11 Things Your Boss Should Want To Hear From You

The idea for this post came from an idiot....I mean an idiot besides myself.  Last week I read an article that listed things an employee should never say to their boss.  I was confused because as a boss, I encourage feedback from employees, both positive and negative.

I suppose all my posts are the direct result of me reading an article or book written by a so called expert, and then thinking:

"Is he/she serious?"

"Have they ever worked in a corporate environment? "

"Are they suffering from some sort of disease which affects their cognitive functions?"

But then I realized that the person who wrote the article worked in the entertainment industry, where there is a BIG DIFFERENCE from the corporate environment.  And that was why the article worked.   In the entertainment industry employees are sometimes terribly abused because there are thousands of people lining up behind them to take their job. And being open with your boss, in that type of work environment can get you fired almost immediately.  However for the rest of us whom work in a completely different world, have to abide by weird things like...oh I don't know, labor laws.   

There are good and bad bosses everywhere, even in entertainment, and at times there are things that your boss doesn't want to hear, but that you should tell her/him just to keep from being over worked or worse yet, brow beaten and abused.  Bosses need to learn their limits, just like employees,and I've listed below 25 things your boss should want to hear from you:

"No"-  I had a friend once advise me that saying "no" to your boss was tantamount to treason, and that it could get you fired immediately.  Well if your boss ask you for sex, are you going to say "no"?  Or are you going to say "Well it might be difficult for me to fit in sex today, but possibly tomorrow.  Is that okay?"  This is an extreme example, but if your boss asks you to work late and miss your first baby's ultrasound, than tell him "no".  Otherwise, he might expect you to work though your pregnancy, take an hour off to give birth, and then get back to work.  It's okay to say "no" especially when you're setting a precedent on the parameters of your working relationship.

"I don't know "- I say this all the time, not only to current customers, but to CEO's and CFO's.  Why?  Because I'm not going to lie and act like I know something when I don't.  I always follow it up with, "But if I can find an answer to that question/concern/issue, I will."   We don't know everything so why would profess too be all knowing?  I cannot profess to know everything, and a boss should never expect their employees to know everything.  Subsequently,  your boss should expect you at times to say, "I don't know."  Besides, if you were all knowing, then why would you be working for someone else anyway?  I'd take that all that knowledge and go to Vegas, or create an app that turns lead into gold.

I'll try - Oh this phrase used to infuriate me as a manager, because it sounds like an excuse for failure.  As if someone is setting you up to be let down, but in fact now I welcome it because it really is the employee telling you they lack the confidence to make a solid commitment.  Now, be careful here because if you ask them to start being on time for work, or to stop touching other employees inappropriately and they say, "I'll try", then you got some serious problems and a call to HR is appropriate.   However, if you ask them if they think they can get a presentation done by tomorrow and they say "I'll try"  this opens up the discussion as to why they may or may not be able to get it done.  Feedback here is good.

"How does this help me?"- Managers don't like to hear this uttered because it seems selfish, but it's the truth.  When managers talk about employees being team players there can be limits to being part of a team.  For example, if a sales person ventures into your territory and signs an account you were working on and your manager wants to give them credit, and not you. My first question would be, "WTF is he doing in my territory?", and my second question would be, "Is there a way for me to punch this other sales rep without being fired?", and my final question to my boss would be, "How does this help me?" If you are ever

"I did my best" - Once again this seems like an excuse for an employee not  to achieve a goal, but a manager should want to hear this because it opens up the room for discussion as to whether or not the employee's best effort is really enough to get the job done.  If it isn't then the manager needs to refocus on helping that employee achieve their goals so it helps both the employee feel better about themselves and the team.  Once again, do not tell your boss "I will do my best" if it comes to something basic like making time for a conference call, a meeting, or showing up for work.  That's pretty lame...

"Sorry, except...".- I have used this term and heard this term many times from partners and fellow employees.  It's usually followed by a reason why they haven't accomplished a task, and the except pertains to why they weren't able to accomplish this task.  I have used this as positive feedback to determine if an employee is overburdened with work and unable to do their job in a reasonable period of time.  Your boss should welcome this turn of phrase because again he/she is receiving feedback on why something didn't get done, an error the employee made which allows for training, or an opportunity to fire an employee who is a risk to keep employed.  Like one that says, "Sorry I burned down the plant, except you gave me a bad performance review."  No one wants to keep that type of employee.

"That's not my job..."-If you are forced to do something that is not in your job description, and is adding to your workload, you'd better tell your boss that it's not your job.  I have seen employees take on additional work that is not part of their job and then receive a poor performance review because they weren't will to say "that's not my job". This is especially true for employees who are extremely efficient.  Bosses will keep adding to their workload because they can rely on them, until they give them so much work that they can't be successful.  By the way, if you're not working as a personal assistant and your boss asks you to pick up his dry cleaning for him, you should tell him, "that's not my job", and it would be perfectly appropriate.  Personally, I would say something a little saltier like "____ off", but that's me.

I'm going to quit - First of all, your relationship with your boss should really never get to this point.  However if you have tried every mode of communication and they're still not hearing you, or trying to oblige with your requests, then it's perfectly fine to threaten to quit.  I had an employee who would threaten to quit every other month, but I knew that he was just trying to draw my attention to inefficient procedures in our processing plant.  It worked, because we fixed them, and he stopped making threats.  Now, did he have to go that extreme in order to get my attention, apparently he used this tactic in the past and it worked.  I used his veiled threats as a training lesson and just explained to him that it wasn't necessary to bring all the drama to the work place.  "Just tell me why your upset and let's work it out. "

"I assumed that..."- We are told never to assume because it makes ass out of you and me.  Well, if you make an assumption and you're wrong than that's not good, but it's not the end of the world.  If you're boss does not understand this than he's not very bright.  People are going to make assumptions, and mistakes. That's the "Facts Of Life", and I don't mean the old television show that appears in syndication.  It is human nature to make an assumption so your boss should not fault you for it.  Keep in mind if you make an assumption and you're right then he'll applaud you for it. 

