I announced in May, 2010, the 52 - Week Employee Recognition Plan. This is the 33rd week. The lesson this week is:
- Close your lap/desktop, turn off your cellphone, put down your pen…and listen.
This is a good way to end the year: Listen with our full attention.
Early on in my career I noticed that meetings in my office did not receive my full attention if my laptop was open, my cellphone was on, my office phone did not have do-not-disturb set, my papers and books and reports were not set aside.
I did not intend to insult those meeting with me in my office. However, I did.
Those devices are so compelling. You cannot look, listen, peek, peer, point....if they are open.
And we can only look, listen, peek, peer, point, make eye-contact, honor those we meet with if those devices are turned off.
Eventually I solved the challenge by closing my laptop, turning off my cellphone, turning away from my desk and having the conversation away from my desk at a little conference table. The staff had bought one, with chairs, color-coordinated together with my office.
However, I did not turn my office phone to DND or Do Not Disturb. Why? Well, all unanswered calls to customer service or sales rang to my desk. I answered them. Everyone understood these took priority over any meeting. I liked handling them as it kept me in touch with customers and prospects. It communicated consistently this simple priority for our brand: answer their calls.
Back to the meeting. This step of moving away from my distractions made the meetings more productive, reduced misunderstandings, reinforced everyone’s importance in the company’s success and that I was available when needed or I had a great reason why not: those phone calls from customers and prospects.
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You can start with any week of the 52 - Week Employee Recognition Plan and make that your first week.
You can take one of those weeks and turn it into a month or commit to an accelerated pace and complete 6 of the weeks in one month.
You can create your own week of employee recognition. Share that journey here. Share it in your blog or Twitter or Facebook.
But, do something to recognize your employees! They set your brand apart as your ultimate competitive edge. And the more you recognize their achievements, the more achievements you'll see and they'll enjoy, along with your customers and and shareholders, partners and vendors.
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