At RedBalloon being completely transparent with the team has worked for us. They expect that of the leadership team – it is one of our values. We lead by example at RedBalloon. However transparency does not mean every detail needs to shared – what it means is that all business decisions must be put in context for the whole team. We would always communicate such things in person with a company wide meeting – and the conversation is succinct and factual devoid of emotion or malice it doesn’t ever include anything that could be construed as defamatory. We also provide the forum for questions - either in public or privately.

However, RedBalloon does seek advice on tricky situations… There are people who do this all the time, so I asked Stuart King more about what he suggests business do about letting people know that 'Bad Apples' will not be tolerated – and that action will be taken… here is his response.

Q: If we just let people know that someone moved on, how do other staff know that it is because the person wasn’t working in alignment with our values and that it was our decision? Erin Atkinson

A: Research suggests that communicating internally about an employee’s conduct could create the risk of a claim of defamation. However we should be able to communicate honest, concise, factual information about why a person was terminated.

• Employees often know more than the leadership know they know.

In my experience, unless people within an organisation are aware that a decision to act against an employee was made because of inappropriate conduct, the deterrent effect of action is lost. In effect the organisational response is not visible. Be assured that colleagues and perhaps supervisors know of unethical, unlawful or inappropriate conduct that may have occurred. They may have seen it and privately shared observations and thoughts about it with other colleagues.  Office gossip is a vehicle for information about workplace conduct issues and is common in workplaces.  Observations of others are often the least secret. This is often how a workplace culture can be undermined, the published values are considered as being not visibly nor actively supported and employees learn how things are ‘really done’ in their workplace. Yes, people do leave if they perceive inaction by an employer. What is worse however is when colleagues adopt similar behaviors with the view that nothing will be done. Action or inaction impacts directly on values and reputation.

• Someone must stop these activities

Employees who act unethically are too often moved on from organisations in a quiet manner as it is often easier to do that. I have seen evidence of that, and toxic employees simply moved on can cause havoc in their next organisation, and so on it goes until they are stopped or exposed.  Problem being that they hurt people and organisations along the way.

• Transparency in communication doesn’t mean every detail.

So how can an organisation be transparent in response to an employee who does not demonstrate alignment with organisational values? Confidentiality, procedural fairness, principles of natural justice and the presumption of innocence all have application in how organisations respond to inappropriate employee conduct.  The process applied in response to unsatisfactory conduct at work can be a trap for new players and always seek professional support and advice before embarking on an investigation. Providing investigative and organisational processes that are legitimate, robust and fair should sustain action which follows.  I also believe that being consistent and sharing a conversation with employees about standards of conduct, about conduct that will not be tolerated or countenanced and about the type of conduct that will bring about a firm response and may result in termination (ie: breach of employment conditions, dishonesty, equal opportunity breaches, occupational violence or bullying etc) is very important.  Don’t leave the conversation until after something has happened.

Prevention is always better than the cure. In short, there should be no surprises for employees so share the rules and back them up with action if they are breached.

Communicating within an organisation the reasons for a person’s departure should be considered and managed carefully. Particularly if another person remains in the organisation may be effected. A claim for defamation can be real, it worries people and carries a risk for organisations.  Most organisations manage that risk by saying nothing, [which is not always the best thing for the culture of the business].

Prior to making an internal communication seek supporting advice.  Communications that are made internally about the termination of an employee should be factual, concise lacking opinion or emotion.  Caution should be exercised, as an employee who is terminated may challenge their termination and is entitled to be protected from defamation prior to the factual and legal reasons for the termination are addressed and resolved.

Even if the business is small - I would always seek support and guidance - somebody to independently view the communication to ensure that it could not be considered defamatory. Also acting quickly is really important. Get people together as soon as possible. Face it before gossip does start to fester. And give people a forum to ask questions and challenge leadership.

It is our ongoing commitment, that will make the difference to the workplace. We never give up stay absolutely committed to having a fabulous place that you want to work in too.

We are pretty close to our people at RedBalloon – as a leadership team we are all committed to the team and we listen and recognise contribution. But engagement is a journey. It is many many ongoing activities. It has taken an amazing commitment from everyone in the business to want to be a part of a Great Place to Work.

I responded to the question ‘Act quickly. Cynicism and anti social behavior cannot be tolerated – there is a place for these people but not inside your business - if someone is not living the values and contributing, they need to be somewhere else. As a leadership team if we don’t act quickly then the trust and values we have worked so hard to nurture will begin to look like lip service. It might be unpleasant – but our people expect us to be forthright and make the tough decisions.’