"At (your old company), we would did it this way" - If your boss is so preoccupied with promoting the company culture that he/she can't listen to feedback about a competitor, that person is blind to any other way of doing things.  If someone ever comes to me with a more efficient way of doing something than I will reward that person, even if the idea came from a competitor.  As a boss, it is important to keep an open mind and an open door all the times.  Otherwise, you don't see the bigger picture.  However, this does not mean you should keep saying, "It was better at my old company" because then even your fellow employee will urge you to return, if it was so great.

It's not my fault...It was (insert random name here)- No one likes a person who points fingers at other employees.  Nobody likes a "rat". However, if you're about to lose your job because of someone else's mistake, I would be pointing 8 fingers at that person.  If I have a great employee, who is incorrectly blamed for a problem, I would want them to tell me who made the mistake.  It's not like you're Henry Hill and this is the movie "Good Fellas".  Yes, no one likes a "rat", but you have to stand up for yourself if no one else is going to do it for you.  If it's not your fault, then you need to say so, and this applies to employees only not managers.   The worst thing a manager can do is blame his subordinates.  Well, then he's not really a manager, he's just a jerk.

The employer and employee relationship are tantamount to the success of a business.  If your boss can't listen to feedback in a constructive way then he's not a good boss.  Please keep in mind it's all in the way you approach him, and how effectively you communicate your ideas.  Employees and employers must always keep an open mind and an open heart. 

Have a great day!

5 Reasons You Were "Let Go"

I've always hated the professional term "let go", which basically is a mild term for getting fired. It's sounds as if when a person is let go, the company is letting a bird out of a cage.  Can you imagine if Donald Trump said, "you're let go"?  First of all it would be confusing to the person, who would wonder where they were going, and secondly it wouldn't have the same emotional effect on the viewing audience as "you're fired!"  Why do companies make it sound like they're letting a zoo animal loose in the wild?

"You've been trapped so long in this dead end job that we are going to set you free! Run free! Run and be free!"

But that's really not what happens when you're let go, in fact the company never really lets you go because the stigma of being laid off or fired stays with you the rest of your life.  Not for a few weeks, but for the REST OF YOUR LIFE.  You think about it day and night and why it happened.  What did you do wrong or what did they do wrong?  Or "why did those bastards just let me go?" The term "let go" is just something people created to soften the blow but in reality it's a lie management tells themselves so they can sleep better at night. As a manager you never let someone go, you fire them.

However if you ever are let go, there are always alternatives but for some reason management doesn't see the need to pursue them, and that's pretty LAME.  If you were let go recently here are 5 very poor reasons why:

"We're restructuring our work force"- I could never figure this one out, especially when it happened to me years ago.  My manager was seriously upset that she had to fire me, but all I cared about was if I was getting any severance.  The conversation went something like this:

"I can't believe I have to do this.  I've never let someone go over something other than performance issues.  I'm so sorry.", she looked like she was about to cry.

"Well I know it's not performance because I'm at 144% to quota for the last 3 months and trending towards President's Club.", I said a little proud and a little bitter.  

"I know that's what makes this so hard.  We had to eliminate your territory, and we got rid of 10 reps across the country.  I'm so sorry."

"Well, you can't be too sorry, otherwise you wouldn't be letting me go. Hey at least they're not getting rid of Regional Managers.", I said, and then added, "Yet." and I started to laugh.

"How can you joke at a time like this.  I feel terrible.", she said again and I truly believe she was sad.

"What choice do I have?  I have to deal with it somehow. Besides, I'm a good rep.  I can find another job easily, and all I care about is if I get a severance package.  Do I get a severance package?"

"Yep 3 months.  What are you going to do?"

" I don't know this has never happened to me before.  Go find another job I guess.  Don't worry I'll be fine.  I've always wanted a 3 month vacation.", I said and smiled so she would feel better.

"I'll be sure to right you a letter of recommendation.  Since you are leading the region right now in sales it's the least I can do."

At this point what I should have said is, "The least you can do is fire the under performing reps and keep me!", but instead what I said was, "Thanks.  I appreciate it, and don't worry I'll be fine."  What a wimp! And what a terrible excuse for letting me go.  I found out later she fired me because she knew I was the strongest rep and would survive the lay off.  Uh...golly gee, thanks for the endorsement?

We Need To Cut Costs - I always find this reason for firing someone slightly amusing because if corporations really wanted to cut costs, and I mean CONSIDERABLY, shareholders should start demanding that CEO's and managers take substantial pay cuts.  It seems that they always cut the work force rather than their expense accounts or executive pay.  Once I was asked to fire 3 employees with over 30 years experience combined because "we needed to cut costs".  The conversation went something like this:

My new GM asked me, "We're behind on our profit numbers who can we cut to make that last 2%?"

"Are you serious?  You want to fire someone just so you can make a number?"

"Yes I want you to fire someone.  We can always hire them back in few months.  It's just a production partner anyway.  I can train anybody to do that job."

"Oh okay, so first of all, that's insulting to all our production partners and how does that makes it alright to sack someone?  Who do you suggest I fire?"

"Yolanda.  She's a pain in the butt and she makes the most money.  I think we should fire her and the other two supervisors.  We can make our numbers in last quarter if we do that."

"Yolanda!  My best employee and one of the best employees we have.  And the other two leads! The whole production team will fall apart. Sorry the answer is NO."

"You can't say NO to me! You're such a friggin cowboy you know that! If I don't make that number I may be out of a job, and you might be out of a job. Is that what you want?"

"No I don't want anyone to lose their job, including you.  I will restructure the work schedule to make up the 2% but I'm not firing anyone, and if we don't hit our number than fire my ass if you want to fire anyone.  I'm not a 40 year old production partner with 4 mouths to feed."

