Saturday, August 24, 2013



2013 Fantasy Football Draft
"Where Everyone's a Friend"
 
      I laugh every year when it comes to my office fantasy football draft. Enemies become friends.  Everyone wants to help each other with the best pick they can make in order to better their team.  One Big Happy Family I tell you....... More like wolves in sheep's clothing!  I have the first pick this year.  So, everyone wants to tell me the best player to pick and why. As if they think that I would really think they care about making my team better.  Laughable!  I play along though.  Act interested.  Then flush every bit of BS they fed me right down the toilet.  I look at the stats, think of the future, and make an educated pick.  Then hope for the best.
     Pretty much the same as I do in business.  I have drinks with my competitors.  Some are truly my friends.  With that said, I would steal everyone of their customers if and when I have a chance.  We talk sports, life, etc.  When it comes to talking business, I tell them most truths.  Just not accurate.  You fooling yourself if you don't think they are doing the same.  They didn't get to their level by being sheep and feeding the wolves. 
     Have a blast at your draft this year.  Throw back a few cocktails.  Not too many.  You might start picking Yankees top hitters for your starting quarterback.  Keep one thing in mind NO ONE IS OUT TO HELP YOU BETTER YOUR TEAM.  When struggling with a pick... Always go with your gut.  You'll make some mistakes, but not near as many as listening to the wolves.  That live by eating sheep..................


Friday, August 23, 2013

 
 



Going Bananas!
 
             In management we are taught there are 3 different types of employees that are going to be working within your company.  Green: Just came on board and are eager to learned. Ripe:  Those who are trained, eager to learn more, and make a difference within the company.  Rotten: Ones who are there for the paycheck and not motivated at all.  Ready to leave at the earliest opportunity when something equal or even a little less comes along. 
             Like mad customers, I believe 80 percent of rotten employees are created.  By that I mean they don't come into your business in a state of mind that causes them to be rotten.  They come in for a fresh start.  Eager to learn and become a game changer in your business.  Regardless of the task they are there for.  Rotten is created.  Just like a piece of produce, an employee has a shelf life.  You can nurture an employee into having a longer shelf-life.  Or you can leave it on the shelf to rot. 
            Creating a rotten employee is a huge expense for the company.  Think about it.  You've taking time and money to employ that person.  Paying to train that employee.  Only to let that employee rot on a shelf because they were a little harder to train than others.  Not even diving into the numbers they are costing you by being a toxic employee to your staff and customers.  I believe in the fact that knowledge is power.  You give an employee a since of belonging and knowledge and they will maintain their ripeness for as long as you nurture them.  So next time you have an employee that has a bad attitude or lack of motivation, look into what environment has created this.  Is it the culture of your business?  Are they having issues at home?  Are they misinformed?  Trust me, creating a rotten employee is quite expensive.  Create a culture that breeds growth of ripe employees.  Otherwise your business will end up driving you bananas.  Causing you to soon be the rotten fruit on the shelf.....
 

 
 

Thursday, August 22, 2013



Call a TimeOut when it comes to managing the GEN Y!
 
           It's currently 2013 and some of our managing habits have been used for 100's of years.  Anyone can agree that things evolve.  Not trying to get into a religious debate here.  I'm just speaking on the since of technology, peoples habits, systems, etc.  I was told by a great leader once that beating is not leading.  By beating I mean managing in a since that you force that person to do something in a manner that they don't believe in.  The penalty for not doing the task is a verbal lashing.  First off this style of management comes with a lack of training that person has on how to do what you want them to do and thinking they will do it up to your expectations.  Seems ludicrous, but a common practice. 
          Now am I saying we don't need a good ol pep talk sometimes to bust us out of our complacent behavior.  No.... What I'm saying is that you need to look at each person as an individual and motivate them in a manner that they believe in the task that you want accomplished.  If that task is not done to your expectations, well then you need to also address that particular person in a manner that they will learn from the mistake.  Not resent you for the way you handled their lack of training on completing the task correctly or to your standards.
         Here's what I tell my managers when it comes to counseling a GEN Y that has not completed the task correctly.  First I address them and ask 3 simple questions.  When their parents were young and threw a rock through their neighbors window, how did their parents discipline them?  A switch from a tree right?  Now how were they disciplined in this same situation? The Belt.  Now we have our Gen Y.  Whom have been given participation ribbons for failures, 15 chances to do something right with no discipline, etc.  Now how have the Gen Y been disciplined?  TIMEOUTS.... Sent to the corner and put in a time out.  Do you honestly think you can counsel this employee the same as someone who was raised and disciplined with the switch.  Not even in the slightest.  
        So, think about that when your 20 year old employee didn't produce the results you expected and you have to counsel.  I'm not saying baby them and beat around the bush.  They like to know exactly what they did wrong and how they can do it better.  Gen Y wants to succeed and given the training to do so.  So, call the timeout when it comes to managing the Gen Y and this highly motivated class of individuals will be 1000 time more productive for you.
 
Sincerely......A Gen Y
 
Please Comment Below on Your Tips When Counseling a Gen Y
 
 
 

        

             Lets start this blog off on the right foot.  Every opinion you read on here is exactly that.  An opinion.  It's a place for myself and whomever feels compelled to share what makes them do.  What makes you make a decision to move forward with what it is you want or need to do.  Everyday we are tasked with a wide variety of decisions that we choose to make in order to go about the lifestyle we choose to live.  My ideology of what actions I need to take to conquer my goals throughout the day are probably totally different than 90% of the population.  One thing that I am sure is similar, which I think we can all learn from each other on, is that the decisions being made are similar.  What time do I need to set my alarm for?  What will I decide to eat and where?  Will I eat this meal at all?  What time did I leave the house so that I can decide which route to take?  If I leave at 7:20am I'm safe to take the direct route, but at 7:28 it's bumper to bumper traffic.  You get the idea.
           Now keep in mind that this blog is meant to be education by sharing experiences and intellect.  Possibly a day where you need to vent about how someone wanted you to do something, but went about the wrong way of putting you into the action of doing. 
           Lastly what motivated me to start this blog.  I feel that I needed a place to share what makes me want to act.  I am in leadership with my company and want to learn from other ideas on what compelled them into the action of doing.  The way I get one person to complete a task will differ on how his or her same co-worker will want to be asked or motivated to do the action it takes to complete the task.  I love trying to lead in a fashion that people feel a since of belonging and not just part of a machine that completes tasks for others to be successful.  What can I do to make that person want to do and not just be forced to do?  My goal is to create a forum of discussion of ideas and experiences.  Your comments and submissions are greatly welcomed.  No comment or submission will be too short, too long, wrong, or right.  Accomplishing a goal is the ultimate reason to do, but how you go about it sits an infinite number of actions to do it......