StartingOverNow.com
Articles
Productive Culture = “No” to Short-term Profits
and “Yes” to Employees
The Wall Street Journal CEO Council recently created a task force on
what would restore confidence in business. The CEOs of Eastman
Kodak, Verizon Communications, WPP Group and the Professor of
Management Practice at Harvard Business School all agreed that the
leading recommendation is for companies to focus less on
shareholders benefits and short-term profits and more on the
professional development of its workforce, its customers needs, and
sustainability.
“We talk too much about benefits we provide to our shareholders,”
the CEO task force recommended in a Wall Street Journal article
on November 22nd. “We should be talking about benefits provided
to our employees, customers and the public.
Why don’t businesses do this? Because they can’t see how it will pay
off. Very short sited. Their culture – the harmony of their work force –
then becomes focused on the company instead of the individuals who
contribute to the good of the company. The leaders then
communicate only the values of an increased bottom line and market
share which leads the employees to feel dehumanized instead of
inspired and motivated. Productivity suffers immeasurably and no
one seems to understand how to improve it. So they start shuffling
job responsibilities and doing employee engagement surveys and
nothing really changes.
Listen to these successful CEOs. Start by examining your own
corporate culture.
How to Build a Productive Culture of Organizational Excellence
1. Define very solid company values that include the enrichment of
your employees as part of the statement. Research the values of
other companies that you admire.
2. Create a no-blame environment so that issues are brought to light.
3. Have managers ask each employee what they value personally
and how they can better put those values to work in your company.
4. Give the employees an anonymous cultural survey and use the
results to help restructure your corporate values. Give the survey
again in a year and track the results.
5. Demonstrate to your employees that you care about their well
being by providing fun programs on stress reduction, time
management, team building, management development, meeting
facilitation.
6. Create a culture of accountability by asking employees to report
back how they have altered their behaviors based on what they have
learned from enrichment. Continue to track the progress.
7. Prove professional coaching for leaders with potential who are
stuck or need development in a certain area.
8. Allow the employees to create their own task force to address
issues that are of importance to them. Give them a voice. And listen
don’t interrupt.
9. Sustain customers or clients by knowing who they are. What do
you need to measure to gain and retain customers/clients?
Communicate and update it regularly for your employees so that they
know what is being measured. Include their development in that
measurement.
10. Keep a dynamic demographic record on your customers such as
how many there were in total from the last quarter. How many were
new? What is your economic indicator – cost per customer on what?
How many clients increased their purchase from the same time last
year? Their age? The trends in zip codes that hold most of your
clients? Were referred? Gave you a referral?
11. Keep in touch with your clients not just to ask them for more
business but to give them information that will make their life easier.
This is a free information society. What information can you share in
an e-newsletter or program that will be of benefit to them and qualify
your company as an expert when they do seek the product or service
you provide?
12. Keep in regular communication with your employees with
information that may help them. Do you want to give free flu shots to
keep them healthy but also keep absences down? Is there traffic
information that they may find helpful? Banks offer programs on
identity theft and others consumer issues free of charge.
13. Celebrate your company’s successes and that of your individual
employees! An internal announcement? Cake? Lunch? Party? Can
you give everyone an afternoon or day off to volunteers in a charity?
Leaders within the organization are responsible for the culture.
Communicate that you care about your employees as more than a
vehicle to advance the mission of the company. They ARE the
company. Start now!
Sign up for Mary Lee’s free Executive Coaching e-newsletter at
info@startingovernow.com.
Get Mary Lee’s free tip sheets on “How to Transform Status Quo into
World Class - Negative Values Cost You Money” and “How to Turn
Thought Into Habit for Your Team” at Articles and Tip Sheets.
Mary Lee Gannon is the president of Gannon Group - a full service
executive coaching, training and consulting firm that provides
turnaround strategies for people and organizations by improving
team performance, executive leadership skills, board performance,
planning and project execution. Mary Lee’s personal turnaround came
as a stay-at-home mother, with four children under seven-years-old,
who endured a divorce that took she and the children from the country
club life to public assistance from where within a short time she
worked out of that to the level of CEO. Her book "Starting Over - 25
Rules for When You've Bottomed Out" is available in bookstores and
at with online book sellers.
and “Yes” to Employees
The Wall Street Journal CEO Council recently created a task force on
what would restore confidence in business. The CEOs of Eastman
Kodak, Verizon Communications, WPP Group and the Professor of
Management Practice at Harvard Business School all agreed that the
leading recommendation is for companies to focus less on
shareholders benefits and short-term profits and more on the
professional development of its workforce, its customers needs, and
sustainability.
