Lead Thru Values

Have you wondered how some companies are able to remain strong and seemingly able to withstand almost any external pressure like rising costs and even the threat of a global recession? Do these companies have some sort of secret formula? And how do they seem to hold onto great people while many companies are struggling with turnover and trying to find great people.If you’re experiencing some of these concerns and are hoping to find some answers, grab a notebook and get ready to take some notes as I’m joined by my friend, Ken Trupke.Busy leaders hire Ken to help them identify the issues preventing them from growing their business, but what I like most about Ken’s approach is that he believes everyone wants to do work that excites them, to be part of something greater than themselves, and to be appreciated.If you’re new to the podcast, my name is James Mayhew and i started this podcast with one thing in mind:  to help you ensure that every person in your company has the knowledge, skills and confidence to do their jobs exceedingly well.I’m glad you’re here. Now let’s jump in and learn from Ken Trupke.

You’ve probably heard that people don’t leave bad jobs; they leave because of bad bosses, poor management, and a lack of appreciation of their worth.It’s cliche, yet it happens all the time and exit interviews confirm it.Just because you’re in a management or leadership position, the immature, inexperienced or insecure leader incorrectly assumes that the people on their team will automatically respect, listen and follow direction directions. It really doesn’t work that way. In fact, it takes a great deal of time, effort and skills to develop trust, let alone build true rapport with your team.Here’s what doesn’t work.Constant criticism, sarcasm, micro managing and just being downright cruel in your communication.Think back to a time in your life when you’ve worked for a manager who routinely shoots down your ideas, doesn’t hear you out, and just overall, is disrespectful to you. It makes you miserable, erodes your confidence and overall, just makes your job intolerable.This is a recipe for losing your best people. But what if there was a better way? A simple, but powerful framework that promises to build trust and rapport?That framework is the topic for episode 67 where I’m joined once again by my friend and turnaround specialist, Kevin Wormwood where we discuss the power of integrity, dignity and prosperity.I’m James Mayhew, America’s Chief Culture Officer, and this podcast focuses on helping companies attract and retain great people, improve communication at every level, and boost your bottom line.

Comments, questions or feedback? Send James an email or initiate a conversation using this link: https://calendly.com/mayhew/connectContact James directly by calling (319) 929-2604.There’s a lot of talk about #empathy as one of the most important — if not *the most important — leadership attribute. I don’t disagree, except for when it’s not paired with #courage it doesn’t do anything for another person. Empathy without courage is like having good intentions without action. “Susan, I’m so sorry to hear about your mom last summer. The sympathy card is still on my desk all ready to go… I just keep forgetting to get a stamp and mail it.”In that scenario, I feel better. But Susan doesn’t. It’s likely I’ve just galvanized my relationship with Susan and from her perspective, I don’t really care her. She's clearly not a priority for me. Be mindful about your thoughts as your thoughts become your words, and your words become your actions. True empathy that’s paired with true courage — especially in a leader — means you say what needs to be said, while being mindful of the other person’s view and emotion. It means you don’t delay having the crucial conversation. You make it a priority. It means that you're open to how you could have done better. Clearer expectations. Giving helpful feedback. Listening better. Courage is the ability to do the thing that frightens you. Without it, empathy is just a feeling.

Comments, questions or feedback? Send James an email or initiate a conversation using this link: https://calendly.com/mayhew/connectContact James directly by calling (319) 929-2604.Investing in your company culture will always pay off…But only when you understand HOW to make culture an accelerator and not a detractor of individual, team and corporate performance. Too many leaders of companies are trying to build culture with things like:Food Truck Friday’s After hoursPotlucks and celebrationsQuarterly awards “Team building” activities Don’t get me wrong. These aren’t bad things. Unless…They’re seen as a deflection from addressing the real concerns that employees have such as:Dumb rules and policiesBad management Poor hiring decisionsTolerating or even promoting bullies (I see this all too often)Not having any kind of performance reviewIdeas that aren’t listened toFrustrations with old, worn out equipment or technology liked phone systems and computersTolerating gossip by coworkers or managers Leaders that won’t address any od these issues, but continuously paint a picture of how great everything is.Wise leaders know that these issues are the killers of productivity, efficiency, and profit. Wise leaders also take ownership for knowing that they’re 100% responsible for it. And finally, wise leaders have the humility to know they may need some help to make it happen. Then and only then can they be confident that their Investment in their company culture will show up in the bottom line in a powerful way.

