December 20, 2010
Mayberry Monday – “The Christmas Story”
By Holly McLeod, PHR
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, as the song says – especially in Mayberry. Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife were busy reading a Christmas card from the Hubacher brothers, who had sent the card to them from State Prison. While they were reading the card, Aunt Bee called about the Christmas party they had planned for that evening. Andy said he didn’t want to play the part of Santa Claus that year, so it was decided that Barney would have the honor. After Andy got off the phone and told Barney he would be playing Santa, Barney reminded him he wouldn’t be able to go to the party because there were prisoners to guard.
Andy looked at the uncharacteristically full jail cells and thought about this quandary. He rationalized that prisoners are in jail to teach them a lesson, which makes them like students. He further rationalized that Andy and Barney were like teachers and the jail like school, and “everybody knows students get a break from school at Christmas.” Andy released the prisoners with a warning that if they didn’t return to the jail promptly after Christmas, they would be doing a whole lot of staying after school!
After the prisoners left, Ben Weaver walked in with Sam Muggins and said, “Alright, Sheriff, lock him up.” Ben is the owner of Weaver’s Department Store, and he’s known for being a crotchety, ornery and Scrooge-like man. Sam, on the other hand, is a mild-mannered family man who had the misfortune of being caught making moonshine by Ben.
Andy tried to reason with Ben about it being Christmas and all, and he promised that right after Christmas he would arrest Sam and try him strictly according to the law. Ben would have none of it. He told Andy he was going to keep his eye on the jail, and if Sam wasn’t in jail every minute he would report Andy to the State officials.
Later that day Ben saw the patrol car pull up to the jail with a woman and two small children in the back seat. He watched as Andy opened the door and escorted them inside. When Ben got to the courthouse he asked Andy why he brought Sam’s wife and kids to the jail. Andy replied, “I was just doing my sworn duty.” Andy then asked Mrs. Muggins if she knew Sam was making a batch of moonshine. She happily nodded affirmatively that she did. Andy then asked Sam’s daughter if she knew, to which she nodded “yes”, as did Sam’s son. Andy then looked at Ben and said, “If that don’t make them accessories before, during and after the fact, I don’t know what does.”
Ben was still trying to digest what Andy had done when Barney walked in with a Christmas tree, followed by Aunt Bee with a huge turkey, Ellie Walker with eggnog, and Opie with presents. “What’s going on?” Ben demanded. Andy explained that he thought he needed more deputies with all the prisoners. Ellie then flipped up her collar to reveal a badge underneath, Aunt Bee flipped up her coat to show a badge on her skirt, and little Opie proudly held up his badge as well.
The crowd started to sing “Deck the Halls” and Ben angrily walked out. He didn’t get far, though, because he walked to the back of the jail and stood on a crate so he could look in the jail window. Sounds of revelry and laughter permeated the air as Ben looked on longingly.
Before long, Opie came running in the courthouse and told his Paw to come outside. Andy and Ellie walked out to see Ben attempting to steal the courthouse bench. Andy told Ben he would feel bad for locking a fellow up for Christmas, so he told Ben to put the bench back and go home. Ben refused. Andy started to take him to jail, but Ellie talked him out of it because of Christmas.
A little while later Barney came in the jail with Ben in tow, explaining to Andy that Ben had parked his car right in front of a fire plug. Barney had written him a ticket but Ben had torn it up. Andy told Ben that that was contempt of the law and asked Ben if he had a good explanation. “I have.” Ben said. “I’ve got contempt of the law around here.”
Andy explained that he needed to pay the $2.00 fine or it would be two days in jail. Ben chose the two days. Ellie must have been overfilled with Christmas spirit, because once again she came to Ben’s aid and gave Andy $2.00 to pay for Ben’s fine. Ben told Ellie to mind her own business, but Andy had already dismissed the issue and Ben had nothing to do but leave.
Inside the courthouse the party was in full swing. Barney was dressed as a very skinny Santa, the Christmas tree was lit, and Andy got out his guitar to play “Away in a Manger.” Ben was back at the window, peering inside at the festivities. As Andy and Ellie were singing, Ben started mouthing the words to the song along with them.
There was a loud noise outside so Andy went to investigate. He found Ben trying to get back up after having fallen off the crate he was using to look inside the high window. Andy then realized that Ben had been trying to get arrested so he could join the party. Ben needed companionship.
