April 2007

Employee Motivation, Don Imus, and: Team Building: Five Secrets to Creating Successful, Motivated Teams

Don Imus, a shock jock (someone who shocks their listening audience by saying outrageous statements), was fired from his jobs on WCBS radio and MSNBC television for crossing the line of decency and making racist and sexist remarks regarding the Rutgers University women's basketball team. From a team building and employee motivational point of view, there are tidbits of motivational wisdom to be learned from this situation.

First, let me ask you, how many "Don Imuses" do you have in your organization, your team, or your department? You know what I mean, the employees, whether they are women or male employees, who continuously cross the line when it comes to behavior; perhaps being overbearing or the bully at work. They make insensitive comments without respect for other people's feelings, and then say the following when you discuss their conduct:

Yet, they proceed to exhibit this inappropriate behavior. Because of this "Don Imus" behavior, productivity decreases, employees are less motivated, transfers and personnel issues increase, and soon you stop accomplishing your goals. Bottom line is that these kinds of people can tear apart your organization and team with their words or behavior.

The following are five secrets to handling the "Don Imuses" on your team so that you keep employee motivation high, build a strong, self-directed team, and achieve a higher level of organizational success:

1. Live Your Mission - When you continuously communicate and act upon the organization's mission, values, and goals, your employees will be motivated to live the mission and maintain a high standard of behavior and productivity. This communication must start at the top and be communicated and acted upon at every level at every opportunity.
   
   One of your organization's top values should be--respect. When you allow an employee to disrespect other team members through words or actions, you are not living your organization's mission, which will lead to organizational and team turmoil, productivity issues, and possible harassment issues.
   
   We know when working with top organizations, the more organizational values are communicated and reinforced, the more success the organization will achieve. This creates a motivated work environment and rewards employees based on the mission.

2. Be Consistent - Whenever you observe this bad behavior, you must address it each and every time. Many times I will hear managers say, "Well, they just said it once" or "It will go away eventually." Well, it doesn't go away. By not addressing this inappropriate conduct each and every time, you enable or empower the individual expressing this behavior. Your "Don Imus" person is thinking, "Well, no one said anything, so it must be acceptable," or "If I can get away with this, then let me overstep the boundaries even further." All the while the other employees, who are conducting themselves in a positive manner, are less motivated to produce. They will retreat to a safe environment where they won't need to communicate with this person and communication fundamental to a successful work environment ceases.
   
   Be consistent each and every time! Have the courage to conduct a private coaching session with the "Don Imus" personality and explain what is acceptable communication and behavior each and every time. Explain in detail what the reward for good employee behavior is and the penalty for continued bad employee behavior.

3. Remember That Words Hurt - "Sticks and Stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me" is the phrase many of us heard growing up. Well, words do hurt. The best advertising copywriters, political experts, speech writers, and screen writers are paid millions of dollars to create emotions with words so that we are persuaded to act in certain and various ways.
   
   Realize that once we say something that is hurtful or can alienate our fellow employees, we can never take it back. Or, as the old expression goes, "It's hard to get the horses back in the barn once the door is opened."
   
   

   We should all be careful with the words we use. You might ask yourself the following:

   Is my language positive or motivating toward my fellow employees?
   Am I showing respect toward my team members with the words I use?
   Do the jokes I use uplift or motivate or tear down and de-motivate my team members?
   
   
   Note: Always use honest communication that respects the recipient of your message. When you are "frank" (Let me be frank with you...), this means you are giving an opinion at the expense of the person receiving your "frankness." Let's leave "frank" out of our conversation and be more honest and respectful.

4. Motivate Towards Good Behavior - Always encourage positive, motivating behavior and recognize good behavior whenever you can. Recognize the person(s) exhibiting positive behavior in team meetings, a memo, or letter from the vice president, etc.
   
   Most of all, your employees will emulate the behavior you show. Always be on your best motivating, respectful, and positive behavior. When it comes to behavior as a manager, you receive what you send out.

5. Be Prepared to Take Corrective Action - If you have a meeting and/or coaching with the employees that are exhibiting the "Don Imus" behavior and they choose to continue with their inappropriate behavior, it's time to take action. Make sure that you, as the supervisor or manager, document, document, and document all discussions relating to this unacceptable behavior. Confer with human resources to receive expert advice on the next steps in the corrective action procedure. Remember, you are never alone when dealing with this kind of employee. Then start implementing the corrective action and follow-up to ensure there is a positive change in behavior. Be timely in your follow-ups so that there is no lapse in time between the next situation of unacceptable behavior and the next level of corrective action. Also, immediately motivate and reinforce positive behavior changes.
   
   Remember, if you show you are quick to take action for unacceptable behavior, this sends a message to your team members that you respect them as employees, individuals, and team members; and they will be far more motivated because of your actions.

Apply the above five employee motivational secrets and eliminate the "Don Imus" personalities from your team, and you will create a motivated workplace that achieves team and organizational goals.

motivation motivate employees motivate team employee motivation team building Don Imus

We are Hokies, We Are Virginia Tech!

Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia has declared that we observe a moment of silent and a statewide day of mourning for the fallen students of Virginia Tech University. As I understand it, many other states are joining Virginia in the moment of silent. Even though I am a Blackbird (Long Island University), since this tragic happened, I am a Hokie.

