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Category: Leadership

Almost As Hard As You

So your employees won’t work as hard as you. But you can get them to collectively come pretty close.

We have all seen the sign that says “The floggings will continue until morale improves.” Apparently Amazon still works under that philosophy (Read this article about the shocking conditions at an Amazon warehouse).

And Amazon also has extremely high staff turnover. As do most companies that treat their employees like cogs in a machine instead of like people.

Yet employee turnover is one of the most costly mistakes you can make. It takes time and money to train an employee. It takes experience for them to become great. You cannot afford to be training someone new every few months.

So the first step is to make great decisions on who you hire. I’ve clearly outlined how to do that in my book, Hiring and the Potter’s Wheel: Turning Your Staff Into a Work of Art.

The second step involves motivation.

Daniel H. Pink, in his book Drive, talks about how people are motivated. The old carrot and stick method – do this and you’ll get a reward – doesn’t work any more. People want more than that.

The two most important things that motivate workers is to know that the work they are doing is valued and that it is making a difference.

You can show that to your staff easily by doing these simple things.

  • Constantly praise them for what they do right. We love to hear what we did right more than hearing what we did wrong. Sure, you need to correct the mistakes, but heap the praise for what they do right and they will do more of that.

  • Invest in their training. You show them they are valued when you constantly help them to grow and improve.

  • Teach them why. With every step of the training, with every task you ask them to do, if they can see the bigger picture of how this project fits into everything else, they will be more motivated to do the project well.

  • Have goals bigger than yourself. Align your store values with something that helps your community, whether a charitable cause or a general improvement of the quality of life and your staff will be motivated to work harder.

We want to know our contributions make a difference. Help your staff see the difference your company makes, and they will make a difference for your company.

I have 15 year-round employees. They have an average of over 10 years employment with me. They know the difference we make in the community. They know the importance of even the simplest tasks. They know when they have done a good job. And they know the next Staff Meeting will be fun, informative, and worth their while.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS One more thing… If you make your employees get up at 3am Black Friday or the day after Christmas to work for you, you get what you deserve. They are people. They have families and lives. Let them enjoy as much of the holidays as they can.

As Hard As You

“If only I can get my staff to work as hard as me, it will be a great season.”

Have you said this? Heard it? Thought it?

You are not alone. Every small business owner has the dream of hiring hard working employees that do the work so you don’t have to. They do the heavy lifting, you count the money.

Here is the reality check. Your staff will never work as hard as you do. Why?

They aren’t the owner. They don’t have a stake in the business other than a job. And they can get another one of those.

Oh, some might work that hard. You might get one or two workaholics so dedicated to your success that they work their tails off for you. But they will be the exception to the rule. Collectively your staff will probably work at about 60-70% of the level of dedication and efficiency you put forth. That is just human nature. Plus, if they were any better they would be running their own store.

The first most important point to take away is this. The more you slack off, the more your staff will do the same. If you are only giving 90%, their efforts will go down, too.

Yeah, sucks to be you.

But then again, it really doesn’t. You get to control the level of effort your staff puts out. It starts with the model you put forth. Raise your own bar. Show how you are striving to get better and improve. Model the kind of behavior and effort you want through your own actions and your staff will fall in line.

Monkey see, monkey do.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS There are some other ways to get your staff to perform almost as hard as you. Most importantly, treat them as human beings. I’ll tell you more in the next post.

Educating the Customer

Most independent retailers fully understand the impact of a customer coming into your store, browsing all the aisles, asking questions, getting information, then walking out and buying the item online.

We know how that action, beyond killing your own business, is also eroding the local workforce, the local tax base, and the local economy. We know how our own communities are struggling to make ends meet, how police & fire departments are being gutted, how budgets for schools and education are being slashed.

We know how tough it is to pay your sales people to be a showroom for some out-of-town, faceless Internet site. It demoralizes the staff to do all that work and not get the sale. And they know that without the sale you won’t be able to pay them for much longer.

We get all that.

The customer doesn’t.

There are only two reasons for this. The customer doesn’t know or the customer doesn’t care.

The Customer Doesn’t Know
One way we have failed our customers is by not letting them know the positive impact they make on our community when they shop with us. We have not educated them that they are supporting jobs in their neighborhood, they are supporting the tax base that pays for their protection and their education and they are making the community stronger when they shop local.

The best way to educate our customers is one at a time. Thank each and every customer who chooses to shop with you for making a positive impact in your community. Engage each customer with a positive message about how together you are making your town a better place to live.