After a while Andy came back in with Ben as a prisoner, who was carrying a suitcase. Andy explained that he had arrested Ben and that he had insisted on getting some of his personal belongings. Andy instructed Santa (Barney) to inspect the suitcase.
Barney opened the suitcase and was surprised as he pulled out a pair of roller skates. Ben said, “Now how did these things get here? I must’ve mistook them for an electric razor.” He then handed the skates to Opie. Ben pulled out a baseball mitt and said, “I must’ve thought that was a pillow.” He gave the mitt to Sam’s son. He then pulled out a doll and gave it to Sam’s daughter. On and on Ben took out items from his suitcase and gave them away until everyone had a present.
Still keeping up the charade for Ben’s benefit, Andy started to escort Ben to his cell. Aunt Bee stopped them and handed Ben a heaping plate of food. Ellie followed by handing him a cup of eggnog. The party happily continued as they all enjoyed being together that Christmas Eve – even crotchety ‘ol Ben Weaver.
Christmas is in five days. It’s easy to forget the joy and warmth of the holiday because we’re too busy with last-minute shopping, getting projects completed at work, and fretting about this and that. You may even find yourself being Scrooge-like (or Ben-like), instead of enjoying the season and all that it means to you. I hope you will slow down long enough to take pleasure in this very special time of year. It’s a time to appreciate those around you – your family, friends, and yes, your employees – and the blessings each one brings you every day.
I hope you’ll make plans to meet me in Mayberry again in January. Until then, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Stay tuned…
Holly McLeod is a Human Resources Manager for Landrum Professional Employer Services and Landrum Consulting. She is a certified professional in human resources (PHR) and has more than 15 years of human resources consulting in the corporate world, healthcare and manufacturing environments
December 17, 2010
Holiday Safety Tips
by Guy Storey, ARM
To celebrate this season, be thankful, joyous – and observant – as in aware, mindful and cautious! We all enjoy hanging the lights, trimming the tree and preparing elaborate Holiday meals for family and friends. But one unfortunate event with an unattended stove can dampen the Spirit of the Holiday. And a frayed wire in the Christmas tree lights can turn your joyous occasion into a catastrophe.
Extra care should be given to ensure the tree lights are in good repair, properly connected and disconnected before you go to bed or leave your home. Surge protector/power strips should be used to connect the strands of lights, and use the “on/off” switch to avoid inserting and removing the plugs into the wall socket. Outside lights should be inspected before installation to avoid electrical shock when attaching them to metal trim or gutters. Also, use a good, sturdy ladder to hang the lights and decorations at the top of the tree; chairs and stools are dangerous substitutes for the vertically challenged!
Put out any candles when leaving the room and before going to sleep. Keep space heaters away from the tree, presents or curtains. If possible, don’t use space heaters.
If you use a fireplace, make certain that smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors
are operable, and use common sense to prevent the warm, cozy fire from becoming a hostile adversary.
And the Holiday Season is not complete without a party… or two… or three. And it is so easy to “over indulge” in the name of Seasonal Celebration. A designated driver can ensure that you will be celebrating the New Year ALL YEAR.
Be Joyous, Be Thankful, Be Safe! Enjoy the Holidays!
More good tips on Holiday Safety
Guy Storey, ARM
Filed under: Human Resources, Notes from Jim, Uncategorized | Tags: "human resources consulting", employees, Human Resources
December 14, 2010
How to Create a Successful Mentoring Program at Your Workplace
by Jim Guttmann, SPHR
A challenge that all employers face is how to attract and retain good employees. It is a sound business principle that if you take care of your employees, they in turn will likely take good care of your customers. Other than receiving competitive pay and benefits, employees also want to enjoy what they do and to reach their fullest potential. A mentoring program can help meet those objectives by developing employees for possible promotion or providing avenues for self-improvement to help them grow with the company. From the many positive experiences of Landrum employees, we highly encourage any company considering the implementation of a Mentoring Program.
This is a wonderful opportunity for many of your employees to enrich the lives of their co-workers by sharing information, skills and abilities. The goal of this “no cost” program is for participants to find and draw out that untapped potential that resides in each individual. Participation in the program by employees should be entirely voluntary. Those interested in being mentored (a.k.a. Mentees) come forward, often knowing of an area in which they want to further develop and improve. Areas for improvement may include Verbal Communications – persuading others or conflict resolution; Written Communications; Technical Area – such as improving computer skills; Project Management; and Personality Traits – improving self-esteem and confidence.