“We talk too much about benefits we provide to our shareholders,”
the CEO task force recommended in a Wall Street Journal article
on November 22nd. “We should be talking about benefits provided
to our employees, customers and the public.
Why don’t businesses do this? Because they can’t see how it will pay
off. Very short sited. Their culture – the harmony of their work force –
then becomes focused on the company instead of the individuals who
contribute to the good of the company. The leaders then
communicate only the values of an increased bottom line and market
share which leads the employees to feel dehumanized instead of
inspired and motivated. Productivity suffers immeasurably and no
one seems to understand how to improve it. So they start shuffling
job responsibilities and doing employee engagement surveys and
nothing really changes.
Listen to these successful CEOs. Start by examining your own
corporate culture.
How to Build a Productive Culture of Organizational Excellence
1. Define very solid company values that include the enrichment of
your employees as part of the statement. Research the values of
other companies that you admire.
2. Create a no-blame environment so that issues are brought to light.
3. Have managers ask each employee what they value personally
and how they can better put those values to work in your company.
4. Give the employees an anonymous cultural survey and use the
results to help restructure your corporate values. Give the survey
again in a year and track the results.
5. Demonstrate to your employees that you care about their well
being by providing fun programs on stress reduction, time
management, team building, management development, meeting
facilitation.
6. Create a culture of accountability by asking employees to report
back how they have altered their behaviors based on what they have
learned from enrichment. Continue to track the progress.
7. Prove professional coaching for leaders with potential who are
stuck or need development in a certain area.
8. Allow the employees to create their own task force to address
issues that are of importance to them. Give them a voice. And listen
don’t interrupt.
9. Sustain customers or clients by knowing who they are. What do
you need to measure to gain and retain customers/clients?
Communicate and update it regularly for your employees so that they
know what is being measured. Include their development in that
measurement.
10. Keep a dynamic demographic record on your customers such as
how many there were in total from the last quarter. How many were
new? What is your economic indicator – cost per customer on what?
How many clients increased their purchase from the same time last
year? Their age? The trends in zip codes that hold most of your
clients? Were referred? Gave you a referral?
11. Keep in touch with your clients not just to ask them for more
business but to give them information that will make their life easier.
This is a free information society. What information can you share in
an e-newsletter or program that will be of benefit to them and qualify
your company as an expert when they do seek the product or service
you provide?
12. Keep in regular communication with your employees with
information that may help them. Do you want to give free flu shots to
keep them healthy but also keep absences down? Is there traffic
information that they may find helpful? Banks offer programs on
identity theft and others consumer issues free of charge.
13. Celebrate your company’s successes and that of your individual
employees! An internal announcement? Cake? Lunch? Party? Can
you give everyone an afternoon or day off to volunteers in a charity?
Leaders within the organization are responsible for the culture.
Communicate that you care about your employees as more than a
vehicle to advance the mission of the company. They ARE the
company. Start now!
Sign up for Mary Lee’s free Executive Coaching e-newsletter at
info@startingovernow.com.
Get Mary Lee’s free tip sheets on “How to Transform Status Quo into
World Class - Negative Values Cost You Money” and “How to Turn
Thought Into Habit for Your Team” at Articles and Tip Sheets.
Mary Lee Gannon is the president of Gannon Group - a full service
executive coaching, training and consulting firm that provides
turnaround strategies for people and organizations by improving
team performance, executive leadership skills, board performance,
planning and project execution. Mary Lee’s personal turnaround came
as a stay-at-home mother, with four children under seven-years-old,
who endured a divorce that took she and the children from the country
club life to public assistance from where within a short time she
worked out of that to the level of CEO. Her book "Starting Over - 25
Rules for When You've Bottomed Out" is available in bookstores and
at with online book sellers.
StartingOverNow.com
Articles
People who use the
FREE resources on
this site are:
* Starting over in
their career or
personal life
* Empty nesters
* Entrepreneurs
* Networking
* Job Seekers
* Starting all over
again
* Going through a
divorce
* Looking for career
opportunities
* Seeking FREE
career advice and
education
* Finding mentors
* Setting new life
goals
To chart your road
map to success
click here for FREE
"Worksheets and
Articles."
