That One Bad Hire Just Cost You $250,000

Our new Bad Hire Calculator shows you exactly what poor hiring decisions are costing your business - whether it's one mistake or years of them compounding.

The world's best leaders already know this truth:

Jim Collins: "If I were running a company today, I would have one priority above all others: to acquire as many of the best people as I could."

Reed Hastings (Netflix): "High achievers are 10x better in creative work."

Mark Zuckerberg: "Exceptional people are 100x better than a pretty good employee."

The greatest leaders didn't build empires with average talent.  Neither will you.

Calculate what bad hiring is costing you.  Subscribe to Hiring Insights (free) and get instant access to the Bad Hire Calculator.

P.S. I'll show you the exact habits that eliminate hiring mistakes.

Stop Letting Resumes Fool You

True superstars, who are a well-rounded in their professional experience, behavioral soft skills, technical hard skills, integrity, and are searching for meaningful opportunities stand out from others. 

This is true even in the way they write their resumes.

Why?

Because top performers are committed to excellence in all that they do. 

Their resume may not totally match your standards for perfection, but you can recognize the ways they invest extra effort to present themselves accurately, honestly, and professionally.  Or not…

Every applicant has unlimited time to prepare their resume. 

Therefore, their grammar, format, and content should be correct, appealing, and 100% accurate. 

Here’s a quick list on what we look for in a resume:

1.   The format should be professional, and ideally, the design is nice. 

2.   No grammar or spelling errors. 

3.   A photo is nice, but is it current?  A photo that is 10 years old is a yellow warning flag. 

Either the person doesn’t maintain their information correctly, or they’re trying to communicate an inaccurate image of themselves.

4.   The information should be accurate. 

There shouldn’t be any significant differences between their resume and LinkedIn profile, or as you confirm details during interviews. 

5.   Consider their "home address."  How long will it take to commute to the job (with and without traffic)? 

Be prepared. 

A surprisingly large number of candidates list an address that is temporary.

6.   Does their statement of what they’re looking for match the position? 

You might be surprised how often this occurs. 

It is a clear yellow warning flag when you want to hire a salesperson and the primary objective on their resume is marketing or another non-sales role.

7.   Do their skills and experiences match the position?

8.   What is the length of time they stayed at each company on the resume? 

Ideally a candidate should be with a company 2-3 years, and preferably 5 years. 

We don’t agree with the generality assigned to Generations Y and Z that they don’t stay anywhere longer than a year. 

Find ones that do, and have a plan to self-motivate them to stay with you.

9.   Each career opening on the resume should explain results achieved and leadership behaviors, not general info. 

Look for certain words.  We are going to consider some examples in a moment, when we focus more on culture match.

Also, as they describe what they did in each role, per company, look for specifics about what they accomplished individually and as an active member of a team. 

Do they give appropriate credit to the team, or just claim all the credit for the results themselves?

10.   Look for employment gaps to discuss, all the way back to starting after they graduated from school. 

For instance, they graduated from college in 1995.  Why does their job history start in 2005?  Or, if they have more than a three-month gap between any jobs.  There may be a good reason.  Also, there may not be a good reason!

11.   Are they growing in their career, or stagnant? 

There can be a good explanation for career stagnation, or a leveling-off in their advancement. 

They may have had a child.  They may have found a position they love and didn’t want to change.  Or, they may have found a position that is comfortable and didn’t want to advance more at this time. 

The key is to notice the lack of advancement, and later discuss the situation so you know the facts rather than make assumptions. 

Knowing the truth helps you discern where they may fit best in your organization.

12.   Do you know anyone at their current or former jobs to call for a reference before the initial interview?

If so, then our preference is to contact them now if the person looks like a top performer. 

Don’t lose any time because the candidate is probably contacting other companies about their openings. 

If the person is a superstar, then we want to hire them before they get away.

13.  If listed, consider how their personal interests match your culture.

14.   If individual or team activities / athletics are listed, do they indicate the person is a good team player and/or a leader?

Focus the most on considering their current role and other positions they have held during the past five years. 

Take note of the jobs and experience over their entire career, but focus on where the player is today.

Try to assess how well the person is succeeding today because this is the momentum they are bringing to your organization.  

Contact us if you would like a copy of our free Hire the Best guide. 

Winning Words

There is another objective as you consider whether they are a fit with your organization. 

It is to scan their resume for words that indicate accomplishment and a culture match, or their synonyms. 

There are lots of articles on the Internet teaching candidates to use power words, winning words, strong words for resumes, or whatever you want to call them. 

We are looking for these terms to confirm a candidate is achieving results and is going to work well as a member of our team living out our values.

There are hundreds of possibilities, but here are 15 example Winning Words to watch for:

1.       Achieved, Accomplished, Won…

We want to hire people who achieve real results on their own and as a team. 

Look for specifics on what they did, what was accomplished as a team, and if a leader, how they led the effort. 

And… later during your interviews you must confirm if she/he achieved the results claimed, rather than it was someone else or they over-emphasized their contribution to the accomplishment.

2.      Improved, Increased, Expanded…          

Great team members and growing companies improve year after year systematically.  (Systematic Power is the first strand of 3strands LEADERSHIP.) 

Achieving regular results is important. 

Look for people who overcome problems, improve processes, and/or help people work together more effectively.

3.      Created, Initiated, Drove…

Has the person created anything from scratch or improved something? 

Was it so revolutionary that their contribution created new opportunities for the long-term success of their organization? 

Ideas are great, but not always profitable. 

Look for creative people who can apply their ideas for the greater good. 

4.     Team, Shared, Contributed…

Are you hiring the Lone Ranger or a team player? 

If the team player, then look for indications the person has worked effectively on teams, mentored others, and built lasting positive relationships. 

Do they credit others in their resume and interviews, or just themselves? 

Another consideration:  Ask about turnover on their teams. 

Discern if they contribute to high retention or turnover.

5.     Developed, Skills, Ability…

Everyone looks at "hard skills." 

These are the technical skills needed to fulfill the responsibilities of the role.  Be wiser than that. 

Do not stop there. 

Look for how the person is developing their soft skills. 

Soft skills or emotional intelligence ("EQ") are how you act rather than what you know. 

Examples of "soft skills" are attitude, manners, collaboration, problem solving, conflict resolution, documentation, time management, and communication.

Know the soft skills you want in each position. 

Look for the person to demonstrate these soft skills in your interviews.

You get the idea, right? 

Winning Words indicate a candidate is focused on results, or is simply good with grammar. 

We’ll find out later, but right now we want to confirm they appear to be a top performer. 

Winning Words or a piece of the puzzle.

What About Failures?

We think it’s good news when a candidate lists some failures on their resume. 

This is particularly true when they explain what they learned from it, and then list something that demonstrates they applied what they learned to do better the next time. 

It takes courage, candor, and integrity to list a failure on your resume.  Or foolishness, if the failure is not explained professionally and connected to success.

Some failures are more valuable than success. 

The reason is sometimes success just happened because someone was in the right place at the right time and they didn’t make any major mistakes.  Success just happened without them having to work through much difficulty. 

Other times, success happened because someone or something else in the organization was driving the success and the person was simply participating in it. 

After both these situations, the person may know how to ride success, but not how to achieve results amidst chaos, confusion, or adversity. 

Our experience is someone who has failed can be more valuable than an individual who is in the right place, at the right time, with the right team. 

However, this is only true when the candidate can explain what they learned from it, how they avoid similar mistakes as a result, and can provide evidence of succeeding amidst similar challenges.

We believe top performers have experienced some failures along with their successes.

How strong is your hiring process? Take one of our free assessments to double-check your answer: Take Assessment

Save Time - Options to End the First Interview

Many hiring coaches are great at asking creative questions and facilitating an engaging conversation, then fail at closing the interview conversation productively.

By the end of the first in-person “core” interview workout, the player either seems like a good fit or they don’t. There’s not much middle ground.

If they don’t feel like a good fit, ending the first core hiring workout is simple.

You thank them for their time and wish them a good rest of their day.

Later you email them to explain we have other more qualified players.

However, when a player seems like a good fit, then you want to keep the momentum going.

Next Core Workout

Before you end the current core workout, schedule the next time to meet with the player.

Text and/or Chat

We do not recommend you text/chat a lot.  However, when appropriate, you can engage with players in-between your core workouts via text or chat.    

There are two benefits this approach:

1.  Done properly, the player feels valued as you reach out to them in-between meeting in-person. 

2. You get to test how professionally they communicate via text or chat, including their grammar/slang, punctuation, formatting, and how quickly they respond.

A third option is to…

Reserve Roles

After the first core interview workout, part of the homework can be for the player to reverse roles during their second core workout.

There are two ways to do this.

1. You give them references, schedule their calls with your references, and let them talk with them just as you are going to check their references. The results are discussed at the start of the second core workout, before or after you share the results of your reference conversations.

2. An alternative is to encourage the player to run you and/or members of your hiring team through their own version of a hiring workout during your second core workout time with them. This typically takes place after you discuss the homework each of you were to complete, but towards the start of the meeting.

Remember, a critical, must-do objective in every interaction with players trying out for your team is to get to know the real person rather than whom they're trying to portray in their “HIRE ME script.”

Reversing roles for part of an interview workout gives you insights into three key areas:

1. What the player thinks their priorities are.

2. It tests their ability to prepare for and have a conversation, particularly one where they should be asking a lot of questions but not have it seem like an interrogation.  Do they ask good questions?  Do they ask good follow-up questions? 

