Brett Favre's Secret

Even if you aren't a football fan chances are you know who Brett Favre is. Now he is coming back again out of retirement to quarterback the Minnesota Vikings. In his first press conference he took the mic and the press probably wanted to grill him! Here is a guy who has repeatedly said he was retired only to change his mind. He was also about to play for one of the Green Bay Packers' (his first team) biggest rivals.

So what did Brett say in the press conference that may have had a small effect on the reporters and also reminded some of his fans why they like him, and why they root for him? Here is an excerpt...

Another thing I forgot to mention was that when I said no earlier to Coach Childress and Coach Frasier, my 10-year old daughter who was neutral in this whole deal. So I asked her, “What do you want to do daddy?” She said, “Whatever you want to do daddy.” I said, “That’s a good answer but what do you want me to do?” She wouldn’t say until after the news broke and she started crying as we sat on our back porch. Anybody who has children, I can be chased by five defensive linemen and that doesn’t scare me but when my daughter cries it softens me up. She said, “I wanted you to go back and win one more Super Bowl.” I said, “Ugh. Why didn’t you tell me that before? She said I didn’t want to make that decision for you.” It’s amazing what you learn from your children. She said, “Can you go back?” I said, “Too late.” I found myself tearing up this morning as I brought her to school, and she said, ”Daddy, it’s going to be fine. You go up there and do what you got to do. We will be up there soon enough.”

When the opportunity arises, whether it is a business or professional setting .... consider telling your employees stories. They work. Make them personal to you or to them or both if you can. Most people appreciate that. Most people can relate to stories, and maybe most importantly, most people remember them ... and the connection you made!

Don't Ask For It, Demonstrate It

Want to be appreciated more at the office? Throw some appreciation to those around you.

Want your colleagues to act more like a "team"? Act more like a teammate to them.

Want more communication? Be a better communicator.

Do these ideas sound obvious?! .... then be obvious. People will respect and gravitate more towards your actions then they will in responding to your pleas for improvement.

I was recently involved in a discussion (close to an argument) with one of my family members about the act of listening. We both thought the other did not listen (and we were both probably right.) So finally, after being stubborn for too long, I just decided I was going to stop everything and listen to his every word at our next lunch. Guess what happened? It became reciprocal. It was hard at first for me, but it was a great feeling in the end because it led to much better results.

Lead by action....then watch others emulate.

Read their reports!

At my daycare each day the teacher(s) create a report which tells us certain little information about our baby's day, things like how many meals he had, what books were read to him, and of course the all important count on how many times he used the bathroom (with some added detail!) I LOVE this reporting, maybe because I am an accountant but I hope also because I am an "into it" parent.

The other day, I happened to notice that one or two of the parents consistently do not take the reports home at night. At first, in my judgmental way, I thought how wrong that was. But who am I to judge? There may be a reason for it and it does not mean they are unconcerned parents.

But then I was thinking ... what do the teachers think?! These teachers hand-write these reports every single day for each parent ... even for those they know will not (maybe never) take them.

Now sure they may have to do it for internal reasons, but ....

Could that affect the way they perceive those parents? Maybe. Oh my gosh, could that affect the way they perceive those babies? Hopefully not, but maybe?!?!

Now let's look at the "reports" you review....reports where your staff will expect you to review them. Of course there are the quality control standards at your organization that come into play, but beyond that ...... Why isn't everything your staff does reviewed by you or someone else? Not just reviewed but "acknowledged"?

If you work in a public or internal accounting shop, do your clients/colleagues know how much you care about your staff? Do they SEE you valuing their work? If you are suppose to look at something a staff created ... do you always "read their reports"?

"SMART" goals are missing something

You have probably heard of the "smart" acronym tool that can be used to help you create better goals.

S = specific
M = measurable
A = attainable
R = reasonable
T = time-based

What is missing? The WHY! Why does this goal matter? Where does it bring me (or my team)? Now maybe that is not the goal of using this tool, and I have seen some people expand the "m" to mean "motivational", and the "s" to mean significant, which sounds good. If you are setting a team goal specifically and you are leading the goal-setting process, make sure you ask WHY, not only from your perspective, not only from the team's perspective, but also from each individual member's perspective!

Reverse the Question

Try something next time someone asks you for some advice or a question: Turn it around on them.

