- Attract those who are engaged in the game of life. True engagement comes from opening the self to another in a straight-forward, unguarded manner. Cultivate those who are willing to own their mistakes. Permit them to learn from their missteps. The self-starters and self-believers will maintain the enthusiasm that brings pulse of their passion.
- Bring meaning to the method. Engagement is accompanied by the risk of vulnerability, but offers the opportunity for a reward that may eclipse the risk. People crave two things: meaningful work, and acknowledgment for their achievements. They may crave another thing, but that would be beyond the scope of this PG blog…
- There is a risk in vulnerability; however, without risk, one can never truly feel the flush of happiness and the bond of connection that exists in a more transparent level of engagement.
“When you find your purpose you will find your direction.” – Bill Wooditch
- Purpose is embodied by person’s sense of resolve or determination. It is found in the resolve, drive, motivation, commitment, and conviction that drives one to perform a duty, task, or undertake an obligation.
- Become compelled. The difference you make in life will receive its fuel, stamina and “life force” from the compelling need to make a difference in the lives of others.
- Become distinctive. If you aspire to be a “destination employer” then take the steps to become one. You’ll separate yourself from the lemmings or followers that march to the dull drum-beat of the mundane. Doing things the way others have always done them is a recipe for disaster, but it is a cure for insomnia. In other words – it’s uninspiring and boring!
- Aggressively recruit, actively train and continually coach. Select the type of talent that is turned away or feared by those establishments which recruit ‘cookie cutter’ employees. Treat your employees as coworkers, contributors and co-conspirators — collaboration cultivates creativity and becomes culture.
- Make diversity of hiring a choice. Not just when it comes to race, but as it pertains to education. I’ve hired prestige — Ivy League and the self-determined — “school of hard knocks”. Regardless of school, the ones that “make it” earned their degree in “street-smart, hungry and tough”. They “burn their boats”, have a no-retreat mentality and have no option B. Intellect is a requisite, but it takes second place to willpower.
- Hire for intellect and attitude, train aptitude. Put your people in position to win. Show them what winning is; teach them that today’s loss can be learned from to become tomorrow’s win. Encourage them to learn from failure. Teach them that setbacks may define a particular experience, but they must not define the person.
- People and systems, systems and people. People, systems and cash. You can outrun two, but you must never outrun the third. Support your people with effective systems, guard your cash and grow the organization through both people and systems. Your people are the difference makers between your company’s mission and its actualization.
- People design, build and sell the product. People develop and implement the process that drives profit. Through profit, there is perpetuation. All things connect!
- Create an environment that limits the obstacles to success. It’s our job as leaders, managers or directors to grow our people. We can’t give them work ethic, but we can provide a fertile environment where they can expand, flourish and grow.
Think Next, Act Now! Talent, skill and will + fertile environment = successful enterprise, engaged coworker and “destination employer”.
