It’s 9 days until Recess At Work http://recessatworkday.com and I’ll be talking about it today on the Money Matters Radio show at 1:30PM. If you’re in Massachusetts you can listen to it on WBNW AM 1120, WESO 970 and WPLM AM 1390. Or listen/watch at www.moneymattersboston.com. But for now…..

Someone asked me a question recently……..If I had to choose between good pay/benefits or a good company culture which would I choose. I responded with why do we have to choose; why can’t an organization provide both?

The response I received talked about how this guy is managed by an absentee manager (who supposedly is famous), at a company who just went to a four day work week and cut everyone’s hours and pay. This manager then showed up to work with a shiny new high end SUV the next day. Clearly the guy who asked me the question was pissed.

So I asked him why he stays in that type of an environment and I got some whining about not many jobs in his field and how his wife works for a great company with great pay/benefits and a great culture. There were so many dots and ways I could have connected his response, but decided to invest my time on things that matter. So I archived his whiny emails and decided to use it as your lesson today.

But first let’s toss out a few ideas here:

• Maybe the manager had ordered the car weeks/months ago and it just came in?
• Maybe the manager’s personal financial situation should not be roped into a corporate decision?
• Maybe the manager bought the car now, while he felt he still could?
• Maybe the manager is an insensitive jerk with no clue?
• Maybe the employee needs to stop looking at being a victim?
• Maybe the employee didn’t take advantage of the advantages of an absentee manager?
• Maybe the employee needs to look at the extra day off as an opportunity to change his situation; especially if his wife has a good paying job?
• Maybe the employee needs to stop getting frustrated with those above him and get actively involved in changing the pay and culture in his organization?

But one thing is certain to me …………….This company needs a Recess!

The definition of Recess is a break from the norm; a cessation of customary activities of an engagement. It says nothing about fun, games and Play. But why not. Read Stuart Brown’s book entitled Play and you’ll rethink how play can change your business. But I digress……

I’m thinking it was the norm that had led this company to the place where pay and day cuts became the only orders being filled. No creativity. No innovative new ideas. That’s the problem I see. Not reduced work week and pay. I look at it as people who were not watching what was happening and didn’t react, reinvent or change. That’s what I see. Isn’t every employee ultimately responsible for cutbacks, layoffs, scaling-downs, and the ultimate demise of an organization? If you say no, your wife deserves to work at a better company.

Now I’m not going to get into my views on the BP Oil spill (although if you’re a “friend” on Facebook and saw the picture I posted yesterday you probably will figure it out); but BP did reach out to anyone and everyone to come up with a solution. If you had an idea, they were ready to hear it; no matter how far-fetched it may have seen. Organizations need to do this as well. Everyone has ideas. The CEO. Managers. Receptionists. Administrative types. Maintenance people. Everyone.

In my world I imagine people at all levels of an organization gathering to find solutions to problems, create new offerings and design memorable customer experiences that matter. It’s not done in a boardroom. It’s not a meeting that involves nothing but corporate speak. It’s not secretive and behind closed doors. Great business deals have been sealed on golf and tennis courses. Great company challenges can be overcome by incorporating a bit of fun, games, team building or engaging in some creativity in your parking lot or courtyard.

So whether it’s June 17^th or not, any day is a good day to take a Recess, communicate the challenges and gather everyone together in a less formal setting to come up with solutions. Then everyone will be happy.

Are you up for the task?

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Need some last minute ideas for your company Recess? Click here for 50 Fun Ways

This is the Ugliest Chair on the Planet!

Next time someone asks your opinion, give it to them. And don’t worry about what others are saying. If I listened to others I’d still be an unhappy accountant; not that there’s anything wrong with being an accountant. I would just have been an unhappy one.

The 14 minute drive from DFW to the hotel took 40 yesterday. It was not due to traffic.

Our destination was plugged into the GPS (which Jess has named Brenda). It was also plugged into two Blackberry Map apps (since Jess commented that Brenda gets cantankerous at times). So with three navigators we headed out of DFW.

35 minutes later I got frustrated of making U-turns, sitting at traffic lights that offer enough time for someone to give birth, looking at the same buildings, and driving through parking lots in search of our hotel. So I picked up the phone, called our hotel and spoke to Juana. Juana got us there in two minutes (okay 5 – the extra three minutes was to give birth). Screw Technology!

Remember maps? Stopping at pay phones? TripTiks? Amazing how we forget that sometimes getting things done faster and more efficiently requires less technology and more interaction with people.