Have you ever considered how you come across to others? Is it possible that the way you communicate might be creating some unintended issues between you and other’s? On today’s episode I’m going to walk you through the 4 communication styles that exist in every team so you can have more win-win situations.Hey, Team welcome back to Lead Thru Values.If you’re new, I’m glad you’re here. You should know that the purpose of this podcast is to help be a better leader and give you practical tips to ensure that every person on your team has the skills, knowledge and confidence to do their job exceptionally well.If you’re a returning listener, I want to thank you for giving me a few minutes of your day. I’m grateful for you.Communication can be a real struggle in business as evidenced by these stats:86% of employees and executives cite the lack of effective communication and collaboration as the main cause of workplace failures.97% of employees believe that communication impacts their performance on a daily basis.28% of employees cite poor communication as the reason for not delivering their work on time.A Harvard Business Review report cites that 72% of employees feel their performance would improve if their managers gave them feedback on their work.Another report by Trade Press Services shows that as many as 85% of employees claim they are most motivated when regularly updated about company news and information. There’s a direct connection between communication and employee engagement. According to Gallup, team members with higher levels of engagement:Produce substantially better resultsTreat customers better and also attract new customersAre more likely to remain with their companyAre overall healthier and less likely to experience burnout.However, there are 4 prominent types of behavior that impact the effectiveness of communication in any company.The first one is Passive Communication.People who communicate in passive ways tend to give in. They want to keep the peace and they believe the best way to keep the peace is to remain quiet.As a result, this damages their own self-esteem as the wrestle internally with speaking up or just staying quiet.In other words, the Passive communicator views the situation as “You’re Ok, but I’m not.”The second type of behavior style is Aggressive Communication.People who communicate in an aggressive way look for ways to take advantage of a situation and/or another person.They tend to talk people down in an effort to damage the other person’s self-esteem. They use forceful tones, strong language and body language to attempt to intimidate their counterpart. They see it as adversarial or even combative. In short, the outcome they want is that, “I’m OK and you’re not. And I don’t care.” The third type of behavior style that impacts communication in the workplace is being Passive-Aggressive.This one is the most toxic because what’s not being said is what’s actually being said. The passive-aggressive individual pretends to go along with the group. A decision.A course of action.A strategy.But, they use tactics like gossip and back biting to tear others down.They also use non verbal communication such as sighs and eye rolls that don’t match their words.“I suppose that’s best…” [punctuated with a sigh as they walk away] is an example of passive aggressiveness.It’s incredibly damaging to a team’s culture as it’s damaging both to the passive aggressive person as well as others.The mindset of the passive-aggressive individual is, “I’m not OK, and you’re not OK.”And that takes us to the fourth behavior style

Call James at (319) 929-2604 Connect with James on LinkedInLearn more about how James helps companies attract and retain great people, improve how teams work together, increasing employee engagement at JamesMayhew.comOn today's episode...A trillion dollars.That’s what US businesses are losing every year due to voluntary turnover. But here’s a hard truth for you:  most of this is self-inflicted.Hey, Team welcome back to Lead Thru Values. This podcast exists to help you ensure that every person on your team has the skills, knowledge and confidence to do their job exceptionally well.And today, I want to share something I’m seeing in my work companies across a variety of industries and sizes.Turnover is expensive. According to Gallup the cost of replacing an individual employee can range from one-half to two times the employees annual salary (a very conservative estimate.)So a company with 100 employees that provides an average salary of $50,000 could have turnover and replacement costs anywhere between $660,000 and $2.6 million per year.That’s according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report that measured an annual turnover rate of 26.3%… in 2017. That’s 5 years ago and pre-pandemic.Losing your best people means you have a leadership performance gap. And there’s no denying it. But, that means it is also fixable.It would be too easy to say that this is natural or inevitable. Yes, people move. Get married. Get divorced.Some people pursue their own dream to start their own company.Here are some additional statistics.52% of voluntary exiting employees say their manager or organization could have done something different to prevent them from leaving their job.It would be easy to assume or say, “we did everything to make it right and keep that person…”But over half of exiting employees tell that in the 3 months prior to them leaving, neither their manager or any other leader spoke with them about their job satisfaction or future with the company.Don’t miss that!In 3 months, nobody asked them how they felt about their job. No one talked with them about their future.This is the leak that I’m seeing and I want to help you know how to plug it.You train your managers to have consistent, meaningful conversations with employees.I train and coach my clients on how to have a real Progress Meeting where a productive, 2-way conversation occurs every 30 days.Now before you stop listening because you either *think* you’re already doing this, or you can’t stomach the thought of another meeting, stick with me.Here are 3 keys:The meeting gets scheduled out a year every 30 days. The goal is that a minimum of 10 meetings occur per calendar year. Why is scheduling them ahead of time so vital? Because what’s easy to do is also easy not to do.Getting them on the calendar creates accountability and an expectation that they’ll happen. All too often this simple step is taken for granted, resulting in gaps of 2, 3 or even 4 months.The progress meeting must be a conversation.Conversations create clarity, but you cannot get clarity without be an active listener. Managers, it’s not your job to do all the talking. You should be asking questions and listening to learn, not to respond.How are things going on the XYZ project?Have you run into any unexpected challenges or roadblocks?Do you have everything you need to hit the target?And the best managers learn the...

