The Salesby5 Blog

Years ago I wrote a short paper on de-motivation in the work place and steps to overcome it. I have referenced this many times in our posts and at events we speak at. We have people who write us on advice on how to deal with a de-motivator in the workplace, friends and clients. This post is geared to the bosses, leaders, managers and supervisors since the word has not gotten out.

Take this for example: You hear your employees laughing, joking, having fun.

You do the following:

A. Have a meeting to discuss lack of productivity
B. Yell at them to get them to quiet down
C. Have a talk with them to make them more serious
D. Join in and find out how to do this all the time, every day

A, B, and C, can be complete assumptions unless you know for sure productivity has been hampered. My office has their most productive days when we are having fun. D may not be the answer for everyone and maybe not even be for some but at least you should ask. If one person is disturbed by the enjoyment of others, they may need to have more privacy or move locations within the office.

Yesterday I took my kids to play work. Here is my observation: My daughter does not like idle time and loves learning on the job.  She enjoys seeing the fruits of her labor, she wants to earn money, but the work matters to her most. She wants a high quality outcome and does not like the least bit of imperfection. My son wants to know the pay (reward) first and evaluate if it is worth his effort. If he deems it not worth the effort, he will go without the reward. He like to have fun first and if the work is fun and seems less like work, he is all for it.

Yesterday was a great reminder to make sure the companies and people I work with are paying attention to their employees and co-workers and to make sure they are putting them in situations where they will excel. Look at where these people feel the most energized, where they are the most engaged and what their currency is. For most, it is not about the money, it’s about the feeling they are helping others and contributing to the vision.

Last evening I was reading some of Ed Wallace’s Business Relationships That Last where he spoke of Max the Cab Driver. Max would pick Ed up in a British taxi in immaculate shape with bottled water and an ear ready to listen to Ed’s life stories. He would remember the little details such as Ed’s newborn, so he would gently tap on the screen door to not wake the baby. After Ed’s first ride with Max, he hoped to book him for the next week. Unfortunately, Max was booked typically booked two to four weeks out. Max explained that the extra little efforts he made were the same ones that people do for their friends. This was how he turned “fares into friends.” What do you do to enhance your personal brand or your company’s offering that is a small extra to make your customers feel as if they are getting a friend’s bonus? How has it paid off for you? Share in the comments!

photo by Caro Wallis

Recently, my wife and I traveled to Europe. One of our favorite places that we visited was Prague in the Czech Republic. The city was magnificent and we’re dying to return. I did notice a few differences while there and after our return. The most interesting was how quiet the people were while walking in the streets. If you walk San Francisco, New York or San Antonio, you’ll overhear conversations between people at coffee shops, on their cell phones or with the other people walking along. Interestingly, in Prague, even on the busy Wenceslas Square, you primarily heard foot steps and doors opening and closing. Rarely did you overhear conversations. I later found out from my friend, John, that it was rude to ask Czech’s about their lives prior to 1989, before the fall of Communism. Interestingly, Communism also helped shift a city that was formerly the capital of the Holy Roman Empire with some of the most beautiful cathedrals we’d ever seen, to 61% of the population becoming Atheists.

Interestingly, I find that companies are similar. We’ll notice in some companies that people are more matter-of-fact with their way of presenting thoughts and ideas, while others are more diplomatic. In some, the people are chatty, while others, like Dave Ramsey’s company have a no tolerance policy against gossip (one warning, then you’re fired).

Whether you realize it or not, your office and your company has a culture. It may be affected by a leader that is no longer there, but people remember “the good ol’ days” or how they felt when the one person was there that made it miserable for the rest of the team. It’s important to keep this culture in mind especially during hiring. Nearly all new recruits will second guess their decision for coming to work at a new company within the first thirty days. Have you taken a step back to evaluate the culture that your company keeps? Is it one that’s kept with pride? Are there things that need to be changed to better fit the goals of the company?

Remember the Isley Brothers song “Shout?” One of my favorite parts of that song is near the end when they’re singing very quietly:

(Shout) a little bit softer now
(Shout) a little bit softer now
(Shout) a little bit softer now
(Shout) a little bit softer now

Replace the word “softer” with “better” and you have a formula for success.

Some of the best businesses I know have a knack for making things “a little bit better now.” Years ago I worked for a manager who had this philosophy. No matter what you did or what you brought to him he would challenge you by asking, “How can you make it better?” Since you knew you’d be asked that you would try to figure out ways to improve whatever the situation was before you went to him. It was a brilliant way to keep making the company and the employees better.

You and your team can do the same thing. No matter what you’re doing, ask yourself how you can make it a little bit better now. This applies to displays, customer experiences, signage, employee coaching, and just about anything else.

