is the catalyst for Apple’s insanely powerful connection with its community?
By-in-large, Apple doesn’t behave like a “nouveau” social company, so they’re not building their brand army through Facebook and Twitter. But it has brought together a passionate, global community by creating a sense of “belonging” that customers feel deeply when they use Apple products.
The iconic Apple slogan, “Think Different” epitomizes its cult-like following. On any given day at Starbucks around the world, people who want to be seen as broad-minded, creative thinkers are often found hovering over a Macbook — almost as if the presence of an Apple product is synonymous with their identity.
For Apple, this works. Through a customer experience focused on the idea that being different and innovative is “cool,” Apple has built one of the tightest brand communities on and off the web. But of course, Apple is a huge, established company, with a massive budget for community development. It leads me to wonder — how can other brands, smaller brands, newer brands tap into the power of community?
Not Just Community — A Close Community
Think about the neighborhood where you grew up. What was it like? Was it urban or rural? Were there many houses or just a few? Did you know your neighbors, or were they merely passing strangers?
Regardless of their shape, size and geography, most neighborhoods provide some sense of community. However, all neighborhoods aren’t the same. In my hometown, there was a “Community Center” — a place where folks from the neighborhood would congregate, connect and discuss issues affecting the area.
In that kind of environment, as citizens drew closer, the more they worked together to get things done — for example installing a stop sign where kids played in the street, and passing a referendum to build a new school. Over the years, as traditional urban settings gave way to modern models, subdivisions often created a community “on purpose,” with a Neighborhood Watch, a Board of Directors, and sometimes even a pool and recreation center.
This intentional approach to community brings stakeholders closer, by making neighborhood issues and events more visible, and helping community participants see the impact of their involvement.
Building a Brand Community Like a Neighborhood
When you boil it down to its simplest form, a community is the sum total of your brand stakeholders. I say stakeholder (rather than customer) because many people can participate in a brand community, beyond those who purchase a company’s products and services.
First, there are obvious extensions, such as employees and friends. Also, there are less obvious community players, such as those who are interested in learning more about your products and services, but may not have an immediate need to buy.
Let’s use automobiles as an example.
In 1995, when I was 14, my favorite car in the whole world was the new Pontiac Grand Prix. It had just been redesigned as a “wide track” model, and as a 14 year old, I thought it was one bad machine. However, at 14, I wasn’t legally or financially able to buy a car.
Four years later, I had scraped together all the loose change from under the sofa cushions, and I was ready to buy a car. Guess what I bought? The Grand Prix! That’s because I had emotionally tied myself to the brand, the car, and the community. When I was ready to purchase, it wasn’t even a question who would earn my business.
While my story is just one example, this type of brand loyalty exists with everything from the food we eat to the blue jeans we wear, and beyond. When people become a part of something, their purchasing sentiment changes. And guess what? So does the way they evangelize for your product. You think someone that likes your product is a good ambassador. Just think of someone who recently bought your product and likes it! That is another great frontier for brand building.
Which takes us back to building a close-knit community. It requires a setting for cultivation and nurturing. Much like a neighborhood — only different — to suit the needs of the brand and its community.
Community in the Connected World
If you think about the neighborhood example, you’ll likely think that a good community is small, tight knit, and somewhat directionally aligned.
But in the new world — the connected world where we manage communities on our blog, Facebook, Twitter and what seems like a million other places — the idea of community can become overwhelming. That’s because the “massiveness” of the online sphere is hard for many marketers to imagine in meaningful terms.
This can lead marketers to make some key community-building mistakes:
1) They aim too large: Mere numbers (pageviews, visits, likes, followers) aren’t relationships; 2) They don’t engage: Communicating with a “faceless” digital community can seem like a daunting task; 3) They miss out: Online communities are a powerful way to build influential brand advocates, but sometimes inaction takes over when brands don’t know where to start.
While these mistakes are typical, they can be avoided with a few common-sense tactics:
1) Aim for relevance: Rather than shooting for a large community, start by aiming for those that are most likely to buy your product/service now or in the near future. Also, with online networks (especially social networks), research where your target audience invests its time, and go there first!
2) Engage more than you promote: Share your stories, ideas and information, but make sure you allow the community to become part of the conversation. Ask more questions. Build more testimonials and case studies. Invite participation.
3) Start: Even if your “start” is small, don’t miss the opportunity to build a community by putting your head in the sand.
Remember: Building A Community Can Take Time
Apple has an amazing community of insanely loyal brand advocates. It also nearly crashed and burned on multiple occasions, and was saved by innovation that focused on consumption of music on a tiny MP3 player. For other companies, community takes time and work to build.
This starts at the core — building products and services that your customers can love. It also may include places for customers to congregate and talk about how they put your products to use.
On the flip side, community building also requires brands to acknowledge shortcomings and respond transparently when things go poorly. Think about what Target and Snap Chat will need to invest in rebuilding brand confidence after recent security breaches. Neither of these incidents was intentional, but trust was lost, and recovery will take time and monumental effort.
However, there is a certain beauty in community. When you build it, nurture it and engage with it, your community will tend to stand by your brand in good times and in bad. While never perfect — like your family, your neighborhood or your city — your brand community is one of the most powerful tools in the connected world.
Whatever you do, don’t ignore or underestimate the power of your community!
(Also Note: To discuss World of Work topics like this with the TalentCulture community, join our online #TChat Events each Wednesday, from 6:30-8pm ET. Everyone is welcome at events, or join our ongoing Twitter conversation anytime. Learn more…)
https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Aggie-12thman.jpg348700Daniel Newmanhttps://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.pngDaniel Newman2014-01-19 11:52:432020-05-27 16:53:52Community: A Brand’s Most Powerful Friend
Perhaps nothing drives a brand forward more than its community.
An estimated 55% of consumers are willing to recommend companies that deliver great experiences, and 85% are willing to pay a premium for great services. But who are the “people” making those recommendations and purchasing decisions?
They’re members of your community, right?
I’m certain that if I asked every CMO and marketing leader I know to describe their brand community, I would get a different answer from each. “Community” is a subjective concept, with wide varying definitions.
There are also wide variations in how brands are seen, heard and felt by their respective communities. How deeply does a community feel connected to a brand?
For instance, think about Apple and its community. Apple gets attention because its brand recognition is extraordinary. But have you considered the powerful impact that Apple’s community has had on the success of the brand?
To demonstrate my point, think of the last conversation you’ve had with an “Apple fan” about the company, its products or its competitors. What did that conversation sound like?
If your experience is anything like mine, the conversation was probably wonderful, as long as you agreed about how wonderful Apple and its products are. However, if you dared to question the quality of Apple’s products, ideas or ability to innovate, you no doubt soon realized that you had crossed into enemy territory.
Those kind of conversations are a lot like telling your child that Santa isn’t real — only worse. But it speaks highly of the Apple community.
What is the catalyst for Apple’s insanely powerful connection with its community?
By-in-large, Apple doesn’t behave like a “nouveau” social company, so they’re not building their brand army through Facebook and Twitter. But it has brought together a passionate, global community by creating a sense of “belonging” that customers feel deeply when they use Apple products.
The iconic Apple slogan, “Think Different” epitomizes its cult-like following. On any given day at Starbucks around the world, people who want to be seen as broad-minded, creative thinkers are often found hovering over a Macbook — almost as if the presence of an Apple product is synonymous with their identity.
For Apple, this works. Through a customer experience focused on the idea that being different and innovative is “cool,” Apple has built one of the tightest brand communities on and off the web. But of course, Apple is a huge, established company, with a massive budget for community development. It leads me to wonder — how can other brands, smaller brands, newer brands tap into the power of community?
Not Just Community — A Close Community
Think about the neighborhood where you grew up. What was it like? Was it urban or rural? Were there many houses or just a few? Did you know your neighbors, or were they merely passing strangers?
Regardless of their shape, size and geography, most neighborhoods provide some sense of community. However, all neighborhoods aren’t the same. In my hometown, there was a “Community Center” — a place where folks from the neighborhood would congregate, connect and discuss issues affecting the area.
In that kind of environment, as citizens drew closer, the more they worked together to get things done — for example installing a stop sign where kids played in the street, and passing a referendum to build a new school. Over the years, as traditional urban settings gave way to modern models, subdivisions often created a community “on purpose,” with a Neighborhood Watch, a Board of Directors, and sometimes even a pool and recreation center.
This intentional approach to community brings stakeholders closer, by making neighborhood issues and events more visible, and helping community participants see the impact of their involvement.
Building a Brand Community Like a Neighborhood
When you boil it down to its simplest form, a community is the sum total of your brand stakeholders. I say stakeholder (rather than customer) because many people can participate in a brand community, beyond those who purchase a company’s products and services.
First, there are obvious extensions, such as employees and friends. Also, there are less obvious community players, such as those who are interested in learning more about your products and services, but may not have an immediate need to buy.
Let’s use automobiles as an example.
In 1995, when I was 14, my favorite car in the whole world was the new Pontiac Grand Prix. It had just been redesigned as a “wide track” model, and as a 14 year old, I thought it was one bad machine. However, at 14, I wasn’t legally or financially able to buy a car.
Four years later, I had scraped together all the loose change from under the sofa cushions, and I was ready to buy a car. Guess what I bought? The Grand Prix! That’s because I had emotionally tied myself to the brand, the car, and the community. When I was ready to purchase, it wasn’t even a question who would earn my business.
While my story is just one example, this type of brand loyalty exists with everything from the food we eat to the blue jeans we wear, and beyond. When people become a part of something, their purchasing sentiment changes. And guess what? So does the way they evangelize for your product. You think someone that likes your product is a good ambassador. Just think of someone who recently bought your product and likes it! That is another great frontier for brand building.
Which takes us back to building a close-knit community. It requires a setting for cultivation and nurturing. Much like a neighborhood — only different — to suit the needs of the brand and its community.
Community in the Connected World
If you think about the neighborhood example, you’ll likely think that a good community is small, tight knit, and somewhat directionally aligned.
But in the new world — the connected world where we manage communities on our blog, Facebook, Twitter and what seems like a million other places — the idea of community can become overwhelming. That’s because the “massiveness” of the online sphere is hard for many marketers to imagine in meaningful terms.
