Courage in the Face of Adversity

Politicians are finally showing some courage and addressing challenges critical to the well-being of our country, individual states, and constituents. From health care to Social Security, union entitlements to gross budget deficits – it’s time to make tough decisions about our collective future. I applaud the leaders willing to tackle unpopular issues that have been festering for a long, long time.

Corporate executives are also challenged with adversity, in the form of competitors, pressure to be innovative and profitable, rising costs, the imperative to grow or die, and the expectations of employees. Courageous leaders build strategies to face their issues. They make difficult decisions that aren’t popular with everyone, but that they deem best for the overall success of the corporation. The best leaders also communicate their strategies, plans, and actions so that motivation, reasons, and expected results are well understood.

Courage is required at all levels of an organization. Adversity may be concrete or perceived, but how a leader responds is a test of true management capabilities…

LB is an executive with a large corporation that is winding down an organizational transformation. He squirms as he gives a pink slip to his administrative assistant, bemoaning the pressure he has been under to streamline his department. LB is a cowardly leader.

DB has the unwelcome task of outsourcing most positions in his department, eliminating scores of internal positions. When the strategic decision is made, it is clearly communicated to the team well in advance of the layoffs. All employees receive timely letters detailing their termination benefits, and have individual exit interviews. During the dismantling of the department, DB has an open door policy, and spends many hours in informal counseling sessions that provide some comfort. DB is a courageous leader.

JH’s management team is less than a well-oiled machine. They are a collection of individuals, who do not support their leader well. Some meet their strategic goals, and some do not. JH is frustrated by the dynamics, yet he is not honest about his disappointment, nor does he deal with the situation by holding the individuals accountable for their performance. The leadership dysfunction affects the morale of the entire department. JH is a cowardly leader.

How do you face adversity in your corporation? Be a courageous leader.

When Tech Shortfalls Thwart Customer Service

Last week, I took action to redeem some American AAdvantage Miles before they expired. I had enough for a domestic round trip ticket, and my husband had enough for a one-way segment. I logged on to aa.com to make reservations for my reward travel.

It wasn’t too surprising to discover that I could not book our reservations online as part of the same itinerary, because of different AAdvantage accounts and the round trip versus one-way redemptions. STRIKE ONE for American Airlines’ technology. Most of the airline systems (American’s included) are notoriously antiquated behind the scenes, and rigid in their functional capabilities. So I called their 800 number for help, already having checked award flight availability and mapping out an itinerary. I hoped American’s reservation agents might have capabilities unavailable to me on their web site.

Upon reaching an agent and explaining what I was trying to accomplish, I was advised that our reservations could not be booked as part of the same itinerary. OK – I expected that. But then the agent told me that there was only one award flight available for my desired travel date (a flight that did not work for us). I told the agent I had found additional availability online and began to provide the flight numbers, but was abruptly told that she could “see” only the one flight available. American’s reservation system did not show the same availability shown on their web site. STRIKE TWO.

Back to the web site to book our travel online. Here I discovered that Ron’s one-way award had to be booked separately from the one-way return for which we would pay a normal fare. So I made the two reservations and noted the different confirmation numbers. I then made the reservation for my round trip reward ticket.

When double-checking our three confirmed reservations, I discovered that I had made an error. I had booked my husband’s departure and return for the same date. Augh! Operator error. So I retrieved the reservation and submitted a modification for the correct date. The system then advised me that I would be charged $150 for the change. Angry with myself for the mistake, but somewhat resigned to paying the evil airline’s price, I completed the modification and provided a credit card to pay the additional $150.

The more I thought about my experience, the more upset I got. I called American and asked to speak to a supervisor. Much to my surprise, I was told that since I had found my error and made the modification within 24 hours, American would refund my $150.

Hooray, and STRIKE THREE at the same time! If American’s policy was to refund the change penalty, why doesn’t the system support that policy and not impose the fee in the first place? This limitation in their technology conveniently generates revenue from all the people who don’t bother to call and complain.

