Category: Reck, Ross; Dr.

  • A Quick Fix for America – By Ross Reck, PhD and Harry Paul

    A Quick Fix for America

    By Ross Reck, PhD and Harry Paul
    July, 2015
    Coauthors of Instant Turnaround!

    Getting People Excited About Coming to Work and Working Hard

    Statue of LibertyPundits, politicians and even President Obama are all saying that getting the economy back on track is going to take a long, long time. This is very depressing and it’s not what the American people want to hear. They want to hear about a quick fix for the current situation—an instant turnaround that will put the economy on a fast track toward recovery today. That’s the kind of news that will get the American people excited about their future.

    Is there such a thing as a fast track out of this recession? The answer is YES and it’s FREE. Right now many of the executives running American businesses are hunkering down, tightening their belts, laying people off and looking for additional ways to conserve. The problem is that these are the very things that prolong a recession instead of shortening it. What so many of these executives fail to realize is that the key to the fast track out of this recession is right under their noses—their employees. These are the people who do the work that the company gets paid for. The better these people do their jobs, the faster the company’s revenue stream will begin to grow and that’s what the fast track out of this recession is all about.

    The Question

    The question then becomes: how do businesses get their employees to apply their best efforts to performing their jobs? The answer is simple, but it does require a mindset change on the part of managers and executives. We learned from the Hawthorne Studies nearly a century that the better you treat employees, the harder they’ll work. This being the case, you would think it would be the goal every team leader, supervisor, manager and executive to treat their employees as well as possible so they would work as hard as possible. As it turns out, in most cases the exact opposite is true.

    In 2007, Zogby International conducted 7,740 online interviews of a panel that is representative or the adult population of the US. The survey found that not only were tens of millions of workers not being treated well, but 37% or an estimated 54 million American workers had personally experienced an extreme form of workplace abuse referred to as “bullying.” The study defined bullying as “repeated health-harming mistreatment” that takes one or more of the following forms:

    • Verbal abuse—shouting, swearing, name calling and malicious sarcasm.
    • Offensive behaviors—threatening, intimidating, humiliating and inappropriately cruelconduct.
    • Work interference—sabotage which prevents work from being done.

    The study also found that an additional 12% of the American workforce or 17.5 million people had personally witnessed bullying behavior. This means that 49% of the workforce or 71.5 million American workers have been touched by this extreme form or workplace abuse. And, who are these bullies? Seventy-three percent of them were bosses—managers!

    This is not only an outrage; it’s immoral, cruel and barbaric; and it’s keeping us in this recession. When employees feel abused, their motivation is to get even and find another job somewhere else. Researchers Gostick and Elton estimate the cost of employee turnover in America to be $1.7 trillion annually. Then, if you factor in the other things employees are motivated to do when they feel they’re being abused such as taking more sick days, missing work more often, stealing from the company, doing as little work as possible and a poorer quality of work, convincing other employees not to work as hard and refusing to share their ideas on how to improve products and services, we’re probably looking at a four to five trillion dollar price tag for this abusive behavior. This is huge especially give that the size of the entire American economy is only $14 trillion. Just think of the shot in the arm it would be to our economy if American business could recover a sizeable chunk of this amount.

    Another Question

    The question then becomes: can this mess be turned around? The answer is yes, and it can be turned around immediately, but it’s up to the senior managers who run American businesses. They could easily reclaim the lion’s share of these four to five trillion dollars if they would do the following three things sincerely, consistently and well:

    • Set an example for the managers below them. Senior managers often grosslyunderestimate their function as role models for managers throughout the organization.This means they need to be far more visible than they normally are and they need toseen positively interacting with employees at all levels of the organization.
    • Adopt a zero tolerance program for abusive behavior. Abusive behavior has no placein a modern business organization—it’s immoral, it’s extremely costly and we’velooked the other way far too long. If an abusive boss can’t be rehabilitated, he or shemust be shown the door.
    • Train managers at all levels on the proper way to bring out the best in the employeeswho work for them. We’re talking about basic behaviors like being nice instead ofnasty or indifferent, noticing the good things employees do and saying thank you.

    These are three simple things that cost absolutely nothing. Companies that choose to implement them from the top down will immediately put themselves on the fast track to economic recovery. Those that don’t will one day wonder how they got left behind.

