Is the job too “BIG” for me?

Most of us have been there.  Your sights are set on that dream job…that illusive promotion.  You know you could do it if you were just given the chance.

Climbing the ladder of success can be a frustrating and often long journey.  When “the” opportunity finally presents itself, it’s important to remember some important principles so you will be successful in the job you have waited for.

This week’s “my job in the movies” installment takes its lesson from the movie “Big”, the 1988 American romantic comedy film about a boy who makes a wish “to be big” to a magical fortune-telling machine and is then aged to adulthood overnight.

If you haven’t seen the movie, click here for the summary.

Now back to this week’s lesson.  Our lead character Josh, learns some lessons as he mingles with the executives at the toy company.  These can apply to us too.

#1  There is a difference in being over your head and out of your comfort zone.
In the movie, Josh impresses the company’s owner with his detailed knowledge of the toys (after all, he’s 12 years old).  He is promoted to a dream job: testing toys all day long and getting paid for it.  Sounds great but with that job also comes the financial metrics, dealing with the manufacturers and the politics of product selection.  And Josh quickly realizes the job is not what he thought.

Where’s the leadership lesson?  With any new role, there is a difference in being over your head and simply out of your comfort zone.  A new role should stretch us.  After all, it exposes us to another level of responsibility as well as navigating new relationships and accountabilities.  Our past performance gives the foundation to build upon – whether that is our functional expertise, relational experience or unique customer perspective.  Without the foundation in at least one of these areas, we are likely to be over our head.  Our readiness for a new role was only in our minds not based on a foundation for growth.

#2 People are drawn to authenticity.
Josh’s childlike approach to the office routine, co-workers and tasks does not go unnoticed.  He is different.  No pretentions and no games.  He hasn’t learned how to play those yet (remember he’s 12).  And that realness helps him succeed.  While those nuances are where the movie finds a lot of its humor, there is a nugget of truth for us. 

People are naturally drawn to authenticity.  You can’t fake real.  It is barrier that destroys trust and confidence with peers, your employee team and your leaders.  And you know what, no one is that good at faking honesty.  You’re not as good as you think you are and it will eventually ruin your success.

#3  A fresh perspective is sometimes the key to innovation.
One of my favorite parts of the movie is watching how Josh enjoys playing with the company’s toys to test them.  At one point, he shares his dislike for a particular toy because it doesn’t “do” anything.  “Toys are meant to entertain and this one isn’t fun.”  To a room of executives, this is the first time the perspective of a child enters the conversation.  His fresh perspective (the real customer) completely changed the company’s direction. 

For us, how easy is it to forget who our customer is?  Do we get so bogged down in “our” world that we forget to see our product, service or even employees from the eyes of the person that really matters – our customer?

As you would guess, our movie has a happy ending, complete with some lessons learned.  Regardless of your “size” in your organization, here’s hoping you gained a few insights as well.

A quick note to our readers:
This is our 3rd movie series articles, feel free check out Groundhog Day and The Fugitive for other leadership lessons from the big screen.

Do you feel like “The Fugitive” at work?

Many movie enthusiasts remember this 1993 American film based on the television series of the same name.  Dr. Richard Kimble, “The Fugitive”, comes home one night to find his wife fatally wounded by a one-armed man, and though he attempts to subdue the killer, the man escapes.

A lack of evidence along with several other factors leads to Kimble’s conviction of first-degree murder, for which he is sentenced to death. On his way to death row via bus, the other prisoners attempt an escape that causes the bus to crash.  Kimble barely escapes the bus’s destruction—but saves the guard’s life by dragging him out of the bus—and flees into the night. The United States Marshals arrive and the hunt for Kimble begins.

The remainder of the movie follows a cat and mouse chase between a US Marshal and Kimble.  Although innocent, he has to feverishly work behind the scenes to eventually reveal his wife’s real killer and ultimately clear his name (sorry for the spoiler if you haven’t seen this flick).

