What You Need

It cracks me up when an employee approaches me to tell me what he/she needs.  I know it shouldn’t, but sometimes it’s just too funny.  I got to be a part of a company once when someone asked for a nap each day, paid.  Funny, right?  Funnier still?  He got it.  Contextually, you can see why I crack up.  I have been asked for more money, more time off, more time on, to move another employee out of a department, to fire an employee who annoys others, to tell the CEO he/she stinks, to tap phone lines, to read emails, to reduce payroll across the board and not tell employees about the check changes in advance, to… You get the idea.  Craziness. 

Most times, I laugh.  I get up from my seat while laughing.  Place my hand nicely on the shoulder of the requester and laugh as I slightly escort the person out of my area.  I don’t respond verbally.  Just laughter.  I do this because if I let myself say what I would want to say, I would be out of a job.

What I know will help to alleviate many of these situations, though not all, is the connection to basic needs.  People have needs.  In the workplace, what can we do about it?  Ideally, we can address them and set them up for success.  It takes a little work.  It might undo a culture completely.  It might cause everyone to see how unhealthy things have been.  So what?  Productivity improvements are connected to the people we employ.  Set up standards that allow for goals to be achieved while motivating staff and meeting their needs, and you would be a hero.

So, what do people really want?

• Collaboration – the ability to work with others. Relationship is a natural desire of humans.  Some love it more than others, but we’re all wired for it.  Creativity, ingenuity and resourcefulness are enhanced through collaborative efforts
• Invested Leadership – seeing the leaders of the organization take an interest in the goings-on of a work group and/or an individual contributor.  A manager of a small group of employees portrays an understanding of the culture of leadership every day.  Leadership is to take a vested interest in the people it employs.  This gives employees an understanding of fit and of connection to the mission
• Viability in Advancement – is there really a chance to advance in the organization?  We often say that there is, but employees figure out rather quickly whether that’s going to be true or not.  The real trajectory within an organization should be evaluated.  Providing a path for real advancement in usage of skill sets, knowledge and relationship motivates an employee towards a sense of purpose
• Compensation – salary, commission, bonus, PTO, benefits, retirement, etc. are a reality of living.  Our staff have homes, apartments, significant others, families, a social life, vacations, holidays for which to pay and enjoy.  Compensation allows an employee to handle some of the bottom levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs so that the more analytical level is addressed
• Impact – simply, is what an employee doing impacting the purpose of the group?  When we challenge the status quo and (re-)introduce the concept of impact, we wake people up.  What each employee does allows a product to be delivered, a service to be given, or a resource to be offered while changing processes, enhancing knowledge and keeping the lights on!  The line worker who is placing four screws on the same piece on the assembly line is a superstar.  Those four screws hold something significant together.  No task or role is small

If you’re a leader, not matter how small your charge, sit with this list and evaluate what’s going on at your company.  Now evaluate what you are doing to move towards meeting these needs.  Be practical.

And I would be remiss not to point out that there is a grand difference between need and want.  An employee might ask for what he/she wants and try to cloak it as a need.  Rip the sheet off of that want.  Expose it.  Time off is a need.  Six weeks of vacation a year is a want.  Just because someone asks for it, doesn’t make it a need.

There are days I need people to leave me alone.  And then I am reminded that is a want.  So, now what?  Oh, I know.  I will rephrase it.  “I want people to leave me alone some days.”  That’s better.  Now, what do I do about the HR career and people thing?  Crap.

One Thing Leads to Another

As a parent, I have the articles and books that speak to the importance of structure in raising kids.  Some of it goes really far (like posting schedules of what’s going to happen every minute of the day…I need a little spontaneity!), but overall, the intention is clear.  If my kids don’t understand process, boundary and authority, it will prove to be a difficult life for them.  They will fight against “the man” most of their lives and waste the great talents they have.

In the workplace, structure is just as imperative.  Have you ever worked for a company that is a bit of a free-for-all?  Holy guacamole, is that frustrating or what?  I mean, who is getting stuff done?  I’ve watched employees meander from one cubicle to another discussing all sorts of stuff, whether work related or not, as if life is one big latte.  Even the professionals at Google and URBN have structure, people!  Not everyone is walking around with a dog, a cappuccino and a copy of “The Fountainhead” while wearing Toms (if you’re walking around work like that as you read this, um…sorry).