This can lead marketers to make some key community-building mistakes:
1) They aim too large: Mere numbers (pageviews, visits, likes, followers) aren’t relationships; 2) They don’t engage: Communicating with a “faceless” digital community can seem like a daunting task; 3) They miss out: Online communities are a powerful way to build influential brand advocates, but sometimes inaction takes over when brands don’t know where to start.
While these mistakes are typical, they can be avoided with a few common-sense tactics:
1) Aim for relevance: Rather than shooting for a large community, start by aiming for those that are most likely to buy your product/service now or in the near future. Also, with online networks (especially social networks), research where your target audience invests its time, and go there first!
2) Engage more than you promote: Share your stories, ideas and information, but make sure you allow the community to become part of the conversation. Ask more questions. Build more testimonials and case studies. Invite participation.
3) Start: Even if your “start” is small, don’t miss the opportunity to build a community by putting your head in the sand.
Remember: Building A Community Can Take Time
Apple has an amazing community of insanely loyal brand advocates. It also nearly crashed and burned on multiple occasions, and was saved by innovation that focused on consumption of music on a tiny MP3 player. For other companies, community takes time and work to build.
This starts at the core — building products and services that your customers can love. It also may include places for customers to congregate and talk about how they put your products to use.
On the flip side, community building also requires brands to acknowledge shortcomings and respond transparently when things go poorly. Think about what Target and Snap Chat will need to invest in rebuilding brand confidence after recent security breaches. Neither of these incidents was intentional, but trust was lost, and recovery will take time and monumental effort.
However, there is a certain beauty in community. When you build it, nurture it and engage with it, your community will tend to stand by your brand in good times and in bad. While never perfect — like your family, your neighborhood or your city — your brand community is one of the most powerful tools in the connected world.
Whatever you do, don’t ignore or underestimate the power of your community!
(Also Note: To discuss World of Work topics like this with the TalentCulture community, join our online #TChat Events each Wednesday, from 6:30-8pm ET. Everyone is welcome at events, or join our ongoing Twitter conversation anytime. Learn more…)
https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Aggie-12thman.jpg348700Meghan M. Birohttps://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.pngMeghan M. Biro2014-01-19 11:52:432020-05-27 16:53:38Community: A Brand's Most Powerful Friend
Maybe that’s why Fortune Magazine‘s “100 Best Places to Work For” list is so popular. Each year, it shines a light on what really works. We’re reminded that organizational excellence is all around us, and we have a chance to learn from those examples.
Fortunately this week, the TalentCulture community gets a front-row seat in that learning process, as China Gorman joins us at #TChat events!
As many of you know, China is CEO of Great Place to Work Institute — the firm that produces the “Best Companies to Work For” list. The 2014 edition was announced last Thursday, so we’ll be looking at the very latest results. And based on what I’ve seen, this year’s list deserves closer attention.
Sneak Peek: Shifting Priorities
To set the tone for this week’s events, China joined me for a brief “sneak peek” Hangout, where she explained that the 2014 study reveals two new top management priorities:
What are your thoughts about employers on this year’s “best” list? Do you see evidence that organizational culture is gaining ground as a source of competitive advantage? What role should “best practices” play in improving talent strategies? Join us this week to share your ideas and opinions with the #TChat crowd!
Immediately following the radio show, Meghan, Kevin and China will move to the #TChat Twitter stream, where Dr. Nancy Rubin will moderate a live discussion with the entire TalentCulture community.
Everyone with a Twitter account is invited to participate, as we address these 5 related questions:
Q1: How does a company become a “great place to work”? Q2: What characteristics do fast-growing and great workplaces share? Q3: How does an employer brand interact with the recruiting process?? Q4: Why is a great workplace more about business strategy than HR? Q5: How can HR convince leadership that workplace technology is a smart investment?
We look forward to hearing your ideas and opinions, as talent-minded professionals who care about the human side of business.
Throughout the week, we’ll keep the discussion going on the #TChat Twitter feed, and on our LinkedIn Discussion Group. So feel free to drop by anytime and share your questions, ideas and opinions.
We’ll see you on the stream!
https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/China-Gorman.jpg299597Tim McDonaldhttps://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.pngTim McDonald2014-01-18 13:07:592020-05-27 16:53:27Best Employers: What Makes Them Work? #TChat Preview
We already know that social media is extremely powerful for business communication. Essentially, anyone with an internet connection has the potential to cultivate and grow a brand. Corporate brand, product brand, personal brand, employer brand — the possibilities are limitless.
It’s as easy as flipping on a light switch! Well maybe not that easy, but social channels have blown traditional media out of the water, and there’s no going back.
Of course, with its potential to drive brand development, social proliferation can also have a huge impact on talent acquisition and retention. How does that work? The idea in leveraging social media to grow a brand is through a fan base that we call “brand ambassadors.” Collectively, your ambassador group functions like a marketing and promotional team that amplifies the message for whatever it is that you’re trying to sell — products, services, yourself or your organization.
Employer Brand Ambassadors: What’s the Challenge?
If you’re an employer, which audience should be your biggest, most important source of brand ambassadors? Customers? Industry thought leaders? Local media outlets? Nope — it’s your employees. But do organizations currently view employees this way? Based on my experience in working with HR executives, I struggle to say yes.
We know that social media instantly connects you with the online world, and the most effective way to grow an employer brand is through social media channels — Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn, blogs, Instagram, Pinterest — the list goes on. So ideally, if employees are your prime brand ambassadors, and social media is the best way to grow your brand, you should be able to say that, when your employees interact with others on social channels, they’re effectively promoting your organization as a great place to work.
Are you confident making that claim? Unfortunately for most employers, the answer seems to be NO!
My key prediction is a tad bold, but here goes: I think that organizations are ready to give their employees the right tools, so they can easily represent the company as brand ambassadors on social media. In other words, employers will actively explore and implement cloud-based solutions that make it simple for employees to curate and share high-quality, on-brand content with their connections.
Why Does This Shift Matter?
The biggest barrier organizations face when integrating social media across business functions is the inability to ensure a consistent, coherent brand message and voice. It’s about mitigating risk and ensuring that employee social media activity creates a net positive impact, and doesn’t result in PR fiascos. (Case in point: HMV employees react to firing on Twitter.)
Organizations that figure out how to remove these barriers so employees can comfortably operate as employer brand ambassadors will see huge gains in all facets of their business. Think about it — if your company has 500 employees, and each employee has an average social media network of 300 people, that’s a direct network of 150,000. All of these 150,000 connections have a network of their own, so before you know it, you’re reaching millions — all because you enabled your inner circle.
Mark my words: 2014 will be a watershed year of “employee enablement.” Organizations will gain momentum by creating and supporting brand ambassadors who come from within their ranks.
There are very few players in this space, but watch for momentum in the year ahead. You’ll want to look at platforms like PostBeyond, Jostle and EveryoneSocial to see how they help organizations support employees as brand ambassadors. Fasten your seat belts ladies and gentlemen, 2014 is going to be a milestone year for social HR business tools!
(Editor’s Note: To discuss World of Work topics like this with others in the TalentCulture community, join our online #TChat Events every Wednesday, from 6:30-8pm ET. Everyone is welcome at events, or join our ongoing Twitter conversation anytime. Learn more…)
https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/tree-200795.jpg349700Jeff Waldmanhttps://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.pngJeff Waldman2013-12-19 15:39:312020-05-27 16:45:462014: Year of the Social Employer Brand Ambassador
Are you a manager who’s ready for a professional breakthrough? Then it’s time to become the kind leader people will do anything to work for. The kind of leader who draws others to you. It’s time to become a magnetic leader.
Contrary to popular belief, great leaders aren’t born that way. Most are developed, coached and mentored throughout their careers. But why wait for someone else to guide you? Magnetic role models are all around us. So, no matter what your title or level of experience, you can observe more closely and strengthen your own skill set anytime.
Here are 5 best practices to help you get started:
1) Put Your Team First
When in doubt, put the interests of your employees ahead of your own. For example, it’s tempting to volunteer your department to organize this year’s charity event. After all, it would be great PR for you and the rest of your team. But everyone has been working on weekends to complete a critical project on time and within budget. They’re already burned out.
This is a good time to take a pass. Your team needs a break. Let them recharge. There will always be other volunteer opportunities.
2) Go to Bat for Your Employees
Let’s say you’ve been discussing a potential reorganization with your superiors. However, upon reflection, you believe the timing isn’t right for your organization to make that move. You feel uncomfortable asking your manager to reconsider the current plan.
Be bold. Let your boss know you’ve had a change of heart. Explain your rationale, and be prepared to offer alternative solutions. Regardless of the outcome, your employees will eventually figure out that you had the courage to push back when others would have retreated. Those who walk through the fire with you will stick by your side through thick or thin.
3) Learn to “Manage Up”
In my book, Suddenly in Charge, I explain that managing up isn’t about brown-nosing. It’s about developing strong relationships with those above you and throughout the organization, so you can get your people the resources they need to perform well.
In every company, there are people who are somehow able to get what they need while everyone else waits on the sidelines. These people have taken the time to build strong relationships up and down the organization. You can bet these resourceful leaders have no problem keeping top talent on their team. Observe how they work — and if an opportunity presents itself, ask for some tips.
4) Make Yourself Visible and Accessible
Magnetic leaders are visible both inside and outside their organization. Get involved in a professional association. Whenever possible, step up and volunteer to take a leadership position. You’ll be seen as a leader in your field, based on that affiliation. Don’t be surprised if others come to you seeking advice or a position on your team.
5) Treat People the Way You’d Like to be Treated
I bet you’ve heard this one before, right? It seems so obvious — but when is the last time you saw someone in a managerial role who consistently follows this creed?
In my book, Talent Magnetism, I tell the story of magnetic leader, Chris Patterson, CEO of Interchanges, who took it upon himself to help an employee who was in crisis. Patterson made it his personal mission to provide his employee with the best care possible during a life-threatening illness. He did so with compassion and conviction. This is a guy who is magnetic in every way.
Magnetic leaders are highly valued by their organizations — and are compensated accordingly. But it’s not just a reward for their effort and contributions to corporate objectives. Their employers know that leaders who display these characteristics are highly attractive to competitive organizations.