It’s a suspense classic with a happy ending.  But for you and your workplace, do you ever feel like you are in this movie?  You are Richard Kimble – you haven’t done anything wrong but it feels like someone is out to get you.

As with many things, a few leadership lessons can be found in this scenario if we are willing to ponder a bit.  So in the spirit of the movie theme (check out last week’s article for another lesson from the big screen), let’s explore what can be learned from “The Fugitive”.

 Are you Dr. Richard Kimble?
As a leader, you also wear the employee hat.  People may report to you but you also report to someone else.  And it’s that supervisor you can’t seem to please.  Regardless of your efforts, there is an on-going awareness that you will never be successful in your boss’ eyes.  So what do you do?

#1  Don’t fall into the mind game trap.
The battle starts in your head.  Believe in yourself and your abilities.  Stop and recognize the contribution you make to the organization as well as what your team accomplishes (through your leadership).  For some leaders, this exercise is a part of their weekly review as a way to be reminded of progress even when the week seems to lack success.  This exercise is the critical first step, especially if you feel like Dr. Kimble.

#2  Do your job 100%.
Sounds a bit like a cliché but one of the most important things you can do is not give a “glass half empty” supervisor any ammunition.  Be proactive.  Anticipate what needs to be done and take care of it.  Prevent as many surprises to your boss as possible.  Keep him in the loop and speak to him in the language he speaks (timing, details, big picture, potential liability, etc.).  And most importantly, produce results.  Regardless of your supervisor’s hang-ups with you, he can’t argue with performance.

#3  Take an honest look at yourself.
Yes, your supervisor is unreasonable.  Yes, he is ultra picky.  Yes, he will always find the negative before the positive.  BUT…is there any truth to any of his criticisms?  This one is hard.  Our emotions are on edge with a boss like this (because let’s face it, he’s probably a jerk) but if there is any nugget of truth to his feedback, it’s important to focus on improving those skills.  And besides, you take a bullet out of his criticism gun when you remove a target from him.

Are you the U.S. Marshal?
As the supervisor, is it possible you are the type of leader who is making employees feel like they are being pursued and caught doing something wrong?  You are human and let’s face it; there may be people on your team who are difficult to manage.  If we’re not careful, we can slip into the role of our proverbial U.S. Marshal.  Consider these tips:

#1  Does each team member know what is expected of them?
Unless we have taken the time to communicate clear performance expectations, it is likely their performance will not measure up to the standard we have in our minds.  Even for those employees with long tenure, we must take the time to ensure an understanding of what is expected is in place.  It’s fair to the employee and just as important, it may prevent future frustration to you as the supervisor.

#2  Is there anyone on my team, I honestly don’t like?
Before you say “no” (because let’s face it, that’s the “right” answer to this question), consider its implication.  More than likely, you inherited your team.  And just as likely, there may be someone you just don’t “click” with.  That’s okay.  But it does create a potential danger that you don’t give this employee a fair chance –they will frustrate you more quickly, you may be less open-minded with your assessment of their work, etc.  Over time, we may become that manager who is tough to please…but for all the wrong reasons.

#3  Am I satisfied with “my world”?
You personal well-being sets the stage for your outlook to others.  A positive (not perfect) perspective is an important factor as you engage and manage others.  When your personal world (home life, relationships with your own boss and others) is amiss, it will negatively impact how you interact with your team.  It starts with you.

I love a good suspense movie.  “The Fugitive” is one of those movies that makes you cheer for justice.  You want that happy ending.  Guess what?  I’m cheering for you too – whichever character you are playing today.

My workplace feels like Groundhog Day…

What movie title best describes your workplace?

We could go many different directions with this question…horror, drama, comedy, suspense.  But sadly, many organizations resemble a movie from the 1990’s that while very much a comedy, has some take-aways that may not be so funny.

Do you remember this movie?

