With individual associates:
… finding a way to say “hello” to every person who works with you each day.
… noticing someone who could use a few words of support during the day and taking the time to listen to them and encourage them.
… not pointing out every single mistake especially when the big goals have been completed.
… sending a simple private text at the end of the day to tell someone they did a good job
… sending a simple private text at the end of the day encourage someone who did not have a good day.
… knowing your people well enough that you know when someone needs a little extra support and making time for them.
… stopping what you are doing to help someone who needs your help right now.
With your team:
… being there for a new associate’s first shift and welcoming them to your team.
… make sure you actively encourage fresh ideas and different perspectives to issues; you don’t have a monopoly on good ideas.
… appreciate the fact that you are not the smartest person in the room and that is okay with you.
… always make sure that you are not the only one who does the talking during your meetings.
… understanding that everyone tries hard, but mistakes are going to happen.
… encourage your people to anticipate problems and then encourage them to help eliminate them before they happen.
… train your team to ask: what are the facts? what are the alternatives? Then have them make a decision. Even if they make the wrong decision, support them.
… train your team to evaluate their decisions and actions by getting them to ask: what did I do right? what did I do wrong? what would I do differently next time?
For everyone:
… taking a moment and brushing the snow off someone else’s car when you don’t have to.
… staying patient when no one else is there to help when you are busy yourself.
… allowing your associates to attend to family issues with understanding, respect, and support.
… you give someone your undivided attention when they are talking to you or presenting to a group.
… you don’t get flustered when someone asks a question that they have asked you before.
For Customers:
… opening a little early because someone is waiting by your door in the cold or in the rain.
… staying a little later for someone who can’t come back tomorrow.
… saying “thank you for coming in, and we appreciate your business.”
… listening to their concerns and issues with real empathy and compassion.
… you solve their problems the way that you would want to be taken care of, if you were the customer.
As a leader:
… at company functions or when at a company social function, you wait until everyone else has been taken care before taking care of yourself.
… you make sure that every truck that was working late is back safely, even after everything else is closed and everyone else has gone home.
… you make sure that people have your cell phone number if they run into problems during off hours and that you answer their calls.
… you appreciate that your associates are more than just what they do for you.
… you do the right things that need to be done even though they are difficult or unpopular.
… you start before everyone else and do the things that nobody notices unless they aren’t done.
… you stay late sometimes so other people can get away.
… you ensure that your associates have the right tools to do their jobs.
… criticize privately, praise publicly.
… understand that you make mistakes and you try to be aware of and shrink your blind spots.
… smile more than you think you do.
… say “thank you” more than you think you do.
… if someone criticizes you, consider that they might be right, maybe you needed to know.
… each of these ideas are small, each of these ideas does not require any extra training, and you can do each of these ideas right now. It doesn’t cost you anything but a little time and understanding, that as a leader, your job is to make your people better.