Process points to purpose.  Giving structure in various areas of duty, responsibility and performance shows care.  Employees want to know they fit and are contributing.  Honestly, they don’t really want to wander.  It does no one any good if an employee lacks the structure to do his/her job.  Further, it actually dumbs down the skill set he/she has.  Without practice and use, it will atrophy and weaken.

 

In high school, I was on the track team.  My favorite event to compete in was the long jump.  While I cannot say that I was the best on the team (because that would be a lie), I can say that I practiced daily.  I ran down the long jump runway into a pit of sand dozens of times each day.  I practiced sprinting so that my speed improved to catapult me further in my jump.  I practiced on hurdles so that my “ups” would improve for takeoff from the long jump board.  I lifted weights and stretched to strengthen those muscles needed for the in-air motion to extend my jump distance.  And I knew to do this because my coach gave me structure.  He led me and my teammates through the process of working out, through drills, through conditioning…in the cold, in the heat…daily.

Without the cliché, anything worth striving for has to be practiced and pursued consistently.  Michael Phelps didn’t just happen to win all of those Olympic medals because he has a few good weeks over 12 years.  He devoted himself to the structure needed to win.  Our staff has to be invested in similarly.  We need to have process in place for skill improvement, for discipline, for praise, for critique, for job enlargement, for job enrichment.  We can lead them through the structure of career advancement within our organizations.  We can offer resources to help them handle the processes better.

Having structure is not the enemy.  Having purposeless structure, however, is demotivating and can lead an organization to think the structure is the enemy.  What is the structure like where you are?  Does it need improvement?  Is it just not known and so a different tactic for communication has to happen?  Are staff members afraid to offer some process improvement?  Do they even know how to report improvement suggestions?

Perhaps you can take time this weekend while you are working out to think through one area that needs structure or needs it enhanced or needs it communicated better.  Yeah, I know, I am making an assumption that you’ll workout this weekend.  Maybe I am pushing you a bit.  Maybe it’s time for this structure to be placed into your life.  Maybe I will find myself back on the track this weekend working on my long jump skills.  Maybe. 

(Why You Gotta Be So) Rude?

Positivity is so…positive. When I am referred to as the warm, huggy HR guy (stop laughing, it still happens once in a while), I smile.  I mean, it’s certainly better than being seen as the obnoxious, pencil-pushing, rule-following, do-gooder HR guy.  And while I don’t think that my career has hinged on my positivity, it certainly hasn’t hurt it!

Yes, I’ve done the birthday parties, the collection of funds for the family of a recently deceased employee, the bridal shower, the retirement dinners and countless company holiday parties.  And you know what?  It’s okay.  I’m not Martha Stewart.  I’m not David Tutera.  I’m not on the panel of The Chew.  But, I am willing.

Approaching the fullness of the HR role with a willing, positive spirit invites others in.  It can opens doors for conversation and perspective-sharing that may not have otherwise occurred.  I have learned much from employees when we’re working on a project together.  Years ago, I worked on a “prom” being held during the summer for a group of temporary workers, as a thank you for their efforts.  It was hilarious.  Everyone went to a thrift shop and got awful tuxedos and bad bridesmaid dresses.  We laughed and laughed as pictures were taken under the balloon arch that we made.  And yet, one of the best parts of the whole thing was how much I got to know other staff who helped me get this craziness together.  We spent time decorating, making picture frame gifts for each employee, etc., which all allowed for conversation.  I learned so much about facets of the company, of process, of the good others were doing that I would not have had reason to know otherwise.

I know, I know.  Many of you are saying, “OK, Baldino, you’re always telling me not to just be the party-planner.  What gives here?”  My answer is that you’re right.  I don’t want you to be JUST the party-planner.  But that does not mean you shouldn't be a part of it.  An organization’s cultural improvement and enhancement is going to need leadership…that’s us, HR.  Don’t be afraid.  Love the chance to foster team through these opportunities.

And be authentically positive.  There’s so much in our world that is tough, draining, annoyingly compliant (if ACA, FMLA and the like don’t make you want to pull your hair out, you have issues).  Leverage opportunities for proactive organizational investment through positive approach with defined plans.  Too many of us walk into these opportunities with the look of “I have to” on our faces.  You won’t get the type of return possible with that kind of attitude.  Find the genuine reasons to be encouraged which will allow you to display the positivity needed.