Do you know role models who demonstrate the value of magnetic leadership? What do they do that makes them so attractive to others in their professional sphere? Please share your experiences and ideas in the comments area.
(About the Author: Roberta Matuson, The Talent Maximizer®, is the President of Matuson Consulting, a firm that helps organizations achieve dramatic growth and market leadership through the maximization of talent. Her new book, Talent Magnetism, is available for download or purchase at Amazon.com. Connect with Roberta on Twitter or on LinkedIn.)
(Editor’s Note: This post is adapted from Brazen Life, with permission. Brazen Life is a lifestyle and career blog for ambitious young professionals. Hosted by Brazen Careerist, it offers edgy and fun ideas for navigating the changing world of work. Be Brazen!)
(Also Note: To discuss World of Work topics like this with others in the TalentCulture community, join our online #TChat Events every Wednesday, from 6:30-8pm ET. Everyone is welcome at events, or join our ongoing Twitter conversation anytime. Learn more…)
https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/2738639998_920aeb4687_o.jpg351700TalentCulture Team + Guestshttps://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.pngTalentCulture Team + Guests2013-12-17 16:28:182020-05-27 16:45:21Managerial Magnets: Becoming A Leader Others Want To Follow
(Editor’s Note: Want to learn more from Meghan about employee engagement strategies? Join a special #TChat webinar on November 7th, with Virgin Pulse president David Coppins. Register now …)
Late last year, I had an eye-opening experience while visiting a high-tech industry client.
Their office space is very cool. At first glance, it’s exactly what we expect from organizations with edgy, innovative brand personalities. But on second thought, something seemed to be missing.
The design is full-on open concept — rows of modular worktables, very low partitions, no private offices. As I looked across this vast bullpen, I couldn’t help wondering how people find a useful corner for a private one-on-one conversation, a quick team huddle, or an escape from distractions when it’s time to concentrate and actually get things done. This just doesn’t feel like a fully functioning workplace, where people can be productive throughout the day.
What’s Wrong With This Engagement Picture?
Of course, there’s a large, sunny cafeteria and a designated gaming area, complete with foosball table. That clearly helps seal the deal with new recruits, right? Well, perhaps I’m a bit jaded, but something about this hip, techie environment seems more like the year 2000 to me, when business managers decided that in-house cafes and communal work areas were the recipe for a happy, high-performance workforce.
Even now, part of me remains unconvinced. Why?
As a talent strategist, I work with many organizations whose primary staffing requirements focus on “thinking” jobs in the software development realm. Top performers in these positions typically want and need time, space, peace and quiet to perform well.
Sure, they collaborate with team members. And they love games and free coffee, soda and popcorn — who doesn’t? But these perks aren’t some sort of “secret sauce” that produces employee engagement. Employers may hope that games, food and wide open spaces guarantee happy, productive employees, but that’s not how it works.
Engagement is forged with different tools — trust, loyalty, open communication, clearly-articulated goals and expectations, shared values and well-understood reward systems. It really isn’t about how the office is designed, or how many toys you offer as distractions. It’s about treating employees as humans who are worthy of respect.
When companies like the one I visited tell me that their workplace culture and trendy furniture build employee engagement, I try to help them see that they’re focusing on the wrong part of the equation. They’re focusing on what, not why. The “what” can reveal a lot about a company, but it’s the “why” that tells you it’s a good company to work with.
5 Employee Questions Every Company Should Answer
What factors contribute to the “why” of employee engagement? Here are the top 5 questions I ask business and HR leaders to answer. They’re intentionally written from an employee’s point-of-view. If you answer honestly, your organization’s engagement strengths and weaknesses should become more clear:
1) “Why am I here?” How can you expect an employee to “get it” if you don’t communicate a shared sense of mission, vision and goals? Tell people why you want them to work at your company, and why you think they’ll succeed. Then you can focus on how they can achieve those goals.
2) “Why should I trust your leadership?” Open communication builds trust, which is essential to engagement. Respect is essential to mutual trust, which also contributes to engagement. Clear, open communication matters. But follow-up matters, too. Do you lead by example? Are your words consistent with your actions? The stronger the alignment, the stronger the trust.
3) “Why should I be loyal to your company?” Engaged employees know why they’re loyal – they are treated with respect. Companies that focus first on procedural activities, such as time tracking, will never see strong workforce productivity or engagement. Demonstrate your commitment and trust in employees, and they’ll respond in kind.
4) “Why don’t you communicate your company values?” Fail to show employees why core values matter, and you might as well forget about engagement. Even worse, if you talk about values and then behave in a vastly different way, you’ll telegraph just how little management actually embraces those values. Explain why a value system is important to you, and the what — the actual list of values — will follow.
5) “Why aren’t you clear about the rewards of working here?” Even in this enlightened era, surprisingly few companies are open about their approach to compensation. Yet, employees want to know what to expect in return for their contributions. You have nothing to lose by being clear and open about your reward system — including everything from pay and benefits, to vacation and bonuses, to development opportunities and career paths. Explain the why and what of your reward structure, and people will sign-on. But of course, the proof is in the pudding. It’s essential to be clear, consistent and unambiguous in creating and sharing rewards, or engagement will go out the window.
Winning Hearts And Minds: Put “Why” Before “What”
Innovative workspaces certainly have a place in the engagement mix. But that’s not the whole package. If your employees can’t answer the five questions above, all the cool workplace culture in the universe will not make a difference. First focus on the “whys” of working for your company, and you’ll win hearts and minds — regardless of what desk, chair or computer equipment you offer.
What are your thoughts about the “whys” of employee engagement? Let me know. I’m listening…
(Editor’s Note: This is adapted from a post at Forbes.com, with permission.)
https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/5614813544_b480316fcd_b.jpg350700Meghan M. Birohttps://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.pngMeghan M. Biro2013-10-31 12:10:572020-05-27 16:29:07Want Engaged Employees? Tell Them Why
Let’s say you’re trying to buy a jacket online. There’s a problem with your purchase, so you call customer service, and they put you on hold. (Waiting…) Finally you reach a robot voice informing you that the call center is closed. You really want the jacket, so you persist.
Hours (or perhaps even days) later, you connect with a live representative who is unable to offer the assistance you need to resolve the problem. What seemed like an easy problem to fix has become a headache, a time-suck, and a shadow over your relationship with the company. Not only is this jacket transaction in jeopardy, but the next time you’re in the market for clothes, you’re likely to shop somewhere else.
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
So, what really happened in this scenario? The company failed in a critical way — it did not provide clear pathways of communication and support to resolve your issue, at the moment of need. The brand has lost credibility with a “ready-t0-buy” customer, the company has damaged its relationship with you, and the outcome will translate into lost revenue now and perhaps in the future.
How does this customer experience story translate to the human resources side of business? The audience may be different, but the takeaway is identical: For both customer and employee engagement, communication is vital — especially when issues arise. Just like customers, employees want the ability to ask question, discuss problems, offer constructive feedback and propose suggestions. They want to feel that their concerns and ideas are heard and addressed.
These are the fundamentals of employee engagement. It is HR’s job to support engagement in the workplace, from end-to-end, and clear lines of communication are the most effective way to accomplish that.
4 Workplace Communication Strategies
When I think about my own experiences, both as a customer and as an employee, it’s easy to remember the times when I felt I was heard — or not. Based on those experiences, here are my top four communication strategies for boosting engagement:
1) Be Available: To improve the way an organization works, employees need a champion — someone on the inside to share suggestions with. It doesn’t matter whether this ambassador is a manager, an HR representative, a colleague, or event a group of peers. What matters is that there is clearly a door through which individuals can bring questions, concerns and opinions.
2) Listen To My Needs: Don’t be too quick to dismiss new ideas. Every employee has a unique perspective, and although every suggestion won’t be feasible, each one should be valued. Suggestions reflect your employees’ individual experiences, and therefore, represent part of your company’s culture. Validate ideas by acknowledging contributions, as well as the spirit behind them.
3) Be On My Side: Every team needs a leader whom they can trust to represent their best interests. And every employee needs a champion who will be their advocate, even in their absence. When you demonstrate support for others, you reinforce their value within the organization. No one likes to feel unimportant — from there it’s a short step to disengagement.
4) Find A Solution: Not all feedback can be put into action — sometimes for very good reasons. However, leaders and employees can work together to examine the root causes of a key issue, or to integrate appropriate elements of a suggestion, or to brainstorm and investigate other solutions. This follow-through shows employees that their voices matter.
Have you tried these or other communication techniques to improve employee engagement? What worked for you? Share your experiences in the comments area below.
From the moment I skimmed the pages of Flat Army, I knew that this would be a profoundly rewarding “mind meld” relationship. That seems to be happening more frequently these days. I guess it’s one of the perks of spending most of my waking hours connecting with people who are on missions to unleash the best of human potential in the world of work.
During the months that have followed since I met Dan, he and his “Flat Army” open leadership model have validated what I have always believed:
Collaboration isn’t about being best friends, or even necessarily liking everyone you work with. It is about putting your baggage aside, bringing your best self to the table, and focusing on a common goal — a higher purpose.
Finding Proof: What’s On Your List?
Here’s why collaboration can make a difference. Take a quick moment, and make a list five products or services that you that you never want to live without. No rush — I’ll wait. OK. Got your list? Here’s mine: The iPhone. Downton Abbey. Pinterest. Kit-Kat Bars. Twitter.
Now, guess what? Every one of those items is the result of a successful collaboration. And I bet there’s a team effort behind every one of your “must haves,” too. Sure, some half-crazy genius like Steve Jobs may bring inspiration to the table. But inspiration without collaboration is just a lot of great ideas that easily vaporize before they see light of day.
Collaboration: Why And How
Hopefully, I’ve made a convincing case for WHY collaboration counts. But that’s only part of the equation. We also need a roadmap for HOW to make it happen. And Dan’s “Flat Army” is just the ticket. Together, our vision is complete. “Just like peas-and-carrots,” as Forrest Gump might say. Or at least that’s how I see it!
So this week, it seemed natural to fire-up the TalentCulture social engine, and ask all of you to weigh-in with your ideas about both the “why” and “how” of collaborative leadership. And as always, we weren’t disappointed! I invite you all to review this week’s highlights and resources below. And I thank you all for your collaborative contributions — this week and every week.