3. Demonstrates a variety of soft skills necessary to succeed on your team.

This reverse interview workout often helps confirm whether you and your team are a good match for her/him, your synergy with her/his career objectives, and how you/your team can help them grow.

During this portion of your hiring tryout, carefully observe how the player prepares, behaves, and communicates.

Be intentional, yet fun. Do not be too casual.

This exercise has value when you work it.

A fourth option is to do a…

Third-party Interview

As part of, or soon after your first or second in-person core workout, hire an experienced contract hiring coach to talk with your top player before their next core workout .

Why?  

The outsider has no emotion or career capital in the decision.  They are not rushing to “fill a seat,” and should not have any bias except to discern truth.

Three common types of people might be more objective than you and your team, depending on their background and commitment to you:

1. It is rare but this could be one of your Board members if it’s a senior role.

2. Another rare option might be a peer in a similar company that is not a competitor. Maybe you interview some of their people and she/he some of yours.

3. The most common option is a hiring consultant, who has been a leader.  We make time in our calendars weekly to interview players for Clients.  Our hiring workouts can include scouting a player’s:

   a)   Resume:  We complete a scorecard that thoroughly analyzes the players resume..  

   b)   Online profile:  We complete a scorecard that researches them online to confirm they appear to be someone a good character.

   c)   Talent Assessment:  After a player has completed their first or second core workout with your organization, then we recommend they complete a Manage 2 Win Talent Assessment.  This confirms conclusions gained from their interview workouts thus far, compares their behaviors, driving forces and competencies to the needs of the role, and assesses how well they fit with your company culture.

   d)   Core workout:  Often our Clients hire us to lead an interview workout with the player whom they feels a good fit for their team.  We assess their Talent Assessment and mindset in relation to the open position and our Client’s company culture. 

We then compile a report on our conclusions of the player's strengths and weaknesses, including our recommendation to hire, or not the person.

A fifth option is a…

Reference Check

There are benefits to initiating a reference check with strong players after their first core workout.

In particular, reference checks do not take a lot of time. If they’re positive, then it validates decisions to continue to consider the player.

If one or more references are negative, it saves a TON of time by cutting the player from your hiring tryout.

Remember, what is our #1 objective when interviewing?

It is to protect your time!

You do not want to waste time with players who are not going to succeed in your organization.

References give new information to consider.  

When you get good at them, reference checks can expand your talent community to recruit more people, and references can suggest additional players to consider.

Therefore, ask the player for references.

One option is to require them to schedule your conversations with their references so you can complete them before her/his next in-person tryout as part of their homework.

The sixth and final option we suggest you consider is to do a...

Background, Credit, and/or Drug Check

Some of our Clients prefer to do a background check, credit check, and/or drug test of top players before they have assigned offer.  Be careful.  This is illegal in some states.

It should not occur often, but when you do a background check earlier then it can expose a great actor. 

It costs about $125 for a thorough background check.  We recommend  is a wise investment if a person’s first in-person tryout convinces you they may join your team.

We have an excellent background check partner if you need one.  Contact us for more information. 

Always ask a player:  "By the way, as you may have noticed on our application, we do a background check on all players.  Is there anything that might turn up in your report that you want to explain now?"

It’s most common for players to confidently claim their background is clear, and it’s “no problem” for you to check them out.

Recently I talked with a Client who had this situation with a player.

He mentioned they do a background check after they have fully concluded their first in-person tryout process.

The player confidently said, “No problem,” there was nothing to worry about.

The guy’s background check had three B&Es.  

Do you know what a B&E is?

It means, Breaking and Entering, as in robbery.

Do you want that guy on your team?

We advise all our Clients never to hire anyone without a background check.

It should not be a question of whether you do a background check, but WHEN to do it in your qualification process:  After a core workout, or immediately after they signed your offer letter, so you have the results before their first day of employment with your company.

If you want to run a background check on someone before they’ve signed your offer letter, then first confirm you can legally do so in your state.

Next, have something written that gives you their permission to do the background check.  Maybe you ask them to complete a job application that states that no one can be hired without completing a background in a reference check.  Maybe you confirm via email.

Even if you have something written that confirms you have their permission to do a background check, verbally ask them if they want to discuss anything that might turn up in their background check report before you do so.

In conclusion

We just covered a lot.  Consider which of these options work best in your organization, but never allow someone to start on your team unless you have completed a thorough background check.

P.S.  Make certain to ask us what we require in our background checks.

How strong is your hiring process? Take one of our free assessments to double-check your answer: Take Assessment

Die With Your Boots On

The 2003 classic, Secondhand Lions, tells the story of an introverted young boy (Haley Joel Osment) who is sent to live with his eccentric great-uncles (Robert Duvall and Michael Caine) on a farm in Texas. 

In one scene, Hub, played by Robert Duvall, gives advice to the young boy.  It applies to all of us today.  Here it is:

“Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most.  That people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything;  that power and money, money and power mean nothing;  that good always triumphs over evil;  and I want you to remember this, that love… true love never dies.  You remember that, boy.  You remember that. Doesn’t matter if it’s true or not. You see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in.”

This is great advice for every one of us.  Let’s break it down:

 “Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most…” 

In other words, some things must be at least partially taken on faith, such as faith in God, belief in ourselves, and hope for tomorrow.

 “That people are basically good…”

There are bad people in this world.  There always will be.  Mostly, they are just wounded with unresolved fears.  To live in peace, community, and safety, we must always believe that at our core, people are good even when their behaviors range from disappointing to horrific.

 “…that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything…” 

We don’t hear the word honor very often anymore.  Do you even know what it means? 

Dictionary.com defines honor as “honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions.” 

In the world of the self-centered world where we live today, it’s rare to engage with someone who consistently demonstrates honesty, fairness, and integrity in their beliefs and actions.  Then again, it depends where you spend your time and with whom you associate.

How would you define courage?  We hear the word and think simply about bravery, but it’s much more than that. 

The Cambridge dictionary defines courage as “the ability to control fear and to be willing to deal with something that is dangerous, difficult, or unpleasant.” 

All of us can think of something in our communities, nations, or globally that is wrong, but we’re too busy living our own lives to do anything about it.  A person of honor encourage would at least do something…

And what about virtue?  We probably haven’t heard about virtues since William Bennett’s book titled, The Book of Virtues.  But I’m dating myself.  That was published in 1996, 28 years ago.  Most of you have probably never heard of it.

What is a virtue versus a value?

Here is my definition:  Values are things that people intellectually consider important, based on their beliefs.  In contrast, virtues are habits that people practice and master.  Virtues demonstrate what our true values are. 

When Hub talks of virtues, it’s clear that he means good, moral character lived out through our words and actions.

 “…that power and money, money and power mean nothing…” 

It’s true.  Money and power can be nice, but relationships are our greatest asset.

 “…that good always triumphs over evil…” 

Again, ultimately true.  There are seasons that can extend into hundreds of years where evil is in power.  Yet, courageous good character always returns to protect, provide, and enable people to prosper.

 However, this is an ongoing spiritual battle that is played out in our individual lives, families, communities, and nations.  When beaten, evil never gives up.  It only waits for another opportunity to attack.

 “… and I want you to remember this, that love… true love never dies...”

Jesus only gave one command:  Love one another as I have loved you.

True love never dies.  It is one of, if not our only most valuable asset.  True, honorable, sacrificial, courageous love is something we all seek. 

“You remember that, boy. You remember that. Doesn’t matter if it’s true or not. You see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in.” 

Hub’s character encourages us to believe in something that’s good and true, even when some of the facts might be missing. 

What do you believe in that meets Hub’s challenge?

One final note…

Another great teaching from Hub was when he encouraged us to die with our boots on.  It meant we live gratefully, courageously, lovingly, and fully to the moment our heart stops. 

Never stop embracing what Hub states above.  We end strong, demonstrating good character as we encourage, protect, and steward our resources for the benefit of future generations.

What is one thing we can do today to live part or all of Hub’s speech above?

Maybe today’s a day we give someone a hand up, instead of a handout… or

We defend someone who cannot defend themselves… or

We gain wisdom… or

We live gratefully in the present, embracing our blessings for the moments we can.

Be blessed, my friends!  It’s a new day!  Let’s rejoice and be glad in it… before it’s gone.

How strong is your hiring process? Take one of our free assessments to double-check your answer: Take Assessment

Jeopardy Team-Building

How can you combine team bonding, education, and training?

And laughs?  Lots of laughs!

Ryan McFarland, Service Desk Manager at Vertikal6 had a solution.

Every Friday he created questions to lead a Jeopardy game for his team of help desk techs.

The winner got a $25 gift card, but that was not the primary motivation.

The main draw was the friendly competition and laughter.

Here’s how he formulated the questions:  Ryan chose a different Client every week.

He researched the Client’s recent tickets to develop 30 questions, plus one bonus question based on the actual services provided.

Ryan also developed three wrong answers for each of the 30 questions.  This way instead of only a question being displayed for the contestants, the question plus four possible answers were revealed.

His people loved it even more than traditional Jeopardy because they all could compete to choose the right answer first.

Yes, it takes some work.  However, Vertikal6 has an incredibly strong culture and building each other up while having fun is an essential ingredient.

Ryan loaded the questions and answers into www.playfactile.com, which provides a similar interface to the Jeopardy game show. 

This creates 6 columns with five questions each, ascending in value as you work your way down the column. 

The game typically takes 20-30 minutes and his team of millennials loved it.

Wouldn’t you?