If you choose to post any messages, either on your website, Facebook, in your advertisements, or in the store, make sure they are positive about all you (and they) can do to make the quality of life in your area better.

The Customer Doesn’t Care
But do remember that the message, no matter how positive, will not resonate with everyone. Most of your customers are too absorbed in their own worries and cares to even give a single thought to the impact of their decisions. Don’t lose sleep over them.

Just remember to always keep your message positive. A positive message may not change the mind of these customers, but a negative one will make them feel bad about your store – something you never want to do.

Most retailers get it. Most customers do not. We have a lot of work to do. Just keep it positive.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS One way to make the message positive… “Thank You for Shopping Local. Today you made our city a better place to live.” At its best, it will get customers to engage you in conversation. If nothing else, it will make them feel good about shopping with you. And that is always a good thing.

PPS But if you use that phrase, you better back it up. Pay your staff more than your competitors. Give more to your local non-profits. And get involved in your community. It is a two-way street after all.

The Customer is NOT #1

Yes, I said it. Go ahead and crucify me. But I stand behind it 100%.

The #1 person in your company is your frontline staff. You take care of them, they will take care of the customer. You don’t take care of them, they won’t take care of the customer. Plain and simple.

But how do you take care of them?

Salary and benefits are nice. Other perks like a parking place, uniforms, an employee lounge, are helpful. But those are simply the starting points. Even the ping pong tables and video games and perceived fun that places like Google brag about only go so far.

What your frontline employees really want is to know that they are valued and they create value for others.

In an interview Google did with its employees, what the employees valued most was, “even-keeled bosses who made time for one-on-one meetings, who helped people puzzle through problems by asking questions, not dictating answers, and who took an interest in employees’ lives and careers.” (source)

Value.

Your staff wants to know you value them as individuals and as team members. There are three easy things you can do right now that will show your staff how much you value them.

First, invest in education and training. The more you do to help them become better employees and better people, the more you show them that they are important to you. You should be training them anyway. But are you offering continual training? Are you offering advanced training? Are you offering personal training? Are you preparing them for work above and beyond their current responsibilities? The more you invest, the more valued they will feel (and the better trained and capable they will be).

Second, listen. Listen to their concerns. Listen to their stories. Take an interest in their lives, in what motivates them. They are giving you clues every time they knock on your door and say, “Got a minute?”

Whenever possible, say YES and turn away from your computer, your catalog, your phone. Give them exclusive one-on-one time where they have your complete, undivided attention. Your body language alone sends a powerful message that you value them as an individual.

Third, praise them. People love to be praised. People love to be told they did something right. Our favorite word to hear is our own name spoken lovingly. When someone does something well, praise them openly and in front of others. Not only will they continue to do well, the other staff will raise their own game in an effort to get that same praise.

Do those three things and your frontline staff will feel valued. Only then will they be able to make your customers feel valued, too.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS There is a great book on motivation called Drive by Daniel H. Pink. I highly recommend you read it.

Stay the Course

I sailed for the University of Michigan club sailing team. Finished 4th in the nation in the fall of 1986 in a windy National Sloop Regatta on Lake St. Clair outside of Detroit. Winds of 30 knots shifting and changing.

The Naval Academy won that event.

I wasn’t a very good captain. My specialty was boat speed. I knew how to sail fast. With every shift in the wind I would shift to maintain optimum boat speed, regardless of direction. That was our downfall.

The Naval Academy team focused on direction, adjusting the sails to meet the changes in the wind, but always keeping their eyes on the prize.

My boat was faster. They won the race.

Retail can be a lot like sailboat racing. If you go chasing every fad (every wind shift), you might be moving fast, but not necessarily towards your goal. You’ll feel the wind whipping in your face and everything will feel good. But the ultimate destination remains far away.

Understand that to reach your goal you will have to make adjustments, but don’t throw your whole strategy overboard on a whim. You might not be traveling as fast as someone else, but as long as you’re heading in the right direction, you will get there.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS If you don’t have a direction, check out this free eBook on branding: Understanding Your Brand. Once you know your core values, just choose one of those values and be the leader in your industry in that value.

The Customer is in Front of You

I just got back from the All Baby & Child Expo in Louisville, KY. This is the big show for the baby products industry. Thousands of vendors, thousands of buyers, millions of square feet of showroom space.

This was the first time the show had been anywhere other than Las Vegas. Louisville was a big risk. A little harder to get there for those flying. Not the same level of entertainment options. Not the same international cache. Add in the not-quite-stellar economy and the buzz was…

Would there be good attendance?