Groundhog Day is a 1993 American comedy film starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell.   Murray plays Phil Connors, an egocentric Pittsburgh TV weatherman who, during a hated assignment covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, finds himself repeating the same day over and over again. After many twists and turns, he begins to reexamine his life and priorities.

In the movie, Phil wakes up to find that he is reliving February 2. The day plays out exactly as it did before, with no one else aware of the time loop.

Does this scenario ever describe your workplace?  “We’ve been here before.”  “This situation feels a little déjà vu.”  Have you ever said these phrases at work?

This is actually a very real scenario for many organizations.  However, the movie doesn’t end.  We “re-live” situations at work that seem to never go away.

We’ve all been there.  So why is it that some organizations suffer from this frustrating reality?  Consider these three reasons:

Leaders are indecisive.
When a clear vision or goal is not in place, it creates the opportunity to consider and pursue many options.  How does that play out?  Teams pursue competing priorities.  Group A doesn’t really know what Group B is doing which creates possible redundancy.  Frustration becomes the normal frustration and each week begins to feel the same way.

In contrast, when leaders are decisive, employees know how their efforts link to the broader business goals.  The content of meetings shows progress.  And departments talk to one another to ensure progress is being made.

Real problems are never solved.
All organizations have conflict from time to time; it’s a fact of life.  The difference is how effective organizations address those conflicts.  So often, we fall short of identifying the root of a problem.  Instead, we address the symptoms of the problem which means it will more than likely resurface again.

We’ve all seen it.  An underperformer is told to improve his performance and he does – just enough to stay under the radar.  But in time, performance lags again.  And this cycle repeats itself over and over.  The result?  Employees see this reality and observe how nothing ever improves.  It becomes the “same old, same old” scene.

Critical thinking is lacking.
Critical thinking is skill anyone in the organization can possess and it is a secret weapon for organizations that succeed.  A critical thinker is inquisitive at heart.  She is not afraid to question the status quo and embrace the question “why”.  The key is how we (leaders) respond to those questions:

  • Why haven’t we made a decision?
  • How will we know we are successful?
  • Who owns this task?
  • What are our criteria of success?
  • How will we hold each other accountable?

These questions force movement and progress.  And in turn, they keep the organization moving forward.  But these questions threaten a weak leader (and organization) and are not answered.  The result is an organization that repeats its ineffectiveness.

Phil (Bill Murray’s movie character) finally gets it and is able to experience a new day (and of course, we get our happy movie ending).  We live in the real world.  But if you feel like Phil, I hope your organization can do the same.

Customer Service Doesn’t Have an Expiration Date

I find myself in Panera Bread Company® a good bit.  In the age of coffee shop meetings, many of my business meetings occur here.

I had an interesting experience in one of its locations occurred last week I have to share.

I was meeting with a new colleague so before our conversation began, we waited in line to order our beverages.  I ordered my standard hazelnut coffee and he ordered a hot chocolate.  Sandra, our Panera employee, explained that the drink machine was broken so hot chocolate and any other latte, etc. was not an option for us.  The problem had been reported but she had no way of knowing when it would be fixed.  She quickly offered other beverage choices so my colleague obliged an ordered another drink.

We sat and began our meeting.  After an hour, we were still talking and then this happened that really took us by surprise.

Sandra appeared at our table holding a hot chocolate in her hand.  She offered it to my colleague and said they were able to get the machine fixed so she searched for us, hoping we were still there and made one on the house.

Honestly, we were both taken aback.  My colleague enjoyed his beverage (with whipped topping mind you) and we spent the remainder of our time together reacting to what just happened.

We were the recipient of great customer service but what’s interesting, the experience occurred long after we expected it.

We finished our meeting (and he finished his hot chocolate) but I couldn’t get Sandra’s actions out of my mind.

Every company today proudly advertises their customer service.  In fact, it’s usually one of the first things a company exec will say when asked what makes his or her company different.  But how do you know your company really offers that service we often brag about?

Here are a few takeaways from our experience with Sandra that I would challenge any company who is striving for a reputation of real customer service.