It is ideal to find pairs where the needs of the Mentee match a competency of the Mentor; there is a high potential for success, and a positive chemistry exists between the two individuals – along with a high level of trust.
When considering the ideal qualities of a Mentee, look for someone who is enthusiastic, has a clear idea of what he or she wants to get out of the program,
who shows initiative, wants to improve weak areas, is open to constructive feedback, takes responsibility, is a proactive listener and shows flexibility. These qualities are essential since it is the Mentee that drives the success of the relationship.
An ideal Mentor is trustworthy (i.e. capable of keeping things confidential), optimistic, dependable and available, a seasoned leader or contributor within the company, influential, a good listener and has excellent interpersonal skills.
There are some critical success factors that need to be covered to ensure the success of the mentoring program:
• The Program is voluntary. The mentoring relationship exists only because both participants in the relationship are truly committed to its success
• The Program’s Purpose is clearly communicated. When the program is formally “kicked off” it is important to establish its overall purpose to the staff. During introductory meetings, any potential misconceptions about the program can be addressed. No false promises are made, such as that participation ensures a promotion.
• A Steering Committee can provide the proper tools and guidelines in helping Mentee and Mentor get the relationship off to a good and productive start. Guidance may be needed in such matters as communicating expectations, involvement level and comfort zones, identifying needs, goal setting, sharing information, encouraging dialog, learning from assignments, debriefing experiences, building organizational connections and developing an action plan.
• The Mentee’s Supervisor is supportive. Mentors should be encouraged to get with the Mentee’s supervisor before the new relationship formally begins. The supervisor can provide valuable insight to the Mentor that may help in getting the mentoring relationship off to a good start.
• Mentors and Mentees are allowed the time for meetings and their time together is respected. All members of management need to take the program seriously and understand its benefit to the employees and company alike
• Expectations on the part of Mentor and Mentee are clearly established up front. This is a vital part of the initial meeting between Mentor and Mentee. There should be a clear understanding as to roles of each party, where and how often meetings will take place, what happens when meetings have to be cancelled, what specific goals will be worked on, how success will be measured and when the relationship ends, etc.
• Confidentiality as to what is discussed between Mentor and Mentee is respected. There are often frank and honest discussions about strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement. Sensitive feedback often occurs in these sessions; these are private matters that others do not need to know.
• The mentoring relationship is guided by the company’s culture and values. There is a clear expectation that mentoring relationships exhibit a high degree of professionalism. The conduct of participants should model the company’s core values
• Specific and realistic goals are established that provide a means to measure success. Specific goals should be encouraged such as giving a presentation, learning a specific skill in Excel, completing a project, developing an action plan, etc. Goals that are vague such as “I want to be a better person,” or “I would like to improve in all areas” are not that helpful and don’t encourage accountability.
• Success stories are documented and celebrated. Keeping a record of the program’s achievements affords an opportunity for others to learn from the positive experiences of mentoring teams.
For additional information about Landrum’s mentoring program or implementation of a mentoring program at your company, you may contact Jim Guttmann, SPHR at (850) 476-5100.
Jim Guttmann, SPHR
Filed under: Mayberry, Notes from Holly | Tags: "human resources consulting", Human Resources, Mayberry
December 9, 2010
Mayberry Monday – “Mayberry Goes Hollywood”
By Holly McLeod, PHR
As we go to Mayberry this week, we visit at an exciting time when a movie director all the way from Hollywood, CA wanted to film a movie in the quaint southern town. The town council met to vote on the request. They were excited, but some of the members were concerned the movie might depict Mayberry in a negative light and that it would make fun of its people. Mayor Pike asked, “What would they make fun at?” Orville Monroe replied, “At the way we talk, or the way we look, or our little fat mayor.” Mayor Pike wasn’t an exceptionally bright man, so he didn’t seem to notice the jab. After much discussion, however, the council agreed to let Mr. Harmon make his movie only after Sheriff Andy Taylor suggested he take Mr. Harmon on a tour of the town and find out his intentions.
Mr. Harmon was impressed with Mayberry. As Andy walked Mr. Harmon around the town Andy introduced him to some of the citizens, including his Aunt Bee and son Opie, Floyd the Barber, and Orville Monroe, the local funeral parlor director and TV repairman. Andy joked with Mr. Harmon, saying that Orville charges less to bury you than he does to fix your set!