As I said in closing my Forbes post (and as I believe even more strongly now), if you want to see what the potential for collaborative success looks like, you don’t need to look far, my fellow community members. Just look in the mirror. It starts with you.
#TChat Twitter:#TChat-ters joined us on Twitter to share opinions and ideas about the role and impact of open leadership in today’s world of work. If you missed the event, or want to review highlights, watch the slideshow digest below:
SPECIAL THANKS: Again, thanks to guest Dan Pontefract! We’re inspired by your example and your passion for learning and leadership.
NOTE TO BLOGGERS: Did this week’s events prompt you to write about your experience with workplace collaboration, learning and leadership? We’d love to share your thoughts. Post a link on Twitter (include #TChat or @TalentCulture), or insert a comment below, and we’ll pass it along.
WHAT’S AHEAD: Next week, the Society For Human Resource Management annual conference takes Chicago by storm (#SHRM13)! That means we won’t have a Tuesday Radio show. But fear not! #TChat co-creator, KevinWGrossman and I will be reporting from the floor throughout the week — and we’ll drive two #TChat LIVE events:
1) A special “Margarita Meetup” panel discussion on Monday at 3:15pm in the Achievers booth;
2) A related #TChat session at our regular 7pm time on Wednesday.
https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/httppixabay.comenopen-neon-note-entry-light-70835-001.jpg311624Meghan M. Birohttps://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.pngMeghan M. Biro2013-06-13 15:22:052020-05-25 17:21:50Connecting With Collaborative Leadership #TChat Recap
On the 9 INCH journey to the heart of your employees, the 4th INCH involves RECOGNITION.
“You matter. These two words can change your mood, change your mind, and have the power to change lives and the world if we understand and leverage them in the right way.” –Angela Maiers, TED Talk, June 2011
Recognition fuels a sense of worth and belonging in individuals. No rocket science here. As humans we crave acceptance. Dale Carnegie spoke of the importance of recognition nearly 80 years ago, in his landmark guidebook, “How to Win Friends and Influence People:”
“Be lavish in your praise and hearty in your approbation. A drop of honey gathers more bees than a gallon of vinegar.”
Recognition Resonates
In a recent survey, 35% of workers and 30% of chief financial officers said frequent recognition of accomplishments is the most effective non-monetary reward. Thanking people for their hard work and commitment is key to making them feel appreciated.
Shifting a Mindset
Most managers take an, “if, then” approach to recognition. Positive psychology expert, Shawn Achor believes this paradigm needs to change, “…from thinking that encouragement and recognition should be used as rewards for high performance as opposed to thinking that encouragement and recognition are drivers of high performance.”
9 Examples: Recognition Done Right
Let’s look at 9 companies who give a little extra when it comes to employee recognition:
Kudos and Shout-Outs
Every week The Nerdery agency compiles a video of shout-outs, with employees publicly praising their fellow nerds for going above-and-beyond. Five shout-out recipients are chosen for free lunches the following week. The weekly shout-out video is played for all at the Friday afternoon Bottlecap Talk, where the agency celebrates the successful launch of a recent project with a show-and-tell demo led by the rockstar developers who made it happen.
Custom Awards
Rackspace created a special award for employees who are fanatical about serving customers. It’s simply called The Jacket. It signifies fanaticism and hence is a straightjacket. Only one employee wins the jacket at a time.
Decision Lens awards top-performing salespeople with custom-made action figures designed to resemble the employee. According to Co-Founder John Saaty:
“It’s a humorous way to acknowledge the great efforts of our sales team, and something that’s more memorable than the usual plaque or something like that.”
Executives at Zappos pick a monthly “hero” and award them with a parade, covered parking spot for a month, a $150 Zappos gift card, and a cape.
Immediate Recognition
American Express has a Prize Patrol. A group of four or five leaders get together and surprise their coworkers with flowers or a gift in front of their colleagues to celebrate their accomplishments.
Take Note: The Best Things In Life Are Free
A recent study confirmed that the cost of recognition awards has only minimal impact on employee perception of appreciation. 57% reported that the most meaningful recognition is free. Just look at some of these quotes to judge the impact:
Former CEO of the Campbell Soup Company, Doug Conant, is a big proponent of the power of handwritten notes. In Doug’s words,
“Look for opportunities to celebrate. My executive assistants and I would spend a good 30 to 60 minutes a day scanning my mail and our internal website looking for news of people who have made a difference at Campbell’s. Get out your pen. Believe it or not, I have sent roughly 30,000 handwritten notes to employees over the last decade, from maintenance people to senior executives. I let them know that I am personally paying attention and celebrating their accomplishments. (I send handwritten notes too because well over half of our associates don’t use a computer). I also jump on any opportunities to write to people who partner with our company any time I meet with them. It’s the least you can do for people who do things to help your company and industry. On the face of it, writing handwritten notes may seem like a waste of time. But in my experience, they build goodwill and lead to higher productivity.”
Long before he became CEO of iProspect, back as an analyst at Bain Capital and KPMG, Robert J. Murray had an idea on how you should run a services business.
“One thing that always surprised me in prior work experiences is when your assets walk out the door each day, why aren’t companies doing more to value the people doing the business?”
Mr. Murray thinks he’s found the answer to that, and many of his employees agree. His formula: hire competitive people, promote early and often, and give constant feedback — including notes of encouragement he calls “iProps.”
Recognizing Milestones
The tenure program at Sweetgreen called Shades of Green has blown up into a competition and become a status symbol among employees. Every teammate gets a free shirt — the longer you’re with Sweetgreen, the darker your shirt. Who knew a free t-shirt could help shape company culture? After you’ve been with Sweetgreen for a year, you also get a pair of green high-top Converse sneakers. At two years, you get a t-shirt and a neon green iPod Nano Touch. After three years, you get a lime-green Sweetgreen bike.
The diamond program Brady, Chapman, Holland encourages generosity in daily work life. When a BCH employee does something exceptionally well for a client, a fellow employee or the community, an acrylic diamond is tossed in a jar. When the jar is full, they celebrate by playing a game or going to a sports bar.
Do these ideas inspire you to think creatively about recognition in your organization? How could recognition be more meaningful where you work?
(Author Profile:Stan Phelps is the Founder of 9 INCH Marketing, an organization that inspires leaders to think differently about business — challenging them to value customer experience as a competitive differentiator and the importance of employee engagement in building a strong corporate culture. Stan helps brands explore new opportunities, showing them how to be more successful in tomorrow’s changing world, and working with clients to create experiences that are memorable, meaningful and on-brand. Driven by client objectives and inspired by bold vision, Stan and his team get results through programs that win big. Visit Amazon.com to learn more about his books “What’s Your Green Goldfish?” (employee engagement insights) and “What’s Your Purple Goldfish?” (customer engagement insights).
https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/httppixabay.comensigns-green-red-reward-travel-108062.jpg351700TalentCulture Team + Guestshttps://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.pngTalentCulture Team + Guests2013-05-18 12:54:052020-05-25 17:15:57Recognition Done Right: 9 Points of Light
Is it just me, or is the term “employee engagement” rapidly becoming a buzzword – popular as workplace window dressing, and perhaps sexy to say, but lacking in substance? If so, I think it would be a mistake to let the spin doctors snatch it without a good fight. After all, there’s plenty of industrial-strength ammo available for a winning battle.
For example, hundreds of talent-minded professionals came together yesterday for a #TChat session focused on the “what, why and how” of employee engagement. The quantity and quality of interactions demonstrated significant depth, meaning and conviction surrounding this concept. Ideas were both grounded and inspiring – far from buzzword territory. (To see event highlights, watch the Storify slideshow at the end of this post.)
Engagement By The Numbers
But #TChat-ters aren’t the only ones who care about engagement. In a recent Aberdeen Group survey of 1300 global business leaders, employee engagement emerged as one of the top five business priorities. That really shouldn’t be a surprise. After all, engaged employees are productive employees – and productive employees drive business performance.
So, we know that company leaders think engagement counts. But that raises two related questions:
1) Is the term “engagement” universally understood? In a word, no. And that’s a problem, as TalentCulture’s Meghan Biro indicated in a recent Forbes commentary, outlining the “5 Whys” of Employee Engagement.
At best-in-class companies, 72% of employees rate themselves as “highly engaged.” That means, even under the best conditions, almost 30% of the workforce IS NOT highly engaged.
What To Do?
Clearly, there’s room for improvement. That’s where advice from the #TChat archives can help! Taste some of the tidbits I saw in the mix. Then for a deeper dive, check out the Storify slideshow below for full highlights. You’ll walk away with better understanding of engagement’s business value. And you might discover some useful “how to” advice along the way.
“Engagement is 11 words: ‘What do you think?’ ‘How can I help.’ ‘I trust you.'” @ValaAfshar
“…Allow failure (or forgive failure)…As long as there’s growth.” @KevinWGrossman
“Engagement is a global measure. How we do it is individualized. That’s why mgrs are CRITICAL to engagement.” @IncentIntel
“What is NOT engagement? Suggestion boxes, faceless surveys and once-per-year reviews.” @YouTernMark
“I’m not a huge fan of engagement surveys. They are mostly wasted exercise because no real study or follow through.” @afraymond
“Engagement is intellectual, emotional and physical.” @ReCenterMoment
“Engaged leaders pick up the phone when members of their teams call.” @brentskinner
“Engagement is tougher w/distributed teams. Social tools help, but we can’t rely on ‘engagement by osmosis’ anymore” @TalemetryJen
“Engagement=degree to which employees feel invested in & aligned with THEIR day-to-day experience as part of the organization.” @JsarahwatsHR
That’s #TChat. Collective insights from some of the best minds in the talent and HR community – all in one place. Freely available for the taking. The lights are always on at TalentCulture.com, so come on back whenever you need another engagement fix!
Let’s Keep The Conversation Alive
If you joined last night’s forum, which ideas mattered most to you? How will you apply them? Add comments below — or if you blog about engagement let us know by posting a Twitter link with the #TChat hashtag. We’d like to share your ideas with the TalentCulture community here and via @TalentCulture.
Coming Up on #TChat
Join us next week (Wednesday at 7pmET/4pmPT), as we continue to explore the “World of Work.” Look for a full preview next Monday via @TalentCulture and #TChat. Thanks again for your interest and your contributions!