All’s well that ends well, except that I am reminded of several of the reasons I fly Southwest now instead of American.

The negative impact that ineffective technology can have on customer loyalty should not be overlooked by any business. Keep your technology updated to serve not only your operation, but your customers.

P.S.  I'm not paying for checking any baggage either.  So there.

How to Love Your Job

Sometimes it’s easy to love your job. Other times, not so much. After 28 years in a corporate environment, I learned a few things about how to make the best of the whole work experience by focusing on the things I could control. Here are my tips:

A PLEASANT COMMUTE: The work day starts when you leave your home. Enhance your commute by keeping your car clean, choosing a scenic route, playing music or listening to a radio show, and enjoying a morning beverage. (If you commute via public transportation, I recommend an iPod or a Kindle to help transport you to your Happy Place.)

PERSONALIZE YOUR SPACE: Whether you have a cube or an office, you probably have some options to put your mark on your work space. Make it a comfortable place to spend your time by adding meaningful personal touches, like art, a special coffee mug, and family photos. The neater you can keep your space, the more serene you will feel.

KEEP LEARNING: Work feels less like a rat race if you are learning something new and interesting every day. Cultivate an open and inquiring mind. Take advantage of any training opportunities your company provides. Seek a relationship with a mentor who is willing to share their wisdom.

ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE: Your position description specifies your responsibilities, but in reality there may be some wiggle-room in regard to where you spend the bulk of your time and effort. Try making small adjustments so that you can focus more time on the work you really enjoy. (Caution: You must still be productive and meet your goals, and can’t avoid work that is your primary responsibility.)

MAKE QUICK WORK OF ONEROUS ACTIVITIES: You can’t escape everything you dislike doing. Instead, grab those tasks by the horns and get them wrestled to the ground quickly and efficiently. Completion will give you a sense of relief, and allow you to get on with more interesting and fun work.

WALLOW IN YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS: You deserve to enjoy your successes. Communicate them to your boss, being sure to tell him/her what you learned in the process, what you are proud of, and what you really enjoyed about the effort. This upward feedback may positively influence the projects and responsibilities you are assigned in the future.

CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS: You spend a lot of time at work, and will be happier if you enjoy the company of the people around you. Some co-workers will become trusted friends. Others you can appreciate and respect in a professional light. Work hard at having an honest and open relationship with your boss. You don’t need the stress that mistrusting and disliking co-workers creates.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Love your job. It’s better than the alternatives.

Time to Hunker Down

The holidays are but a memory, the Super Bowl has ended the NFL season, and even January White Sales are a thing of the past. Spring Training and March Madness are a tantalizing month away. Most of the country is locked inside the grip of winter’s snow, ice, slush, gray, and chill. This time of year is kind of a bummer.

It’s a great time to hunker down and be productive at work! C’mon, what else is there to do? You have finished all the end-of-calendar-year insanity, like annual reviews, evaluation of performance against goals, bonus recommendations, and analysis of actual spending against budgets. It’s been over a month since you rang in the New Year with an exhausted sigh. Now it’s the Chinese Year of the Rabbit – so get hopping!

With a fresh budget, newly established goals, and fewer fun distractions, it’s time to hunker down and be productive. You’re already well into the first quarter of the year, and you need something to show for it. Be sure your goals are prioritized, that your team understands where to spend their individual and collective energy, and has bought into the importance of project deadlines.

Don’t forget… People may still feel a little let down after the end of the year. You can do something for them that costs you nothing. Express kind thanks for their efforts and earned results. Be specific about what you appreciate. They need to know that what they do is noticed, and not taken for granted. You would be surprised at the positive impact that can come from a little kindness and recognition. I once delivered hand-written, personalized Thank You notes to everyone on my project team. Many of those notes were displayed on cubical walls for years afterward.

Pulling together to accomplish goals and celebrating successes is what builds a team. Take advantage of the natural lull in the air this time of year to hunker down and get things done.