Leaders Attract & Retain Top Talent...Turning Managers Into Mentors

If you want to be a leader and attack top talent today you need to address three things. The world we live in, the people in the world we live in and what you need to be and do to become a positive influence to both.

THE WORLD

We live in a fast past changing world, a different world than we were born into! We all acknowledge that, but just how different is it? Why is it so different and how can we adapt

and thrive in this new world?

It’s important to understand we’re living in the transition to a 'new economy' a new way of

life really, but just how different is our world? The International Monetary Fund has now stated "This economy is beyond our knowledge and experience.” Really, it's beyond the people who have been in charge for a very long time. So, it's a brand new and in this world, it won’t be enough to stay ahead of your competition, you’ll need to keep up with your employees and customers. It’s not just a ‘new economy’ it’s actually a new socioeconomic system that makes this a radically different world to live and work in. It’s the dramatic shifts in people’s attitudes, social views and values that makes this a massive socioeconomic transition.

Why is today so different? We’ve gone through economic and social ups and downs for 100’s of years, isn’t this just another fluctuation? No, it's a transition different from anything we’ve ever experienced. We’ve never had the population, demographics, globalization, technology, virtual reality, augmented reality, 3D printing, science, healthcare and artificial Intelligence we’re faced with today. Add to these factors the 4 generations main generations of people living on the planet who seem to have deteriorating character, values and integrity. It’s really the perfect socioeconomic storm.

It’s the social shifts that really add to the challenge we all face in business. We've become a celebrity society where Boomers want to be rich, Gen X wanted change and 50% of millennials state they want to be famous and rich and now we’re about to add Gen Z. The celebrity society influence of luxury lifestyles and a reality, that isn’t a real reality, is in everyone's face everywhere they turn. 

Today's employees are faced with the possibility of more jobs changes than ever before and we’re headed to a time of more change in the next 100 months than we've experience in the last 100 years as this transition continues to develop, mature and head towards the rapid advancements in technology, science and health care. 

A transition this significant and massive will be messy and when we look back this transition will be significantly more challenging than the shift from the agriculture age to the Industrial age.

Sounds tough, has been tough, will be tough but you know the saying, 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going'! Change has always been the only constant but today it's happening so fast it's producing more insecurity, anxiety, worry and earthen the average person can handle. And that is the point, this transition requires people to keep up by become lifelong learners who embrace the idea of continual growth and improvement. 

I have good news, there's great opportunity for any business that's tough enough to get going by giving people purpose, by challenging them to be their best and helping people learn, grow and improve to face this new world. The business leaders that accept the challenge will be those standing tall, attracting and retaining top talent, talent that will help them reap huge personal rewards, impact many lives and increase profits!

THE PEOPLE

Understanding people's mindsets gives you the insights to start being a positive influence. Most people are suffering from ‘Economic & Social Normalcy Bias’, it hasn’t happen before so it can’t happen now. The arrogance or denial that results from this causes them to fight to maintain a status quo or go back to a better time. This causes people to keep doing what made them successful or comfortable in the past. This plan won't end well since we cannot stop the rapid change we are experiencing. Past success and comfort are the greatest enemy to present and future success because they keep us from embracing today's changes and taking new actions. Frankly most business owners and executives are comfortable because they’ve worked hard for years to get comfortable. So your first challenge is to accept that it's time to be uncomfortable if you want to grow and improve. Is also important to remember you're either getting better or you're getting worse, there's no maintaining the status quo.

What's about all the articles, studies and talk about the millennials and aging boomers?

Let's take a closer look at the generations. What’s the difference between the generations? Not as much as what most people think! With all the change that's happening our human nature hasn't changed and all 3 generations seem to suffer from deteriorating values, integrity and character which infects and influences each other! 

It's in out nature to seek comfort and make excuses so in this way we are the same. Our future success depends on the same thing it always has, self-discipline, the ability to face and do the things we don't want to, to get the things that are best for us. We were all created to be extraordinary but wired to be mediocre until someone inspires, motivates and coaches us to be our best. That's why leaders who coach, inspire and motivate win! Today however mediocrity is king, standards have been lowered and leadership is more important than ever before! 

You will need to understand that you will not lead a group of all passionate, motivated individuals. The majority of people will be average and your job will be to get 10%-20% above average behavior form these average people.  Don't stop looking for extraordinary people but know that when you hire them they will either move up in your organization or out to better  themselves and you will always be working to improve the average people they leave behind.

The truth about any group of people is that that are full of average people just trying to be comfortable and get by. The vast majority of people are busy looking for the easiest way, not the best way, and your challenge is to help them overcome their nature that drives them to be average.

The good news is that for any organization to be extraordinary they only need people to be slightly above average, because a group of slightly above average people pulling together produce exceptional results. The more important issue is how do you inspire average people? The answer...Give them purpose!