Apparently not. I lost count how many times I had to listen to vendors complain how the lack of attendees was hurting their business and it was all the fault of the board of directors choosing this location.

Fortunately, I also heard from a fair number of vendors who were having an awesome show, meeting new people, opening new accounts, writing serious orders. It wasn’t Vegas, but it was business, and they were doing it.

The difference? Attitude.

At one point, after listening to a lengthy rant about the show location and poor turnout, I looked at the person across the table and said rather indignantly, “I’m here and I’m writing an order. I don’t care about all that other crap.”

The point is that you can complain about the lack of customers for your business or you can embrace the customers that do show up. Complaining will not drive a single extra person through the doors. In fact, it will drive the few customers you have away. But if you focus on the positives of having a customer in front of you, she will bring you more business.

That is true at both trade shows and retail stores. We like to do business with happy, friendly people. Period. Keep your complaints to yourself.

When the attendance/traffic is not there, you have to maximize the business you do with the customers you have. You do that by being positive and upbeat. You do that by being friendly and helpful. You do that by making sure you focus on the customer in front of you. Make her feel special and welcome. Transfer confidence to her that your since your attitude is good, your business must be good, too.

Yeah, Retail 101. Amazing this past weekend how many people did not get it.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS Is it any wonder that the people with the best attitude were having the best show? Your attitude is everything. You set the tone for your employees and your business. Make sure you put your best foot forward every day.

What is Your Eustress?

I learned a new term.

Eustress – (yoo’-stress) A stress that is healthy or fulfilling.

Think of Eustress as the opposite of Distress.

We all have stress in our lives. As store owners, we often take on added stress that outsiders cannot comprehend. But not all stress is the same. Stress falls into those two categories – Eustress and Distress.

The key to your success is to make sure you have enough Eustress on your plate to offset all the Distress.

For instance, I find teaching classes like the Shopping For Baby 101 classes at the store and the New Dad classes at the hospital to be in the Eustress category. I love prepping for them and teaching them. I feel better after they are done.

The same is true with writing this blog, giving talks to other retailers, writing my eBooks and reading business books. Only if those things get in the way of doing my job do they shift over to Distress. But since many of them augment my job, I will keep on doing them.

Distress for me includes meeting with bankers and lawyers, dealing with unhappy customers, and mediating staff disputes.

So I try to make sure I have enough of the one to offset the other.

If ever you have a friend, spouse, mentor or advisor tell you that you have too much on your plate, list all of your stresses and label them as either a Eustress, Distress or Neutral (something that doesn’t even feel like a stress and does not move your needle one way or the other.)

Then you will know exactly what to do. Delegate all the Neutrals and drop one or more of the Distresses. Keep all the Eustress that does not get in the way of your job. Your problem will be solved.

-Phil Wrzesinski

www.PhilsForum.com

PS Aahhh… I’m feeling better already:-)

Two Books My Staff Read

I gave my staff an assignment. Read some of the books I have read and give a presentation to the staff. At today’s meeting we had the first two presentations.

Lakisha spoke about the book Poke the Box by Seth Godin (not an affiliate link – I don’t have any of those).

She liked the concept of just initiating something, not being afraid to fail. We have had a couple instances of that recently when Carrie initiated our Birthday Club and Nate created better signage for our JTV Toys of the Week.

The one big lesson from Poke the Box is to always try new things. Not all will work, but if you poke the box and see why it isn’t working you can tweak it and make it work. But if you do not initiate anything, nothing ever gets done or improved.

Darlene had a harder assignment – one of my favorite books – Free the Beagle by Roy H. Williams.

This book is an allegorical story about a Lawyer and his beagle that must take a journey. The story is fairly simple and might remind you of The Wizard of Oz. What is impressive is the layers of learning Mr. Williams has woven into the story. On just one level the lawyer represents our logical left brain while the beagle represents our more creative right brain. There are nine other levels of understanding in the book (and I’ve only uncovered about six).

My favorite part of the book is the discussion that was recorded afterward. Mr. Williams invited a number of people from different backgrounds to give their takes on the book. Their insight is so fascinating that it alone is well worth the cost of admission.

Free the Beagle is great for anyone at a crossroads, anyone who believes they might be on a journey to bigger and better things, or anyone who feels stuck.

This is just one way I empower my staff to grow. I cannot pay them millions of dollars. I cannot offer them cushy benefits. But I can help them on their own journeys in life, help them grow into better people.

You can do the same for your staff. In fact, you should. For all they do for you, you owe it to them.

Some people say, “Yeah, but what if I train them and help them grow and they leave.” Roy Williams replied, “What if you don’t train them and they stay?”