FREE resources on
this site are:
* Starting over in
their career or
personal life
* Empty nesters
* Entrepreneurs
* Networking
* Job Seekers
* Starting all over
again
* Going through a
divorce
* Looking for career
opportunities
* Seeking FREE
career advice and
education
* Finding mentors
* Setting new life
goals
To chart your road
map to success
click here for FREE
"Worksheets and
Articles."
Turnaround Solutions for People & Organizations
Gannon Group is a full service executive coaching, consulting and
training firm that provides turnaround strategies for people and
organizations. We improve team performance, executive leadership
skills, board performance, planning and project execution through
Executive Coaching, Management Team Development, Board
Development, and Training in the areas of...
Healthcare
Business
Operational Excellence
Strategic Direction & Meeting Facilitation
Fundraising
Association Management
Non-Profit Management
Personal Turnaround
Sales
Communications & Public Relations
Contact Gannon Group at info@startingovernow.com.
Gannon Group is a full service executive coaching, consulting and
training firm that provides turnaround strategies for people and
organizations. We improve team performance, executive leadership
skills, board performance, planning and project execution through
Executive Coaching, Management Team Development, Board
Development, and Training in the areas of...
Healthcare
Business
Operational Excellence
Strategic Direction & Meeting Facilitation
Fundraising
Association Management
Non-Profit Management
Personal Turnaround
Sales
Communications & Public Relations
Contact Gannon Group at info@startingovernow.com.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
FREE Resources
to help you:
1. United States of America's
primary source on career
information:
www.onetcenter.org
2. Wage Estimates
www.salary.com and Bureau of
Labor and Statistics
3. Organize Your Job Search -
Post a Question etc.:
www.cvtips.com
4. Starting Over After Divorce:
www.womansdivorce.com
5. Starting Over for Women:
www.makingbreadmagazine.co
m
6. Self Improvement:
www.selfgrowth.com.
7. Job Postings, Resume
Advice and Resources:
www.careerbuiler.com
8. Templates for: business
plans, competitive analysis,
start up costs and more:
www.score.org/business_toolbox
.html
9. Federal/Sate/Local
Government jobs:
www.USAJOBS.com
10. U.S. Government's Free
online courses, webinars and
podcasts for workforce
development:
www.onetacademy.com.
11. Occupational Outlook
Handbok 2008-09 by Bureau of
Labor and Statistics:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.ht
m
to help you:
1. United States of America's
primary source on career
information:
www.onetcenter.org
2. Wage Estimates
www.salary.com and Bureau of
Labor and Statistics
3. Organize Your Job Search -
Post a Question etc.:
www.cvtips.com
4. Starting Over After Divorce:
www.womansdivorce.com
5. Starting Over for Women:
www.makingbreadmagazine.co
m
6. Self Improvement:
www.selfgrowth.com.
7. Job Postings, Resume
Advice and Resources:
www.careerbuiler.com
8. Templates for: business
plans, competitive analysis,
start up costs and more:
www.score.org/business_toolbox
.html
9. Federal/Sate/Local
Government jobs:
www.USAJOBS.com
10. U.S. Government's Free
online courses, webinars and
podcasts for workforce
development:
www.onetacademy.com.
11. Occupational Outlook
Handbok 2008-09 by Bureau of
Labor and Statistics:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.ht
m
| Mary Lee Gannon is interviewed on Mind Your BIZness |
Listen to Mary
Lee's interview
"From Welfare
to CEO" on the
Renee Bobb
Show on
BlogTalk
Radio.com.
Lee's interview
"From Welfare
to CEO" on the
Renee Bobb
Show on
BlogTalk
Radio.com.
Gannon Group/StartingOverNow.com
Executive Leadership Coaching - Productivity Solutions for People and Organizations
Executive Leadership Coaching - Productivity Solutions for People and Organizations
Get the FREE e-Book "Lead Your
Team with Values and Watch
Productivity Grow - A
Manager's Toolbox"
and the Executive Coaching
Newsletter.
Team with Values and Watch
Productivity Grow - A
Manager's Toolbox"
and the Executive Coaching
Newsletter.
Mary Lee Gannon's
Book "Starting Over" is
available in bookstores
everywhere or at
Amazon.com - 5 Stars!
Book "Starting Over" is
available in bookstores
everywhere or at
Amazon.com - 5 Stars!
Follow Mary Lee's tips
and information on these
Social Networking sites:
and information on these
Social Networking sites:
