Inspiration Conversation

More and more companies are opening the doors of their boardroom, their executive offices and even their books so that the marketplace can gain an honest perspective on the benefits of engaging with the company (the whole chain from prospective employees through retirees and prospective customers through loyal clients).  I like the trend and I’m convinced it will continue – primarily because of individual access to information and the ease of personal communication.  Effectively, there’s nowhere to hide organizational mistakes/dishonesty/malignancy and, on the other hand, it’s easier to find “cool places and cool stuff” to engage with. The best run companies are places where everyone understands, believes in, and acts on consistent internal intelligence.

As organizations get more comfortable adapting to the growing openness of today’s business culture, they’re faced with the challenge of communicating internal intelligence and organizational goals to all employees.  OK… not so difficult in smaller companies – there’s a short line of sight to where the company is going and what the implications are for individual employees.  If there are questions, people have easy access to leadership.  This is a difficult challenge when the organization is large and more complex. 

There’s an initial issue with the tactics of simply getting the message out in a timely, creative way that will be heard by all employees.  The larger the organization, the more intense this effort must be.  This is a real communication issue and the most obvious one to address, but I think there’s another challenge that may be more significant and is often overlooked.  That challenge is accountability for execution on the delivered internal intelligence.

Execution is a two-way street - the company is accountable to deliver the culture, strategy, structure and tools that produce great work; employees are responsible to use that corporate platform to execute their respective roles.  In today’s fast moving, fast changing business environment, it can be very difficult to ensure that everyone in the organization understands the direction of the organization and is pulling in that direction.  This is where an organizations Recognition and Reward System can help.

If your RRS is aligned with culture and goals, and if everyone in the organization can be reached with the RRS, you’ve now created an accountability system that will regularly reinforce the internal intelligence related to the behaviors, practices and accomplishments that are valued within the organization.  You’ll be in a position to celebrate accomplishments as well as to make timely course corrections when there’s a change in internal intelligence. 

People want to engage with cool places and cool stuff…  Use the power of a well designed RRS to create organizational accountability to deliver results on the internal intelligence that the company works so hard to develop.   

Given that the physiology of our brain pushes back against new activity and change – how do we make progress when new ideas, methods or behaviors need to occur? 

Interesting finding number three…  The key to changing behaviors is Attention Density.  If we create enough focus around new ideas, we make connections.  Coupling a stimulating environment with structured activity leads to more nervous system connections being formed and generally higher levels of function. 

The highest and best use of your organizations RRS is to help create a stimulating environment that recognizes and rewards the behaviors that are valued within the organization.  In the next post, I’ll outline an ideal RRS and how the components compliment the need for our brains to process change.

By the way…  I realize that these “brain posts” have placed RRS in the context of a change management tool.  An RRS functions in other capacities as well, but my point has been to single out the physiological limitations our brains place on us when we encounter change; so I haven’t veered from that course relative to RRS.

In the USA, we drive on the right side of the road.  I’ve been doing that successfully for a few decades now and like to think that I’m a good driver.  On my trips to England, I’ve imagined what it must be like to drive on the “wrong side” of the road – and I imagine it would be a disaster. Maybe if I was in a tank, or at least a Hummer, I’d survive?  Other cars or pedestrians in the area might not be so lucky.

Even if I was in my own car, I’d be completely disoriented simply because I’d be forced to drive on the other side of the road.  Cognitively, I can understand what I’m supposed to do – but the physiology of my brain would prevent this from being a comfortable experience for me.  To be successful driving in England, I’d have to “unlearn” my ingrained understanding of what driving is about.

Interesting finding number two:

Because the brain better supports the repetition of an already learned behavior or action, individuals must go through a process where a new or different behavior is absorbed over a period of time that allows for cognitive acceptance as well as behavioral adaptation.

For our purposes, the implications for RRS continue to point toward an understanding that time, communication, training and leadership are components that must be factored in to the creation and operation of enterprise wide RRS.

How often have you wondered, “Why can’t that person just change”?

I mean, if someone really wants to, can’t they just immediately begin to act/think/speak differently?  New research indicates it’s not so easy. Technological breakthroughs have enabled scientists to gain greater insight into how the brain works – for our purposes the most relevant data has to do with how the brain responds to change. Recognition and Reward Systems largely exist to serve as change agents that reinforce right behaviors.  With that in mind, the new research provides some insight that can help create high performing RRS.

The work that I think is most relevant has been done by David Rock and Jeffrey Schwartz.  Over the next few days, I’m going to communicate some of their findings and add my thoughts on why that information matters to anyone involved in people strategy and/or the creation and operation of RRS. 

So, interesting finding number one:

At the level of individual neurons, brains are built to detect changes in the environment and send out strong signals to alert us to anything unusual – which pushes us to act more emotionally and more impulsively.