Consider the benefits:

1. Everyone on the team learned more about a Client so they can serve them better.

2. Laughter and friendly rivalry bonded the group.

3. The leader (Ryan) set an example that having fun is encouraged when it’s positive, productive, and respectful.

4. The cost is $25 plus about two hours of someone’s time weekly to set it up.  (Researching some Clients takes longer.)

5. When Clients that have been the focus of the game call in for help, the service they receive is more consistently excellent and personal.

Vertikal6 continues to be a rapidly growing, highly successful, advanced IT solution provider.  They have doubled in size since we worked together a few years ago. 

The company has been recognized as a Best Place to Work in Rhode Island.  

They provide superior services in their region because they get “the people” right (culture).

When we offered it, Vertikal6 sent every new manager through our Manage 2 Win Certified Leader program.  However, we are just a piece of their organizational success. 

Their leaders get the credit for their growth and culture.  It starts with Rick Norberg, the founder, who is a visionary.  Harry Curran, his right-hand man who runs operations, is a down-to-earth, humble leader. 

They hire carefully, give their leaders a lot of authority and opportunity, work diligently with their teams, and have built a culture where everyone embraces excellence.

You may not be able to match vertikal6’s growth rate or culture, but why not start with this game? 

It’s a winner.

Laughter echoes in the halls of every great organization.

Why not yours?

How strong is your hiring process? Take one of our free assessments to double-check your answer: Take Assessment

Greed Kills Performance

Ideally, everyone has a combination of compensation they receive for showing up to work (base salary and benefits), plus incentive pay in addition to that. 

We want 100% effort and zero excuses.

We suggest your company pay people fairly – and without limit - based on their performance. 

Pay your people with a purpose. 

We call this incentive pay, but it is also referred to it as “total pay,” “variable pay,” “synchronized pay,” and/or “pay for performance.” 

It has been estimated that 80 percent of companies offer some type of pay-for-performance program, which is a performance-related award that must be re-earned each year and does not increase base salary.

WARNING:  Do not be greedy.  Define a plan where your Company makes more money when your people perform better and then be grateful when they earn more… even a lot more, because that means your company is also earning significantly more. 

Always introduce a new incentive program as a pilot.  This sets the expectation that it is a test, not a guaranteed program for the foreseeable future. 

During the pilot, you guarantee their current full income if you are adjusting their base pay down and shifting those dollars into part of their incentive pay.

Here is an example of how greed corrupts incentive pay. 

The Harvard Business Review had a story about a division within a Fortune 100 company that tried an incentive pay plan. 

The managers launched a program of team goals coupled with team-based pay with three possible levels of reward. 

The managers projected that 90 percent of the teams could reach Level 1, 50 percent could reach Level 2, and only 10-15 percent reach Level 3 (the highest).

For the first six months, everyone loved the system and worked harder than ever. 

The result was the majority of teams reached Levels 2 and 3. 

The company benefited from greater productivity and probably profits. 

However, the compensation that had to be paid was greater than expected by the managers.

The managers had no intention of rewarding people for improved performance but just wanted to pay less for weak performance. 

Rather than compliment the employees that reached Levels 2 and 3, the managers adjusted the goals upward to unreachable heights. 

Too many of the objectives were affected by situations out of the control of workers, so the goals could not be achieved. 

Workers became upset and disillusioned. 

Shortly thereafter the managers killed the system. 

Apparently, their core objective was not to pay people more;  it was only to work people harder.

The foundation of any incentive pay plan is trust. 

Employees must trust management to pay as promised and give them authority that matches their responsibilities so they can achieve results.

One example of a dynasty built on incentive pay is Nucor Steel, the largest steel company in the world. 

Employee relations at Nucor are based on four simple principles:

1. Management is obligated to manage Nucor in such a way that employees will have the opportunity to earn according to their productivity.

2. Employees should feel confident that if they do their jobs properly, they will have a job tomorrow.

3. Employees have the right to be treated fairly and must believe that they will be.

4. Employees have an avenue of appeal when they believe they are not treated fairly.

The amount of incentive pay is determined by the minimum employees are paid to show up at work and how well they achieve clear, measurable financial results individually and/or as a company. 

If your base compensation is lower than average, then your incentive pay can be much higher. 

For instance, some Nucor incentive pay is 80-150% or more of an employee’s base pay.

Our Company believes everyone needs to commit to 100-zero performance:  Each of us takes 100% responsibility to make our Clients and coworkers happy, and there are no excuses.

The payout of our incentives is by the end of the month following the close of the incentive period (month, quarter, or year).  

For example, your Q1 incentive is paid by the end of April.

The key to a successful incentive pay program lies in finding a balance between fair compensation and performance-based rewards.  It's important for companies to create these programs with transparency and integrity so that employees trust the system and are motivated to perform well.

Nucor Steel's example demonstrates how transformative the results can be when management genuinely supports their employees' efforts.  On the other hand, when greed overshadows fair compensation, it leads to disillusionment and undermines the purpose of incentive pay.

By embracing a culture of 100% accountability and zero excuses, companies can cultivate a productive and positive work environment that benefits both employees and the organization as a whole.

How strong is your hiring process? Take one of our free assessments to double-check your answer: Take Assessment

Employee Separation Process

Every company should have a process to make certain every team member's conclusion of employment occurs in a manner that is positive, complete, and legally compliant. 

A primary objective of any separation process is to reaffirm to the departing team member that your company is a great place to work.  Why?  Because after they leave, the relationship is still important. 

Another reason is they talk about your team to others.  Sincerely maintaining the relationship motivates them to focus their comments on the positive aspects of their time with your organization. 

Start strong when you hire.  End strong when people leave.

I know of an executive who joined an organization and left after almost a year and a half.  No exit interview.  No message to his team members or any employees of his departure.  No goodbye.  No thank you for his accomplishments, which were many, including every objective he was assigned. 

This guy is a professional.  He strives to only comment positively or in a neutral way to any questions posed to him about his prior employer.  But their unprofessionalism and unkindness makes it difficult to feel good about the time he invested achieving the objectives they set and more. 

There are three parts to a clear, written separation process predefined by your organization:

1.  Team Member Separation Process guide explaining your process.

2. Exit Checklist to prepare for the Exit Interview and complete the separation process.

3. Exit Interview scorecard to confirm what occurs during that meeting. 

HR or a person senior to the departing employee’s direct manager confirms the proper separation procedures are followed each time a team member leaves your organization. 

Here are specific steps we recommend our Clients follow in their employee separation process:

Types of Separation

TERMINATION

Here are key steps when a team member is terminated due to poor performance:

1. DOCUMENTATION:  Review the documentation you have confirming the employee's performance is not acceptable, including how they have been warned in-writing and verbally of the consequences for not performing up to your standards.  Dates, times, descriptions of each interaction are important even if the team member did not acknowledge receipt in-writing.

2. NOTICE:  Prepare written notification (email or letter) to the team member explaining the decision.  The Human Resources Department or the employee’s direct manager drafts this brief letter in a professional manner using a standard company template that clearly defines the reasons for letting him/her go.  The letter is proofread by HR, the employee’s direct manager, and/or someone else before being delivered to the employee.

3. INFORM:  Verbally tell the team member first, then give them the letter during the conversation, or email the written notification immediately afterwards.

LAYOFF

The steps to layoff someone is similar to termination.  Step 1 is less important.  Your main focus is steps 1-2.

QUIT

Here are appropriate steps when an employee is quitting:

1. IN-WRITING:  The team member leaving must notify you in-writing of their decision and desired final workday.  If they tell you verbally, then require them to submit their decision in-writing before leaving work that day.

2. RETAIN:  Before accepting their resignation, have a casual conversation to discuss why they plan to leave.  Are they a solid role player or superstar whom you want to keep?  Do you think they may be making a mistake?  If so, then without pressure, reconnect them to the positives of staying on your team.  Try to convince them to stay. 

3. ACCEPT:  If you are unsuccessful in your attempt to retain them, then prepare written notification (email or letter) to the team member accepting their decision and confirming their last day. 

4. The Human Resources Department or the employee’s direct manager drafts this brief letter in a professional manner using a standard company template.  The letter is proofread by HR, the employee’s direct manager, and/or someone else before being delivered to the employee.

5. NOTIFY:  The team member should be told of your acceptance verbally first, then handed the letter during the conversation or emailed the written notification immediately afterwards.

Preparing Your Exit Checklist

HR or the team member’s direct manager reviews the draft Exit Checklist to confirm everything needed can be confirmed prior to the Exit Interview:

Here are common tasks to be on an Exit Checklist:

1. DOCUMENTATION:  Important information related to their employment is documented and ready for discussion.

2. PAYCHECK:  Accounting has confirmed the exact amount of the player’s final paycheck, including any amount that needs to be paid for unused paid time off and other accrued benefits.  If appropriate, this amount is confirmed by HR and/or the team member’s direct manager.

3. PROPERTY:  A list has been compiled of all company property the team member must return prior to the issuance of the employee's final paycheck.  List everything below other items to confirm in an Exit Checklist.  

4. NOTE:  Companies often legally has the right to deduct the value of unreturned Company property from funds that may be due (i.e., final pay, paid time off…).

5. SECURITY:  As part of your Exit Checklist, specify who must be informed of this employment change.  For instance, insurance vendors, I.T., whoever manages security access to company facilities, and a limited number of other parties.

6. REFERENCES:  For solid performers, prove you value them by offering to be a reference, provide a letter of recommendation, or endorse their skills and write a recommendation of them on their LinkedIn profile.

For someone who is being fired or laid-off, you may offer them free career counseling or job placement services to assist them in their next career move.

Exit Interview

All employees who end their employment with your Company are encouraged to participate in an Exit Interview with the Human Resources Department, a leader other than the employee’s direct manager, or their direct manager. 

