Much more than physics-smarts...

How timely, here is Albert Einstein's take on hard times.

A good one to pass around the office and spark a solid motivational discussion.

“Let’s not pretend that things will change if we keep doing the same things. A crisis can be a real blessing to any person, to any nation. For all crises bring progress.

Creativity is born from anguish, just like the day is born form the dark night. It’s in crisis that inventiveness is born, as well as discoveries made and big strategies.

He who overcomes crisis, overcomes himself, without getting overcome. He who blames his failure to a crisis neglects his own talent and is more interested in problems than in solutions. Incompetence is the true crisis.

The greatest inconvenience of people and nations is the laziness with which they attempt to find the solutions to their problems.

There’s no challenge without a crisis. Without challenges, life becomes a routine, a slow agony.There’s no merit without crisis.

It’s in the crisis where we can show the very best in us.

Without a crisis, any wind becomes a tender touch. To speak about a crisis is to promote it. Not to speak about it is to exalt conformism.

Let us work hard instead. Let us stop, once and for all, the menacing crisis that represents the tragedy of not being willing to overcome it.”

Midday Slump

If your once-a-day-sluggish-mode is as predictable as Florida’s afternoon summer storms read on.

Creativity. Productivity. A focused mind. These days we want it all, all the time, 100%.

But how we go about achieving it is no standard formula. To combat sluggishness some reach for the coffee, some go for the sweets, but not that many of us go for a little exercise.

I wonder why.

After all, we all remember the first time we ever did something physically demanding or out of the ordinary, like skiing, riding a roller coaster, sky diving, having a faster than usual run or bike ride, etc.…how could we forget? That feeling of I CAN DO ANYTHING-ness mixed with James Cameron’s Oscar acceptance King of the World-ness. Why would we not want to recapture it daily?

What ever happened to us that we taught ourselves to compartmentalize so neatly our humanness and its needs inside and outside of the office? If our bodies have reached a slump why not get creative and truly look for what works for each of us?

"If it weren't for the coffee, I'd have no identifiable personality whatsoever." David Letterman.

Coffee, water, sodas, and sweets may do the trick –momentarily- for most of us (after all, Bach wrote his famous Coffee Cantata under the influence of, what else but caffeine...), but why not get friendly with natural endorphins all over again? Exercise causes these morphine-like compounds to naturally be released into the blood stream. Endorphins, in turn, enhance creativity and productivity. And, best of all, you don’t have to jump out of a plane to experience this natural high, something as simple as a brisk walk will do the trick.

My wife and I are runners and, since we run at a different pace, we often meet and share our ‘running thoughts’ during our cool down walk. These thoughts are usually the most creative of the day and often the catalyst to major ideas for our business and our lives.

Besides the obvious, how does this information affect you as a leader in your place of business?

Well, these days more and more companies are encouraging their employees to take measures to stay healthy (thus productive and creative), some build gyms on site, some offer free or discounted gym memberships, many have showers on site to accommodate those who ride to work, and a few go as far as remunerating their team members to stay fit and healthy. This is a win-win investment as studies show that, within the companies that advocate fitness and prevention, absenteeism is down and so are their overall health care costs.

So, if you are feeling sluggish, gray, unfocused and unproductive stop pushing yourself through that quick-sand pace and, instead, set the example and try something different. Take a walk, run or even grab a cup of Joe if that’s what works best for you. But when you come back to your desk share your running (or coffee) thoughts, they are likely to be some of the best of your day.

Write about what you know...

...that is what people say in literary circles.

During the last few weeks I have acquainted myself with blog procrastination.

Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task. ~William James

I'd like to think that this is not a habit of mine. After all, I have been quite busy and these activity- filled days felt like the absolute opposite of procrastination. Busy analyzing job descriptions, meeting clients, planning...busy with life. So I never got around to posting anything in this site. I let it go into hibernation for almost a month, and now the process of waking it up has forced me to re-examine the true root cause of this dormant period.

Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.

~Don Marquis

All roads lead to Rome, and all my thoughts lead to the P word, as much as I hate to admit it. But I'd humbly argue that not everything we call procrastination is necessarily so.


In this case I'd like to think that I simply had more important items to tend to (like clients and writing assignments deadlines). So, yes, it is a form of procrastination that sprouts only after well-thought analysis. Some would simply call it prioritizing. But whatever you call it, in this instance, it is a good thing. Likewise, working with team members that can independently discern, prioritize and act in a manner that improves your company's productivity and engagement is something rare these days. It is also something tinted with what is known as common sense, and this is mighty hard to teach. So be sure to ask the right questions during your hiring interviews so that you won't find yourself doing the thinking for your team all the time.

If it weren't for the last minute,I wouldn't get anything done. ~Author Unknown

On the other hand, if I had chosen to push back my blogging because I went golfing, then that's just poor choice. That'd fall under what is, by definition, 100% pure procrastination.