"I'm gonna hold you to that number cowboy.  You better come through.", he said with slight twang in his voice as he pointed his finger at me.  I just laughed, even thought inside my stomach was turning.

"I'll hit it.", as I said this, I wondered what to tell my wife I just said to my boss when I got home.  Uggh!

Needless to say I did hit the number, and there was no need to fire anyone.  If they tell you that you were let go because they are cutting costs, that could be total bulls**t.  If they want to really save money, executives should fire themselves, or take a pay cut.   

"Your Position Was Eliminated" - Okay, I just had a friend who was let go because they "eliminated" her position.  What the company did was move her position and change the title so a personal friend of the CEO's sister could be hired.  She was doing an outstanding job, but the CEO wanted his little friend to work with his sister, so they eliminated her position...politics.  

The same thing happened to a 15 year veteran and dear friend in the laundry business.  He was the consummate partner and the company decided after 15 years and LEADING THE COUNTRY IN GROWTH AND PROFIT, that they didn't need him anymore.  His branch was too small to need a manager so they eliminated his position, and didn't even offer him a different one.  You mean to tell me, they couldn't find a position for a guy who basically bled the company colors. WTF?

Eliminating your position means essentially your company is eliminating you.  If they really wanted to keep you on board, they would find another position for you.  Sad but true.

We're Downsizing - I have many friends who have been laid off for exactly this reason.  In fact,  a friend who worked for a division of Johnson and Johnson described her experience of being let go right in the middle of a regional meeting. 

She was sitting in the meeting with a bunch of other reps when an HR person for the company came in and grabbed her, and told her to pick up her things.  How embarrassing first of all, and secondly, they couldn't wait until the meeting was over to let her go?!!!  She was made to feel like she did something wrong, which she didn't, and it made her look bad in front of her peers.  She said she would never get over the emotional scars it left on her, and it would take years for them "heal". 

Lay offs like this occur in medical sales all the time, but it's because healthcare companies often over saturate a market with reps, especially when they're promoting a new device or a drug, and when they don't meet projections, they start firing reps.   Unfortunately it's common place in healthcare sales, but it doesn't need to be, if the product is marketed correctly and forecasting is done right.  I know that Blitzkrieg marketing works but at the expense of people's jobs and their lives?  Branding can be done in other ways rather than throwing money and sale reps at the issue.

If companies really want to avoid downsizing they should not over extend themselves....but that will never happen. 

We're Outsourcing Your Department Overseas - I heard from a friend they were eliminating her department at her company and outsourcing it to somewhere in Asia.  I thought to myself, that's just another way to cut costs, but not necessarily improve efficiency or customer retention. It's a tiny bandage on a large wound.  I think that corporations see cheap labor as an easy alternative to help cut costs and so they take the easy route.  But what do they do when wages in that new country increase? Outsource the jobs to another, cheaper country?  They need to look internally at their own corporate overhead.  CEO's spend more time focusing on cheap labor rather than expensive corporate overhead, especially in America where CEO's are paid on average more any other country in the world.  There are disputes over how much more, but the United States still has the best paid executives worldwide.   If executives wanted to save money and reduce redundancies than might want to consider lowering executive compensation across the board in order to keep US citizens employed.  It's good for the economy and it's good for business...but not good for executives, and so that will never happen.

If you are ever laid off there are a few things you need to remember that I will cover in a companion post to this one:

1. It's not your fault
2. It's not your fault
3. It's not your fault

Now these are just a few reasons why you were "let go", but there are many more, and sometimes the people in charge really have no choice.  The company might be losing money and jobs need to be cut in order to keep the business afloat.  However, as a former corporate employee and corporate manager,  I only urge that people in the "C" suite look at all the alternatives before making the decision to lay people off.   Remember that 40 million families are living paycheck to paycheck...now sleep on that.

-M

7 Reasons Why You Might Want To Hire The Food Truck Guy

Copyright: jewhyte / 123RF Stock Photo

 

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...namely Pico Rivera.  I ran into probably the greatest food truck guy I ever met in my life, and I mean EVER!  Forget all those fancy food trucks touting gourmet food, this was long before that craze.  It was back when there were no gourmet trucks, just food trucks that would visit your business at breaks and lunch and serve food.  It wasn't exactly gourmet and I'm not sure it was even edible, but we didn't buy the food because it was good, we bought it because of the guy selling it: Roy.

 

And who was Roy?  Roy was the guy running the food truck with two cooks, and he was really the face of his company.  He was phenomenal, and he made it a point to remember every one's name, what food they liked, how it was cooked, where they lived, how many kids they had, and perhaps even their blood type.  Please keep in mind over 250 people worked at this place. The guy was very sociable, incredibly nice, and just one of the best people I had ever met.  So when one of my fellow Service Managers came to me and asked me to interview Roy for a service position, I thought I at least owed him an interview since he knew I liked my hamburger with Swiss cheese and not the cheap stuff. And that I liked it medium well, not medium rare.  

 

I asked the Service Manager, "Does he know he needs to wear a suit?"

 

He responded, "He will now.", and so the interview was set.

 

Back then I was a real hard ass dealing with people in interviews, and when I interviewed a candidate, it seemed like I was trying to find a way to turn them down, rather than hire them.  I was very quiet, and didn't share much to see if I would make them nervous, or better yet, I could get them to open up and tell me more about themselves, so that I could judge them inappropriately and then reject them.  I was a jerk.  However this was the process I was taught in interviews, to weed out people, and let only "the strong survive".  I was such an arrogant idiot! 

 

Roy came into the interview dressed very well, better than me in fact, and he sat calmly in his chair and answered every question I had for him regarding sales, service, employee relations, and especially teamwork.  The interview changed his life, but it also changed mine as well.  I grilled him, no pun intended, for almost two hours and it seemed every answer he had was perfect.  It was frustrating at first, because of course I was trying to dismiss him as a candidate, but then I started to realize that this person sitting in front of me was the type of employee I had wanted to work with my entire career. 

