Fresh Milk from Contented Cows

March 2011
Featured Article

Getting the System Off People's Backs

The late great Peter Drucker once said, "Ninety percent of what we call 'management' consists of making it difficult for people to get things done." We're all guilty. Read this article to learn how to stand out from the crowd, and really help people do what you've asked them to do in the first place.
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Check out the coolest video ever - Rebooting Leadership. Then look at the last article below for a REALLY valuable offer
Check out the coolest new book video ever - Rebooting Leadership.Then see the last article below for our eye-popping March Madness contest

Featured Article: A Managers Second Greatest Contribution

By Bill Catlette

Waiter
I've long maintained (no original thought here) that the most important thing a manager, any manager does is make decisions about who does and does not wind up on the payroll. That is especially the case in an environment where there simply are no spare parts, 'er humans, and each person's contributions or lack thereof are vital.

The next most important managerial contribution is getting the "system" off peoples' backs so they can actually do the jobs they were hired to do to the very best of their ability. What do you mean by "system" some would ask? I'm talking about rules, procedures, methods, customs, policies and the like. Things that were probably once appropriate and well intended, but make absolutely no sense in that moment today when the rubber hits the road. I'm not railing at all procedures and policies mind you, just the clunkers, of which there are plenty.

 

I saw a perfect example yesterday in the Atlanta airport. Hustling through Concourse B, I decided to grab a sandwich before my flight, so I stopped at the Muffulettas' vending station. Two staff members were there busily counting merchandise and cash. I stood for a moment, then interrupted the lady counting the food items and asked if I might purchase a sandwich. Before I even finished asking, and with her back still turned, she replied, "We're on shift change. You'll have to wait about ten minutes." "But I just want to buy a sandwich" I countered, to which she replied, "I can't sell you anything for about ten minutes. We're on shift change." Thud.

 

Flummoxed, I stood there for a couple of minutes with a $10 bill still in hand. In that time span, four more hungry travelers approached and got the exact same treatment. Two of them uttered some not so nice words at the women before walking off. As I, too ventured off for a sandwich place that might be more open for business, I thought, "what a crappy way to make a living."

 

These two women get ten minutes at the beginning and end of each and every work shift ruined by a process that unintentionally but decidedly turns them into idiots in the eyes of customers. They didn't invent the shift change process, but they have to live with it, and judging from personal experience, it improves neither worker performance nor earnings.

 

These are the kinds of things that, just like a pinch of sand in the shoe, wear people down, make them crazy, and cause them to unplug, whether they actually leave the job or not.  We've all got them in our workspace, and it is up to those of us who are in leadership roles, regardless of the number of stripes on our sleeve, to relentlessly find them, root them out, and make it a tiny bit more possible for our people to do their very best work.

 

And speaking of best work, I did see some of that yesterday, too. Shortly after arrival at Kimpton's Ink48 Hotel in New York (and still hungry), I called room service and ordered some food, which was soon delivered by a server who is a recent immigrant from Tibet. In halting but perfectly serviceable English, he politely introduced himself, inquired about my stay, told me that he was proud to work for Kimpton, and explained that he looked forward to being of service both today and in the future.

 

When replying to his question about where I'm from, I told him that I'm from Tennessee, which drew something of a deer in the headlights look. After a little further explanation to no avail, I quickly popped up Google Maps on my open laptop and showed him, mentioning that the state was home to Elvis, and a couple more localisms. End of story, or so I thought.

 

A couple of hours later, after calling to secure permission, another room service server delivered a gracious, handwritten hospitality note from my new Tibetan friend, along with a bucket of ice and two miniature bottles of guess what? The world's best sipping whiskey, which just happens to be made in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

 

From a socio-economic standpoint, this fellow's job is very much on par with the two ladies I ran into earlier in the day in Atlanta. He delivers food to guest's rooms, and they sell it out of a refrigerator in the airport. But that's where the similarity ends.

 

They get worn down each day by at least one dumb process designed or approved by someone who I suspect hasn't spent one hour watching what kind of aggravation it brings to others. The Kimpton guy, working for a management team that has obviously told him to do what it takes to be nice to guests, is free to do his very best work, and it shows.

 

Evidence abounds that workers who believe that they have an honest shot at doing their best work deliberately turn up the boost on their discretionary effort, because performing at that level is exhilirating. Those who don't, mail it in. So the choice is there for each of us to make. Do we want to invest a little time every day making the path a bit clearer for our folks, or do we want potential customers putting their hard earned money back in their pockets and walking next door?

 

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You like contests? Here's a CONTEST! March Madness!
Rebooting Leadership VideoWe're so jazzed about our new book, Rebooting Leadership (and we think you will be too) that to celebrate, we've got our own March Madness contest. Did you watch the 2-minute video at the top of this newsletter? If not, click on the image to the left.

We want to get the word out about Rebooting, so here's the deal. For the person or organization who devises and executes the most creative and effective way to share this video with their network (through social media, or whatever way you want to do it - keep it above board), one of us will deliver a 60-90 minute keynote presentation anywhere in the continental U.S., for their company or professional association. Free. No fee. No travel. No nuthin'. No strings. No kiddin'. We'll give your group a good REBOOT! Email Richard@ContentedCows.com to tell us what you did, how you did it, and how many people had a chance to see the video. The winner will be notified and announced in April. The deadline is April 1, no foolin', so email Richard by the end of day (your time zone) on April 1.

Here's the YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya-2cxavSvk

Here's a link on Animoto:
http://video214.com/play/O19nDUUR0PwC8WPbR0AkCA/s/dark

 

Bill Catlette and Richard Hadden
Contented Cow Partners, LLC
ContentedCows.com
904-720-0870
Bill@ContentedCows.com
Richard@ContentedCows.com