Many years ago we recruited someone who was in a very autonomous role. After just a few months I was beginning to here whispers from his team that all was not right. There were a few resignations in that team, which seemed odd. One of those employees in the exit interview outlined that this colleague had in fact been using company resources to run his own business – during work hours. When challenged by his colleagues he had said ‘that I knew about it – and had condoned it’. The employees were confused. It looked as if I was saying one thing but turning a blind eye. So they went to find jobs else where.

His actions and words completely undermined our values and the trust in the leadership team.

Listening to Stuart King, Managing Director of KWS Workplace Solutions at a recent HR conference. His business looks at bad apples. According to Stuart ‘Essentially bad stuff happens in the community, and workplaces are a microcosm of that..... so bad people exist in workplaces. Sometimes the culture puts controls over them, on other occasions it gives them license – it is our job to weed them out.’

RedBalloon didn’t use outside services to investigate our problem. But in some cases it would be much better to have experts support in such an investigation.

Our 'bad apple' chose to disappear quickly and quietly when confronted. Our culture would not allow such behavior to go unnoticed for long.

So my advice is – if you think you have a problem, don’t ignore it, it won’t go away. Get external help if needed. Act quickly! Otherwise all your hard engagement work will be a complete waste of energy. However, we as employers have a responsibility, we cannot just pass the problem on to some other employer, if unlawful activities have taken place then the appropriate actions must be taken - no matter how unpleasant - your people will respect you for it. We cannot have the bad apple upsetting someone else's apple cart.

The truth is any organisation no matter the number of people or the size of the budget can be a great place to work if they accept that what they need to have first is trust. Trust underpins the belief in the organizations purpose.

Trust is the foundation of a Great Place to Work; it stabilizes relationships when times are tough, when important decisions need to be made and enables us to remain focused on the future.

Do you trust who you work for? (Do you believe in what the business is doing and how it is run?)
When employees trust leaders to make the right decisions and look out for their interests, then they gain respect for them too.  Here are some things that contribute to that trust:

• When management recognises honest mistakes are part of doing business
• When management authentically seeks and responds to suggestions and ideas.
• When management shows a sincere interest in me as a person, not just an employee.
• When managers show appreciation for good work and extra effort.
• When we are given the resources and equipment to get our jobs done

Do you trust your colleagues?
Manager’s aren’t always the bad guys, camaraderie between co-workers is equally important as trusting the boss.

• Is there a sense of “family” or “team” feeling in your organisation
• When people join the company they are made to feel welcome
• People feel at home when they change jobs or units
• There’s a sense of fun and celebration at times
• Can you express yourself freely

Does the business trust you?
When we have trust we also to a certain extent predict what other people will do and what situations will occur. Does your business surround itself with employees it can trust? That it can count on. This is where a shared set of values are so important.

This is also about empowering employees to make decisions so they don’t have to ask or waste time decision making due to mistrusting one another and not wanting to take the blame.

to be continued:

One question that keeps bothering me during these discussions about paid parental leave... is this the right question we should be asking as a community. Raising children is not an 18 week journey - it is 18 years (my mother would say that it is many more than that).

What is the answer to the parenting / career juggling act that we 'survive' through day by day? Isn't parenting something we want to thrive at? My children are now teenagers - and I definitely don't have all the answers. But it is the small things that do matter, it is the time we take to listen, to be in their world.

(Hence the Queens Birthday weekend Simson Family Monopoly marathon (5 games in 3 days)) - Enjoy this 10 minute clip.

This is not the only strengths finder… but I was curious to know if I used a different vendor’s program would my strengths remain the same. Common sense would concur – I have not changed; but maybe the language around the strengths is different. For me it is all about relevance.

I consulted Margie Hartley from The Channel Group who has developed professional and personal programs based on the VIA Positive Leadership Signature Strengths developed by Martin Seligman and Chris Peterson

After completing the online form – my top five signature strengths were recognised. The question that Margie asked me and that particularly interested me is "how do these impact me as a leader?" How can I best use who I am at my best to support the strategy that we are up to at RedBalloon.

So I discovered:

1. I am curious and interested in the world
2. I am grateful
3. I have a love of learning
4. I have zest, enthusiasm and energy
5. I have a capacity to love and be loved.

These impact every area of my life not just my business life (though as an entrepreneur one does often question if there is more to life than the business).

When Margie dug deeper into these I could see how they related to the business strengths that I discovered with the Gallup Strengths finder.

