A professional presentation to The HR Guy's Clients covering widely known leadership tools. This is a summary. Please contact The HR Guy for a presentation or a Free Consultation for your company today!
It not easy being Santa Claus. You have to:
Jump through hoops – Chimneys
Unbelievable correspondence
Tough recruiting – North Pole
Market fluctuations - Kids
Transportation/Logistics – Reindeer
Massive demand – Worldwide
Luckily, "Santa" has some secrets he's willing to share!
Secret #1 Build a Wonderful Workshop
Make the Mission the main thing:
Making spirits bright by building and delivering quality toys to good little girls and boys
Spend time with individual elves: How doing their jobs links to the mission
Keep mission in front
Make mission a part of the decision process
Focus on people as well as the purpose:
Be accessible – mentally and physically
Be considerate
Provide tools, training, resources and feedback
Keep elves in the information loop
Help maintain balance
Demonstrate respect, time and talents
Solicit ideas...and listen
Develop and grow
Fairly distribute the workload
Let Values be your guide:
Make sure everyone knows what values are important: Not just on a website or poster
Turn beliefs into behaviors everyday
Cite in all commutations consistently
Secret #2: Choose your reindeer wisely
Remember the Misfits:
Because it is employees that make our mission happen, staffing is my single most important responsibility
The time spent hiring the right way is nothing compared to the time I’ll have to spend dealing with the wrong reindeer
Promote the right ones, for the right reasons:
Promoting Donner was a problem: The best puller was not the right leader, Create a criteria for the job,Test the characteristics, not the person
Go for the diversity advantage:
Same ole elves, same results
“Different” elves different thinking: More in touch with the target customers
Secret #3: Make a List and Check it twice
Plan your work:
Break down big goals into sub goals
Everyone must have a goal
Make sure everyone buys in
Must be written: What why, when, where, who and how
Brainstorm contingencies
Work your plan
Predetermined Benchmarks, or else the Bells will not jingle on Dec 24th
Schedule progress check-ins: Is the goal valid and doable?, Are we on track?, Has the condition or circumstance changed?, Make changes as appropriate
Watch waste (not the jelly belly): So many toys, so little time
Make the most of: Time - Prioritize, Money – buy smartly, Materials – Measure twice, cut once, Equipment – Preventative maintenance, Employees - Talent and expertise
Secret #4: Listen to the Elves
Open your ears to participation:
Yes, I was the expert, and I used my expertise to a fault: It worked when we were starting up
No one else solved problems
Let the elves make the calls: They know – better now
Walk awhile in their shoes:
Make regular visit to the workshop
Stop and chat
Ask about problems and obstacles
Work next to elves and reindeer
Ask "How I can make it better?"
Secret #5: Get Beyond the Red Wagons
Help everyone accept the reality of change:
Complement the elves on their history
Introduce the change with why: Lay out the facts- Video Games vs. Wagons
Discuss the benefits of change
Support change with resources
Demonstrate patience
Check for understanding
Remember The Customer Really is Charge:
No Customers = No Business: No letters, dampers closed
Understand wants and needs change
Meet and greet often: Field Trips
Follow up
Identify and track trends
Teach “The Business” of the Business:
The more elves and reindeer understand about how the business works the more likely that are to accept and support change: Overhead, Cost of goods delivered, State of the Workshop meetings
Secret #6: Share the Milk and Cookies
Help them see the difference they make:
Link the elf to child picture
We deliver happiness: Not possible with you
Post thank you notes
Take elves on the delivery run
Do right by those who do right:
Develop an attitude of gratitude
Show appreciation: Atta-elves and atta-deers, Say Thank you
Expand the reinforcement possibilities:
Reinforcement and recognition are not strictly management’s role: Is it everyone's’ job, Recognize those who recognize
Secret #7: Find out who's Naughty or Nice
Confront Performance problems ...early:
Remember Igor the Elf: Let it slide = no courage to deal, Overlook is not a magic wand, Group reprimands are a bad idea, Hoping they will get it fails, Disrespectful to other elves
Coach the majority in the middle:
The middle performers are the backbone of the workshop: Move the middle group up to superstar performer, Prevent falling stars, Stay aware and do not overlook
Don’t forget the superstars:
Superstars always have coaches
Increase their involvement: Encourage them to teach and mentor
Celebrate accomplishments
Give them extra attention
Avoid punishment for good performance
Secret #8: Be Good For Goodness Sake
Set the Example:
The elves and reindeer are always watching
Integrity starts with the red suit: Follow all the rules, Treat everyone with dignity, Always tell the truth, Never break a promise, Build superior quality, Continually give best effort, Constantly stand for what is right
Establish Guidelines and Accountability:
Keep eyes and ears open to what is happening: Be constantly aware
Provide on-going feedback: Share observations and reinforce
Preserve your values/principles: The elves will demand it
Display zero tolerance: For ethics violations
Remember Everything Counts:
The little things count
Integrity is a big word: Way we treat each other, Jokes we share, The little white lies, Keeping commitments, “Unimportant” rules, Not using the sleigh for personal business, Responding to all letters, Sharing
Closing Thoughts
To survive and prosper you and your organization must be able to achieve the “big things”
Your elves and reindeer depend on you
It isn't magic, it’s leadership!
Sources: This blog article and presentation are based on the following articles:
The Leadership Secrets Of Santa Claus: How to get big things done in your workshop, all year long by Eric Harvey, Mike Hourigan, Al Lucia, David Cottrell
Walk the Talk: And Get the Results You Want by Eric Harvey and Al Lucia
Russell Lookadoo is the HR Guy for small businesses. His firm, HRchitecture, specializes in helping business leaders accomplish their goals by effectively using their teams. Russell brings over three decades of experience designing Human Resources solutions that achieve business strategies in varied organizations ranging from a small manufacturer to the nation’s second largest bank. Russell holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources designation from the Society of Human Resources Management and earned the Certified Compensation Professional designation from World at Work. Russell attended the University of North Carolina on the prestigious Morehead-Cain Scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Industrial Relations. Visit his website at www.theHRGuy.biz