Have you ever looked at other “bigger, better” dairies and thought “Those guys are so successful… Why can’t we be more like them?”
Have you ever tried to actually answer that question? What did you come up with? What’s their “secret”?
Archives for 2013
The Source, Not the Symptom
Most owners & managers agree that dealing with people issues is the most challenging part of running their business.
At the same time, a lot of those same owners & managers try to solve their “people problems” with “quick fix/easy solutions”. Unfortunately, when it comes to people, difficult situations are rarely resolved with easy, quick fixes.
Typically, when it comes to people problems, the “problem” isn’t really The Problem. The issue you’re dealing with is usually just a symptom of something else that’s going on “under the surface”.
Yes, you need to deal with the symptoms today. But, if you don’t figure out the source of the problem, you’ll be addressing it again tomorrow.
It’s Time for a Change
There’s an old saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Do you agree with that?
Of course, you’re not a dog and you probably don’t do any “tricks”. But this saying isn’t really about dog tricks. It’s about people and our ability to learn new things and change our ways. Actually, that’s not entirely correct either.
Sure, ability has something to do with it. But the real key to learning new skills and changing our behavior is our desire to do so.
Unfortunately, most people become comfortable and content with what they’re currently doing. They use this “not great, but not bad” mentality as their justification for staying where they’re at. I’ve done it in the past and I’m guilty of doing it in the present. How about you?
How often do you tell yourself that you need to improve or change something? How often do you actually follow through and do it?
Be Great
A couple of weeks ago, I saw the ad that former Packers receiver Greg Jennings placed in a couple Wisconsin newspapers to say “thank you” to Packers Nation after he signed a big contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Sure, it’s tough to see one of your team’s top players go over to a rival team. But at the same time, it’s refreshing to see how classy some professional athletes are when they change teams.
Aside from his sincere message to Packers fans, one of the details that stood out to me in Jennings’ ad was his “signature phrase” that he started using a couple years ago when the Packers won Super Bowl 45. It’s a powerful message consisting ofjust two words, #BeGreat.
New I-9 Form Released
The Federal government has recently released a new I-9 Form. The old one “technically” expired on August 31, 2012, but they didn’t release a new form until just a couple weeks ago.
First, the bad news… The layout is now two pages and looks quite a bit different than the older versions that we’ve become familiar with over the years. Chances are, you’ll need to spend some extra time getting comfortable with the new format. Also, technically we no longer have three days from the new employee’s date of hire to get the I-9 form filled out… it’s now supposed to be filled out on the newly-hired employee’s first day.
Called to Lead?
Last week was an important moment for Catholics around the world. Chances are, you probably noticed all the attention and media coverage that surrounded the election of the new pope. And, chances are that if you’re not Catholic, you probably weren’t all that interested in the uniqueness of the new pope’s name or religious background. So no, that’s not what this is about. This is about true leadership. So hopefully, you don’t have to be Catholic to keep reading.
You Just Lost an Hour
Finally, it’s Daylight Savings Time. All winter, I look forward to the weekend that we pick up an extra hour of daylight. Hopefully that means spring is right around the corner.
But, there’s a downside. As part of the deal, we “lost” an hour on Sunday. So, where did that hour go? Did it just disappear? I’m not entirely certain here, but I’m pretty sure that we pick up the hour that we “lose” in the spring when we “gain” an hour in the fall. So basically, it’s probably a “wash”.
But if we truly did lose an hour on Sunday, do you think you’re any worse off? Probably not. After all, it’s just one hour on one day, right? What if you lost an hour on each of the other 364 days of the year? How would you feel about that? Can you see where I’m going here?
It’s All the Same… But Different
For the past week, hundreds of the country’s most talented college football players were in Indianapolis for the NFL’s annual Scouting Combine. The “Combine” is where the nation’s top collegiate stars are invited to showcase their physical ability in front of NFL talent scouts before the upcoming draft. Every player goes through the same physical tests to prove how fast, strong, and agile they are with goal of increasing their “draft value”. Basically, their college career serves as their portfolio, and the Combine serves as their interview.
And as important as each athlete’s physical ability is, that’s only a part of what the scouts are evaluating. The other part of the Combine’s week-long activities deals with a player’s intellectual capacity and emotional maturity. It turns out that most personnel guys put a lot of value in a prospect’s character, aptitude, and behavioral traits too. That makes sense, right? After all, the team isn’t just getting a top-notch football player, they’re getting a person.
Pick a Side
I’ve always liked politics. But I’m not so sure anymore. Every time the State of the Union Address is given, it appears that our country’s political differences run deeper and deeper every year. I know, times aren’t really all that different now compared to the past. But from where I sit, it seems like our country is divided over almost every issue.
Health Care, Marriage, Raw Milk, Immigration, Constitutional Rights, Taxes, Climate Change, Unions, and the list goes on.
Whether the argument deals with politics, religion, sports, or food production methods, a lot people like to take a stand and choose one side over the other. They’re either FOR it or AGAINST It. And as you’ve probably already noticed, the workplace isn’t any different.
Let’s Call It What It Really Is
At the end of every NFL season, it seems like most teams have at least one player who’s facing the end of his career. The story goes something like this, “After fourteen seasons, it looks like this will probably be the last time he plays in front of the city that loves him. He turns 38 this off-season and it looks like he’ll be facing the tough decision of hanging up his cleats for the last time.”
So… is this “too old” story really about a player’s age? Or, is that just a nice way of saying he’s no longer the player that he used to be?
In the NFL, the truth is that it’s not really about a player’s age. Sure, I guess age matters. But the real reason an aging all-star in the NFL gets benched or faces retirement is about performance, not age. Top-notch performance is what got each player into the league, and it’s also what keeps them on the field year after year. Unfortunately, it’s the lack of performance that will “force” the same players out of the league.