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The following story about Doc Lunsford was published on December 23, 1991. It remains one of my favorites. So much so that I decided to make it a tradition and share it with our subscribers each Christmas. At a time when Christmas seems to have lost much of its meaning in our hectic lives, it is my sincere desire that this story about Doc would remind us of what we are truly celebrating. Have a Merry Christmas and a Purposeful 2013.
 
We called him "Doc" - Doc Lunsford. I never knew how he came by the nickname of Doc - his real name was Claude. He never had been a doctor - in fact he didn't even have a grade school education. As a boy Doc had polio and was unable to attend school. He lived with his parents until they passed away.
 
Doc was probably in his fifties when I can first remember him. He wore bib overalls and lace-up Red Wing boots. His bout with polio left one leg shorter than the other so he walked with a limp. Doc was thin and had a perpetual five o'clock shadow because he only shaved every other day.
 
In some ways Doc was totally helpless. He had no car. He walked or had to catch a ride. Sometimes we would visit our grandparents at Christmas who lived some 200 miles away. Doc had a sister who lived in a small town along the way, so we would drop him off on the way down and pick him up after our visit on the way home.
 
I can remember Mom tying Doc's necktie for him because he didn't know how. She taught Doc how to write his own name. He spent a lot of time at our house and would eat with us on several occasions. But Doc was definitely not a taker - he was a giver. If anyone had reason to feel shortchanged in life it was Doc - but he never once showed it. Instead he was positive and upbeat.
 
Doc's house was small and smelled of pipe tobacco. He didn't have indoor plumbing and he would give me a drink from a dipper out of a pail. He always had a bag of "orange slices" - the sugar-coated, orange-flavored candy and he would let me reach in and grab a handful.
 
But what I remember most about Doc was his unconditional acceptance of me as a person. Frail looking as he was, he'd pick me up and hug me while scratching his whiskers against my face - that is so vivid that I can still feel it.
 
Doc could never repay my parents for the kindness they showed him - at least not financially.  But I could never repay Doc for the kindness he showed me. We can't always repay the people who help us in our trip through life - but all of us - no matter what we possess - can pass on the payment.
 
Doc has since passed on. Every year around Christmas he always comes to mind. Maybe it reminds me of our Christmas trips with Doc but maybe it's because Doc is what Christmas is all about - unconditional acceptance and giving what is most difficult to give - ourselves.

 
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In the midst of a recession, employee engagement is critical. Do your staff members know what is expected of them? Do you communicate this to them effectively? Do you have systems in place to align new applicants with the right jobs?

These are important questions to consider as you enter 2013.

Studies show that only 1 in 7 employees are willing to go the “extra mile” for their company. Is this the case in your organization? And if so, what are the current and future implications of that for your business?

With 55% of employees disengaged in the workplace, disengaged workers cost the US economy $350 billion a year. The problem for many employees today is that they simply lack purpose in their life and work, and therefore they lack motivation to perform their job well.

For companies to reach full efficiency and profitability, owners and managers must help their staff members discover their purpose and further develop their unique talents and motivations to achieve overall job satisfaction and engagement.

As you enter 2013, we can help you and your organization accomplish this!

 
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Phrases like “You can be anything you want to be,” or “You can accomplish anything you set your mind to,” get thrown around a lot. I heard them a lot myself growing up from friends, family, and teachers. Now, don’t get me wrong, their intentions were good. I’m all for empowering people and encouraging them to pursue their strengths, but we all have our limitations. Just because a young man practices basketball fundamentals day in and day out for hours and hours, doesn’t mean he will become the next Michael Jordan or Kevin Durant. There has to be a natural set of talents and strengths in place to help someone reach that kind of potential. And it’s no different in the workplace. Employees and managers must focus on the unique strengths and the specific value-adding contributions each can bring to the team.

The problem is too many times we focus entirely too much on improving upon our weaknesses. I was in the corporate sector for nearly a dozen years in management, and every time we gave performance reviews, weaknesses dominated the conversation. Did you know that, as a manager, when you focus on your employees’ strengths, the chance for them to be actively disengaged in the workplace is only about one percent? Consider the potential that one shift in the way you lead your people could improve and impact the bottom-line.

