Building relationships that make us a better team.

Before I retired I had seven direct reports, department heads that got the most attention.    We had a scheduled meeting from me every two weeks so they could be ready to address issues, check on progress of projects saving us a ton of email back and forth. I had a list and they should have one as well,  3 of them were in other locations so we used the phone a lot.  Besides the list they were working on I would ask to tell me three things are working on and your biggest Challenge (which many times can be personal) with me asking them a lot,  How I can I help, or just giving support like if they are going through tough time at home.   Note I knew them very well and always started on family, hobbies, or personal challenges.  Remember that I get Friday reports every week from them too so I know a lot about what is currently going on both business and to some degree personal. 

At least once a quarter I traveled to see them in person with one location being in Florida which chewed up a few days but was well worth it.   I touched base with many other team members as I walked around our different locations.  At times striking up a chat with team members that were sweeping the floor,  which I would hear back later it made their day that I noticed them. 

 I like to talk to people, and its pay off is enormous as I have said before Electronic Communications is excellent for giving information but terrible for communication.  A 5-10 minute problem-solving call can fix so many problems while they are small, and save lots of back and forth by emails and you learn so much while continuing to build a stable relationship with them and let them know you care. 

Note the short calls, are  "I NEED HELP CALLS"  from my top people  which are not scheduled in advance. I tell them, call me anytime day or night and I will be doing the same when I need help, I want people that can solve problems as they happen and I need to be available to help them with issues that they need help with,  without taking their monkey. This attitude  and relationship empowers them as well.  If I am in an important meeting, leave me a message, and I will get back to you or call my assistant and tell her I will get back to you as soon as possible.  However, I do my very best to take the call at the time,  having them leave too many voicemails causes them to think I am to busy for them.  

If they are in my building, I will swing by and see them at least every other day for 5 minutes as a break from the desk. I never set down unless the chat takes off with problems solving needs. For those in the building, I tell them If it is very urgent to come to my office,  many come to my office and say I know you are busy, but I need help.  I tell I am not busy and my job is helping them, so please let's chat about what you have.   Inside I may not think this because of my deadlines or packed schedule, but I know this is the right thing to do. Plus if I am seeing them every other day for a drive-by chat,  it much be urgent as they know they will see me soon.

When I started this many years ago, I would often think this is a real time suck for me, and I would be saying to myself  "I am too busy for this."  However, after I figured out that if I help my people think about always solving problems themselves, teaching them how to deal with their Monkey.  They would learn to solve them, and these issues did not end up on my desk when they became big problems.  Which saved me much time and the company was better served, and we were all more successful, so when I looked at it like that, I am energized to do the above.  

Last thing and the biggest secret to this is, the only way to make time for this is to "Schedule It."   It does not happen on it own,  like all other essential things we do, if it does not end up on the schedule it must not be that important. 

Are they learning?

When we are solving people problems are they learning from it?   Have they spent time trying to address the problem themselves before they ask for help.   Are they taking the easy way out by going to others? 

Even if they make a mistake they are learning from it. Help them solve problems but don’t take them.

Joining the Family.

If your daughter someday brings a young man home and after only one meeting announces that they will soon be married, what would be your first reaction? Wouldn't you insist on having an opportunity to get to know him? Which means you will need and want more time for you and her?

Wouldn't a fair request to your darling daughter be, please don't rush into anything? With questions of: Are you sure you know him well enough? Do you know if his values match yours and that of the family? Will he be a good provider? Can he get along with all the other family members?

As Entrepreneurs aren't our companies a family? Shouldn't we have the same concerns when we invite a new team member to join our company/family? Will they fit and bring value?

What I have learned over the years is, take plenty of time when hiring. Get to know your candidates and allow them to get to know you and your culture.

If you take enough time during the interview process, everyone will feel much more at peace with the new person coming into the family if not maybe the marriage is not meant to be, in this case, it's up to you.

So remember to take more and plenty of time. You are building a family.

Values Part 3

 *Do not over share – Remember communications should be Audience Appropriate.

*Only talk to people that can fix the problem.  Anything else is GOSSIP and a waste of time.

*Loving confrontation cleanses.

*Catch people doing something right.  Appreciation refreshes people.

*Change salaries up quickly and down slowly. 

*Course corrections are the leaders job.

*Expectations that are not communicated are only a thought.

*Remember to handle things with Class, Humility and Dignity.

Values Part 2

*How can we expect our company to grow and improve if we are not willing todo the same?

*Silence is Approval.

*At the Root of every problem is a Person and most likely something unresolved.

*Talk about the Problem not the Person.

*Talk about the situation without using names.

*Does our Audio match our Video?   Does our Words match our Actions?

*No one likes to be lost.  Communications is the secret to the party.

*Everything that raises and falls starts with a leader.

*Leaders job is to review all of his team.

*Tell the Team what winning looks like. 

Values Part 1

*Treat others like you want to be treated. 

*Everyone deserves an answer. 

*Pass up your problems and your Praise down. 

*High quality organizations have high levels of communications.

*Turnover leaves a mark on everyone.

*Forgive yourself for hiring mistakes.

* You can never expect, what you don’t inspect.

*Check in with people.  Don't move in with them.

*Give others what they want and you will receive what you want. 

*To be unclear is to be unkind. 

*Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation.