Attitudes, black holes and the dark side

March 21, 2011 by

In time, it occurs in every business. It’s when an individual seemingly succumbs to the dark side where negativity, resistance and defensiveness become the predominant traits. Think of it as a force field that extends about ten feet in all directions – and the last thing you want to do is to be sucked inside it. Once you’re sucked in, it can take the better part of the day to purge the negativity that got all over you. The real problem is that it’s not just you who’s getting hit with toxic waste; it’s getting all over everyone else in your company, including your customers.

Our lives can be influenced by many factors both inside and outside the workplace that can drive our attitudes over to the dark side. It affects our demeanor and body language. We can come across as always angry and frustrated. Everyone can feel it when you walk into the room as your funk begins sucking the life and energy out of it, like a black hole that consumes all matter. Star Trek fans are familiar with the Borg phrase, “Resistance is futile.” Verbal communication comes across with a similar tone that “pulls down” rather than “lifts up.”

Allowing negative attitudes on your team is allowing toxic waste to get all over everyone. It brings down the team, saps energy, creates drama and ultimately erodes both productivity and customer experiences. And the longer leadership waits to address the situation, the deeper the negativity spreads in the company. [Read more...]

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Every system has an “On/Off” switch

October 18, 2010 by

I hate when stuff doesn’t work. When I open my computer, I expect it to work – I need it to work. When I get into my car, I expect it to start – I need it to start. If you think about all the machines and other gizmos we depend on, each and every one has an “On/Off” switch. Flip the switch to “On” and we expect them to perform as designed.

In business, we design systems to produce specific, predictable and consistent outcomes. If you want your business to deliver world-class customer service, you need a system capable of producing that outcome. If you want to create predictable profits, you need a system capable of producing that outcome. Simply put, the systems we depend on have “On/Off” switches, too.

While giving a speech to a group of quality managers, I asked how important systems are to achieving consistent quality. After getting a collective “duh, of course!” response, I asked for the one common flaw that exists in the execution of all their quality systems. The unanimous answer was “leadership accountability.” It doesn’t matter how perfectly designed a system is, when you turn a system on, it doesn’t mean it will stay on. Leadership with inconsistent accountability is a recipe for compromise. A compromised system will deliver something less than expected. [Read more...]

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Does your company have an attitude?

June 21, 2010 by

It seems everyone is talking about how to create dynamic business cultures – me included. While doing a Webinar recently on indifference and how “I don’t care” thinking can slow a company down, I substituted the term “business culture” with “business attitude.” Wham, the light bulbs not only turned on, they threw out some major wattage. Clearly, you understand the consequences of having employees with bad attitudes spewing toxic waste inside your company. But while you’re fighting in the leadership trenches, it’s easy to miss the bigger picture of what happens when customers encounter the “attitude” of your company.

Replacing the term “culture” with “attitude” simplifies the understanding of company behaviors. To understand culture, you must delve into the collective behavior of groups of people and organizations. To understand attitude, all you need to do is look at the faces and behaviors of those you work with. More importantly, don’t forget the face you see in the mirror. Engaging, inspiring and optimistic leaders lead engaging, inspiring and optimistic teams – and that’s the attitude your customers encounter. Grumpy leaders lead grumpy teams – and THAT’S the attitude your customers encounter. It’s that simple. [Read more...]

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