#TChat INSIGHTS: Employee Engagement or Lack Thereof?
Storified by TalentCulture · Wed, Oct 17 2012 23:49:02
My coffee is ready for #tchat http://pic.twitter.com/mTbA5We6gingerconsult
@MeghanMBiro here’s one I took a while ago while trying to work on a research paper. Yum! Margarita! #tchat http://pic.twitter.com/QZ3kLMfGsterling_amanda
#TChat one of my favorite team pics! http://pic.twitter.com/LtAmbYXpMZProhov
Q1: We hear so much about lack of #employeeengagement but what exactly is “engagement” and why? #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A1 Some people simply show up to a job and some jump in to do the work.It’s not all up to positional leaders #tchat We all can lead!Susan Mazza
#tchat A1. engagement is the weak sibling to empowerment.Mary Ann Reilly
A1: Positive contributors to org success,Motivation about the goals, and morally purposeful #TChatNissrine Ghannoum
A1 It may begin w/toxic leadership (what a term!), but engagement is an iterative cycle, can be broken @ many pts. #TChatMiriam Brosseau
A1: Empowerment drives engagement. Great things are possible when everyone is accountable to get things done #tchatAlli Polin
A1. Engagement is talent without training wheels #tchatSalima Nathoo
A1: Engagement happens when the employee and corp have a relationship where both work for each other’s future. #TChatJanis Stacy
A1 Engagement> hierarchy and stuffiness makes for poor engagement. More openess can make work fun & more efficient #TChatEnzo Guardino
A1. Engagement is the motivation to perform and the safety to express ones true self at work #tchatAmanda Sterling
A1: engagement is employee buy in. If they have not bought into the mission/vision…it will be difficult to retain or train them #TChatStewart Pratt
@MeghanMBiro A1. Engagement is people from all levels of an organization interacting and being invested in success. #TChatJason Ebbing
A1: I would define #employeeengagement as aligned organizational purpose: transparent, empowered & measurable. #TchatDavid Kovacovich
A1: Engagement is showing up fully in mind, body and spirit, bringing the best of you to your work #tchatSusan Mazza
A1 Disengagement is ultimately damaging to the ees and the organization. #TChatMarla Gottschalk PhD
A1: Engagement is part immersion & part influence. Employees feel a part of what’s going on, but can also affect what goes on. #tchatTL Frasqueri-Molina
A1. I am glad to hear engagement discussed/considered in the work place, another aspect of the real world we need to educate stds on #tchatGuy Davis
A1: Engaged employees act as if they started your company. #tchatBrent Skinner
a1. Engagement begins inside #tchatMichael Clark
A1 Employee engagement happens when businesses realize that co’s are people; some orgs take longer than others to realize #tchatClaire Crossley
A1: Engaged is being invested in the outcome for the sake of the org’s/team’s success not just for personal gain #tchatSusan Mazza
A1: Employee engagement is basically whether they give a damn or want to go home. Whether their efforts feel worth it. #tchatLisa Haggis
A1 Engaged employees care about other employees and the company they work for. #tchatAl Smith
A1 engagement is treating people like grownups and expecting them to treat you the same #TChatPaul Hebert
A1. Engaged employees feel valued and critical to an organization. #tchatTerri Klass
A1 Engagement is an emotional, values-based alignment. #tchatStephen Abbott
A1) Engagement = community #tchatnancyrubin
A1: Often there is an engagement gap because employees do not understand objectives, or the why behind what they are doing #tchatIrene Becker
A1: We’ve all been insanely busy, but not wanting to be there. #Engagement’s that, but interacting & wanting to be there. #tchatBrent Skinner
A1: Engagement makes people want to hold themselves accountable to being and doing their best #tchatAlli Polin
A1: Engaged employees care just as much about the outcome of the organization as you do. #TChatSpark Hire
A1: Engagement is giving our full attention to our teams and our employees #tchatJen Olney
A1: Engaged by heart&Mind:Loyalty, Saying good things about the org,Striving Innovation,Commitment to quality mission,Motivation #TChatNissrine Ghannoum
A1. Engagement means an alignment with employees feeling authentically connected to an org and its values. #tchatTerri Klass
A1: You’re paying attention, and you’re enjoying that. #tchatBrent Skinner
A1. Great question..its the process of keeping workers connected to the org’s goals, mission and vision. #tchatChris Fields
@JsarahwatsHRA1. Engagement=degree to which employees feel invested in & aligned with THEIR day-to-day experience as part of the .. #TchatSai Krishna D.
#tchat A1 Employee engagement is also about enabling everyone to love their mission enough to play an active role in it.Bruno Coelho
A1: Engagement is allowing others to have a voice, creativity and freedom of expression, and giving them permission to crush it! #tchatSusan Avello
A1 EE demonstrates via behavior, performance & attitude:desire-loyalty-excitement-interest-passion-commitment-enthusiasm 4 job/career #TChatDonna Rogers, SPHR
A1: Meaning I dig my work, my crew and even the mother ship. I’m all in (or mostly). #tchatKevin W. Grossman
a1. Forget professional, personal, internal, external; just engage. #tchatMichael Clark
A1: Employees understanding how their particular task affects the outcome of the business, and keeping them excited about it. #tchatJoshua Barger
#tchat A1 if you truly work as a team each member is so engaged each day or project a different member may emerge as the leader.Sage Bramhall
A1. with college students engagement means activity beyond the classroom, working on campus, volunteering, student orgs, tutoring etc #tchatGuy Davis
A1: Someone who is engaged cares and shows it in everything they do as well as their way of being with others #tchatSusan Mazza
A1 – knowing why i’m here and being able to make an impact #TChatPaul Hebert
A1 Engagement is a people strategy that keeps the right employees engaged in the right position for the long haul #TChatLeAnna J. Carey
A1 Too much focus on buy-in for vision/mission & not enuf on ppl’s daily experience. Engagmnt a daily battle, not 1-time sales pitch #TchatJane Watson
A1: Engagement is connection & passion for the work & org that make people want to go the extra mile #tchatAlli Polin
A1 Engagement is an emotional commitment to your work – #TChatMarla Gottschalk PhD
A1: engagement is going beyond- a feeling of empowerment and pride in what one does. Fuels passion and curiosity #tchatMegan Rene Burkett
A1. intrinsic employee motivation, loyalty and promotion. The higher the engagement the more an ee becomes a magnet for talent #tchatJen PhillipsKirkwood
A1. Engagement=degree to which employees feel invested in & aligned with THEIR day-to-day experience as part of the organization #TchatJane Watson
#tchat A1 Employee engagement is about everyone knowing the reason why they exist and why does it matter.Bruno Coelho
A1: a way to manage talent retention, hold off attrition and boost productivity and job satisfaction << SMILES? #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A1: An engaged
employee is passionate, involved in, and knowledgeable about the business – inside and out of their own realm #tchatJoshua Barger
A1 Engagement is a soft word – many meanings – dependent on context – too easy to gloss over real meaning #TChatPaul Hebert
A1: Engagement is the intangible desire to go “above and beyond” for your work #TChatAlex Raymond
A1: Engaged leaders pick up the phone when members of their teams call. #TChatBrent Skinner
Q2: Is it simply toxic #leadership that affects culture and engagement, or more than that? #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A2 Two kinds of contract: Employment and Psychological. When Psych contract gets broken engagement tanks. #tchatKeith Punches
A2: Hiring ppl that aren’t passionate about what they do, and what you do, affects engagement for all – whether they’re mgmt or not. #tchatBright.com
A2 the trad construct of jobs that separates ppl into “boxes” is antithetical to engaging-shift focus to what connects vs. separates #tchatSusan Mazza
A2: Toxic leaders are usually just lazy. Positive, motivated leaders are not toxic by default #tchatTamera RousseauVesta
a2 It goes beyond toxic leadership. Right people for the right job. Keeping people engaged. Work that is rewarding. #tchatShawn LaCroix
a2. Look people in the eye and communicate. #tchatMichael Clark
A2: It’s not the title that leads, it’s the person and if you are in a position to influence with toxic behavior you spread others #tchatJen Olney
A2: Toxic leaders come in several varieties. The leaders themselves might be the disengaged ones. #tchatBrent Skinner
A2: Folks making it sound like employees are un-empowered, scaredy cats. Toxic leaders are devastating if we let them be. #tchatTL Frasqueri-Molina
a2. Stop trying to tell people not be negative. #tchatMichael Clark
A2 So how hard is it to say – “You matter” – #TChatMarla Gottschalk PhD
A2: Engagement happens in the trenches. Great leaders empower transparency – others stay out of the way and let culture form #tchatDavid Kovacovich
a2. Dear leadership: Please be open and honest, tell employees the truth #tchatMichael Clark
A2. Toxic leaders should be banned from organizations. #tchatTerri Klass
A2—Orgs are as problematic/awesome as their people—but toxic #leadership can spread disease like dirty water if everyone drinks. #TChat (RP)Shawna Kelly
A2 It’s a lack of ability and/or commitment to make sure people know how and why they matter HERE AND NOW #tchatSusan Mazza
A2: When people are connected to clients, colleagues, inspiring work – the damage from a toxic leader is less but not gone #tchatAlli Polin
A2. No, that no the only thing…internal and external forces are kill engagement…hiring practices and compensation packages .#tchatChris Fields
A2 Leaders of culture selfless, they acknowledge that it doesn’t matter who gets the credit, and teach this to their followers. #tchatMark Clements
A2 Toxicity needs to be neutralized at the training stage otherwise the venom grows stronger with age #TChatEnzo Guardino
A2: Toxic #leadership isn’t the only thing which affects culture & engagement but may be enough for killing both. #TChatJanis Stacy
a2. People must learn how to transform toxicity into enhanced engagement, performance and productivity. #tchatMichael Clark
A2 In toxic environments, it’s impossible to challenge orthodoxies – which is a characteristic of healthy organizations #TChatLeAnna J. Carey
A2: The rotten apple in the barrel syndrome. One toxic leader among other leaders can bring the org down. #TChatTom Bolt
A2. Trickle down effect. If the leader cannot even be engaged or positive, how can employees? Lead by example. #TchatLexie Forman Ortiz
A2: A toxic culture is more devastating than a toxic leader. The nearer to the top of the org chart the more harmful to engagement. #TChatTom Bolt
A2. we look up to leaders, it’s never a good sign if your leader isn’t engaged. it’s all about the energy #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A2 I believe it’s more, you can have great leadership but despite that, a team & peers that suck the life out of you #tchatClaire Crossley
