Culture drives Brand

What’s also true is this: problems in corporate culture exist and they could wreak havoc on your operations. Here at Miick, we help brands find solutions to organizational culture problems before they kill productivity and employee morale.

Culture in place is, as often as not, a liability for businesses both small and large. How so?
Culture happens, it simply is. As often as not, Culture is ritual and unconscious! These unconscious habits or norms in a company get modeled more than touted. Culture ends up being an outcome of chance and old habits, more than choice. Headline: Culture is a choice! We need not be creatures of habit, just because the habit exists. We can create “Culture by Choice, Not Chance.” At Miick, we do this constantly with our clients, time and again with success.

Headline: Culture IS a Choice!

I often get asked, “How do I know if my culture’s a liability or an asset?” You can start by keeping an eye out for these five unmistakable signs of bad company culture.

5. A New Hire Gets Told What’s “Really True” 3 Days In…  

The public brand and persona is, “This is a great place to work!”  

Sure enough, the Onboarding and Orientation goes pretty.  New hire inspiration exudes!

At the same time, there are subtle “cracks in the dike” along the way. Yelling, angry faces, aggressive tones of voice, lack of cleanliness or positive feedback are all warning signs of bad company culture.

Sure enough, within the first three days of work, co-workers offer direct comments about what really happens here, here’s what you can really expect. This process is quiet, shared on breaks, on Zoom post meetings, or at the bar after work. Before long, the inspired new hire has gone native. The rock star that began with us, silently slips into the shadow norms of culture. And, worse, the good ones leave.   

4. We’re Better at Catching People Doing Stuff Wrong Than Right

Another common issue in organizational culture is when Trainers, Managers, and Co-workers, coach to the negative.   

Feedback is closer to hand slaps than coaching! Focus is on what didn’t work, or what needs to be edited, or shouldn’t have been done. If your company has listed values or a mission, the values are used as hammers, prefaced with, “you didn’t…”  instead of coaching to the positive.  Instead, find what worked well and build on that!

From Miick:  “Be a coach, not a cop!”

3. Sarcasm is the Humor or “Coaching” of Choice 

Sarcasm is about power, insider information and “othering.” Sarcasm also drives drama and indicates an underlying organizational culture issue. The second you call me out on my sarcastic or sideways comment, I duck and plead, “I was just kidding!” You and I, and your team, know you weren’t.   

Sarcasm is not to be confused with performance feedback.   At the very least, sarcasm sends mixed signals to anyone but the most intimate friend … even then, there’s a tiny cut that need not be there.   At worst, sarcasm is deadly; it is fear-based instead of courageously stating the real story! Beware of sarcasm in the workplace.

2. Finger Pointing with Absolutes, Single Value Reasons, Stories and Excuses 

You know the drill. Here comes a staff member or manager running to you or HR with an issue that’s huge for them!   

As often as not we’ll hear phrasing that includes absolutes like, “everyone” or “no one,” “all the time,” or “never.”   If you have defined values, support to this transgression is typically offered with the use of a single company value.    

First opportunity: Thanks for coming in and sharing.

Second opportunity: Who’s everyone?  Or, when you say “always,” how many times in the last week? 

Third opportunity: What other values apply? Or how would you integrate other values into this issue?

And there’s more…  

1. The Real Meeting is “After the Meeting”

This habit shows up in two ways. 1. The management team, or all staff, or board sits silently in the meeting. When asked, “Do you have any questions?” Silence is the response. Another variation is that one or two people dominate the meeting, with little to no support, pushback, or debate.   

In these two meeting norms, two equally frequent outcomes occur:   

Habit 1: After the meeting, the real meeting happens at the “water cooler,” bar, on Zoom, or in the parking lot: Resistance, debate, and pushback show up in earnest; “he/she”, “they”, and “those guys” and likely as not “f-bombs” (or the equivalent) get thrown around like a hot potato.   

Habit 2: The people that did take the risk to speak up did so out of habit, likely as not, and allowed other folks to stay silent. Then in the meeting after the meeting they’re as easily blamed for lack of movement as the leaders themselves, OR, are left as either heroes or victims “trying their best!” and failing again… 

Here are some options:

Action 1: Have the real meeting in the meeting. Listen as much as speak. Instead of asking, “Do you have any questions?”, change the frame and expect/invite questions by asking, “What questions do you have?” 

Action 2: Name the elephant in the room (I call it the “moose in the room”) as fast as possible. As appropriate, consider beginning a meeting with this: Who’s got a moose?   

(Heck, name your animal of choice: Elephant, 800 lb. gorilla). Have fun with this exploration of a deeper truth that really needs to get addressed! Sooner the better!

This list could as easily be the top 10 list, or top 20 list. These five points will get you started on building a company or corporate culture by choice not chance!   

