The Ghost of Christmas Past!

It's difficult, don't you think, to live up to the Ghost of Christmas past.  You remember, the Christmas we,...You can't beat the Christmas of,...I'll  never have another Christmas like this one (which will become Christmas past).  We all have them don't we?  The perfect Christmas!  At least that's how we remember them.

We try to make everything perfect, the right gift for the right person, the best parties, the get togethers, the celebrations.  But, each one will eventually become the past.  And, how will we remember them.  Will they be something we strive to replicate at another time?  

Inertia to Engaged in 4 Easy Steps

Inertia is insidious, in lives and in business.   Inertia is derived from the Latin iners - idle or lazy.  It can really apply to us during the summer months can't it?  But, we call that R&R and we really do need that too! When it becomes really destructive is when it is brought into your work-a-day life.

In our lives we can experience inertia at work whether we're responsible for it or not.  You know what I'm talking about - the job you're in just isn't doing it for you anymore, or the direction of the company is not compatible with your inner code of values, but, you're too dependent on the pay cheque, benefit package and the pension plan to make any changes.  And, you justify, the times are so uncertain.  So, you continue on day after day, plodding through the mire and hoping against hope that it will get better.  The fact is, you don't even see how bad it is until, if you’re lucky, you have left the job behind.  Let's hope it's not at retirement! 

Lest We Forget

Beneath me lay the sands of time
Four sand walls and they are mine
My roof is but the starlit sky
and that's a Soldier's Paradise
~Thomas Murrie Donnelly

All of us know someone who has served in the armed forces-somewhere!  But, how much do we really know about them or what they did?  If your family is anything like mine, the stories of war didn’t get dragged out and bragged about at the Sunday dinner table.  Survivors of war, even those who make it through with their life and their bodies still intact, do not escape unscathed.  The experience of war is unlike anything else and the opportunities for mercy are few and far between.  The mercy that escaped the veteran on the battlefield is given to the family members by the vet on their return.  The sounds and images that run in a loop in their head they mercifully reserve for themselves.

Construction - Where do You Start?

No matter how you look at it, construction makes a mess!  Pass any site under construction and take a look at the apparent chaos.  Pass by again once construction is complete and landscaping has been completed and you'll see a totally different picture.  What is it about construction that causes such anxiety?

• the mess - yes, there will be a mess
• the time - will things be completed on time?
• the chaos - does everyone know what they're doing?
• the delays - and there will be some - count on it!
• the cost - need I say more?
• the commitment - once you're started, there's no going back!

Now, take a look at your business, whether it's a full fledged product manufacture or a service business with little or no infrastructure.  What would construction mean to you?

Inertia

Inertia is insidious, in lives and in business.   Inertia is derived from the Latin iners - idle or lazy.  It can really apply to us during the summer months can't it?  But, we call that R&R and we really do need that too! When it becomes really destructive is when it is brought into your work-a-day life.

In our lives we can experience inertia at work whether we're responsible for it or not.  You know, the job you're in just isn't doing it for you anymore, or the direction of the company is not compatible with your inner code of values, but, you're too dependent on the pay cheque, benefit package and the pension plan to make any changes.  So, you continue on day after day, plodding through the mire and hoping against hope that it will get better.  The fact is, you don't even see how bad it is until, if you’re lucky, you have left the job behind.  Let's hope it's not at retirement! 

With recession upon recession coming in waves, people can be apprehensive about leaving a bad job for no job.  And, leaving your job is definitely not what I’m advocating here.  You may suspect there could be something better for you out there, but, I don't suggest you walk out the door of your current employer without a plan as to where you're going and how you're going to get there. 

There are, however, things that can be done to alleviate some of this without taking drastic measures.  Any of these can bring purpose, direction and even inspiration, but, most important, they should bring focus to a mind stagnating in a pool of indecision.

1.     Join a philanthropic club, non profit or service organization ­– take your mind off of your current status and focus on others.

