Rick Conlow's Blog, page 3

Bad Boss or Good Boss: Who Do You Work For?

Think of the worst supervisor or a bad boss you had. Chances are someone comes immediately to mind. Is it your currrent supervisor? Why do you consider this person “the worst?” How did he or she act? How did this bad boss’s approach affect your attitude and work effort? Did this person influence you to do your best?

Now, think of a situation where you had the best boss ever. It is harder to identify a boss who shines, isn’t it?  What was this person like, and what did he or she do differently? How did this person affect you and your work effort? Did you want to do a better job for the best boss versus worst boss? Of course!

The Impact of a Bad Boss

Regrettably, it’s far more likely that the majority of our work life has been spent reporting to bad bosses. Bad bosses continue to dominate the landscape of corporate America and global business today. Despite the research on effective leadership there are too many bad bosses. Gallup says 82% of managers fail. They are an epidemic killing off employee productivity, loyalty, creativity and company profit.

The worst bosses contribute to poor morale and bad attitudes, which lead to poor productivity, indifferent customer service, lower sales, reduced quality, and poorer overall financial results. They have employee turnover problems and often have to coerce or bribe employees to do things. Employees may perform because they have to, not because they want to. They are like mercenary soldiers being paid to do the job. They aren’t the spirited patriots fighting to protect their homes.

In big companies, poor bosses stand on every step of the corporate ladder. In smaller organizations, the owners or key executives are often the culprits. In fact, research from various suggests that there are many bad bosses out there. In addition:

Eighty percent of employees say they get no respect at work.Less than 55 percent of Americans are satisfied with their jobs compared to 61.1 percent twenty years ago.Globally, companies generated 85% employee disengagement.

I know what you are thinking, what about those awful bosses who get excellent results?  Yes, it does seem that some managers do well in spite of the pitiful leadership practices. In fact, if you talk to enough people, you’ll find poor bosses and good bosses can both achieve organizational objectives. The difference is in the “how” and what happens long-term. Lack of respect and poor relationships are weak fuel, leaving poor bosses with nothing to drive sustainable results. Results are unsustainable because poor bosses sap employees’ commitment and positive emotion to invest their best in their work. If a company keeps a bad boss, it transfers the person around a lot.

In other words, bad bosses’ behavior does eventually catch up with them (or their organizations), but unfortunately for their victims-the employees-and, it doesn’t seem to happen fast enough.

Your Supervisor: Bad Boss or Good Boss?

It’s a gloomy picture if we feel we can’t alter it. But we can. Knowing how dismal it can be to work for a bad boss, we can decide to be the good boss. And if we have a few rough edges (and don’t we all), we can get them polished. Maybe you can become an exceptional leader.

Start by looking at your team. The number one reason employees say they quit is because of unhappiness with their boss. Employees with bad bosses are four times more likely to leave than employees who believe they have good bosses.. Interviews in seven hundred companies of 2 million employees suggest that the productivity of employees depends on their relationship to their boss.  Also, how do you stack up on these characteristics?

Bad Bosses (Toxic or negative workplace and lack of support)Commands and controls employees.Operates with position power.Communicates ambiguity.Tells employees what to do with little or no input.Takes advantage of othersTalks “I” and is egotistical.Takes the credit for wins.Blames others for problems.Offers little training or coaching.Manages with fear, conflict, or avoidance.Overall, lacks empathy and humility.Good Bosses (Excellent working relationships and positive atmosphere)Listens and asks for employee input.Engages through positive influence.Communicates with passion and clarity.Models the way or leads by example.Respects others as partners.Talks “We” and teamwork.Shares credit for wins.Owns the problems.Provides on-going training and development.Leads with integrity.Acts as a Servant Leader Coach. Pulling It All Together

The truth we never really work for a bad boss.  We go through the motions and do not give our best stuff. With a good boss we show and go the extra mile because we wanted to. Why? Because our boss communicates, appreciates, and supports us.

If you are a manager at some level, how do you start to become a better boss? If you want your team to be better, you must become a better leader. So, keep learning: read leadership books, attend seminars and webinars, and get a personal coach. Ask for feedback and be willing to change. Do this consistently and apply new strategies immediately. As a result, you will accelerate your career success and that of your team.

By the way, if you work for a bad boss, see this post 7 Courageous Ways to Deal with a Horrible Boss.

Also, go here for this video training: The Servant Leader Coach.

In addition, go here for our RealTime Learning & Training leadership and personal development website. Over 250 self-directed microlearning resources at your fingertips!

Finally, do you want to accelerate your leadership success and learn more about Servant Leadership? Go here for Rick’s newest book, The 5 Dynamics of Servant Leadership: Inspire Your Team to Achieve 

 

 

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22 Powerful Quotes for Entrepreneurs and Leaders

The number 22 signifies one of the most powerful of all numbers. It signifies leaders, doers, and visionaries. These are the people who turn the wildest dreams into amazing accomplishments. They possess a strong sense of purpose about what they do.

Read these twenty-two quotes about entrepreneurship. If you want to build and lead a superb business absorb the wisdom from the following successful businesspeople.