We went to the gym early this morning and many people were wearing the Hokie colors. Afterward, we went to the supermarket and the grocery bagger was wearing a Hokie t-shirt that read "Hokie Hope."

Hope is the common theme of today and every day going forward. We hope and pray that the families, friends, and community will find the strength to overcome the tragic loss of loved ones. We hope that our freedom to live life will not be eliminated the act of one troubled soul. We hope the heroic stories are not forgotten. We hope that we will learn from this tragic situation so that we become a better, stronger society by taking the time to help all those who are weak and in need of help.

The following was written and read by Poet Emeritus and Distinguished Professor of English Nikki Giovanni at the convocation held the day following the tragedy at Virginia Tech:

We Are Virginia Tech

We are Virginia Tech
We are sad today
And we will be sad for quite a while
We are not moving on
We are embracing our mourning
We are Virginia Tech
We are strong enough to stand tall fearlessly
We are brave enough to bend to cry ...
And sad enough to know we must laugh again
We are Virginia Tech
We do not understand this tragedy
We know we did nothing to deserve it
But neither does a child in Africa dying of aids
Neither do the invisible children walking the night away to avoid being captured by a rogue army
Neither does the baby elephant watching his community being devastated for ivory
Neither does the Mexican child looking for fresh water
Neither does the Appalachian infant killed in the middle of night in his crib in the home its father built with his own hands being run over by a boulder because the land was destablized
No one deserves a tragedy
We are Virginia Tech
The Hokie nation embraces our own and reaches out with open heart and hands to those who offer their hearts and minds
We are strong and brave and innocent and unafraid
We are better than we think
and not quite what we want to be
We are alive to the imagination and the possibility
We will continue to invent the future
Through our blood and tears
Through all this sadness
We are the Hokies
We will prevail
We will prevail
We will prevail
We are Virginia Tech

We are Hokies, We are Virginia Tech!

Virginia+Tech+Day+of+Mourning Governor+Tim+Kaine Virginia+Tech Nikki+Giovanni overcoming+adversity

Take Time Out for Success in Life, Work, and Family!

Today is Time Out Day!

With the chain of recent events, we all need to take a time out of the "Rat Race" and recharge our mental and emotional "batteries." When you a take time for time out, you will find the right solutions, make better decisions, control stress, develop better relationships, and achieve a new level of success.

Take a time out at least once a day. You can a take time out by doing the following:

• Meditate

• Turn off the noise

• Disconnect from technology

• Take a walk around the building

• Eat lunch in a park

• Try Yoga

• Listen to classical or other relaxing music

• Read a book

• Enjoy the clouds (I know what you are thinking)

• Take a long walk

Take a time out to improve your life!

Time+Out+Day stress+management control+stress rat+race meditate

Win My Motivaton E-Book!

Today is Take a Wild Guess Day! So why not take a "wild" guess and win my popular e-Book, "Empowerment and Stress Management Secrets for the Busy Professional" (A $29.95 value) when you guess the right answer to the following question:

On my website's newsletter sign-up page, www.thesykesgrp.comblog/newsletterSignupincentive.htm, who did I interview that appeared on the Martha Stewart Better Living Program?

Here are the rules (let's keep it simple):

• Send your answer by e-mail to info@thesykesgrp.com

• One guess allow per e-mail address submitted

• One prize per e-mail address

• Winning participants will receive e-Book download link to the winning e-mail address within 24 hours

• Contest ends April 16th at 12 Midnight EST

So take a wild guess and have fun!

Take+a+Wild+Guess+Day Motivation Motivation+book

How is Your Friday the 13th?

How is your Friday the 13th? Is it like the movie with the character Jason? Is it one of your best days ever? Is it somewhere in between?

The fear of Friday the 13th is called Paraskevidekatriaphobia. I now have a fear of pronouncing that word. There may be as many as 21 millions Americans inflicted with Paraskevidekatriaphobia.

Simply amazing how so many people allow a day of month to determine whether they have a bad day or great day. So I challenge you to blast through your fear of Friday the 13th and always make it a great day.

Create a Great Friday the 13th!

Positive+Attitude Friday+the+13th

Today is Empowered Women Entrepreneurs Day!

Today is Empowered Women Entrepreneurs Day!

More and more women are gaining the knowledge and resources and becoming entrepreneurs. This enables them to be empowered, take action, and embrace new opportunities in their lives.

I would like to recognize my partner, Joy, and especially my sister, Cheryl for being empowered entrepreneurs. Cheryl recently had her second baby. Her husband is disabled because of an unfortunate job related accident. Instead of sitting back and accepting her situation, she researched different entrepreneurial opportunities, and started a striving eBay business with enough income to live comfortably.

Obtain the knowledge, take the action, make opportunities happen, and be empowered for more success in your lives!

For additional resources, go to Empowered Women

Empowered+Women+Entrepreneurs success opportunity

First, 82 Degrees, then Bill O'Reilly, and Now Snow in April in Virginia Beach, VA

In Virginia Beach this week, it was 82 degrees and I was talking about turning on the air conditioning. Later in the week, Bill O'Reilly was taking advantage of a very unfortunate situation in Virginia Beach to further his agenda. Today, it's 32 degrees and snowing. Who would have thought all this would happen all in one week?

Snow Virginia+Beach Bill+O'Reilly