2.     Join a health club, curling club, to get your body moving.  Sports/exercise will get the blood flowing and brain cells calculating.  After all, if you’re in a state of inertia, you likely are experiencing end-of-day exhaustion!  You need to turn that around!

3.     Start writing- journaling to be precise.  This will help focus the mind and as you write you’ll find you’re really getting to know you and how you feel and why.

4.     Get- and this may seem ridiculous- a part time job, paid or not, it doesn’t matter.  Choose any field aside from your own.  This is not for the money, but, self-awareness.  Many a person has found their true calling, just by putting someone other than themselves first.  Delivering meals to shut-ins for Meals on Wheels, Driving for the Red Cross, Cancer Centre or any of a  host of other volunteer work available in our and many other communities.

The choice of what you do is up to you – just do something!   Volunteering for Habitat for Humanity for instance can re-focus a person’s appreciation for what they already have as they see how a small house can mean so much to a family with no house.  Driving patients to cancer appointments can give you a new perspective on your own health and well being.  Serving meals at a community kitchen, delivering gifts and food baskets to families in need at Christmas, refocus your mind and your objectives in life.

Will inertia overtake you?  It doesn’t have to, but, only you can make a difference in your own life.  

Policies and Procedures Purpose

There is much to-do about Policies and Procedures now, but, aside from current wave of employers developing P&P manuals, why should you create one?  You should not undertake something, anything, without a clear purpose.  Within today's very short blog, you'll find the precis version of Policies and Procedures.
First
Q. - What is a policy? 
A. - Policies define their purpose and a definite course of action to direct the methods used by users to get to where you want to go? 
Q. - What is a procedure?
A - Procedures provide the workhorse for the developed policies.  They actually guide the work to get you to your destination from your desired policy statement.

Getting to work with a P&P manual
So, within the corporate culture, you've decided you need to provide services that mirror your philosophy and policies and procedures are developed around this thinking.
Understanding good policies and procedures and utilizing same is the difference between a smoothly running, well communicated corporate culture and one that is fractured, reactionary and defensive.   Policies and procedures will not be followed if employees are not familiar with them or if they are not being followed at management level.  Familiarize yourself with your P&P manual and your people will follow suit.

Love, Hope and Optimisim

I'm not particularly political.  I don't campaign for candidates, display my preference in lawn signage during elections or attend rallies.  I do, however, believe in the power of individuals, not parties, to make a difference.

To Olivia Chow, I would say - You have my sincerest heartfelt condolences on the loss of your husband.  And, thank you for allowing us to grieve with you and mourn the loss of such a compassionate person.


We've had too few 'Jack Laytons' in our lifetime.  People who have held themselves to the same standard they are espousing.  We don't need to look to far to see that not everyone has that kind of integrity.  Hopefully, his message and example will not be lost with him.

While many people are comparing him to the late Pierre Elliot Trudeau, I think there is another more adequate comparison that fits the bill - Tommy Douglas!  Mr. Douglas too lost the battle to cancer, but, not before he changed the vision many held of our country and through dogged determination, established medicare.  Where would we be without Tommy?  I do believe in years to come, we will be saying the same about Jack Layton.  

