Define The Moment or It Will Define You

Bottom Line: Define the moment or the moment will define you. Publicly define and develop employee buy-in for the company's culture. Since your men and women in the field define your culture, how do your employees handle different opportunities to perform distinctively and extra-ordinarily?

  1. Answer the question: What is your core purpose (value)?
  2. Answer the questions: What are your value drivers? What is your distinction?
  3. Some Value Drivers are:
  • Customer Base
  • Recurring Revenue
  • Product Integration
  • Gross Margin
  • Intellectual Property
  • Human Capital
  • Management Experience & Expertise
  • General & Administrative Leverage
  • Distribution Leverage
  • History/Reputation & Operating Tenure
  • Sales & Marketing Effectiveness
  • Barriers to Competitive Entry
  • Barriers to Competitive Differentiation

Competitive Advantage
Making It Real for the Whole Team

Since your leadership is at the forefront, how do they see the Company's future, their business niche, their competitive advantage?

What ways can they utilize their vision for all to see it, touch it, feel it and smell it in the same real way that the CEO and his team do so that the vision can be driven throughout the organization to your present and future customers?

Ask the Stakeholders Campaign
Seeking First to Understand

Asking the Hard Questions of your customers, employees, vendors, & community produces the best fruit.

i]  From Customers: Obtain customer comment cards and ask the hard questions.

ii]  From Employees: Do you have a non-threatening way for employees to communicate openly and honestly?

iii] From Vendors: Have you asked how they view your company and perhaps what they tell others about you?

iv]  Here are some Questions to Ask to help you M.A.P. out your future:

  1. M - What are their Major concerns?
  2. A - What Advantages do they see for you?
  3. P - What is their Perception of the Company and/or its management?
  • Name Three (3) things that you have a hard time believing about the company.
  • Name Three (3) things where you think the company is hurting itself.

Purpose of the campaign and the questions is to "make it clear that the company's leadership is concerned, listening, and responsible." (1)

Building Hope Through Trusted Channels
Information Strategy

Communication "Good communication is about brand reputation, company strengths, goodwill, and market share."

"Information Strategy is about addressing concerns and building hope in channels that the stakeholders trust and in a language they understand." (1)

Communication Tools
The Goal is to Listen, To Listen and To Listen

Hire a Public Relations or Publicist to help communicate in a win-win style.

A) For the CEO:

  1. BiWeekly or Monthly Fireside Chats: All are invited to attend. Questions encouraged.
  2. Periodic Email Blasts: Designed to keep connected to the TEAM with announcements, acknowledgements, & thank yous.

B) For the Sites:

  1. Press releases about existing positive goings/comings.
  2. Create opportunities for additional media coverage.

C)  Establish an Ambassador's Hot Line. - which says, "Your Comments Matter!"

  1. Toll Free Number for all stakeholders to call in with questions, concerns, suggestions, etc.
  2. Promote it on the website and in the field.

D)  Create a Suggestion Box.   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  1. Suggest a confidential email address to use as a suggestion box.
  2. Perhaps a separate one to report company abuse/waste of time or money.
  3. Website hotlink for comments or suggestions from clients, community or vendors. Promote it on website and in the field.
  4. Although all ideas may not be implemented, at least you are listening.

Think Win-Win
Or "One Bad Attitude Spoils the Whole Atmosphere.  Lose The Bad Attitude."

Promote "We Love Our Jobs."
Living the Adventure. Developing Brand Envy

Promote "We Love Our Jobs."

Living the Adventure.  Developing Brand Envy.

  • Loving Company team and leadership
  • Hightlight CEO how he cares about his people, about his community.
  • Every Member of Your Team should believe that they are the best in the industry...the best company where to contribute.
  • Leading Your Team - From an individual level, a sense of personal development.
  • For Your Country - Applying John F. Kennedy's quote, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what can you do for your country."
  • Individually - Someone once said, "Don't whine around me. If you have a job to do, get with it. Do it well."
  • For the Community - a Sense of Contribution
  • Giving Back, Paying It Forward, Sharing Time & Resources
  • Spread the Love of the Company's contribution to the Next Generation
  • Press Release of the good things we are a part of
  • Organ donations
  • Fun runs/walks
  • Company - a Sense of Belonging
  • "We have a job to do," as Norman Rockwell said.
  • Uncover & Cater to Individual Motivation Preferencesa.  Make a list of team members - include yourself

i]  List each team members top 3 goals. It is what you as the manager thinks including your top 3 goals, too

ii]  Have Team Member list their top 3 goals & yours

iii ]  Schedule a time to compare lists with each team member

  • Develop a plan that incorporates personal goals into a specific compaign. Define specific times and dates to achieve the plan
  • Establish platform that encourages sharing goals among
  • Use Group Accountability towards an individual's personal goals to strengthen and motivate the entire company.
  • Promote Employees within company and within the area.
  • Have leadership start each day with the attitude which gets across, "Good morning. I hope that all is well with you, and you are ready to begin a great day. I appreciate that you prepare each day to be ready to focus on our client's needs and to encourage each other in our daily lives with our families, friends, and just life events."

Rewards for Uncommon Deeds
Noticing What People Do Right, Do Well

Dolly Parton once said, "We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails, and storms make trees take deeper roots."

A)  Ideas of the Month - No idea too small.  No stomping out an idea too soon.

i]  Each person submits ideas. Site submits at least 2 ideas a month.

ii ]  Can be cost saving, revenue generating, community related, no idea too small.

iii ]  All ideas sent to the Ombudsman even those not chosen.

iv ]  Have winners in several different categories. Celebrate the wins.

B)  Best Attitude of Gratitude

i]   Best unique approach to showing someone else your appreciation.

ii ]   Please remember to say thank you often. An attitude of gratitude has you looking for acts of kindness, support, and caring.

iii ]  Brighten someone's day. Let them know that you appreciate them.

iv ]  Have winners in several different categories. Celebrate the wins.

C)  Search for Your Heroess.

i]  All stakeholders can nominate Company Heroes

ii]  Any act of kindness, out of ordinary behavior,

iii]  A Vote is held and Promoted on Website, Among Sites,

iv]  Winners announced beginning of next month.

D)  5 Minute Rule (3)

i]  Take Five Minutes a Day to contact someone that you have not spoken recently and let them know how much you appreciate them.

Create a Sense of Contribution
Brainstorming for Inspiration

A)  Brainstorming for events

1. Who should be there?

  • CEO to meet & greet, to help out when needed,
  • Top In Each of Their Field at the sites - Conduct Contest - Have employees vote on the best in their field. Ones with most votes get paid to attend event and provide support, then stay an extra few days to enjoy the countryside.

2. We need press.  What would be the draw?

  • Past Events: What Did We Learn? Ask all.

1.  Dolly Parton once said, "Find out who you are and do it on purpose."

2.  Focus by Interest - Develop Committees by Interest across company in areas of safety, politics, community, research, communications and public relations, marketing, general health, and coaching.

References

1.  Feldman, Mark L., et al.  Five Frogs on a Log: a CEO's Field Guide to Accelerating the Transition in Mergers, Acquisitions, and Gut Wrenching Change. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 1999. (pages 27, 38, 67-68, 70, 78, 154, 155)

2.  Catell, Robert B., et al. The CEO and the Monk: One Company's Journey to Profit and Purpose. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2004.  (page 67)

3.  Aplanalp, Rory L., et al. The Five-Minute Rule: The Story of a Seeker, a Sage, and the Secret to a Happy Life. Houston: Specialty Bindery and Printing, 2003. (page 118)  www.rory.com.