Their walk ended at the old oak tree. Andy reminisced that he used to climb that tree when he was just a boy. Andy then asked Mr. Harmon, “You like the people? You wouldn’t poke fun?” Mr. Harmon assured Andy he would not, saying that the people are charming and natural. Mr. Harmon then left Mayberry to make the arrangements for shooting the movie, which would take place the following week.
Oh, the excitement in Mayberry! As Andy walked down the sidewalk a few days later, he noticed that everyone was changing. The men who usually sat on the bench whittling were now wearing a coat and tie. Every storefront had changed its signage to mention something about Hollywood. The salon was advertising a special on Hollywood hairstyles; Orville Monroe was advertising “Hollywood Funerals,” and Floyd’s Barbershop had become Colby’s Tonsorial Parlor, featuring Cary Grant Haircuts.
When Andy arrived at the courthouse after his walk, Deputy Barney Fife came out of the back room looking more like a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police than a rural deputy – or in Andy’s opinion, Smokey Bear. Barney was wearing the new uniform the mayor had sent over. There was one for Andy too, but Andy said he had no intentions of wearing it.
Andy left to go to a special town council meeting the mayor had called, where he heard the mayor’s plans for the upcoming arrival of Mr. Harmon and his film crew. The Drum and Bugle Corps was scheduled to play, ladies from town would present pies to Mr. Harmon, the mayor’s daughter would sing Flow Gently Sweet Afton, the mayor would make a speech, and the finale would be the downing of the old oak tree – the same tree Andy had talked about with Mr. Harmon.
Andy couldn’t believe his town, saying that everything had changed. “You’ve changed yourselves, your stores, your clothes.” Andy left the meeting in disgust, only to go home and find Aunt Bee and Opie in their Sunday finest. Aunt Bee was wearing a hat and gloves, and little Opie looked freshly bathed and was wearing a suit, bow tie and hat.
The next day Mr. Harmon arrived. The band played, the pies were stacked in Mr. Harmon’s hands, and the mayor’s daughter sang as planned. Mr. Harmon was quietly digesting his surprise at the grand welcome, but spoke up when Mayor Pike told the men to chop down the tree. Mr. Harmon told the men to stop. “What have you done to your town? To yourselves?” he asked. “This tree is part of the picture. And so are all of you – but the way you were when I first met you when I walked around the town with the Sheriff, the way you were when you were natural, genuine and real. That’s what I want in my picture.” The people of Mayberry thought they needed to become something different in order to impress Mr. Harmon, but it was their true, genuine nature that appealed to him.
Many businesses reach out to its customers to let them know they are appreciated and remembered. But what do you think your customers think of your business? Do they know the “real” organization, or are they only familiar with the image you want them to see? It may be tempting to put on a different appearance for others, but remember that most people are drawn to folks who are genuine, honest, and in the words of Mr. Harmon, natural and real.
It’s also important to remember we have internal customers, too – employees and co-workers. So what do you think your internal customers think of you, their employer or supervisor? It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations of business and forget simple things such as smiling, thoughtfulness, or common courtesy. Throughout the year, employees need to know they are valued and appreciated. Hopefully the “real you” is someone who makes others feel good about themselves and the work they do on your behalf.
During this holiday season, you might want to ponder how you come across to your employees, and how your business comes across to your customers. If a film was going to be made about you and your business, do you think you would need to change your image, or would you have faith in who you really are and the values you represent? I hope you answered the latter, because Mr. Harmon (and your customers) might be disappointed if they find out otherwise.
Until next week, stay tuned…
Holly McLeod is a Human Resources Manager for Landrum Professional Employer Services and Landrum Consulting. She is a certified professional in human resources (PHR) and has more than 15 years of human resources consulting in the corporate world, healthcare and manufacturing environments
Filed under: Human Resources, Notes from Elizabeth, Uncategorized | Tags: "human resources consulting", employees, Human Resources
Where Did the Fun Go?
By Elizabeth Oakes, SPHR
As a child, we can all remember running – just for fun. We twirled in circles, never got sick to our stomachs, and we did it just because the world was silly from that wobbly point of view. When did we stop enjoying that silly point of view? Furthermore, when did we start taking ourselves so seriously? Can you remember the last time you truly enjoyed yourself at work and thought “That was SO much fun!”?