 

Listed below are the reasons I hired him and the same reasons as a manager you should consider people who don't necessarily have the credentials for the position, but have the character to be successful and help you in the process.  Listed below are the qualities I found in Roy, but that you might find in any person, and allow you to fill ANY POSITION.

 

Punctuality - One thing you can be sure of when hiring a food truck person is that you can be assured they will be punctual.  In fact, they'll probably be ten minutes early for every meeting, appointment, or event.  These people run on a set schedule because they have to and if they're ever late, they don't make any money.  If the job requirement if for someone who can set your watch to, then this is a great person for the job. I think Roy was a sun dial in a previous life because he could tell me what time it was just by looking at the sky.  At times, it was a bit disturbing.

 

Entrepreneurial - People who run a food truck or maybe multiple trucks are "hustlers".  They are looking for ways to make money because that's how they pay themselves.  Not all of them own the truck they're operating so the more money they make for the company, the more money them make for themselves.  Moreover, the food truck industry is a very competitive market so they're always trying to differentiate themselves from the competition.  They think of various ways to separate themselves from other trucks by offering different varieties of foods, doing special events, or sponsoring  charitable events.  They'll do anything to gain an edge and they will bring that same enthusiasm to their new job.

 

Great Work Ethic - I did not even have an open position for Roy, but I hired him anyway.  I took a lot of grief for making this decision, but it turned out to be the right one.  He was absolutely the hardest working person I had ever met.  He worked long hours without overtime, just to make sure the job was done perfectly, and that his customers all appreciated our company.  He would go out of his way to work on weekends just make sure he felt comfortable with all his existing customer relationships, and it finally got to a point where I told him, "Hey ET!  Don't phone home, just go home!"

 

Dedication - To stand out from other food trucks you have to offer either great food or great service.  Roy had pretty good food but he offered incredible customer service.  If you liked something on your burger, taco, burrito, or even fries he would get it.  No matter how stupid it might seem, he would go out of his way to make sure the customer was happy.  He applied the same great service when I hired him.  I remember him asking me if he could come in on a Sunday to get some temporary garments for a customer who needed them on Monday morning.  He advised he would press them and have them ready and I didn't need to do anything, he would handle it.  He did and that dedication transferred to his treatment of me.  He was extremely loyal. So loyal, that when I left the company he felt almost betrayed.  I advised him that it's not the company that makes him great, he's the one that makes the company great.  It was the truth.

 

Honesty - Apparently, in speaking with Roy not all operators of food trucks were very honest.  Many of them would "skim" money off the top, by charging some customers more for food than others and keeping the profit for themselves.  I do remember that prices weren't often listed so it depended on the truck operator to determine pricing.  With other operators I remembered the pricing could vary by item by day. However Roy was honest to a fault and always honored whatever pricing was listed or communicated.  He never changed the pricing and if he did he always advised the customer of the change. There were no surprises.  Which is how you want all your employees to conduct themselves.  Right?

 

They Care - When you're hiring an employee you want them to truly care about themselves, their families, their jobs, and their customers.  You don't want someone who doesn't give a damn about anything.  You want them motivated and invested in their future and the company as well.  I can remember Roy coming to me and asking if he could take flowers to a customer who's grandmother had died.  I told him that was very thoughtful and I'm sure she would appreciate the sentiment.  He said, "When someone is in pain, they sometimes need to be reminded that there is good in the world." Now, I'm a cold heartless bastard but Roy had me tearing up that day.  Hire someone who cares about people.

 

Self Motivated - These people want to win! You don't have to push them to be successful.  They'll probably be the ones pushing you to achieve more. They won't be happy with an entry level position either, which is just the type of employee you want to work with in any environment.  I remember having an issue with a new hire, so I decided to make Roy a trainer and after 3 weeks with the new employee he came to me with some sound advice.

"This guy's not gonna make it.  I have to call him every morning to come in because while I'm loading the truck, he's still in bed. I like him but he's not motivated.  Great guy but if I have to call him to come in and work, then pretty soon you're going to have to call him to come in and work. You don't want that.  I don't think he fits with the team. "

Only 6 months into the job and already Roy was looking out for me and the team.  And it didn't stop there.  After a year, Roy asked what it took to be a manager, I told him a college degree was a prerequisite, so he went out and earned one.  He was self motivated and wanted to succeed and we helped enable him to be successful.   He went on to have a long and promising career and is currently a Regional Trainer with a pretty large organization.  He always felt the need to achieve.


So if you're a manager and you're looking through a stack of resumes, don't discount the candidates who don't look so great on paper.  You might find that one in a million employee that you just can't pass up.  I know I did, and it changed the way I looked at hiring people from that point forward.
Remember, you can't find a needle in a haystack if you're not even looking. 

Have a great day selling!

 

 

 

20 Different Ways To Say "You're Fired"

Being fired is not pleasant, in fact it is completely demoralizing. I've been fired on 2 occasions and those experiences have been imbedded in my brain. However, managers in an effort to try and soften the blow have come up with so many different ways to say, "You're fired", that it's often times confusing to the employee. I'm certain they word it a certain way to make themselves feel better, but it's still the same...you're out of a job.

Here are 20 different ways to say "you're fired". Some are subtle and some are downright cruel:

We're Letting You Go - My personal favorite because where the hell is the employee going at this point? The answer is nowhere except to the unemployment line. "Hey boss you wanna come with me?" Unfortunately I'm not sure there's a better term to use, but if you're a manager and you're creative, you'll think of one.

We're Going To Allow You To Pursue Other Career Opportunities - When I heard someone got fired this way, I almost laughed. But that would have been rude to the person who just got fired, just like it's rude to try and "candy coat" the fact that you're out of a job. "Thanks boss for thinking of me! I'll be sure to send you a card from prison, because I'm going to have to rob a liquor store just to pay the rent."