Service always occurs at the transactional level.
Service is only really “believed” when the customer experiences it.  It doesn’t really matter what your signs, handbooks or wall hangings say about your business.  The real proof is how your employees interact directly with your customers (by the way, that’s internal and external customers).  It’s the moment when you see or hear the customer smile and thank you.

Service occurs when employees are empowered to take care of the needs when they see them.
In today’s marketplace, taking care of the customer is not a checklist of items to complete.  The consumer’s dollar is so limited today and everyone wants it.  Companies that stand out – and incidentally get the dollar – are those who place few “rules” on employees when it comes to taking care of them.  You see a need and meet it…period.  I strongly doubt our Panera employee asked permission to bring us a hot chocolate.  She simply saw the need and took care of it.

Service requires an environment where the “talk” is “walked”.
That old adage, “do as I say not as I do” may work sometimes with a 3-year old but it won’t make it in today’s service industry.  For employees to really believe their company is about service, they have to see it modeled from the top.  Yes, it’s important to train employees on the ins and outs of the business and clearly paint a picture of how you want customers served.  But after that, they have to see (and believe) they are being taken care of too.  At the end of the day leaders, your employees are your customers.

I’m a fan of Panera® and know they are not perfect (no business is) but it sure is refreshing to see service in action and be moved to the point you just have to tell someone else about it.

Leaders…you are always being watched..sometimes on television

LPGA Golfer Juli Inkster

A sports story from this weekend’s LPGA tournament caught my attention.  And yep, you guessed it, another leadership lesson from the golf course (Phil Mickelson also gave us one of those recently). 

This week’s story however isn’t as positive as our last lesson. 

LPGA member Juli Inkster was disqualified from the Safeway Classic on Saturday afternoon for a rules violation.   Inkster hit a stall during the tournament and used a small weight with her nine-iron to swing and stretch and stay loose before her play resumed.   However, according to tournament rules, a golfer cannot use a training aid at any time during tournament play. She was disqualified at the end of the round.

You can read the full story here but here’s the spoiler:  a television viewer caught her error and reported it.  That’s how she was disqualified.  An innocent bystander  – not even present at the tourney – brought her indiscretion to light. 

Inkster, obviously, was surprised, and issued a short statement after her disqualification. “I had a 30-minute wait and I needed to loosen up,” she said. “It had no effect on my game whatsoever, but it is what it is. I’m very disappointed.”

So here’s the lesson.    Leaders…you are always being watched and you never know who your audience is.   And that truth carries some important lessons for all of us.

Your span of influence often includes people you may never meet.
Your title of supervisor or manager, etc. automatically places you on “stage.”  Employees across multiple levels of the organization look to you for direction and influence.  That direction may be a policy you speak about, how you handle a Q/A at an employee meeting or simply how you respond when you meet them on an elevator.  Your position creates membership in the group known as “them”.  Your perception to others will always occur on an individual level –whether you meet them or not.

Integrity is a discipline that is continually tested.
Wouldn’t it be nice if integrity was simply a test we completed once a year to renew our certification as leaders?  The reality is we encounter situations each day filled with opportunities for a shortcut to success or a quick fix to a problem.  And those moments can often be defined as gray – not really black or white.  It’s in those moments are integrity is tested the most.

“Tests” often create opportunities for public response.
Like it or not, as a leader, your actions – even those with good intentions – can ultimately become very public.  How we respond when we mess up is really key to our reputation and influence.   Am I willing to admit wrong-doing (whether intentional and unintentional) in such a way that accepts responsibility or do I allow myself to be insulated and place blame elsewhere?

It’s interesting – at least to me – that I’m not a golfer.  In fact, it’s a sport I rarely follow.  But in the last two weeks, the actions of some of the sport’s highest profiles have made the news.  Not for their golf performance but rather how they handled their integrity.

Leadership lessons can occur anywhere.  How often am I the “subject” of someone’s lesson?  Let’s hope it’s a positive one.