I like the cover of Larry Winget’s book; It’s Called Work for a Reason! Your Success is Your Own Damn Fault. He stands boldly before you in a way-cool shirt and even cooler cowboy boots and refers to himself as the “Pitbull of Personal Development.” He is exactly that.

Mr. Winget has written a gripping, readable compilation of advice about accepting personal responsibility in the workplace. Winget is passionate about and frustrated by the lack of personal responsibility and poor work ethic in our society. Truthfully, I am too. When did we begin, as a society, to feel entitled to things we haven’t earned? I don’t know. My parents were baby boomers. If you were going to get anywhere in this life or in our household, you had to work for it. So, Winget’s suppositions about how people work are easy for me to swallow. The delivery of his opinions in a 240-page rant is intense, and although I found it easy to finish his book in an evening – it is not for the faint of heart.

Work It Like You Mean It
Mr. Winget, in his book, delivers many strong, simple truths to employees. All of his truths are intended to make the reader think twice about the way they have been working and make themselves indispensible. Winget stresses throughout the book that employees only spend a small percentage of their days working on the things that really matter. Employees are not paid to work hard, he says, but to produce results. It’s true. Employers are always looking for results, but in this economy it is even more important to bring tangible results to your employer. One of the strongest things he asserts is that employees should manage priorities, not time. I completely agree. Who has time to figure out how you should be managing your time when you could be producing results? Finally, and perhaps my favorite piece of advice he gives to employees is that there is always time to do the right thing. I think that says it all. Always take the time do the right thing. A clear conscience can let you focus on your next goal.

The Employer
Not surprisingly, Mr. Winget has a few choice words for employers as well. His advice about competition is the most interesting. He says,”You destroy the competition by not believing in it.” Radical. Larry Winget doesn’t believe in teamwork, either. He proposes; “Teamwork doesn’t work because someone on the team won’t work”, and says that employers should “create groups of superstars, exploiting their individuality.” His advice for employers is very similar to his advice for employees, and he brings attention to the absolute necessity to take responsibility and action. Employers, too, need to focus on results.

Larry Winget’s advice and information in this book are strong. The truths that he presses forth are simple truths that speak of much-needed character in the business world. He issues a challenge to all of us to become the best that we can be and speaks from a place of deep experience. I agree with Larry Winget when he says, “The things it takes to be successful in life are the same things it takes to be successful in business.” This economy has created a climate that is focused on results, and the skills to get us to the results we have been looking for have to come with strong character, hard work, and perseverance.

Tabitha Woods is Marketing Coordinator for Delta Dallas. Reach her at 972-788-2300 or twoods@deltadallas.com.

Do your employees have an acute case of “Stickitothemaniosis”? If you have never heard of this term, it was coined by Jack Black in the movie School of Rock. Stickitothemaniosis is a disease characterized by the uncontrollable urge to “stick it to the man”. Most often this disease can, in fact, be found in rock bands and is easily cured with a very loud and distorted guitar solo. Today, however, this terminal disease has mutated, spread to corporate America and is affecting the workforce in epidemic proportions.

Right now, employers are functioning with a survival mentality. Jackets are off, sleeves are rolled up, and company leaders have been laboring twice as hard as they ever have in order to press toward company goals in this economy. However, many leaders have not been paying attention to their constituents during this recession; and their constituents’ commitment levels are dropping. They have “Stickitothemaniosis” and they have got it bad.

Do your employees view you as “the man” or do they view you as a leader that is worth following all the way to company goals? Are they inspired by your vision of the future at your company or are they looking around for other options?

What if they knew that you were doing your best to keep them on, and that you too were hoping for better times that haven’t come yet? You wouldn’t be “the man” anymore. You would be the head of a team that is engaged, interdependent, and invested in the future of your organization.

During times of economic stress, your company brand can suffer in the eyes of your employees – even with the best of efforts. Why? Jack Welch, in his recent article, Winning Back a Wary Workforce asserts that the employment climate has changed. He says that the American workforce has experienced a fundamental shift in attitude toward working for “the man” and that future trends will make hiring even harder for big business.

Think about it . . . In the past two years, employees have seen their co-workers get laid off; those lay-offs have shifted work onto remaining workers, and in an effort to cut costs, some employers have begun to shave benefits. So even if you are an employer who has done everything you know to do for your employees in this environment – the increased pressure created from the realities of a recession can leave workers with a bad taste in their mouths. They can become disengaged, and could leave just as soon as the economy begins to move forward. With that in mind, leaders need to take action now to ensure that their employees are committed and feel valued.

Trust Begets Employee Engagement
Trust is one of the most essential and intangible factors of a fully functioning team. Teams that can stay cohesive in this economy are poised for success when recovery begins to build. It’s a simple fact: Employee trust produces employee engagement and employee engagement produces higher production levels. Conversely, employee disengagement leads to a self-focused rather than team or company-focused attitude, and production can suffer. A disengaged workforce affects your bottom line. (Who needs that in a recession?)