But of greater interest is how I use these as a leader (she gave me insights into this):

• CURIOSITY: I am at my best when there’s something to achieve, or a problem to solve, using a new idea, skill or piece of knowledge, which in turn inspires new interest in something related. Motivated by complexity, ambiguity, and difficulty. I’m best supported by autonomy to explore. (I’m thwarted by over confidence, anxiety, guilt, fear and concern about external measurement, validation or punishment.)
• GRATITUDE: I am at my best when I have the opportunity to connect with and depend on others to experience, observe and savor their acts of virtue. I’m best supported when there is an opportunity to express thanks and appreciation. (I’m thwarted by time pressure and solitary, self-sufficient activities and too much emphasis on entitlement and materialism)
• LOVE of LEARNING: I’m at my best when there is a challenge or new activity that the new knowledge can be applied to. I’m best supported in an environment when there is support from others and a positive benefit in succeeding in the challenge. (I’m thwarted when learning is spoon-fed, or when there is simply no opportunity to learn something new and use it for a positive benefit, such as repetitive work) – no wonder I always have piles of books that I am devouring.
• ZEST: I’m at my best when physical needs are met with sufficient rest and exercise, and involved in an activity that is engaging. Is best supported by enabling autonomy in relation to the activity. (I’m thwarted by lack of sleep and exercise, and a controlling environment.)… (oh I am grumpy with lack of sleep and no exercise – too true.)
• LOVE: I’m best when there is plentiful opportunity to connect closely with individuals, bond and be available to actively respond, care and support, and to receive the same from significant others who are sensitive to their needs. I’m best supported by freedom to spend time and focus to connect with and support people for the sake of personal rather than organizational benefit. (Is thwarted in an environment where no-one is sensitive to their personal or emotional needs) – I hope this doesn’t mean I wear my heart on my sleeve… but I do know that I love watching the team around learn grow and develop… as well as watching my children thrive as they discover new things….

Clearly it is my curiosity and love of learning that means that I am so fascinated by such a tool. Thanks Margie for introducing me to both your personal and group programs… you were playing to my strengths. If you’re 'curious' about the programs, Margie Hartley can be contacted at Channel Group on +61 2 9221 0888

What a waste! (Not for the agency, or media who are the recipient of the funds) But as a marketer I know you cannot spend yourself into having a great brand image. Building a brand takes so much more than advertising. No amount of icing can hide the mud in mud pie.

I remember years ago Ansett, the airline spent a fortune trying to boost the ‘morale’ of its employees (I was one of them) by creating an advertising campaign. ‘You can’t have the greatest airline in the world without the greatest people.’ Fantastic sentiment, which they spent millions on creating TV ads depicting different employee groups of the airline saying how great they thought the airline was…. Yet just a few months later (whilst the ads were still on air) the pilots first chose to strike and then resign and Australia didn’t have an aviation industry for nine months. There was clearly something structurally wrong – and no amount of spend on advertising was going to fix it. Icing on mud pie.

Fast forward to this governments $38m spend and I see exactly the same thing. People are not idiots and we are being treated as if we are. You cannot dress this so called tax reform up. (Mud pie) The fact that there is so much debate means something is not right – and there has clearing not been the consultation and inclusion needed from business.

If I was running the show I would not be spending money on advertising (yes you heard this from a die hard marketer) I would be looking at how I can save money – I would be looking at the discretionary effort that each person in the public sector has to offer – I would be hiring really, really smart people – I would be making those in the public sector feel very, very proud of where they work – I would notice their contribution and make sure others knew what they would do. I would spend money on recognition. I would make our teachers, doctors and police people feel like heros (that they are) and the administrators who support them… heroes for what they do.

I’m a simple woman who believes in the power of people. No matter what business you are in (including government) nothing can get done without the contribution of individuals all aligned and heading in the one direction. If they spent that $38m on the people of the public sector – you would see a far greater return on the investment – and not have to sell a fundamentally muddy tax system.

The question that I now have, who is the real champion on behalf of the customer? Hence this new position. How do we ensure that we keep listening and that we are transparent with our customers? Given the increasing scale of the business, we must continue to nurture, listen and deliver an ‘intimate’ customer experience.

I was recently at a seminar, which talked extensively about growth strategies. Interestingly enough the lecturer had us focus on one particular question throughout the three day program.

We were asked to answer this question from the customers point of view; ‘What is the job to be done here.’ That is ‘Do the job that your customer wants done’ not the job that you think they think they want done

The job to be done may well differ for different audiences. For most people who visit redballoon.com.au the job to be done is:

‘I need an interesting gift for a person I care about – quickly (where they are), that shows that I am thoughtful.’

You may in fact think that RedBalloon has a different job that we need to do for you. (and I’d be keen to hear what that is)

The thing that I am excited about is that the Customer Excellence manager will be all ears… listening to what that RedBalloon job to be done is.

Then it is for the Customer Excellence Manager to champion that voice loudly to ensure that the rest of the business stays focussed on what the customer really thinks – not what we think they think.

