Mike Michalowicz's Blog, page 13

Viral on TikTok – A Call to Action for Company Leaders

I saw this article on CNN about a CEO who denied an employee a work-from-home model while her twenty-two-week-old baby was in the NICU.

Now, before we bring out our pitchforks, while I won’t condone this decision, I want us as business leaders to assess this situation pragmatically, and then determine a path forward. 

A path forward that does not include stripping humanity from the workplace.

Shameless plug, I wrote ALL IN because the workplace needs a revolution. Business owners and leaders must respond to the needs of employees as the world evolves, or you risk not only losing employees to greener pastures but your customers too. How you respond to your employees is how your customers will respond to you. Cancel culture is no joke. 

In this case, the CEO posted two apologies, one canned, one more on the level. In her second, she apologizes, and then banks on the statement that since her company serves mothers, she hopes these mothers can forgive a mistake. Basically – she panders to her customers, making the self-serving request to remain customers. And, she tries to justify her parental leave policies – and we all know that parental leave in the US is a joke as it is. Can’t companies make some adjustments?

Here’s the thing. It’s great to apologize, especially when you mean it. We make mistakes, we’re human. At the same time, if you’re the CEO of a company, these knee-jerk reactions of denying parents’ requests, especially in sensitive situations, are indicative of overall decision-making at that company.

Ok Mike, how do you walk the walk?

With my head up and alongside my team. One of our immutable laws in my organization is embracing the whole human. Here’s how leadership and I at my companies support our team of employees:

Hybrid virtual and in-person work modelsFour weeks of paid vacationFlexible schedules – including family leave options that allow employees to be the parents of their dreamsRole alignment that fulfills the company goals as well as personal and developmental goalsOne-on-one weekly meetings to support employees with work and life goalsQuick daily morning meetings with personal updates at the end

Note: There’s not a pool table in sight. The purpose of corporate “culture” has been marred by little crumbs of onsite gym memberships, food, and a ton of lip service. If that worked, we wouldn’t see the Great Resignation or Quiet Quitting – which by the way, is historically cyclical and renamed each time it occurs. Translation: These phenomena will occur again and again until leadership leads better.

So do better! Especially today, you have the opportunity to be a genuine human, leading humans. You can be the boss you always wanted. One that empowers through ownership, autonomy, flexibility, and authentic care for others. Like kindness, that will create a ripple effect and your team will treat each other, you, your business, and your bottom line.

Voila.

Wishing you health and wealth always.

-Mike

PS – Shake things up in your company – for the better. For strategies to create an unstoppable team through a more human, heart-centered approach, get ALL IN here. 

 

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Avoid Burnout: Redesigning the Workplace for Employee Well-Being

The need to prioritize employee well-being has become more critical than ever. Non-stop connectivity, increased workloads, and the challenges posed by remote or hybrid work setups have significantly elevated the risk of burnout among your team. Recognizing and addressing these challenges is not just a responsibility to check off your task list –  it’s an essential investment in the success and longevity of any organization.

Understanding the Burnout Epidemic:

The burnout epidemic is a byproduct of the modern workplace, exacerbated by the blurring lines between personal and professional life. Employees are grappling with increased stress levels, heightened expectations, and the pressure to always be available. The consequences are dire – decreased productivity, disengagement, employees looking for employment elsewhere, and a surge in mental health concerns.

The Urgent Need for Change:

To foster a sustainable and healthy work environment, you must acknowledge the urgency of change. This is why I wrote ALL IN. Traditional models of work – which were designed for a different era, need a radical overhaul to adapt to the unique challenges of today.