For more on the “how to” of healthy, dynamic Corporate Culture, visit: miick.com

Call: 303-413-0400.

The post The 5 Warning Signs of Bad Company Culture appeared first on The Miick Companies.

Regardless of industry or issue, I experience leaders and teams struggle to define success in tangible, measurable terms.  This miss happens time and time again.  This struggle shows in small business, those with less resource.  Same question, “How can “success” be so allusive, so obvious and not?”  Is a lack of resources really the issue?  In my experience, no.   

One reason success can be allusive is because each person, team, department, or participant likely has a different “picture of success.”   Say this again.  Success for you may be, and likely is, different for me, different for co-workers, with or for our customers, vendors, suppliers, or production.   As often as not, each “system” has a different want and/or need.   

Here’s another question that gets us closer to effective process and “success.”  How often are the different wants or needs explored in depth?  Remember, there’s rarely a common definition at the outset of a list of goals that measure success!  Outcome?  Players, even on the same team are likely to disagree.  Worse, it’s rare to hear participants divulge their differences in the name of clarity.   In meetings we allude to alignment that is probable as not, missing.   Evidence of missing alignment is when “the real meeting happens after the meeting.”   

Next miss?  Imagine celebrating difference!  Paradoxically, the act of celebrating the sharing of different wants and needs, different measurements is an effective way to get to shared wants and needs!   Allowing, even celebrating differences is expedient and builds trust when done treating each other with dignity and respect.   Imagine a first gauge of “success” as having the real meeting “IN” the meeting!  

Data point: more than 50% of new businesses, small businesses, fail year one.  85% die within two years.   Targets get missed; success is missed far more often than not. These results are consistent in small business time after time, and in large businesses projects, hidden by scope and war chests.   These results beg the question, why?   

Lack of clarity is a great place to start.  Like most performance, the concept of doing a “good job” has many variations.   “Good job” is not common sense.   In 2021 and beyond you and I need to take the time to define what “good job” means “in this context” or for this “event!”  Assuming the concept of “good job” is clearly understood is a miss from the start.   As leaders and managers work to define (in behaviors) in the context of this project, what does or would good job, success, look like, feel like, result in as measurable outcome?” This action is a great first step!  To define what excellence means in each case, each project, each job, is potent!  I suggest this task is the first step to achieve the success we say we want!   Merriam-Webster defines success as the achievement of a desired aim or purpose; having attained a named goal; achieved wealth, favor, or eminence.    

Here are five (5) actions you or any one of your leaders, managers or team can take to get the results you want and need, that is, success.   No matter the issue, or industry:

Action 1. Define Excellence: 

• First, let go of any notion of common sense.
• Let go of anything being “obvious.” Nothing’s obvious until it’s defined.
• Let go of the fantasy that those around you “know what you mean.”
• Let go of the phrase, “You know” or “You know what I mean!”  
• Let go of the phrase, “be successful.”

Then: Define success in measurable standards.   Define or even better “mine” from your team the attitude, actions and behaviors that will drive success!   Remember: What is clear to you and me as the leader or delegator is likely not immediately obvious and clear to others.   

Define success in measurable terms:  This may be currency, units, timeline, waste, budget or more.  Those measurements are the easiest.   If you want raging success step into the “secret sauce” and define human performance and behaviors in measurable ways.  (This is where company values get used as verbs, defined as behaviors work as tools.).  

Here’s a simple exercise to practice defining behavior-based performance:

1. Think about the compliment of “good attitude.” 
2. Now work backwards and shift the compliment to behavior-based feedback:
   • Name the actions, facial expressions, words used, body language, walking speed or body movement that translate to the compliment: “good attitude.” 
3. You and I cannot coach the compliment of “good attitude.”  We can coach and achieve the behaviors OF good attitude. 
4. Do another round, keep going, now define: A+ player, goes the extra mile, creative, team player, etc. 
5. Now, take a crack at defining “success” in any given scenario.   Name the performance measurements even in attitude and human behavior.

Action 2. Intention and Impact

Define the intention of each action being taken and project the impact.   Like any delegation step, install a check back on actions often enough to track the impact of any action, movement, investment, etc. in advance AND early enough that if the project is in fail mode you have time to recover on deadline.   This means have measurable achievements as mid-steps and tangible action steps along the way.   Think of a ship or plane on course or off.  We want to course correct as early as possible and get back on course. 

At Miick we no longer use concepts of good or bad, right, or wrong, all of which tends to mine judgmental attitude leading to wasted energy and drama.  Our alternative is to pay attention to the concept of what’s effective or not.  Tracking effective behavior, actions and attitude keeps us on course without drama.  The language shift is more than nuance.  When attitude, action, or anything else is not effective, we change it and get back on course.   The hard work, small business or large, is to, in advance, define the components of attitude and action.   Are we moving forward, “did this work?” and “how well?”    