Now, given that all of us are built slightly different and will respond in slightly different ways, we all are hard wired to react to a change in our environment – and for most of us, that hard wired response feels like a voice screaming “NO!” inside our heads.

If a RRS exists to communicate and support right behaviors, what must it include to allow for a significant portion of the audience that feels immediately threatened when confronted with a situation that asks for a change in behaviors?  I’ll share my insight in full at the end of the series, but my answer to this question involves time, communication, training and leadership.  

There's a new site called Unvarnished that is sure to ruffle feathers once it gets out of beta.

From the site: 

What is Unvarnished?

Unvarnished is an online resource for building, managing, and researching professional reputation, using community-contributed, professional reviews.

Unvarnished reviews help you get the inside scoop on other business professionals, providing candid assessments of coworkers, potential hires, business partners, and more.

The first sentence is a sterile "sure whatever" description. The second one, now there's the rub. We've been reviewing products on Amazon, movies on Netflix and restaurants on Yelp for years. But reviewing people as if they're a video game? Seems a little odd at first.

Unvarnished is a review site for people.

When I tell you that Unvarnished allows users to submit reviews anonymously, I'm willing to bet your first reaction is to wince. That was my reaction as well, but I've had some time to think about it and I have to say that I've come around.

At least I think I have. 

I heard about Unvarnished just a week or so after reading "You've Been Yelped" in Inc. Magazine's February issue. The article is about Yelp, it's frightening ability to make or break a business, and owners' differing approaches to dealing with that reality.

For example, one salon owner offers exclusive deals on her Yelp page to attract new customers. If a new client schedules an appointment and mentions the site, she makes sure to cut their hair personally. Then there's the owner who tracked down a negative reviewer and ended up getting booked for battery. Not surprisingly, she describes the site as "evil".

Love it or Leave it?

While I was reading the article, it seemed clear to me that being angry that the thing exists in the first place and dismissing negative reviews outright instead of using the feedback to improve your offering was just pointless. Obviously, the best strategy is to engage with the site's users and proactively leverage the community to grow your business because it's not going to just go away.

But. Easy for me to say. My name's not on the door or the lease. I'm not the guy struggling to keep the lights to my pizza joint on.

Little did I know that a group of geeks in Silicon Valley were working on something that'll give me a chance to put my money where my mouth is. And, it may very well force the rest of you to do the same, whether you want to or not.

Make It Work

That's not just good advice from Tim Gunn on how to wow Michael Kors, it's going to have to be our default position if Unvarnished takes off.

Inc.'s advice to handling online criticism is to Register, Breathe and Be Gracious. Good advice for owners and applicable for individuals.

If the site takes the idea of "personal branding" to an entirely new level, I'll be looking to the practices of businesses who have grown thanks to Yelp, not commiserating with those who despise it.

At least I hope so.

2 + 2 = 4. Always. 

But there are plenty of things that call for a nuanced decision making process and non-linear thinking. Oftentimes, there are multiple ways to address a given issue and many of them are “correct”. Paying taxes and picking paint colors for example, and I’d add designing & operating Reward and Recognition Systems (RRS) to the list.

I do my level best to pay the IRS exactly what I owe.  I keep diligent records and use a very good CPA, and yet, I’m not 100% positive the final number is correct. There are just so many options and so many gray areas regarding the specifics.  Common sense says it’s simple – you just follow the rules and punch the correct buttons on the calculator – but we’ve all heard the stories about tax pros looking at the same return with wildly different conclusions.

We are doing some decorating around our house. Ok, my wife is doing some decorating around the house, and she came home with five color swatches for a paint color she’s considering for the legs of a table.  All five swatches are black.  Yep – five different shades of “black”.  Which one is correct (I picked the one she liked, but THAT lessons got nothing to do with this post)?  There seem to be multiple shades of a color that I thought was pretty simple to describe.

So maybe you’re redecorating your people strategy or trying to figure out what rules to follow to create your RRS.  In my experience, there are a few “2 + 2” facts to keep in mind: 

• Know what result you’re trying to achieve.  These can be strategic (become the best employer in our region) or tactical (increase sales by 15%).
• Follow a process.  At The Miller Company, we use Recognition Professionals International’s Seven Best Practice Standards (www.recognition.org)
• Involve senior management.  Help them understand how the RRS will drive corporate goals and tell them what they can do to help the effort.

Building an RRS involves a little science and a little art. Get the science right, then enjoy the creative process of choosing the “colors” that work best for your organization.

Much of our society has determined that well-being is largely a function of economic prosperity. At its roots, this is true - food on the table, a roof over our head and clothes on our back are essentials for survival and health, but how many of us really struggle with these necessities? As we move up the economic ladder toward the over-stated examples in the first paragraph, our perceived ability to enjoy our lives becomes more closely tied to the creation of wealth beyond the effort to supply basic needs. We're collectively trapped in this paradigm and I think it hurts our society and it hurts us personally.