A2: No way! You can make toxic hires too. Used to run large call center. Only takes a few to infect others w/ sinister attitudes. #TChatStephen Van Vreede
A2 A lack of alignment with engagement, organizationally, as well. Rewards, etc. #TChatMarla Gottschalk PhD
A2: Toxic “employeeship” sometimes causes the lack of #engagement. #tchatBrent Skinner
A2: One good leader can’t fix culture and engagement on their own. They need cooperation within the org for any change to stick #tchatRebecca Jo Luke
A2: Any number of factors can break down engagement in the ecosystem that is your culture. Leadership is a big one. #tchatLisa Haggis
A2: I’ve seen how a group of committed, engaged employees overcome toxic leader, so it’s just not the leadership that is influential #tchatTL Frasqueri-Molina
a2. Typically, the higher you climb in an organization, the less likely you are to think you’re wrong about anything. #tchatMichael Clark
A2: Toxic leadership hurts but so does lack of career path, unclear vision, lack of community… #tchatAlli Polin
A2: The expectations of excellence and commitment start at the top #tchatJen Olney
A2. I do think we can have idealized, unrealistic view of engagement. Not possible for everyone, everyday to be engaged. TPS reports? #TchatJane Watson
A2. #Leadership can affect culture but so can toxic employees, I have seen both #tchatGuy Davis
A2: Toxic leaders can certainly derail engagement and the company as a whole, but even good leaders can have disengaged employees. #tchatSabrina Baker
A2: Toxic leadership is the #1 problem in business. Gr8 cultures can’t exist within such environments. #TChatJohn R. Bell
A2: it’s self awareness, it’s being a fit- alignment with the role and culture, it’s stimulating dialogue. Many factors in ee #tchatMegan Rene Burkett
A2 Either toxic leadership, or weak leadership that allows toxic activity within the organization. Either way, it’s about leadership. #tchatStephen Abbott
A2: Toxicity can leech into our engagement supply from all over the frickin’ place. #tchatKevin W. Grossman
A2: It’s toxicity at all, regardless of where it comes from – leadership or folks on the line – we’re all a part of the ecosystem #tchatTL Frasqueri-Molina
A2: The top leaders set the tone and their level of engagement is palatable throughout their organizations. #tchatJen Olney
A2. it plays a part, especially if leadership kills any chances for employees to be engaged on their own #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
a2. I call employee break rooms toxic waste dumps #tchatMichael Clark
a2. Every person must become responsible for toxic words, emotional states and reactions. #tchatMichael Clark
A2. Definitely a big factor, but org structural issues (excess bureaucracy, limited communication/collaboration) major culprits too #TchatJane Watson
A2: Everything moves from the top down. Toxic leaders derail engagement, but ther are other factors also. #tchatIrene Becker
A2: Toxic leadership / toxic coworkers can shrivel employee engagement. If it isn’t pleasant, nobody’s gonna be excited 2 b there! #tchatDawn Rasmussen
A2 engagement is a choice – not a reaction #TChatPaul Hebert
#tchat A2 Leadership is the one thing that affects everything. Leaders help answer the question: why should I put my Heart+Soul into this?Bruno Coelho
A2 leadership only one part of culture- other part is the empls – they have responsibilit
y too #TChatPaul Hebert
A2: Toxic leadership is definitely a huge contributor, as leaders set the tone, but EE apathy can make it spiral out of control #tchatJoshua Barger
A2 Two kinds of contract: Employment and Psychological. When Psych contract gets broken engagement tanks. #tchatKeith Punches
A2 Broken unspoken employment contract between comps and ees created the prob IMHO #TChatPaul Hebert
Q3 Are stretch assignments and risk-taking important to employee engagement? Why or why not? #TChatMeghan M. Biro
@MeghanMBiro #tchat A3: idle hands are the devils playgroundBurke Allen
A3. May depend on who you are classing as employees – all those who work on behalf of an org, or just those on the perm payroll? #tchatBelinda Johnson
A3 if you are there 40+ hours a week you might as well do a good job and help others #tchatShawn LaCroix
A3. Choose stretch assignments in partnership with employee and boss. #tchatTerri Klass
A3: The nine box model has room for risk takers & stretchers but still embraces others that are engaged & contributing #tchatAlli Polin
A3: Yes -your top employees want to continue to grow & it’s to your business’ benefit to let them. Calculated risks are a good thing. #tchatBright.com
A3 Stretchable = Flexible. Employees are like reeds in the wind just don’t blow too hard #tchatEnzo Guardino
A3: Blocking Social Media at work shows lack of trust, = a HUGE engagement killer! It can be so powerful in workplace! #tchatSusan Avello
a3. Engagement and growth are two sides of the same experience #tchatMichael Clark
A3. Stretch assignments made me a better pro, but I have supervised people that could handle nothing beyond the formal job descp, sad #tchatGuy Davis
A3: There is a need to celebrate even small wins, while also modeling and teaching the skill of failing fwd #tchatIrene Becker
A3 Not everyone wants “enriched” work – and that’s ok. #TChatMarla Gottschalk PhD
A3 Yes! Helps gives employees a sense of ownership & builds trust. Employers can see employees full potential as well. #TChatAmy Do
A3 but it’s balance. Do you really WANT to build a cadre of Entrepreneurs? Better lock your IP down (some would say) #tchatKeith Punches
A3 Risk taking is key to growth personally & organizationally – equipping employees w/skills results in engagement #TChatLeAnna J. Carey
A3 stretch goals require a partnership between the person asking and the person doing – when both engage success is inevitable #tChatSusan Mazza
A3: engaging organizational initiatives start with a person and a belief in positive change. No one cares if no one tries. #tchatDavid Kovacovich
A3. Stagnation leads to disengagement. #tchatTerri Klass
A3: Absolutely, challenges at work are an excellent vehicle for personal & professional growth #TChatSean Charles
A3 What doesn’t bend, breaks. (To quote Ani in an unexpected setting…) #TChatMiriam Brosseau
a3. If an employee does not feel like they can stretch and grow, they’re gone. #tchatMichael Clark
A3 if you’re not growing you’re……………………………….. #tchatKeith Punches
A3: A “stretch” assignment would need to mean that you know the #strengths + abilities of your folks. Important thing to remember. #TChatAndrew Henck
A3: Stretch assignments won’t spark a *culture* of engagement org-wide, but they might engage one disengaged employee. #tchatBrent Skinner
A3 How do you find the right stretch assignment for you or your ees? #TChatMarla Gottschalk PhD
A3: Let employees show us what they can do instead of assuming they’re not ready or able #tchatAlli Polin
A3 “stretches” will be viewed with disdain if failures outnumber successes #tchatSteve
A3 stretch assignments are a great way to hold people accountable for being and doing their best #tchat ppl doing great work are engagedSusan Mazza
A3: They’re important to a) employee development which is important to b) employee engagement. If no a), then fire b). #tchatKevin W. Grossman
A3. Risk taking can be just what the doctor ordered if an individual and their boss partner together. #tchatTerri Klass
A3 stretch assignments are first and foremost opportunities to make the entire company better #tchatSteve
A3: it depends on the employee and what is going to help each individual get the best results. #TChatSpark Hire
A3. A stretch assignment helps talent grow into their leadership skin. #tchatSalima Nathoo
A3 It’s always very positive to find out that you can do (be) way more than you ever thought possible ~ stretch & risk > #tchatCASUDI
A3 Huge believer in the stretch assignment – how else to you challenge what you have “under the hood”? #TChatMarla Gottschalk PhD
A3 if I’m not challenged it’s not a good day. #tchatKeith Punches
A3: Risk taking is important in cultures where failure is accepted… otherwise, fear will rule & engagement even lower #tchatAlli Polin
A3: Employees who want to be challenged will accept it, but careful not to impose the assignments – they have to be willing to engage #tchatJen Olney
A3. Stretch assignments can really motivate people to perform at a higher level and grow in their career. #tchatTerri Klass
A3 Any org culture that is focused on learning + growth will encourage + equip folks to take risks (new role/project/etc.). #TChatAndrew Henck
A3. playing it safe is not progression. we are human- we progress. our needs to be engaged change. we need to risk to discover. #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A3. Yes, in that they’re features of orgs that trust employees, are not overly rigid, place value on employee learning & innovation #TchatJane Watson
A3: Challenging employees to go outside of their comfort zone increases engagement but not tossing in the deep end of the pool 2 swim #TChatTom Bolt
A3: Stretch assignments and risk taking are important for some, not others but does let mgmt know the character of the employee! #TChatJanis Stacy
A3: YES! Employees want to be challenged and grow. Nobody likes dead ends #tchatAlli Polin
A3 Stretching employees that are willing and eager to develop is fantastic. The challenge is stretching complacent employees #tchatShawn LaCroix
A3 risk taking is required for learning and growth – seeing progress is #1 thing for engagement #TChatPaul Hebert
A3: IMO it’s a good indicator of engagement if an EE is willing to go outside their comfort zone for what they believe (the company) #tchatJoshua Barger
A3 stretch assignments signal trust and value #TChatPaul Hebert
Q4: What can employees do to improve their own mindful engagement investment? What about leaders? #TChat #TChatMark Babbitt
A4 want to mindfully engage? get CURIOUS, especially about the people you work with — they are always so much more than u see.#tchatSusan Mazza
a4. Do you know how to show love for someone in a professional manner? #tchatMichael Clark
A4: In addition to offering suggestions outside of your area, taking the initiative and being involved in the project #tchatJoshua Barger
a4. People easily engage with people that care. #tchatMichael Clark
A4: Approach your leader as if he or she is partially a partner. Good leaders will welcome this. #tchatBrent Skinner
a4. Listening demands internal silence. Do you know how to stop thoughts? #tchatMichael Clark
A4: Message to Leaders (especially CEOs): Like life, there’s more to business than just making money. #TchatJohn R. Bell
A4 employees can choose to do work that they enjoy and that matters to them to begin with – don;t just settle for a job #tchatSusan Mazza
A4. constantly ask ma
nagers about opportunities to learn/shadow. They can point you in the right direction #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A4. leaders need to communicate openly and honestly, the single mom with 3 kids may be as engaged as she can at that point in time #tchatGuy Davis
A4: Leaders must lead from within. …within the team, not outside it. #tchatBrent Skinner