Have you ever asked yourself this?What value am I bringing to this conversation today? Hey, Team welcome back to Lead Thru Values.This podcast exists to help you ensure that every person on your team has the skills, knowledge and confidence to do their job exceptionally well.And today’s podcast is a new, short form version that I’m calling Lessons From The Training Room, where I share a powerful real-world leadership examples with you from my work with executives, business owners and managers.Today’s topic is reflective… it’s designed to cause you think about the impact you’re making today.Because there are a lot of people in leadership roles out there who are just going through the motions… just checking the boxes… just trying to make it through the day and through the week.But if you have the burden of leadership… and yes, I specifically said burden — not privilege — then this might hit home for you, or for others on your team.So go and teach it.Before you send that next email…Before you have your next 1:1 with a team member…Before you start your next team meeting…Pause long enough and ask yourself this IMPACTFUL question:What value am I bringing to this conversation?Truly, this 5-second “Snicker’s moment” might be the difference between:A misunderstanding or clearly communicated action steps;A disengaged, unmotivated employee or an engaged, motivated employee;A missed opportunity to listen or a new idea that will save your company thousands of dollars (or more!);Giving the impression the person(s) on the other side of the conversation are just part of a machine, or showing them their value and your appreciation of it. Again, ask yourself, “What value am I bringing to this conversation?”And before you tell yourself, “I got this!” maybe you want to slow down and consider what questions you can ask to learn… instead of what items you want to tell.If you’re serious about building a competitive edge over your competition, you’ll need a system that ensures the right conversations are happening between managers and employees.Because…Conversations create clarity. Clarity produces action. Action drives results. If you want to learn more about how to guarantee the right conversations are happening in your company, I invite you to pick up the phone and call me directly at 319-929-2604 for a free, no obligation conversation.I’m James Mayhew and I’ll catch you next time on LTV. 

When you want engaged employees, but you only focus on metrics, you’re missing hundreds of opportunities through the course of the year to actually cause higher engagement. Hey, Team welcome back to Lead Thru Values.This podcast exists to help you ensure that every person on your team has the skills, knowledge and confidence to do their job exceptionally well.And today’s podcast is a new, short form version that I’m calling Lessons From The Training Room, where I share a powerful real-world leadership examples with you from my work with executives, business owners and managers.Many of you are very familiar… intimately familiar… with the term KPI.Key. Performance. Indicators.KPI’s have been around for years and have been used to measure progress on a variety of business stats. Closing ratios.Calls made.Efficiencies of all types.Revenue.Here’s what I’ve found: Most managers focus only on the metrics.I’d like to offer you a new perspective on the acronym, KPI.In fact, I’d like to offer you 4 new variations that are focused on engagement.#1. Keep people informed.People want to know how they’re doing.  James, you’re at 127% of your quota for outbound calls. Keep up the good work!James, your hourly production is steady at 96% of goal, but your QC is 13% below goal.Be consistent and transparent with your reports and make sure the information is up to date and accurate.#2. Keep people interested.James, did you know that if you just close one more deal each week, you’ll hit your target? Let me show you something… The best leaders work with their team members to help them see where they need to improve. They’re comfortable and skilled with setting expectations, providing helpful feedback in a timely manner, and they provide guidance with HOW to improve.#3. Keep people involved.If you want to deepen employee engagement, then be open to ideas and suggestions. James, what are you seeing right now? What opportunities are we missing? Seek ideas and suggestions by asking specific questions. And listen to learn, not respond. #4. Keep people inspired.Even great people can get into a slump.James, you’ve missed your targets 3 of the last 4 weeks. How can I help you get back on track? You can go 1 of 2 ways. Treat the person with dignity… or treat them like a replaceable part of your machine.Here are the 4 most powerful words you might ever say to another person: I. Believe. In. You.Even the greatest athletes hit slumps. The best hitter in baseball goes 0 for 24. Or the basketball player with the 92% free throw percentage goes 2 for 7 in a pivotal loss. People don’t want to fail. They aren’t trying to miss targets. They may be doing everything right, but they’re just in a slump.And slump’s have a way of ending in amazing ways.In each of these examples, if the conversation doesn’t go past the first stage of keeping people informed, you’re not leading. Leading a team requires you to make time for teaching, encouraging, motivating and being a champion for when things are going well…and when they’re not going well.You can focus on the metrics and keep missing opportunities, or you can go beyond the metrics and get to the real KPI’s. The choice is yours. If you’re serious about building a competitive edge over your competition, you’ll need a system that ensures the right conversations are happening between managers and employees.Because…Conversations create...