Patient goes into hospital for a test. Papers are filled out to have results sent to doctor. Doctor does not receive results one week later. Doctor tells you to call hospital and find out where the results are. You call hospital and speak to someone who tells you they will send results right over. Two days later doctor still has no results.

Now considering the medical world is probably solely keeping the fax industry in business this is surprising.

I call back. She doesn’t know why the doctor did not receive them but if I give her the address she will mail it.

“But you have all that information? After all, you supposedly sent them the other day.” Now as to not piss her off, I mena upset her, I say “Perhaps there is something wrong with the fax on your end or their end.”

“Oh, they weren’t faxed, they were mailed.”

“Oh, I see. Well since we’re going on two weeks do you think you can fax them over or transmit them electronically?”

“But then I’ll have to go in the back and locate the files to send and I’m here all alone……….” (I tuned out and that’s when I started thinking…. Well that’s your job! How about doing it!)

I said nothing. There was a long pause. Don’t get mad; get silent is a great approach to getting people to think about their actions and perhaps do something.

“I guess I can do that. I’ll do it as soon as we hang up.” (By the way it was 4:50PM. My gut feeling was she wanted to go home.)

“Now that’s the answer I wanted to hear. Thank you. And I mean it. I know you folks work very hard and things fall through the cracks and I appreciate you going the extra step.”

My friends, there are enough studies out there showing how stressed out people are at work, how hard they are working, how morale is in the crapper etc. etc. I often find that acknowledging the pain, whether you’re on the inside or the outside of the organization, is much better than saying what you are really thinking.

I hung up convinced the fax would not be sent, but slightly hopeful. Very slightly.

Call the doctor the next morning. Guess what!!!!!!

No fax.

Back to the phone. Someone bright and cheerful picks up in radiology.

“Hi, from the sound of your voice you sound like someone who likes their job, knows what she is doing and actually wants to help me.” She laughed.

I explained the chain of events. She apologized for her fellow employees, did not make excuses and told me she just transmitted it while we were on the phone. She suggested I call the docs office to verify and call her back if any problems.

Well guess what. I had to call her back………………….

To thank her!

So here are three questions for you to ponder (and as usual I would love if you’d drop me a line and let me know the answers (or leave comments below):

1. What techniques are you using to get people to go the extra mile?
2. What techniques have been used by others to get you to go the extra mile?
3. Are you having fun at work?

When I was a kid we had no rules. When we played games we made the rules up along the way. We were creative, imaginative and had lots of fun. We also had a fight here or there and ended up not talking to someone ever again.

Then I grew up and entered the world of “The Workplace.” Full of rules, policies and procedures, it seemed that creativity and imagination lost their place.

So when I am out and about and see parents interfering in a childhood game, by imposing their rules and not letting kids be creative, get imaginative and argue a bit, I get worried. Please don’t take their imagination away. Their turn will be coming.

But just in case the parents keep imposing their rules there is hope……..Some organizations recognize that allowing people to be creative and to play is still a good thing. It is how new products, ideas, and customer experiences come to life.

I can only hope that these kids who are being “procedured” through life have an opportunity to gain back their childhood at one of those organizations.

When environments go bad, teams need to do their part to make the best of a situation or turn that situation around. One of the best things a team leader can do is P.L.A.Y. with his or her team.

 Praise – Now more than ever you need to praise them, their work and their contribution. You should be doing it regularly, but sometimes we get too busy, forget or don’t think it is important. Bad environments usually stem from organization changes (such as new policies/layoffs), bad company news or dare I say a bad manager. Everyone on your team is an asset and they should know that – today.

 Listen – What’s really on the minds of your team? Ask them. Hear what they have to say. And no matter how difficult it is for you to do, do not respond with your canned answers, corporate speak or negation of their thoughts. A good listener takes that information, processes that information and turns it into something that can benefit the team.

Acknowledge – So the environment is bad? Acknowledge it. Make sure they know that you know. Perhaps go one step further and take some of the responsibility for letting it get to this point. When you take responsibility others will as well. But please, don’t use phrases like NO HOPE.

Yes – Say YES to their suggestions about how to fix things. Give your team some opportunity to fix the environment. Toss away rules and policies for a few moments (no one is going to do anything so radical that it will land the company in a courtroom) and see who is ready to take on the task of fixing things. A little empowerment, flexibility, and easing of the rules/policies goes a long way, strengthens a team and engages employees back into their roles.

Thought I’d shake it up a bit today………..

How about a little audio message from yours truly?

Everyone talks about how employers can engage employees or how businesses can engage customers. But did you ever stop and think about how customers can engage us?

