YOU MIGHT WANT TO RETHINK WHAT YOU THINK IF THIS IS WHAT YOU YOU THINK

"Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look; he thinks too much; such men are dangerous."

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) British poet/playwright.

This thought Shakespeare attributed to Julius Caesar, reflects the management style of far too many.

Good managers know the problem is not employees who think too much but rather those who think too little.

WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE? WE ARE!

"That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part."

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) third president of the United States

Just as true in business where it's called "employee engagement."

Your employees may acknowledge you as being in charge but it would be much better if all felt as though they were.

SOME BUT NOT ALL OF WHAT YOU KNOW

"Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time."

Chinese proverb

Graham Nash told us, "Teach your children well", however that doesn't mean all or only what you know.

Substitute "employees" for "children" and the thought applies equally as well.

Your Replacement Is Here To See You

"To the old, the new is usually bad news."

Eric Hoffer

20th century American philosopher

But as a manager (old) part of your job is to find employees (new) who could potentially do your job.

What do you think of that?

Get Out Of Their Way

"The only way of knowing a person is to love them without hope."

Walter Benjamin

20th century German philosopher

(I can hear you now; "How will he connect this one to business?")

If we substitute "trust" for "love" and "expectations" for "hope", are we not zeroing in on the goal we have for all new hires?

And note this is not to suggest that you don't do all possible to have reason to trust, as well as to establish expectations for performance, all prior to offering the job, but once you've done that . . .

The message is, do your best to find the right people and then step back and let them perform.

How Thick Is Your Employee Handbook?

"The more corrupt the state, the more laws."

Publius Cornelius Tacitus

1st century Roman historian

In business too?

I suspect so.

At the very least the more personal behavior is governed by rules, the less individual creativity can be expected and that can't be good for business.

Mind Fire

"The fire of glory is the torch of the mind."

Unknown

More than patents, equipment, technology, or money in the bank, the company who realizes the worth of their employees minds, and rewards them accordingly, will be those who succeed the most.

Not Your Problem?

"The mind of man is like a clock that is always running down, and requires to be constantly wound up."

William Hazlitt

Early 19th century British essayist

The job you need done may be repetitious but at some point the person doing it will be less effective because it is, unless you do something to help them.

What, if anything, would that be?

Who Are You?

"Nationalist pride, like other variants of pride, can be a substitute for self-respect."

Eric Hoffer

20th century American philosopher/author

And the equivalent in business would be what, pride in one's company?

I am not suggesting that large numbers of those who work for companies with well known/respected brands have no self-respect.

Were that the case the brands would not be successful.

But you do meet a lot of people who, when asked what they do, answer with a title prominently focused on the company brand as opposed to them as individuals.

Individual self-respect first or nothing good will follow for the company.

The Teaching Manager

"Who can direct when all pretend to know?"

Oliver Goldsmith

18th century Irish writer/poet

Why would employees "pretend to know"?

They might if management expected them to know even when that expectation is unreasonable.

Discover what needs to be learned and then teach it.

Only "Own" What Is Yours

"What is not yours always chirps for its master."

Spanish proverb

And this is not just a matter of acting as though a suggestion or idea came from you; it must actually have done so or it will be apparent to others when it did not.

But even if that weren't true (it must be; I don't believe the Spanish would have turned it into a proverb were it not), there is as much if not more gratification to come from supporting the contributions of others.

Particularly if you are management.

The Value of Win Win

"He that complies against his will is of his own opinion still."

Samuel Butler
17th century British poet

One of the tenants of contract law holds that benefit must exit for both parties. You can force agreement but better for both parties to feel they've been treated fairly.

True in management/employee relations as well.

The Value of Management/Employee Agreement

"Better a friendly refusal than unwilling consent."

Spanish proverb

Management can order employees to do most anything, expecting and getting compliance, at least in the short term.

And employees must often do things they would rather not do.

But does anyone doubt how better the outcome when both are in agreement concerning what will be done?

Now, how to make that happen more often?

Tell Me What You Think

"If I had to reduce the responsibilities of a good follower to just one rule, it would be to speak the truth to power."

Warren Bennis
Organizational Consultant

I'll bet many of you never even thought about followers having responsibilities, nonetheless they do. Every relationship imposes them on both parties regardless of rank.

Of course, along with the requirement that the follower be ready to speak the truth to those in power is the responsibility of those in power being ready to listen, and of greater importance, not penalizing the follower for having done so.

Does it work that way in your organization?

Fear: Making Employees More Comfortable

"Knowledge is the antidote to fear."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fear negatively affects performance whether it be concern about business matters or personal issues outside the company. In either case fearful employees are not as productive as those not afraid. I have reservation about intruding in the personal lives of those who work for me but do try to share as much as possible, both good and bad regarding the business.

Today personal and business overlap considerably given the state of the economy. How far will you go attempting to make your employees feel more comfortable? What will you not do?