(How to) Make less meaningful work more meaningful. Take all the senseless BS out of people’s jobs – unnecessary tasks, paperwork, and CYA-related nonsense. When you ask someone to do something, use what they’ve done, or quit asking them to do it. Ask people to develop their own best ways to accomplish results, hold them accountable, and reward them for hitting targets. On the premise that we all need to see the needle move once in a while, give them some opportunities for quick wins. Source: Contented Cows
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Contented Cows is a great blog about how to facilitate cooperation in the workplace. The premise is simple: contented cows produce more and better milk. While not looking to produce milk, as a leader I am interested in how to create an environment where people can be productive, feel appreciated, and accomplish great things. In that spirit, I pass along this post entitled "Stop Being Ordinary!" ****************** Have you seen the YouTube video of the Thomson Airways (a UK carrier) safety video? If not, click on it (above), take 3 and a half minutes to look at it, then keep reading. Sure, it’s cute. The kids are really good. Adorable. And the creative team that put it together is brilliant. But what makes it work is that it’s anything but ordinary. Thomson passengers actually watch the thing, and I have to believe that retention of the material is off the…
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“How do you know if a man needs encouragement? If he is breathing.” -Truett Cathy, Founder, Chick-Fil-A
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Do you have stray gift cards laying around (or in your wallet) that have small balances left on them? Instead of throwing them away, considering sending them to GiftCardGiver.com and let them route them to a non-profit that can use them to benefit others. Here's an excerpt from their story: Four friends had an idea to collect gift cards and give them to people in need. They went to a gathering and asked 8 people how much money in unused Gift Cards they had in their wallets and walked away with $50 in Gift Cards to help people in need. GiftCardGiver.com was born. Gift Card Giver is a new form of giving. The Gift Card industry has risen to be a 60 billion dollar industry. Ever wonder how many gift cards are unused? More than 10%. That means billions of dollars are waiting to be used for good on Gift…
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Author Jon Gordon ("The Shark and the Goldfish" and "The Energy Bus") has a great blog post on "5 Things to do Instead of Complaining." The basic idea is this: we can choose how to respond to our environments. Here is the article: ********** I’ve been speaking to a lot of organizations around the country and the one thing I keep hearing from leaders and employees is that complaining is at an all time high. I’m not surprised. There are two main reasons why we complain. 1. We complain because we feel powerless. 2. We complain because it’s a habit. The economy has shaken a lot of people’s foundations and we feel powerless which leads to a rise in habitual complaining. So this week I want to encourage you to go on a complaining fast. Not because it will make everyone around you happier, although it will, but because it…
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