Movie of the Week: Hang on to those towels!
Don’t throw in the towel! Don’t let your colleagues or teammates do it either!
Unless of course there’s no reason to hang on.
But if the goal or cause is still important…
…just a few words like the ones in this movie may be just what’s needed to help everybody hang on and get 2 goal (or at least closer to it).
Get the popcorn, Milk Duds and Raisinettes and watch this two minute movie.* Read more
Ready to throw in the towel? Great tips from Phil Ford
When a person or team is ready to “throw in the towel”, performance, morale and productivity are in the dump.
What got them to this low point? Was it bad seed or bad lead?
Did a bad seed slip in, root and spread like kudzu – choking off even a chance good, healthy growth?
Or did those in the lead make mistakes that caused good seed to go bad? Mistakes like the ones described in 10 Ways to Avoid “Bad Seed” (see #2 – 9).
Whatever the cause, it’s much easier for it to get worse than better. In fact, making it better may be one of the hardest leadership challenges ever. Important. Urgent. Critical to handle NOW. For if the towels are thrown in, the leader is left with no one to lead, all the jobs or no job at all.
In a Business Class interview a few years ago, I had the pleasure of talking with former Carolina basketball player and coach, Phil Ford. We were looking for parallels – lessons from the court that could be applied in business. I asked him about things a leader can do to motivate or de-motivate a team. His answer is summarized in the bullet points below. To get full value though, I hope you will listen to this 5 1/2 minute excerpt from the interview. Read more
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CEO Seed Test
Note: Here’s a story my Dad shared with me. It was part of the minister’s message at his church one day. I’ve been waiting for a good time to share it with you. Seems like now is a good time since we’ve been talking about seeds.
Here’s the story:
The CEO had built a good company. Strong productivity. High morale. Lots of opportunity for growth. He was ready to retire and hoped to select his successor from the six managers who reported to him.
He called the managers together and gave each of them a mustard seed. He explained that he wanted each of them to plant and take care of the seed over the next six months. At that time, he would bring them all back together and whichever one of them had done the best job with the seed would become the next CEO of the company.
The managers were a bit perplexed about the assignment, but each one wanted the promotion and took the assignment seriously. Each manager went out and bought a pot and soil or delegated it to someone else. And each one watered and fertilized the dirt or delegated it to someone else.
During the occasional visits to each other’s offices, the managers would check out the competition. For months, all pots were bare. Nothing but dirt.
That changed slowly but surely. Signs of life started showing up in one of the pots. Then another. And another. Until all the pots now had plants growing in them. All except Doug’s. Read more
Brainteaser of the Week #17
One way to be a better manager is to run better meetings. Use one or more of our brainteasers to start or revive or end a meeting. A great way to shift the brain, spark new energy, maybe even cause a giggle or a smile. All of which can help you boost morale and productivity.
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Show this page or write the words in the grey box on a piece of paper or on a flipchart or on the white board and ask the question:
Look for the good in the box below.
BADGBADOBADOBADDBAD
Need a hint? See 10 Ways to Avoid “Bad Seed”
Share your answer in the “Comments” section. We’ll confirm correct answer later today.
Credits: Created by Jan Bolick
copyright 2010 – Business Class Inc
10 Ways to Avoid “Bad Seed”
In our Quote of the Week, George Washington suggests we avoid “bad seed”.
Even those of us who aren’t farmers can reap benefits from the figurative meaning of his words. “Bad seed” for us could mean faulty materials or finished goods; or a customer who spreads word of his dissatisfaction; or an unhappy staff member who does the same.
This list focuses on the latter, 10 ways to avoid “bad seed” and the damaging impact it can have on the morale and productivity of your team.
1. Don’t hire people who talk negatively about former bosses and former organizations in their job interview. The trend will most likely continue. Read more
Quote of the Week from George Washington on “Bad Seed”
Note: This post is for those who want to get 2 goal…for those who want to be better managers…for those who want to build and maintain office environments that are high on morale and productivity.
Happy Birthday to George Washington
who was born on this day in 1732.
Most people know him as the first President of the United States (1789–1797).
And though he left behind many wise words that reflect his experience as a President and patriot, we have chosen for our Quote of the Week, one that reflects his role as a farmer.
“Bad seed is a robbery of the worst kind: for your pocket-book not only suffers by it, but your preparations are lost and a season passes away unimproved.”
How might this help you in your business?
First, take a look at this 2:17-minute video, Farmer George. Read more
Movie of the Week: 40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes
The inspiration in this movie can help you boost morale and productivity helping you be a better manager and get 2 goal.
Not a manager? That’s okay. It can help you boost your own morale and productivity so that you get to goal.
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One of our featured quotes this week is: “The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall.” (Vince Lombardi).
But man – sometimes it hurts. Sometimes I don’t have the energy to get back up. Many times I question myself and my abilities and don’t even want to get back up.
Does any of that ever happen to you? Or to anyone on your team?
It’s been my experience that most managers and teams and individuals often give up or stop too soon. Read more
FREE Workshop: Road Map for Business Success
Whether you are working on your own or managing a team, having a road map is critical for success. In fact, having and sharing a map solves the majority of morale and productivity issues that many organizations face. Read more
Looking for the Good: A Leadership Lesson from Coach Bill Guthridge (shared by Phil Ford)
Our Quote of the Week from Vince Lombardi:
“The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall.”
So yes – we’re going to fall. And if we don’t, we aren’t trying very hard.
But man – sometimes it hurts. Sometimes we don’t have the energy to get back up. Many times we really question ourselves and our abilities.
Our Quick List this week includes 10 Tips for Getting Back Up.
In this post are a few additional tips – for when you are the manager or coach and you have more than just yourself to pick up and keep up after a fall.
These additional tips come from a Business Class interview a few years ago, during which I had the pleasure of talking with former Carolina basketball player and coach, Phil Ford. We were looking for parallels – lessons from the court that could be applied in business.
Phil praised the coaching job done by Bill Guthridge in 2000. The regular season record was something like 13 and 18, not a normal situation for Tar Heel players and fans. Ford described the team as a “wounded duck”. Read more
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Brainteaser of the Week #16
One way to be a better manager is to run better meetings. Use one or more of our brainteasers to start or revive or end a meeting. A great way to shift the brain, spark new energy, maybe even cause a giggle or a smile. All of which can help you boost morale and productivity.
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Six Lincoln head pennies have been arranged in two rows to form a “T”. By moving only one coin, change the pattern to two rows of four coins each.
Go to “Comments” section to check your answer.
Credit: Passed down through the years. Original source unknown.
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