Use an Exit Interview scorecard to confirm all details and discussions occur that are stated in your separation process.

1. LEARN:  Although not ideal, welcome these conversations as an opportunity to learn how to better serve your team members and provide the best possible place to work. 

2. TRUST:  These workouts are led by a “good cop,” who encourages open discussion of what the individual feels was good AND BAD, and what could improve with your organization.  It is a safe place to discuss their feelings and perspective, even when they are wrong. 

3. One approach is to simply respond to some of the answers with, “That’s interesting.  Please tell me more.”

4. BOND:  This is NOT an opportunity to argue or chastise a departing team member.  In contrast, every effort should be made to strengthen mutual respect, camaraderie, and sincerely wishing them the best in the next chapter of their career.

5. LEGAL:  Our Clients often ask or require employees to sign a separation agreement with their Company prior to issuing the player’s final paycheck.

6. WHEN:  Our Clients typically schedule their exit interviews 1-3 days prior to the team member’s final day of employment. 

7. FOLLOW-UP:  The reason for the additional conversation three months later is the former employee has had more time to think about their reasons for leaving.  They often provide additional insights into how your team can improve. 

Schedule the check-in for three months after their last day you’re your organization.

After the Exit Interview, the separation process should flow smoothly through the team member’s last day.

Culture Options

Most teams seem to have a strong culture when a player is being hired.  However, the way you behave when someone leaves your team confirms your team’s true character, culture, and commitment to maintain strong relationships with others.

Earlier I recommended you start strong when you hire. 

Here are some ways you can end strong when people leave:

1. Announcement:  At a minimum, send a company-wide email informing people that a valued employee is departing.  Recognize their accomplishments and thank them for their service.  Send this the morning of their last day. 

2. For a team member who is fired or laid off, send a brief email saying something positive about them as a person, and mentioning that they have moved on.  You sincerely wish them the best.  Send this after they leave the office their final day or the next morning. 

3. Meal:  The person’s direct manager or a small group may share a nice meal together to celebrate the departing team member, and their contributions.

4. Farewell Event:  Host a fun gathering for teammates to be with their departing colleague, with or without time for telling stories, expressing gratitude, and/or giving gifts or awards.  This can be a small or large group.

5. Legacy:  Superstars in the NBA, such as Michael Jordan and Pete Maravich have their number retired as a tribute to their championship contributions.  You can consider something similar. 

In their honor, you can:

• Name an internal award, program, room, building, or event after them.

• Create a memory book or video montage.

• Plant a tree.

• Invite them to join your alumni network.

• Keep them updated on major company news and events.

We encourage you to regularly take one or more of these actions to close your season with a player sincerely, positively, and respectfully.  It is important for your relationship with them, and reinforces you have a championship organization.

Separation Process Guide

Here is one way to close your Team Member Separation Process guide:

We strive to have a team member separation process that is efficient, respectful, and transparent.  One primary target objective is to equally support our departing employee and our organization during this transition.

We appreciate the contributions of every team member, and wish them success in their future endeavors.

Reach out to HR if you have additional questions. 

How strong is your hiring process? Take one of our free assessments to double-check your answer: Take Assessment

Avoid Red Flags

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Have you ever wanted to hire someone so desperately that you overlooked red flags in a player’s behaviors?

Have you slowed down when a “yellow flag” of caution started waving during your hiring tryout?  These warn you the player may not be able to succeed in the role.

We have all made these mistakes.  Let’s talk about what to watch for, so you catch these issues more often and have the courage to act upon them.

Here are common yellow or red flags indicating a player you thought was a potential superstar might actually might fail on your team.

For instance, when the player:

1. Says or does something contrary to your values. It may seem like a little thing, but may could be an indicator of a much bigger issue.

2. Is late or a no-show. Tardiness is often a habit, not a one-time mistake. Reasons for being late range from the truth to pathological lying.

3. Boasts, exaggerates, or gives excuses. When it sounds too good to be true, it often is.  I’ve had people crying, almost begging me to believe them and they were lying.  Let the facts be the “bad cop.”   Respectfully and empathetically focus the conversation on facts rather than possibilities.

It’s also a concern when a player cannot humbly discuss their failures, what they learned, and what they do differently as a result.  Another yellow flag is exaggerations.

4. Focuses too much on “Me – me - me.” Notice if the player has an unhealthy focus on themselves.  This shows up in many ways.  Some examples include comments that indicate an excessive ego, victim mentality, entitlement attitude, lack of giving credit to others, or obsessing about money and claims of offers from other companies that they are receiving.

5. Plays the “blame game.” Although a victim mentality is an issue with low self-esteem, it spreads toxins when their self-esteem affects their communications and actions.  Get players comfortable talking and catch when they attack others rather than empathetically explaining the problems of their current or former workplaces.

By the way, also notice if they mercilessly attack themselves.

6. Is inconsistent. For instance, the way they explain situations and people does not match their earlier comments.  Respectfully question inconsistencies to confirm you understood correctly and hear their response.

7. Has leadership gaps. When you’re hiring leaders, confirm their systematic approach to hire, manage, develop, and retain people.  Are they trustworthy?  Do they like to learn?  Great leaders establish a clear vision, define measurable TARGETs, hold themselves and their people accountable to mutually agree upon metrics, develop each team member to be their best, and respectfully fire those who are unable to meet their standards.

8. Are clueless.  They do not understand what they do not know.  Consciously or subconsciously some players trying out for your team are great actors, but it’s because they have an unrealistic conclusion about their capabilities.

Here are two drills you can try to confirm their awareness.  The first is to teach them something to see how quickly a player learns and can apply the knowledge they gained.  The second is short or more extended scrimmages doing actual or simulated work they would do in the open position.  These scrimmages can be discussion of typical scenarios or actual work they do on their own or with others.

9. Have poor listening skills.  A player can talk too much, be introverted or extroverted, or lack active listening skills.  However, two bigger concerns are when they quickly forget or misunderstand what is said, or they interrupt others.  This should never occur during an interview workout when they are trying to behave their best.

10. Are not engaged.  It’s a concern when a player is mostly silent during an interview workout, even if they are very introverted.  Maybe they didn’t study your website or they are not strongly interested in what you are saying.   Even introverts should demonstrate they can have productive two-way dialog and confirm their passions connect with your organization’s purpose.  It is hard to have a non-communicator succeed in team play.

11. Demonstrate red flags you’ve seen before. What behaviors from prior players trying out for your team confirmed they would fail?  Did the player demonstrate any of these behaviors?

12. Does anything wrong. After the first core workout, the screen, ask yourself if anything occurred that was unacceptable or might be concerning, and why.  Be realistic rather than quickly dismiss a negative you caught.  Always make hiring decisions based on facts, not an outcome you are hoping for that is unsupported by the facts.

Thoroughly teach, test, and train (our 3T Process) your hiring coaches to master strong online interviewing skills.  This also strengthens their ability to lead in-person interview workouts.

Leading interview workouts is a balance of preparation to confirm good and bad indicators without expecting rigid, flawless perfection.

If your hiring system is good but not championship quality, then reach out to Hire the Best.  We have a proven system to help you get where you want to go.

Why You Must Have an Internship Program Part 2 - Costs

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The Time is Worth It

Think again if you think you don’t have time to start and manage an internship program.

Interns help you hire great raw talent and fill gaps as you have turnover. 

Yes, you are very busy.

However, the time invested in a well-managed internship program yields huge dividends annually.

Time investment is as follows:

1. Program Development

2. Educational Institution Engagement

3. Recruiting

4. Hiring

5. Onboarding

6. Training

7. Managing

8. Mentoring

9. Ongoing Relationships

10. Program Evaluation

Don’t let this overwhelm you.

The actual time it takes your team to implement and manage an internship program depends on the number of educational institutions you engage, and how many interns you manage simultaneously.

Our Clients typically hire 2-4 interns at a time.  This shortens the time per intern for training. 

Recruiting Costs

It is standard procedure in many countries to involve a recruitment vendor in your search for top college students.

America is different, where most companies recruit on their own to avoid paying recruiting fees and remove middlemen from their relationships with potential college or even high school interns.

Recruiting is the Attract phase of Hire the Best.  Here is an overview of the time and expense involved when you are marketing, networking, and scouting for interns.

1. Marketing costs for brochures, advertising, recruiting fairs...

2. Time to develop relationships with educational institutions and appropriate professors.

3. Presenting in and/or supporting class activities.

4. Entertaining candidates.

5. Networking, always networking. 

Compensation and Benefits

Benefits are not typically offered to interns, except possibly paid holidays, because the relationship is initially short-term.  Long-term internships may include benefits depending on the hours worked, or when the internship morphs into a 20-30 hour part time role.

One exception is when the intern is not local to your firm, and you decide to offer a housing and/or relocation assistance benefit.

Compensation varies based on the laws of your nation or state, and the intern’s educational institution.

Some companies prefer to work with universities that require their students to do internships for free because the students are receiving class credit for the work.

In cases where interns are being paid for their work, there are no legal standards.   However, be fair.  You communicate a lot about your team by the way you compensate everyone, including interns, for their contributions.

Here are the most common intern compensation plans we have experienced and researched:

• One-half the rate paid to a full-time person.

• Rates as high as 80% for college seniors and 75-90% for graduate students.

Compensation is not the primary attraction for interns.  Top interns are primarily motivated by four aspects of working with your organization. They want to:

1. Gain career experience by applying and expanding their skills to make meaningful contributions, even at a low level, to actual client projects;

2. Develop their value as a career player for a future full-time position;

3. Feel accepted, as a valued team member; and

4. Experience your company’s career opportunities and culture, so they can consider future full-time employment with your organization.

