Lead People

Earlier this month I shared some insights from Lee Cockerill, a former Disney executive and author of Creating Magic about the difference between staff training and staff development. I wanted to share some additional notes that should get you thinking more about how we can only lead when we connect with people - Lee says leadership is a “contact sport”.

· A leader’s job is… to do what has to be done, when it has to be done, in the way it should be done, whether you like it or not and whether others like it or not.
· Everyone is important – tell them that they are!
· Your role as a leader is to create an environment where employees want to come to work
· The right people, well-trained, require fewer managers
· Leadership is a contact sport
· Trust is the key
· Know what you stand for and what you won’t stand for.
· Bond early with new employees (and board members?)
· Be brave enough to have the hard conversations – employees build trust with managers who give them feedback on the good and bad and are willing to help them get better.
· Empower the front line with the financial and common sense authority to serve the customer
· If you can’t trust your people to do the right thing, YOU have hired and trained the wrong people in the wrong way
· Start the day by making rounds with your people

His top 3 priorities around getting the right people in the right roles:
1) Crisp systems to recruit and hire staff. Use on-line questionnaires and view videos before completing applications. You can’t train people to have good attitudes and be nice and happy.
2) Training and development of staff – train and test before you “turn them loose on customers”. Use staff managers as training resources in their areas of expertise.
3) Ensure that every employee knows they matter

Think about how you grow people in four areas of competency:
· Technical – skills needed to do their specific job
· Management – controlling, getting things done
· Technological – creating leverage and possibilities
· Leadership – Building trust, being a person people want to work for, challenging and holding accountable.

Leadership > Staff Environment > Customer Satisfaction > Business Results … The customer does not come first: Leadership comes first. This is the way that ensures excellent customer service which translateds to improved results.