What may be done at any time will be done at no time. ~Scottish Proverb

As a leader, when confronted with a true procrastination situation, you might be required to micromanage individuals who are simply not pulling their weight. As much as we all dislike being looked at over our shoulder or being the one doing the looking, some situations call for step-by-step analysis of a team member's daily routine. After the bad habits have been identified, it is a good idea to have the talk. After that, agreeing to a few specific action steps (e.g., job-shadow someone whose prioritizing and decision-making faculties aren't comatose) might do the job.

A year from now you may wish you had started today. ~Karen Lamb

There are many other reasons procrastination may knock on your team's door. Fear is the most pervasive root cause. As an employee, have you ever felt under trained to fulfill a project? I can remember being very young and having to analyze stats for an important meeting. The idea of presenting the results to the company's management made my stomach curl. I was frozen with fear. I had no idea what I was doing, but at least I had the common sense to talk to my boss and explain that unless somebody trained me for this assignment I'd have to defer the job to someone. The moral of the story is: you can unknowingly create procrastination for your workforce. This highlights, yet again, the importance of asking questions and truly listening to the answers. Something as simple as asking "Have you been properly trained to complete this task?" can save your company time, money, and keep your people's engagement high.

Other possible ways in which leadership may cause procrastination include: unrealistically high expectations, perfectionism, lack of motivational skills, poor listening skills, and work overload.


Just to clarify: laziness is not a form of procrastination. Laziness is a long loud yawn: highly contagious. Again, it all goes back to making it easier for yourself to focus your efforts in the goals that matter most to you and your company. Hiring the right people and asking the right questions during the first interviews is key.

There are a million ways to lose a work day, but not even a single way to get one back. ~Tom DeMarco and Timothy Lister

I must go now. I have the nagging feeling that I should be doing something else at this very moment.

What's your personality's weather?

When it comes to leading your team, and as cliche as this may sound, are you a half-full or half- empty type of leader?

Have you ever gave this some thought?

This is important in that, whatever our true nature is, it will bleed through our words and actions like cheap marker's ink. That is, unless we make a daily conscious effort to remain in the half-full mode at all times.

Your personality's weather is contagious, so here is a quick quote to help lead your team through the day in positive consciousness:

"We may be powerless to alter certain events, but we remain free to choose our attitude towards them, and it is in our spontaneous acceptance of necessity that we find our distinctive freedom."

Alain de Bottom, from The Consolations of Philosophy.

The Simple Art of the Apology

"Sorry, I did not mean what I said."

We've all been on the receiving end of this line. I wonder how many of us were ever satisfied by its meaning, or lack thereof. I wonder how many man up enough to actually speak the truth and say "I am sorry because I meant what I said."

Sincere apologies are hard to come by and hard to offer, we all know.

But just like there is an art to public speaking, to writing, to cooking, etc. there is also an art to the apology. And it is pretty simple.

Keep it short.

Own it.

Mean it.

Offer to do whatever it takes to fix the situation.

Keep it short--Most times a heartfelt "sorry" will do. Seriously. Once we start adding to it we run the risk of adulterating the meaning of it. These add ons mimic the artificial colorings of the culinary world. They may look good, but are completely unnecessary.
I once read this smart quote "Don't ruin an apology with an excuse." I think nothing could explain better than that what the offended party hopes to hear.

Own it--If you offended someone, then the apology should always start with "I." Not "we" not "they" and no passive voice (e.g., "The mistakes made had negative repercussions."). Don't insult the offended party further by resorting to these ways of hiding behind someone or something else.


How is this relevant to your business? An absurd amount of time is lost to workplace friction, most times due to one or more parties refusing to admit their wrong-doings. If it is necessary to walk your team through the art of the apology as part of a mini-training, do it. The rewards in time, money, productivity and overall work experience will be immense. In addition, a sincere apology is quicker as it does not allow for much he said she said, it is the first building block to repair a fractured relationship, and best of all, it makes feelings of frustration and resentment vanish on both sides. When a simple "I was wrong" is offered, even in the worse of situations, forgiveness is usually instantaneous and mutual respect is regained.

Here are some examples of how not to do it:

"I am heartsick about my personal legal situation and deeply sorry for the pain and difficulties it has caused our employees."
Martha Stewart

"The Duke of Edinburgh regrets any offense which may have been caused by remarks he is reported as making earlier today. With hindsight, he accepts what were intended as light-hearted comments were inappropriate."
Buckingham Palace, on Prince Philip saying a fuse box looked "as though it was put in by an Indian."

"If I caused anybody, including myself, any pain about the comments I made earlier, then I want to apologize to myself and Senator Obama and any of his supporters."
South Carolina's Senator Robert Ford's quasi-apology after being asked why he endorsed Hillary Clinton and replying, "Every Democrat running on that ticket next year would lose because he is black and he's top of the ticket. We'd lose the House and the Senate and the governors and everything."

In lieu of more effective apology examples, just remember chemist-inventor Orlando Battista's thought: "An error does not become a mistake until you refuse to correct it," and a good ol' apology is usually the best first step.

Training Strategy: should you choose to include an apology section in your communications or customer service training, discussing what is actually wrong with each of the above referenced apologies will be an effective way for your team to self-discover why following The Art of the Apology principles is the best way to go.