We're Going To End Our Relationship At This Time - As a manager, I've used this one before and it's so vague. The employee thinks that you're breaking up with them. I used it once and never again, because it just confuses people. They're thinking, "I didn't know we had a relationship?" Plus they're expecting a farewell dinner, candy, or lunch as well.

We Think You'd Be Our Best Asset, If You Worked For Our Competition - Oh yes, this one is positively absurd, but one that a vindictive manager once said to his employee. When the employee questioned him, he added, "You're fired." This one isn't even mildly subtle. It's rude, and it could get you fired if you're a manager. Don't be mean even if the employee is an a**hole.

We Feel You'd Be A Better Fit At A Different Company - Another funny one because the employee is wondering, "Which Company? Do you have any recommendations? Am I being traded? Is this the NFL?" It's a weird way of saying "LEAVE NOW PLEASE".

We're Eliminating Your Position - Recently a friend went through this and it turned out to be a political move on the CEO's part. It wasn't that they were eliminating the position, they were just changing the title and eliminating her. Ouch! Personally, I hope she sues the company.

We're Downsizing - Unfortunately this happened a lot during the recent recession, and I feel sorry for all the people who were fired. In this instance it wasn't their fault, and maybe the executives who are doing the downsizing should consider a pay cut instead of having to cut the workforce...but that'll never happen.

Dude! You Suck At This Job! - You may laugh, but at my first job, that's exactly what my manager said to me. Now he was a kid and I was a kid, but he was still a manager. He was in the process of firing me, when his boss came in and they moved me to a different department where I did great. Lucky for him and me because later he worked for me.

We're Cutting Costs - I never understood this reason for firing people, because if you can't manage other costs besides labor, then maybe you shouldn't be a manager. Personally, a lot of people are unemployed because their company couldn't manager the other costs besides labor. If shareholders want to cut costs, they should cut executive pay, and make it more performance based. All bets are off here in a recession because a that point, everyone is suffering.

This Isn't Working Out - Again, this sounds like another dating break up. But this is one I've used many times because it's the truth, and at this point even the employee knows it's not working out. Don't belabor the fact, just cut right to the chase and let them know they've been terminated.

You Slept With Your Employee So...- I remember being in a room, when this went down one time and it was very awkward. Apparently, the manager was sleeping with his rep, and it was consensual but the other reps heard about it and BAM. He was fired.

We Feel You'd Be Happier Some Place Else - I always get a chuckle from this one. It sounds like the company just has your best interests at heart. They are looking out for your happiness. Heck, maybe they'll even have Deepak Chopra stop by your house...after you've signed all your termination papers. "Hey thanks guys for the encouragement!"

You Stole From Us So...- I can't remember how many times I had to terminate an employee over this issue. Seemingly great people, who some how thought they would never be caught stealing. I had one guy deny stealing and was screaming in the office, when we showed him a surveillance video, and then he was as quiet as a church mouse.

You're Just Not Catching On - I don't know if this one is confusing to you, but it is to me. "What am I not catching on to? Could you be more specific?" I have been in a room where someone said this and the person just looked befuddled. She asked, "Catching on? Catching on to what?" It's hard to word it differently but maybe you should just stick to the facts like, "You're not meeting the standards set for this position." There's a good chance the employee already knows that fact, so there will be no surprises.

We Feel This Job Isn't Right For You - I'm not so sure I would use this one if I ever had to terminate someone again, because it gives them the opportunity to ask, "Well which job here would be right for me?" It's better to be honest because if you did have a job that was right for them you would have offered it already. Correct? Just tell them that it's over.

We're Going To Part Ways - This makes it sound like you are two weary travelers on the road to Canterbury and you've come to a fork in the road, and you're letting them take the one less traveled by. Not cool, just tell them the position is not for them, and end it.

You Don't Fit Our Culture - I was surprised when I heard this one time from a VP at a very prominent company. I understand that culture is important, but you can't fire somebody just because they aren't a culture fit. What culture anyway? Are we Bushmen of The Kalahari Desert? It's best to stick with the facts and not insult the person, even if they aren't a culture fit.

We've Decided To Make A Change - I have heard this used A LOT. I still don't know what it means, and it's very non specific. I believe it's just a lead in to the actual termination, but if you hear this phrase from your boss, then you know what's coming next, and it's not good.

We're Restructuring Our Work Force - I was on the short end of this stick years ago, and it wasn't fun. I didn't understand what they meant by restructuring, but it meant getting rid of me. Which didn't make sense because as a rep, I was number 1 in the region for the last 3 months. I thought, "Couldn't we restructure the work force with me in it?" It turned out to be all about geography and coverage and so I was out.

Security! - If you've ever been in this situation, it is not pretty. Many employees don't like the fact they are being fired. Imagine that! They aren't happy when they've been terminated, and so the manager screams out "Security!", much like Bon Qui Qui from the famous MAD tv skit. As a manager, as an employee, don't ever let your working relationship get to this point, because it's not worth it.

Simply put, there really is no easy way to tell anyone "you're fired". As an employee who hears those words, the best thing for you to do is learn from the experience, TRY NOT TO TAKE IT PERSONALLY, and find a job that's right for you. As a manager, you should do every thing you can to avoid having to fire someone, but if you have to, make sure it's not a surprise to the employee, and they leave with their dignity in tact.

Here's to hoping you never have to hear, or say the words, "you're fired!"...unless you're Donald Trump.