I was recently watching a video, which featured Jay Niblick, author of the book “What’s Your Genius?” In that video, Jay said something that to this day I consider quite profound. He said, “For me to focus on my weaknesses is like me saying God didn’t know what He was doing when He created me. And frankly, I’m not that egotistical.” Well said, Jay. Well said!

 
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By Nathan R Mitchell MBA

When it comes to costs, many organizations “cross their T’s” and “dot their I’s” – that is, unless you are talking about the costs of employee turnover. For one reason or another, many businesses simply don’t measure it. Some organizations, however, know their percentage of employee turnover quite well, but don’t calculate the long-term consequences on overhead expenses like training and development.

What are the real costs of employee turnover? What does it really cost businesses to replace key personnel when they jump ship to change careers, or even worse, jump ship to join your competition? Well, it depends on whom you ask. The calculations vary greatly from study to study and organization to organization, yet all are equally frightening!

I recently had a meeting with an administrator of an organization who told me their average employee turnover rate is higher than 30%. Even if the employees jumping ship earn an hourly wage just slightly higher than the Federal Minimum Wage of $7.25, the costs are still astounding – yes, even for staff members who many organizations deem to be “easily replaceable.” The Society for Human Resource Management estimates that one $8.00 per hour employee costs an organization $3,500 in additional expenses when things like recruitment, lost productivity, and training and development are all taken into consideration.

So, why don’t more businesses pay attention to this critical number? For many companies, it’s simply viewed as a normal cost of doing business – besides, isn’t some turnover desirable? Yes and no. It’s true that poor performers may cost businesses more in the long run, but what about the good performers? What’s causing them to leave the organization? Perhaps it’s due to poor job alignment; perhaps the human resources department or key personnel haven’t given them the proper training and tools they need to perform their job effectively; or perhaps it wasn’t determined in the recruitment process whether or not the company’s purpose was in alignment with the applicant’s strengths, passions, and objectives. Does the organization have a purpose? And if so, do the employees know what that purpose is, and are they “buying-in?”

Unfortunately, many businesses today don’t take the time to implement a solution. Instead, many companies spend the bulk of their energy and resources finding ways to decrease payroll and increase sales. I know, it’s practically an oxymoron. The ironic thing is studies have shown a 10% reduction in employee turnover is worth more than a 10% increase in productivity, or a 10% increase in sales.
The question you should be asking is this: which will you choose to focus on in the coming months ahead?

If you choose retention, your customers and employees will thank you for it! Oh, and by the way, so will your bottom line.

 
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Jim Whitt and I had a great turnout at our “Power of Purpose: How to Transform Lives, Leaders, and Organizations” workshop recently. One of the points that regularly came up in our discussions on employee engagement and overall performance of the organization, was the idea of having the right people in an organization being instrumental to success. You’ve heard it before – it’s practically cliché. It’s the idea of having “the right people on the bus.”

Seeking profit should never be the sole-purpose for the existence of a business. I realize that one of the goals of a small business is to make money – there’s no doubt about that! Yet, for one reason or another, many companies neglect the importance of hiring the right people – a costly mistake!

I recently read in an online article that small-business owners should have “the right people on the bus,” prior to establishing strategic direction for the company. For the sake of playing “The Devil’s Advocate,” I’m going to question this statement: How can a company hire the right people and begin to make strategic changes in the organization without first knowing why the organization is in business in the first place.
In other words, what is the organization’s purpose?

Jim Collins said, “Great vision without great people is irrelevant.” I agree with his statement; however, I’m going to take it one step further and say that even a business driven by purpose without employees committed to that purpose is futile! Having the right people means having employees who are “buying-in” to the purpose of your business. In many instances they will share the same values as you.

The right people understand the difference between working for wages, having a job or a career, and the opportunity to help an organization fulfill its purpose! A great question to ask yourself is this: Knowing what you know now about your employees, which ones would you rehire all over again? If you can’t say yes to the rehire question, then more than likely they are not a good fit for your company.

It’s true. The right people are critical to the success of a company, but without an organizational purpose, it’s really hard to be effective in the employee selection and hiring process.