You may have heard the following statistic: “Average Americans spend approximately 107,536 hours working over the course of a lifetime.” This is only an average and doesn’t factor in the entrepreneurs who practically live at their companies, or those of us who began our employment history prior to 18 years of age. While many of us cognitively know that this is a huge chunk of our life, it doesn’t quite sink in until you’re stuck at a lifeless job with no enjoyment factor. Why, then, are we all so intent to continue in this drudgery? Why don’t we make the workplace a more enjoyable place?
Some of you are thinking, “Well I’m not going to put arcade games or sleep pods in my place of business. It might work for Google and other large companies, but fun like that isn’t going to cut it where we work.” It’s okay to think that, too. What specifically works for the employee groups of heavy weights like Google and many of the other Great Places to Work award winners wouldn’t necessarily be appropriate for many small and medium-sized businesses. That doesn’t mean you can’t add a little levity to an otherwise serious environment. Some of you are still looking for proof that “fun” at work promotes productivity and is worthwhile. Fun at work is incredibly intangible and requires an extremely self-confident and seasoned leader to allow employees the leeway to enjoy themselves and still trust that they will be productive at the end of the day. If you’re looking for a little more support that fun in the workplace is effective, you might want to check this out: http://www.workplaceissues.com/arhumor.htm .
Let me tell you a little bit about my experience in realizing it was okay to have fun at work. My colleagues and I underwent training with the Meyers Briggs Temperament Indicator a few years ago. This team building exercise measures a person’s personality type and helps an entire team to understand the natural differences everyone has and what each person has to offer. The exercise that stuck out in my mind was one where the facilitators laid a rope on the floor. The directions were that each participant was to think to themselves the answer to the following question:
On normal working days, do you feel you need to get all of your work done before you can play and have fun? Or do you feel you can play throughout your day, just as long as your work is complete at the close of the day?
We were then told that each end of the rope represented the extreme view of those questions, and we were instructed to physically place ourselves along the rope where we felt we naturally belonged. As soon as they said “go” I not only went to the side that indicated that I could play throughout the day, but I stood far past the end of the rope, basically plastering myself to the wall on that side. All of my colleagues giggled knowing how much I liked to “goof off”, in their opinion, throughout the workday. After the exercise was over the facilitators explained what I found to be the most beautiful understanding of fun in the workplace. They described that many employees are not functional and have a reduced work product if they are not allowed to have fun throughout their day.
I was finally vindicated! I wasn’t just goofing off all those times I was cracking jokes with coworkers or sending funny emails – I was reinvigorating my motivation, recharging my batteries, and in general, enjoying my time at my job. Being allowed to enjoy the people I work with and having the freedom to be in a fun environment is the intangible thing that makes me want to come back each day. That day when the facilitators explained why I so desperately need that aspect of my job, it allowed me to not feel guilty about being silly. It didn’t mean I had any less work to do, that I didn’t have enough work to do, or that I was any less of a professional than my colleagues; just that I needed my own time frame in order to get it accomplished.
The hard part, as a manager and employer, is letting go of that control and allowing your staff the freedom to play a little at work. A related concern is worrying how the “fun” will affect your business and customers. Fortunately, more often employees who enjoy their work atmosphere retain longevity and exude their enjoyment. This is contagious to your customer base. As an example, think of your favorite restaurant. Was everyone having fun? Was your wait staff singing or dancing? Maybe it’s the fact that the staff is the same and they know you by name. None of those types of things occur in a workplace where employees are unhappy. In contrast, think of your least favorite restaurant experience. My guess is that the wait staff might have been absent or slow and you probably saw very few smiles. Not a whole lot of fun going on there, I’m guessing.
Getting a fun atmosphere in the workplace will take some trust on the part of all parties involved and an open conversation on a regular basis to make sure everyone is comfortable. As a manager, ensuring that the fun doesn’t go too far might be a regular hazard, but a hazard that I can promise you is worth dealing with.
Elizabeth Oakes, SPHR
Elizabeth is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the Human Resource Certification Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management.
Filed under: Mayberry | Tags: "human resources consulting", Communication, employees, Human Resources, Mayberry
November 29(30), 2010
Mayberry Monday – “Only a Rose”
By Holly McLeod, PHR
A survey by The Hobby Industry Association found that 77% of surveyed households reported that at least one member engaged in a craft or hobby. That statistic certainly holds true for my household. My husband has been involved with model railroading since he was a young boy. The older he gets, the bigger and more intricate the layout gets. But there are countless forms of hobbies; reading (my favorite), sewing, scrapbooking, candle making, woodworking, restoring automobiles, boating… the list goes on and on.
