Not that I told you so … redux!

recession-chartRemember this line? “There is strong and mounting evidence that the recovery act is putting people back to work,” a statement Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. made at a recent news conference in Washington.

In a recent post, Not that I told you so, I lamented the woeful results of the stimulus, and the lack of job creation results. Of course, today produced another painful reminder of this truth … that unemployment reached 10.2%, exceeding 10% for the first time since 1983!

In Where’s the Stimulus, I reported that while corporate profits were boosting the market, revenues for those same companies have fallen far more than the amount of the stimulus. While profits help fuel job growth and give companies some headroom to make those decisions, the lack of revenue growth eviscerates any need to rebuild your talent pool.

There is more evidence that the pols in Washington have no clue about how to stimulate job creation, (more…)

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Give your employees $2,000 to spend!

leadership-pinnacle What would happen if we gave each of our employees up to $2,000 to invest in a customer’s experience on any particular occasion … not an annual stipend … but for any given situation?

Most of us are aware of the extraordinary attention to service that is the hallmark of luxury hotels … but few of us probably understand the extraordinary cultural commitment to training and service that is the bedrock of the incomparable Ritz Carlton chain.

In an insightful interview with the Ritz Carlton CEO, Simon Cooper, many of these powerful programs are discussed.

The Ritz Carlton grants every staff member a stipend of  up to $2,000 to satisfy any single guest … not per year but per occasion … without any approval or conditions. Imagine empowering our employees in that manner … and showing them our immense trust in their ability to make sound decisions while validating our unwavering commitment to our customers?

BTW, in the Ritz Carlton arrangement, there is no implication that there is a problem … just a desire to create an overwhelming customer experience. Another tactic that the Ritz Carlton uses may seem familiar to many as the “daily huddle”, (more…)

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CEOs: Be a General … and a Scout

conference-tableI have mentioned on many occasions the Corner Office series in the Sunday NY Times which features an interview by Adam Bryant with a prominent CEO. The questions are consistent but invariably reveal an important reminder of  key elements of leadership.

In a recent interview with Jim Rogers, CEO of Duke Energy, Rogers explained how important it is to be on the front lines, to employ the MBWA concept that keeps you in touch with what’s REALLY going on. He also emphasizes a point made repeatedly in Sword Tips … that a strong leadership team is an invaluable cornerstone of successful leadership. In an unusual reference, Rogers mentions it in the context of time management … that he can’t get done what’s on his plate unless he has built a trusted team, clearly shared the company strategy with them and demonstrates his trust in their ability to succeed.

A final reminder is a bugaboo for most business leaders … (more…)

Continue ReadingCEOs: Be a General … and a Scout