Unless it is a question where there is a simple answer which you know and they do not, try turning it back to them. Ask them what they think is the answer and then see if you cannot work with their answer in giving your opinion/answer.

Why might this be more effective?

It might be an answer they remember better because of the way you involved them.

They might get the feeling that you actually are searching for their intelligence some, not just your own.

They might surprise you that they already know the answer! Sometimes people are not looking for answers, they are simply looking for affirmation of their own intentions. A "What do you think? ..." might be the best way to go.

I can still remember an exchange I had with my dermatologist 20+ years ago when she was advising me not to put a certain medicine on my face right after I washed it. Why? Because it would be irritated if you did not let it dry properly. But why do I remember the exchange so well? Probably because it was a case where I asked the initial question and she had me answer it!

4 Minutes

"...if i die tonight, at least I can say I did what I wanted to do..."

That is a lyric from the song 4 Minutes (courtesy of Madonna, Justin Timberlake, and Timbaland)

It had me thinking about the changes that have ocurred in people's outlook on their career over the last 10 years. No more social security (at least the Gen Yers don't believe it will be there for them.) People will be living A LOT longer in the future. Both parents are now taking time off to be with their young kids ... had we even heard of "paternity leave" 10 years ago? Those same parents still want to move up in their companies. They still want to continue to develop skills. They are less inclined to believe their current job might be their last ... in fact that thought scares them. Baby Boomers/Veterens are working past age 65 more and more now. Younger generations see themselves as working (and playing) well into their 70s.

The old notion that you put your time in, put your head in the sand for X number of years, and then, and only then, you "can do what you wanted to" is going bye-bye. Life is much less of a big goal than it is a series of sprints and breaks. Work is not someone's life, it is a part of their life they fit into everything else they are doing. Remember "if I die tonight".

So, tomorrow when you get a little fed up with someone because you feel they have too many competing priorities, just remember they do! They don't want to hear about what they cannot do, they are busy! They want to know about how they can fulfill what measurable requirements you have (and of course how that will help them develop their skills). They do want to do what THEY want to do today, and it all has to fit. The leaders who can help them with all of this and support them will be the ones maximizing their growth and output.

"How about you!?"

Engaging Gen Y

Lots of talk about engaging Gen Y, lots of time put into that issue. I wonder though, are we starting to get to the scarey part? (Scarey for some.) Will firms now have to not just worry about engaging Gen Y, but also making sure their firm is set up for Gen Y to take over?

I can't seem to get the Jedi Council from Star Wars out of my head. Yoda is off on some far away planet fighting with the Wookies, yet he, through the use of technology, virtually sits in on an importat "just-in-tim" collaborative Jedi council meeting. The decisions are not made by one person, but many. Ever heard of second life? Hmmm.

Millenials are now reaching manager stage. The way they will manage is completely different from the way Baby Boomers have traditionally managed, and slightly different from Xers. It will be more collaborative. It will be more virtual. It will also be shocking to firms who have not thought this through. For sure one thing is....it is going to be exciting.

Mentoring Programs

One of my goals this year is to talk to many CPA firms. I like to know what has been successful and what has not. Mentoring Programs seems to be a hot topic. I need to talk to more firms because many of the firms I have talked to who have initiated such programs have, to date, seen the results fall short of their expectations.

Am I just being too skeptical in trying to draw some conclusions? When I see a firm who sees a NEED for a formal mentoring program, I wonder about their current INFORMAL leadership!

I also wonder how mentoring can be formalized? Think about the mentors you have had over your career who made a difference. Did someone start a formal program to get you a mentor? The best mentoring relationships I have experienced and heard about stem from the mentee making the choice (1) to search for a mentor, and (2) who that person is!

I cannot wait to hear about some of the successful programs going on right now so I can rebuke myself a little bit, which has happened before! To be continued ....

60 Minutes piece

This past Sunday night 60 Minutes did a piece on the generational issue called "The Millennials are Coming." (part two in a series that was started late last year.)

The story was pretty well done but there was one theme I had a hard time with, and I will start with providing a few of the quotes from the story that will help set up the issue:

1.) Marian Salzman, an ad agency executive featured in the story, said:

"You do have to speak to them a little bit like a therapist on television might speak to a patient," Salzman says, laughing. "You can't be harsh. You cannot tell them you're disappointed in them. You can't really ask them to live and breathe the company. Because they're living and breathing themselves and that keeps them very busy."