a4. Consciously engage moment-to-moment, day-to-day, week-to-week, year-to-year life-long #tchatMichael Clark
Amen! “@SocialMediaSean: A4: Avoid workplace drama at all costs and invest time in positive relationships #TChat”Miriam Brosseau
A4 it’s easier if you OWN your piece of the process. Find ways to improve it, tinker with doing things better. “Polish your Peace”.. #tchatKeith Punches
A4. don’t let anyone make you feel like you feel like you are stuck. fight to grow and learn- everyday #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A4: Leaders need to lose the “my way or the highway” mentality & employees need to let their voices be heard #tchatAlli Polin
a4. Learn, practice and experience power tools and real-time strategies for transforming engagement . #tchatMichael Clark
A4 technique: List your EOY goals so you can see them every day and write down each day’s progress towards these #GrowthChart #tchatSteve
A4: Offer solutions not just complaints #tchatJen Olney
A4 Listen. Actively listen. #TchatAmy Do
A4. Keep an open mind and heart. #tchatTerri Klass
A4: Employees can continue their education/learn new skills. Leaders can help them put that to use. #tchatBright.com
A4: Be a 360 degree leader – extend beyond your official title. #tchatKathy Herndon, GPHR
A4: Employees can drive results. Share ideas & solutions. Seek out opportunities. Does require strong #leadership to support #tchatErin Colleen Goodell
A4 Invest in yourself (leader or employee) by continually Learning. #tchatCASUDI
A4. First step for employees is to access if they are in the right position 4growth-if not, seek stretch position #TChatLeAnna J. Carey
A4: Be the wind beneath the wings of the team. Communicate with ALL. Sometimes the cheerleader is responsible for points scored. #tchatBeverly Davis
a4. Effective engagement does not happen by accident or good intentions #tchatMichael Clark
A4: Avoid workplace drama at all costs and invest time in positive relationships #TChatSean Charles
A4. Leaders need to set tone – ask people for their opinions (& listen to what they say); be open to alternate ways of reaching goals #TchatJane Watson
a4. Physical engagement: transforming negative reactions into creative choices, reducing stress and enhancing well being. #tchatMichael Clark
A4. take initiative. try to learn more about the company other than what their role restricts them to. network, innovate, grow. #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
#tchat A4 Just because you’re an employee doesn’t mean you’re not a leader. Who’s leading your Life? Use everything to become ALL you can beBruno Coelho
A4 at some level all employees have to think like consultants-ask “why?” often, practice #LateralThinking, spend time with customers #tchatSteve
A4. Expect more of yourself and meet it before scheduling a meeting with your manager to transfer responsibility. #tchatSalima Nathoo
a4. Emotional engagement: improving how we experience, manage, transform and communicate emotional states. #tchatMichael Clark
A4: Leaders need to ask more questions and wait for answers before filling the silence #tchatAlli Polin
A4: See question #3 — stretch assignments and risk taking. #tchatKevin W. Grossman
A4 employees Be open minded. Leaders should ask questions and listen. A lot. #tchatAl Smith
a4. Intellectual engagement: improving how we think and speak. #tchatMichael Clark
A4: Take accountability for their work,pride in their own individual leadership w/in and be willing to step up when the time presents #tchatJen Olney
a4. Everyone can learn how to effectively engage intellectually, emotionally and physically #tchatMichael Clark
A4 Open up the “engagement” conversation with yourself (then your boss.) #TChatMarla Gottschalk PhD
A4: Make the time for relationships & communication – not just cranking out the work #tchatAlli Polin
A4 if toxic environment shift focus away from pleasing management to just doing the best job YOU can do. #tchatKeith Punches
A4. Leaders need to encourage continual learning for their teams to feel engaged. #tchatTerri Klass
A4. Employees should explore how their role fits into larger org; seek out expert colleagues & learn from them; shake up routine! #TchatJane Watson
A4: Question status quo, be respectful, offer alternatives. #TChatTom Bolt
A4: Focus on personal development regardless of work culture #tchatKathy Herndon, GPHR
A4) Form a support group or start a twitter chat (just kidding….I think) #tchatnancyrubin
A4 take an active role in career and job planning – not wait for reviews and mgrs to tell what to do #TChatPaul Hebert
A4 look at your paycheck…look at the unemployment numbers…look in the mirror #tchatSteve
A4 decide what they want – what they like – where they want to be #TChatPaul Hebert
A4: Practice mindfulness before heading to work. Yes, really. #tchatBrent Skinner
A4. Employees must see learning and growing as a way of work life. #tchatTerri Klass
A4: Asking good questions is a sign of mindful engagement. #TChatAndrew Henck
A4: Employees and leaders are not always different people :) #tchatTL Frasqueri-Molina
A4: Keep lines of communication open. For ideas to be heard you have to listen first… Two way street. #TChatTom Bolt
Q5: How can technology facilitate and improve employee engagement? How can it hurt? #TChat #TChatMark Babbitt
A5: Without tech, there’d be no #TChat. But there’d still be a world of work. :-)Brent Skinner
A5: For this Engineer, Technology IS the biggest reason to be engaged at work! #TChatJanis Stacy
Precisely! @TerriKlass A5. We need to use both technology and relationship building side by side to engage. #tchatErin Colleen Goodell
A5 At this moment I’m using tech as a tool to engage. Love it. Feel connected, free to share. Tech can enhance connection, commitment #tchatExpertus
a5. People detest change and cling to comfort zones, tech is a brave new world changing by the second. #tchatMichael Clark
a5. People are more afraid of being social than understanding how to integrate tech. #tchatMichael Clark
#TChat a5: tech can limit engagement too- leaving some employees feeling overwhelmed and silencedMegan Rene Burkett
A5 Need to use the tool that fits the job- social media, tangible tech, f2f. We have them all at our disposal, must use wisely. #TChatMiriam Brosseau
A5: Saw some Yammer success stories. In my old org? It was quiet… silent… except for HR/Mktg >no engament #tchatAlli Polin
A5: Technology helps geographically dispersed teams remain engaged. That’s all I got on this one tonight. :-( #tchatBrent Skinner
A5 I would MUCH rather have a Fireside or Brown Bag Chat with the CEO than a tech solution. #tchatKeith Punches
When your attention goes to the technology not the people using the technology = watch out ~ A5 #tchatCASUDI
A5 focus on increasing connection and meaning reagardless of the tool or medium – high tech can be high touch too #tchatSusan Mazza
A5.w/o tech i’d feel like i was on an island- we even have contests (this week will be pumpkin carving)-we post pics on internal site #tchatAshley Lauren Perez<
/div>
a5. Organizations will have to create culture and space for employees to fail and learn with customers in real-time #tchatMichael Clark
A5 Technology keeps people networked even across great distances but nothing beats eye to eye think tanking…which engagement needs #tchatEnzo Guardino
A5: a) Transparency b) Transparency ~ Careful technology is a loaded weapon #TChatSean Charles
A5 Technology allows employees near and far to connect. Downfall – focus can be lost when face-to-face due to multi-tasking. #tchatAmy Do
a5. How to effectively engage real-time via teach cannot be taught in an online course, manual or book. #tchatMichael Clark
A5: Tech should not be a place where ideas grow until leaders weigh in & brainstorming dies #tchatAlli Polin
a5. Organizations must train employees how to successfully engage customers real-time, a tremendous challenge. #tchatMichael Clark
A5. We need to use both technology and relationship building side by side to engage. #tchatTerri Klass
A5. Then there’s the ‘Engagement survey’ – can technology, data analysis make it more valuable; impactful to engagement initiatives? #TchatJane Watson
a5. Engaging via tech is a subtle art that is difficult for even the best communicators. #tchatMichael Clark
A5: My org is HUGE! But employees use Yammer to share stories, crowd source solutions – connecting like that using tech is amazing. #tchatTL Frasqueri-Molina
A5. tech helps my company communicate/stay engaged/be involved since most of us work from remote locations #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A5 TECH Helps w scope & speed (tools) of comm & collab BUT does not replace IRL ~ if U think it does = HURT #tchatCASUDI
#tchat A5 some will use it a a vehicle to learn and produce. Someone very shy may find it easier to engage through technology but can’t hideSage Bramhall
A5: Low tech works miracles too. Remember the handshake and press the flesh. #TChatTom Bolt
A5 There are some great platforms that help facilitate, profile sharing & team building out there. (Jostle) #TChatMarla Gottschalk PhD
A5. tech can present engagement opporunities in a non-threatening way, but can also be impersonal #tchatGuy Davis
A5: Real-time collaboration & building on ideas enhances engagement through tech or not #tchatAlli Polin
a5. People face tremendous challenges communicating IRL, much less engaging via tech #tchatMichael Clark
A5: Technology can be a gr8 (tool)
A5 Used well it can connect, support knowledge sharing, collaboration. Used poorly, it can further insulate employees from each other #TchatJane Watson
A5: Tech offers tools—they only build #engagement as much as leaders/empls are willing to use them to connect, share info & listen. #TChatShawna Kelly
A5: Technology is merely a vehicle to serve our communication, it’s the technology that engages, it’s the people who use it #tchatJen Olney
A5 Excellent online support and capability can be more engaging than a poor supervisor. #TChatIan Welsh
A5: #Technology can bridge time zones, cultures, generations… #tchatKathy Herndon, GPHR
A5: Correct application of technology enhances engagement. Technology for technology’s sake misses the purpose. #TChatTom Bolt
a5. What happens in tech, stays in tech, visible forever. #tchatMichael Clark
A5: If used incorrectly, it could hurt it, but generally speaking I think it’s a great tool to keep everyone involved and connected #tchatJoshua Barger
A5. Technology can open up a world of information and people to each of us. It can be amazing! #tchatTerri Klass
A5: Technology is not the message. It is the vehicle to deliver the message. #TChatTom Bolt
A5 Technology can greatly facilitate engagement by giving employees the best equipment and trust in usage. #TChatIan Welsh
Engage this picture: Post #TChat Sunset, Mission Beach, San Diego, CA http://pic.twitter.com/C2MW4T69Michael Clark
Let’s be honest. Some leaders make a difference, and some leaders just take up space. Lou Imbriano is definitely one of the former. As we well know leaders comes in a variety of personality flavors. As CMO of the New England Patriots, and now as CEO of TrinityOne, Lou has brought career passion and flair to sports marketing in one of the biggest sports towns around right here in Beantown.