What Kind Of Coach Are You? 5 NFL Coaches: 5 Distinct Management Styles

Now that it is football season, all the men in America will be glued to their TV sets every Sunday for no less than 7 hours.  Some will get up to scratch their butts, replenish their chips, or get another beer during a commercial, while others will spend most of the day tracking their fantasy football team and rooting for each player they "own".  Helping to urge their players on and to win football games for their team will be each NFL coach.  There has been a great deal of turnover in the NFL coaching ranks over the past few years, but there are a few NFL coaches who have been very successful and as a result they've stayed with their teams a long time.  Here is a look at 5 of these coaches and what management style they might employ while working the sidelines.  Keep in mind they all use a little bit of each style in order to get the most out of their players.  If you're a manager, in any profession, you might want to follow suit.

• Jay Gruden- If you refer to my post about management styles Jay would fit into the category of the "Newbie".  He is new to the head coaching ranks having spent a lot of time at as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator most recently for the Cincinnati Bengals and Marvin Lewis.  Jay like most managers is not new to the game but being a head football coach is a lot different than being an assistant, and he has a lot to learn.  As a newbie he will be trying out all the schemes and theories he developed as an assistant, seeing if they work for his team, and there will be a lot of ups and downs his first season.  His theories and ideas will meet with cynicism from the veterans and with enthusiasm from the rookies, but he must stick to his vision.   Just like a new manager, Jay is not going to win a lot of games in his first year, but if he's successful he'll establish good working relationships with his key players,  and his team will be more successful this year than they were last year.  It's important as a newbie that he gets the support of his employees or rather players, in order for him to have long term success.  As you know without the support of your people, a coach or manager may be good, but never great.  Good luck to Jay, the Newbie!
• Tom Coughlin- In his first few years as head coach of the NY Giants, Tom Coughlin's management style could be characterized as an absolute Nazi.  He ruled with an iron fist and if his players got even the slightest bit out of line, he punished them pretty severely.  He's an older coach so I'm certain this worked for him for a long time, especially since he was so successful in Jacksonville previously. However, times change and so do employees/players attitudes.  With his military type style he was definitely a winner, and he pushed his players hard to be their best.  Her earned the nickname "Colonel Coughlin" often fining players for being 2 minutes early to meetings when his expectations were that they be 5 minutes early.  WTF? When he fined Michael Strahan for being early but not early enough, that's when his tenure as a Nazi manager ended.  The players no longer supported this type of management style and their was dissension on the team. Coughlin needed to ease up a bit and stop shouting and start caring about his players.  He soften his stance a bit, and it worked!  With the support and respect of his players he won 2 Super Bowls and both of them against one of the greatest teams in history, the New England Patriots and Tom Brady.  Even a Nazi can change his ways.
• Pete Carroll - Is it just me, or do any of you feel that it would be a great experience to work with Pete Carroll? I know there are a lot of people that don't like him, or his style, but he just seems like such a positive guy!  He is always the center of attention wherever he goes, and on a team filled with stars like Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, and Richard Sherman, that's a pretty impressive statement.   He is what many people call an Expressive or a Peacock manager.   It's pretty much all about him...., and he knows it, and he loves it.  He effuses confidence in both himself and his players, which translates into confidence on the field.  Pete is very influential will both his players and the media and he can SELL.   He sells you on how great he is everyday, how great his team is, and how hard they work.  His employees/players do their absolute best to please him and themselves, and it creates a team unity of "us against the world".  Even if many people view this as arrogant, his expressive style of management seems to be working.  He's won 2 NCAA College Football Championships and a Super Bowl.  Like it or not, this management style can work, as long as a manager has the supporting cast and crew to pull it off.  Obviously Pete Carroll has every one's "buy-in" and support.   
• Bill Belichick - I watch Bill Belichick as he patrols the sidelines for the New England Patriots and I think, "how the hell did this guy get to be a coach?".  He's grumpy, irritable, and seems like he hates his job and he hates his players.  He wears an ugly hoodie to work, looks like he's been up day and night reviewing film, and he probably has a process for everything his players do, including going to the bathroom. He is the consummate Micro Manager and it seems like his players and the rest of the employees would hate working with him.  So why has he been so successful?  Why he has he won 3 Super Bowls, and lost 2 Super Bowls in heart breaking fashion?  Because Bill Belichick is not a consummate Micro Manager, he has learn to delegate, and he has learned to trust.   When he was in Cleveland, like all new coaches/managers, he tried to control everything and he performed poorly, compiling a 36-44 record in 5 seasons.  Yet when he arrived in New England, he had learned from his experience in Cleveland, that he could delegate control of player personnel to Scott Pioli, and in turn he could focus on his getting his team ready to play football. Moreover, he taught his assistant coaches his systems and allowed them to do their jobs.  Therefore despite his best intentions to manage and control every situation, Belichick evolved, delegated, and became a better coach as a result.
• Mike Tomlin - I just realized that Mike Tomlin is only 42 years old.  That's pretty young for a coach that has won one Super Bowl and lost another one.  In addition, he's only been a head coach for 7 years, and never had a losing season. Why has he been so successful?  Many would argue that he inherited a great team from Bill Cowher and just built upon that legacy.  However, taking over a great team and leading them to a Super Bowl victory is not an easy task, and Tomlin accomplished this in only his second year as a head coach.  What has made him successful is his ability to listen to his players, develop a plan for the team, and help them execute their plan successfully.  During his tenure, he has supported his players, even in the face of controversy, and they have rewarded him with great play on the field.  He is a Mentor manager, who assesses the situation, gets feedback from his employees/players and makes his decision based upon their feedback.  Moreover, he gets everyone in the organization involved and Tomlin takes an active interest in players and coaches personal development and not just their professional one.  Hopefully in the future he'll learn to not get too involved in the games, like last year when he interfered with a kick returner racing down the sidelines.  There's a difference between being "in to the game", and actually in the game.  Tomlin needs to continue to Mentor his players and let them play the game.   Hopefully his approach will continue to keep him and his team successful. 