11 Timeless Quotes for Entrepreneurs and Leaders“You do not learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling down.” Richard Branson“It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” Bill Gates”Genius is 1% inspiration, and 99% perspiration.” Thomas Edison“When you cease to dream you cease to live.” Malcolm Forbes“Life is like the monkey bars: you have to let go to move forward. Once you make the decision to leap into entrepreneurship, be sure to loosen your grasp on old concepts so you can swing your way to new ones.” Leah Busque“If you push through that feeling of being scared, and that feeling of taking a risk, really amazing things can happen.” Marissa Mayer“Entrepreneurship is neither a science nor an art. It is a practice.” Peter Drucker“The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake- you can’t learn anything from being perfect.” Adam OsborneIf you have never tried, how will you ever know if there is any chance?” Jack Ma“If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that you can’t hear them anymore.” Michelle Ruiz“One of the greatest skills of leadership is being unflappable. Anytime you do anything in the world; there’s going to be criticism.” –Arianna Huffington11 Additional Motivational Quotes for Entrepreneurs and Leaders “Success depends on employees. For me knowing and connecting with my employees is very important.” Divine Ndhlukula“Follow your passion — and if you don’t know what it is, realize that one reason for your existence on earth is to find it.” Oprah Winfrey“Don’t try to do everything by yourself but try to connect with people and resources. Having that discipline and perseverance is really important.” Chieu Cao“There is something artificial when everyone is agreeing with each other. It is useful to indulge people who don’t agree and see their viewpoint or force yourself to explain things better.” David Sack“It is not about ideas. It is about making ideas happen.” Scott Belsky“Be undeniably good. No marketing effort or social media buzzword can be a substitute for that.” Anthony Volodkin“If we are going to be part of the solution, we must engage the problems.” Majora Carter“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you will do things differently.” Warren Buffet“How you climb the mountain is more important than reaching the top.” Yvon Chouinard“People are definitely a company’s greatest asset. It doesn’t make any difference whether the product is cars or cosmetics. A company is only as good as the people it keeps.” Mary Kay Ash“I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” Estee Lauder Pulling It All Together

The world desperately needs entrepreneurs and leaders with servant hearts. Individuals who want to add value to uplift people’s spirit while improving the world we live in. Finally, consider these two bonus quotes:

“Innovation is the specific instrument of entrepreneurship. The act that endows resources with a new capacity to create wealth.” Peter Drucker“I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas Edison

Why not join us on LinkedIn for the Servant Leadership revolution that is taking place about the power of people? Go here:  ServantLeadership@RickConlow International. THANK YOU!

Also, click here for excellent insight and a complimentary resource called–4 Keys to Creating a High-Performance Team.

In addition, see our RealTime Learning & Training leadership and personal development website-over 250 resources. Micro-learning and career advancement at your fingertips!

Finally, see Rick’s newest book. The 5 Dynamics of Servant Leadership: How to accelerate your career and inspire your team!  See his newest self-directed leadership training: 21 Servant Leadership Training Lessons.

CEO/Founder, Rick Conlow International: RCI transforms managers into leaders by coaching and training them to become Servant Leaders. Clients achieve record-breaking performances in sales growth, customer experience improvement, employee engagement and leadership effectiveness. Furthermore, RCI’s online resources coach and train all managers or employees to higher levels of career success.

Partner with  RCI Consulting Services. Visit the RCI store:  Books & Training Resources. The post 22 Powerful Quotes for Entrepreneurs and Leaders appeared first on Rick Conlow.

7 Employee Comments that Destroy a Team

An effective team does not come easy. One way to determine how a team is doing involves listening to their comments to one another or others. Check out these seven negative comments. If spoken often then there are days when the manager wonders, “Why bother? I could do this faster myself.” However, these comments are also a wakeup call for a manager to improve his or her team leadership skills.

Team Content and Process

The bottom line is that a team’s success largely depends on the content and the process. The content involves the task for the team, for example: improving a work process, preparing for product presentation, or creating a marketing campaign. Process involves how well people work together on that team. This includes their planning efforts and interpersonal working relationships. The seven employee comments below are generated from failings in content and process.

4 Employee Comments that Lower a Team’s Morale

Whether it is a department or a work team or a cross-functional team, here are seven “side comments” that team members make which will undermine, if not destroy, teamwork before it gets started.

“This isn’t my real job.”

When someone on the team says this, it means there is a serious lack of trust on the team. The individual is probably immature. I think of my kids when they were younger trying to do dishes. Inevitably this comment came up, and the battle started. Team leaders need to ensure they have clear expectations about roles and responsibilities and then have the guts to follow-up on differences or conflict.

“I won’t or I don’t want to”…[both] Said out loud, or quietly.

Some people feel overworked, threatened, or want to do as little as possible. Sabotage is what happens next. I remember that for one team I was on, this was the issue for a number of team members. The team leader did little upfront analysis or training. She just assigned the project. People on the team felt overwhelmed so they rebelled and resisted doing any of the work. Eventually it got done grudgingly but we were behind schedule. I learned a valuable lesson about the lack of team leadership.

“I’m too busy.”

In one company, this was the mantra. Yes, they were busy, but the company needed a breakthrough in a strategic goal. Without key players’ input, the project would not work. Some managers backed out by saying this. Those who stepped up anyway made a significant contribution to the company, and it was noticed. By the way, these managers made the time by delegating other responsibilities to their direct reports.