Everything is performance!

The world of performance, theater, film, music, is a great model for the world of business. There are three parts to world class performance:

Part 1.  Pre-production- (think, script, props, set list, lighting, etc.)  In business, pro forma, construction budget, training design and delivery, etc.) all designed to have the best show possible.  

Part 2.  Production– That is, performance, do the show!  Do your best in absolutely every aspect of what was practiced in pre-production!  (Someone take notes during the show!)

Part 3.  Postproduction– Evaluate the performance, in real time.  The evening of, the next morning.  (Not two weeks later) What worked?  What didn’t work?  Re-write, change the lights or sound or script, practice again… rinse and repeat.  Every day!   

This three-part ritual begs the old question, How do you get to Broadway, Carnegie Hall or the Oscars?  Practice (& improve) practice (& improve) practice (& improve)! 

Two more points:

1. Remember your team needs to know why what they’re doing is important.  Whether you agree or not, “because you’re their boss,” isn’t enough.   

2. “At the end of the day, intention be darned; impact is all that matters!”

Define excellence, and then, Pay Attention to Your Intention! 

Action 3. Fiscal Acuity

Performance against budget

Step into the idea that if we can budget for a project we can budget for a day, a week, an hour, or a % measurement.  Once this is complete, we can manage excellence in any increment, course correct in real time or celebrate (and stay diligent at all times!).  Again, set a budget, measure, and modify.  Trust and Track.  Let go of hope and rely on measurement of our intention and impact, always against the behaviors measured against what was defined as excellent.   Celebrate or Course Correct in real time!   Stay on course with defined excellence in real time.   

To reiterate, measure performance, dollars and %’s daily, accrued to week to period.  This is as critical in small business as in large, start up as well as long tenured.  

Action 4. Communication:

In many ways, our communication is the primary “how to” of success!   Based on recent studies in brain physiology, we know to “Coach to the positive!”   The latest data on coaching is this: consistent, positive feedback works!   Shift habits from the idea of an annual 360 or quarterly reviews to daily feedback.   Research and measurement clearly shows feedback to the positive give on a regular basis, leads to “flow” in performance.   This outcome is as real in the world of business as in sports or the arts. 

Action 5. With ever evolving learning, skills, growth… 

Get a coach!   We don’t talk about this much in business.  Ironically the most successful leaders in business have a coach!   The model of professional sports, academics, or performing arts, coaches are at the heart of success.   No one doesn’t have a coach.    Ongoing learning, then applying that learning to our next project is the epitome of growth and an essence of ROI.

Want more?  We’re on your wing!  Call us!   Or find out more at miick.com

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Critical issues and decisions needed come at us fast.  Going forward my bet’s the pace of critical decisions is not going to slow down.  The need for speed in effective decision making is the real “new normal.”   

If clarity in chaos is the goal, two questions top my list:  

1. How do I or my team get clarity in chaos?   
2. How do I and my team make good decisions at speed, under pressure?   

From experience over decades, here’s an approach that has worked for my clients regardless of industry, segment location, or size, all the more in chaos:  

Realize Everyone Has Values.   Values drive behavior and decision making.   

The values each of us hold are the outcome of life events and the learning and beliefs that show up in behaviors, effective or not.  Our values at a gut level (read: beliefs) guide behaviors that end up by default as decisions.   As often as not, “values” are alluded to, not defined clearly and get left to what we tend to call, “common sense.”   

Tracking values for a living, I make the case one’s real values show up as behaviors under stress.   “Dignity and respect” is easy to talk about when the “water’s calm”, or we laugh off, “sarcasm is just joking”, … how do you and I behave in “a hurricane,” or in when with no fault of our own, our business is shut down due to pandemic?   

A major pitfall with values left to common sense is this:  What’s obvious to an owner or manager, is not so obvious to a person with a different life experience or background.  

Worse, when left undefined, under stress one set of values overrides another.   Partners, board, leaders, team, even family, are left to “figure it out” in real time.   Decision making gets very inconsistent, muddy, and even crazy making.   

What’s the alternative?  The more clearly we define, share and model values and do so consistently, the more people around us can join us and step into performance guided by those shared values.  

Another outcome of clearly defined values used in active decision-making is this:  the folks that don’t agree with those values can opt out quickly, or better yet never join us in the first place. 

Action 1: Each of us has a choice in our Values.

The more conscious, “awake” and mindful you and I are as leaders, the easier it is to evaluate the effectiveness of the values we espouse.  Is there a defined value about fiscal health, a value about growth or training, a value about our communication or the ways in which we treat each other?   Yes?  You have the equivalent of a leadership GPS.  No?  Your left adrift to shouting opinions, the loudest voice, the biggest bully,  biggest shareholder, or fear that leads to drama.    

