Tag Archives: team

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Work Week Devotion 10.23.2016

Mark 10:23-25

Mark 10:43-45 (NLT): But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.

The world tells us to climb the ladder of success and step on as many people as we need on the way up. Our status is determined by how many people are “under” us; who is at our beck and call. As Christians, we are supposed to become more like Jesus as we live in this world. He was above everyone yet He had a servant’s attitude. We should expect no less from ourselves.

Who is your manager, boss or leader? Serve them.
Who do you manage, direct or lead? Serve them.
Serve them like Jesus would – whether or not you think they deserve to be served!

Father God, thank you for showing us the perfect example of servant leadership in Jesus. Please forgive us when pride, insecurity or a hardened heart prevent us from serving others. Help us to serve others the way Jesus would. Amen.

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Work Week Devotion 10.16.2016

Psalms 112: 4-5

Psalms 112:4-5 (NLT): Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly.

There are many ways to conduct business. Shrewdly, self-serving, humbly, generously, under-handed, transparent… Sadly, as many people believe “all is fair in love and war” they also believe it’s ok to do whatever you need in order to succeed because “it’s just good business.” Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. Even when it would be easier or more beneficial in the short term to do something else.

Business owners – you honor God when you are generous, compassionate and fair.
Employees – you honor God when you are positive, productive and a team player.
We ALL honor God when we live a life of integrity at work and at home. It is promised that good will come from it!

Heavenly Father, thank you for the promise that good things will come to those who follow You. Forgive us when we think good things only look a certain way. We know Your plans are greater than ours. Show us how to honor You and live a life of integrity no matter where we are. Amen.

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Children and Parents and Spouses…Oh My!

Learn to help people with more than just their jobs. Help them with their lives. – Jim Rohn

No one lives in a vacuum. We don’t work in one, either. My team has lives and marriages and kids and parents. We’ve gone through cancer, surgeries, tragic death of loved ones, divorce, problems with kids, chronic illness of parents, job loss of spouses…the list goes on and on… As a leader I can’t focus on their work-life and job performance without taking home-life into consideration. I am human, so sometimes I’ve handled these situations better than others, but I always try to err on the side of grace.

My goal is to serve my patients and my team. My team is my most valuable resource and is indispensable in the success of my practice. That means I need to make their lives better with the resources I have and genuinely care about their well-being. If I haven’t improved the lives of the families represented on my team I have failed, regardless of what the report from my accountant says.

It goes without saying that hourly wages should be fair. Bonus/incentive programs, insurance and retirement plans are always welcome. The problem with ending here? These things are the expected minimum. They are necessary but don’t actively “pour into” the lives of your team members. Here are just a few things I’ve found that seem to improve the life and well-being of my team:

  • onsite chair massage
  • back-to-school gift cards/supplies
  • seminars/certification/continuing education
  • flexible days off
  • including family in events
  • FOOD!

Maybe your team and workplace look very different from mine. Maybe you can offer working from home or in-office daycare. Maybe you’re just starting out and have ZERO extra funds to allocate. The important thing is to be observant and sensitive to the needs of your team and be creative in improving their lives at work and at home.

  • As a business owner or leader what are some creative ways you (could) invest in the lives of your team?
  • As an employee what would make a difference for you in your workplace?
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Be a Tour Guide

Do you ever think of yourself as a tour guide? If human beings enter your place of work you should adopt a tour guide mentality. Those who are attempting to do business with you want guidance and security. One of the worst feelings is being lost and floundering. I can think of three examples in the last few months that made me feel that way:

  1. Entering a sit-down chain restaurant. The hostess was cute with a very sweet smile, but that’s all she did. When we entered the building she just stared and smiled at us. I finally said “2” and she picked up two menus and sort of motioned for us to follow her. It was very awkward, but at least she was smiling, which brings me to the next example…
  2. Entering a dry cleaners. The woman behind the counter just stared at me and picked up a pen. No “hello,” no “how can I help you,” no “how many pieces do you have,” not even the smile I got from the aforementioned hostess. I honestly wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do, so I just put my clothes on the counter. She filled out the ticket and told me when they would be ready. Those were the only words she spoke to me.
  3. At the end of an exam at a quick clinic. I had a severe ear infection that had hit out of nowhere. The provider was pleasant, she asked me questions, she explained what was going on and what she was going to do and then walked out of the room. I was left to find my way back to the front to check out and I really wasn’t sure where I was supposed to go. I can hear my ten year-old niece saying “awkward!”