Safety in the Workplace

Safety in the workplace is not just a matter of following OSHA guidelines, (though OSHA does provide great resources for keeping your employees safe). No, safety in the workplace includes keeping your team safe whether on a forklift, climbing a ladder, driving to pick up mail, or sitting in the office. Workplace safety includes proper lifting techniques, prevention of workplace violence, internet safety, and much more.

This post serves as an invitation to list your most pressing safety concerns as well as safe remedies. From the mondane (tipping water cooler over and crushing foot) to the extreme. Included are safety videos for you to use in your business.

Why Employee Satisfaction is the Wrong Metric

By Rodger D. Duncan



With more than two decades of experience observing and measuring a wide range of workplace issues, my bottom line advice on such metrics can be distilled into two simple maxims.


First, ask the right questions.


Well, of course, you say! Anybody knows you have to ask the right questions.


But the second maxim may not be so obvious: Avoid asking the wrong questions.


When you ask the wrong questions, you still get plenty of information. Then the information spawns charts and graphs and an endless stream of PowerPoint presentations. And you chase the wrong rabbits.


I frequently hear business people talk about the importance of “employee satisfaction.” They conduct surveys that purport to measure the extent to which workers are happy with their jobs.



These are interesting questions, but often the wrong ones.


If an employer provides free day care, company cars, liberal vacation policies, short office hours and hefty bonuses, workers are likely to be “satisfied.” But being “satisfied” is not necessarily the same as being productive. Even a bankrupt company can have “satisfied” employees.


The right metric to use does not target satisfaction, it targets engagement.


For yesteryear’s command-and-control leader, the paradigm was about compliance. For today’s enlightened (and more effective) leader, the paradigm is about commitment. Commitment does not thrive in an atmosphere of giving and taking orders. Commitment thrives in an atmosphere of mutual purpose, mutual respect, and high levels of psychological ownership.
In other words, engagement.


Workers are engaged when they feel part of decisions that affect them. When they feel trusted. When they feel free (safe) in speaking up about issues that matter.


Truly engaged workers eschew the “subordinate” mentality that says someone else is in charge so the success of the enterprise is someone else’s worry. Instead, genuinely engaged workers adopt the “steward” paradigm. A stewardship is a job with trust. Stewards are proactive, resourceful, and assertive. They provide discretionary excellence – doing the right thing for the right reasons, even when nobody’s watching.


Engaged workers have the will and the willingness to adapt swiftly to changing conditions.


At this point you may be thinking, Wait a minute. I have a business to run. All this stuff about engagement and commitment sounds nice, but it requires too much time and effort.


For those who suggest that the cost of engagement is too high, consider the price of disengagement.


A study by the Gallup organization shows that “actively disengaged” employees – that is, workers who are fundamentally disconnected from their jobs – cost the U.S. economy up to $355 billion a year. The researchers calculate that nearly 25 million U.S. workers are actively disengaged, each year resulting in about 86 million days absent from work, less productivity, more stress, and poorer health for both themselves and for their organizations.


The Gallup conclusions are based in part on its national Q12 survey. The survey takes it name from 12 core questions that Gallup asks workers. The questions are designed to measure the linkage between levels of employee engagement and productivity, growth and profitability.


Some of the questions are “Do I know what is expected of me at work?” “Is there someone at work who encourages my development?” “At work, do my opinions seem to count?”


When The Duncan Company studies culture and performance in an organization, we ask similar questions aimed at measuring engagement. We want to know the extent to which workers seem more interested in accomplishing excellent work than in who gets the credit. We want to know how much employees can see the linkage between their own work and the organization’s “core doctrine” of mission, vision, and values. We explore communication practices, accountability practices and other culture components that reinforce (or undermine) the social contract between worker and organization.


In his fine book Terms of Engagement, Richard Axelrod discusses the principles and practices that result in an engaged workforce. He correctly points out that in high-engagement organizations you will find that


People grasp the big picture, fully understanding the dangers and opportunities facing the enterprise.


There is urgency and energy as people become aligned around a common purpose.
Accountability is fully distributed throughout the organization as people come to understand the “whole” of the system.


Collaboration across organizational boundaries increases because people are connected to the issues and to each other.


Performance gaps are quickly identified and decisively dealt with.


Creativity is sparked when workers from all levels and functions (along with other important stakeholders) contribute their best ideas.


Capacity for future changes increases as people develop skills and processes to meet not just the current challenges but future challenges as well.


So, am I suggesting that employee satisfaction is unimportant? Of course not. Employee satisfaction is often one of the most noticeable hallmarks of a high-performance organization. But employee satisfaction is more often the result of high performance than an overriding cause. The most common cause of high performance is high engagement.


It goes back to the two maxims: (1) Ask the right questions. (2) Avoid asking the wrong questions.


You can rent a person’s back and hands, but you must earn his head and heart. And when you earn his head and heart (engagement!) you’ll tap into a reservoir of energy and commitment that can make all the difference.

Article from The Duncan Report. For more information please click on their link.