The beginning of this much-needed trust begins with confidence in current leadership. In their book, Credibility, authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner place honesty, the ability to be forward-looking, competence, and a talent to inspire at the top of their list of qualities that credible leaders possess. These qualities are even more vital in today’s environment. Begin now to build trust with your employees by being transparent. Consider the following:

BE HONEST
Be honest with your employees about the state of affairs at your organization and where they stand.

BE FORWARD-LOOKING
Give your employees insight into your vision and plans for your company’s future and/or the future of your department. It will let them know that they considered a part of that future and give them direction.

BE COMPETENT
Let your employees know what you are doing to make a difference right now. Tell them your plans for organizational and departmental success. Most of all, let them know how they are included in those plans. Execute those plans and include your constituents in your successes.

BE INSPIRING
Replace your team’s microcosmic view of their individual roles by inspiring them with a wide vision of your company’s future. Give them the big picture. This will engage them in the company’s goals, and once they are engaged – they can invest themselves in the company’s future. No one wants to work toward a future that fails to inspire.

Now is the time to position your team for recovery. Transparent and forward-thinking leadership will help to develop wider perspective in your teams. “Stickitothemaniosis” can be eliminated when you and your constituents build trust. Mutual respect, honest communication and shared vision will bring out the best in your employees. Press through to company goals by inspiring your employees to high engagement. Engaged, productive, inspired and committed employees are worth the effort.

Kim Follis is Vice President for Delta Dallas. Reach her at 972-788-2300 or kfollis@deltadallas.com

“When people honor each other, there is a trust established that leads to synergy, interdependence, and deep respect. Both parties make decisions and choices based on what is right, what is best, what is valued most highly.” Blaine Lee

All of us are familiar with the expression, “Behind every great man is a great woman” . . . well the same holds true for company leaders. Behind every great boss are great employees. Those employees who innately exude energy and passion every day are often consequently those who work for the greatest boss in the world. Their attitudes affect both their efforts and perspective.

We all want to work for the greatest boss in the world . . . but where do we start? Whether you are new or have been on the job for 20 years, you need to draw from a couple of your core qualities in order to contribute to your “boss’ success.” What qualities? Passion, energy, and attitude! It is imperative that you work each day with the same passion and energy that got you your job in the first place.

What would it would be like if every employee in your organization, at every level, walked in tomorrow morning as if it were their first day on the job? I’m talking about people showing up ready to impress someone, ready to make a difference – with the passion and energy it takes to make something good happen. You would notice the difference right away. There would be excitement! Nobody would schlep in, plop down into their chair with a heavy sigh and begin the drudgery. It would be like the excitement you used to feel on the first day of school when you thought to yourself, “I’m going to make all A’s this year!” Everyone would be trying to make a good impression and looking for the opportunity to make their mark and stand out.

While this sounds simple, it’s not. This market downturn has impacted the way that many people think and perform. Have you noticed this in your place of work? Like baseball players who run into hitting slumps, we all hit periods which test our resolve. We are independently responsible for getting ourselves out of those slumps. Those of us that find the passion to fuel our search for the next hot streak make it through the tough times. Anyone that lets negative thoughts take over misses out and loses their spot on the team or their job because their attitude impacts the team as a whole. We all draw in either positive or negative energy through our choices as individuals. While being a cheerleader isn’t a requirement, being a doomsdayer is deadly and sure to provide the lumber for caskets to carry out the fallen.

Right now your boss either thinks you are an asset to the company and are going to be a mainstay, that you are in a funk and hopefully will get out of it, or that you are done and will need replaced as soon as they have headcount approval. Where do you stand? If you have made it this far in the recession, you can give yourself a pat on the back. Your employer has seen enough value in your contribution to keep you on in a tough economy, and that’s a good sign. However, recovery is on the way, and when it speeds up, there will be rampant change. Employers are continually evaluating their teams to see who will carry them best into the recovery. You must show up with first day excitement, passion, and energy to be seen as one of the people that are going to be a keeper.

The reality is that unemployment is now at 7- 10 percent nationwide. There are top-tier people who would wait in line for your job. If you are one of those in a slump, you can change your present status in the minds of the people around you, leadership and peers, in a matter of a few weeks. If you want to stay where you are, then you need to seize the opportunity that you have right in front of you and make it happen. What personal job goals have stayed in your head waiting for an outlet? Go for it! What is stopping you? I can guarantee you that your employer wants to see that fire come out. I can guarantee you that your employer needs that fire to come out.

The real question is: What is holding you back? One of my favorite favorite scenes in the movie The Bucket List takes place in Egypt. Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) and Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) are terminal cancer patients who are working through a list of items they would like to complete before they “kick the bucket.” Inspired by the Egyptian grandeur around them, they begin to talk about “the afterlife.” Carter tells Edward that the Egyptians believed that when your soul gets to the entrance of heaven, the gods would ask you two questions: 1. Have you found joy in your life? 2. Have you brought joy to others? Your work life could be dismal from this point forward, or joyful. It is up to you. Make the environment yours, make the success yours, and make a difference. Now is the time for you to take the responsibility to be the best employee in the world, and soon, you will have the best boss in the world.

Don Crawford is President and CEO of Delta Dallas. Reach him at 972-788-2300 or dcrawford@deltadallas.com.