Hiring. Managing people. Leadership. Communication. Building a business through people.Kevin Wormwood and Kyle Steele join James Mayhew on Episode 60 of Lead Thru Values to share their thoughts on the idea of building up people while building your business.The three men are friends who share a passion for leadership development, building great teams and for simplifying business. Kevin Wormwood is a District Manager for Ashley Furniture. Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn.Kyle Steel is the Chief Revenue Officer for Premiere Plus. Connect with Kyle on LinkedIn.

In episode 59, James speaks with Melissa White, founder of Balanced Fitness and Health on the topics of grit, resilience and determination.Melissa reveals how multiple tragic elements from her past shape her dedication to serve her clientele with care and compassion.Melissa WhiteHaving struggled to recover from a serious car accident, Melissa White became an occupational therapist to help others who have suffered injuries. Today, she has a mission to empower people, cultivate change and improve health by educating and motivating people to own their health & wellbeing. She founded Balanced Fitness & Health in 2015, leveraging her experience in the medical system and knowledge of psychosocial factors to apply a proactive approach to injury prevention and recovery from surgery and chronic pain.

If you’re in any kind of leadership role, there’s a reality check you need to be aware of, and it’s something I see a lot of leaders struggle with.The reality check is this:  there’s a strong chance you’re not getting the full truth from people on your team.That’s right. They’re holding out on you and not being 100% open and honest with you.That’s a tough pill to swallow, but that’s why it’s an important issue to lean into. And that’s why it’s the topic for Episode 58 of Lead Thru Values.Contact James today:(319) 929-2604coach@jamesmayhew.comHello and welcome back to the podcast. It’s so great to be with you again because we’re doing important work together here. Building a culture of performance mastery is one of the hardest things you’ll do as a leader because of all the nuances, challenges and personal growth you’ll have to do… but that means it also has the greatest reward! It rewards your employees, your customers, your bottom line and of course, you and the pride in knowing you’ve done it well, good and faithful servant. And that’s what we talk about on this podcast. I want to help you connect the 30,000 foot view of your business to what’s going on at the ground level.When working with clients, the goal is to identify gaps: communication gaps knowledge gapsleadership gapstalent gapstraining gaps...and then work tenaciously with the business leaders to close them.Because there’s no shortcuts, no silver bullets to building a place where people want to come to, where they get a chance to do their best work and experience feelings of pride, fulfillment and accomplishment.I blessed to work with some truly wonderful people. Business owners and executives who truly care about dignity, integrity and prosperity. And this brings me back to the topic for today which is the reality check that when you’re in a position of authority - whether that’s being a business owner, CEO, a manager, executive director - those positions put you in a spot where you’re not always getting the complete truth.And for the people in those roles, that’s tough to hear even if they’re aware of it. The reason that it’s tough to hear is because they want to create a culture of open and honest communication.The mistake I see being made, however, is a gap between intention and action. More specifically, I’m referring to leaders that say they want open and honest communication, that they want people on their teams to bring ideas, help them see new perspectives, even questions decisions they’re considering.I have several people that are coming to mind right now that I know, without a doubt, want that.And when they say it to their leadership teams or to their staff, they all agree. They nod. They smile. And I believe they believe they’ll do it.So what’s the issue? The issue is rooted in the way we structure business. In 2009, I took a job for an upstart company as a marketing specialist. I was one of about 20 employees; a member of the team. At that time we were a pretty flat organization where all of us reported to both of the owners.When we hit about 40 people, I moved into a manager role. And instantly the relationship dynamics changed. Now I had 2 direct reports that I managed, who just a day before were coworkers. We had 1:1 meetings and our little team of 3 would meet together, plus we’d meet with the marketing department. Being a manager now, I was invited to meetings that my team wasn’t. As a result, I had information they didn’t. Now, they knew that. It comes with the territory. But when people know that you know more than they do about the company’s health, direction, plans, etc., no matter what, it creates distance. A gap. That’s what I mean about the change in...

