Showing posts with label employee relations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label employee relations. Show all posts

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Will the Circle be Unbroken?


I was born and raised in the Rust Belt. My parents instilled the notion of working hard and being honest and polite. As I began working, those principles seemed to be the best way to stay out of trouble and keep a job.

I spent years believing those basic principles would somehow lead me to a deserving future. My reasoning was people would recognize those strengths and somehow my efforts would be justly honored.

Photo used courtesy of: Tony Fischer Photography.
It certainly wasn’t the case once I was hired in a factory. Employees were just a cog in the wheel, nothing more. The expectations were to produce as much as you and a machine could yield. Anything less in production was grounds for a tongue lashing from the boss and if production didn’t improve you would be fired. If you met or exceeded expectations- the only guarantee was more of the same and a paycheck.

Most of the people I worked with drank alcohol to escape from reality. I was no exception. It was far easier for people to drown their misery, dreams and future with alcohol or drugs. Many of my co-workers lived in poverty, didn’t have a GED, or any hope for a better future. Most of those workers lived on the poor side of town.

They had resigned themselves to a dead-end job and a lifestyle of disease and early death- all for a lowly paycheck! Their kids would become part of the vicious cycle; often dropping out of high school in order to receive a weekly paycheck at the same factory Dad worked; purchase a souped-up car with big tires and soon marry their pregnant girlfriend.
Will the Circle be Unbroken?
Eventually, I landed a non-factory job and received a promotion to become part of management. I thought my hard work had finally paid-off. I was excited to implement my ideas and improve the functionality within the area of my responsibility and possibly further improve employee relations.

My excitement slowly turned to dust when I approached my boss with ideas and he just looked at me and changed the topic entirely. After attempting to get his approval several more times, I learned to do whatever I could change on my own to improve processes.

The realization that I was just a cog in the wheel and nothing more led me to believe it was his style of management. Do what you are asked and you will be rewarded with a paycheck and benefits. If you attempt to innovate, stand-out or create change, you become a problem.

Sadly, it has taken me years to understand the true nature of this concept. I was naive and wanted to believe I could make a difference. I spent years wondering why any business would operate in this fashion with so much at stake. Why wouldn’t you want to be all you could be?

What I learned is the same concept that infiltrated the manufacturing industry was no different in the non-industrial workplace. The exchange of a paycheck for hours of conforming was all that is required. Nothing less, nor anything greater is appreciated. Mediocrity- at it's finest!

I believe we can do better. We must do better or our businesses will suffer the same fate of the dying “industrial age.” An outdated business model that served to pigeon-holed employees to be a “cog in the wheel” and nothing more- ensures our failure to innovate and implement change within existing businesses. It negates our ability to create a new working business model that rewards effectiveness and linchpin behavior. 

If you are just working for a paycheck, you’re really not living.

Trading time for pay- solely to exist- isn’t our future!

Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells-

The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”
Something Meaningful that Matters!
www.successthroughmusic.com
www.bestofvegaswebsite.com
www.paradisefitgranola.com

Friday, August 3, 2012

What is your Company Culture?



Do you work for a company that operates out of fear? Do you report to work wondering if you will be laid off today? Does the mindset appear to be:  keep your head down… don’t look up… don’t ask any questions or else…work harder? Start a few timely rumors and keep the workers in a flux. This is the ultimate corporate recipe for disaster.

Photo courtesy of : laverrue.
Some companies keep their work force in fear for their jobs. They believe if they control their workers emotions the business will benefit from increased job performance. Too often, Management equates fear with power. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Businesses that choose to operate in this manner eventually burn people out and they seek employment elsewhere. This old fashion industrial-age method increases costs to the employer through constantly hiring and retraining replacement workers. Morale bottoms out and affects everyone, including your customers. Once customer service is affected your company is in the tank.
Fear is never a good motivator for any organization. People loose respect for an organization and lose sight of what truly matters. Anyone can walk into a business and within a few minutes of observing employee attitudes determine if a healthy work environment exists.

Fear erodes your business reputation from the inside-out!
Great businesses stand out immediately and the vibe is exciting, which extends to the customers.

The fact is… if your business operates using fear as the motivational tool; the problems are far more serious and deeper than how your employees are treated!

What is your company culture?

Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells-The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”
Something Meaningful that Matters!



Friday, July 6, 2012

What message are you sending?

Photo courtesy of  Kevin Dooley.


A mediocre band director conducts the musicians and sets the tempo.

 A great band director inspires the musicians and the audience.

The great band director realizes he is leading people to invoke a mood or tell a musical story by creating art, while making a powerful impression to the listening and watching him (customers and musicians).  

The other band director is merely showing up and doing what is required.

What message are you sending to your audience (customers and employees)?

Until We Meet Again, Jim Carver Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells- The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”Something Meaningful that Matters!www.successthroughmusic.com
www.bestofvegaswebsite.com
www.paradisefitgranola.com