    References:

    1. RossReck.com

  • Ross Reck: How To Connect Another Person’s Self-Interest With Yours

    Us vs Them - Co-workersThere is only one thing that gets people excited about doing anything; it’s their self-interest–what’s in it for them.  So, if you want to get people excited about going the extra mile for you over and over again, all you have to do is figure out their self-interest and connect it with yours.  This may seem a little tricky at first, but it’s really easy once you get the hang of it.   So, for the next several weeks, this section of my Weekly Reminder will show you how to do this.  In no time at all, you’ll become an expert and have those around you truly excited about going the extra mile for you.

    Turning An Adversary Into An Ally

    Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you had to work with someone that you really didn’t like, or worse yet, someone you absolutely detested?  The solution to a situation like this lies in the Abraham Lincoln quote, “I don’t like this person, I think I need to get to know him better.”  To illustrate this, let me share an example.  I did some consulting with a bank that had several hundred branches located throughout the state of Arizona.  I was working with a staff department that was supposed to provide problem-solving support to the bank’s branch managers.  As we began to discuss the importance of getting along with others at work, one of the members of this staff asked the question, “How do you work with someone you can’t stand?”

    My response was, “Can you give me an example?”

    This woman responded with, “You bet!  Take one of our branch managers in Yuma.  Nobody likes this woman.  Every time she calls us at the corporate office, she’s nasty.  Furthermore, every time we visit her at her branch in Yuma, she’s nasty.  How can you work effectively with someone like this?”

    I then asked, “ Do you know this person?”

    Her reply was, “Yes, we do, thank you.  All too well!”

    “Do you ever visit this person at her branch in Yuma?” I asked.

    “We have no choice,” she responded.  “At least one of us has to go once a month.  And since no one wants to go, we draw straws.”

    I then asked this staff member to describe her visits to this woman’s branch.

    “The company plane drops us off at the Yuma airport at 10:30 in the morning and picks us back up at 2:30 in the afternoon,” she replied.

    “There’s the reason she is nasty,” I said.  “You are only on the ground for four hours to start with.  If you factor in lunch and trips to and from the airport you are down to having less than an hour to help her solve problems.  This is not exactly a strong showing of support from the corporate office.”

    The staff member’s next comment was, “OK, how do we fix this situation?”

    My reply was, “The next time you go to Yuma,” which was going to be the following Wednesday, “I want several of you to go to show this branch manager a sign of support.  Furthermore, I want you to get off the company plane at 10:30 in the morning and at the earliest I want you to get back on the company plane the next morning, but only if everything has been resolved to this woman’s satisfaction.”

    I went on to say; “I don’t care if you stay at this woman’s branch until midnight, but you stay until she is finished talking.  Then, if there is still time, I want you to take this person to dinner and when you get back to the corporate office, I want you to call me and tell me what happened.”

    The following Friday, I received a phone call from this staff member.  She proceeded to tell me that they had done everything I suggested.  As it turned out, they stayed at this person’s branch until 7:00 that evening and then they took her to dinner.  When dinner was over, the branch manager leaned across the table and said, “I’ll bet you folks at corporate think I’m a real witch, don’t you?”  She then went on to explain how this was the first time since she had become branch manager that this staff department had spent some quality time helping her solve some problems that were very important to her.  She went on to let them know that she was very appreciative.

    The staff member who had originally raised the issue of how you pursue a relationship with somebody you can’t stand went on to say, “Once you get to know this woman, she is really nice!”  It turns out that she and this branch manager had made plans to go golfing two weeks later on their free time during the next branch managers’ meeting at the corporate office.

    The Abraham Lincoln quote bears repeating, “I don’t like this person, I think I need to get to know him better.”

    Review:

    1. What was the staff member’s self-interest?  Answer: To improve her relationship with one of the Yuma branch managers.
    2. Who stood between her and success and failure?  Answer: The Yuma branch manager who was nasty.
    3. What was this branch manager’s self-interest?  Answer: To get better attention and support from the corporate office.
    4. What was the staff member’s plan to connect the two self-interests?  Answer: To visit the branch manager in Yuma and give her the genuine attention and support she was looking for.