Contact James:(319) 929-2604Coach@JamesMayhew.comI want to speak with you today about your company’s DNA. This message is really focused to business owners and founders.So if you’re a business owner - even if you’ve been a business owner before - I want you to think back to when your company was formed.What was going through your mind?What emotions were you experiencing? As I speak with clients about this, one of the consistent reactions I get is a smile. They smile because there’s an abundance of experiences that are playing through their mind like old family videos and films.I’ve heard them say things like:I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I was naive.I thought it I had it all figured out.It was a blast.We were killing it.It was so much fun.As I listen, I try to be careful not to ask questions too fast because I want them to stay locked into that moment.After some silence, they’ll start to go deeper…We had a really great group in the beginning.Everyone just knew what to do.We loved the competing with each other.We couldn’t afford many benefits in the beginning, so we played video games together when we were slow.When I watch them tell me about starting up, I see joy. I see excitement. Most of the time as they’re recalling this phase they’re not making eye contact with me. They’re looking at something on the wall or off into space.When their eyes return to mine that’s when I know it’s OK to ask another question.I can tell those are good memories for you. What are some of the reasons you were successful in the early days?And their answers are where I begin to help them rediscover their company’s DNA.They tell me about times when they landed the big account and wondered how they could possibly serve them.Or a time when a major mistake nearly cost them everything.We pulled together. Everyone pitched in. Everyone sacrificed.We learned how to do things on the fly. It wasn’t easy, but it was exciting.We learned about each other.And this is when I know we’re getting to the best elements.But the reality is that these elements - the best things about the company’s origins - in many cases are long forgotten. Or, in some cases, not forgotten, but they’ve lost their shine; their power.Here’s what happens and why it’s absolutely vital to help my clients rediscover this who they are, where they came from, so they never forget what makes them uniquely better.During a company’s startup there’s a nucleus of people; the brain trust.And there’s a powerful vision they’re following which is usually driven by the founder or founders.They constantly talk about that vision almost as if they’re reminding themselves that “this is who we are, what we do, and why we’re better.”It happens in meetings.It happens in the moment such as dealing with an opportunity or an obstacle, dealing a customer who is unhappy and threatening to take their business elsewhere… or worse.It happens as everyone is high-giving and jumping up and down because you just had your biggest month ever.What happens next is inevitable. You GROW.And with your growth you realize you must add more people to keep up with the work. So you start recruiting. There’s something good about how you’re recruiting in the early days… You have to sell great people on the opportunity to make a difference.You know you can’t compete on pay, on 401k matches, or even vacation days.But you can compete on opportunity and the ability to do what you do best and have that be noticed by you and everyone else.Let’s call this the 2nd ring. These employees mostly

“Every minute you worry about external stuff is a minute that you’re not free.”— Curt Mercadante This is one of those episodes to listen to closely. I mean really listen because taking 100% responsibility for your choices, for your attitude, for your belief system….For your life…Is a message we all need reminded of. --------------Curt Mercadante Bio & Contact InfoConnect with Curt on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtmercadante/Buy Curt's book, Five Pillars of the Freedom Lifestyle on Amazon here.Learn more about Curt's workshops and events at curtmercadante.lifeCurt Mercadante helps driven men clear their limiting beliefs, dissolve their stress, and rediscover their lives of joy and FREEDOM.For 25 years, he has counseled small business, entrepreneurs, as well as some of the largest corporations and associations in the country. He’s built three profitable businesses, including a 7-figure PR and ad agency.Curt has trained, coached, and delivered keynotes and workshops to clients across the globe.Curt is a Certified Human Behavior Consultant, a Certified Ho'oponopono and Law of Attraction Practitioner, and author of the bestselling book, “Five Pillars of the Freedom Lifestyle.”Curt, his wife, and their four children currently reside in Sedona, Arizona following a year of traveling the country as part of their freedom lifestyle.