My opinion is we've all been spoiled by the last couple of decades where a great deal of wealth (or the appearance of wealth?) was created and that has skewed our perception of reality. I'm going to stop the economic ranting there as my point is not to analyze the group angst over our pocketbooks. My point is to ask the question, is there such a thing as normal?

I'd argue the "No" side - "normal" is something we all kind of want because it implies safety - but change has always been part of the human experience and we happen to be in the center of an amazing amount of change. So what to do when you're pretty certain that tomorrow will hold a different set of challenges for you than you face today? Here's my take:

• Run to it. You can't avoid it - so sprint to it and figure it out before someone else does.

• Know who you are and what resources you'll need to find to address the opportunities you'll encounter.

• Be a whole person. Have relationships that are meaningful to you. Have a hobby you day dream about. Be excellent at your work. Figure out what you need to live a passionate life and aggressively pursue that life.

• Hang around good people that do cool stuff. Contribute so they would say you're a good person and you're doing cool stuff. 

• Forget about the way you did it yesterday. Think about the best way to do it today.

Squeezed between India and China, Bhutan is a tiny mountain kingdom with a unique perspective on national culture.  In an effort to fight back against the growing burden of what Bhutan considers to be negative influences from pop culture, Bhutan's leaders have determined that establishing, promoting and measuring "Gross National Happiness (GNH)" would provide a solution that adulation of David Beckham and 50 Cent could not.  A person responsible for the establishment of this new policy noted, "How does a small country like Bhutan handle globalization?  We will survive by being distinct, by being different".

Happiness domains being observed include psychological well being, ecology, health, education, culture, living standards, time use, community vitality and good governance.  These domains are analyzed and even placed in a formula to determine the final measurement of GNH.  Will it spit out an end result that is meaningful?

Who knows?  But I think it's cool that Bhutan is making the effort to be a place where people live with purpose and meaning.  Measuring Gross National Happiness won't make Beckham and 50 Cent go away, but it will create an environment where citizens of Bhutan can see the big picture regarding what makes them unique and why that's worth nurturing.  Effectively, Bhutan is creating a cultural growth and brand management campaign! 

I think companies can learn from what Bhutan is doing.  What's unique about your company?  What is it about your culture that everyone needs to know about...to practice...to be proud of...to sustain and grow?  The answer to questions like these will provide a road map toward greater levels of employee engagement and brand growth.

Getting a handle on the identity of your culture and your brand (and the synergy between the two) will enable you to more accurately target your Recognition and Reward System as well as your marketing efforts.

Regards,

Tom 

It was a great experience to be in DC speaking to people responsible for understanding issues and crafting legislation designed to strengthen our country.  The people I spoke with were interested and thoughtful.  They asked good questions and seemed genuinely interested in understanding my perspective.  Participating in the effort felt patriotic to me and it caused a renewed respect for our country and our system of government. 

Tom

Are you in a place in your life (family, career, hobbies, etc...) that was planned years ago?  I'd make a guess that the answer for most people reading this is the same as mine, "Nope..."  The majority of us work our way through life by making the best decisions we can with the information we have at the time.  Sure, we plan for the future and we dream about where we want to go - but inevitably, a rogue wave pops up and we are faced with a decision on which way to point the boat. 

So if we know the future will hold uncertainty, how do we best prepare?  I think there are some fundamental principles that apply to individuals as well as organizations.

1) Know your foundational beliefs

These things don't change.  They are the principles that are imbedded in your DNA and are permanent.  You will walk away from a job or a relationship if these are compromised.  An organization will stand on these foundations at the expense of financial gain.  In good times and bad, these beliefs guide you.

2) Healthy cash reserves buy time

Having access to cash makes all the difference in difficult times.  Trouble is at hand when aggressive financial decisions during boom cycles have not played out when the cycle turns down (see any daily newspaper).  Having cash when others don't creates opportunity and it creates breathing room.

3) Relationships with the people in your sphere of influence are key

By nature, humans are a selfish lot - we think first about our issues and our world.  When everyone is thinking this way, it's difficult to get things done due to the individual agendas all are focused on.  What would happen if we first worked to understand what others were thinking?  What if we worked to help people accomplish their goals within the context of our ability to help?  I'd suggest relationships would be strengthened and everyone within the influence of that relationship would have more opportunity to accomplish individual goals.

4) Maintain personal health and perspective

None of us are indispensable, yet we are valuable.  For a moment, place yourself at the end of your life and look back.  Do you like what you see?  Did you get done what you believe you were put here to do?  Did you take care of all your talent?  Did you live life fully?  The deal is, at some point, we're all going to be facing the reality of the answers to those questions.  Decide now to choose how you want your answers to look.           

So...know what you stand for, make sure you can fund difficult times, maintain healthy relationships and be a good steward of your health and your talents.  Whether these are applied on an individual basis or on an organizational basis, they will prepare you for the Accidental Journey we all travel.

Tom