Monthly Archives: January 2017

Build a World Class Culture

 

 
Why World-Class Cultures Are Critical for Lasting Competitive Advantage.
 
Seems like “culture-building” is all the rave in organizations these days.
 
Not sure why it’s taken so long for organizations to re-consider the cultures they created. This is something anyone tasked with running a business, leading a team, or recruiting and retaining top talent deals with on a nearly constant basis…or SHOULD.
 
In my prior life in Corporate America I led many teams through significant transformation, and in my work as an organizational coach I have talked to thousands of business owners, partners, executives, leaders, and HR folks about their challenges building a place that rising stars would want to work at.
 
They are looking for a new breed of worker. They want (NEED, in fact) people who WANT to commit to them unconditionally, but won’t because of their flawed cultures.
 
They’re looking to recruit (and keep) people who exhibit exceptional characteristics including: strive to perform at the height of their abilities, share their employer’s ethics and values, are willing to take risks and embrace challenges, want to contribute to their organization’s risk, perform meaningful work, and care enough about that organization to do everything in their power for the organization to succeed.
 
But a major challenge organizations face that often prevents them from being able to recruit Superhero employees is an abject lack of empathy and caring. These organizations don’t respect their employees, they don’t invest in them with training and development, don’t offer coaching/mentoring programs, don’t believe in job rotations, offer little in the way of meaningful benefits, don’t believe in self-directed/managed teams, don’t strive to build trust, don’t subscribe to ethical behavior, nor do they have a moral compass (other than maximizing profits and reducing costs.)
 
Making matters even more complicated when it pertains to building a strong culture is, there are actually two types of culture. An organization’s FORMAL culture is entirely aspirational. It’s what the organization WANTS to be/become, or believes it is. That may have little or no basis in reality, when factoring considering its INFORMAL culture. The informal culture is how the organization feel like, and how it behaves when it thinks no one is watching.
 
Is it any wonder therefore that talented employees would not be caught dead committing to employers that only have to offer stifling, toxic, dead end cultures with no motivation, challenging work, shared sense of mission, teamwork and collaboration, advancement, causes they care passionately about?
 
Does this describe YOU…your employees…where you work?
 
If so, here’s why…according to a 2015 survey by the Human Capital Media Advisory Group:
 

  • Only 44% of HR practitioners admitted their organizations hire people who “fit” their culture.
  • Even though 70% of the survey’s respondents said their organizations wanted to build culture, missions and values only about a third said that culture was built into the work their employees perform.
  • Many companies (68%) said they seek to change their culture, in order to improve their employee engagement.
     
    THAT is why I created a webinar: “Build Your World-Class Culture…NOW!”
     
    To help you (and your organization) change your culture. Create a workplace where your people are engaged, collaborate willingly, don’t harbor resentment or have political agendas, and are striving constantly to achieve maximum productivity.
     
    Want to maximize your profits by driving revenue sky high while finding new creative ways to reduce costs?
     
    Then join me on Tuesday, February 14th from 12-1pm EST! During the webinar I’ll tell you how to:
     

  • Re-position your organization in the hearts and minds of others by revisiting your vision, mission, values.
  • Define the type of people you want to work with, including suppliers, contractors, vendors, the media…everyone!
  • Master your storytelling -tell what sets your organization apart. Engage others with your history, key achievements and most importantly…WHY you do what you do…your purpose!
  • Ethical organizations outperform their competitors!
  • Treat your employees like valued partners for optimal engagement and retention.
  • Implement Reward & Recognition, Coaching/Mentoring, Employee Idea, and Town Hall programs.
  • Intrinsic v.s Extrinsic motivation.
  • Define and RECRUIT the attributes of STAR performers.
     
    Not only is it FREE but as an extra incentive I’ll email you my e-book “Apply Innovation & Creativity in Your Organization” when you register.
     
    Sound like something you’d be interested in attending?
     
    If so, register here. Here’s to your success in 2017!
     
    Here’s to your continued success in 2017!
     
    Ethan

     
     
    – Ethan

  • Become the Transformational Leader You Always Aspired to.

     
    Why managing is damaging, and leadership is empowering.
     
    In response to the age old question: “Are great leaders born or made?”…the answer is an emphatic… “YES” to BOTH!
     
    While there are certain characteristics that all great leaders naturally possess (social engagement, extroversion, and one’s ability to communicate all come to mind) it IS possible to learn HOW to become a leader that others will willingly follow through times of chaos, hardship and danger.
     
    AND….they will follow a transformational leader WILLINGLY. Why? Because they trust you have their best interest at heart. They share their leader’s vision, values, and a strong driving commitment to change the order of things, and make the world a better place for future generations.
     
    Leaders are individuals that truly believe that a rising tide lifts all ships. They understand the value in, and desire to excel at, emotional intelligence and possess a strong moral compass and emotional quotient (EQ).
     
    EQ is a person’s ability to:
     
    Perceive emotions in themselves (emotional awareness)
    Regulate their own emotions (emotional management)
    Identify the emotions of others (social awareness)
    Nurture powerful relationships with others (social management)
     
    People often mistake effective leadership with management. Management as an organizational behavior is DETRIMENTAL to long term success. LEADERSHIP is critically important. Here’s a cheat sheet of the significant differences:
     
    Want to learn how you can become a leader that transforms the lives, careers, and performance of others?
     
    I invite you to attend my FREE webinar: “Become the transformational leader you always aspired to be.”
     
    As a result of attending this engaging, entertaining and informative talk you will learn how to:
     
    * Understand the key difference between leading and managing;
    * Identify your personal leadership “style” and how to play to your strengths;
    * Become Emotionally Intelligent in all your social and professional relationships for more meaningful connections;
    * Realize why trust, empathy and loyalty REALLY matter;
    * Discover what makes great leaders…well…GREAT!;
    * Apply immediately actionable strategies to become a leader by developing your very own leadership action plan.
    * And as my added THANKS, I will send you my presentation: “Build a world-class culture in your organization” when you register.
     
    The webinar is Tuesday, Jan. 24 1:00-1:45 pm EST.
     
    Register Here.
     
    “Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.” – St. Augustine
     
    Here’s to your success in 2017!
     
    Ethan

     
     
    – Ethan