Water's Edge Coaching » Corporate Culture

A Hall of Fame Life

Scott Andersohn — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:30:04 +0000

Like so many Chicago Cub’s fans I am saddened to hear of the passing of Ron Santo. The Cubs were my heroes as a child and I spent many a school day afternoon alone or weekend sitting at my father’s feet watching the likes of Ernie Banks, and Billy Williams and Ron Santo playing the same game I loved to play down the street at the park with my friends. They were and still are heroes. No scandals, no steroids, so 60 minute specials on ESPN to make an announcement. They played the game with a sense of joy and addressed the fans and media with a sense of humility. I’m always amazed when I watch interviews from back in the 60s how all these players had an “awww shucks” kind of way of responding to questions. Like they felt priveleged to play the game and a bit embarrassed to get all this attention for it. Ron Santo epitomized that. Ron moved on to the broadcast booth for the Cubs and brought a heart on the sleeves style to his color commentary. I have to admit, Ron was not very good at color commentary. Certainly not a polished professional. BUT, listening to Ron scream “OH NO!” or hearing a frustated “Come on guys, just get a hit!” made me feel like he was one of us. Like he was just another frustrated Cub fan reacting to the game. I guess you could say Ron announced like he played, with a lot of heart and a blue collar style. You weren’t supposed to be able to play baseball professionally as a diabetic let alone be selected to the all star team nine times. You weren’t supposed to add color commentary to a broadcast the way Ron did and be beloved by fans for doing so. But Ron Santo did both, and he did it his way! A lot of us struggle with the barriers and disappointments that are part of our job search efforts or part of the challenges of finding ways to succeed in our work with fewer resources and challenging business conditions. I think there is a lesson for us all from Ron Santo’s life. Be true to yourself. Realize barriers are just that, barriers and don’t have to be roadblocks. Thanks #10 for the impact you had on me and my life. I don’t think I actually realized it until today. Rest in peace old friend.

Showing Appreciation

Scott Andersohn — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:17:09 +0000

Kim is the Associate Director at the Career Center where I volunteer and she is outstanding at saying “thank you.” I don’t think she has ever not said thank you for helping. From my perspective being thanked that much isn’t really required, because the pay back for me comes from the volunteer work. BUT, IT IS ALWAYS NICE TO FEEL APPRECIATED! Kim does that with everybody. I’m sure if you asked Kim she would say it is really not a big deal and that she really does appreciate the volunteers at the Career Center and all that they do. That’s the point really, isn’t it? Her appreciation is genuine and she wants people to know it is there. There is a lesson for all of us in Kim’s simple gesture of appreciation. Thank you Kim!

Let’s Play Two! – Enthusiasm at Work

Scott Andersohn — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:16:40 +0000

Growing up I idolized Ernie Banks. By the time I was old enough to start caring about whether the Chicago Cubs won that day (an affliction I still suffer from) Ernie had moved from playing shortstop to playing first base. But he was still Ernie! Still Mr. Cub! He brought a boyish enthusiasm to the game, best captured in his quote “Let’s play two.” Reflecting a message any boy could understand, on a day as beautiful as today, let’s play two games of baseball. I don’t recall ever seeing Ernie Banks not smiling, except maybe when he was about to put a ball out on Waveland Avenue. I’m in my 40s now, still obsessed with the Cubs, and I still idolize Ernie Banks. I keep an Ernie Banks autographed baseball on my desk in my office. It reminds me of the enthusiasm, hope and sheer joy that Ernie brought to the ballpark every day, and through his actions, lifting the spirits of legions of adoring Cub fans. That autographed baseball reminds me of my sincere desire that we all could feel the same way about our work. That as leaders we create that environment for our teams that energizes them. As employees we must be vigilant about giving our all to the team. As job hunters we should seek out work that engages our head, hands and heart. Thank you Ernie Banks! Let’s play two!

Morale Issues? Check Your Bridges and Barriers

Scott Andersohn — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:07:25 +0000

The focus of my coaching business is on creating inspiring workplaces leading to an engaged workforce. Most people that I talk to about my business think that it sounds great in theory, but view my position with a healthy degree of cynicism. Truthfully, many meet it with an unhealthy degree, stating they would be happy just to have people seem slightly interested or spending less time surfing the web or a litany of other bad behaviors. So they ask…. how do you do that? I usually reply, “Simple, build bridges and remove barriers.” Remove the barriers that stand between you and an engaged workforce, and build bridges that connect the paths of organizational vision and employee interests. Stop treating people like they showed up to work that day inspired to give their least. If they in fact have, you’re clearly doing something wrong! Your job as a leader in an organization answer is to inspire others to give their best each and every day. Looking to improve morale? Take a look and the strength of your bridges and the size of your barriers?

Fed Up Enough to Leave – A Message for Employers

Scott Andersohn — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:30:56 +0000

I have spoken to two people in the past week who were unhappy enough with their current employer to choose to quit their job. One acted to save their sanity, the other acted to get out of a really bad situation. Both people knew that in this economy, their decision was a risky one. Yet both felt so aggravated about the situation they were in that leaving seemed the best option. I know both of these people well enough to know their decision was not made without careful consideration. These were not impulsive overreactions to a bad situation. Every month more than 500 people click on an ad I run on-line that simply says “Feeling Stuck.” It is designed to reach out to potential career coaching clients. 500 people and that number is increasing each month. That’s just the number that choose to click on my ad and my ad only appears when people are searching for career coaching. How many people might be feeling stuck in their job in your company right now?

I understand that not everyone is a good fit in your organization and for some leaving is the best option for all parties involved. That’s not true of everyone though. You know it, I know it. How productive is an employee that is feeling stuck likely to be? How many employees being half as productive as they could be can your business tolerate? What are you willing to do about it? We both know if you had equipment that was being half as productive as it could be you would invest the time and money to get it running at maximum speed. Why treat employees with less attention than our equipment then?

I am not taking a stand for either side (employee or employer) in this blog as much as I am taking a stand for talking with each other. For creating a workplace in which your employees can flourish. They win and you win when you get to that point. Act now, before the really good ones become fed up enough to leave.

Pitchers and Catchers Report

Scott Andersohn — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:23:10 +0000

Spring Training is upon us bringing with it the hope and excitement of a new season to baseball fans all over this country. As a life long fan of the Chicago Cubs, I have gone through this cycle of excitement ending in disappointment many times in my life. At this time of year, it’s a thrill just to see people throwing a baseball or swinging a bat. It brings about some visceral reaction that takes me back to my childhood. Waiting for the snow to finally melt from the near by park and the ground to become dry enough that all the kids in the neighborhood were willing to risk not getting too muddy playing ball. I can only imagine what it must feel like as a professional baseball player or a coach on a professional team. There is nothing but possibility at this time of year, and questions, and wonder. Will the rookie phenom be all he is expected to be? Does the grizzled veteran have one more year in him? Can the talented player who has always been a bit of a “head case” get it together enough this year to play to his potential. The excitement at this time of year is all about the anticipation I think. What does this have to do with coaching, or leading? Hell I don’t know. I have baseball on my brain. Come to think of it, I guess there is a lesson here for leaders and managers though. What are you doing to build up that level of excitement and anticipation with your employees? At the end of the project, or fiscal year, or whatever the relevant time frame might be… how are they likely to feel? Do the end the year with the euphoria of feeling like a champion? Do they walk away discouraged like so many Cubs fans at the end of another year of disappointment? Its up to you to guide your team to fulfill their potential. it starts today. Play Ball!