One of the reasons that I enjoy sports (particularly college football) is because I enjoy watching others achieve joy within their craft. Sure, the excessive self-aggrandizing behavior gets nauseating at times, but by and large I join in with them as they celebrate their successes on the field. I have never met an athlete who plays against their will or hates what they do. They generally play because they love the game! Should celebration, passion, excitement, and joy be words that are relegated only to those who perform on a field in front of a crowd? Shouldn’t we find an abundance of joy in the work that we do? Too often I encounter colleagues, friends and acquaintances who are stressed out and frustrated in their roles or careers. In the same way that I encourage my children to love what they do, I refuse to stay stuck in a role or workstream that I cannot find joy within. We should enjoy what we do. Enjoying a role or task does not mean that it must be easy or without great resistance or challenges. Quite the contrary. Some of the greatest joys of my life and career have come through extreme adversity, pain, and struggle both professionally and personally. I find joy by doing it to the best of my ability by either leveraging my greatest strengths or partnering with others to learn and grow in an undeveloped area to accomplish a goal or task. Consequently, I wrote this to challenge us all to find joy in the journey.
HAVE FUN
One of my first managers in CPG, the late Barry Burgert was adamant in his coaching to our sales team that the fundamentals of the business should indeed be FUN. It was painful to hear it at the time because we were busy trying to grind out sales increases and manage our teams to success. At times it seemed anything but fun, however I must admit that he was right. When approached with the right respect and discipline no matter the challenges, the fundamentals of business and management can indeed be fun. It’s often when we neglect the fundamentals that we find ourselves having anything but fun.
I recall a time several years ago when my family and I drove out onto some property to evaluate whether we were interested in buying it. It was a dry day and in the middle of the summer, so driving on a flat open grass covered field seemed non-threatening. Unbeknownst to me, the field was previously used to grow some specialty crops and the enriched solid beneath the turf was very soft. To make a long story short, my family van was stuck in the middle of a field way out in the country and evening was fast approaching. For hours we tried to reach a tow truck, but none were willing to come out. I wish I could tell you that I made the most of that time, but instead became quiet and concerned which my family knew was out of character. Finally, around midnight, a tow truck showed up and within minutes had us pulled out of the tire ruts and on our way. As we drove home, we all laughed and sighed deeply in relief. The problem is that I missed that opportunity to teach my kids how to have fun in the face of adversity. After all, it was a large open field in the middle of beautiful countryside and offered endless opportunities to enjoy while we waited. Think about it for a moment… Over the last 2 years, where have the greatest challenges been in your business? Pricing? Supply? Personnel? Communication? Have you found yourself feeling like you were spinning your wheels in the middle of nowhere? No matter what the challenge, the best way to enjoy our careers and overcome challenging times is to manage the fundamentals closely and do it well, even if some of the variables are outside of your control.
Are you mastering the fundamentals of your business? Where are the areas of improvement that you can focus on right now to eliminate frustrations that are controllable?
KEEP THE MAIN THING, THE MAIN THING
I always appreciate the challenge to keep the main thing the main thing. It’s been said that the main things are the plain things while the plain things are the main. Unfortunately, the main things (fundamentals) are often not exciting, but they are the most critical basis for any future growth. I was recently walking a store in NW Arkansas with a colleague and discussing some of the trends in CPG / retail. We each traded banter over the latest “innovation” trend going on in CPG and how it relates to our businesses. During this platitude, it struck me as quite ironic that we were simultaneously staring at a shelf that had only about 70% in stocks for that specific category (thankfully not my own product). I turned and stated that, in my opinion the greatest opportunity is still on-shelf availability. After all, OSA has been an area of opportunity and focus since the inception of retail and yet very few retailers or companies have it mastered. It’s been said in basketball that games are won and lost at the free throw line. Growing up, I once hated free throws. Three pointers were so much more exciting. Over time, however I grew to appreciate the free throw line. In a world infatuated with innovation, remember fundamentals are still the key to success.
Where are the areas you or your team have lost sight of the main things in favor of the shiny new ones? Do you have consistent routines set that help keep checks on the main things?
LEAD WITH PATIENCE, COMPASSION, EMPATHY, AND KINDNESS
I avoid working for managers (let alone companies) that have split personalities. All too often we experience how managers with low EQ’s can act a completely different way in front of their manager or a customer than they do in front of their direct reports. This is especially exemplified in strong individual contributors who were never trained on how to properly manage people prior to taking on a people manager role. All too often we see ill prepared managers trying to reconcile the demands of the business with the need to coach and develop team members. The result can often lead to managing with split personalities and inconsistent behavior. Our moods as leaders should never be a guessing game for those with whom we work. Those who we lead should be able to count on us to be consistent no matter what challenges we are facing or who is watching. If we possess integrity, we will be consistent and reliable leaders.