    As I have said in previous issues of my Reminder, this technique can be used to get other people excited about going the extra mile for you in all sorts of situations. All you have to do is figure out the self-interest of the people who stand between you and success or failure and connect it with yours.  As you will see, this method is really simple, but the results can be really extraordinary.  Next week, we’ll look at a different example.

    References:

    • 100% Employee Engagement Guaranteed! Newly Revised [Kindle & Paperback Editions]

      Now Available from Amazon.com for $15.99

      Kindle and Paperback Editions available from Amazon.com

      Imagine a workplace where every employee is engaged with their work … where every employee shows up each day excited about giving every bit of energy, creativity and passion to performing their job. These employees don’t need to be motivated because they already are and they channel their motivation toward creating a competitive edge for their company that can’t be easily copied. They’re constantly making innovative changes to products, services and customer experiences while providing superior levels of customer service which results in loyal customers. This means higher levels of repeat and referral business which, in turn, translates into significant increases in market share. In addition, absenteeism and turnover rates for these fully engaged employees are far below industry averages because they absolutely love what they do. This book presents a new management model that guarantees an employee engagement level of 100%. If you implement this model in your organization, every one of your employees will become engaged with their work; all working at their full potential. Think of what it would mean to the success of your business or organization if you could get all of your employees engaged with their work.


  • Ross Reck: Advice for Enjoying Life from a Bartender

    Living The Dream

    Today is gonna be a Good Day!On a recent Monday evening, my wife was working late and I was too tired to cook. So, I went to a broiler and tap near my home for my favorite sliders. Since I was alone, I sat at the bar and placed my order with the bartender whose name was Rachel. After I placed my order, I asked her how her day was going. She responded with, “Living the dream.” I then asked if she was serious or being facetious. She emphatically came back with, “If I don’t enjoy every day of my life, I make changes.” I thought, “Wow, what an answer!” Rachel didn’t sit around and whine, mope or feel sorry for herself if she didn’t like where her life was leading. Instead, she took charge and made the necessary changes to make her life enjoyable again. We would all do well to follow her advice.[1]

    References:

    1. RossReck.com

    • 100% Employee Engagement Guaranteed! Newly Revised [Kindle & Paperback Editions]

      Now Available from Amazon.com for $15.99

      Kindle and Paperback Editions available from Amazon.com

      Imagine a workplace where every employee is engaged with their work … where every employee shows up each day excited about giving every bit of energy, creativity and passion to performing their job. These employees don’t need to be motivated because they already are and they channel their motivation toward creating a competitive edge for their company that can’t be easily copied. They’re constantly making innovative changes to products, services and customer experiences while providing superior levels of customer service which results in loyal customers. This means higher levels of repeat and referral business which, in turn, translates into significant increases in market share. In addition, absenteeism and turnover rates for these fully engaged employees are far below industry averages because they absolutely love what they do. This book presents a new management model that guarantees an employee engagement level of 100%. If you implement this model in your organization, every one of your employees will become engaged with their work; all working at their full potential. Think of what it would mean to the success of your business or organization if you could get all of your employees engaged with their work.


  • Ross Reck: Winning Over A New Person

    WinnerThe quickest way of winning over a new person is to send them a clear message that you are for real.  One way of doing this is to promise to do something for them and then exceed their expectations with how you follow through on your promise.  For example, if you promise to get this person some information, get it to them before they expect it.  This sends a clear message that you have their best interests in mind which tells them that you’re the kind of person they want to become more involved with. – RossReck.com

    References:

    • Winning by Jack Welch
      Winning by Jack Welch
      Winning by Jack Welch – Available from Amazon.com

      Winning

      Jack Welch knows how to win. During his forty-year career at General Electric, he led the company to year-after-year success around the globe, in multiple markets, against brutal competition. His honest, be-the-best style of management became the gold standard in business, with his relentless focus on people, teamwork, and profits.

      Since Welch retired in 2001 as chairman and chief executive officer of GE, he has traveled the world, speaking to more than 250,000 people and answering their questions on dozens of wide-ranging topics.

      Inspired by his audiences and their hunger for straightforward guidance, Welch has written both a philosophical and pragmatic book, which is destined to become the bible of business for generations to come. It clearly lays out the answers to the most difficult questions people face both on and off the job.