BEING A POSITIVE INFLUENCE

A leader armed with the acceptance that things are truly different, change will keep occurring at light speed and people will always seek to be comfortable and be average, if not given a purpose that inspires them to overcome their nature, is ready to become the positive influence and difference maker that can succeed in the new world. 

If you are going to be the employer of choice, attract and retain top talent, you must accept

that you are first and foremost in the people development business. You will not improve your company, you can only improve your people. You are in the people development business or you're working way out of business!

A great place to start changing the way you hire, train, coach and develop your people is to remember people's #1 reason for leaving their job...Their boss! It's time to lead and turn your managers into mentors. Training falls far short of what's needed to inspire and motivate people. Coaching, which happens daily and starts by instilling and addressing attitudes, monists and people's emotional intelligence is the key to attracting and retaining top talent. 

So take an honest look, make a list and make sure there are great reasons why people would want to work for you? What is our personal brand, your influence? Do you give people a purpose higher than themselves or just having a job? Ask yourself, "Am I the leader you’d want to follow? 

Then, you can begin to ask your people to answer the question, "Are you the followers they'd want to lead?"

Studies reveal that people perform best when working for a purpose. The best purpose a

business can have is to make a positive difference in people's lives, not just give them a job! You need a higher purpose that inspires, motivates and brings people together. Helping people be their best is a purpose that creates a performance culture in your business and helps hold people accountable to perform at their peak. To do this owners, executives and managers need to be engaged, connected and an active communicators who coach attitudes, teach skills and manage action to hold people accountable to be their best. You need to love your people enough to get the best out of them!

You need to turn your managers into mentors! Leaders and managers who mentor and coach attract and retain top talent because they stand out and make your company the employer of choice.

Great leaders have always been committed to helping people learn, grow and improve. In fact, if your people aren't learning, growing and improving, you aren't leading. You may be running a business, but how long can it run on the backs of average people when average people keep lowering the bar?

You need to define who you are as a company? If a corporation is an individual then give it a personality, character and values that inspire people, attract people and makes people proud to be a part of. Do you have a company 'To Be List’? Who do you want your company to be? How do you expect your people to behave. If everyone knows who you are, you'll attract those like you and give them a compass to stay on course. You can also recruit using your 'To Be List' to set expectation for future employee coaching, development and behavior.

Next make sure you have set clear standards and communicate them to everyone. Remember a standard is the lowest form of behavior you will tolerate and not ever lower. These standards can be used when recruiting to establish your expectations. Standards are also the key to instilling a performance culture where people hold each other accountable. Oh, by the way, if you aren't prepared to hold people accountable to meet the standards, don't bother doing anything, just wait and prepare for the end of your business, because it's coming sooner than you think. High standards and accountability attract top talent and chases away those trying to hide,et by and be mediocre. Low standards chases away top talent and attract the mediocre.

What should you be looking for in your people? You should be recruiting people with high emotional intelligence who posses a growth mindset, not a fixed mindset. Recruiting instead of waiting until you are desperate is an important element attracting top talent. So is how you interview and test. So if you really want to be the best, build an organization that performs to is peak you have to invest in recruiting, testing, training, coaching and you need it to be a priority because it is the best way to increase your efficiency and productivity.

Make sure you have people who are responsible to always be recruiting. If you want good people you have to be obsessed with pursuing them and developing them. We've heard that people are our most important asset for decades and watched as not must was done to prove anyone really believed that. If you're ready to accept that as fact, then take actions that prove it. It requires resources and money, but will produce the best return on investment you make. So make sure your have a budget for recruiting and people development. Then take action to improve your people. Be active at job fairs, veterans organizations, start internships, be visible at colleges and business organizations and start looking  or the other industries that you can recruit people from. You need to build a deep bench by never continuously  recruiting! This will also help you have the strength to hold people accountable to meet your standards. It will give you the courage to raise those standards and watch people begin to take more pride in their work and company.

Once you know who you are and who you’re looking for you can effectively promote your company and personal brand by creating a social media presence that will be a positive influence on your existing employees and prospective employees of  all generations.

This new world we talked about presents us with a great opportunity. One that can produce extraordinary rewards. We have to remember though, easy doesn't ever produce excellence, it's always the result of doing the hard stuff, and leading people, managing people and getting the best out of people isn't easy, it's just worth the effort!

Today your people matter more than ever before because the average person’s standards have fallen so low and that makes mediocrity more dangerous than ever before.