This begs the question, Is the drama or mis-understood meaning from sarcasm really something we value, or could we be more effective?  Do we have a value specific to accountability instead of finger pointing and blame?   

I often use an analogy of my company or yours being a water balloon.   As you apply pressure on one side, notice it just plops out on the other.  Values in action hold the balloon (the company) as a whole, expanding or contracting evenly as a whole system.   The end goal for clear decision-making is effectiveness.   Do the values held get us where we want and need to go?  Are we moving toward our defined vision or at least in the direction of our vision?   A jet in the air is only on course 4% of the time, there is constant course correction, so too in our case, even in chaos.      

Action 2: Conscious Practice Makes Perfect!  Gain Clarity and Calm in Chaos

Like a professional sports team, world class orchestra or dance company or frankly, like the military, the more we practice a skill set, the more competent we become.   Active experiential practice in actively using our values in decision making gets that decision making to speed on a daily basis.   

In most cultures, populations allude to “our values” as a collective more than define them specifically or more, use them actively in dialogue or decision making. The root point of my offering here is that we have another option. We can actively use our values in real time as decision making tools and in dialogue. That is, we have the option to practice clarity, practice using values in real time, under pressure. I call this, “using values as verbs” instead of nouns. With this choice values can actually guide behaviors in real time. The more you and I practice this, the more effective we get.  

No surprise.   

IVS (Issue/Values/Solution)

Here’s an example:  When a manager, staff member or board has to make a decision, ask two questions:  1. Which Values apply?  2. What are the behaviors that support that value in action?   Hint:  the more values we name, the stronger and more long lasting the decision will be.   

Now, ponder this:  As an alternative to a values conflict which is a concept many leaders talk about, act with values integration.  Here’s an example: While fiscal health is a value and a must, so too are “environmental health” and “active participation in our community.”  From experience we know in pandemic and economic recession chaos reigns.  In this scenario we also know cutting costs is an immediate must.   The default habit is likely one of values conflict and that “fiscal health” tramples anything else.   At the same time, there is an opportunity to use existing inventory or labor in ways that reach out to the neighborhood in sustainable ways and actually build sales instead of losing sales.   Can we make a decision that integrates the best of ourselves and all three values of fiscal health, environment and community instead of one or none?   The short answer is yes.   And in fact, some business leaders did so, while others simply froze in the chaos from fear or some other catalyst.   

With Purpose, Vision and Values intact, any issue that comes at us, is aligned through Values in action and an IVS approach.   What does operating at 25% or 50% capacity mean?   At first cut, the response is likely, business is not designed to survive at 25% capacity.   Quickly, the clarity and use of operating values to make choices that act on purpose to align with vision AND remain solvent is a tangible outcome in case after 

case.   For those without said tools, the likely hood of survival has been close to zero.   Those with tools have survived and thrived.   Full circle, next issue, what actions do we take?  What must our behaviors be or how must they shift to maximize performance?  Values guide and make behaviors, read: decisions, clear and expedient and effective. 

Last, with defined values used on a regular basis, you and I have the opportunity to include the whole team in our decision-making process.   You may push back here, however time and again, even in this last “pandemic year,” I’ve watched folks as young as 16 – 26 behave far beyond their years, with the maturity of board members and investors.  How?  Re-read from top to bottom.   Instead of relying on common sense, go to values integration with a clear goal in mind.   IVS, two questions:  1.  Which values apply to support  our purpose and vision?   2.  What are the behaviors that support successful implementation of that value, each value and our purpose to accomplish this vision, this mission?  Try it.  I invite you to watch and experience an outcome of ownership attitude in your team when these two simple questions get asked and implemented.

The more clearly your values are actionable, the more we practice, voicing values and behaviors in real time, decisions get made at speed, in real time, regardless of the issue:  reduce the inventory, tighten production, how do we build a new pickup line?  etc.   While you may reach a port you never intended, like a plane or ship in a storm, you will land alive and healthy, vessel/company intact, team inspired and tighter than ever!  No theory here, the process works.  Clarity in Chaos.  What a gift it can be.   

For more on building a dynamic “Culture by Choice, Not Chance”, visit miick.com or call us at 303-413-0400.  Tap into a free consult with me!  

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Yes, you could do this thing you’re about to give away. And, you know you’d do it right. At the same time, with all you and I have to do, the most effective action we can take, if we can trust the process, is to give this task away! Give it away. You got it, delegate!

However, giving away the task, does NOT mean, throw the keys at somebody and say, “You’ve got it!”

To Delegate effectively there are some important action steps to take. Make no mistake, it’s worth working through these steps because effective delegation can bring strong benefits.

