“History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.”
- Bertie C. Forbes (May 14, 1880 – May 6, 1954), founder of Forbes Magazine
“Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”
- Santa Claus
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!
The employee/employer relationship can be a tenuous one, especially in the modern workplace. Now more than ever, both sides have demands and expectations that need to be met in order to maintain a happy and mutually beneficial arrangement.
In the past, we’ve talked about how important it is for employers to be loyal to their employees. However, sometimes the employee does not reciprocate. As an employer, the difficult question that sometimes needs to be asked is, “when do I need to let a bad apple go in order to save the rest of the bunch?” Consider the following behavioral patterns:
- The employee in question is always negative and complaining.
Employers constantly have various issues and problems that they need to address. But if one employee always seems to be one of those problems, it’s time to take action. Especially if the “bad apple” starts to spread their complaining directly to the other employees.
While many employees will complain about certain situations, they will also express their gratitude to employers when issues are resolved. The tell-tale signs of the “bad apple” are the ones who continue to be negative, even after the problem has been fixed.
- The employee’s productivity has decreased drastically.
It can begin with small signs, such as arriving to work 10-15 minutes late. But it can expand to meetings missed, poorly done assignments, and even missed deliverables. It’s always critical to be proactive and take action before an employee’s poor work ethic affects the entire company on a larger scale.
- The employee starts communicating in a mutinous manner.
Too bad Captain Bligh did not know about this warning sign! Fletcher Christian said everything but “I’m taking this ship!” before finally relieving him of command of the Bounty…
As it was in this story, this behavior is the most dangerous, and the one that demands immediate action. Employees certainly have the right to voice their displeasure or disagreement with certain company actions, but the way they do it says a great deal about how they feel about their employer.
For example, let’s say their paycheck arrives late due to a processing error (which the company has corrected). How do they react?
A. ”Although I’m disappointed that my check was not processed on time, I understand that an issue came up that needed to be handled. I thank the company for their communication on the matter, and just hope it doesn’t happen again!”
B. ”I find the situation unacceptable. Perhaps the regular pay of the company directors should be suspended as well.”
If the employee responded with B, then there’s a serious problem. No matter what the situation, the employee still needs to realize that it’s not their company. It’s YOUR company, and having an employee talking like they’re getting ready to unlock the muskets from the ship’s armory needs to be stopped before the rest of the crew joins them!
So what to do about these bad apples? I always recommend a 1-on-1 meeting or counselling to occur. It should be a way to find out what the employer can do to help resolve the situation, but should also put the employee on notice that their behavior is not acceptable and needs to change.
And if that doesn’t work? Simply put, it’s time to end the relationship, for the best interest of both parties. In the long run, it will be a GOOD thing for the employee, as they will be able to move on to a different situation that they may not have found if they continued to stay at your organization.
As for you? You will have saved all those good apples in your basket!
Leadership Training, bad apples, employee employer relationships
“One who understands much displays a greater simplicity of character than one who understands little.”
- Alexander Chase, American journalist and editor (1926 - )
If you are located in either of the above regions, and hold the title of manager, director, or executive with your company, then you’re eligible to participate in an upcoming presentation and communication skills training workshop for FREE!
Pinnacle Performance Company is conducting half-day Communication and Presentation Skills for Leaders Workshops this month in Boston and Northern California. Additional information regarding each workshop is listed below, and can also be found here at the Pinnacle Performance website. To learn more about Pinnacle Performance, read an interview with CEO and Founder David Lewis.
These interactive, fast faced, energetic, and FUN workshops are a fantastic opportunity to sample Pinnacle Performance’s truly innovative training! Find out why companies like Oracle, Walgreen’s, Kodak, Capgemini and Health Net have sent thousands of their employees through this acclaimed program.
Date: November 16th, 2007
Location: The Westin Waltham (The Belmont Room)
70 Third Ave
Waltham, MA 02451
To request an invitation to this workshop, email kgarbis@pinper.com
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Date: November 16th, 2007
Location: Hawthorne Suites (Top Floor Meeting Room)
2455 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95051
To request an invitation to this workshop, email bmcneany@pinper.com
Pinnacle Performance, Free Pilot Workshop, Boston, Northern California, Presentation Skills, Communications Skills, Training
“The greater a man is in power above others, the more he ought to excel them in virtue. None ought to govern who is not better than the governed.”
- Publius Syrus, Latin writer of maxims, 1st century BC
In the business world (and life in general), you represent yourself by the promises you make and whether or not you are able to deliver on them. As a small business owner, it baffles me to watch how some people conduct themselves in an everyday fashion when they make promises that they simply cannot keep.