These three rocks were given to me by a client several years ago. They sit on my desk as a reminder of how I made a difference in the life of someone else. They are my anchor to keep doing the work I do. They are also a reminder of how important it is to thank or stay in touch with my customers by doing/giving something personal.

Carol hand painted these rocks. She didn’t go out and buy some commercial paperweight. She knew I was a Batman fan – the original Batman. She knew the name of my company is Never Grow Up. She took me and my personal interests in mind when taking time out of her life to thank me.

1. How are you thanking your customers or perhaps even your vendors?
2. What personal stuff do you know about the people whom  you engage in business?
3. What step will you take today to personally reach out to a customer/vendor/employee/peer and thank them? 

Tired of attending meetings? Ever wonder what their purpose is? Does your organization suffer from too many meetings? Do you find that you attend meetings with no point? Are you holding meetings to plan and schedule future meetings?

1. Why am I here? – Seriously, why are you part of this meeting? Your expertise? Your knowledge? Someone thinks you will learn something? Without understanding why you’re in attendance you will never get the full benefit of the meeting or contribute to the level expected or capable. There’s a reason you’re there; so either offer information or ask questions. Or both!
2. Who else is here? Too often the wrong people are invited to a meeting; and by the wrong people I mean too many or people who could be “filled in” afterwards in a few minutes. The only thing you’re doing is wasting lots of valuable time when the wrong people are there. Five people who don’t need to be in a meeting for an hour is five hours of lost productivity; not one. Who really needs to be there? What contribution will they make? When the meeting is over what is this person going to do? Do they really need to attend the meeting? Don’t be afraid to un-invite yourself; or someone else.
3. The dreaded To-Do List – So what are the 935 action steps that you’re going to need to take as a result of this meeting? Which are the ones that matter? The ones that don’t matter? What are you going to delegate before you even get back to your desk? One of the major problems with meetings is that people commit to things that cannot or do not need to be delivered. Be realistic in what needs to get done versus what would be nice to get done.
4. New ideas are not discussed – Why aren’t new ideas discussed before or after a meeting? There is no doubt that someone sitting around a conference room table had an A-HA moment or a brilliant idea. There is no doubt someone had a thought that started with “I wonder if……” or something like that. Leave a few minutes at the end of a meeting to discuss these things – which means you should have an agenda and a set (and adhered to) meeting time!
5. Rate the meeting – why aren’t meetings rated? Why aren’t we rating our participation? We rate presenters at conferences. We rate content by presenters? But why aren’t we rating the actual meeting itself and the actual value that we contributed to the meeting?

When I opened my mother’s cell phone bill the other day I thought for sure I was imagining the numbers. Then I realized what had happened………

After an extended hospital stay, a rehab stay, and being bored with television, her “20″ minute per month plan didn’t cut it. So I picked up the phone to call Verizon Wireless. (I called from my land line just in case).

Now first of all I spoke to a person. Yes, I had to go through a couple of prompts like entering the number in question and whether or not I spoke English, but I spoke to a person. And not only was Pam a real person, she spoke my language; the version of English that I use on a daily basis.

I explained to Pam what happened and was not looking for anything but what we could do moving forward. I thought there were some features that mom had not taken advantage of….like their Friends and Family allowing you to talk to up to five people unlimited out of network.

We talked. Pam didn’t read me a script. She actually was thinking and using her brain. We made a few changes to the current billing period; changed mom’s plan to get her in line with her current usage and then Pam made a few other suggestions like changing the plan back to her “20″ minute plan when she is back home using her land line or me adding her to my plan as a family member since her normal usage under ordinary conditions would easily be accommodated.  

Then she told me to hold on; she would be right back. I waited in silence; not listening to annoying sales promotions or instrumental versions of Lady Gaga. Pam came back and told me that not only was the current billing period being adjusted for the new plan, but the bill in my hands, given the unusual circumstances of mom’s health, would be adjusted to reflect the new plan as well.

This is why I have been with them since the early 1990’s and why I’m not planning to leave in the very near future. Is there a better plan out there? There’s always a better plan being offered by someone. But to me it’s about the following:

• Knowledgeable people who
• Speak my language while
• Using their brain and are
• Really there to help, not navigate their way through a scripted flowchart of “if-this then-that” scenarios.

Can you say this about the companies you deal with? Better yet, can you say this about the company you work for?

In the end she’s still out-of-pocket due to prescription co-pays, but Verizon did an amazing thing. The health care system…..we’ll save that for another day.