Training

In most ways, treat interns like full-time members of your team.

1. Interns should receive the same orientation training you provide full-time employees because they are being held to the same standards.

2. As part of their orientation, they should have an employee strategic plan (“SP”) with draft target goals and development objectives.

3. Targets should be clear, measurable, and have scheduled milestones to achieve.

4. Development plans should have regular in-person mentoring activities.  They can study books and online on their own.  They want to be an intern to do real work, even if it’s entry level.

Have a solid plan and follow through daily to achieve each objective on schedule.

The actual financial costs to train interns varies based on the length of the internship and how your company prefers to develop the skills of each intern.

The bottom line is interns are a great way to hire top talent before the competition has an opportunity.  When you have a first class internship program, it positively promotes your organization to other potential players and clients.

If you found this interesting, watch for Internships Part 3 where we share potential negatives and positives, moving past stereotypes, and expectations!

Visit www.hirethebest.co to learn more about why you must have an internship program.

Why You Must Have an Internship Program Part 1

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Good People Are in Short Supply

The war for talent is real.  It is global.  It is getting progressively worse each year.

One issue is highly skilled, experienced workers are retiring in large numbers as they age.

The other issue is, quite frankly, most companies talk about their culture more than they actually invest in it.

So great people who could join your organization, are more inspired to consider other companies where they get more individual attention, growth opportunities, and can work better on teams.

The prediction that older workers will retire in great numbers may seriously impact your organization more than you realize.

Their departure hits you on the top end as senior, highly skilled, and knowledgeable people leave your company.

It also affects your hiring because finding people to make a similar impact can be challenging.

Plus, their retirement hits you in the middle as skilled mentors and intellectual property gurus are no longer available to develop less experienced people.

The Benefits of Interns

Internships are an ideal way to "test drive" young potential employees doing real work for your organization.

The students gain because they work in career-related positions for experience and skill development.

Employers win because they get to try out top-notch talent temporarily and then pursue a longer-term relationship based on results.

In brief, there are 5 key benefits that interns bring your organization:

1. Test Drive:  You can hire very bright, apparently results-oriented students yet still fail to hire a long-term employee.  Internships during the summer, other school breaks and/or during the school year give both the student and company opportunities to experience each other prior to making a long-term commitment.

2. Entry-Level Assistance:  Interns want to work on real projects yet lack the skills and experience with your products/services to take on full responsibilities.  Therefore, allow interns to contribute through small, important projects that should not be done by billable resources.  Structure their work as clear, measurable goals with specific milestones to confirm progress.  You get stuff done while the intern experiences meaningful work.

3. Candidate Pipeline:  An internship program is one of the most effective tools you can use to fully develop a pipeline of top college graduates to join your company.  Rather than just identifying potential talent, internships give employers a chance to see students in action on real projects so you can judge their true capabilities.

4. Networking Power: Interns that have a positive experience working for your company become evangelists for your organization on their college campus.  Enthusiastic interns promote your company to students, family, friends, other people they meet, and anyone else who is willing to hear about their future plans.

5. Hiring Plan:  Good interns work for your organization one or two summers, return to school in between, and then if you offer them a full-time position can start as an employee after earning their degree.

Identifying top talent that is serving interns enables you to better plan how you are going to meet your long-term staffing needs.  People who have performed well as interns become billable resources more quickly when they become full-time employees.

Does your organization have an internship program?

Visit www.hirethebest.co to learn more about why you must have an internship program.

What Are Leadership Essentials?

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Too often people get promoted to leadership without any training.  Then they struggle or fail.  It’s not fair.  They were good or even superstar team members previously.  

Why not train them on the essentials of being a great leader before and after they are promoted so they can thrive?

What are leadership essentials?

Here is a Goldilocks-length list of essential skills that we train in our Manage 2 Win Leadership Essentials 6-month training program:

1.  Leadership - We teach a simple yet powerful 3strands Leadership approach and the four management disciplines of how you hire, manage, develop, and retain great people.

2.  EQ / Emotional Intelligence – Leaders must comprehend – not just lightly understand – their strengths and weaknesses, and daily be growing.  This is required to be effective, efficient, sincerely caring, and a role model for excellence.

3.  Time Management - How to improve focus, deliver on time, and mentor your team to do the same.  This includes how you schedule time to do your best work, lead and participate in a lot of meetings, and communicate with others.

4.  Goals - How to define, pursue, and consistently achieve targets / objectives / rocks… individually and as a team.  This includes having an employee strategic plan (“SP”) for every player’s success.

5.  Engagement - Leaders must know how to fully engage each individual member of their team.  A lot of our work is coaching and applying what is learned in our Talent Assessment service to help people be their best and fully connected to meaningful work in their role and with their team.

6.  Workplace Drama - Leaders have to be role models all the time, but particularly when your workplace becomes “adult daycare” because one or more people choose to behave unprofessionally or there is other drama.  We teach how to avoid these situations and rapidly diffuse them when emotions run high. 

7.  PIP – Too many leaders fail to promptly and properly address poor performance on their team.   We teach a simple three-step approach that rapidly restores a good team member, or terminates one who cannot meet your standards.

There are other issues such as compensation, building company culture, team bonding activities, etc.  However, if you or one of your managers are weak in any of the areas above, then it is costing your organization thousands if not millions of dollars.

Upgrading a leader’s skills often increases the outcomes of their team by 25-100% or more.

A person can be born with leadership attributes, but that does NOT mean they have leadership skills.  Stop assuming your leaders are well-rounded or good enough.  Go for excellence!  To be their best, you must teach, test, and train (our 3T Process) leadership skills for years before and after your team members move into management.

If your hiring system is good but not championship quality, then reach out to Hire the Best.  We have a proven system to help you get where you want to go.

This blog was originally posted on Hire the Best on 6/4/24.

Superstars Don’t Fly Solo – Role Players

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Everyone has heard of Caitlin Clark.

The young basketball phenom recently led her Iowa Hawkeyes to the NCAA title match against South Carolina. To put it lightly, she is redefining basketball and women’s sports with her superstardom.

In the midst of this incredible run, Clark broke an absurd number of records, becoming the most prolific scorer in college history, men or women, eclipsing “Pistol” Pete Maravich with 3,951 points. Her list of records is too long to cover, and she has proven to be a superstar capable of not only carrying a team on the court, but financially as well.

Clark averaged 31.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 8.9 assists, and 1.7 steals a game.

The NCAA title match between Iowa and South Carolina garnered an average of 18.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched basketball game, men’s or women’s, professional or college, since 2019.

The Indiana Fever of the WNBA chose Clark as the first pick of the 2024 draft. 

Our Hire the Best System focuses heavily on hiring superstars.  They are vital to win championships.

Your Role Players

However, let’s consider another type of superstar:  The role player.

Clark’s success always depends on role players on her team.  These other talented players enable Clark to break records.  The seamless ways Iowa’s role players worked together as a cohesive unit with Clark enabled her to fully exploit her amazing talent. 

A role player is someone who is very good at their job, even a superstar in their role, but they do not have that extra touch of talent and mentality that a major superstar does.

For your organization, they may be indispensable workers who support your top players through consistent contribution. It might be the player who designs a stunning deck for your head of marketing to land a giant contract.  Another example is a player who generates tons of leads for your main salespeople to close.

Too often, role players are often the unsung heroes on teams.

In this specific scenario, they are the players alongside Caitlin, which helped win 34 of their 39 games and crush Gonzaga 103-74 for the NCAA women’s title.

Role Players Create Opportunities

Role players clear the path, stop the competition, and create the opportunities for superstars to do the work that only a superstar can.  They are also the glue that holds a championship team together.

For the Iowa Hawkeyes, one superstar role player this past season was Molly Davis, the 5’7” senior guard who started 27 games and dished out 3 assists per game while shooting extremely accurately from the field.

It was also Gabbie Marshall, who played a total of 166 games with Iowa, while starting 137 of them.  She played 30 crucial minutes per game in her final season with the Hawkeyes.  It seemed like every time Marshall hit an important 3-point shot, it was right after a pass from Clark.

It was also Kate Martin, who has been referred to as the “glue” or the “rock” of the team.  Martin was the third leading scorer for the Hawkeyes, along with her incredibly smart, steady and effective play.

It was also Hannah Stuelke, who was the second leading scorer for Iowa.  More importantly, Stuelke grabbed 7 rebounds per game, helping Caitlin carry the scoring and rebounding loads for periods of time.

Clark demonstrated leadership in being grateful for her team, and Stuelke in particular, when she said:

“This is what Hannah is capable of every night, I think it's just her confidence, believing in herself. I thought she made some big free throws. But yeah, I think she played really, really well and obviously that's going to be important going down the stretch.”

Great role players on Iowa’s team also included less featured talent like Sharon Goodman, who would box out key bigs (bigger, stronger opponents) on other teams and grab rebounds during her 10 minutes per night.

Each one of these players worked as one team, with one plan, and one goal:  To win championships.  These role players worked on common ground with Clark to leverage their strengths, so Clark could fully apply hers. 

Clark also recognized her team this way:

(…) The light shines really bright on me. But it does (on) everybody else and that puts a lot of pressure on them, too. They never shied away from the moment. They always had my back. They’ve always been very supportive...”

Make sure to fully engage your role players.  Hire them carefully, manage them diligently, develop them wisely, and retain them by connecting them to your team purpose while constantly reinforcing the fact you value them.