These coaches and their distinct styles have all made them a success, with the exception of Jay Gruden who is a new coach.  However, they also developed as managers and took their teams and themselves to the pinnacle of success, by adapting and changing their style to suit the different variations of their teams.  They didn't stick to one overriding style of management, but instead they evolved. Managers must adapt to employees the same way coaches adapt to players, in order for everyone to be successful.  So, what type of coach are you?

Have a great day!

-M

Lessons From Your Dog: 7 Canine Tips To Improve Yourself

I love dogs.  I spend a lot of time around them, sometimes volunteering to walk them, babysit them, and I have a dog of my own.  Watching them, teaches me a lot about animal behavior.  Subsequently, as I was walking my dog this morning I had an epiphany.  If I could just simplify my view of things the way a dog does, I might improve the quality of my work and my life.  Dog's have this very simple way of living, and life never seems to get boring for them, or mundane.  They have feelings too and sometimes they get down, but they always seem to bounce back with their tails wagging.  If we all simplify our thoughts and our expectations maybe we can get our own tails wagging as well.  Although I am definitely not going to sniff any one's behind, and I recommend that you follow my lead.   Here are a few tips you can learn from your dog:

• Everyday Is New - Dogs greet everyday like it is brand new, because to them, it is!  I don't know if they have short term memory loss, but it seems to me that my dog gets up in the morning and there is always something new to be discovered.  We walk the same route every morning, just like we go to the same job everyday, but the difference is that she finds something new along the way.  Each day she looks for something different, and she finds it.  Maybe it's a leftover pizza someone dropped, or some cat poop, or an old piece of furniture somebody has thrown away, but she lives for those moments.  Now I'm not suggesting you search out discarded pizza boxes, or go lay on an old couch, but I would hope that you try to view things a bit differently as you trudge through your workday.  It might make the journey a bit more tolerable, and for some even enjoyable. 
• Stop And Smell The Roses - I know that this term is overused quite a bit, but it really is a great way to look at life.  We spend so much time rushing, that we really forget to enjoy the beauty that the world has to offer.  A dog does not have as much time as we do on this earth, so they take the time to enjoy every part of their short life.  My dog especially likes flowers and I don't know why but I think she might secretly be a botanist.  If I take a different route on our walk she will always seek out the flowers and sniff them for a long time.  At times, I have to pull her leash a bit to remind her we are on a walk, but she appreciates the short time she has to smell every petal along the way.  
• Greet Everyone With Enthusiasm- I've noticed that a great deal of people are terrified of dogs.  I'm not sure why but at times when I'm walking my dog I will see people veer off the path in order to avoid her.  However, this doesn't bother her in the slightest, she still wags her tail, and greets them with the same enthusiasm that she offers to people who are actually excited to see her.  You'll never know if she's in a good mood or a bad mood because she's just simply excited to meet you.  She could be having a bad day, maybe a sore foot, and even worse diarrhea, but no one could ever tell.  I took that as a good lesson for me, because at times I let my mood affect the way I greet people, and it would show.  They might say, "Something wrong?" or "You okay today?"  And I realized my mood was dampening their mood as well.  So now I follow my dog's lead and I offer a smile and enthusiasm whenever I'm greeting someone.  It works because they seem excited as well.  
• Earn Respect -I'm not talking about street cred here, but just simple respect for one another and each other's space.  When observing dogs in a park who are off leash I've noticed that some of them are scared and lash out at other dogs.  Just like people who are in a situation which is unfamiliar, I often observe people who lash out at other people just to make themselves comfortable.  Every meeting I go to where I'm meeting new people, someone almost always feels the need to talk trash about another participant.  Why?  Because they're insecure and scared just like a dog who's new to a park.  In a park, the other dog's sense this and seek to put an unruly dog in it's place, put the dog at ease, or put them out of the pack.  People are no different.  If you want to "play", you have to earn respect, otherwise you'll be just another dog on the outside watching everyone else have all the fun.  It's best to try and be part of the pack, by earning respect.  
• Practice, Practice, Practice, - My dog is mostly Pointer, but she rarely gets to utilize her canine skills because I'm not a member of the English aristocracy and we never go on fox hunts.  I didn't realize that her breed was commonly used by royals in the hunt for rabbits, birds, and foxes, and unfortunately for here there are not a lot of foxes at the beach.  However, there are a great deal of rabbits, squirrels, and birds which she regularly chases if I give her a long leash.  Although she may not be using her skills in a real hunting situation that doesn't mean she doesn't practice all the time.  Each day she will find some new animal to roust out of it's den.  She never hurts any animal but she practices all the time.  I realize that it's important for me to do this as well because if I hone my skills daily, it will make my job that much easier. I don't chase rabbits, squirrels, or birds, but I do chase down leads.  
• Be Persistent - Dogs are a lot like people.  They sulk, they get mad, they can be annoying, and they are incredibly persistent.  If they want or need something they will stare at you for minutes or even hours until they get you to do something.  It's funny because you can a dog looking at you, waiting for your reaction, or rather your commitment to help them.  The other day, my dog obviously wanted something so she came over and put her paw on my hand.  I ignored her, so then she came and put her head on my leg, but I pushed her away.  Then she came back again and put her head in my lap, but I brushed her aside.  Finally she went and got her toy and put it in my lap, and I finally got the message.  I got up from my desk, went and played with her for a while, and she was happy.  I thought "If I was as persistent as a dog, I might get a lot more accomplished."  Except, I don't know if staring at a customer for a long time, putting my hand on their hand, or putting my head on their leg is going to get me what I want.  Maybe, it's worth a try though.
• Leave A Mark - If you observe dogs for a long time, they always leave a mark wherever they have been. Basically, they pee and leave their scent.  That is a valuable lesson, especially for a business professional.  If you attend a meeting, conduct a luncheon, have a conference call, or give a presentation, always be sure to leave your mark.  People do not remember the person that just showed up, however they do remember the person that made an impression.  I'm not insinuating that you should pee after every meeting or presentation, but do something to leave a mark on the people attending so when it comes time to make a decision regarding a promotion, assignment, or a purchase, they remember you. 