Key Strategies to Redesign the Workplace:

Flexible Work Arrangements: Prioritize flexibility to accommodate diverse work styles and personal responsibilities. Allow for remote work options and flexible hours to empower employees to manage their time effectively. I promise the efficiency will increase.Open Communication Channels: Foster a culture of open communication. Regular check-ins, feedback sessions, and opportunities for expressing concerns can help employees feel heard and supported.Promote Work-Life Balance: Encourage employees to take breaks, set clear boundaries, and prioritize self-care. A healthy work-life balance is crucial for sustained productivity and creativity.Invest in Professional Development: Provide opportunities for skill development and career growth. Align their skills with their roles, even if they end up moving into a different role than what they were hired for. When employees feel you see them and have invested in them, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated.Emphasize Employee Mental Health: An accepting workplace lets people be themselves so they don’t have the extra stress of pretending to be something they’re not. Destigmatize conversations around mental health. Offer resources and initiatives that prioritize mental well-being.Recognition and Appreciation: Acknowledge and appreciate employees’ efforts. Regular recognition fosters a positive work culture and boosts morale. We have a day a week that we give shout-outs to team members for things they did. Again, it’s good to be seen and recognized.

As you navigate new workplace challenges, you must evolve and prioritize the well-being of your company’s greatest asset – its employees. By implementing thoughtful and progressive changes, you can create a work environment that not only prevents burnout but also fosters a culture of resilience, innovation, and collective success. It’s time for a workplace revolution that puts people first.

Are you in?

Wishing you health and wealth always.

-Mike

PS – For easy-to-apply strategies that will create an unstoppable team, check out ALL IN today.

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Company Missions are Over – Focus on Values for a Better Business

When I started my first company, I had a mission:

Eradicate entrepreneurial poverty.

Sounds good, right?

The work my team and I do is dedicated to supporting business owners and entrepreneurs. 

But is that enough to create the kind of passion that sustains A player employees to produce life-changing, transformative success?

No.

Ouch, right?

Your mission? It’s not enough. Once I realized this, I created All In. All In wasn’t written just to sell and add another book to my shelf. My co-writer, AJ Harper, and I realized how timely it is to create a disruptive yet simple and productive system to make your business more successful by being a better human to the humans you hired. 

Why is it timely? After shut-downs and virtual/hybrid modes of work, people saw the writing on the wall: You spend the bulk of your waking hours at work, and sometimes, it doesn’t feel too great. We need more than money. We need substance and sustenance. We need a workplace revolution.

The cornerstone of my business isn’t the company mission, it’s our immutable laws – or as you may call them, your core values. Once we had those in place, every detail of our company – from our time spent there, our relationships, and our output, just started to feel right

We bring our immutable laws organically into everything we do, but some companies need to figure out what theirs are and implement them. I mean now. Now. Are you doing it now? Here are our immutable laws:

Purpose above all.We guide entrepreneurs to experience financial, emotional, personal, peace, and security.Be data and process-driven to be most effective.Use customer insights rather than personal opinions to make decisions.We are here to serve. It’s our top priority of priorities.Profound simplicity.Every product we produce, every service we deliver, and every communication we have is boiled down to the essence without compromising the impact of improving the entrepreneurs’ experience.Embrace the whole human. We embrace the fullness of everyone by understanding each other personally. We respect our uniqueness and differences.Strive to understand challenges and perspectives before making assumptions.Our individual dreams are encouraged.Our collective diversity of thought and experiences strengthens the company.Kind Communication.Be a champion, cheerleader, and proponent for others. Small gestures have a big impact.Encourage each other’s strengths and have grace with our mistakes.Be kind and thoughtful when speaking to colleagues and customers.Talk about others as if they are in the room.Embrace change.We get excited about the possibilities that change and growth bring.What got us here won’t get us to the next level.No Bro Show.All entrepreneurs and teammates are supported and respected – no matter how they identify.We don’t play the “authority through power” game. We live by “be of service”.Strive for gender inclusivity and equity by avoiding stereotyping.

Now these are the laws we live by. Who knows, we may add to them or edit them at some point. The thing is, this list is the reminder we use to drive our business in the most authentic and helpful way possible while creating sustainable revenue. And isn’t that what you really want?

Make your list now. And if you feel like sharing it with me, put it in the comments section or respond to this email. 

I cannot wait to see what you achieve this year. 

Wishing you tremendous success, health, and wealth.