Here are three simple guidelines to stick with to make sure you don’t become one of those people:
(1) Do not promise something that you’re not sure you can deliver.
I wish this rule was tattooed onto the hand of every salesman alive. That way, when a potential client asks them an utterly outrageous demand, they could look at that tattoo before opening their mouths.
Look, everyone understands that sales reps need to make some exaggerations and bend a few rules every once in awhile. In this instance, I’m talking about the rep who promises 100 units in 10 days when normal production is 10 units in 100 days. When his/her company is unable to come through with the order, then what? I’ll tell you what; the client gets angry and spreads the word throughout the industry that the company can’t deliver on their promises. Good luck getting another order again, much less one from that client.
(2) If you say that you are going to do something, best be sure to do it, and do it on time.
Sounds pretty straight-forward, doesn’t it? Do what you say you’re going to. This should be the case whether or not you talking with a client, customer, employee, contractor, or your parents. Yet it amazes me to see just how many people will promise to do something (a report, an assignment, process a check) an then simply don’t follow through. Do they realize just what they’ve done to their personal reputation, let alone their company’s rep? People may not complain, but they certainly are filing that little incident away and will keep it in mind the next time they have to do business with that person or company.
(3) If you think you’re going to miss a deadline, be proactive and let someone know.
Again, common sense should prevail here, but quite frequently it doesn’t. If you promised a deliverable by a certain date, but something comes up (either at work or in your personal life), why not say so? Most people are understanding enough, and will appreciate you letting them know ahead of time that their might be a delay.
Measure that against the alternative, when your client asks, “hey, what happened to X that I was expecting last week?” And all you have for an answer is, “sorry, it just didn’t get done.” In that case, your next deliverable is to start looking for a new client.
A wise man once said, “It’s not who I am underneath, but what I *do* that defines me.”
Sure, he might wear a funny costume, but the same principle applies here. It’s not what you say you will do, but what you actually *do* that defines your reputation.
“Misfortunes, untoward events, lay open, disclose the skill of a general, while success conceals his weakness, his weak points.”
- Horace, Roman Poet (65 BC - 8 BC)
Just a reminder that Pinnacle Performance Company is conducting a FREE Communication and Presentation Skills for Leaders Workshop in Los Angeles on September 21st, 2007. The session will run from 9:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m, and is being offered FREE to qualified readers of Leadership Training!
Pinnacle Performance Company was founded by Fortune 500 executives and professional actors to mesh the unique, time-tested performance techniques with the actual communication skills needed to succeed at every level of the corporate world! Come pilot this innovative training and learn to effectively convey your message with credibility conviction and enthusiasm!
This interactive, fast faced, energetic, and FUN pilot workshop provides a great overview of Pinnacle Performance’s unique training program! Find out why companies like Oracle, Walgreen’s, Kodak, Capgemini and Health Net have sent thousands of their employees through this acclaimed curriculum.
Date: September 21st, 2007
Time: 9:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m
Location: ACME Comedy Theatre
135 N. La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
To request an invitation to this workshop, email bmcneany@pinper.com
To learn more about Pinnacle Performance, visit www.pinper.com.
Pinnacle Performance, Free Pilot Workshop, Los Angeles, Presentation Skills, Communications Skills, Training
The following employee testimonial has been provided courtesy of MGM Mirage as a follow-up to our interview with Cynthia Kiser Murphey, Senior Vice President of Human Resources.
“I wouldn’t be sitting here today if it wasn’t for MGM MIRAGE,” said Nona Pollard, Employee Relations Specialist at Luxor. Nona has congestive heart failure, a condition in which the heart does not pump enough blood to the body’s other organs.
After losing her mother and sister to heart-related issues, suffering from high blood pressure, and being hospitalized four times, Nona was convinced she wouldn’t live long enough to raise her two children and her sister’s two children. But while previously working at Mandalay Bay, the property introduced the Healthy Living program.
Taking charge of her life, Nona began following the Healthy Living program by eating at least five servings of fruits or vegetables daily, wearing a pedometer to track her daily steps, and closely monitoring her blood pressure and fluid intake. When her doctor asked what she had done to lose 60 pounds, Nona said “Healthy Living.”
Nona also manages other medical conditions, but is a perfect example of someone who is achieving the state of wellness. She has found balance in her life, despite facing health challenges that previously seemed insurmountable.
