Discover practical advice, inspiration, and insights to help you succeed in business and grow both personally and professionally.
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My son and I recently met Jerry Sanders, the founder of AMD - a computer chip manufacturer and one of the giants in the history of Silicon Valley.
Jerry was telling us that people often confuse “doing things right” with “doing the right things.” He said it was vital to “do the right things ” as doing the wrong things right ends in failure and burnout.
Peter Drucker makes the same point in The Effective Executive. So how do you focus on “doing the right things”? One easy way is asking your coaches. They have the experience and objectivity to guide you.
How do you approach a touchy, but important, subject with someone at home or at work without damaging the relationship?
This has always been a challenge for me, and for most people I know. Because we are afraid the conversation will damage the relationship we tend to avoid it or dance around the issue, which in the long-term is more damaging.
An effective conversation starts with first understanding what you are trying to accomplish with the conversation? Do you want to show who is boss? Win an argument? Shame them? Defend yourself? Dump your uncertainty, anxiety on them?
I learned at the “Crucial Conversations” class, given by Vital Smart that the objectives of crucial conversations are to:
(1) Get facts
(2) Learn
(3) Build the relationship
(4) Get a productive result
If I focus on this and not on any emotions, anxieties, etc., it will go well. I try to avoid these conversations when I am upset or have strong emotions. It makes it about me rather than the four objectives. Is it a good time for them? I try not to be the coach to yell at the kids in the outfield to “keep your eye on the ball” right after they drop it. They are too embarrassed and self-shaming to listen to coaching at that time.
Timing is important.
The basic outline that often works is a 3-step approach.
I start with the belief that I do not know. I just have a hunch. Also, I try not to be accusatory and have a calm tone. “Why would an intelligent, reasonable person do this” is a good mindset.
“Joe, I observed when you were talking to Cindy that you interrupted her three times in the conversation; I noticed you interrupted Juan twice when he gave his side of the story. I am wondering if interrupting people is a reason you are struggling building your team. What is your perspective?”
Then LISTEN.
Today we named Operation Smile this year's official corporate cause. The international children's medical charity treats facial deformities, such as cleft lips and palates, around the globe. We are partnering with its network of independently owned and operated offices to raise funds for the organization.
This is the first time Cydcor has adopted a charitable organization of this scale – it's a great way to exercise team building among our offices and we are proud to support an organization that improves the quality of so many lives.
We are partnering with our network of independently owned and operated sales companies to reach a goal of$150,000 in order to support an Operation Smile medical mission, currently slated to take place in Peru. Sales Companies are establishing their own "smile" campaign support pages and have fundraising goals starting at$1,000 per office. Cydcor has established its own "smile" page with a goal of $21,000 – enough to pay for 90 surgeries, each costing approximately $240.
"The need for quality cleft care is urgent; there are so many children around the world who desperately need our help," said Dr. Bill Magee, Founder and CEO of Operation Smile. "We are grateful for the generosity of our supporters and volunteers. It is only with their help that we can continue to give new smiles and transform the lives of our patients."
Click here to read the full release or coverage on The Daily Tell.
We just wrapped up our annual R&R Owners Weekend event at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. This is an appreciation event for key members of our network of independently owned sales companies. While the event had an element of business, the primary focus was rest and relaxation for the more than 600 in attendance.
We enjoyed a weekend full of themed dinners, private group pool cabanas, ocean kayaks, banana boat rides, bocce ball, and ping-pong. The weekend culminated with a "Havana Nights" theme dinner, where we participated in a customized "Minute to Win It" and had a chance to win cash prizes.
We also held our 3rd Annual Charity Tournament event there, helping to raise support and awareness for Operation Smile, an international children's medical charity treating facial deformities such as cleft lips and cleft palates all around the world.
Watch our video recap here: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWL4vug9dDo[/youtube]
We're so happy to announce that we've made San Fernando Valley's 'Best Places to Work' for the third year in a row. Cydcor was specifically recognized for a supportive work environment and culture, volunteer opportunities, quality and commitment of management, and benefits.
The Business Journal and Best Companies Group worked together to identify and recognize area companies with a strong commitment to workplace excellence.
Both publicly and privately held organizations were selected based on benefits, corporate philanthropy, policies, work-life balance, internal working conditions, local management, satisfaction, camaraderie and support of employees' personal growth. Selections were based on company surveys and employee comments.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Aug. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Cydcor, the leading provider of outsourced, face-to-face sales teams, was named among the "Best Places to Work" by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal for the third year in a row and ranked #4 for area mid-sized companies (25 to 249 employees).
The Business Journal and Best Companies Group worked together to identify and recognize area companies with a strong commitment to workplace excellence. Both publicly and privately held organizations were selected based on benefits, corporate philanthropy, policies, work-life balance, internal working conditions, local management, satisfaction, camaraderie and support of employees' personal growth. Selections were based on company surveys and employee comments.
"We're honored to be recognized as one of the area's 'Best Places to Work' for a third year," said Gary Polson, chief executive officer of Cydcor. "Cydcor is committed to rewarding its employees – who continue to deliver exceptional results for clients, and at the same time, make positive contributions in their communities through philanthropic work."
Cydcor was specifically recognized for a supportive work environment and culture, volunteer opportunities, quality and commitment of management, and benefits.
Team members are eligible for benefits in the month following their hire date. Beginning in their first year, each employee receives 15 days of sick and vacation time. Team members can also occasionally arrange to work from home. Cydcor provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), including mental health counseling and referrals, wellness and smoking cessation programs. Cydcor also provides supplemental life insurance, a Flexible Spending Account, a Dependent Care Spending Account, and Franklin Covey Time Management System training for all new hires. In order to maintain open communication between company leaders and team members, Cydcor provides a suggestion box, open-door policy, employee surveys and organizational newsletters.