I hope this helps you in whatever you do, and if you don't like dogs, I feel sorry for you, because they really are an inspiration.  Have a great day!

-M

Motivational Books- 7 Habits of Something, Something, Something

I like to read books.  Lots of books.  I read books about sales obviously, but also about service, leadership, sports, fiction, biographies, historical, some romance, and yes even Harry Potter books. Right now I'm reading "Delivering Happiness" by Tony Hsieh.  Why?  I like to read.  However, one series of books I find interesting and yet annoying at the same time...motivational books.  After reading a series of these books, I really can't take any more good vibrations. It's all blah, blah, blah, "you are a beacon of awesomeness", and more blah, blah, blah, "you can do anything you set out to do".  Positive thinking is great but delusions of grandeur are not. 

Years ago, when I first read Stephen Covey's, "7 Habits of  Highly Effective People", I immediately started practicing what was written in the book. It definitely made an impression upon me.  But as I went through the habits, I realized that a lot of the habits I was already utilizing in my own life, but I never felt highly effective. I was always successful in whatever I set out to do, but highly effective? What the hell does that even mean?  It's a very subjective statement.  And who is arrogant enough to call themselves highly effective?  I'm not.

I was going to read the book again recently but as I started to read, it made me sick to my stomach.  I literally started to feel ill.  Now maybe I had too much coffee without enough breakfast, or perhaps I ate some yogurt which was spoiled, but I believe the book made me nauseous.  It is a great book, and if you haven't read it you should, but don't believe the hype about it changing your life.  Only you can change your life, and change does not come from a book. It comes from you. 

Wow!  That was bit spiritual.  Please remember that at times a book can change things.  For example, if you are attacked my a mugger, a book is a good weapon to help fight them off.  Moreover,  if you are short in stature, and need to reach something, a book can effectively change your height, when you step on it.  However, I don't know how much it will change your life if you step on it.  It depends upon the situation.

If you've never read the book "7 Habits Of Highly Effective People", I have listed my short interpretation of the 7 Habits below, and if you have read the book and appreciate it, please don't read any further because you will most likely hate this post.  Here are my intepretations of the 7 Habits:

1. Be Proactive - The first habit is basically about taking responsibility for your own actions and for your life. This is pretty simple because all it says is "get off your butt and do something"!  Heck do anything! But just don't sit there and take your circumstances lying down.  Nothing was ever accomplished from a couch....except maybe therapy, or binge watching Netflix. 
2. Begin With The End In Mind - The second habit actually made me laugh when I was reading the book, because it's about visualization. It's about using your imagination to formulate a clear objective for your day, your week, and your life.  I use this habit on some days to visualize myself eating an In-N-Out Double-Double, and it always works on those days because I invariably have a burger...hmmm good. 
3. Put First Things First - Another simple and yet effective habit worth forming.  This one is really about prioritizing your life.  Place things which you value most first, like your kids, your family, or your dog.  All the other stuff is trivial.  If taxidermy is what you value most, then by all means focus on your dead animals and stuff them.  It's your choice.  However I wouldn't recommend sharing your love for taxidermy with other people, it might make them nervous around you at cocktail parties.
4. Think Win-Win - The 4th habit always makes me want to puke now when I read it.  It has been quoted for years since it was first written, it has been used as the title to a movie, and was quoted thousands of times on the television show "The Office" and in conference rooms for the last 15 years. The term is supposed to describe a situation that is mutually beneficial to both parties, but people use the term incorrectly all the time. Often times they use it to describe something twice as beneficial to themselves rather than mutually beneficial to two parties.  For example, "If we hire Suzanne, who is eager to please, we can consolidate two jobs and then let some one else go.  She'll have to do the work of two people, but it's a win-win for us. We'll increase our productivity and reduce our costs." I'm not sure doubling someone's work load is a win-win for them.  More like a lose-lose.
5. Seek First To Understand, Then To Be Understood - What the heck does this mean anyway? I know it's meant to be deep and meaning and inciteful.  Which is why I barely understand it.It is very deep. However it's worded in a complicated way so as to confuse me and everyone else. It's insanely simple...LISTEN.  Don't be thinking about what you are going to say next, don't think about when is the time to best get my point across, don't ponder the meaning of life when someone is speaking to you.  Actually listen and you might learn something.
6. Synergize - Again another term that drives me insane.  It is so over used and more often used incorrectly. Corporations have twisted this idea into some weird model where everyone should be working together, in unison, with no differences, and without thinking.  Like robots.  "If we synchronize our energy people will produce better results." Yet, the entire point of the this habit is to embrace individual differences, in order to work together to arrive at a better outcome.  It is using all the talents of the group working together to improve results.  Not a group of individuals with the same talents working towards a collective goal.  That's communism.
7. Sharpen The Saw - A habit which is often over looked but I think is extremely important. Too often we focus on our work related activities and not enough on personal activities.  When you sharpen the saw, it really means your sharpening yourself.  You should make an effort to enrich your life every day in either a physical, spiritual, social, or mental way.  Typically, people interpret this habit as working on their business acumen such as learning how to close a sale, negotiate a deal, or taking a class in the Art of War by Sun Tzu.  I always find it amusing that business people study warfare tactics to "help" in their careers when we all know that most of us wouldn't even make it out of a bunker without soiling ourselves.  It's easy to act tough when you don't have bullets whizzing by your head.   Study poetry, not war and you'll go a lot farther in the business world.  As my grandmother once told me, "You get further with sugar than you do with salt."

The important thing to remember here is that these habits still apply and are relevant even today, but keep in mind they are subject to your own interpretation.  Never follow blindly the path someone else has laid out for you. 

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference." Robert Frost

Have a great day!

-M