I have a big, noisy, fun family. Growing up, we lived around the corner from the McCartheys, a family with a set of kids that matched ours. So, we hung out together. Not all together. The big kids hung together. The middle kids hung together. And the youngest kids, my group, wished we could hang [...]
Bueller? Your meetings don’t have to devolve into gripe sessions, and a waste of billable hours. You can do better. A tight, short, focused meeting can be an opportunity to communicate, to get on the same page, to teach something and learn something. If you don’t have an agenda for [...]
What can you learn by Riding Along? You don’t even have to do the Undercover part. Just GO. Hop in the truck (or the assembly line or the phone bank) and say, “Show me what you do. I am here to learn.” One of my best biz buddies is a master of the Ride Along. I wrote about him…and how [...]
Former worker admits stealing nearly $170,000 from University Plaza Hotel edited news release from U.S. attorney’s office 2:10 p.m. CST, February 22, 2012 SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A former employee of University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in Springfield pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday for stealing nearly $170,000 from the hotel. “JM”, 47, of [...]
Do you have an underperformer? Dreading the confrontational conversation about his performance? Here’s a little Role Play video with ideas for being clear, gaining understanding and getting commitment to improved performance! Skip the pep talk. Help him WIN!
Attitude: a mental position or feeling with regard to a fact or state. As business owners, we love to discuss ways to improve our employees’ attitudes. Throw a party! Tell inspiring stories at the company meeting! Put Successories™ posters on the wall! Give ‘em a pep talk. These things aren’t bad. But, none of those [...]
You know, you have to TRAIN your employees. Right? Training is a funny word. It gets used a lot, especially by frustrated business owners. But few people know what it means. Does it mean “motivating”? Does it mean “confidence building”? Does it mean hitting employees with a newspaper or dangling a carrot? One of Funk & [...]
Dear Ellen, We have a good compensation program at our company. The Salespeople get commission for their performance. Lately, it just seems to be a little bit stale. Like the team isn’t really motivated by the bonuses. What can I do to fire things up? Sincerely, “Lost the Spark” Dear “Sparky,” People love to play [...]
Yikes! I got spanked in a teleseminar the other day. I shared some thoughts about how to have the “difficult conversation.” You know the one…about hygiene and grooming. Best to head the issue off at the pass, so I offered tips for updating the Operations Manual and creating a culture of good manners. That’s a [...]
Recently I got this question from a concerned business owner regarding an employee: Dear Ellen, My one and only employee is always pushing the boundaries. He knows he is supposed to keep his uniform shirt tucked in. Today, he showed up with his shirt untucked. Even worse, underneath his white shirt he was wearing a [...]