What do you think?

It says somewhere in the bible that a ‘good wife’ will debate and challenge her husband so he can see what he cannot see. I think this is the basis of all partnerships or even leadership teams. If we keep playing it safe, living in our comfort zone then how can we ever possibly create something bigger than ourselves?

There are more people in the RedBalloon team than it once was, and I don’t necessarily have the same moment-by-moment contact with each individual that I used to. As a result I rely heavily on the team leaders around me to deliver on the vision, the passion and the commitment to our people.

Having differences of opinion, viewing the world differently, holding the mirror up so we can see how we are really performing is all healthy. When there is fundamental respect for each other, then challenges are seen as growth opportunities.

Why this sudden outburst, to announce that conflict can be constructive? RedBalloon is coming into planning for the next financial year, resources need to be allocated and there are always differences of opinions. As long as the process is respectful of each individuals opinions then even after a ‘full on’ conflict – we can all still come back to a place of alignment and harmony.

Being an employer of choice is challenging, steadfastly committed to keeping everyone aligned – even if it takes lot’s of energy and many different points of view. It does mean never giving up and knowing that near enough is good enough, just to appease someone (or be nice…) it is not fair to the rest of the team to leave a debate unchallenged.

Running from one thing to the next, never having time to be creative or think - means that we are always being stretched to peak performance. But no one plays at peak 16 hours a day every day.

Apparently the average person working in an office gets interrupted every 4 minutes (80-100 times a day) yet it takes 25 minutes to really focus on a task. Does that mean we are actually going backwards or that we are not giving our undivided attention to the task at hand?

85% of Australians feel that life is getting more and more hectic. All these labor saving gadgets actually just mean we do more.

Andrew had some great thoughts about how to reduce this problem:

• break the email addiction
• learn to have fleeting meetings
• create energy management
• master mindfulness
• forced isolation

Now you might want to read his book ‘Flip the Switch’ to discover what he means by all of these. But I was particularly interested in the notion that I have a stimulus response addiction to email (a bit like people who play the pokies for days/nights on end seeking instant gratification from the push of a button) Alarming to compare it...

Here are his seven email ideas...

1. Turn off email pop up alerts (and sound)
2. Schedule times that you check it (not morning - start the day on what you want to work on not responding to others)
3. Give up email tennis (talk instead)
4. Unsubscribe to anything you don’t read or want to get.
5. Never write a thesis (it is a short message medium)
6. Refrain from using BCC
7. Get a great spam filter

He suggests he can save an hour a day (which is a lot of time in a week, month or year). I have taken on 6 of his suggestions.... but I still find myself drawn to go back... Sometimes I'm the initiator of the 'need' to email or I worry that there might be an urgent missive that I must attend to. I do find that I am much quicker at dealing with all the emails at once, you don’t dwell on them so much. The fact that I even feel this means that I know that it is an addiction.

It took me a week to go cold turkey and give up coffee - it might be a bit longer with this one.

Thanks Andrew for your insights last week at the Talent2 conference.

So the question I have been putting to business owners and leaders is ‘how are you making your people feel loved this festive season? What are you doing to breath positivity into the new year? How are you saying thank you?’

Straight after Christmas comes new year... And many people will make a new years resolution to find an new job. We've seen research that says upward of 30% of people were waiting for the upturn before making a career change. The media is reporting signs of recovering and optimism is beginning to emerge. This is the time that some employees have been waiting for - the grass is beginning to look greener.

Resignations traditionally spike at the Christmas break anyway. This year is likely to be worse. It may well be too late. If people have already ‘mentally checked out’ it will be difficult to bring them back to the fold. So now is the time to get people thinking positively about the new year, to let them know that they will be appreciated. To really get to work on aligning people to the purpose of the business. This investment may take a while but it will repay itself well and truly in time for Christmas 2010.

So be proactive about the Christmas ‘disconnect’. Here’s a few things you could do:

1. Managers need to be with their people, (leading from the trenches) understand the world of the people they manage and authentically thank them for the specific contribution they made. Understand the employee experience – what is it really like to work there.
2. Have fabulous things for people to look forward too. And I don’t mean increasing their targets or asking more from them. Let them know how you plan to celebrate and have some fun with achieving even small wins – make sure that they are achievable.
3. Establish ways to listen to your team (and not just at the Christmas party when a few too many beverages have been consumed)

And remember one last little piece of wisdom. SMILE, and have a laugh. It is okay to have fun in business, to be yourself, and people want to hang around a place where people are having fun (and achieving results)

As the leadership team goes so goes the rest of the organization.

So you have the power to put the ‘Merry’ back in Christmas, and then they will show up again for another year.

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