Smile when you do that!
Recently
reviewed improvement opportunities on the website and came across this blog
from several years ago. It is time for a re-broadcast.
Most of our engagements are tactical.
Sometimes we assist in Strategic events like an ERP System implementation or
re-implementation. When we do, we understand that we are there to assist in
creating a “new” cultural focus for their organization. Here is how we approach
those types of very political undertakings. This approach took genesis under
the direction of a dear friend while working at an ERP Software firm. What
follows is Bob Green’s sacred work.
Start Every Meeting with a
Smile
Smiles become
contagious with time. Smiles are disarming and most often met by returned
smiles as well. You never know when a smile is just what someone else needs. Bob
started every conversation and meeting with a smile regardless of the point of
the conversation. Even when Bob was upset with a client, a colleague, he
started the conversation with a smile. Part of Bob’s success was due to his
smile.
End Every Meeting with a Smile
Closing
is a skill. Whether the closing is for a sale, an educational lesson, or a
conversation, the most important closing activity is to have the participants
feel good about the activity when it is over. Smiles go a long way to help ‘close’ the activity. Bob
sometimes upset people for things he did, but seldom for what he said. That
smile at the end of the conversation made you think that there might be some
grain of truth in his comments.
Have People Tell People Two
Things about Themselves
Manufacturing
Practices holds an introductory meeting with the management and project team
when we do implementation and selection projects. The meeting has three main
functions.
1. We use it to introduce the teams from our
organization
2. We use it to get to know the team from
their organization
3. We set the tone for the work that is to
follow
The “I am such as
such and I do whatever” speech is a standard activity when consultants work
with companies. We get to know them and they get to know us. Nevertheless, that
is not how we work. We have all parties tell one of their most embarrassing
moments and one of their greatest accomplishments. We do our introductions and
stories first. This tells the client that we are all in the “same boat,” that
we will never ask them to do something we would not do ourselves, and it lets
everyone understand that we intend to have ‘fun’ while we perform this very
important work for their company. The advantage is that it gives us the
opportunity to set the tone for what is to follow.
Appoint a Person at Each
Meeting to Tell a Funny Story
At the client
site, we start each meeting on a light note. At each meeting, someone is
responsible for telling a funny story. It takes a few meetings for everyone to
remember to do that, so we have a number of stories ready to tell in case
someone forgets. Again, the point here is to have fun and not to take ourselves
too seriously.
Have a Contest to Create a
Funny Tag Line for the Project
This one requires
the help of the management team. The company sponsors a prize for the best
‘slogan’ or "project tag line.” The rules are simple, people in the
company submit the slogans to our team; we work with the management team to
pick the “best” slogan. Management usually awards a “Dinner for two”
certificate to the winner and we throw in a gag gift like a “Pimp my Cube”
kit.
At one company,
the head of engineering won the contest with a picture from a Gary Larson cartoon.
The picture was of some fish standing outside of the fish bowl that was on fire.
The caption read, “Of course, you now realize, we are equally screwed!” The
Head of Engineering was the only person in the organization who wanted to keep
the previous software. As such, he had a little fun with the team with his tag
line.
Appoint a Person to be
Responsible for Taking Weekly Pictures of the Project Team as They Work, Post
it in the Lunchroom and Allow People to Post Funny Comments
Everyone has fun
with this one. Of course, there are rules, like no profanity, or suggestive
tones. Some very funny comments appear and even management contributes to this
one. One of which was of a picture of yours truly walking away after a meeting.
The president of the company commented, “Here’s Mike Roman, presenting his best
side to the camera.”
At each weekly Status Meeting Award
a “Can Do Trophy” to the employee with the best attitude
One company warned
us about working with “Coni.” Everyone said she was difficult, short tempered,
and the reason she worked in Accounts Receivable was that she “liked” being
mean to people.
Coni
won the attitude award every week for the 15 weeks at that company. We are
still friends and she sends jokes at least once a month. Coni was a real
delight! At the last meeting, whoever won the award gets to keep it. Manufacturing
Practices usually sponsors this award, and we present a flashlight with the
words, “Follow me” on it.
Find the humor in everything
Now, back to Bob. Bob
talked about starting a consulting company when we left the software firm.
Sadly, that never happened. Bob died during quintuple bypass heart surgery. He had begun to create our charter for our company.
Bob
did not want the traditional funeral or remembrance ceremony after his death. Instead,
we gathered outside of his favorite park in the hills just outside of Las Vegas
and scattered his ashes. It was a somber affair, no wind and a little warm. Just
as we began to spread his ashes, a breeze blew those ashes over every one
present. Christine, Bob’s widow commented that Bob wanted everyone to take part
of him home. We did, in our eyes, in our hair, on our clothes, and most
importantly in our hearts. Christine’s laugh and comments made everyone else
laugh as well - a nice send off for a dear friend.