Role players are just as much a tipping point to your success as your superstars are.

Attract, Assess, Add

Here are some tips to help you successfully implement the three phases of Hire the Best.  These are the way your hiring tryout systematically can attract, assess, and add talented role players who complement your team:

ATTRACT

Identify Specific Skill Sets:  Role players excel in particular areas that create opportunities for your superstars to be their best.  Look for individuals with specialized skills that fill gaps within your team.  For instance, if your superstar is a visionary leader, then you might seek role players who excel in execution and attention to detail.

Define an Exciting Role:  This applies to all positions on your team, but especially for role players.  (1) Have a clear purpose that connects with the role players you seek;  (2) Fully define each role in compelling ways that appeal to your target players;  (3) Systematically scout for talent in ways that attract the right people, but not everyone gets past your qualifications.

ASSESS

Emphasize Team Chemistry:  During your hiring tryout, assess players not only for their individual qualifications but also for their ability to work collaboratively with your team.  Prioritize players who demonstrate solid team play that creates opportunities for other players as well as creating situations where they can contribute to your bottom line.

Prioritize Adaptability and Flexibility:  Role players often must adapt to changing circumstances and fill various roles as needed. Look for players who showcase adaptability, versatility, and a willingness to step outside their comfort zones to support the team's objectives.

ADD

3T: Teach, Test, & Train:  Once hired, develop your role players equally with your superstars.  Offer them a clear career path, mentoring, and regular opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills.  Teach them for knowledge transfer.  Test they can apply what they learn.  Train and mentor until they master new skills.

Recognize Contributions:  Demonstrate you value each player through your words and actions.   Celebrate their achievements, acknowledge their efforts, and rally each individual on your team.

Foster Collaboration:  Cultivate a work environment where collaboration is valued and encouraged.  Respectful feedback is safe and welcomed.  Anyone can provide feedback in positive ways.  Everyone is required to be receptive to polite feedback.  Collaboration requires transparency.

If your hiring process is systematic enough to hire the best, like Caitlin Clark, then make sure you have a superstar band of role players to enable your “Clark” to fully contribute to your success. 

If your hiring system is good but not championship quality, then reach out to Hire the Best.  We have a proven system to help you get where you want to go.

Every Company Needs a Powerful "WHY"

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Why do top players join one team over another?

Think about the relationships in your life.  There are reasons why you’re in each of those relationships.  It’s more than having something in common.  From family members to friends, each person in your life provides value, meaning, and security.  As an organization, you need to do the same.

I love using sports analogies because they do an excellent job of illustrating what happens in the business world.

So, why do NBA, NFL, or soccer players join teams?  Pro athletes have short careers.  Most are retired by 30-35 years old, and many don’t last that long, and many of them are done playing by the time they are 35.  So, if you are a top performer, then it is important to choose the right team at the right time.

Great pro sports teams and companies connect a superstar’s WHY with their opportunity.  They connect with the top performer’s heart.

Here is what it usually takes to lure in one of these whales:

1. Winning Culture:  Winners want to be with winners because people who share your passion and have a history of achievement help you get better and win championships.  They know they have a limited time to achieve greatness, and don’t want to waste years on an average team.

2. Team Culture:  Top players want to bond with others on their team.  They don’t fly solo.  Self-centered people need to be avoided because their short-term gains often turn into huge losses.  Match new players with your existing team so everyone feels valued, respected, and heard.

3. Coaching Excellence:  Superstars know they need great coaches to grow.  They want to play for coaches who have a proven track record of developing people to reach their full potential.

4. Location:  Some top players want to work in your office every day, whereas others want to work from home or travel part or most of the time.  Some may want to live in a particular city due to family, friends, or lifestyle.  Connecting on location can be part of your WHY.

5. Money:  Compensation is important, but it is secondary for the best players.  They want to be paid well, but they won’t gamble with a new team unless your WHY convinces them to leave the security of the team they’re on.

How do you apply this to your organization?

Here are three ways to connect with superstars on WHY they should join your team:

1. First, be prepared to tell true stories of why your company culture is awesome and will value new team members for their contributions.

2. Second, have more examples or before-and-after stories that paint a compelling picture of how your company is improving the lives of your customers and how a new superstar’s work will contribute.  This includes stories where your team failed, or performed lower than you would like, but the superstar can be the team-oriented catalyst to a better result.

3. Third, put the players’ wants, needs, and aspirations first as you engage them in your tryouts.  What will they gain by joining your team, and how will they grow in the future?

Creating a strong WHY for potential players convinces top talent to consider leaving their existing team for your opportunity.  It is a requirement for you to continually develop and maintain a championship team.

How strong is your hiring process? Take one of our free assessments to double-check your answer: Take Assessment

The Top 5 M2W Podcast Episodes of All-Time

As we take a break to reflect and recharge, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate our most popular episodes ever on The Manage 2 Win Podcast.

From meditation to sales to politics, this list has a bit of everything. You will find candid conversations with entrepreneurs that have developed habits and strategies to catapult their business to success. You will hear stories of personal growth, prison time, and family.

#1

#23 - Yoga and Meditation for Business, with Travis Eliot

July 3, 2019  |  13,600 views on YouTube  |  159 audio downloads

Travis discusses mindfulness, the difference between yin and yang yoga, how yoga and meditation can be beneficial for everyone, especially business people, and how one of the most violent inmates in a Maine prison became a yoga fanatic.

Listen to the episode →

#2

#47 - A Candid Review of the Entrepreneurial Operating System

November 25, 2019  |  3,500 views on YouTube  |  117 audio downloads

Luis Alvarez shares the story of his introduction to the book Traction and his company's implementation of the Entrepreneurial Operating System, commonly referred to as EOS.

Alvarez Technology Group has been in business for 20 years but they've encountered a radical improvement in their operations by adopting the best practices laid out in EOS. 

Listen to the episode →

#3

#19 - Write-ups & the Performance Improvement Process

May 31, 2019  |  1,400 views on YouTube  |  43 audio downloads

In this episode, David shares a few stories of clients who failed to properly correct employee behavior with a PIP, then goes on to describe what a PIP is, why it is important, and how to implement it.

Listen to the episode →

#4

#139 - America's Second Civil War, and What To Do About It

July 8, 2021  |  505 views on YouTube  |  115 audio downloads

Peter warns America’s current civil war has consumed our identity, and it’s time to reclaim it. We must break our addiction to the misinformation, fake news, and selfish political agendas we digest on our various media platforms and other content sources.

Instead, let’s focus on unity. What do we have in common, rather than what divides us?  Peter’s new book, The Second Civil War: A citizen's guide to healing our fractured nation advises us on how to return to our life’s purpose and who we really are, as we work together to regain our national pride

Listen to the episode →

#5

#9 - How to 10X Your Sales, with Amanda Holmes

March 7, 2019  |  574 views on YouTube  |  21 audio downloads

Amanda Holmes is CEO of Chet Holmes International. CHI has helped over 200,000 businesses get to the next level with 12 core competencies for doubling sales. They offer the best-selling book, The Ultimate Sales Machine, written by their founder Chet Holmes.

When Chet passed away at the age of 55, Amanda took over the company. Her story and sales advice have been featured in Inc. Magazine and the Entrepreneur Weekly podcast, as well as many other prominent blogs, shows, webinars, and events.

Listen to the episode →

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5 Ways to Become a Great Leader, What You Can Learn from Phil Jackson

Phil Jackson is often recognized as one of the most outstanding leaders ever.
Renowned for his unparalleled success as a coach in the NBA, Jackson's impact went beyond championship titles.  

His leadership, characterized by a transformational style, mindfulness, and always fostering unity, reshaped the conventional thinking of coaching and catapulted him into the realm of legendary leadership figures.  Through his exceptional ability to cultivate an individual´s potential while establishing a collective sense of purpose, Jackson's legacy offers invaluable insights for those seeking to elevate their own leadership prowess and leave an enduring mark on their teams and organizations.

Through his autobiography, Eleven Rings, we get the opportunity to take a deep dive into his brain, memories, and experiences, to further explore what made him such a winner.

Here are 5 practices that made Phil Jackson an extraordinary leader.

By Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA - RO9A3387, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6223045, modified

1. Creating a Shared Vision of Success

"I flashed back to 1989 when I took over as head coach and had talked to Michael (Jordan) about how I wanted him to share the spotlight with his teammates so the team could grow and flourish. In those days he was a gifted young athlete with enormous confidence in his own abilities who had to be cajoled into making sacrifices for the team.

“Now he was an older, wiser player who understood that it wasn't brilliant individual performances that made great teams, but the energy that's unleashed when players put their egos aside and work toward a common goal... Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the 'me' for the 'we.'"

– Phil Jackson

Phil was lucky to be on teams with some of the greatest basketball players ever.

Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Shaquille O'Neal, to name a few.

However, you don’t win 11 championships without having an intense understanding of how to lead and succeed.

He figured out that the formula for creating a great team included molding a group of individuals into a cohesive unit by fostering a collective commitment.  Phil understood that selflessness, trust, and a desire to play for your tribe instead of yourself would inevitably put his team in a position to win.

After the Bulls won their first 3-peat (3 straight championships), Phil alluded to a schematic model borrowed from the book, Tribal Leadership. He stated that by winning those three championships, the Bulls had gone from a Stage 3 team (“I’m great, you’re not”) into a Stage 4 team (“We’re great, they’re not”).  What made them a great team was the belief that THEY were great, not that each individual player was great.

2. Transformational Leadership

Transformational leadership is defined by Langston University as:

“…a leadership approach that causes change in individuals and social systems.  In its ideal form, it creates valuable and positive change in the followers with the end goal of developing followers into leaders.”

