Tag Archives: engagement

K.I.S.S. Your Staff

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By: Jason Barger
Author, Speaker, Consultant, and creator of the Step Back from the Baggage Claim Movement

“The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity.” – Bruce Lee

Chances are, we’ve all been told to “Keep It Simple Stupid” at some point in our lives. But, as our knowledge base increases and our leadership spheres widen, the natural tendency (and trap) is to “out think” the situation.

As we think about the cultures we are trying to cultivate within our staff, department, hospital, or most importantly, our world, we must start small – our own individual actions. What seems simple is often the most difficult for us to actualize. Yet, it is our simple, small, intentional actions that separate good leaders from good managers.

This week, try to K.I.S.S. those along your path with a new spirit.

K – Keep eye contact. It is amazing how empowered another human being can feel when they sense your eyes value them and that moment.

I – Include others. We build too many walls when bridges are needed. Include someone new at lunch, in an important decision, or a discussion that needs another point of view.

S – Slow down. In a fast-food culture and world of instantaneous communication, allow yourself a few minutes to be still and centered. When we don’t, we race recklessly past people on our path.

S – Send positive ripples. Intentionally send messages rooted in appreciation, celebration, and compassion to those around you. A genuine note, email, phone call, or purposeful stop at their office door, can deliver rejuvenating ripples that do spread.

So, who will you K.I.S.S. along your leadership journey today

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Culture Won’t Stand On Rankings Alone

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The co-founder of Microsoft, Paul Allen said,

“For me, goals and daily metrics are the key to keeping me focused. If I don’t have access to the right stats, every day, it is so easy for me to move on mentally to the next thing. But if I have quick access to key metrics every day, my creativity stays within certain bounds–my ideas all center on how to achieve our goals”.

Jim Collins in the book Good to Great found that the most successful companies have laser-like focus on finding what drives resources, what they can be best at, and what their team is most passionate at accomplishing. Discipline in execution and focus on core ideology is found most often in the most successful companies. Constantly measuring execution of these strategies is necessary to reach these goals, but measurements alone will not provide sustained competitive advantage – this is the job of culture.

Jay Barney, from the Fisher Business School at The Ohio State University, who is an expert in strategy, has told us that culture determines sustainable competitive advantage for the organization. Thus, a bridge must be built between strategy and culture to reach sustained success. This is reflected well in the entertaining YouTube video, Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch produced by the Coffman Organization, a consulting firm specializing in creating engaged cultures:

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