2.) Mary Crane, a consultant, also fatured in the story, said:

"The boomers do need to hear the message, that they're gonna have to start focusing more on coaching rather than bossing. If this generation in particular, you just tell them, 'You got to do this. You got to do this. You got to do this.' They truly will walk. And every major law firm, every major company knows, this is the future."

So, if I interpret their messages in a strict way, I may conclude two things about dealing with the Millennials: First I can never tell them I am disappointed with them, and second I cannot tell them what to do. I know, my interpretations of these themes from the story are harsh and maybe unfair, but I wanted to bring them up to make a point:

First off, there is no doubt these younger generations do see more out there. They do not view a hard separate line between work and life. They see it all together as a series of opportuntities for them. They also don't just like to be told what to do unless they understand where you are comng from and how that involves them. They will not, like some of the past generations, simply put their head in the sand in do whatever is told of them from the beginning....based on an organization chart, company policies, or an instant sense of authority.

So, it's not that we cannot "boss them" at times. It's that we cannot boss them right away. First you must develop that one-on-one realtionship. And I know that can be difficult when you have 40 people you might be managing in any one year. But, you have to do it. You have to learn about them as a person, both inside and outside the office walls. You have to know how their life interconnects. If they have an important family function or simply a soccer game on Tuesday at 5 pm, you'll need to consider that. The coaching point is a good one. But by coaching, you'll actually get to boss sometimes also. It's the order that is vital. See, they are not accustomned to that treatment in the coporate world, but they were at home. So, they will rebel unless you can do it right. And if you do it right, you'll know them and you will know when they are not up living up to WHAT THEY CAN BE, which is slightly different than what you think a standard off-the-shelf worker at their level should be. Once you know them, you aren't being harsh, you are telling them they can do more, based on what YOU KNOW OF THEM.

I have seen many millennials do things that were asked of them with no questions and no problems. But that only comes from a person where they have grown a lot of trust and a fostering relationship. They WILL NOT do that for anyone else. They are not accustomed to doing it and that would be against what has brought them to where they are today.

YOU CAN BE HARSH (in the right way as discussed) AND YOU CAN BOSS THEM. You can only do that, though, if you have first developed a strong, trusting, give-and-take realtionship. Oh and that must continue throughout the relationship.

Link to the story:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/08/60minutes/main3475200.shtml

"Dots" Continued

First off, should we challenge the notion that a professional leaving is always negative? It might not be what the firm wants, but if the firm realizes their company is just no the best fit for the professional at the time, there are two options: Fight and claw to try and keep them and let it end on a disappointing note, or listen to the employee and support and assist their transition.

This is going to happen. It is inevitable. The mobile skilled workforce is always looking for a better job, more money, and more attainable skills. Retaining your people is a subject for a another post.

In the developing virtual economy companies are going to realize that adjustments need to be made to the traditional "recruiting and retaining" approach. It is more about having accessible "talent relationships." This is why many firms, including the big 4, are stepping up their investments in alumni programs. They know they'll need access to their alumni in the future, or they'll welcome referrals.

I have heard some great stories of firms that "get it" in this area.

A Bethesda, MD based firm, for example, gave a professional who left, ahead of receiving their bonus, the money anyway. Their reasoning: he earned it, so why does it matter that he left?

He will remember that.

A southern California based firm that had one of it's star seniors leave for a client was provided access to their intranet after she left, so she could have technical resources her new company did not have.

She will remember that.

KPMG actually has a program for people "on the outs" where they help them to find a good fit at an outside company.

Do you know anybody who has worked at the same accounting firm more than once? Do you see a future where there will be more of a project based "ad-hoc" accumulation of the right skills to get a certain job done? Can you see a scenario where you will need to call on alumni for assistance in different ways?

The time may come when you both might need each other. You might be surprised to find them later with different skills developed outside your organization that you can leverage.

Do whatever you can to keep that door open. Do whatever you can to support them no matter their future aspirations. Leave a lasting impression. Let them know they are not really leaving your firm, they are simply deciding to connect some dots outside of it.

How many "Dots" can your professionals connect?