As a valued friend of mine, Lou has brought richness and depth to what could have been just another business acquaintance. And I’m thrilled he’s asked me to read and comment on his newest effort. He is definitely a one of a kind personality and he brings new meaning to the idea of a 3 hour Italian lunch for the bonus round. I’m lucky to have experienced this with him recently. Dining as sport and art. Big smiles.
Anyone who believes in the power of your brand and the importance of social media to business development and leadership will be glad to hear Lou has distilled his wisdom into a book. Winning the Customer is like Lou, only it’s a book – larger than life personality, better and smarter than the competition. Lou understands how to turn customers into fans of a brand
In ‘Winning the Customer’ he shares his philosophy with us – why every customer relationship has an architecture, a structure, that moves the interaction between customer and brand from a transaction to a relationship. Transactions are one-time events; a relationship is a long-running transaction with many opportunities for interaction, engagement, enrichment and results.
If you’re a marketer, it’s a must read. If you’re a student of leadership and human nature it’s a must read. If you’re impatient and can’t wait for Lou to sign your copy, tune in tonight to #LeadershipChat Leadership Chat tonight from 8-9pm ET+ on Twitter where Lou and I will chat about the concepts in the book. See you there!
Lou’s book gives a lot of the practical advice needed to establish yourself as a leader in customer relations, which also ties nicely with this week’s #TChat World of Work topic: “What are some best practices for finding, training, developing and learning leadership?” Be sure and join us tomorrow, Wednesday 9/21/2011 at our usual from 7:00p to 8:00p ET, 6:00p to 7:00p CT, and 4:00p to 5:00p PT for a dynamic conversation exploring this important question. See you there!
https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.png00Meghan M. Birohttps://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.pngMeghan M. Biro2011-09-20 10:19:592020-05-20 17:51:35Lou Imbriano "Turns Customers Into Fans" His New Book
Fortune recently released their annual 100 Best Companies to Work For list, which takes into account such factors as internal mobility, inclusion/diversity, employee training and satisfaction, among a litany of seemingly disparate criteria that, together, comprise what’s often referred to as “Corporate Culture.”
It’s no surprise that the companies on Fortune’s list are widely recognized, in best practices publications and in recruitment literature, for having developed distinct and unique corporate cultures designed to attract, develop and retain top talent. After all, it’s culture that defines the best (and the worst) places to work.
For HR professionals, Recruiters and Executive Leadership, culture is often a top down directive, but its employees on the front lines who truly define a corporate culture and create its impact. Culture’s a lot like meetings and memos: it’s an inescapable, and inevitable, part of the employee (and candidate) experience.
That’s why “fit” is so important to talent acquisition and development; but what does it take for new employees, their managers, executive leadership and customers to fit in, and thrive, in a unique corporate/workplace culture?
Join the #TChat conversation live every Tuesday night with from 8-9 PM ET, 7-8 PM CT, 6-7 PM MT, and 5-6 PM PT. We also enjoy hearing from our global community and hope you can join from wherever you might be. Let’s explore what companies can do to create, implement and evolve the kind of corporate culture which drives employee satisfaction, engagement and ultimately, bottom line results.
#TChat Questions and Recommended Reading: 1.25.11
Here are the questions we’ll be discussing, along with some background reading, to help prepare and inform the #TChat conversation. While this isn’t mandatory to get in on tonight’s #TChat action, we suggest checking out these articles by top career advice and talent management thought leaders to explore the possibilities (and pitfalls) of workplace culture:
Q1) In 3 words, describe the culture of your current/recent employer; was it the culture that lured you there or that drove you away?
Visit www.talentculture.com for more great information on #TChat and resources on culture fatigue and how to overcome it!
Our Monster social media team supports the effort behind #TChat and its mission of sharing “ideas to help your business and your career accelerate – the right people, the right ideas, at the right time.”
#TChat is brought to you by @TalentCulture, @MeghanMBiro, @KevinWGrossman, @monster_works, and @MonsterWW – They will be joining the #TChat conversation live every Tuesday night with from 8-9 PM ET, 7-8 PM CT, 6-7 PM MT, and 5-6 PM PT Hope to see you tonight at 8 PM ET for #TChat!
https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.png00Meghan M. Birohttps://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.pngMeghan M. Biro2011-01-25 13:47:592020-05-20 16:46:37Workplace Culture Fatigue: #TChat Preview
Professional development doesn’t have to be time-consuming—or expensive. There are many inexpensive or free resources available today to continue the learning process for talented employees. Follow industry blogs, read magazines and whitepapers, and check out the latest books in the field for opportunities to share with your current employees. Be on the lookout for webinars, teleseminars, Twitter chats, and conferences that they may be interested in attending—and determine how your company can help make that happen.
Think about how you can provide a better work-life balance
Telecommuting, virtual meeting and flexible time off policies are all highly desired qualities in a workplace. Many top performers are constantly striving to maintain an ideal work-life balance because they are innately hard workers. Examine your internal policies to see if you can make this balancing act easier for your employees.
Provide a variety of projects to keep the work interesting and meaningful
No one wants to work at a job for the rest of their life where they do the same thing every day. Employees want to feel that their work is making a difference to the organization and its audiences. Talented employees crave challenging tasks that can add to their skills and growth as a professional. Cross-training and team projects are a great way to provide additional opportunities.
Look into tuition reimbursement initiatives
If an employee yearns to go back to school to complete another degree or certification, determine how the organization can help them make that happen by helping out with costs.
Provide quality feedback in a timely manner
Instead of waiting for an annual or semi-annual performance review, give your employees feedback about their tasks as soon as possible after completion. Feedback is an important piece of workplace satisfaction—even if it’s a simple “Great work!” e-mail or note.
Looking for more ways to retain top performing employees? Susan M. Heathfield in an article on About.com outlines the following 10 ten ways to retain great employees:
Management thinkers agree that a satisfied employee knows clearly what is expected from him every day at work.
The quality of the supervision an employee receives is critical to employee retention.
The ability of the employee to speak his or her mind freely within the organization is another key factor in employee retention.
Talent and skill utilization is another environmental factor your key employees seek in your workplace.
The perception of fairness and equitable treatment is important in employee retention.
The easiest to solve, and the ones most affecting employee retention, are tools, time and training.
Your best employees, those employees you want to retain, seek frequent opportunities to learn and grow in their careers, knowledge and skill.
A common place complaint or lament I hear during an exit interview is that the employee never felt senior managers knew he existed.
No matter the circumstances, never, never, ever threaten an employee’s job or income.
Your staff members must feel rewarded, recognized and appreciated.
Does your company have any unusual or non-traditional tactics for retaining talent? I’d love to hear them!
I bet when someone asks you to name great leaders you think of Churchill, Sun Tzu, Jack Welch, Lincoln or others. Well listen up people because you’re missing someone. His name is…Tyler Durdin. Yes, Tyler Durdin. He is the main character in the movie Fight Club (Rated R) played by Brad Pitt.
In Fight Club, everyone loves Tyler Durdin. The girls want to be with him and men want to be like him. He’s smart, confident, passionate, holds true to his convictions and has an innovative way to change the world: Help people beat each other up so they can experience freedom from the entrapments of life. Please don’t misunderstand. I am not suggesting that leaders engage in violence. However, metaphorically, there is a lot we can learn from Mr. Durdin.
In the movie, what started out as a fight in a parking lot turned into regular fights on Saturday nights which turned into fight clubs being cloned all over the country. Tyler’s fight clubs grew. But what’s interesting is that he never recruited anyone to join. In fact, he did the opposite. He told people not to talk about Fight Club. (The first rule of Fight Club.)
Imagine for a moment, being a leader of an organization that doesn’t have to recruit anyone because people are standing in line in the cold and rain to be a part of your vision.
So how did Tyler do it?
Humility – An Essential Leadership Trait
Tyler says this: “You’re not your job. You’re not the amount of money you make. You’re not the car you drive. Nor the contents of your wallet. Not your f-ing khakis. You are the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.”
Does that sound a bit radical? Good. Leaders need to be less radical about their positions and more radical about their humanity.
I saw a great example of leadership humility two weeks ago. Enter Graham Weston. In case you don’t know who he is, Weston invested in Rackspace during its early stages, became the CEO and is now the Chairman of the Board. He is also the CEO of Weston Properties and owns 700,000 square feet of industrial and office properties in Texas. Successful? Oh yes.
Graham was one of the speakers at TEDx San Antonio; it was there that I met him. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve met people with less power and position who made others feel like the dead ant in the mud under their feet. So truthfully, I was prepared for the worst. Yet here was Graham, interacting with everyone. More than a few attendees shared their surprise at how approachable and sincere he was. At one point, he said hello to one of his Rackspace employees. This employee was not a VP or even in management. He was a techie.
Graham not only knew who he was, he knew this employee had been working the 3rd shift. He spent several minutes talking with the employee on a personal and professional level. They were equals. This employee knew it. I could see it. And I was moved.
Does humble leadership work? Take a look at Rackspace’s growth and profitability. Need another example? Mahatma Gandhi and Jesus Christ come to my mind. They were both incredibly humble, servant-focused men. One delivered his nation and the other delivered the world.
If you want to radically change your organization, take French politician Charles de Montesquieu’s advice: “To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.”
Or as Tyler Durdin says, remember that “You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake. You are the same decaying organic matter as everyone else.”
https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.png00Alicia Arenashttps://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.pngAlicia Arenas2010-10-29 09:57:252020-05-20 16:34:24The Fight Club Guide to Leadership Humility
(Author Profile: 
TalentCulture is a trailblazing HR marketing company offering advertising, media, executive and corporate branding, research, and social promotions via our global learning community.