Kindness is a critical characteristic of a seasoned leader. Though often viewed as a soft skill or even a weakness, being kind is a trait that exists in only the strongest of leaders; leaders who are confident and don’t allow the circumstances of life or career to determine how they treat others. The root of the word kindness comes from the Old English word ‘kyndnes’ meaning ‘nation’, ‘produce, or increase’ and has roots in the word ‘kin’, as in one’s family or community. The very essence of kindness is synonymous with increased productivity and common unity. November 13th has been designated World Kindness Day, an international day of recognition highlighting good deeds, positivity and the common thread of kindness that binds all people around the globe. While a designated day of recognition is certainly a good start, a lifestyle of daily kindness would revolutionize our workplace (not to mention our world) and contribute immensely to business growth and a positive work culture.
By the way, this also means applying kindness to ourselves. As individuals we are not the sum of our professional achievements. We are so much more than that. We can often hold ourselves to such a high standard that we carry failures with us rather than learning from them and moving on. Being kind to ourselves allows us to recover from past mistakes so that we can be more experienced and influential leaders who operate with patience, compassion, empathy, and kindness.
Do you recall a recent time as a professional leader that you acted impatiently, lacked compassion and empathy, or dealt unkindly to someone? Make an effort today to infuse a kind approach with that person.
INTENTIONALLY SUPPORT OTHERS
Since so many achievements in our businesses depend on our personal contributions, we can unintentionally focus on ourselves more than others. In our high-performance cultures, we can often lose sight of the privilege we have to lead others to a better place. We must be intentional about supporting others around us. We can find so much joy in the journey when we surround ourselves with people that are genuine and have a mutual care for one another, our families, and our success. We are blessed so that we can in turn be a blessing to others. Most of us stand on the shoulders of giants and owe our successes to those who saw something in us and were willing to intentionally support us. We should always be looking for ways to lift others. Be maniacal about surrounding yourself with good people who intentionally support the growth of others. If you find yourself in an environment that is detrimental to your health and wellness, take action to change that.
Like so many of life’s lessons, I observed this in action at home just the other day. It was an epic showdown… one for the ages most certainly. Four of my young boys had donned their favorite superhero costumes – some of which were clearly ready for retirement after being worn so much that they were falling apart irreparably, though that didn’t stop them. There was an epic battle ensuing and there was simply no time to scrutinize wardrobes beforehand. Then my 1-year-old showed up. He was wielding an insignificant toy that would have otherwise gotten him laughed out of the room had he attempted this among villains. Not this time though. I watched with subtle pride as my other kids allowed him to join in their superhero tactics by engaging with him as he wielded his otherwise ineffective skills. He walked up and tapped them each, one by one as they fell onto the ground indicating that he was now a part of the prestigious superhero gang. Ok, so the professional environment requires much more. I get it. Bottom line: Remember where you started and intentionally support others.
Can you quickly identify those who you are intentionally supporting? If not, what is stopping you from doing it today?
BE YOU. NO ONE ELSE CAN
I was virtually interviewing a candidate recently when his young daughter busted into the room and yelled for her daddy. He responded by calmly asking me for a moment, kindly picked up his daughter and walked her out of the room to get her settled. His poise during the disruption and subsequent reaction solidified that he would be a great fit for the role. He did not apologize for the disruption, nor should he have. It gave me a glimpse into the type of manager he would be professionally based on real life observance of him in action.
Over the last 2 years I have greatly enjoyed virtually meeting people’s families both intentionally and accidentally. I am so thankful that the once divided paradigm of professional and personal identities has been upended. I often think about how challenging it must have been for my mother to have raised my brother and me as a single mom with the pressure to not allow her personal life to influence her professional career. She did a great job managing both, however she was never able to let down her guard lest she be perceived as unable to handle the challenges of being a professional and parent at the same time. Nevertheless, she was able to be an advocate for those whom she managed, some of whom were also single mothers with the same challenges. We often disguise our identities or personal lives so that we don’t appear weak or vulnerable. Due to our new virtual working environments, we now have a greater awareness of each other’s personal lives than ever. I believe that has also unlocked people’s individual awareness of where their greatest strengths lie as well as liberated them to be who they are. As a husband and father, I make no apologies for the way that I care for my family as my number one priority. Certainly, this has set me back from achieving promotions within some organizations, but I am more than grateful to accept that. After all, it is part of who I am personally, and it makes me a better leader professionally. Bring your whole self to work. Your team needs you to and so do you.
Have you felt the pressure to hide your personal life so you can proceed professionally? Do you agree your personal life is foundational for making you a better leader professionally?
With the holidays upon us, it’s certainly apropos to give thanks and embrace joy. My plea and challenge to each of us is we go beyond a short-term seasonal experience, and instead find joy in the everyday journey.
Sky Borgerding
*Team Lead, Walmart & Sam’s Club – Community Coffee
*Title and company of the author reflect their position at the time article was written
The opinions expressed here by guest bloggers are their own, not necessarily those of Stout Executive Search