Broken Promises

Every now and then, someone will break a promise to you - it happens - you deal with  it!   But, when it comes to customer service, this becomes a point of contention.  You, the customer, are incensed!  How dare they - don't they realize I may never shop here again?   The fact is, broken promises are inevitable.  You can play the part of the wounded party; or you may become the enabler; or you may seize the opportunity to grow and become the catalyst.  We've all been one of the three at any given time, often depending on our own state of mind at the time.
The 'wounded party' laments the fact that the shop has broken a promise to them, they usually whine and complain to someone other than the person who can make a change.    That is, they tell their family, friends etc., but, would never dream of bringing it to the attention of the business itself.  While at times this may make someone think twice about shopping at the offending shop, usually it just annoys them to be hearing, yet again, another event in the continuing saga of the 'wounded party'. 
The 'enabler'  is similar to the wounded party, except they (despite their protestations to the contrary) keep going back for more.  They'll complain at home, at work or anywhere else someone will listen to them, but, in the end, they keep going back to the same shop, for more of the same abuse, each time thinking, they won't do it again. They will even complain to the business, but, regardless of the outcome, they will be back for more.
The 'catalyst' understands crap happens and knows that the reason for a broken promise is often the result of poor communication.  They deal with the shop employees and failing a favourable result would then they take their issue to the shop owner.   After all, everyone is not going to behave as you would yourself and the owner may not be aware that they are breaking promises to their customers.  You really do want to give them the benefit of the doubt. 
So, where to start?
Scenario 1 - a promotion in a shop says 'buy 2 of a certain product - get a free recyclable bag.
Okay, you buy two and the salesperson says,"would you like to buy a bag for that?"
You -  "No, a bag comes with it, you respond."
Salesperson - "Oh, sorry, we ran out of bags for that promotion."
You - "That's okay, just mark my receipt and I'll pick one up next time I come in. "
Salesperson - "We won't be getting any more in, it was a promotion." Then, as you stand there, quietly, adds - "I'll give you one of our store brand recycle bags."
You - "Thank you."
Do you see what happened here - instead of ranting, "It's just a ploy to get people into the store," you've allowed the person serving you to come up with a solution to keep the smiling person in front of them smiling.

Of course, not all incidence would allow for an easy solution, but, one is usually available if both parties are willing to look for it.  No salesperson wants a confrontation with a customer and no customer should want that either.

Scenario 2 - a business you deal with all the time offers free in home inspection of your furnace for cleaning purposes.
Great deal - you call and the customer service rep asks you how many heating vents are installed in your home.  You tell them and they respond that your cleaning will be a certain amount.  You ask them - do they not have to come out and do an inspection?  No, apparently, the fee depends on the amount of time they would typically spend in a home, so they have broken down the prices to directly relate to the number of vents.   OK, you book a cleaning.
The cleaning crew arrives and brings in all their equipment and hauls it down to the basement.  Then, the crew leader comes back up and tells you how much the cleaning will cost, which of course is more than the stated amount.  You tell them you've been quoted a certain amount.  They respond by telling you that your system is more complicated than that and it will cost more.  You thank them for their time and tell them you will need to contact the company again and that you will not be getting a cleaning at this time.
So, what to do next?
You call the company (not the call centre as they cannot help you), who tells you that this is standard procedure and they (cleaning crew) do not know what they are dealing with until they come out.  You point out to them that this is exactly what you had requested in the first place (remember the free in home estimate you called about?) and they (the call centre hired by the company) had told you it wasn't necessary as they could judge by the amount of ducts in your home.  Then the company tries to tell you they don't offer free in home estimates as that would be too time consuming and costly, so, they just send out the cleaning crew.
Since you have the 'free in home estimate' literature in your hand, you point out that they are not honouring their word and not only are you hold said documentation in your hand, but it is also available on their website.
 
The catalyst doesn't whine and complain to people who can't remedy the situation.  They don't take broken promises lightly and sometimes extra time must be expended to ensure that everyone is honouring what they have said they will do. 
In the end it comes down to you.  What is important to you?  I've heard people say - "What's the use?"  This is very defeating and not only will there not be change, the businesses are not given the opportunity to change.
If you want them to do better, they need to know where they are not meeting your expectations.
Become a catalyst!