I noticed one other thing. A few managers did not say this verbally in the beginning; however, their behavior spoke it loud and clear later. As a leader you need to confront this. In this case, these managers had to be replaced.

“I can’t believe THEY are planning to do this.”

This is the blame game and shows lack of ownership. In one organization that I came across all departments were at odds with the human resource team. Each department complained about their policies, and lack of support. Of course, the President preached teamwork, but all the VPs existed in silos and worked to protect their own narrow confines. When problems arose, they criticized one another. It became a vicious cycle. As a leader, you need to own the mistakes and focus the team on the potential solutions. Remind everyone that you win or lose as a team. Now, if a team member is not performing, you must address that privately and one on one.

3 Employee Comments that Contributes to a Toxic Culture“Management said we’d get fired if I said anything but…”

Gossip spreads and often becomes worse. When we share confidential news or spread innuendos or negative stories about others, no one wins. In one retail company, a group of managers did this ad nauseam about a selected few. Guess what? A few people were hurt, team cooperation suffered and so did sales. Most times the gossip lacked the facts, but it created a negative work climate anyway. If I hear rumors, I name it at the next team meeting, and address it. As a leader you can never participate in the gossip.

“They can’t do that.”

Unfortunately, people get jealous of others or protective of their territory. So, they take shots at other team members or potential stakeholders. Most of the time their comments are critical.

I know two friends who were geared up bike racers and they watched a last-minute entry come to the starting line, wearing plain shorts and a tee shirt, and riding a bike with a broken pedal. Three laps into the race one racer says to the other, “He can’t do this, can he?!” and the friend replied, “No, and if we can ever catch up to him, we’ll tell him!” Hmm–maybe he can do that! I like to handle this side comment by saying, “Okay, what can they do?” Or “What solution do you recommend?” Eventually the negative comments subside. If they do not stop, a team leader needs to address it with the team or individual.

“It won’t work.”

These are the naysayers who have every excuse in the book for why the goal cannot be achieved. Imagine that attitude with people involved in the international space station. It would have never happened.

Early in my career, I had a process improvement project that included service managers from various locations. They had never worked on this kind of project. After reviewing goals, ground rules and doing some training, we started. One manager was so flustered, he just knew this new tool would fail. Much of his angst came from his lack technical skills. One day he even wanted to take me out back and settle things! We worked through it by applyinng constructive confrontations skills. Eventually he believed in and genuinely added to the success of our project.

Pulling a Great Team Together

Author Virginia Burden said, “Cooperation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there unless everybody gets there.” This was certainly true of the Apollo 13 mission. As you recall, an oxygen tank exploded and the crew of Lovell, Swigert and Haise were in desperate straits to survive. Through the sensational teamwork of the crew and Mission Control they made it home safely. They did not have time for excuses or any of the backbiting or squabbling. Lives were at stake; failure was not an option.

Research shows that 60% of work teams fail. Why? See my post, 13 Troubles of Terrible Teams. I provide added focus on the process in that post, which involves tacky team members, this does include the leadership. Managers tend not know how to work within a team, and their people skills are lacking.

In summary, sometimes we are too laissez faire in our approaches to our teams and our willingness to change. We allow these side comments to nitpick away at our team’s success. Quite frankly, livelihoods are at risk. Everyone on a team is responsible for its success, but the leader sets the tone. However, let us get rid of the petty comments and think of others. Let us remember these words by cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Alright, now it is your turn, what comments would you add to the list?

Do you have team challenges or bigger goals to achieve? Go here for the complimentary dynamic eBook: Create a High Performance Team.

In addition, go here for our RealTime Learning & Training leadership and personal development website. Over 130 micro-learning and career advancement resources at your fingertips!

Finally, see Rick’s newest book. The 5 Dynamics of Servant Leadership: How to accelerate your career and inspire your team!  See his newest self-directed leadership training: 21 Servant Leadership Training Lessons.

The post 7 Employee Comments that Destroy a Team appeared first on Rick Conlow.

Leadership is about People-First NOT Profit

Leadership is about people-first. Business is about the products, process, paycheck and profit. Isn’t it time leadership understands this?  Then employee disengagement and distrust would erode. Aren’t you weary of the steady stream of leadership nonsense you hear from politics, Washington, or the corporate office? I am also dismayed about the never-ending stories of leaders falling from grace because of the lack of integrity. These leaders focus on their selfish wants and needs and not people-first.

Leadership derailment studies show that 82% of managers fail. So, of the world’s approximately 500 million managers or supervisors, employees are bearing the brunt of this incompetence daily. While these failures are not as conspicuous as celebrity leaders, the pain they cause employees is of epidemic proportions. Unfortunately, daily they are harmful to as many people as Covid19. If you have had or do have a bad boss, you know what I am talking about.

Leadership is about people-first, not profits or your personal paycheck. But we all know that for so many leaders, it is about the money. Greed, self-interest, and selfishness seem to reign. Today, leaders in business, government and religion seem to be more concerned about the cash than the people they serve. CEOs in the US, for example, earn 324 times more that of an average worker. CEO pay has risen over 1460% since 1978 compared to 18.1% for employees.

No wonder, worldwide, customer service levels show trivial improvement, employee engagement is poor, and growth rates are stagnant. Employees aren’t committed to giving their all to companies that give way too much to the leaders. I believe employees are the most valuable not valued part of a company. Yet, companies spend nearly 29 times more money on technology than on employee training. People are useable commodity products, not crucial business partners to most leaders.

Last week, in an executive coaching update meeting, the CEO and owner of the company said, “What’s with this leadership fiasco? I am worried about the country. It cost over $200 million dollars for our gubernatorial race, for heaven’s sake! Money talks. The gap between leaders and the people is way out of line.” This man is wealthy, but he is concerned. So, am I… aren’t you?

What can you do as an employee?

Do not accept stupid and greedy leadership. Invest in and prepare yourself. Most companies’ loyalty to employees goes only as far has the health of the next quarterly report. Companies are already feeling the lack of qualified people. Employees with updated skills and talents are beginning to rule the marketplace. Be one of them. Be choosey in who you work for, both in the company and boss (see my posts,  Get the Job You Want with This Little Known Technique, and 6 Proven Ways to Deal with a Bad Boss) Also, check out Liz Ryan for more advice. Be aggressive in what I am describing here. It is your career, income, and livelihood at stake.

What can companies do to focus on people-first?

All organizations go through change processes. Spending on training is up but do not fool yourself. There are serious gaps in employee capabilities and available talent. The uptick in investment is a necessity only grudingly acted on. Companies on FORTUNE ‘s 100 Best Companies to Work For list invest in people in a variety of ways and achieve exemplary results. Closely related is their passion for a superior customer experience. Other organizations need to pay attention to this.

Organizations need to uphold people-first values and servant leadership training for managers, and then provide the coaching to make it stick. HR needs to back off the cop-compliance mode and become performance-based consultants. Companies need to teach that everyone can be a leader and forget the concept that exults executives as superheroes, here to “save the day!”. Every employee is important and makes a difference. If employees are bought-in, treated with respect, and paid well, they will perform above and beyond.

How can a leader put people-first?

Hustle! I have seen too many managers become lazy and complacent. Do not get me wrong–I love managers, and I spend most of my time working with or coaching them. Yet many today let the numbers, data, reports and the latest technology tools lead their leadership. As a result, they neglect employees. Many are sucked  into appearing to look good to get the next promotion, bonus or pay increase. In addition, company cultures often are ruthless. If you do not play along you get run over. It is not easy but it can be done. For example, for ten years as VP of CX and Training, I worked in a company that drove harder for profit than anyone. We made serious money. However, we also significantly improved our EX/culture, CX and profits–all three are inter-related. Why did this happen? The President had an epiphany that the market changed, and he needed the company to change for the better. So, he allowed change to happpen, sometimes grudgingly. We had our battles but ended up leading our market and achieving record breaking results for EX, CX and profit.

A leader’s success always depends on his or her team–period. Help your employees succeed and you will succeed. You need a team to achieve your dream. How do you help them more? Learn the emotional intelligence skills taught by Daniel Goleman. Be a student of the game! Get 50-70 hours of leadership training a year yourself. If your company does not pay for it, pay for it yourself. Get a coach or mentor. Become a coaching master. Keep learning about people and what motivates or, better still, inspires them to be their best.

In conclusion, aim to become an exceptional servant leader. This means a leader that focuses on people-first, and that others talk about in a positive way. Guess what? The money will come and so will the profits and promotions. I heard dynamic consultant Don Beveridge declare, “Never evaluate your success as a leader by the size of your paycheck.”

Why not join us on LinkedIn for the Servant Leadership revolution that is taking place about the power of people? Go here:  ServantLeadership@RickConlow International. THANK YOU!

Also, click here for excellent insight and a complimentary resource called–4 Keys to Creating a High-Performance Team.

In addition, see our RealTime Learning & Training leadership and personal development website-over 230 resources. Micro-learning and career advancement at your fingertips!

Finally, see Rick’s newest book. The 5 Dynamics of Servant Leadership: How to accelerate your career and inspire your team!  See his newest self-directed leadership training: 21 Servant Leadership Training Lessons.

 

The post Leadership is about People-First NOT Profit appeared first on Rick Conlow.

Servant Leadership: The Antidote to Toxic Workplaces

Servant Leadership is the antidote to toxic workplaces. Unfortunately, toxic offices, plants, stores, and managers abound. Too often companies take advantage of employees and treat them as lower class citizens. Employees want and need leaders who are humane, empathetic and skilled in emotional intelligence. Managers of the future will have the people skills to lead highly productive and engaging hybrid work teams. Their priority will be people-first.

The Cost of Toxic Workplaces

Research shows that:

85% of the world’s employees are disengaged. 82% of managers fail. The #1 reason people quit a job is they hate their boss.In the US,CEO pay is the highest in the world 351 times more than the average employee. From 1978 to 2020, CEO pay rose, with inflation-adjustment, 1,322%–this is double stock market growth and astronomical to the pitiful 18.0% gain by employees.Companies lose $22 trillion dollars a year globally in poor productivity and performance because of toxic workplaces.Employees Feedback on Toxic Workplaces

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This Servant leadership training will show you a positive alternative. Now, it helps if a company elevates its culture. However, if it does not, any manager can learn Servant Leadership skills to create a high-performing team with their employees.

Notice these sample but recent angry comments from employees about their companies:

We work from home, but you do not trust us, so we do check-ins all day. We have a hybrid workplace, but you cut the pay of people working remote. No one wants to work here; our pay and turnover are terrible. You gave large bonuses and raises to executives but not the employees.You gave a raise but only at the rate of inflation. Those are not raises. We stayed even. You cut support, training ,and shift expenses for people working at home. You ask us to do more with less…every year. The managers here do not listen or follow-up. Besides, they are in too many meetings. You forced us back into the office!!!

Organizations and managers must do better to compete in the workplace today and tomorrow. We need people-first focus. Employees with these attitudes do not perform well. They look for different jobs. Recent surveys show that 61% of all employees are looking for another job. A record 4.2 million employee quit their jobs late last year. As any manager knows, poor employee retention degrades productivity, quality, and customer service. Leaders who learn how to change and improve this, achieve positive gains for the team, company, and themselves.

Pulling It All Together

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Watch this Servant Leadership training video for more details. Learn the principles of Servant Leadership and the payoff. Give us a THUMBS UP. Check out these resources that could dramatically change your career success and your team’s achievements.

Why not join us on LinkedIn for the Servant Leadership revolution that is taking place about the power of people? Go here:  ServantLeadership@RickConlow International. THANK YOU!

Also, click here for excellent insight and a complimentary resource called–4 Keys to Creating a High-Performance Team.

In addition, see our RealTime Learning & Training leadership and personal development website-over 230 resources. Micro-learning and career advancement at your fingertips!

Finally, see Rick’s newest book. The 5 Dynamics of Servant Leadership: How to accelerate your career and inspire your team!  See his newest self-directed leadership training: 21 Servant Leadership Training Lessons.

CEO/Founder, Rick Conlow International: RCI transforms managers into leaders by coaching and training them to become Servant Leaders. Clients achieve record-breaking performances in sales growth, customer experience improvement, employee engagement and leadership effectiveness. Furthermore, RCI’s online resources coach and train all managers or employees to higher levels of career success.

Partner with RCI Consulting Services. Visit the RCI store: Books & Training Resources. The post Servant Leadership: The Antidote to Toxic Workplaces appeared first on Rick Conlow.

Servant Leadership: A Better DNA for Leaders

Witness the rise of Servant Leadership. This means a better DNA of leaders in organizations.  Servant leaders are out there. Are you one? Revolutionary change is brewing. This radical transformation germinated from the dead works of corporate ignorance and political fat cats that do not care for people. Employees are tired, frustrated, and fed up with these kinds of leaders. The Great resignation proved that. Distrust, disengagement, and resentment reigns. According to Edelman’s Trust Barometer, more people distrust business because of economic and social inequalities. As a result, employees do not trust companies’ leadership and it is becoming increasingly challenging to rebuild credibility. Watch and join the rise of Servant Leaders.

Business, if not world leadership, is at a precipice. Will the old guard continue to dominate in their greedy, selfish, unethical manner? Or will employee and customers alike become even more restless, disengaged, and revolutionary in thought or action, and demand wholesale leadership changes?

A new species of servant leaders is arising. In nature, geneticists call this sympatric speciation. The professional DNA of these leaders is unique. It is not about profit, promotion, or political gain. It is about the need, and selfless service to do the right thing. Protect the planet. Feed the hungry. Heal the sick. Give jobs to the unemployed. Pay fairly. Help those in trouble. Coach. Lift up, do not leave behind. Share the wealth, do not hoard it.

3 People Who Define the New Species of Servant Leaders Cheryl Bachelder

Cheryl Bachelder saved Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen from bankruptcy through Servant Leadership principles. It was her secret tool for success. Treat franchises as partners not just customers. She honed her skills while working at Domino’s Pizza and KFC. From these experiences she wrote in her blog, see came to the “well-founded conclusion that serving the people and the enterprise is by far the best path to superior financial performance.”

How did they do it? They talked to and listened to their owners. With their input they designed a plan for superior results. Shared information and open lines of communication and problems-solving became the norm.

Arthur T. Demoulas

Mr. Demoulas is the beloved CEO of Market Basket, a grocery store chain of seventy locations and 25,000 employees in the NE United States. He was ousted as the organization’s leader a few years ago, by other members of his family who had more stock, prompting all the employees to protest and go on strike even though they had no union. Other owners wanted to close some stores, raise prices, reduce pay, and cut benefits to increase profitability. (Sound familiar?)  Mr. Demoulas paid above industry average, as well as established a retirement fund that added 15% of annual pay each year for employees. He remembers employees’ names and their sick relatives and offers higher education stipends. After an eight-month battle, he purchased 50.5% of the stock to regain control and save the company. As a result, it is thriving and growing.

Karl-Johan Persson

He is the CEO of worldwide clothing company H&M. His company is gearing their brands to looking healthy, not trendy, or skinny. They recently released a new plus-sized swimsuit line. He insists that he will allow only “sound and healthy” models. Persson’s goals are quality in the clothing line, safety, and financial stability for all employees. In addition, his goal is to grow while respecting the planet. Consequently, he is changing his industry with cheaper quality fashion while having an ethical conscience of its impact on customers, employees, the community, and the environment.

Pulling It All Together

In contrast, consider Martin Shkreli a pharmaceutical executive. He drastically raised the price of a drug called Daraprim from $13.50 to $750. It is used to treat a disease fatal to H.I.V. patients. His antics caused a firestorm. Eventually the government arrested him for securities fraud. He now serves time in prison. Leaders like him focus only on bottom-lines, stock markets, or quarterly reports. They are aloof and elitist in their views of other people.

In conclusion, this new species of leaders calibrates their behavior by noble values that are in sharp contrast to the status quo. Their personal DNA is measured by their servant focus, genuine caring for others (employees, the community, and customers alike) and integrity to contribute to making the world a better place. If you are an employee, voice your opinion. If you are a leader, embrace the change or resign.

Also, learn to become a servant leader. Go here: The 5 Dynamics of Servant Leadership and Leading by Example Assessment.

In addition, check out our new resource: 21 Servant Leadership Training Lessons.

Finally, join the Servant Leadership movement, go here: ServantLeadeship@RickConlowInternational.

 

The post Servant Leadership: A Better DNA for Leaders appeared first on Rick Conlow.

33 Exceptional Customer Service Quotes that Challenge Us

The thirty-three exceptional customer service quotes arise from leaders that believe in delivering the best customer service. What is the effect of significantly improving a company’s customer experience?  The numbers tell the story.

70% of customer will continue to do business with you if you resolve a complaint effectively. 78% of loyal customers spend more and recommend you to others.90% of customers will pay more for good customer service.Loyal customers are worth 10 times as much as their first purchase.It is 7 times more expensive to get a new customer than it is to keep a current customer. The PIMS database shows highly rated customer service companies grow more than twice as fast
as lower rated companies.Companies who make customer service a priority make 60% higher profits than rivals.Increasing customer retention by 5% can increase profits up to 125%.An ACSI study proved that the leading companies consistently outperformed the market by
considerable margins. ACSI leading companies outperformed the Dow by 93%, the Fortune 500 by 20% and the NASDAQ by 335%.80% of companies believe they deliver superior service only 8% of customers agree.Companies lost $339B worldwide due to poor service. In the US it is $84B which represents 1.4% of all
corporate profits (before tax) in the last year. Did you catch that? What if you could cut that in half or
more?An AmEx study found customers are willing to spend 17% more with companies that deliver excellent service.

Impressive, isn’t it? Read and learn these quotes and put them to work.

11 Customer Service Quotes: The Value“Customer service is just a day in, day out ongoing, never ending, unremitting, persevering, compassionate, type of activity.” – Leon Gorman. “My definition of ‘innovative’ is providing value to the customer.” – Mary Barra“A strong customer service culture can’t be copied.” – Jerry Fritz“When you serve the customer better, they always return on your investment.” – Kara Parlin“If you don’t care, your customer never will.” – Marlene Blaszczyk“Customer service is about empathy.” – Chaz Van de Motter“A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all.” – Michael LeBoeuf“Stellar service should be non-negotiable, and merchants shouldn’t hide behind self-service tools and technology when it comes to knowing their products and taking care of their customers.” – Lauren Freedman“Building a good customer experience does not happen by accident. It happens by design.” – Clare Muscutt“If you’re not serving the customer, your job is to be serving someone who is.” – Jan Carlzon“The customer’s perception is your reality.” – Kate Zabriskie11 Customer Service Quotes: Living It“If you are not taking care of your customer, your competitor will.” – Bob Hooey“The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of a mistake.” – Meg Whitman“Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They DO expect you to fix things when they go wrong.” — Donald Porter“Life is for service.” – Fred Rogers“There is a spiritual aspect to our lives — when we give, we receive — when a business does something good for somebody, that somebody feels good about them!” – Ben Cohen, Co-Founder Ben & Jerry’s“Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement.” – J. C. Penny “We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job to make the customer experience a little bit better.” – Jeff Bezos, Founder Amazon“Until you understand your customers — deeply and genuinely — you cannot truly serve them.” – Rasheed Ogunlaru, Author of Soul Trader“A brand is no longer what we tell the customer it is – it is what customers tell each other it is.” – Scott Cook“The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best but legendary.” – Sam Walton, Founder Walmart, and Sam’s Club“The magic formula that successful businesses have discovered is to treat customers like guests and employees like people.” – Tom Peters, Best-Selling Author11 Customer Service Quotes: The Practice“Rule 1: The customer is always right. Rule 2: If the customer is ever wrong, read Rule 1.” – Stew Leonard’s Grocery Store Customer Policy “Sales without Customer Service is like stuffing money into a pocket full of holes.” – David Tooman, Customer Service Professional“You need to get to the future, ahead of your customers, and be ready to greet them when they arrive.” – Marc Benioff“The two most powerful things in existence: a kind word and a thoughtful gesture.” – Kenneth Langone“We don’t want to push our ideas on to customers, we simply want to make what they want.” Laura Ashley“Goodwill is the only asset that competition cannot undersell or destroy.” – Marshall Field, Founder Marshall Field and Company“Service, in short, is not what you do, but who you are. It is a way of living that you need to bring to everything you do, if you are to bring it to your customer interactions.” – Betsy Sanders, Author Fabled Service“The purpose of a business is to create and keep customers.” – Theodore Levitt “It is not your customer’s job to remember you, it is your obligation and responsibility to make sure they don’t have the chance to forget you.” – Patricia Fripp, Professional Keynote Speaker“You are serving a customer, not a life sentence. Learn how to enjoy your work.” Laurie McIntosh“Spend a lot of time talking to customers face-to-face. You’d be amazed how many companies don’t listen to their customers.” — Ross Perot Pulling It All Together