First, the steps to take, then the benefits to celebrate! 

6 steps to Delegate Effectively:

1. What needs to be accomplished?
   Be as clear, as definitive as possible. Name the goal, name the timeline, name the budget, name the resources. 
2. Why this is important!
   Name the biggest reason you can think of and share why this task/event is important! The bigger the “WHY”, the more likely the job will be done well, e.g., jobs will be created, top line will expand, profit sharing of the bottom line will expand, new markets will be created, a new door will likely open for you, are all examples of big “Whys.” And, be clear, because I ask you to do this, and I’m your boss, is more a whip than a why.
3. Why YOU are the right person! 
   Think through and share why the person you’ve picked is the right person. E.g., “Susan, you have the skills to do this, you’re ready for the challenge and the opportunity!” And, it’s okay to say no! Success for the goal is imperative and so too, success for the person to whom I’m delegating. Pick someone who wants the gig! 
4. How will this get done?
   Check in, be a resource; hear the action steps, suggest ideas based on experience.
5. What is the check back?
   For someone new to your process, check back is likely going to be sooner than later and more often than not. This does not mean micro manage. It does mean, check in, verify progress against budget, timeline and deadline. The more proven the track record of your picked lead person the longer the check back period can be. The less experience, check back more often. This is not to micro-manage. It is to support and guide possible solutions. Be a resource and have resources ready.
6. Keep a window to Course Correct!
   With points 4. And 5. Check back often enough that if the process is off course, we can course correct. An eleventh (11th) hour miss is too late to fix. Again, this is not micro-managing, it IS effective check in on progress reports to ensure success.

Here’s what you win with effective Delegation!

• Employee Development
  Supporting others to take over responsibilities gives them a chance to learn and grow. Group projects allow team members to connect with one another and other departments. Making decisions and getting things done with you and me serving more as mentor than cop empowers the team. With fewer channels to go through, staff members finish tasks quicker, and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment.
• Leadership Development
  Delegation opens up more time for you and me to do the stuff we ought to be doing! We can focus on the duties specific to our role as well as other areas that will us develop ourselves. Our career goals seem easier to see and accomplish as tangible.Confidence is built in myself and in my team. Trust and respect show up; not only with those you and I lead directly, with other staff and leaders too. Bonus? There ends up being a growing assurance that when time is taken off, work will still carry on smoothly. Want a real vacation? This is how.
• Higher Efficiency
  Effective delegation, read project management, improves teamwork, results, increased productivity and profits. The extra time provided by efficiency allows shorter or more flexible workdays and the ability to take on more clients.
• A Stronger Company
  Those given the opportunity to take charge show up satisfied with their job environment and tend to stay loyal to the company. This lowers turnover. The more effectively we delegate the stronger our pool of team members with gained skills and experience. This stability strengthens the company. Follow the 6 steps of Delegation and delegate anything and everything you can. At the same time, do not delegate those things that only you can do. 

About Miick

The key to receiving these benefits is learning how to delegate effectively. Miick is an able coach and guide for you and your team in the process. Our Values drive us to client success and our track record proves it. We walk our talk. We can coach you in becoming a better leader who knows how to delegate effectively. We can also help build up the performance of your business as a whole. Please be in touch to see how you can benefit from the two of us working together. 

The post Effective Delegation: Steps To Take, Benefits To Celebrate appeared first on The Miick Companies.

I know I was curious how my love for skiing and my desire for higher level, fearless leadership decision making skills would merge. I wondered whom I would meet, what I would learn and how the value of such a program would, or could, drive my performance further.

Let’s take a sneak peek at the components of Leadership in the Fall Line and what those meant to me.

Our first evening was like no other program I have been a part of. I felt like I had just jumped into a secret meeting. The faculty had our group bond quicker than I have ever experienced. Discussions were lively, positive energy added depth to our time together. We were taught licensed communication tools that brought the conversation to life before my eyes. As we dove into personal goals for the week, dialogue became even richer. All of this took place while sharing libations and hors d’oeuvres. All in the first few hours of my experience.

I utilized this first evening to orient myself to the group, the surroundings and the coaches. Any questions I had were answered for the following day and I felt satisfied that I was in the right place for my ongoing growth and development.

We rolled into Day 2 with all cylinders firing. We met first thing in the morning for stretching and breakfast. With gear ready and anticipation for some great snow, we jumped on a chairlift to begin our adventure; and the work. We began our day with top notch ski coaching. We utilized video throughout the day for focused movement analysis and the ability to track improvement over the course of the trip.

This first morning magic began to happen. A question was asked about how I was feeling as we approached a specific ski run. My experience was suddenly how I’ve felt in board room style meetings; I found myself a little anxious, flustered and not focused. Without going into great detail, the parallel of how I was moving on snow correlated to how I felt in the meeting. And so it was, transformation truly began.