– Mike

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A BIG All In Thank You!

What? Thank you, thank you, thank you! Just one day since the All In book launch, and the response has been incredible! I’m thrilled to see so many entrepreneurs are taking advantage of my special bonuses, too!

If you haven’t checked them out yet, it’s not too late!

Visit https://allinbymike.com/multi/ to see what’s up for grabs. From exclusive coaching sessions to personalized videos, these bonuses are designed to complement your business journey and beyond.

Don’t miss this chance to join the many who are enhancing their workplaces with All In and its exclusive perks.

Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.
-Mike

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This is Serious – Watch My Interview With Tripp Crosby (spoof alert!)

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This is Serious – My Interview With Tripp Crosby (spoof alert!)

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The Law of Reciprocity

The All In galleys came in and I immediately cracked one open. Ironically, the first word I saw was “reciprocity”.

The concept of reciprocity is something I’ve been applying in my business over the last several years. When I did, I saw incredible things happen – both professionally and personally.

How reciprocity works
It’s more than just giving to get. As the owner of your company, you’re likely focused on your business goals. You meet with your team to strategize about the vision of the company, how much revenue you want to bring in, and strategies to meet these goals. While your employees may seem excited and on board, ultimately, they have their own goals to meet, too.

You know what you want to achieve, but do you know what your employees want to achieve?

This may seem irrelevant to you, but it’s not. Say you have an employee who wants to buy a house, needs to save for a new car, has medical bills to pay, or even has a side hustle. These are things that take up real estate in their minds. These are goals that when they come to work, they feel they have to put aside to focus on yours. But what if you knew about their needs and wants, and you and your team could support each other in multiple aspects of your lives?

Why is this important to you? Because when you do this – when you give to them in this manner, they will give back to you and your company ten-fold because it serves not just you, but them too. What happens is your employees become so dedicated and committed to your business that they begin to feel like partners in it. And that right there is one of the most powerful, Shangri La mindsets you could ever wish for from your team.

Let’s look at this in practical terms. How can you support your teams’ personal goals, while striking that balance between not getting too involved (I know, you have things to do), and also maintaining an authentic and active solution to what they want to achieve?

How to:

Meetings that matter. As the leader of your company, one of your jobs is to keep your teams’ vision in front of them with personal check-ins at meetings. For instance, we have a quick huddle every day at 9:30. We discuss what we accomplished the day before, the big one we want to accomplish that day, and a personal update. Each person does this in about a minute, so the meetings don’t drag on.Study. I listen. I know that’s obvious but I like to take notes when I hear employees talk about something important to them. This way, I can follow up with them here and there to let them know I am aware of their goals and I care. It’s a small exercise with big results.Hold ‘em accountable. You know this is my favorite. All goals are met with accountability. We have quarterly meetings during which we discuss our business goals and strategies, but we also carve out time to take a deep dive into our personal goals. We create a poster for our spaces with a list of our one-year, five-year, and ten-year goals. This visual keeps us on task. Then, each quarter, we follow up on our personal goals to see where we are and how we can support each other in those. We offer resources, our time, our knowledge, and even physical help!

If these tactics feel touchy-feely to you, so be it. It’s needed. It’s necessary because the workforce is broken right now, and no old-school, traditional leadership models work for anyone anymore. So this year, go into it with a fresh perspective. You hired humans, so lead like one – with reciprocity.

I am so honored to be on your journey with you. Thank you for allowing me aboard.

With Gratitude,
Mike

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The Best Gifts From the Heart

Let’s face it, the gift-giving season is fun – and stressful. Finding that perfect gift for someone isn’t always the easiest thing, and we tend to put a ton of pressure on ourselves to produce that wow factor for people in our lives.

I want to remind you that gifting isn’t about the price tag. It’s about the thought. Take this gift I received from my friend Pia, for instance. When Profit First launched, she sent me this dollar in a shadow box. It’s a pretty simple present, but also one that resonated with me so deeply, that I’ve kept it on display for nearly a decade. Whenever anyone asks about it or I have the opportunity to explain the meaning behind it, my heart swells with joy and appreciation.