Steve Jobs spoke at a Stanford graduation back in 2005. If you have not already seen it, it is pretty interesting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtbJM9ksxo8 In part of his address; he talks about his professional journey. He uses the term "connecting his dots" where in retrospect there was a series of decisions and learning opportunities that he took advantage of that provided him a unique set of skills .... a set of skills that allowed him to create Apple Computer and lead the company to where it is today. One interesting point is that he was fired from Apple, connected a few "dots" outside the company, and then was later back.

I have heard accounting partners tell me that they sometimes fear getting a staff real well trained and experienced in a specialty area for fear of losing them. For example, assisting a financial auditor to obtain more IT skills could be risky because then they might become too valuable and leave. I have heard this type of story more than once.

Huh?!

So let me get this straight, your staff becomes much more valuable, much more able to service your clients in new ways, and you are afraid about even pushing that idea? It's a legitimate concern at many companies and accounting firms. The question is why?

This fear is really about not having the resources and opportunities to allow your professional to "connect later dots" at your company. You provide them a first dot, maybe an expensive dot, and then they go elsewhere and others benefit.

The workforce today is very mobile. Pensions are gone. Headhunters run rampant for the best talent. The internet allows people to find jobs quicker and to create new jobs themselves. The accounting and IT industries are facing future 5 and 10 year shortages in skilled labor supply, whether the economy expands or stagnates. This issue is not going away.

Your talent, especially your best talent, wants to connect their dots, even if they don’t know what they are, and they are willing to change jobs if that means connecting more. The question is, what do you do about this dot problem?

To be continued….

Free Agents?

We now live in a professional world where the terms used to describe the younger generations are: “free agents", “the entitlement generation”, and “constant negotiators.”

If you are like me, until a few years back, the term “free agent” was a term reserved for professional athletes. When pro football players, for example, finally become true free agents, they get to do more of the dictating of the contract terms and are free to sign with a team proposing the highest offer (which usually includes lots of commas on paychecks.)

That attitude has trickled down to college athletes. If you are a big-time college football recruit these days, chances are you want to know about many areas in which the potential suitor (college) will support you:

· What is your academic support staff like?
· What are your historical student-athlete graduation rates?
· How much playing time are you going to promise me?
· Can I study, eat, and practice in nice, conveniently located facilities?
· How much personal interaction will I receive from the coaching staff?
· How will you use my talents within your system and schemes?

Some college recruiters have been known to go as far as creating a customized play-book which features all the plays the recruit will be used in, and how that specific recruit’s talents will be utilized and developed further.

Think about the message here: The onus for the development is not on the player, but on the college.

Now let’s compare that to today’s college students entering the job market in hot industries like accounting and IT. Do you think they want to know about how they can take charge of their own professional development? No, they want you to paint a picture for them about how you, the recruiter, will take care of that for them. Take a look at those questions again. You will find they can be transferred to your company's efforts in recruiting (and retaining) the best talent. How are you answering them?

The iPod - the symbol of generational differences?

It seems whenever a conversation gets started about generational differences, someone from an older generation will bring up the "iPod" dilemma.

We have all heard this. How can kids these days think they can work WHILE wearing an iPod? The younger generations will ask the same question with a slight tweak: How can I, while wearing my iPod, get my work done? And that tweak provides us some insight into the differences.

The first group does not know how an iPod can be justified because it has not been the norm. The second group does not know how wearing an iPod will adversely affect their performance (quite conversely it might do the opposite is their thinking), so they feel justified in wearing it. Actually they don’t think about it that much. An iPod has become part of their life and they are use to getting things done while having it on, so who is to tell them they can’t wear one?

Neither group is wrong or right depending on how you look at it. An iPod may be ok, it may not. But the thinking process should not be centered on the notion that they are not allowed because .... traditionally they have not been allowed!

One thing is for sure, and some will not like this: If you are not going to spend the time to get to know a Generation Y worker, if you are not going to spend the time to show them specifically how wearing an iPod will have an adverse effect on their work, their measurable production, and their success, then why tell them they can’t wear it just because it has not been traditionally allowed? The reasons you could not wear a Sony walkman, 15 years ago, have no bearing on today... you must specifically link it to performance and results. If they perform to your measurable standards, then wearing an iPod while getting there is neither here nor there.