Phil Gerbyshak over at Slacker Manager quoted an interesting statistic. He said that “7% of employees leave their managers because they didn’t say good morning.”

In the conversation that follows, Roger says, “I have always been of the ilk that I don’t always say “Good morning” to people in the office. I have felt that once a week is good enough… However, this is probably just a reflection of what feedback I personally need. As a manager I have to think that others are different and have different needs.”

I worked for a guy like this. Oh, he said good morning and was a really nice guy, but he didn’t understand that our needs differed from his.

Most of us are like that to some extent. We see the world through our own MAP and unconsciously make the assumption that others see it the same way.

This is especially true with regards to people we’re close to, such as family, or with whom we’re friendly, such as team members, peers, colleagues, even bosses.

Think about it. How many times have you recommended a book or movie only to have the person ask you why in the world you suggested it; or introduced two people you really liked only to find that they can’t stand each other.

My old boss didn’t care about pats on the back, positive feedback or congratulations when he accomplished a critical piece of the sales process. It’s not that he wouldn’t do it, but he just didn’t think of it on his own.

I still remember one time that I closed a really big deal. He was out of the office, so I put the paperwork dead center on his desk where he couldn’t miss seeing it. He came back mid-morning, but it wasn’t until I went to his office, asked and he congratulated me—but when you have to ask, it has no value.

And even when he did say the right thing it was obvious that he didn’t know why he was saying it. It wasn’t that he didn’t mean it, he did, but he never really understood why it needed to be said.

So more important than saying the right thing; saying it at the right time; or honestly meaning it; is taking the time to learn and understand why you’re saying it.

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Phil Gerbyshak over at Slacker Manager has a great post yesterday; talking about how your presence is the best present you can give your team and three ways to do it.

I agree with everything Phil said, but I think presence should be taken a step farther and woven into the fabric of your corporate culture.

Your undivided presence when interacting with your people is an absolute necessity when managing today’s workforce if you have any interest in improving productivity and increasing retention.

But what about your team’s interactions with each other and with other parts of the company?

If presence is about paying attention, paying attention is about respect.

Respect is what people should have for each other.

Respect doesn’t just travel down, it travels in all directions.

Respect has nothing to do with position, title, degrees, seniority, salary or other business trappings.

Multitasking when you are interacting is about disrespect.

Which does your culture endorse?

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Phil Gerbyshack quotes Anthony Robbins,  “There is no greatness without a passion to be great..” and asks, “Does your passion burn brightly enough others can see it, can feel it?”

Passion is a recurring theme today, whether leading, motivating or innovating; it’s important to entrepreneurs as well as those in all sizes of mature companies; to parents, politicians, non-profits and causes.

But did you ever stop to think that passion unchecked yields freely to fanaticism?

In business, fanaticism leads directly to ‘not invented here’ syndrome.

In life, fanaticism paves the road to a closed mind, one that is evidenced by fear, hate and bigotry.

Passion may drive greatness, but unbridled passion is the hallmark of the ideologue.

Where does your passion take you?

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A couple of decades (give or take) ago Terry Dial, who eventually became vice chairman of Business Banking at Wells Fargo, told me that “People are 90% of our costs as well as the key to customer service and satisfaction. The only thing that should take priority over hiring a new employee is keeping a current one.”

Wise woman, Terry, and way ahead of her time.

Now comes another wise woman via Phil Gerbyshak’s interview with Sybil Stershic at Slacker Manager.

Stershic’s written a book called Taking Care of the People Who matter most: A Guide to Employee Customer Care. The meaning of the title hits the nail on the head, “It’s based on the impact employees have on customers; namely, the way your employees feel is the way your customers will feel. And if your employees don’t feel valued, neither will your customers!”

Is it true? Does it work? Tony Hsieh built Zappos on this principle.

Read the interview (Phil is always worth reading) and at the end you’ll find a great deal on the book.

What do you do to take care of your people?

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Post from Leadership Turn Image credit: lusi

This is a summing up in a series discussing whether Warren Bennis’ 13 differences between leaders and managers still holds in light of today’s modern workforce.

In a comment on the prequel to this series Phil Gerbyshak said, “I agree wholeheartedly that great managers have BOTH qualities…though I know plenty of average managers who don’t have either. I’d like it required that managers have at least one half of Bennis’ qualities in order to lead a team. Is that too much to strive for?”

On day one Nii said, “Regarding the differences between a manager and a leader, I believe that the gap is closing between the two. In today’s global and technologically advanced world, managers still need to have the leadership qualities to succeed. They need to be able to take risks, inspire, innovate and challenge conventional thinking. Otherwise, they will be history.”

Day four Fred commented, “I believe to be a successful manager in today’s new work environment managers must posses the skills to be effective leaders and coaches in team oriented “open door” environments. Young employees entering the work force from High School or College do not possess the same work ethics of baby boomer’s. If managers attempt to train this new work force using the same tactics as we did in the past retention will suffer greatly. It is truly a kinder and gentler world we live in.”

I’m in passionate agreement with the consensus that managers need to marshal many so-called leadership skills if they plan to succeed today.

In a world where multiple job changes are both easy and acceptable the currency that buys loyalty isn’t money, rather it’s achieved by creating an environment that stimulates and satisfies each individual’s needs.

Finally, in a sister post over at Slacker Manager Nick McCormick says, “Too much is made of the difference between managers and leaders. I think we do it to make ourselves seem more important. “I’m a leader, not a lowly manager!”"

Amen, Nick. While management is what you do, leadership is the way you think. Great management is composed of equal parts leadership and accountability. True leaders are proclaimed as such by those around them, not by themselves.

The best way to find success is to work constantly at incorporating as many to Bennis’ 26 traits as possible into your skillset and your MAP (mindset, attitude, philosophy™) and stop worrying about what you’re called.

What are your thoughts?

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