To her, it is much simpler: “I just try to live right.” And as if to prove her point to others, Nona was recognized with the Warriorship Award in her Diversity Champion Workshop for her integrity, impeccability, outrageousness and personal power. Congratulations Nona!
MGM Mirage, Nona Pollard, Healthy Living, employee testimonial
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.”
- Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC)
Cynthia Kiser Murphey is the Senior Vice President of Human Resources for MGM MIRAGE, one of the world’s leading and most respected hotel and gaming companies. MGM MIRAGE employs over 68,000 employees worldwide, and is the largest corporate employer in the state of Nevada. The Company’s 17 destinations are renowned for a winning combination of quality entertainment, luxurious facilities and exceptional customer service.
• Can you give us some insight on what a typical day for you at MGM MIRAGE consists of? What are some of your daily challenges and deliverables?
One of the exciting things about HR is that there really is not a ‘typical day’! We have a very, very dynamic organization; growing rapidly, changing rapidly, and we’re very much in the people business. So our days are about us being out in our properties, and out in the community, trying to have as many face-to-face interactions with people as we can. At the same time, when necessary we utilize technology to have audio and video conference calls. Either way, we need to be communicating with our employees and our properties as much as possible. So no two days are alike, and that’s what makes my position so interesting and challenging as well!
Especially at this time of year; there are some days I need to be at four different properties in one day. That’s when I take comfort in the fact that I work for such a great company with awesome people!
From an HR perspective, the last few years have been all about growing our company. The company has doubled in size twice in the last seven years, with the merger first in 2000 with Mirage Resorts and then the 2005 merger with Mandalay Resort Group, so you can imagine what type of activity that creates, and what kind of new planning initiatives that requires. We are constantly learning, and constantly meeting and communicating with people to put proposals together that meet our growing needs.
Are you based in the Los Angeles or Washington D.C. area? Are you a human resources professional, or work for a Fortune 1000 company? Would you like to sample a proven presentation and communication skills training curriculum for FREE? Well now’s your chance!
Pinnacle Performance Company is conducting two half-day Communication and Presentation Skills for Leaders Workshops in the next two months. One will be held in Washington D.C. on August 23, 2007, the second in Los Angeles on September 21st, 2007. Both sessions will run from 9:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m, and both are FREE to qualified readers of Leadership Training!
These interactive, fast faced, energetic, and FUN workshops are a fantastic opportunity to sample Pinnacle Performance’s truly innovative training! Find out why companies like Oracle, Walgreen’s, Kodak, Capgemini and Health Net have sent thousands of their employees through this acclaimed program.
Date: September 21st, 2007
Location: ACME Comedy Theatre
135 N. La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
To request an invitation to this workshop, email bmcneany@pinper.com
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Date: August 23rd, 2007
Location: Sheraton Baltimore Washington Airport Hotel
1100 Old Elkridge Landing Road
Linthicum, MD 21090
To request an invitation to this workshop, email info@pinper.com
Pinnacle Performance, Free Pilot Workshop, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Presentation Skills, Communications Skills, Training
Is it hard for you to remember the last time you took longer than one week off from your job? Are you afraid of losing your job seniority or relevance if you take an extended leave? Are you starting to get burnt out because you continue to stay at your post? If so, you’re not alone…
A recent article by Maggie Jackson highlights several career minded individuals who are “veteran vacation-skippers”. Take Chris Oldham, for example:
“I’ve had plane tickets purchased, family plans made, and two days before I leave, I’ll cancel,” says Oldham, executive vice president at J.M. Coull Inc., a Maynard construction firm, who gets three weeks annual vacation plus about a half-dozen paid holidays. “It’s a way of life.”
According to a survey published in April by the New York staffing firm Hudson, 56 percent of U.S. workers don’t use up all their allocated vacation. Furthermore, 30 percent say they take less than half the time off owed to them.
Are you one of those people? My advice is to MAKE TIME for yourself, and take at least one week a year to go off on a trip that recharges and refreshes you. It doesn’t matter if you work 70 hours a week or 30, or if you love your job or can’t stand it. Regardless, it’s always a good idea to take time out to step back and enjoy some time away from work!
The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost
From Mountain Interval, 1920.
A business website dedicated to giving you an inside look at exactly what's happening on a day-to-day basis at some of the most respected companies in Corporate America.
Among the resources we'll be providing:
- Profiles of leaders and managers in a variety of industries to see what methods they have used to succeed, and gain their insights to today's challenges in the workplace.
- Valuable training and communication resources for both companies and employers looking for that advantage that will separate them from the competition.
…and we'll have some fun along the way as well!
Leadership Training Author(s)