Bottom-line, great service pays and poor service costs. Whatever your role in an organization, take these quotes to heart and with that make a positive difference on your team first and then your customers. Great service demands great employee morale, retention, and engagement! 

Consider, research shows that Servant Leadership practices delivers great employee engagement which relates to a better customer experience for customers.

Also, see this complimentary report for how to make positive changes: The Customer has the Power. And check out our award winning CX Leadership Consulting Services.

In addition, check out our this new training: 21 Servant Leadership

Lessons which includes or newest eBook: The 5 Dynamics of Servant Leadership.

Finally, check out our RealTime Learning and Training micro-learning and training library with over 30o resources for leadership and personal/career development.

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Why CEOs Can’t Dance Redux

Let us face it, CEOs often isolated themselves from the average employee. (We wrote and challenged them about this seven years ago.) Most still sequester themselves in the penthouse office of the corporate headquarters. They cannot dance with employees because they think they are too busy to engage employees. Dancing here refers to engaging, supporting, and communicating with employees in multiple ways. Too many do not dance because they have lost touch with reality. They operate in a bubble and do not attend the party.

For example, The Great Man showed up for budget review in a white limo, flanked by two black SUVs. He entered the building protected by multiple bodyguards. Local executives gave presentations to him on a stage in an auditorium setting. This CEO sat up in the stands. All lights were off except a spotlight on the presenting manager and the CEO’s reading light. When things were not right, he interrupted or degraded them. This archaic practice motivated no one. It wasted time and generated fear and insecurity.

CareerBuilder found that 40% of employees do not even know their CEO’s name. Worldwide, all employees agree that CEOs do not bring the value that supports their pay scale. For example, CEOs pay is 399 times more than the average worker. Yet, their work cultures produce 85% disengaged employees.  Because of this, CEOs are leaving a tremendous amount of employee potential talent and contributions on the table. By not dancing, CEOs cost their companies billions of dollars of lost employee innovation, productivity, and customer service. Here are three reasons why CEOs let this happen:

CEO priorities upside down

Among CEO top priorities are sales growth and profit. While companies must grow and make money, executives often forget how it happens. They pay way too much attention to shareholders, numbers, and data and not enough to the power of people. Customer loyalty generates sales growth and profit. Customer loyalty comes from an exemplary customer experience.  Employees determine the quality of a company’s customer experience.

Consider GM as a case study. In the 1940’s, Peter Drucker praised the company for its product decentralization but criticized it, even back then, for treating employees as a feudal cost center rather than a base of knowledge and potential. The lack of quality for their customers has dogged GM for years. Even today, GM has record recalls. A finance executive said this of the decades-old corporate attitude, “We are GM. We know everything. We don’t need to change.” How wrong they are! GM market share fell from 62.6% to 17.9%, from 1980 to 2015. In between, we all know about the bankruptcy and bailout. The point is, unfortunately, so many companies have the same attitude about employees and customers today.

CEOs do not communicate well

According to management studies, a key reason leaders derail is that they do not communicate well.  According to Dr. Travis Bradberry, CEOs and other executives have the lowest emotional intelligence skills of all management levels. Research shows that CEOs only spend 4.3 hours a week on people management issues. These means they are not good at one-on-one conversations, cultural sensitivity, listening, team building, managing their emotions, managing conflict, or communicating vision and strategy clearly. This list goes on, but you get the picture.

A global IBM study found that 33% of CEOs had engineering degrees and another 15% had finance degrees. CEOs focus on data, facts, figures, and metrics.  No wonder the #1 issue on employee engagement surveys is the lack of communication. CEOs tend to think communication is too “soft” to pay attention to it. Yet, according to the change master, Kotter, 70% of their strategies fail to reach their intended outcomes because of poor execution. A lack of communication is the usual culprit.  As an employee, I am sure you can identify with the poor communication you have seen from your employers related to expectations, priorities, medical benefits, lack of recognition, policy changes, and work procedures. Most, if not all, of this is avoidable.

CEOs project misplaced values

Over 60% of all CEOs say that creativity is their most important trait; only 12% say fairness and humility are.  Kouzes and Posner, authors of The Leadership Challenge, found that over 80% of managers value honesty as a key characteristic in their leaders. Yet 82% of employees do not trust their boss, according to the Edelman’s Trust Barometer. Too many employees do not trust their companies either. Now I know CEOs that are exceptional leaders; however, far too many CEOs think more about their profits, perks, and paycheck than their people.

