Does everybody know your mission statement?

If I ask ten of your employees what your mission statement is, how many different answers will I receive? And how different will they be from your answer? Use your mission statement Your mission statement is a tool. Use it.  I am aware that many people see it as a form of PR, a “nice…

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Are you living by your guiding principles?

Leading by example is one of the main points of leadership.  You may have noticed: it’s in the word.  To get the behavior you want from your employees is to be the person you want them to be.  They can see you We don’t live in an episode of Big Brother, but we are being…

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Why you should stop having performance reviews

The annual performance review.  Every employee’s favorite moment of their favorite day. They prepare for it, they celebrate it, they wait all year or all quarter for this fun, exciting, stimulating moment— Clearly: I am joking.  Nobody likes performance reviews, neither employees nor employers.  So let’s stop doing them.  Let’s have Stay Interviews instead.  What…

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The most important line in your job descriptions

There’s one sentence in your job description that matters the most.  If you were only allowed to share one line from your job description, this would be the line to share.  It’s the line that tells people what to do. And it goes like this: “The purpose of this role is…” A job adds value…

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The 4 stages of a new hire (but only use 3)

Congratulations: you hired someone new!  And of course, they are the right person. Probably. Almost definitely. But, still, we need to have a conversation.  New hire journey First of all: of course you do. It will take everyone time to learn the job, the business, the culture, and even what to do when the coffee…

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How to give the people what they want: hr edition

“Organizations… are nothing more than the collective goodwill and aspirations of the people involved”. – Sergio Marchionne As a business owner, you are responsible for the collective goodwill, you are the vehicle for people to achieve those aspirations. You are, in short, responsible for a positive working environment.  The workforce solutions company ManpowerGroup did the…

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Stop punishing your best employees (😕yes you are)

Much like children or grandchildren: of course, you don’t have a favorite employee.  You support them all equally and appreciate each one for their individual skills and talents.  Now that we have established that, let’s look at how you are punishing your favorite employees.  Who is your best employee There is somebody who is always…

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How to hire all the worst people

Only hire people you’d want to go out and have a drink with.  Only hire people you wouldn’t spend time with when you’re not at work.  Always hire the smartest guy in the room.  Never hire the guy who has all the answers.  Hire people just like you.  Hire people nothing like you.  All of…

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Hire the right person the first time

Hiring is difficult.  It’s complicated, and confusing, and will take a long time.  Here’s one way to simplify your hiring: start with essential skills.  What are essential skills?  Essential skills are the skills you need for the job but don’t have time to teach.  You can teach somebody how to use a hammer to hang…

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Do your employees understand what you are saying?

Businesses spend time and resources learning how to speak to clients.  You do this through your copywriters, website designers, and messaging experts, all to make sure that your message is truly connecting.  Now look inward: are you also connecting with your employees? Are they hearing the things you truly want them to hear? The good…

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