When I received this gift from Pia, I instantly felt seen and understood. It felt as though my colleague understood all of the work and dedication it took to get my baby, my book, out there into the world, and she was saying, “Way to go, Mike! You DID it!”.

Now, I listen. In morning huddles, at speaking engagements, at home. I try to find gifts specific to that person and what they’re all about. Examples of things I’ve gotten for my team are a coffee pot for Amy when her’s died, a signed Phish album for Erin, a “Fixed – You Look Good to Me” stamp for Jenna in our office who’s a clinical therapist intern, and even a guitar for a fellow author who chatted with me about loving it.

It’s more than a cliche – the best gifts are always the ones from the heart.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and health and prosperity always.
-Mike

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Congratulations to Hal Elrod – Author of Miracle Morning

My pal, Hal Elrod, has written a wonderfully life-affirming book, Miracle Morning, The Not-So-Obvious Secret to Change Your Life.

If you watch anything today, please watch this interview with Hal Elrod and me. It’s truly one of the most uplifting and life-affirming videos you’ll see. 

In my interview with Hal, we learn that he was found dead at the scene of a drunk driving accident, was revived, and later told he would never walk again. Oh, and he’s a cancer survivor.

But here he is – letting us know that we can choose to be happy and grateful – even amid the most difficult times.

We’ve been conditioned to believe the opposite – that when we feel good, life is good. That when it’s bad, it’s all bad. So how do you choose happiness?

Hal says that no matter what’s going on in your life, you can access your ability to choose how you experience every moment. 

In the updated and expanded The Miracle Morning, there are more case studies and stories from readers who say that the book has transformed their lives. By completing the 30-day challenge, they feel more efficient, empowered, and present throughout their day.

Hal’s revolutionary S.A.V.E.R.S. method is a simple, effective step-by-step process to transform your life in as little as six minutes per day:

Silence: Reduce stress and improve mental clarity by beginning each day with peaceful, purposeful quietAffirmations: Reprogram your mind to overcome any fears or beliefs that are limiting your potential or causing you to sufferVisualization: Experience the power of mentally rehearsing yourself and showing up at your best each dayExercise: Boost your mental and physical energy in as little as 60 secondsReading: Acquire knowledge and expand your abilities by learning from expertsScribing: Keep a journal to deepen gratitude, gain insights, track progress, and increase your productivity by getting clear on your top priorities

You may think you’ve seen books like this before, but the way Hal speaks to us about our capability of improving our lives is unlike anything I’ve ever read as he takes an approach at a depth often untapped.

To Hal – I am incredibly proud of you and honored to be called a friend. And that was an easy choice for me to have a happier life. 

Wishing you all health and wealth.

-Mike

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A Message of Hope in the Season of Giving



This week I want to keep it short because I want this message to have the ultimate impact on you. 

Over the weekend, I attended a memorial and the speaker said this:

Each day, we get dressed. We put on our clothes. We select comfortable items. We dress for specific occasions. Sometimes we’re fashionistas. Sometimes we hope no one sees us as we dart into the store for something we forgot.

Just as we put on our clothes every day, we have a choice of what energy to dress in. We can be intentional, and what we put on, we can give to others.

Now, he wasn’t saying to be inauthentic, or fake anything. He was saying that just as we get dressed and accessorize, we can choose our view.

Lately, challenges have been many – but I’m making a choice. I’m making an intentional choice hour by hour, day by day. 

I put on kindness.

I put on compassion. 

I put on empathy. 

And being clothed and wrapped in these energies, I can wrap people around me in it too. Picture it as though you’re draping a shawl or comfy sweater over someone’s shoulders.

So here’s to a little gut check. Be kind, compassionate, and empathetic to yourself, and then extend that to others as well. We can accept our differences. Because just like all clothes are made of a different weave, so are we. And that’s a beautiful thing.

So today, dress in kindness. The world just may begin to heal.

Wishing you health and wealth always.

-Mike

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