It’s a good thing to do on slower days to engage the staff and improve the company. Ask “How do we make this a little bit better now?” I like the now part because it helps us focus on improvements that have an immediate impact and are usually the least expensive to implement.

On busy days keep asking yourself, “How can I work with this customer a little bit better now?” You’ll be amazed by how you’ll be able to increase your sales and how much fun you’ll have. The best part is that customers start feeling. . . you got it. . . a little bit better now. Then they go tell all of their friends and family about their fabulous experience and the buzz about the experience gets. . . Hold on now. . . wait a minute. . . .that buzz gets a little bit louder now.

And that makes you want to throw your hands in the air and SHOUT!

Blog credit to Doug Fleener, Photo by Carlo Nicora

You’re responsible for your own happiness or yes, ORGASM!

People motivate or de-motivate other people. You choose which role you’re going to play.

The top ways to de-motivate others in the work place, at home or in public are:

· Assuming! My motto, courtesy of Doug Hall, In God we trust, all others bring data! Never assume and always deal with facts.

· Judging others. Unless you’re a judge in a court room.

· Whispering about people

· Creating and/or perpetuating rumors. This is disruptive and un-sells others. Dave Ramsey is known for firing members of his staff that are involved in spreading rumors or gossip.

· Not acknowledging another person’s presence. Co-workers who do not say good morning . You’re a human, act like it.

· Not using the words “PLEASE” and “THANK YOU” It is amazing how forgotten these are!

Whether you work, go to school or you’re a stay at home parent, you’re either selling or un-selling. No matter the time of day, you are responsible for your own happiness!

photo by airnos

This week on EOtv, Jim Collins gave his “tip of the week” regarding how to find the right people to fill a key seat.  There are six generic characteristics that any person in a key seat should have. 

The right people…

1. Share your core values- When they walk in the door, they already have the same values. (Rather than you having to turn them into people with those values.)
2. Don’t need to be tightly managed – They are self-managed, self-disciplined and self-motivated.
3. Do what they say they will do – Thus, they are very careful about what they say they will do.
4. Have responsibilities – They don’t think in terms of “I have a job,” but rather, “What am I responsible for?”
5. Have window-and-mirror maturity – When things go badly, they’re comfortable looking in the mirror and taking responsibility; when things go well, they look out the window to point to others for their success.
6. Are passionate about everything you do – Whether it’s your core values, your culture or your product/service, they passionate about being a part of your team.

Do the people in your key seats possess these six characteristics?  How much more smoothly would your company or organization run if these described everyone on your team?

Yesterday, we talked about the importance of purpose—the why—in your organization. It is equally important to have the right people. Passion is something of great value in the workplace, but you should hire people who are passionate about your purpose. Simon Sinek’s insights say that candidates can be highly qualified, but unless they believe in your why, they will not fit. When your people are asked if they like their job, they should say they love it. That will let you know whether or not you have the right people. Bruce Chizen, former CEO of Adobe Systems, says that we all know if we’ve made a mistake within the first month of hiring and to pull the trigger quick if it’s not right. Don’t be afraid to take the steps to get the right people in the right places. A team that lives your purpose and core values will be worth all the effort.

We are on the road back from Alpine, Texas. We spent a few days with great people and great surroundings. The great people I am talking about are the people that live there. From Steven at the Gage hotel, to the countless that wave you to cross the street instead of just driving through the intersection, to the waitresses at the Riata who wanted to know all about where we were from and what we did, these people made an impression on us. This is just a tiny glimpse into a small town with real heart. It is a great place to visit and those who live there seem to love it.

The key: These people are selling, and it feels like it is from their heart. The next time you do business with a restaurant, hotel or store, check the pulse of the culture and see if it feels real or fake.

Being involved in about twenty political campaigns, the biggest being the mayoral campaign of San Antonio, something has come to my attention—the candidate matters! Their brand, their words regarding the benefit they offer, how they will offer that benefit, and of course, their dramatic difference. What is most amazing to me is how their team can help sell or un-sell them! Poor communication, lack of understanding regarding technology, communication etiquette and lack of personable skills all matter to an extreme. One person that does not fit the brand of the candidate can make all the difference in having people want to support with cash or time. One person has the ability to de-motivate a team of people that would do almost anything for someone. This is not just in politics of course! It is life.  If you or the people that work for you are leading other people, you are selling! When they are de-motivating, giving orders, throwing assumptions out and not living the values you preach, they are un-selling, therefore making it easy to compete against you.  Are you setting your team up for success, secondary leaders and a the ability to lead tribes of their own?