Impartial Observer

Allowing an impartial observer (IO) into an interview process is unique and expresses management's commitment to creating a dynamic team.
It's not always easy for employees to express themselves without the feeling of reprisal or repercussion.  Some companies allow employees to have other employees as their witness; although this may be allowed, it is not the optimum solution.  Another employee has an interest in seeing that they retain their own job and are not necessarily concerned with the other person.
Bringing in an outside IO requires a certain amount of trust and many an employer would not recognize the benefits.  But, those who have can boast a greater understanding can be achieved through the process.  Both parties are required to be at their professional best and yet both parties are able to express themselves more freely.
The challenge to this system is that it can sometime appear people are unable to work through issues without outside influence.
Don't misunderstand the power of silent influence, which is achieved just by someone else being in the room. The IO does not become an active participant, but simply by their presence their status appears to serve a purpose - that of witness.  A written report is developed post-interview and a copy is provided to each party, allowing them to examine their own action at a later date. Not all issues can be resolved this way, but, for the level-headed, it can prove to be a 'light-bulb' moment.  When someone realizes how they react under pressure or what they perceive as pressure, it becomes learning experience.
Some of the benefits of an (IO) include;
- the employee can speak their mind without fear of reprisal,
- the manager can rest assured their statements will not be misconstrued,
- the need for a mediator is reduced as each party has an interest in addressing the issues at hand,
- more emphasis is on addressing issues of concern for both sides,
- a mutually respectful resolution to an issue can be reached.
It would be wonderful if we could all interact objectively and fairly, but, this is not the case in most organizations.
Managers become managers for other reasons than their ability to manage human resources and may feel woefully inadequate when it comes to dealing with employees issues.
Employees have a distrust of management in many corporations and find themselves overwhelmed in the management quagmire.
At least two things happen when management and employee interactions fail and a recent post on Bullying will bear witness to this:
1.  Management takes on a 'because I said so' attitude , or  adopt the 'this back and forth is getting us nowhere' approach to meetings with employees.
2.  Employees learn their concerns are not being addressed and/or appreciated and they fail to see management as a resource in the future and they often take on an 'us vs. them' approach.  This will extend to other employees as well, creating a completely toxic work environment.
Neither of these is beneficial and each comes with its own downfalls.  Issues are never resolved and both management and employees feel threatened, undermined and frustrated.
Whatever approach you use, you should be mindful of keeping to the issues at hand and if an employee comes in with the company's code of conduct, don't be dismissive.  If they are taking the time to read the code of conduct, that's a good thing!  And if you are able to stick to the issues and use the company handbooks to illuminate your points, all the better.
Here's to a better future!

Ethical Dilemma

So, I had this discussion with someone this week over the course of a couple of days.  He was in a quandary about the ethics of some of his employees.  Basically, he couldn’t understand why someone he hired after an extensive interview process would attempt to commit unethical acts while employed by him.

Incongruity

I'm trying in my own way to apply the principles of leaving a reduced carbon footprint.  I recycle whatever I can, reuse veggies to compost; reduce the amount that goes to the local landfill.  I also buy recycled copy paper, try not to print what I don't have to and buy products that are lean on packaging, collect and contribute aluminum can tabs to worthy causes.
So, with all of this going on in my home, imagine how happy I was to see my city promoting cisterns and compost bins in a flyer circulated with the community paper.  I had long been thinking of buying a water collection system of some kind to reduce the amount of water used on the gardens - a good thing.  And, I could purchase a cistern through this promotion.  It's very satisfying to see your own city getting involved. 
And then, I read the small print - printed in the USA on recycled paper!   With that logic, I'm sure the cisterns and composters were made in China (only guessing here as I decided to boycott this offer on principle).
Now, aside from acknowledging the flyer being printed on recycled paper, I'm trying to reconcile the incongruity.  What dedication can the city have to this ideal when they can't even get the promotional material printed locally?  Let alone the fact that the city is paying out our tax dollars to companies outside the City - and the Country!
So, I can hear you asking what has this got to do with my business?  
Incongruity is all around us!
The city is collecting tax dollars from us as landowners and they are charged with spending it in a prudent manner.  The printer in the USA may be cheaper, but, there is a greater ideal in play - a message is trying to be conveyed to the citizenry and it's failing in a big way!  Not only are there printers available in the city (local - fits in with reduced carbon footprint), but, those very printers likely pay taxes to this city and are being given a 'slap in the face' when it comes to the city getting business done.  Simply put, it's a case of do as I say, not as I do.   
This is the very message we need in our work-a-day world.  What is the message and is it congruent with our code of values?  Are your customers getting mixed messages?