The challenges you face today demands that you build a company made up of people with above average attitudes who give an exceptional effort everyday. These will be people with high emotional intelligence and a growth mindset. When you do, they’ll take your company a level up to serve your customers needs before they even know they have them. One of the greatest challenges of the 'new economy’ it to be able to provide information before it's common knowledge. To provide creative ideas to solve the unforeseen problems your customers face. You need people who can think one step ahead of your customers, not just respond to them and you won’t just hire these types of people you'll need to hire right and then continue to develop them. It’s not about training as much as it is about ongoing coaching that generates continuous individual and group development. 

Today, you're either all in to help people be their best or you're on your way to being average and then extinct. So if you're in, start controlling the two things within your power, people’s attitudes and effort! Commit to spend the time, money and resources to create a performance culture in your business that moves average people a level up and produces peak performers who excel in this new world we live in. I promise you that your ROI on the time and money invested will be off the charts!

Intentions Effect Results

Most people don't need new skills as much as
they need new intentions, attitudes and leadership.
We cannot choose the path of least resistance, 

the easy way, and get exceptional results.

The Transition To A 'New Economy'

The signs are clear that the economy has been and is in transition with the failure of Borders, collapse of Blockbuster, bankruptcy at Kodak, big changes at JC Penny, rumors of Best Buy's demise, the worst year in US Home Sales ever, a threat of a worldwide recession and not enough room to list the failed banks! There are countless other businesses trying to survive until a recovery comes but they are on a course to fail.

There are too many leaders suffering from 'normalcy bias', waiting for a recovery that isn't coming. This is producing strained and stressed sales managers, needy, desperate salespeople and sales trainers teaching the same sales skills with the intention to make a sale. All of them working harder and putting more pressure on consumers to buy that's helped create today's dysfunctional buyer and seller relationship. Add to that, consumers don't trust or believe salespeople, changing demographics, maturing use of technology, the explosion of social networks and it's the perfect storm for a transition to a new era in business. This is no less dramatic than the shift from the agricultural age to the industrial age...New intentions, thinking, attitudes, skills and actions are required to make the transition to a 'people first age' in business!

Success in this 'new economy' will require new business and sales intentions to generate a new engagement, connection and conversation with consumers for a healthy relationship. Nothing else will produce immediate results and sustainable growth better or faster!

It's not back to basics unless you want to just slow your failure... It's forward with new intentions for a successful new 'people first age of business'!

Winning Leaders Manage The Air

Raised by a father who coached for 35 years, the first lesson he taught me was to walk into a locker room and take in or feel the atmosphere and the energy.  He was teaching me what winning coaches did to be successful and I've learned how they can be applied by business leaders to create a successful business. He explained that you could "feel" this winning atmosphere if you were paying attention.   He also said coaches and leaders manage this atmosphere and it's in the air all the time. He said it was more important than any of the x's and o's of coaching.

Growing up listening to coaches’ share their views, thoughts and leadership styles was a huge advantage later in my business career. Listening to pregame, halftime and postgame speeches taught me how to manage and maintain this atmosphere and I share this as often as I can with other leaders.

I was always amazed to watch a game or practice with my father or other coaches as they constantly paid attention to how things felt. I realized later that the average ones were focused on their process and not their players. This is similar to business, as we too often get lost in our process and forget about the people involved.

Next time you walk into a sales office, store or business, see how it feels.  Leaders manage the air.  They do this by managing the attitudes, feelings and beliefs of the people in their business, organization or life.  This is why a business that wants to make customers must manage its people's attitudes, feelings and beliefs first. Consumers won’t believe your company is different if your people aren’t and your people won't act different if their attitude isn't different. 'People first leaders' manage the air or atmosphere generated by people's attitudes. 

'People first leadership', isn’t a fluffy fad or esoteric idea, but the first step in increasing sales and growth in business in the 'new economy'.  Its 'people first' focus means a leader has to have strong enough conviction to stick to a game plan or strategy when others around them are growing weary or wanting to overreact to unwanted results. 

'People first leaders' develop people in their business who are mentally tough enough to execute the strategy when others would falter or take the path of least resistance.

By managing the attitudes, feelings and beliefs of your people, you are leading from where results are born.   From the attitudes that lead to actions, the results will be seen in your increase revenue, profits and growth.  You are leading from an advanced position and not waiting to react to unwanted results that were generated from behavior that was caused by attitudes that were ignored.

Leadership at its essence, generates results by getting people to perform at their highest level of competence. When leaders do this they are also growing the level of people’s competence and insuring growth and higher performance in the future.

Use the attitudes, skills and actions of great coaches who have led their teams to championships by instilling a winning attitude, mental toughness and the ability to overcome the excuses their competitors accept to be average.  Coaches like John Wooden, Vince Lombardi, Pat Riley, Don Shula, Pat Summit, Phil Jackson, Bill Walsh, Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick and many others, win and have won because they 'manage the air' or attitudes that produce winners. Ultimately, they are 'people first leaders' who challenge others to be better than they would be without their influence. They move people to do the things they don't want to do that produce the results they want.