I don’t ever want my patients to feel that way. I’m sure you don’t want your customers to feel that way either. Welcome them. Guide them. Let them know what to expect and when to expect it. Let them know when they need to do something and when they can just relax. Don’t leave them guessing. It’s awkward, it’s frustrating, it can lead to misunderstandings.

You are working hard to give your customers/clients/patients a good experience. Make sure they know they’re getting a good experience! Don’t assume that they can absorb all that’s going on and appreciate it. Figuratively (or literally when it’s appropriate) take their hand and guide them through your process. Don’t make them work for it. Make it easy for them. You can perform every step perfectly to complete the interaction, but if the person you’re interacting with doesn’t know what’s going on, most of it will be lost.  Be a tour guide.

 

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Intrapreneur???

Hopefully you read the previous post “Every Walt Needs a Roy.” If you haven’t read it yet, just go ahead and click on it over there on the right —> and read it now.

Every Walt needs a Roy and intrapreneurs are an important asset to a business of almost any size. Intrapreneur is a term that you might not be familiar with. It has been coined just in the past 30 years or so. Intrapreneur describes a person within an organization who is given the resources and freedom to make things happen but doesn’t take on the risks and responsibilities of the entrepreneur. They are often responsible for turning an idea into a finished product.

We’ve all heard and read about the importance of delegation. We can’t be everywhere and do everything. As a business owner, the risk and responsibility ultimately ends up on our desk. Some very talented people don’t have the desire to take up that role but can still take “ownership” over some of the operations. If you can give some resources and freedom to a trusted team member you might be surprised at how much more can be accomplished within your organization. Give someone the opportunity to grow and surprise you. Show appreciation when they do.

If you are in an organization where you are not the owner don’t ever underestimate what you can bring to your employer. Taking ownership of a project or some area of operation is a great way to expand your skill set and increase your team’s confidence in your abilities. Think of yourself as being in business for yourself. Your product is you! You can package, market and sell your benefits to your employer and everyone wins.

If you are an entrepreneur, recognize a good intrapreneur when you see one. If you are an employee, don’t be afraid to step up and be that team member who makes things happen.

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Every Walt Needs a Roy

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last 75 years (and if that’s the case you’re most likely not reading this) you know of Walt Disney. Have you ever heard of Roy O. Disney? Roy was Walt’s older brother and an integral part of the success of the Disney companies. While Walt was the dreamer, Roy was often the doer. And the voice of reason.

“Every Walt needs a Roy and every Roy needs a Walt. Every dreamer needs a doer. Every starter needs a finisher. Every entrepreneur needs an administrator…If you want to achieve great things, then find the person who supplies what you lack and who lacks what you supply.” Pat Williams How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life (CHI 2004)

We all have certain strengths and weaknesses. It is sometimes good to work to improve upon your weaknesses so they aren’t a hindrance, but it’s always more efficient (and usually more fun) to play to your strengths. Ideally, you find someone who complements you. Someone who is strong where you lack. A Roy to your Walt. When you have people on your team who complement you, far more can be achieved than going it alone.

Some of you are reading this and immediately know “I’m a Walt!” or “Yup. I’m always the Roy.” But don’t worry if it doesn’t seem that simple. Some of us can be either depending on the season of our life or the situation/relationship we are in. For example: I think I’m a pretty good leader most of the time. However, I’m NOT a good administrator. I like to identify potential problems and come up with creative ways to solve them but lack the patience it takes to completely carry out the plan (and heaven forbid I have to make phone calls!) However, at other times in my life I have been the voice of reason and the one who says “That sounds like a good idea, but let’s think about this for a minute. You need a plan!”

“Intrapreneur” is an interesting term that’s been coined fairly recently. I’ll be addressing that in the next post.  In the meantime, if you are a Walt make sure you have a Roy by your side and that you respect and appreciate them. If you are a Roy know that you play a very important role even if it is often “unsung.”  So, at this time in your life, are you a Walt or a Roy?