The book, The Speed of Trust, by Stephen M.R. Covey, demonstrates that the lack of integrity and ethics causes problems for managers and companies all day long. If the culture of a company is about countless checklists, policies and procedures, employees will begin to look over their shoulders rather than doing a fantastic job. The employee’s task becomes hiding mistakes as opposed to doing a better job. With trust, most people rise to the occasion and go the extra mile. Fred Kiel is author of Moral Intelligence and Return on Character. He shows that corporate leaders-servant leaders-with high integrity and compassion have greater returns than leaders who are egotistical and self-absorbed.

Pulling It All Together

Those CEO’s who do not dance think business is only about the bottom-line. It is really about people: employees and customers. Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group of four hundred companies, has built a large organization on this very principle. He is dancing, having an exciting time and so are his people. Wouldn’t that be an enjoyable way to invest and spend your working years? In backlash to toxic workplaces and the GREAT Resignation, a revolution about people-first through Servant Leadership marches across the global. Successful CEOs of the future will dance with the movement.

Do you want to benchmark your career with the habits of extraordinarily successful people? If so, check out this complimentary inventory: Servant Leadership: Leading by Example.

Want to really advance your career? Check out Rick’s best-selling books, The Superstar Leadership Model and The 5 Dynamics of Servant Leadership.

 

 

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Fear: Leaving it Behind

Fear has a negative connotation with it. We think we want to avoid all things associated with fear. We are afraid of this, apprehensive about that and uncertain about all the in-between. Yet, when we are honest with ourselves, we expect that we must learn to conquer fear, if we hope to move forward. Otherwise, how are we going to become more than we currently are? We would be destined to exist in inertia. One sage declard, “Do the thing you fear and the death of it is certain.”

We cannot get further from where we have been unless we are willing to confront our fears to move past where we are. Let us just take a minor rewind of life. I am sure at some point in your childhood, you went to camp (or later in life, you moved to college). Now, there are some of us who could not wait to break free of our parents and stay up late, playing pranks on our fellow camp peers. There are others who got homesick – missing the familiarity of their everyday lives.

Now, if a child that was homesick did not continue to embrace opportunities to challenge that awful feeling, he or she is unlikely to ever experience a homesick-free feeling. Right? Taking on new experiences that allow us to confront our fears are the very moments when fear meets courage – and regardless of what happens when these two rivals meet, it is inevitable that an individual will leave that experience better off for bringing a level of bravery to the table. We say someone “grew out of” their homesick feeling…exactly…they moved beyond it.

Moving Past Fear

We have an inaccurate idea of what it means to conquer our fears – I think it really comes down to just moving out of our comfort zone. And whether you are a foot or a football field away from the bounds of your comfort zone, you are increasing your potential. In other words, any action is the product of courage…all inaction is the paralysis of fear. We overestimate how much we must do to conquer our fears, it is often less about doing monumental things and more about taking small steps.

Think of it this way, let us say you were standing at the bottom of a massive mountain. That is a scary spectacle. But all it takes is one step. Then one more. And so forth. Once you reach the top and peer down over each groove you maneuvered, you realize, your achievement was the result of hundreds of tiny steps NOT one giant leap…after all, who is big enough to skip the steps and soar to the top with one big stride? Nobody. Fear has this awful ability to distort our perspective of reality. Fearlessness is not the absence of fear. It is taking a step forward in the midst of it.

What Fear Means

Often, what we think we are afraid https://rickconlow.com/product/real-time-learning-training/of is not even an actual threat. In fact, I once saw the acronym of fear defined as:

F – false
E – evidence
A – appearing
R – real

I am not trying to downplay how serious our fears can feel. I am only encouraging you to take a step back when you are feeling afraid and do your best to assess what small actions you could take to break through your comfort zone into your courageous zone. As Joseph Campbell put it, “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” Often, when we identify our fears, we have found our dreams. So, on what fears do you want to take one step toward?

Pulling It All Together

For more on fear, I highly recommend reading Fear of Success, a recent post by Dr. Alice Chan. Dr. Chan is the author of REACH Your Dreams: Five Steps to be a Conscious Creator In Your Life.

Also, engage our Servant Leadership community, and the revolution taking place about the power of people. We are committed to publishing the best-in-class materials. This includes servant leadership principles, videos, pictures, quotes, and materials from great minds everywhere. Certainly, our purpose aims to encourage, coach, and inspire managers to elevate PEOPLE FIRST in organizations. Join us at: RickConlowInternationalonLinkedIn:ServantLeadership. 

In addition, see Rick’s newest book. The 5 Dynamics of Servant Leadership: How to accelerate your career and inspire your team! 

Finally, see our RealTime Learning & Training leadership and personal development website. It includes, over 250 resources. It is micro-learning and career advancement at your fingertips!

 

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Toxic Workplaces: Zelenskyy, Putin, and Corporations

Toxic workplaces erode company sales and profit. It is common sense. In addition, more maliciously, they degrade employees and their lifes. Putin’s War in the Ukrainian highlights the potential devastation of toxic workplaces.

Putin thought his “special military exercise” would be over in a couple of weeks and that the Ukrainian would fall quickly, and the citizens rejoice in the advancing Russian Army. It has not worked out that way. Put underestimated the Ukranian Armies resolve. Media stories share the reasons.

 

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