We headed to an incredible lunch. During this time we utilized video review and dryland movement training to anchor skill acquisition before our return to snow. We skied the rest of the day moving closer to attaining our ski goals, and our leadership goals as well. We brought our whole group together after skiing for a little après time, some light stretching and review of the progress made during the day. Did I mention the snacks and drinks and laughter? It was an incredible coming together of the group, and again, after a very short period of time working together.

This session was particularly exciting as we re-visited our goals. Due to the combination of ski coaches and leadership coaches communicating with us all day it became evident of the learning that was already taking place. I had met 5 professionals from several different industries in my group. That number tripled that afternoon. I had the opportunity of meeting “my tribe” that afternoon that has led to long term, meaningful relationships beyond the program.

We wrapped the session and we headed to an incredible dinner and social time. There was time available to continue building relationships and enjoying the beautiful mountain environment. The day closed with reflection and a chance to get some rest for the next incredible day.

That’s my bird’s eye view of a day in the life of a Fall Line participant. We were provided experiential learning environments the entirety of the program to maximize learning and value. A program that creates better leaders, better skiers and provides the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals; need I say more?

The post A Day-By-Day Look at What It’s Like to Attend Leadership in the Fall Line® appeared first on The Miick Companies.

As we’ve been talking about our upcoming Leadership in the Fall Line ski and leadership development program with those who know us best, we’ve noticed an interesting trend. Many people who make a living helping clients grow both personally and professionally are interested in what we’re planning this September in Portillo, Chile.

At first we thought it was mild interest, likely from the perspective of understanding what the competition is doing. But then we discovered another idea. We all do this because we love impacting our clients, and in reality, we can all learn and help one another in the process.

So here’s the offer:

If you have a client you feel would be a great fit for our Leadership in the Fall Line program in Portillo, or if you’re thinking of the right fit for your team, we invite you to attend.

We’re team builders. You’ll find this event, and our process, allows you to attend with your client and build on all you’re doing together already. You have our commitment to take the trust, relationship, and focus you’ve already built with your client even further!

Our coaches, our team, and our facilitation model supports your efforts and your goals with your clients. No BS. Our values guide our decision making, and we honor relationships with ongoing learning, open communication, and tangible positive impact.

There can be a great benefit for trainers, coaches, and consultants to attend Leadership in the Fall Line with your clients:

* Focus, model, and learn with your client. This adds depth and trust to your relationship as coach and client.

* Take your relationship to a deeper level by working on goals through the facilitation of the Leadership in the Fall Line coaching process.

* Learn new possibilities and new perspectives about the work you’ve already done and are doing in the future with your clients.

* You and your client will arrive with defined goals, both personal and collective, and you’ll leave with clarity.

* You will both take away a life time of applicable metaphor based on the experiential learning process. Past participants of Leadership in the Fall Line are still using these same metaphors 15 years later.

If our offer hits your “I’m interested button”, please let us know. We can figure out group pricing that works for you, too, as well as sign a mutual non-compete if that’s an issue. This program is about helping each other compete, not competing against each other.

This is our 15th year offering our on-snow program for leaders, and it’s the first time we’ve ever offered it in Portillo. The program works. That said, the logistics aren’t simple, nor is the program inexpensive. However, the impact and ROI is real value.

My bet is you know you want to do this. Reach out. Now is way better than later.

Click on the image below to see the full event page, or you can schedule some time to talk with a Leadership in the Fall Line facilitator to learn even more details.

The post Why Leadership Trainers and Business Coaches Should Attend Leadership in the Fall Line appeared first on The Miick Companies.

If you’re a passionate professional, entrepreneur, or C-Level excutive who is relentless in pursuing high performance and in using your values in both life and business, the Leadership in the Fall Line program could be a life-changing event, as you’ll learn skills that extend far beyond your company, your vocation, and the mountain itself.

Leadership in the Fall Line will stay with you long after the program ends. Here’s what other people are saying about it:

More testimonials for Leadership in the Fall Line®

“…Our work with the Miick team shifted our turnover from 185% per annum to less than 25% within one business quarter.” – Nick Sarillo, Inc. Magazine’s “Blue Collar Millionaire (In the fall line graduate 2005)

“…Miick’s work on purpose, values and communication are game changing. Rudy Miick is the best facilitator I have experienced during my thirty-one years as a foodservice executive. The Miick tools especially in the areas of communication and team building work for all levels of an organization both professionally and personally. I am a better person thus more effective in all aspects of my life because of my journey with Miick & Associates.” – Louis J. Basile, Jr. Wildflower Bread Company Founder/President

