Mark Watson

I haven’t posted on any books I’ve been reading in quite a while.  I’m not sure if it’s just me or there just haven’t been that many good books lately.  It seems like once I like an author they get pressured to start publishing so much that the books get pretty weak.

Probably due to the discontent of my own job, this one caught my eye on Amazon last week.  The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working by Tony Schwartz is an outstanding read and should be read by Leadership in any organization.  Even if you don’t like to to read, at least read the first chapter.  That should be enough to make you say “Amen!”

In America today, the land of excess, it is always more, more, more!  We are pushed for more productivity, more sales, more profit, more everything except quality of life.  This book touches on why it is important to achieve balance in all areas of our lives.  An imbalance in any area forces us into a dysfunctional behavior that will eventually rob us of our quality of life.

Take it from a guy who has 70 hours in by Friday at quitting time and hasn’t had more than a few days off in the past 3 years, all in the name of productivity and being on the boss’s “A” team, this book was past due for me.

Pick up a copy and see if you can make some changes to your life.  I know I’m taking some steps to make changes.  Let’s see where it goes!

If you want to improve the probability of your next project’s success, complete my 2 x 2 grid before you start.  Once you fill out this simple project plan, you will be ready to begin.  

1. Message – Write a statement or paragraph of what a successful project completion looks like before you begin
2. Milestones – Make a timeline with project milestones and required resources
3. Metrics – What measurements will you use to prove your project’s success
4. Media – Determine how you will communicate your project’s completion

Once you complete the grid, share this with your boss to insure alignment and agreement.  Keeping you project synopsis to a one page 2 x 2 grid will force clarity, succinctness, and simplicity.  Key ingredients for a successful start!

Click on 2×2 Project Planner for your 2 x 2 grid.  Make your project a success!

In my business we are always looking for game changers.  A game change can be a person, technology, or service/delivery method.  Companies that have gave changers are successful.

People that are game changers don’t live status quo.  They see problems as opportunities.  They rise to the occasion and more times than not win for the team and in doing so change the game in which it has been previously played.

Which are you – a game player or a game changer?

I was sitting in a meeting the other day when one of the presenters made a statement something to the effect of “we should go see those customers again, they gave us a lot of good feedback.”  Unfortunately what he was really saying was they were complimentary and that felt good, so let’s do it again!

Who are you listening to?  Where are you getting your feedback?  Are you only listening to the people who are praising you?

Listening only to the feedback you like will never help you become the person or company you want to be.

I’ve had several people teasingly tell my wife that I must be a pain to work for.  That may be true, but here are the rules I give my team for them to be successful: 

1. Deadlines.  Meet all work deadlines.  If possible be a little early so if there is an error, there is still time to fix it.  Workers that don’t meet deadlines usually don’t last long.
2. No surprises.  I don’t like surprises.  If a customer is going to be mad or if there is a problem brewing, tell me as soon as you know it.  Together we can eliminate the issues or minimize the damage.
3. Work proactively.  Plan your work day and your work week in advance.  Working proactive prevents issues with both #1 and #2.
4. Be a problem solver.  My employees hear me say, “I don’t need more fire spotters sitting in the tower.  I need more fire prevention people.”  Also, if you truly solve or prevent the problem, it should not reoccur.
5. Stand up to me.  If you think I’m wrong or am making a mistake STOP ME!  All I ask is that you respectfully disagree and state your position why you have a different viewpoint.  Trust me – you had rather be respected than liked for being a brown-noser!
6. Have a good attitude.  I like people who like to have fun and don’t care to laugh at their own expense.  This also includes working as a team.  Individual victories and team losses are unacceptable.
7. Be a continuous learner.  I like to be around people who are always learning.  If you learn one new thing and I learn one new thing and we share that with each other, we now know two new things!  Multiply that by the size of your team and it is really exciting!

Most anyone you talk to these days will say they are working hard.  If you’re like most, many days feel like you’re trapped in the old Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day!  Every day you get up and do the same thing over and over only to find the alarm going off to start it all over again.

If this is you, resolve today that tomorrow you will do one thing to make a difference.  Albert Einstein one said that “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.

What will you do different tomorrow?

We are the sum of our choices.  Sometimes that rule seems unfair, especially when we’ve made some poor choices.  But the good news is, most choices aren’t terminal.  We actually do get second chances.  That means if we want to change the sum, we have to change our choices.  I understand life’s not fair and that bad breaks happen.  But still, how we respond and the decisions we make in response still determine the sum.

No matter what you want different in your life, it will not happen unless different decisions are made to affect the outcome.  If you want better grades, study differently.  If you want better finances, make different earning and spending decisions.  If you want to get fit, well, you get the idea.

One of the things learned in business that can be carried over to personal life is the process for making improvements.  Several years ago I had the good fortune of working with one of the original founders of the Toyota Production System.  Not only did Mr. Masaoka-san teach me about discipline but also an acronym called PDCA.

P – Plan.  Develop a detailed plan on how you are going to achieve your desired results.

D – Do.  Implement and work the plan.

C – Check.  Set up a short increment of time and check your results.  Are you getting closer to your planned goal?

A – Act.  Make adjustments to your plan (if needed), improvements to make sure you achieve your plan.

You continue this same process for every desired result in your life.  Make the process a habit and enjoy your results.

Anytime there is an economic recession, there is a potential for bad things to happen to the American worker.  This past recession was no exception.  During this unprecedented shedding of jobs, some companies resorted to humiliation, strong-arming, and down-right worker intimidation.

It is the unfortunate law of supply and demand.  When there are more workers than there are jobs, there is a potential for unethical companies and managers to leverage this power for short term gain and worker exploitation.  They use it as a time to cut salaries, increase work hours, force retirements, and unfair hiring and dismissal practices.  Workers are too scared to complain for fear they will be the next one targeted for reduction.

The year 2010 will see the second fall of certain businesses, executives, and managers.  Those who chose to exploit workers during the time when supply of workers were plentiful, will be punished when the economy starts to grow again.

Workers will flee these organizations and managers like the plague.  They will loose talent at a record pace.  The workers will ”punish” them for their past behavior.  The guilty companies will not only have a loss of talent and potential disruptions with the customer, but will also face increased hiring and retention costs.  Thus creating the next wave of failed businesses and executives.

I’ve been fortunate to work for a company of high ethical standards.  Some of my friends haven’t been so lucky.

Galatians 6:7 . . . “A man reaps what he sows.”  The same goes for businesses too!

How many times have you failed in keeping your New Year’s Resolutions?  Most every time?  Me too.  Here are some tips to minimize the failure, if not eliminate it all together: 

1. Be realistic.  Don’t set a resolution that is not you.  If you can’t swim, making a resolution to complete a triathlon may not be realistic.
2. Set only one or two resolutions maximum.  If your first resolution is to quit smoking, your second resolution should not be to loose weight.  Make sense?
3. When you do settle on what you want for your resolution(s), spend some time on the how.  What habits or routines are you going to change to help you achieve your resolution?
4. State your resolution publicly and buddy up with someone for accountability. 

If you follow this simple method, I can promise you won’t be disappointed.  What resolutions are you going to succeed at in 2010?

Recently I had the opportunity to speak to the students in the College of Business at Arkansas State University. Since that time I’ve had several people ask me, “What did you say?”

I won’t go through the whole speech here, but I did find my notes and thought I would share the highlights.

Today’s Business Environment

1. Every business is affected internationally – Think Global
2. Most government involvement ever – Must stay current
3. Some corruption and “heavy handed” in corporate environment – Commit to ethical behavior now

Your Responsibility as an Employee

1. Be a problem solver and solutions provider – Be worth more than your salary
2. Do more than what is required
3. Ask for honest feedback on a regular basis from your peers and supervisor.  Don’t wait for your annual performance appraisal

Personal Responsibility

1. Be a continuous learner – Your education don’t stop when you graduate
2. Be a student of leadership – Don’t wait till you become a supervisor before you learn to lead
3. Become a person of integrity – Feed your spiritual side to remain healthy