An example of this approach is Phil’s work with Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.  Jackson's guidance in employing mindfulness techniques helped Bryant navigate high-pressure situations and hone his emotional intelligence.  By the end of his career, Kobe was recognized for his unparalleled mental fortitude on the basketball court.  Jackson's commitment to nurturing players' personal growth, along with their athletic ability, showed the essence of transformational leadership that extends far beyond sports.

One of the aspects that made Phil such an exceptional leader was his ability to understand his players beyond basketball.  With this understanding, he found ways to motivate and inspire them individually, instilling confidence in even the lowest members of the team.

3. Delegating Authority

“Needless to say, the coaching profession attracts a lot of control freaks who remind everyone constantly that they’re the alpha dog in the room.  I’ve been known to do this myself.  But what I’ve learned over the years is that the most effective approach is to delegate authority as much as possible and to nurture everyone else’s leadership skills as well. When I’m able to do that, it not only builds team unity and allows others to grow but also—paradoxically—strengthens my role as leader.”

- Phil Jackson

For some reason, many leaders believe it is their duty to control everything at every point.  A truly successful team will have multiple leaders, each ready to step up when the time comes.

The less you need to micromanage your team for them to achieve success, the greater your success as a leader.

4. Player-Centric Approach

Tied into our previous point, Phil Jackson’s leadership is characterized by being incredibly player-centric.  This is part of the reason why many of his old players still revere him as an incredible person and mentor.

He took the time to understand their lives both on and off the court, showing a genuine interest in their personal growth and challenges.  This created an environment of trust and respect, where players felt valued not only for their athletic skills but also treated equally as human beings.

Jackson's player-centric approach was evident in his work with superstar players like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.  Rather than imposing his will on great talents, he engaged them in the decision-making process, giving them a sense of ownership.  He recognized that their insights and perspectives were invaluable in shaping team dynamics and strategies.  This collaborative approach not only empowered the players but also fostered a strong sense of camaraderie and unity within the team.

Jackson's knack for managing egos and personalities was proof of his player-centric leadership style.  He understood that egos could disrupt team chemistry and harmony, so he skillfully navigated them while maintaining a collective focus on the team's goals.  Jackson showed this in his work with players like Dennis Rodman, whose unconventional behavior just became part of team dynamics.  Their end goal was still to win a championship.

This ethos of putting the players at the center of his coaching philosophy set Jackson apart as a remarkable leader.

5. Manager not Controller

“Phil Jackson was a master of managing personalities.  He controlled Dennis by not attempting to control him.,” 

- Former Bulls forward Jason Caffey. 

One of the biggest hurdles the Chicago Bulls team faced in their second 3-peat championship run was the off-court behavior of Dennis Rodman.  When he was out partying or wrestling Hulk Hogan instead of practicing with the team, many scolded Jackson for not having a harsh hand.

"Coaching Dennis Rodman was a unique challenge.  He was an individual with his own style, but he brought an intensity and determination that few could match.  My approach was to give him a certain level of freedom while also setting clear boundaries.  I knew that his energy and defensive prowess were invaluable to the team, so I worked on finding ways to harness his strengths within our system."

– Phil Jackson

Phil set some boundaries with Rodman, but essentially let him be himself, he knew this would make him most effective on the basketball court.  He managed what could be managed while understanding that by punishing Rodman for being extravagant he would completely alienate a player that was crucial to the team.

This is one of the many reasons why having a deep understanding of your players’ strengths, weaknesses and motivations is pivotal to becoming an outstanding leader and eventually winning some championships.

Would You Like to Connect Better With Your Team?

Our Talent Assessment services are one of the best tools any manager can have to truly understand their team.

Click here to learn more.

M2W Newsletter - Top 10 Of 2022

We have carefully curated our favorite, most listened episodes from 2022, with stories ranging from hiring and sales to anarchy and empowerment. You will find candid conversations with entrepreneurs that have developed habits and strategies to catapult their business to success.

No matter what kind of leader you aspire to be, there is something here for you! 

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#1 Jeremy Miner

How do I get more sales? “Be a problem finder and a problem solver... NOT a product pusher,” Jeremy talks on pressure vs persuasion, and how the world of sales has changed.

Listen to the episode →

#2 Marc Reifenrath

Are your people a competitive advantage? Can you strengthen the culture of your team or organization? This is how Marc led a company to 0% employee turnover for 10 years.

Listen to the episode→

 #3 Danielle Mulvey

Have you cracked the code on recruiting and retaining 5-Star Employees? Well, she has. All while understanding how and when to replace those who do not meet the mark.

Listen to the episode →

#4 Ari Weinzweig

Ari communicates what leadership means for him, sharing his anarchist methodology that involves fully connecting with your employees to evolve both them and your company.

Listen to the episode →

#5 Andrew Cohen

Andrew embodies the importance of matching everything your company does to its mission and values. His company works thanks to his employees, and they make it very evident.

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#6 Jotham Stein

Jotham discusses and advises the importance of establishing legally documented partnerships to prevent future financial disasters.

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#7 Johnny Sirpilla

How to find beauty and gratitude in times of pain and how this has inspired him to lead others.

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#8 Jon Finn

Jon shares his knowledge on Habits: how your brain ACTUALLY works, and how to overcome what ACTUALLY stops you from fulfilling your potential.

Listen to the episode →

#9 Ashley Cline

An expert in influencer and referral marketing. She goes into full-on masterclass mode, explaining specific ways you can develop powerful relationships with influencers to market your business.

Listen to the episode →

#10 Linc Kroeger

Linc and his company work on empowering communities by training their work skills to help employ them. They are breaking barriers that block socio-economic inclusion.

Listen to the episode →

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M2W Newsletter - December 2022

Hey!

How are you doing on your priorities? Could you improve in 2023?

According to Malcolm Gladwell, the "tipping point" is

"that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire."

Gladwell used big examples of tipping points to illustrate his arguments. However, we could look at many smaller examples to find similar phenomena. Imagine a family in which one spouse suddenly decides to eat healthier. The rest of the family resists for a time, then pretty soon the whole family is skipping fast food for organic, wholesome meals at home.

The same thing can and does happen in your business. Imagine a business owner who is flustered, working 16-hour days, putting out fires left and right and failing to meet objectives. One day they decide to make a change, one habit at a time. They get 8 hours of sleep every night. They practice a good morning routine. They reserve time in their schedule for planning and strategy. They focus more on training their employees and delegating responsibilities. Pretty soon, the business is thriving.

All it takes is one person to make a change.

So, what is one change you can make to improve accountability, communication, and teamwork? Our top choice: A daily huddle. Leaders must make certain everyone is focusing on key priorities. You can’t do that unless you are communicating with your team and hearing from them regularly.

Check out our updated post on How to Run a Daily Huddle to learn how leaders like John D. Rockefeller, Steve Jobs, Verne Harnish, and Patrick Lencioni utilize(d) a daily huddle to keep people focused on the same strategic goals, answer pressing questions, and maintain accountability.

It might just produce that tipping point you've been looking for... After that, check out the podcast episodes below for more expert insights from our top guests.

We hope you've had a Merry Christmas and enjoy a Happy New Year with family and friends.

Sincerely,

David

David Russell

CEO, Manage 2 Win
Founder, Habitly
LinkedIn  |  Podcast

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Most Popular Podcast Episodes

We have been talking with some incredible guests lately. These episodes are getting the most attention.

#200 – Ari Weinzweig Uses Humility And Anarchy to Make Zingerman’s #1

How can humility and anarchy build a business? Ari Weinzweig teaches anarchy is not being at war or demanding a lack of structure. “Ari’s Anarchy” (David’s term) involves fully connecting with your employees to create and evolve your company.

“With all due respect to bosses, we don’t really know what we’re doing! And I don’t mean we don’t have insight or experience or wisdom to share, but so does the newest person we just hired because they have a beginner’s mind and they’re going to see stuff that I’ve long since lost track of 40 years down the road.”

— Ari Weinzweig

#198 – Ashley Cline Explains How to Influence the Influencers

Ashley Cline is an expert in influencer and referral marketing. In her conversation with David, she goes into full on masterclass mode, to explains specific ways you can develop powerful relationships with influencers to market your business.

“You really want to think through your entire marketing channel and integrate the referral marketing into all of it. Not necessarily think of referral marketing as its own marketing channel but as something that really complements all the other pieces that you’re doing.”

— Ashley Cline

#205 – Dr. Brad Harris Explains How to Climb The Right Mountain

Brad Harris is a rare Ph.D. leader who can articulate how fantastic leaders succeed in plain English. He shares the power of failure, how to learn from it, and then to thrive.

“We have to realize that our perfectionism, our desires, our strengths, and all of these things that got us here are no longer enough if we are trying to do something like create one of the biggest startups.”

— Brad Harris

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Leadership Skills Must Be Valued Above Leadership Tendencies

One of the reasons I wrote my first book, Success With People, is because of the realization that I had leadership tendencies rather than true leadership skills.

Years ago, I was speaking with a coworker about a particular manager. The coworker commented that the manager really felt he was a leader. Upon further consideration, however, it became clear the manager was more of a competitor than a leader. They would jostle for position, argue without considering other people’s opinions, and fostered a negative environment within their team.

Just because someone likes to compete and have things their way does not mean they are an effective leader. Quite the contrary, competitors are often some of the worst leaders.

