Communication is interesting. I have come to realize that there are multiple ways of passing information. Choosing the right style has a lot to do with the purpose. If the communicator chooses the wrong style the communication may fail. The first style I call “Tellers”. Think of a speaker addressing an audience. It is one-way… Continue reading Communication Styles – Tellers, Teachers and Mentors
Blogs
Planning for Your Staff of the Future
I believe most organizations struggle in the area of staff planning because they look at the situations that effect staffing as static. They believe their business will keep doing the same things they are currently doing and in the same processes they do it, they are going to grow at a steady pace annually, therefore… Continue reading Planning for Your Staff of the Future
Millennials Are Not Job Hoppers
The other day I read a statement from Gallup that said Millennials are job hoppers. I do believe this generation of people has been changing jobs more frequently than my generation did, the Baby Boomers, but I struggle with statements made from a surface level. Having been around recruiting and employee retention for a few… Continue reading Millennials Are Not Job Hoppers
Ignoring Your Key Employees
Over my career, in multiple organizations, I have noticed a tendency to pay little attention to key employees because they are so good at what they do. I am not suggesting we need to micro-manage these people. I am however concerned about the almost lack-luster communication that happens about the value of and the future… Continue reading Ignoring Your Key Employees
Free Money is Killing our Economy
The concept of students loans, let me give you “free” money now and don’t pay until you graduate, is at a minimum setting our young people up to carry a heavy debt load and in the worst case will become such a burden on them they will not be able to become the consumers the… Continue reading Free Money is Killing our Economy
Apprenticeships, a New/ Old Thing
Apprenticeships are making a comeback. In this employment market where it is more and more difficult to find candidates with the skill sets you need to fill positions, I see organizations slowly adapting to the old way; teach someone with the right attitude the skills you need them to have in your particular environment. In… Continue reading Apprenticeships, a New/ Old Thing
Being an Employer of Choice
I have been involved in the hiring process for over 30 years. I have managed small departments ranging from a staff of 2 or 3 to having been the Plant Manager of a company with 3 facilities and 150 employees. I have managed in union and non-union environments. In all that time and experience I… Continue reading Being an Employer of Choice
Hiring and Keeping Great Employees
Remember- Employees are the only asset a company has that appreciates; all other assets depreciate. Your people are worth the effort up front. Below are questions you should answer before you start looking for candidates. How do you attract candidates? Candidate attraction demands a strategy. Do you have one? Have you done a SWOT analysis… Continue reading Hiring and Keeping Great Employees
Removing Wasted Time
Time is a resource. The problem is we don’t typically think of it as a resource. If you were to keep track of the time you spend in your day that has no value, you would probably be surprised. We are all given the same amount of this resource. We all have 24 hours or… Continue reading Removing Wasted Time
Conversation or Collective Monologs
I read this phrase the other day while I was reading an author’s thoughts on normal one-on-one conversation. The question is do we actually listen to others while discussing a topic on which we have a strong opinion? Do we actually communicate with each other; sharing and understanding each other’s ideas and concepts? We have… Continue reading Conversation or Collective Monologs
Success is Not a Goal; Success is a Result
Despite what you have been told, a successful career is not about focusing on you. It is about being the best support of others you can be. Be of value, not an expense. Success will happen. In this ever-increasing narcissistic world I have been convinced that those that think only about their career and their… Continue reading Success is Not a Goal; Success is a Result
Just Do the Right Thing
The owner of a company I worked for always said to me, “Just do the right thing”. He hired me to implement a Quality Management System in his company because he had watched my career from a distance and was comfortable I was the right person to get the job done. In my first few… Continue reading Just Do the Right Thing
What Ever Happened to Customer Service?
I was recently in a fast-food restaurant ordering lunch when I witnessed the two employees at the registers complaining to each other about a fellow worker; it might have been their manager. As I stood there, the person waiting on me barely made eye contact with me. She quickly type a few things into their… Continue reading What Ever Happened to Customer Service?
Is the Cup Half Empty or Half Full?
We have probably all heard this question before. It is used in conversations about life and its experiences. I have heard people say an optimist will say it is half full, while a pessimist says it is half empty. What do you say it is? Take a minute and picture in your mind the glass… Continue reading Is the Cup Half Empty or Half Full?
People Development vs. Human Resources
“Resources are things you use. I don’t want to use people. I want to develop them.” These words were spoken to me 20 years ago by the owner of the company I was working for; before the baby-boomer exit changed “succession planning” into a major issue, before “engaged employees” was the current topic, before the… Continue reading People Development vs. Human Resources
West Michigan Best Companies to Work For
I have recently semi-retired. In my final decade of permanent employment I was privileged to work for companies that in that time frame were selected as one of the 101 Best Companies to Work For in West Michigan. They ranged from 6 employees to 150 employees; from a single office to a company with four… Continue reading West Michigan Best Companies to Work For
Begin with the End in Mind
One of the seven habits in Steven Covey’s book “7 Habits for Highly Effective People” is “begin with the end in mind”. Hopefully most executives think that way. They set a goal, make a plan and attempt to complete the plan. The question is do their people know the goal? If they do, do they… Continue reading Begin with the End in Mind
Managing is like Parenting
After 30+ years of managing people and being a father of 4 and grandfather of 9 I have recognized that there is a parallel between managing and parenting. There is one over-riding truth. For the best results both must be done intentionally. Guiding people to be the best they can be in an area of… Continue reading Managing is like Parenting
What do they teach in Drivers’ Training?
In the last 20+ years I have driven well over 500,000 miles. In fact the two cars we currently own have over 450,000 miles together. I have driven the vast majority of them. They were company cars that we purchased from my previous employer after I had driven them for three years each. It was… Continue reading What do they teach in Drivers’ Training?
Workplace Flexibility
The greatest effect on a flexible work force is your recruitment practice. If you hire the right people they appreciate flexibility. They understand others’ need for flexibility and they will not complain when you are flexible for their teammates. The right employees will work as a team to get the job done, not just be… Continue reading Workplace Flexibility
Continuous Improvement is an Atmosphere
In the last few decades Continuous Improvement has become a topic in most organizations. When I was the Quality Management Director at a Grand Rapids based manufacturer we achieved our ISO9000 and QS9000 certifications in the early ‘90s. A big focus on these Quality Standards is process improvement which includes Continuous Improvement Projects (CIP), Corrective… Continue reading Continuous Improvement is an Atmosphere
Why Would They Work for You?
This is a key question you need to answer during this next decade. Every organization I know is struggling to find qualified help. I hear people say, “There just aren’t any Engineers in West Michigan” or “All the Tool & Die Journeymen have left the trade during the recession”. The fact is there are thousands… Continue reading Why Would They Work for You?
My Goal is To Do Nothing
One of the first things I tell a new employee that I am working with is “my goal is to do nothing”. That always gets their attention. After that, I let them know what I really mean is my desire is to simplify every responsibility I have to the point that systems perform the task… Continue reading My Goal is To Do Nothing
Focus on Strengths Not Weaknesses
You probably have heard of Strength Finders. I believe the marketing for the Strength Finders test was very clever. You can take this “free” test to determine what your top 5 strengths are. All you have to do is buy the book. By the way, the code that you get with the book can only… Continue reading Focus on Strengths Not Weaknesses
We are Leaving Talent on the Bench
Multiple times a week I find myself in conversation with talented people who cannot find their way through the maze of today’s employment process. They are eager to put what they know to work for an employer, but the “system” does not let them in. Let me give you a couple of personal examples. Those… Continue reading We are Leaving Talent on the Bench
Christian Life Coach 