“I’m looking for people who want a career, not a job.” I’ve had many clients, especially car dealerships, say that to me. I get the point. They want someone who is investing in their future. Looking at the big picture. Not just punching the clock and going through the motions. And while they look for those types of employees. … …
Horn Sections Make Rock Better: Life in a Glass House
A reader took in my series on how technologies that will allow the metaverse are already leading to cyberpunk culture that workplaces must address. She then sent me this NPR podcast on Radiohead’s groundbreaking albums Kid A and Amnesiac. She observed that Radiohead really deserves a place in the cyberpunk series. Like U2 in the early ’90s, Radiohead issued a …
Podcast 90: What does coaching look like? Mark coaches Mike
What you’re about to hear is real. It is a recording of a live coaching session between Mike and Mark. Managers are supposed to coach. But what does it look like? Sound like? We would love your questions and comments for future episodes: Email Mike and Mark. Listen here … subscribe on Spotify, Amazon or Apple … or view below.
Podcast 89: Listener request: Leading emotionally charged team members
At the request of a listener, we’re addressing a specific situation that many of us have experienced. How do you lead a team where some members are prone to outbursts or other signs of disrespect? To further complicate the subject: It’s a manager recently promoted from that team! If you have additional suggestions for the manager, please comment below. And …
Mental health stigma: Transparency is profitable
This lengthy article from McKinsey & Company covers how to address the stigmas (they say there are three of them) against mental health in the workplace. Buried down in the article is this point: Encourage leaders to share their experiences with behavioral-health challenges. This often-undertapped channel (only 24 percent of employers reported using their C-suites to communicate about mental health) …
Podcast 86: Lessons from the Lockpicking Lawyer: messages to your tribe
An anonymous attorney who picks locks on YouTube has a valuable lesson for anybody trying to attract employees or customers who really “get you.” Three lessons, to be exact. (Note to audience: Mark managed to make it through this entire episode without once mentioning Mitchell and Webb’s classic Padlockigami. But watch and enjoy.) We would love your questions and comments …
Labor shortages: Your (and Macy’s) huge opportunity?
Marxists probably laugh gleefully at this Washington Post headline: “Macy’s offers corporate workers a ‘valuable opportunity’: In-store shifts.” My friends on the left have been talking about this a lot: Of course there is a worker shortage, because finally employees can refuse jobs that don’t pay a decent wage. Greedy capitalists aren’t in charge any more. Don’t even try to …
Podcast 84: Be the leader you wish you had
It really is as simple as the title. … With one qualifying statement. We would love your questions and comments for future episodes: Email Mike and Mark. Listen here … subscribe on Spotify, Amazon or Apple … or view below.
What about employee touch points?
Earlier this week, my bad fortune with an airline allowed me to discuss all the touch points your customers go through in forming an opinion about your brand and the company that brand represents. But it’s worth considering that your employees go through something similar. And, of course, how they feel about their employer will have much influence over what …
Podcast 82: How to retain employees for free: Do you care?
You can’t tell people you care–you have to show them! So how do you do that? There are three basic concepts, and two simple behaviors, to do just that. Put this episode into practice and stop employee turnover. We would love your questions and comments for future episodes: Email Mike and Mark. Listen here … subscribe on Spotify, Amazon or …