Have you ever had someone ask you for the outcomes that your company is counting on you to deliver in your job?Well that’s a question I ask my clients.And you know what I’ve found?Most people really struggle to answer what seems to be a fairly straightforward question. I’m James Mayhew, americas chief culture officer,  and that’s the topic for this episode of LTVHere’s the background as to why this is such an important question for business leaders to be able to answer:When clients hire me they want to want to know how to consistently hit their targets.And they want to know that everyone is doing a high level of work on the most important things.And in working with a variety of business leaders I’ve found that these are consistent regardless of company size, tenure and title.So over the years I added processes that help get alignment around what it actually takes to accomplish that.It’s built around the function of creating a performance agreement between a manager and employee.And it’s one of the most vital things you’ll ever do to create clarity and instill a sense of confidence and achievement.  The performance agreement process I use consists of three key parts, but the one I want to focus on today are defining your primary job responsibilities. Your PJRs.And that brings us back to the question of the day:  what outcomes the business is counting on you to deliver. When I dive in, the first responses I get are things like managing the day to day, ensuring we stay profitable, set the direction, delegating work, and so on. And those are true, but what we need to get to are the things that are beyond the day to day activities of the job description. By the way, most job descriptions I see posted are a disaster. They’re written with excess corporate gobbledygook, that no one can really be held accountable to.That’s a different topic for a different day, but this is why people struggle to identify the outcomes that the business depends upon them for. They talk about what they do and how they do it, but not why behind it or what the impact is.I’d like to share an example with you using the top of safety to show you a great PJR.Let’s imagine that you’re a supervisor in a manufacturing environment.One of your primary job responsibilities is around creating a safe environment. Your job description would probably say something like ‘ensure all safety procedures are in place and everyone is trained in them.’ Sounds ok, right? And that’s what most people end up writing. And we don’t really take it further than that to arrive at an outcome.So what are some of the outcomes of your responsibilities around safety?  If we lean into this further, we’ll find some clues.Passing inspections. Avoiding citations. Making sure people are safe.And that last statement is where you can start to really dig into deeper. What does it actually mean to make sure people are safe? What I’ve found is this is the desired outcome:  At the end of the day we want our people to go home to their families in the same condition they started.And that’s when you get to the heart of the PJR. It becomes bigger because we’re now talking about valuing Becky, John and Sue as humans, not just parts of our business machine. It’s powerful.  Remember that conversations creates clarity around things like primary job responsibilities.And having that clarity gives you confidence, permission and authority to take action on the most important work.And that’s the hallmark of a high performance workplace.

Today I want to talk with you about the word “drift.”Here in the midwest we have snow drifts in the winter that can be both beautiful and dangerous on the roads.If you’re into motorsports and racing - especially the virtual type - then the word drift is exciting and fun as you create a controlled high speed slide around corners.But what happens when drift occurs in your business? I’m specifically speaking about culture drift.And that’s the topic for today’s episode, so let’s get started.Let’s talk about the impact culture has on reaching your objectives and goals.First, your organizational culture is a set of shared beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that either enhances how you get work done… or gets in the way of how you get work done.Don’t miss this… Your culture exists whether you’re paying attention to it or not, and just because you’ve done a workshop or two about company culture and your core values are on the wall, you will not have lasting results. None of those things will ensure that your employees are doing exceptional work on the most significant things. Culture isn’t just something you discuss in meetings. And, culture isn’t created because you have potlucks in the summer, team building games, Food Truck Fridays, or because you added a game room with foosball  air hockey and table tennis.Now don’t get me wrong, those are NOT bad things. But they could be bad things when they take priority over improving the working conditions such as replacing slow computers, addressing quality or safety issues, or holding purposeful meetings so employees know where they stand. We have to remember that culture is something you DO daily. It’s a collection of attitudes, beliefs and actions that define…HOW you serve your customers;HOW you help employees grow;HOW you make strategic decisions;HOW you develop products and go to market;HOW you attract, hire and retain people;In short, your culture sets the expectations for everything you do in business.How many of you have a statement on your company’s website or job postings that states something like, “We pride ourselves in consistently delivering outstanding customer service?”What you may not realize is just how lofty that statement actually is!You’re really setting the bar high by using words such as consistently outstanding. Now I’m not suggesting you don’t use those words, but what I am suggesting is that a culture that supports those words is a company that makes that a reality instead of ‘good intention.’That means you and everyone in the company understands what it takes to deliver a consistent and outstanding experience for your customers.You will need to define, communicate and constantly teach the behaviors that lead to that desired outcome.This is the point when most culture initiatives fail. If you aren’t defining and clearly communicating your expectations it’s impossible and unethical to hold people accountable to them. What happens next is what I’m referring to as culture drift.