Cydcor puts a large emphasis on corporate philanthropy. The Cydcor Cares program provides team members with eight volunteer hours a year to work together and puts them in touch with low to no-cost charitable opportunities that they can participate in individually or as an organized group activity. This past year, the company kicked off its new Cydcor Cares program with a reading fair that took place at the Boys and Girls Club. More than 500 team members from offices throughout the country also dedicated nearly 300 hours to local communities through charity and volunteer work – helping more than 28 organizations through Cydcor's Neighborhood Leader Program. Additionally, Cydcor made a donation to the Intrepid Museum Foundation's Sea, Air & Space Museum in honor of Board Member Dan Frederickson's service in the U.S. Marines. Earlier this year, Cydcor donated clothing, shoes, and first aid supplies to earthquake survivors in Haiti through Haiti Gospel Mission.
I had a conversation with an employee the other day concerning self-development. He believed it was vital at this stage in his career to get to the next level and asked me for my advice. My suggestion was for him to have an intense student mentality right now and to ask for and follow suggestions from his mentors, whether he agrees with the advice or not, as long as he feels the advice is ethical.
Why follow advice that you disagree with? A well known and respected CEO, and friend of mine, has been coaching me for about four years now and is often giving me suggestions that I feel will lead to a bad result. I will give him reasons why I feel his advice is bad but after a conversation if he still believes I should follow his suggestion, I will.
The reason I follow his advice is because I want to learn to grow. If I always do what I think is best or what I feel comfortable with then I will not grow. I will just be doing the same thing over and over, like a hamster on a wheel. The key is not the result I get from following his suggestion, but what I learned in the process.
If I follow my coach's suggestion and get a positive result, that is great and I will have learned new skills that will last me a lifetime. However, if I follow his suggestion and get a bad result, not all is lost. I will first review the process and results with my coach to see if I executed properly, but if I find that in the end the suggestion just doesn't work, then I learned a valuable lesson in what not to do in the future.
A good or a bad result is not important. What is important is what is learned along the way. Getting a good result, but not learning from the process, won't serve you as well long-term as getting a bad result, but learning the lessons from it.
The San Fernando Valley Business Journal recently sat down with our very own Gary Polson to discuss his role as CEO of Cydcor for nearly a decade now, what he thinks has contributed to Cydcor's success as one of the best sales outsourcing companies in the world and what opportunities he sees in growing Cydcor.
We kicked off our Cydcor Cares program at the Boys and Girls Club in Thousand Oaks, California this month. The event was designed to help kids become more interested in reading. Cydcor office team members dressed up as their favorite fictional characters and read to children in kindergarten through fourth grade.
The Bookaneer, a local used bookstore in Thousand Oaks, donated dozens of children’s fiction titles to help support the event. Owner, Tracy Benedict, was thrilled with the results and thanked Cydcor for making it a priority to give back to their local community and for providing such a great program for children to participate in.
Read more about Cydcor Cares and this event at The Daily Tell.
Cydcor is proud that its Neighborhood Leader Program has reached significant milestones. To date, more than 500 team members from the various independent Cydcor offices throughout the United States and Canada have dedicated almost 300 hours to their local communities through charity and volunteer work – helping more than 28 organizations.
Organizations helped in various local communities through the Neighborhood Leader Program include the Lupus Alliance of America, Feed the Children, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Make-a-Wish, Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity, Project Bread, the Boys & Girls Club, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the American Cancer Society, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, the March of Dimes, and a number of food banks and animal rescues and sanctuaries.
To further demonstrate dedication to the Cydcor Community, the company recently formed a new program, Cydcor Cares, which will enable internal employees to band together and use their eight allotted volunteer hours that Cydcor offers on a yearly basis. The Cydcor Cares first event will take place at the Thousand Oaks Boys and Girls Club, where Cydcor team members will read to children from kindergarten to fourth-grade age.
Click here to read more.
One of the best books written by sports greats is When the Game was Ours by Larry Bird and Earvin Magic Johnson, with Jackie MacMullan.
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson will always be linked as two competitors. They are linked like Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier and Wilt Chamberlain versus Bill Russell. They first competed against each other in the NCAA basketball championship, which has the highest ratings of viewers of any game in history. They then competed against each other in the NBA and in three NBA finals. One was white and one was black; one from a city and one from the country; one was quiet and shy and one outgoing and loved being around people. The one thing that they had in common is that neither was a great athlete. They were considered slow, with poor jumping ability. They were great because of their work ethic and their deep desire to be great. They out-worked and out-competed their competition.
They did not like each other at first, yet there was respect. They each practiced hard, motivated to beat the other. Then because of a television commercial they became friends. This book tells about each of their lives, how hard they worked and practiced and how they became friends.
This is a must read for people who want to be successful. It does help if you have a slight interest in basketball, but it may not be necessary. This is a compelling story of what it takes to win. We often think these great stars are born great. Not the case with most and especially Bird and Magic. They did it by will and effort.
One of the best quotes from the book, summarizes what I am referring to about why this book is a must read for those who want to know what it takes to be successul: “[Magic] worked tirelessly on his ball-handling and his rebounding with the advice [Coach] Fox gave him imprinted on his mind: when you think you have done enough, do a little more, because someone out there is working harder than you. Bird was told the same thing by coach Jim Jones. As he advanced from high school to the college game, he wasn’t sure that “other person” truly existed. ‘Not until I met Magic,’ Bird said.”