“…The thing I most appreciate about you, Rudy, is a trait all too often absent in people – the ability to be and remain present in a conversation. It’s a gift to me when we’re speaking, and it opens the door for truth and possibility. Thanks for that.” – Joe Parent, Manager of Learning Systems, Hannaford Supermarkets, Delhaize America

“…The tools that I have learned through Safe Space, and developing Purpose and Values for our business are skills that have improved my life”…”I am now awake to many places where I miss the mark. However, the tools also point me to how I can course correct and improve.”…”My increased awareness through working with Rudy has made me a better father and husband, as well as better co-worker.”… “There is another aspect of my experience with Rudy that stands out. FUN. I really enjoy the time I spend with Rudy. He has such a positive and infectious SPIRIT. I just enjoy my time with him so very much.” – Jim Weisgerber, co-owner Bethany Blues & The Starboard, $35M Restaurant company

“…The work Miramont Lifestyle Fitness did with Miick and Associates fundamentally changed the culture of our Business.” “…The results are irrefutable from a place of pure data: record sales numbers; record member retention numbers; a fourth club; a Purposeful, substantial reduction in expenses and an improved bottom line. While I am energized by the results our company’s experienced, I am most thankful for the personal impact that Rudy’s had on me. As a result of my experience I am a more effective leader, manager, husband, father, brother – a more effective man.

See what’s in store this year. Join us in Portillo, Chile for Leadership in the Fall Line® 2017!

This September, we’re moving the entire Leadership in the Fall Line program to the beautiful Andes Mountains. Hand selected for a variety of reasons including its breathtaking scenery, European vibe, and amazing skiing, Portillo will serve as our backdrop for Leadership in the Fall Line 2017. 

Click on the image below to see the full event page, or you can schedule some time to talk with a Leadership in the Fall Line facilitator to learn even more details.

The post Testimonials for the Leadership in the Fall Line Ski and Leadership Retreat appeared first on The Miick Companies.

The Miick Method: Building Brand from the Inside Out

At Miick, we work with you, digging deep to define and refine the purpose and operating values of your company, your brand, culture, and the team members in it. Here’s an overview of how the Miick Method works:

KNOW WHO WE ARE

Our clients achieve a deeper sense of purpose in their work. This is our goal. To arrive here, we want you to be able to answer the question, “Beyond income and profit, what’s the benefit, the experience and outcome our guests, customers and team receive from the products or services we provide?”

Our work with you to investigate, refine and clarify this sense of purpose, and the values that get you there, leads to highly motivated staff members. Each ends up working with a sense of passion in ways you’ve likely not seen before. Team members end up eager to demonstrate the pride in their participation. This understanding of purpose and values is of utmost importance. 

No professional sports team, dance troup, musical event, or military entity would send a team on the field without clarity of how to achieve the objective. Do your best, use your common sense would not be the siren call. 

We also work with you to define excellence. Once defined, instead of relying on common sense, the leaders and team work together with shared definitions of excellence, on purpose, using shared clear values in decision making. If this isn’t happening for you already… it’s time to call us.

COMMUNICATION

Step two of the Miick Method is to create a Safe Space for open communication. Leaders and team end up seeking out the positive, looking for ways to inspire rather than reprimand. Another outcome of Safe Space in your business is that the whole team learns to give and receive feedback, rather than “constructive criticism” in ways that build performance instead of undercutting trust.

Oh, by the way, clear communication that supports knowing who we are as a brand is most everything the millennials on your staff want. 

FISCAL SYSTEMS

Most owners and managers, regardless of industry, shield team members from fiscal information. We coach the opposite. The folks we work with end up better off fiscally by a multiple of three (three times average fiscal performance) when everyone understands the costs and opportunities of doing and building business. More so, we set up anticipatory fiscal systems that have you and your team looking forward instead of backwards at an old financial statement. 

HIRING SYSTEMS

From the clarity of knowing who we are, using effective, Conscious Communication that creates Safe Space, the crucial next step in the Miick Method is hiring. We work with you to define and refine an ongoing hiring system. Instead of hiring being an event happening at the last minute when someone leaves, hiring becomes a practice that builds our brand.

The steps defined so far support the folks we work with to create an opportunity for new team members to join by choice instead of chance. Purposefully instead of depending on luck.

[Here’s more on effective hiring to find a culture fit and high performance] 

TRAINING SYSTEMS

A natural outcome from knowing who we are, having fiscal clarity of top and bottom line performance, supported by safe space to give and receive feedback, supported by a clearly effective experiential hiring system, is training design. No clarity, no training, no execution. Period. We work as facilitator and guide to co-create experiential training that’s fun as well as effective! Outcome: brand execution. Work done on purpose and fiscal results that will take your breath away. Here’s more:

ONGOING LEARNING

Last in our six steps is the awareness that learning is ongoing! Especially in the 21^st century, if we’re not learning and implementing, we’re done. If you’re ready to keep learning and keep exploring opportunities to evolve performance, you’re ready for Miick.