Sometimes, the crankiest person in the department becomes your best friend after a shared experience.  There’s nothing like sharing hot dogs, beers and fries at a baseball game to bond people (at least for me).  Create memories, encourage camaraderie and set the mood for laughter.

Take stock of your demeanor.  I know how entitled you are to be pissed.  I get that most of the people you see each day suck the life out of you.  I am aware that you’ve had to cover the butts of people in the office for years.  Keep it in check.  Ever think what others are thinking of you?  Do you think you’re alone in categorizing and judging others?  Someone has to stop the carousel of negativity.  We are the cultural ambassadors of our organizations.

Take hold of that role and don’t apologize for the smile on your face.  No one should steal your joy.  I’m positive that you can do this (see what I did there?).

Magic Man

(by +Victorio Milian)

Like many people, I can appreciate a good magic trick. When I was growing up television specials featuring performers such as David Copperfield, Doug Henning, as well as Penn and Teller were regular events. And in New York City you can actually walk down the street and run across street performers doing some pretty cool things. 

Part of how a trick works is that its mechanics are hidden from the audience. Whether its card tricks or displays of disappearing damsels, part of the fun (and what makes the magic, magic) is attempting to answer the question, 

Most magicians, understandably, don't tell you how they performed their tricks. Part of it is personal--a unique trick helps to differentiate one performer from another. Part of that reasoning is financial. If you reveal too much the audience loses interest and they stop paying to see you perform. David Copperfield, aside from being a talented illusionist, was also a wealthy one. He had a vested interest in making sure no one could decipher his tricks, going so far as to sue author Herbert L. Becker to prevent him from publishing a book in which he reveals magicians' tricks, including his own. 

Aside from the above, huge part of why magician's don't reveal their tricks is that it ruins the trick. For all that the audience may want to know, there's a part of them that doesn't. Magic lies in the audience's willing suspension of disbelief. We know that people can't pull coins out of our ears, or that pretty ladies can't be sawed in half and still live, or that the Statue of Liberty really disappeared. But we're still delighted by the trick. Very few people (Penn and Teller and Ricky Jay are two that come to mind for me) can be transparent as well as entertaining. 

In the customer service world a lot has changed. Yet satisfying consumer demand hasn't, it's only increased. Consumers have a variety of different ways to gather information about a brand. And company's feel pressured to reveal as much about themselves as reasonable, lest others do it for them. "Engagement" is the mantra of today. Having a presence online (whether to provide information, interact with others, or to allow customers to shop) is an important and ever growing part of a company's strategy. Rating systems, customer review sites, blogs that are for or against a certain brand make it seem that, in essence, customers are less willing to suspend their disbelief. With the amount of information produced and disseminated online it's increasingly difficult for an organization to provide a magical experience. 

As a Consultant, I'm not providing customer service in the same fashion as a Barista at Starbucks. I do however attempt to utilize my knowledge, skills and abilities in a similar fashion for the clients I work with. They have demands of me that I attempt to meet, and I endeavor do so in a fashion that goes above and beyond simply performing a transaction. I also work with organizations whose focus is to provide services to a particular audience. So part of my mission is supporting the client's attempt at delivering a magical experience. 

What can organizations and consultants do to ensure great customer service experiences? Here are a few suggestions:

• Understand and focus on your strengths. Some magicians can perform a variety of different tricks. Generally speaking, many tend to focus on a particular form of magic. Some are illusionists, others are great at slight-of-hand, and still others are excellent escape artists. Understanding what your organization's position of strength is with regards to your target market will allow you to focus resources on building it.

• Get the mechanics right. Magicians practice their tricks repeatedly until they become second nature. And feedback regarding if it was successful is pretty clear--people either like it or they don't.

There used to be a hangout spot, a deli, in New York. And in the back room, all of the top magicians would come and meet, and every young magician would go and try to learn something. I met a magician there... and he showed me an incredible card move, and as he was about to leave, I stopped him and said, "Please show me how to do this." He was like, "Kid, don't waste your time—you'll never get this." But before he left, he showed me how to do it, and for the next six months—every day—I practiced it.

Kalush, who's one of my best friends now, taught me that even when it feels like you're not going to succeed and everything is crumbling apart: keep going. David Blaine, Magician

Organizations and its members need to take this to heart. Get the mechanics (of resolving customer complaints, of managing orders, or whatever customer related process you're responsible for) right. Only then do you incorporate the magic.