Chimpanzees and Leadership

A basic example of this can be seen from Jane Goodall’s research and observation of chimpanzees. Every group of chimpanzees has a social hierarchy, much like a business. At the top of the group is the alpha-male, who has climbed the ladder of the social hierarchy through one of two ways: Collaborative leadership or dominant leadership (there are also alpha-females, but I’m going to reference examples of alpha-males in this post for simplicity).

Photo by Ryan Al Bishri, 2016

Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/grayscale-photo-of-two-monkeys-reXwAuEdkVM

Collaborative leaders tend to foster strong alliances with other chimpanzees by making friends and engaging in positive behavior that encourages social cohesion. They provide healthy boundaries, protect the weak, and encourage the strong. These collaborative leaders are not always the biggest and the strongest chimpanzees - they don’t have to be. They use their personal skills to coalitions and develop relationships with everyone in their group, including other males who will then rush to the aid of the alpha-male when he is in need.

In contrast, dominant alpha-male chimpanzees see the social hierarchy from a purely competitive worldview. They rely heavily on aggression and brute strength to command obedience and bend others to their will. Yes, they enjoy the perks of being at the top, but they lead through fear and generate far less loyalty. In fact, a brutish, competitive chimpanzee is often less likely to become the alpha-male because they lack the skills necessary to earn the respect and admiration of their peers.

How to Succeed as a Leader (hint: Develop your skills!)

So how do you move from being a person who is competitive with leadership tendencies to one of skill and top performance? Develop a growth mindset and focus on continuous improvement.

Here are some steps that may help:

1. Develop self-awareness: Understanding your strengths and weaknesses, as well as your natural tendencies, can help you identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to enhance your performance. A lot of our clients utilize our talent assessments when they are hiring new employees, but we highly recommend leaders take the assessments also to learn how they can work best.

2. Set clear goals: Identify specific goals that you want to achieve and develop a plan for achieving them. Break down the goals into smaller, achievable steps, and track your progress along the way.

3. Seek feedback: Feedback from colleagues, mentors, and supervisors can help you identify areas where you need to improve and provide guidance on how to do so.

4. Practice self-reflection: Take time to reflect on your experiences and identify what worked well and what could be improved. Use this information to make adjustments and refine your approach.

5. Learn from others: Seek out role models and mentors who have demonstrated top performance and learn from their experiences and best practices. A business coach or consultant can be a priceless resource.

6. Embrace challenges: Be willing to take on new challenges and stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone. This can help you build new skills and capabilities.

7. Continuously learn: Make learning a priority and seek out opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge. Consider attending training sessions, reading industry publications, or pursuing additional education.

By adopting these strategies, you can develop the skills and top performance needed to succeed as a leader.

Not Doing This is Crazy: How to Run a Daily Huddle

One important aspect of effective leadership is to make certain you and your people are focusing on key priorities each day. You can’t do that unless you are communicating with your team and hearing from them regularly.

One solution? A daily huddle.

Years after John D. Rockefeller used the tactic of the daily huddle to build Standard Oil into one of the largest companies ever, Verne Harnish promoted the concept of “daily huddles” in his 2002 book, Mastering the Rockefeller Habits.

You can use daily huddles in your business to build rapport, increase communication, and improve performance.

The Rockefeller Habit of a Daily Huddle adopted by Steve Jobs and Jony Ive

According to Harnish, John D. Rockefeller would walk to work every morning and walk home every night with his brother and the three other guys who started the company. During those daily walks, they would discuss what was going on in the business and make almost all of the important business decisions. When Rockefeller moved Standard Oil to New York City in 1885, he continued this daily practice even though the people in his inner circle changed.

At some point, Rockefeller morphed his daily huddle from a walk and talk into a daily luncheon where he would sit, eat, and talk with the key leaders of Standard Oil. As the company grew, the meetings grew to include the nine directors of the company.

Almost a century later, Steve Jobs utilized the same tactic in daily meetings with Apple’s design chief, Jony Ive. They would have lunch together most days, and spent their afternoons in “the sanctuary of the design studio”. Just about every day, Jobs would ask Ive, “What have you said ‘no’ to today?” The question served as a focusing exercise for Ive (as many huddles do). Jobs understood design was critical to Apple’s success and wanted Ives to spend his valuable time on the most important priorities.

Asking that question every day provided clarity to both Jobs and Ives.

Guidelines for a Daily Huddle: Every Company Can Have Them

Fortunately, you don’t have to be Standard Oil or Apple to implement and benefit from daily huddles.

In fact, daily huddles are at the heart of the SCRUM and Agile methodologies and have become a best practice in the small business community. Patrick Lencioni says, “If you’re a small organization, not doing this is crazy. When you’re small, you can develop connections among staff that make you more nimble. Daily check-ins help you build a culture of unity and sustain it as you grow.”

Short, daily meetings will keep you and your team focused on the same strategic goals, answer pressing questions, and maintain accountability.

Here are some guidelines for your daily huddle:

1. Start on time.

2. No more than 15 minutes.

3. Problem solving is forbidden - information only.

4. End on time.

Beyond that, you can customize your daily huddles in an endless number of ways. Some companies meet the first thing in the morning, others might hold their huddle right before lunch. Some leaders decide to hold the meeting at a specific time, like 8:43am, so it’s unique and memorable. Some huddles just include the senior staff, while others include the entire company. Some follow the same agenda every time, and still others make it up on the fly.

Regardless of how daily huddles are structured, they are an essential tool for CEOs at rapidly growing companies who are trying to maintain an entrepreneurial culture.

What should be the focus of a Daily Huddle?

A daily huddle is not the time for criticism, strategy, or stories from your vacation. It’s a time to communicate and get on the same page.

It’s also an exercise that should allow you to lose the “long leash”, stay close to your direct reports, and have them do the same with their people.

The general focus of daily huddles should be three-fold:

1. Priorities: What are we doing for the next 24 hours? What’s our daily focus? What’s the most important thing to get done today?

2. Measurement: What KPIs are we measuring? What are the numbers? How are we doing?

3. Remove roadblocks: What is holding us back? Where are we stuck?

Examples of Daily Huddles

Years ago, Inc. Magazine’s Leigh Buchanan wrote an article titled, “The Art of the Huddle - How to run a prompt, productive, and painless morning meeting.” In it, she provided 5 excellent examples of daily huddles. I have summarized them for you below.

I like the article because it gives you 5 brief examples of how to hold a quick morning meeting. It’s great to learn how some other companies are doing their huddles so you can create your own format that best serves your company culture. In brief, the 5 are:

1. The team builder - The objective is to improve communication. Participants review their day’s to-do lists together. The meetings also help identify non-communicators to weed them out.

2. The coordinator - The objective is to establish priorities and coordinate efforts. Participants meet at 11:45 a.m. for 15 minutes. It’s easy to limit the time because everyone is hungry.

3. The efficiency expert - Everyone in the office (20-40 people) share their top priority for the day in 8-15 seconds. They start at 8:43 a.m. to reinforce the importance of each minute.

4. The motivator - Starts with good news about the company or an individual, and ends with a cheer for the contributions of one employee. Also, the leader announces 3 critical numbers and a dept. head reviews their group activities.

5. The strategic planner - In 30-60 seconds each manager explains what they are doing that day to advance the quarterly and yearly company goals, what progress they made the previous day, and what roadblocks they are encountering.

I hope you enjoyed this piece on daily huddles. Have any questions or comments? Leave them in the comments section below or contact us anytime, we’d love to hear from you.

It's the Experience, My Friend!

Ask yourself, what are your biggest problems - employee or Client issues? Why do you have these problems?

Regardless of what they are, I’m willing to bet your problems are occurring because the experience your employees have working for you or the experience your Clients have buying and receiving services from you is not meeting or exceeding their expectations.

Bill Clinton's famous 1992 campaign line was, "It's the economy, stupid!"

Now, I do not think you are stupid. But I have a similar response to your complaint about employees or Clients, and that is: "It's the experience, my friend!"

Examples of Great Client Experiences

Let's look at the key attributes of some winning companies who consistently meet or exceed their customers expectations for quality, ease-of-use, friendliness, and value.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Counter to other fast food leaders, Chipotle developed a "food with integrity" mantra that has developed an insanely loyal clientele.

Hampton Inn

This is the hotel brand I typically stay at because they do not nickel-and-dime me, but guarantee me a great experience every time. 

In-N-Out Burger

Freshly made burger food served with smiles in a consistently clean environment at low prices has created almost cult-like loyalty.

Jamba Juice

You cannot get a fresher, healthier, better tasting fruit smoothie than by picking a Jamba - my favorite road snack.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company

Where ladies and gentlemen are serving ladies and gentlemen, and employees can spend up to $2,000 to solve any guest problem. There’s a reason we now use the term “ritzy” to describe a luxurious experience.

Starbucks

The Starbucks experience is so consistent no matter what city you're in that it has integrated itself into millions of customers' routines.

Create An Incredible Experience for Clients and Employees

So, if you want to compete for the best employees or the most profitable customers, focus on each aspect of the experience and start improving one piece at a time continuously.

THE STARTING POINT: Your employees.

If your employees are not fully engaged then it is impossible to provide the best experience to your customers.

How do you get there? Embrace a company culture that practices 3Strands Leadership. Practice Systematic Power, Meaningful Work, and Sincere Gratitude.

Meeting Ideas

Here’s a few ways you can discuss your client experience with your team.

Discuss the companies I listed above or consider additional companies that your employees feel are The Leaders in providing an excellent client experience.

Get everyone involved and discuss how you can be the best you can be.

If you just chose one part of your employee experience and one part of your Client experience to improve monthly, then you will be much more competitive a year from now.