Ten years ago, I visited a college campus in Denver, stood in a high traffic area, and held up a sign saying, DO YOU DESERVE A JOB AFTER YOU GRADUATE? WHAT SALARY ARE YOU ENTITLED TO? At that time, employee entitlement was the biggest challenge among the business owners, leaders, and managers with…
If you try to recruit teenagers — and hire them — and onboard them — and train them — and manage them — and try to motive them the way you were recruited, hired, trained, etc. like you were recruited, hired, trained, etc, you’re going to find your breaking point in a hurry. There is a ton of promise and potential in this enigmatic Gen Z workforce. Make no mistake: they want to be successful in their jobs and they have a skill set that will astound you. And they are able to adapt to the rapid changes that are happening everyday in your business much quicker than you and your seasoned workers are able to adapt. But they will arrive with a different set of attitudes, values, and beliefs about this thing called ‘work’.
Immediately following the Columbine tragedy that rocked the world twenty years ago (4-20-1999), Frank DeAngelis vowed that he would remain the school’s principal until the class of first grade students in the elementary schools that fed into the high school had graduated. His goal was to prevent a mass exodus of faculty and staff and…
When the Grinch stole Christmas from all the Whos down in Whoville, he went about it with passion and fury. The scrawny-limbed hermit with a nasty attitude and a foul grimace felt like an outsider who was unappreciated by his peers, so he decided to turn the tables and ruin Christmas for the entire village.…
Walking through Denver International Airport on my way to Nashville last week, it wasn’t difficult to pick out the Southwest gates from those of all the other airlines. They were the only ones that looked like …well, like it’s late October. That’s because Southwest Airlines takes fun very seriously. They know if they promote a…
Every manager has been told that it’s important to acknowledge, recognize, and reward their top performing employees. Unfortunately, most haven’t been coached on how to do this effectively. And if one of the goals is to get the performer to continue performing at a high level, the why has to be linked to the what. “You’ve done a good job…
If you are a person who enjoys peace and serenity, you don’t yell ‘fire’ in a crowded theater nor do you whisper ‘bomb’ when going through airport security. And unless you want to incite a riot, you’d better not let the word ‘entitled’ slip out around a business owner, manager, or employer. Regardless of how…
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. An inscription on the James Farley Post Office in New York City. Ozzy is an 8-year-old golden retriever who loves to fetch our morning newspaper. Although our driveway is nearly as long as a football field, he…
There are an estimated 50 million people in the world who claim they play the guitar. Meet the one person who works it. Mike Rayburn is a guitar virtuoso. In fact, his concerts have sold out Carnegie Hall eight times. But this isn’t about the talents of a renowned musician; it’s about the relentless work ethic that underlies a brilliant career. And…
Last week I had the privilege of taking a behind the scenes tour of Zappos and speaking with several of their top leaders. Mine was not the popular tour advertised on their website, but rather a real peek behind the curtain to see the wizardry of this renowned workplace culture phenomena and iconic brand. I’ve read…