-Phil Wrzesinski

www.PhilsForum.com

PS Yes, my staff meetings are a little unconventional. I once served ice cream for an 8:30am meeting. The meetings are also memorable. Yours can be, too. Download the FREE eBook Staff Meetings Everyone Wants to Attend and the accompanying Worksheet and start planning meetings that get the results you want.

What Gets Measured?

We had a meeting of downtown business leaders to share our “one big thing”, that one nugget of truth that helps us be successful. Local businessman Bob Smith said…

“You can’t manage what you don’t measure.”

Frances Schagen, who helped me with the eBook Reading Your Financial Statement, had a more positive spin on the same message…

“What gets measured gets done.”

What are you measuring?

I looked at my web stats for http://www.philsforum.com/ to see from where I got my traffic, to see which documents were downloaded, to see which eBooks were most popular this week.

I was surprised that my newest eBook – Customer Service: From Weak to WOW! – was only fourth on the list of eBooks downloaded for the week. Apparently more people were interested in Inventory Management, Staff Meetings Everyone Wants to Attend, and Understanding Your Brand.

Usually when I announce a new eBook, it dominates the downloads for the first week.

Now I need to read into the tea leaves from this data and decide one of three things:

  1. People are not interested in the new eBook on customer service.

  2. People are not aware of the new eBook on customer service.

  3. The other eBooks are more important to my readers than customer service.

Since I track these numbers regularly, I have some understanding that the Inventory Management downloads this week have been unusually high. This is a good thing. I also know that the Customer Service: From Weak to WOW! downloads have been weaker than a typical launch.

But previous posts on Customer Service have been some of my most popular posts (I know this because I measured it.) Therefore, the most likely answer to why the new eBook was not tops in downloads is a combination of #2 and #3.

Which means that my message in the launch of the eBook needs to be tweaked…

I just wrote a new eBook that you can download for FREE that will help you raise the bar of your customer service so high your competition will not even be in the conversation!

It is called Customer Service: From Weak to WOW! and although you will hate me for some of the things I have written, and you will dismiss some of my advice out of your own denial, you will be thankful you downloaded it and shared it with your staff. More importantly, your customers will be thankful when you quit giving lip service to customer service and start WOWing your customers.

At only four pages, how can it be that good?

Download it and see for yourself. It’s FREE!

-Phil Wrzesinski
http://www.philsforum.com/

PS Why do I give away so much for FREE? I want you to succeed. Period. That brings me lots of joy. Plus, I know that if you find it useful you’ll reprint it, re-tweet it, share it with others. Then even more of us independent retailers will see success. My goal is to raise the water level for all boats, even if I have to do it one harbor at a time.

PPS Of course, my other favorite thing is when I get hired to speak to groups of retailers. Giving information away like I do gets my name out there and helps establish me as an expert. The more you share what I say and the more you help me spread that influence, the more likely I get those opportunities. Thanks!

Who’s Training You?

I talk a lot about the importance of training your staff. But who’s training you?

Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m honored that you’re here reading this post. That’s a fabulous start. What else are you reading? Other blogs? Books?

Are you attending any conferences? Sitting in on any workshops? Listening to any podcasts or webinars?

Are you visiting other stores and seeing how they do things?

Here is one of my favorite ways to learn… Teach!

You can’t teach what you don’t know, so agree to teach something. Then you’ll be forced to learn it. That’s what I did to write my free eBook Reading Your Financial Statements. I took a topic that was tough for me and forced myself to learn it. Talked to accountants. Talked to other retailers. Read articles. Got professional opinions. Wrote a rough draft. Took the criticism like a man. Re-wrote it. And learned.

How do you get the chance to teach something? Simple. Ask.

Ask your local chamber if they are looking for an presenters for upcoming workshops or academies. Offer to speak to philanthropy groups like Lions Club or Rotary. Talk to your shop local group about doing a training.

Don’t worry if you don’t think you know enough. First, you know a lot more than you think. Second, once you book it, you’ll do what you need to do to learn the rest, and you’ll be all the smarter for it.

Your staff will model what you do. If you keep learning, so will they.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS If you would like a suggestion or two for good books to read, send me an email. Tell me the subject and what you hope to learn. Chances are there is a book I’ve read or one on my to-read list that will fit the bill.

PPS For our last staff meeting I put a dozen or so of my favorite business books on a table, gave a quick synopsis of each book and offered the staff 3 bonus hours if they do an oral presentation on the book at the next staff meeting. You would have been amazed how many grabbed a book.