      Welch’s objective is to speak to people at every level of an organization, in companies large and small. His audience is everyone from line workers to MBAs, from project managers to senior executives. His goal is to help everyone who has a passion for success.

      Welch begins Winning with an introductory section called “Underneath It All,” which describes his business philosophy. He explores the importance of values, candor, differentiation, and voice and dignity for all.

      The core of Winning is devoted to the real “stuff” of work. This main part of the book is split into three sections. The first looks inside the company, from leadership to picking winners to making change happen. The second section looks outside, at the competition, with chapters on strategy, mergers, and Six Sigma, to name just three. The next section of the book is about managing your career—from finding the right job to achieving work-life balance.

      Welch’s optimistic, no excuses, get-it-done mind-set is riveting. Packed with personal anecdotes and written in Jack’s distinctive no b.s. voice, Winning offers deep insights, original thinking, and solutions to nuts-and-bolts problems that will change the way people think about work.

      References:

      1. RossReck.com
      2. Amazon.com
      3. Wikipedia – Jack Welch

  • Ross Reck: Showing An Interest Can Work Wonders

    Lawn Mowing
    …mow the lawn!

    My oldest child is a son named Philip.  If we have spent time together and feel good about each other, and I ask Philip to mow the lawn, chances are he will agree.  On the other hand, if I have been gone for a week and we haven’t seen each other, much less done anything together, and then I ask Philip, in that same loving tone of voice, to mow the lawn, the answer will probably be some form of no.  He is saying to me, “Dad, you don’t care about me.  If you did, you would have been here.  All you care about is some cheap form of slave labor to get your grass cut!”

    Several years ago, Philip came home from school on a Thursday afternoon.  As he walked in, my wife and I asked him the usual questions about his day, like “How was school?  Did you have fun today?  What did you learn?”  Philip’s response was to shrug his shoulders and walk into his room.  My wife then turned to me and remarked that something was definitely wrong between Philip and us.  I agreed with her.

    She said, “What do you think it is?”

    I suggested that maybe we hadn’t spent enough time with Philip lately and he had slipped into the “him against us” way of thinking.  I said, “What we need to do is get into Philip’s world and convince him that we are not the enemy.”

    My wife said, “How do we go about doing that?”  At this point, we could hear Philip in his room playing with his toy cars.

    I said, “Let’s go into Philip’s room and play with his toy cars with him.”

    So off to Philip’s room we went.  We got down on the floor with Philip, grabbed a handful of toy cars, and proceeded to make automobile noises right along with him.  I have to admit that Philip was a little bewildered at first; the first thing out of his mouth was, “What are you doing?”  We told him that we just wanted to play with him for a while.  My wife and I stayed in Philip’s room playing with him for forty-five minutes and all three of us really had a great time.  And for the next few days, Philip never stopped talking about what was going on in his life.

    Yes, showing an interest can work wonders, but don’t be tricked into thinking that it’s a one-time shot.  If you expect to keep the channels of communication open with other people, you must show an interest in them on a continual basis.  If you don’t, they quick start to assume that you are taking them for granted.  When this happens, you’re right back where you started, if not further back.

    References:

    • 100% Employee Engagement Guaranteed! Newly Revised [Kindle & Paperback Editions]

      Now Available from Amazon.com for $15.99

      Kindle and Paperback Editions available from Amazon.com

      Imagine a workplace where every employee is engaged with their work … where every employee shows up each day excited about giving every bit of energy, creativity and passion to performing their job. These employees don’t need to be motivated because they already are and they channel their motivation toward creating a competitive edge for their company that can’t be easily copied. They’re constantly making innovative changes to products, services and customer experiences while providing superior levels of customer service which results in loyal customers. This means higher levels of repeat and referral business which, in turn, translates into significant increases in market share. In addition, absenteeism and turnover rates for these fully engaged employees are far below industry averages because they absolutely love what they do. This book presents a new management model that guarantees an employee engagement level of 100%. If you implement this model in your organization, every one of your employees will become engaged with their work; all working at their full potential. Think of what it would mean to the success of your business or organization if you could get all of your employees engaged with their work.