I first saw this Lufthansa commercial in 1998. Trust me: the impact is strongest when you watch it without any context and my comments will have spoilers, so don’t succumb to the temptation to jump ahead.
The first time I watched this ad, I was nearly through to the end before I realized the visuals from the last half were exactly the same as in the first half. What felt threatening and chaotic in the first half looked beautiful and poetic in the second half. The only difference in the two montages: the music. It’s a powerful illustration of how we can see can see things in a different light, depending on our perspective.
I remember getting a hand-written note from my boss in my first post-college job. In it, he praised me for a talent I didn’t even know I had: being “inventive.” His pointing this out helped me see opportunities to make more use of that talent. It made me approach my work in an entirely different way, and led to successes beyond anything I expected–all from a change in how I viewed myself and my abilities.
Today’s webinar presented by O.C. Tanner featured Tom Carroll, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at RR Donnelley and Sons. He spoke on employee recognition for the multi-generational workforce, which was first discussed with our audience at the 2011 Executive Recognition Summit in New York City. Here are some highlights from Tom’s keynote at the Summit.
With a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology, Tom Carroll leads 60,000 employees worldwide for RR Donnelley & Sons—a 10 billion dollar, Fortune 250 Company. A renowned executive coach and facilitator, Carroll has spent years researching the generational make-up of the American workforce and the life experiences that affect them. Why is this important to understand? Because as Carroll said, “Life experiences really set our beliefs. Our beliefs cause us to attribute value; what we value motivates ourselves. And when leaders understand what motivates, unexpected and exceptional results follow.”
The different generations are influenced by everything from world events and national issues to what’s happening in the community and with families—and how that sets the tone for the dominant emotional tenor.
Our own Gary Peterson was featured on the Shingo Exchange blog last month on one of the foundational principles of the Shingo model.
I remember when we were first changing out all our old, big, batch machinery for small, mobile, one-piece flow devices. We had more than two dozen new machines that we had to build. Each machine took us several iterations before we got close to something that could work on an on-going basis.
The first few machines were designed, built and delivered without general input from many of the users. Needless to say, our team members weren’t generally delighted with the result.
Then we let the pendulum swing all the way to the other side – in an attempt to perfect the machine to a state that would never require modification, we paralyzed the design process by trying to meet every whim of the new users.
Eventually we reached the point where team members wanted the new machines delivered NOW, rather than wanting them to be perfect. We realized by then that no matter how carefully we designed the machines, we always found something that could be improved. That’s the whole idea of kaizen, isn’t it?
The question is, what do your people do with a new machine that isn’t quite right, even as it delivers a whole lot of new capability – such as quick set-up for one-piece flow, and an ability to meet takt time?
If they’re bought into the direction of your True-North (the vision you have of where you would be if everything were ideal), engaged in daily kaizen, and feel respected for what they do and how they do it, they’ll figure out a way to make the machines work, even as they give their ideas on how to make them even better.
Here’s an example: [continue reading here.]
We live in an increasingly digital world–a wealth of information and tons of talent are only a click away for anyone, almost anywhere. This phenomenon has empowered individuals and changed the dynamic between employees and employers.
For many workers, work is no longer a place–it’s a state of mind. The company has lost its historic position as the gathering place and disseminator of work, data and customer contacts. Individuals are now ascendant and no longer require being housed in corporate real estate to make their contribution.
There’s been a fundamental transformation in the way work is organized, managed and performed. Forty percent of jobs in the U.S. today can be done almost anywhere and don’t require special equipment or hands-on needs, and this is especially true for the exploding base of knowledge workers.
It’s daunting to think about competing in a global economy, especially when considering the obvious international roadblocks that can detail a business. Profits, goals and objectives can get lost in the quagmire of logistical, communications, tax, trade, political and cultural landmines that can come with working across countries and continents.
Fortunately, there is at least one constant upon which a business person can rely; a truism that holds from Moscow to Sydney, from Dubai to Rio, from Milwaukee to Beijing, and all points in between. And that is (drum roll, please): people like to be recognized and appreciated for their work and their contributions.
How do you motivate your employees? Keep them empowered and engaged? The answers are simpler than you might think, and Fast Company’s Erin Schulte makes a good case for them. Her formula is fairly basic, but can help companies yield world-class results.
“Happy, motivated employees are simply good for business,” Schulte writes.
In fact, Harvard Business Review reports “happy employees have, on average, 31% higher productivity; their sales are 37% higher; their creativity is three times higher.”
The keys to keeping employees happy? Celebrate milestones, say “thanks” and reward high-performing employees. By appreciating great work, employees are happy, productive and loyal.