Bullying

Three years ago I had worked with a young woman, who had come to me for advice on her job. We'll call her Jane.
Jane was frustrated at work and after 8 years at the same company felt she had no option left but to leave he job for her own sanity. Since I don't ever advise anyone to up and leave their job without first examining their situation and/or without having another job to go to, I requested certain documents from her that would shed some light on what was going on. When Jane first approached me, she had just been placed on stress-leave by her physician. As a single mother, she already had a lot to deal with without being off work for any period of time. But, here she was - desperate to understand what was going on and why after nearly 8 years, she didn't seem to be able to do her job to her manager's satisfaction.
I've flagged the points that were of concern to me and reiterated Jane's assertion that her manager was being difficult.
First Flag! I asked her for her last three quarters performance reviews and we would start there. She came back with only one and told me her manager said the others weren't available.
Second Flag! The only review available was completed after Jane had been placed on stress leave and done over the phone with Jane. On the review, the manager had written, Jane refuses to sign review, however, earlier; she stated she had done it over the phone. I was stunned at the lack of professionalism displayed by her manager and that she would even contact an employee who was off work for anything other than offering her best wishes in return to health, was at best, improper.
Third Flag! For a manager who felt it imperative to call an employee who was on sick leave to complete a performance review, the review itself held little information. What information there was did not indicate any remedial action or training recommended to rectify the situation.
Fourth Flag! As Jane did not feel comfortable talking to the manager alone, when she was ready to return to work, she contacted her HR department and asked them if she could have someone in the meeting with her. She was told she could. The manager told her someone would join them, however, after the meeting was over and I was reviewing documents provided to me for my report, I discovered the person who sat in on the meeting, who Jane thought was her rep was actually the rep from the Insurance Company for the benefit plan. Not even close to being an impartial observer.
Now, three years later, Jane has left this employment. She has a new job and is looking forward to the future. She had to examine her options, produce a strategy and make a decision.  Although this is something some people can do on their own, Jane was wise to seek external assistance.  Not only did she get verification of what she couldn't verbalize, she was able to make a serious decision about her future and that of her family.
What happened to Jane is all too common. Bullying, is usually reserved for long-term employees and predominantly, women. One of the reasons for this is probably obvious - a new employee being bullied would quit! They don't have the time invested in the organization and they are less likely to put up with it. And, of course Jane fit the criteria, single mother, working for the company for 10 years.

Briefing and Debriefing

Briefings provide excellent opportunities for communication of execution details for the planned event.  This is not the time to start making the plan - communicating the how is what should be happening here.  Having your volunteer team understand the how and why of the event is important to their actions.  Answer their questions.  Better yet - ask some questions.  There may be some who aren't comfortable asking questions without an invitation to do so. Or, if they are new to your organization, may not know what questions to ask.  Anticipating this and preempting their issues could go a long way to ensuring you have experienced volunteers for your next event.
Follow-up the event with a debriefing as soon as possible.  More information is available while memories are still fresh and emotions raw (depending on their experience with the event).  For those who don't feel comfortable expressing complaints, allow them an anonymous submission avenue.  This is especially important if you are not planning to hold your debriefing session within the first week following the event.  If you provide enough methods to receive feed-back and have a system in place to follow-up, you'll probably get all the information you need to improve delivery for your next event. Use the information you receive to tweak your approach to either your event or your volunteers or both.  Retaining experienced volunteers while recruiting new ones is more preferable to starting from scratch with every event. Of course there are other reasons for losing volunteers as well, work, age and availability to name a few.  Whatever the reason, if we don't get a handle on the reasons we're losing our volunteers, we won't be able to reverse the trend.  If numbers of volunteers lost is significant, some services, events, community programs etc. could not be run and would be lost. Ensuring our volunteers are valued, their time is appreciated and their contribution recognized, is essential!