• Understand your audience and focus on their needs. Some people want to be treated special. They want you to know their name and how they like their coffee. Others just want fast, efficient service, particularly when returning or exchanging an item. This requires that an employee be able to quickly and successfully interpret and respond to a customer's needs. It's that understanding that makes or breaks the experience.

That deficiency is part of the reason why many people hate dealing with call center representatives. Many reps are trained to work from a script and may have little flexibility in deviating from it. Lack of flexibility can make it difficult to satisfy the customer, especially if presented with an unusual situation. This is part of the reason that Zappos get high marks for their customer service. Their representatives don't use scripts. In addition, they're empowered to resolve most customer issues without management approval.

• Give them something worthwhile. Magical customer service goes beyond the transaction. Delighting your customers isn't a simple equation (efficient service + being nice = magical customer service). If you are a hack no amount of effort can make the audience (or customer) love you. 'Nuff said.

Ignorance isn't just bliss, sometimes it's magical. However, in an increasingly transparent world, customers and clients are less ignorant. Be prepared to deliver on these changing expectations by understanding your organization's strengths, getting the basics right, understanding your customer's needs, and being able to give them something worthwhile. Then you should be able to consistently create memorable magic.

Nothing Compares to You

There is likely no more appropriate focus for business today than to deal with the idea of entitlement.  Our workforce is pushed to consider self.  And while it is necessary to consider self in the grand scheme of life, it does not equate to all policy and business direction being dictated as it relates to self.

In our schools, for example, we have acclimated to testing utilizing a variety of methodologies and techniques.  If someone is a poor traditional test-taker, then we have allowed them to verbally take the test with the teacher or demonstrate a mastery of the subject matter is other ways.  Now move that same student ahead 10 years into the workforce.  How many different ways are there for the worker to demonstrate his/her mastery of the subject (work)?  Most times, there’s just one.  We assess in specific, often singular, ways.  A product has to look and function in a certain way; even the service industry has parameters to stay within.

The point is not necessarily that we assess in various ways (though I would lean towards such a thought), but rather our workers are left outside of the process.  They then slip into a fight or flight mentality.  Turnover comes easier when I realize I can’t do the work the way you want.  I will leave, no problem.  If I am 24, I will find another entry level role.  I’m young.  No big deal.  If I am 44, I will find another role.  I’m still young enough (please don’t tell me that this is not still young…I might just breakdown).  No big deal.  Plus there is always unemployment insurance to assist me in the transition.

But, if I choose to fight, I will retreat to entitlement.  I will call upon the god of entitlement and its minions - accommodation, leave and disparate treatment.  How can I take care of me?  How has this work environment been unhealthy?  It cannot be that I am unable to do what’s required of me, but rather it must be how terrible it is here at work.

Sound familiar.  Let me hit that nerve even more.  How many businesses are living in fear of their employees?  What if they sue?  Complain?  Gulp…call the Department of Labor?  The organizations established to protect the American worker are viewed as the enemy of American business.  How did this happen?  Entitlement.  (There are real situations where a breaking of the law is happening in some companies; it has to be addressed.  Of course it does.  I am not swinging the pendulum too far the other way.)

So, what to do?

• Address it – don’t be scared!  Call it out.  Say, “We all come from a position of entitlement.”  Work through simple examples.  Don’t accuse.  Share general observations.  Let people laugh at you.  Let them laugh at themselves.
• Be transparent – as best as you can, share financials.  Let people know that the pot is only so big.  Yeah, I want to live at Google offices, too, but we can’t.  Who’s going to pay for it?  Once some more liquidity is in our hands, how should we spend it?  Which of these three options makes better sense in light of our financials and our mission?  Let employees engage!
• Coach – devise a plan to battle “me first.”  How do we call it out in each other without irritating the stew out of each other?  There is nothing wrong with asking a question about self, but is that the default position?  Demonstrate business acumen and meet your employee where he/she is.  Guide them through components of business decisions.  Long term, this will pay off in huge dividends…and I don’t mean just money.

I believe we are better than entitlement.  We have to be.  Our business cultures, our family units, society as a whole needs us to move beyond this perspective.  When we see it, we have to take action.  Healthy, lasting business development comes out of a functional belief in the work to be done and the integrity it takes to do it.  Encourage pride, speak to the struggles and affirm correct competencies.  We are more than one.