I think most fans of The Andy Griffith Show would agree that Andy Taylor’s favorite hobby was fishing. Barney Fife liked to think he was an expert in Judo. And Aunt Bee? Well, we know she liked to cook and clean. She also liked to make homemade pickles and marmalade. However, there was one more hobby she enjoyed – growing roses.
Aunt Bee and her friend Clara Edwards were members of the Mayberry Garden Club, and it was time for the annual flower show. Aunt Bee had tried for years to grow the perfect hybrid rose, but repeatedly got beaten by Clara’s hybrid she named Snow Valley White. This particular year the sponsor of the event, Simmons Seeds, was going to put the winning hybrid rose in their catalog, along with the name and picture of the winner.
Clara believed she would easily win as always, but what she didn’t know was that Aunt Bee had been working on her own hybrid for over a year. Aunt Bee had daringly cross-pollinated a Mrs. Pinkney Variegated Red with an Alma Swarthout Sunset Pink. It was due to bloom just before the contest.
The rose bloomed beautifully. Aunt Bee, Andy and his son Opie were admiring it in the back yard, when it was decided they would take pictures of the flower. Andy left to get his camera at the courthouse and Aunt Bee left to go register for the contest. Only Opie was left in the yard, who was climbing a tire swing when his friend Billy came over with a football.
They passed the ball back and forth between them. Apparently Opie wasn’t an excellent thrower, because he kept Billy reaching for the trees. They had decided to go somewhere else to play when Opie decided to throw one more pass. As you might have already guessed, the ball made a direct hit with Aunt Bee’s rose. The poor rose hung there sadly while Opie tried to hide his mistake by taping it back together.
His ruse worked for a while, but by the morning of the contest the flower was brown and wilted. Aunt Bee was understandably upset, but knew it was an accident and immediately forgave Opie for breaking her prize flower.
They all dressed and went to the flower show. Clara was sitting behind Aunt Bee and started to gloat about Bee not having a flower to enter, until Andy spoke up and told her the flower had accidentally been destroyed. Just as Clara found this out, Opie came running in with a present for Aunt Bee – an enlarged picture of her beautiful rose that had been taken by Andy on the day of the football accident.
Naturally, Clara’s rose was announced as the winner. As she rose to accept her award Clara asked Aunt Bee if she could borrow the picture of the rose. I’ve said before that I don’t care much for Clara most of the time, but some times she has redeeming qualities. This was one of those times. As she was accepting the blue ribbon for her rose, Clara announced that Aunt Bee’s rose had been destroyed but that it had lived up to its name – Deep Pink Ecstasy – and that “a rose such as this has no rival.” She then placed the blue ribbon on the picture of Aunt Bee’s rose, and Aunt Bee was declared winner.
The roses were important to both Clara and Aunt Bee, but not enough to destroy their friendship. In the end they both realized that a contest is just a contest and that it should never interfere with their lifelong friendship that started way back at Sweetbriar Normal School, when Aunt Bee was the backbone of the basketball team and Clara was the best dribbler.
How often do we let goals and pursuits interfere with our relationships? Have you ever placed more value on things than people? As business owners it’s easy to focus solely on the end goal – especially in the current economic era. Doing so, however, could negatively affect the culture, camaraderie, disposition, loyalty and trust of your staff if more value is placed on the bottom line than on those that make your business function.
Sometimes all it takes is a genuine expression of gratitude. Adam Grant, a management professor at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, stated, “Gratitude expressions from managers can help employees feel valued, strengthening their relationships. When employees feel socially valued, they work harder and longer, achieving higher performance and productivity.”
Of course the bottom line is vital for survival, and business goals are imperative for successful growth. But remember, you hire employees to keep your business going; employees accept the job to keep their households going. The ultimate bottom line is that you need each other.
For Aunt Bee and Clara, growing the best rose and winning the contest became more important than their friendship. They learned a valuable lesson when they realized their relationship was much more important than winning any contest. As we have now entered the holiday season, I encourage you to be thankful for your staff and to be mindful of what’s most important. If you have any doubts on what is most important to you, just ask yourself, “What is my rose?”
See you next week in Mayberry. Stay tuned…Holly McLeod is a Human Resources Manager for Landrum Professional Employer Services and Landrum Consulting. She is a certified professional in human resources (PHR) and has more than 15 years of human resources consulting in the corporate world, healthcare and manufacturing environments