I want to share the four most powerful words you’ll ever say to another person.These words will…Boost confidenceBuild self esteemGive encouragement Empower creativityEnhance decision makingDeepen rapportIncrease trustAnd as a result, you’ll see…Leadership abilities develop.More honest and open communication.Renewed energy. Joy. Fulfillment. Passion. So, are you curious about these four words?Here they are. Say them out loud in your mind as you read them. IBelieveInYou.That simple sentence will unlock hidden potential in another human being. The best leaders see potential in others and work to cultivate it.They don’t fear it. Don’t envy it. They give it life!Make a difference in someone’s life today and give them some encouragement!And if the situation calls for it, Don’t be afraid to honestly and confidently tell them you believe in them. 

In this conversation between Mike Henry, Sr. and James, the two men discuss how faith has impacted their careers. Mike shares his thoughts on feeling stuck, limited and aiming too low at work, and how he found new energy by aiming higher and serving others.Mike's BioMike Henry Sr. began Follower of One to help every marketplace Christ-follower experience the joy of working with Jesus. Follower of One is a global community for individuals who follow Jesus and want their life to matter. He desires to help every workplace believer intentionally follow Jesus full-time regardless of their position on an organizational chart. Prior to Follower of One, Mike was vice president for a nationwide technology service provider and before that he worked in several industries including Financial Services, Energy and Telecommunications. Mike and his wife Vicky reside in the Tulsa Oklahoma area. They have two adult children, two children-in-law and 3 grandchildren. Connect with Mike on LinkedInhttps://followerofone.orgmike@followerofone.org

Contact Zach at https://zachmessler.com or connect with him on LinkedInBe Perfectly Understood. Those 3 powerful words summarize how Zach Messler helps his companies explain their unique solutions to their client's problems in a clear, concise and remarkable way.On episode 51, James and Zach explore 4 powerful words and the history behind them:  Stand In Your Power.Some of the greatest things to ever happen...won’t. Zach Messler wants to change that. See, Zach had a 20-year career in technology product marketing, teaching non-technical sales pros to explain complex software to executive buyers. As attention spans and buying behaviors evolved before his eyes, Zach learned first- hand about the importance of being heard...and how to achieve it. A messaging and positioning adviser with a knack for what to say and how to say it, Zach believes some of the greatest things to never happen, should. And it’s the power of messaging that makes all the difference.

There’s a wall between people who work on the production floor — and those in the office.That wall is a barrier in both the literal and figurative sense.I want to address how that wall creates separation between employees in unintended ways that results in miscommunication, misunderstandings, misperceptions and missed opportunities.According to some research from Gallup, less than 25% of employees in the US strongly believe their company cares about their wellbeing.That figure was highest among those in management positions.And, most alarming to me, the percentage of employees who are extremely satisfied with their company as a place to work dropped from 23% to only 18% over roughly the past year.Obviously there are many external factors that are contributing to this.But not all of them are external. There are many that are internal. And that means they can be addressed and corrected. I've found that great manufacturing companies that truly see their employees as humans (not some sort of cog in a machine) do these 5 things consistently well.

Have questions for James? Send James an email.Several years ago I was siting across from the company owner and he told me…"Your goal is that all of our employees are fully engaged."I remember how I was taken aback by that statement. I thought, How is that possible?Is that eve a reasonable expectation for him to give me?Several years later, I have a new perspective. I learned that he was right in concept but not how he was demanding it of me at the time. It is possible.It is reasonable.There’s not a magic formula. .I finally get it. I see it differently.Because I see it now through a lens of EXECUTION excellence…