Business in the 'new economy' requires an attitude to make customers, not just sales. Instill this in the hearts of people so that it permeates the air in your business and it will generate improved results and growth.

Stop, listen and feel the attitudes in your business. Can you sense the 'winning air'? If not, get busy and make it a priority, then manage it daily for the best results.

By Mike Moore

2012...The Great Transition

We are living in 'The Great Transition' not 'The Great Recession' and a 'New Economy' will be the next step. Global influence, technology, demographics and the broken economic model of the past are driving this transition. Today's business and political leaders are struggling with this transition. New leaders will and are stepping forward. A less short-term selfish economic model will prevail. A 'new economy' based on real value and service to people first, one with long-term selfishness as it's driving intention. One that uses natural laws to serve people first, instead of breaking them for selfish short-term gain. A 'new economy' that can and will use technology to serve people and enrich lives.

In real estate, retailing and business, as well as life, people are moving from a desire to be enchanted, to a desire to be enriched. People don't want to be wow'd anymore they are moving to and buying that which they believe will enrich their lives. 

The 'new economic model' won't look or act like the old one and the rules that business played by in the past aren't working in 'the transitional economy' nor will they apply to the 'new economy'.

Just 4 years ago the majority of American's surveyed were willing to move outside the US to retire to a tropical location. Now many will do so to live and continue to work. Then there are the Gen X, Y and Millennial's, many of whom want to live in an Urban Village within walking distance to all their services.

These won't all be in traditional Urban Environments. Many of these Urban Villages will be developed in cost effective and desirable locations. Think Las Vegas as a starting point of a modern Urban Village, then remove gaming and replace it with different lifestyles and the services that support them...and it's in the middle of the desert. Urban Villages can be developed anywhere, and will be.

People are transitioning from the pursuit of a living to the pursuit of a life...This is a significant change...It's not about 40 years of commitment to a company and retiring...It's not about a career...It's about living their vacations or retirement and adding making the money needed to live to that lifestyle. That's why even in this time of high unemployment people are quitting long time jobs, starting small businesses and network marketing is booming. Information, content and community are king!

Stay with it my friends...If you can see and feel this happening you are on a right path. There will be many roads to take to succeed in the 'new economy' that will come from 'the great transition' and you can make the life you want to live if you are aware it's happening and prepared to adapt.

Sales Leadership Lessons

I have been participating in a discussion on LinkedIn, with sales leaders about selling, sales training and sales management. I'm very concerned and have been for years that business and sales leaders have been sabotaging the relationship between consumers and salespeople. 

If you’re in a position of sales leadership, ask yourself, "What attitudes and actions do my messages create in my salespeople? Is your sales culture sabotaging your sales?

Just a few of the phrases being used in the discussion have been a 'hunter who can find 'em, stalk 'em, kill 'em and eat 'em" or "you have to know what you're hunting so you’ll now how to kill them". 

These phrases create attitudes and actions that turn people off. It's also left the consumer and salesperson, or buyer and seller, with a dysfunctional relationship that's creating a whole ‘new economy’.

My concern is that the majority of salespeople hear 'hunter' and "find 'em, stalk 'em, kill 'em and eat 'em" and it creates attitudes and actions that chase more buyers away than it creates sales. 



The salespeople that can improve a business are not the elite salespeople, it's the majority, from low producers to average producers, and these attitudes have sabotaged their ability to improve. It's also created a sales engagement that has damaged the buyer and seller relationship to the point of sabotaging sales results. 


No one started out to create the dysfunction that exists today between buyers and sellers but the message too may sales trainers, executives and sales managers deliver is translated into the intention to sell and not serve and doesn't produce the best results. 



The intention to make a sale is what buyers and consumers 'feel' that chases them away. Knowing how to put the customer first is an act of long term selfishness. It will produce the best results, highest sales and customers that will grow your business. 



The attitude that new business is what matters most, is what's brought the economy down and it's still damaging salespeople's ability to succeed today.

Customers create sales growth. Businesses and the economy are suffering from the business focus of getting new subscribers, new sales, instead of making customers. 


Years of traditional sales engagements, demographics, multi-cultural issues, the access to information on the internet, unprecedented economic pressures and social networks have changed buying cycles along with buyers and consumers attitudes.

New sales increase fastest when people are engage with the focus on making them a customer, not a sale.

Start sending a message of service and help. Implement a culture of caring about customers more than sales. Beginning teaching and coaching salespeople to be 'servants on a mission’. When you do, sales will increase, your business will grow and everybody will win.

Look for "Traits of a Servant on a Mission" in my next blog.

By Mike Moore