We’re here for you.

This September, we’ll be putting The Miick Method to the test at our annual Leadership In The Fall Line® leadership development ski retreat. This unique opportunity will be held in Portillo, Chile. Learn more.

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It’s time to rethink the stereotypes of the Millennial and younger workforce. If you’re having challenges in general with this age group as a workforce, the issues are likely more yours than theirs. Tough to swallow? We’ve found the gap in understanding true globally, not just in the U.S.

No doubt, Millennial challenges are real. At the same time, the challenges are not going away. There’s bad news and good news here. The bad news is that traditional leadership and management habits need to shift, and must shift. The good news is that leadership and management habits get to shift, and must shift!

By now you’ve likely seen plenty of lists of what “the Millennial” wants. Worse, when you or I get stuck in old habits it’s easy to translate the core Millennial want as, “money for nothin’, thank you very much,” only without the, “thank you.”

Instead of a list, here are five actions to take in real time that can shift the performance of your workforce named Millennial (or younger). Each of the five actions stands on its own, and each builds on the others.

5 Actions for Supporting Success of Your Millennial Workforce

1) Celebrate Passion

You’ve a great opportunity here! Take a few minutes, and remember why you got in this business in the first place. Share your passion for excellence. Share your passion for work well done. Instead of telling your staff about passion, MODEL it! We can’t demand passion either. What’s amazing about this generation is they’re all about living a life passionately! Use this age group of staff to re-kindle your passion and the passion of great food, great service, smiles and the fun of work well done!

Interview for passion! No passion, no job! No applicants with passion? Keep interviewing! Hiring right may be the ultimate role of leadership. Hiring right means finding and celebrating passion! You and I are likely not to be able to train passion. We can HIRE it; the trick in hiring passion? You and I have to define it for ourselves, then share our passion!

2) Provide Purpose, the WHY of Our Business

What do Millennials want? From experience and academic research, a sense of Purpose is the big drive for this age group. No interest here in a dead end job. No interest in a boring job. Give work meaning, done passionately, and you’ll find almost endless energy, uh, on Purpose!

What’s the big why of restaurants, regardless of concept? What is it we provide through our food, drink, service and décor? A good place to begin your search is the root definition of the word restaurant, “A place one goes to be restored” or the root of restaurateur, “Restorer of soul!” If you’re willing to go here, that is to your Purpose or big WHY, performance shows up from inspiration and intrinsic motivation. This is the good news. The not so easy news, the big WHY or Purpose needs to be defined. If you’ve got the courage, you can include your millennial team members in the dialogue to define your “Why.”

3) Define Values and Use Them

Oddly we talk about values all the time in business and as a country. That said, values are typically used as a noun, “our Values,” rather than verbs.

Research and experience both scream out again that this generation loves the sense of being led by values. “Values as actions” modeling may be the most frustrating for the more traditional leader or manager. Back in the day, it was plenty easy to say, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Wake up folks; those days are GONE. Make no mistake, now more than ever, you and I as leaders and managers must walk our talk. This age group of workers then turns into a perfect mirror for you and me as leaders or managers. Inconsistency shows up; the stronger your millennial team members are, the faster they’ll quit.

4) Define Excellence 

What do Millennials want? Integrate steps one through three. And the most pragmatic action we can take to see radically high performance, actually regardless of age, Millennial included, is to define excellence in each position of your company. The kiss of death is to rely on common sense, because there is none. Define excellence in service, production, clean up, fiscal procedures and watch performance rise. Leave those definitions to training your staff somewhere else, and watch all hell break loose. A lack of definition allows loud critique, no common sense, meetings after meetings, and drama galore.

The guidepost here is whenever you use a word or phrase that “ought to be obvious,” be sure and define that word or phrase. Hints, watch out for: professional, clean, good attitude, work ethic, etc. If you feel like the Millennial doesn’t have it, they only will if and when you and I define “It!”

5) Provide Autonomy 

What’s the want? Autonomy! The good news about defining Purpose, Values, and Excellence, and celebrating each passionately is that now we can provide actual autonomy for our team!

There’s no doubt that hard work is due to define items one through four. With this definition, you now allow Millennials to begin leading themselves. This younger generation has been on their own in many ways for a longer time than any generation to date. At the same time, this autonomy hasn’t always been guided by excellence coaches or life choices. When the work’s done, to define excellence on purpose, guided by values, done with passion…get out of the way. Now our work as leaders is to be guides instead of bosses, coaches instead of cops.

* Look for part two of this blog here.

Want to learn more about hiring the right people and helping your entire workforce succeed? Start by reading the 5-Step Hiring Tips from Miick.

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