Case Study – Axis Technologies – How Axis Teknologies Used Professional Values To Elevate Themselves As An Employer of Choice

In adopting professional values as an organization’s ‘north arrow’, leaders not only make their professional life easier but set the stage for some significant benefits—powerful ones.        Becoming an ‘employer of choice’ is one such benefit.  Think about it: who doesn’t want to work for a ‘professional’ organization?  Turns out, that’s a powerful draw. After all, what’s not to like about leaders making it a priority to instill a sense of professionalism—both in purpose and execution—within their organization?

Sometime back we chronicled in a blog Axis Teknologies’ experience in becoming an ‘employer of choice’.   Click here to read the post in its entirety.  Without repeating the whole story here, suffice it to say Axis has significantly enhanced their recruiting since adopting professional values as their ‘north arrow’.

Jennifer (Jenn) Schoenhofer, is President and CEO of Atlanta-based Axis Teknologies. And if you knew Jenn you wouldn’t find it surprising she has adopted a ‘we only hire professionals here’ philosophy.

Jenn originally participated in one of our programs—-one that introduced the principles associated with The Power of Professionalism.    As a result, she became one of many that have since become enamored with applying the principles within their organization.  It’s as if they say, “Where’s this been all my life? This is profound—an incredible way to think about the business.” For Jenn, and many like her, their adoption decision was very intuitive.

Typically it doesn’t take long for real results, real impacts to emerge during implementation—just as Jenn realized in the ‘recruiting’ space.  To no one’s surprise, Jenn isn’t bashful about telling others.   In Seth Godin’s language, zealots like Jenn are “sneezers” because of the way their excitement infects others.  They spread the word. When Bill Wiersma originally mentioned the idea of using professional ideals to aid her recruiting efforts Jenn really lit up. She had never considered it. Today, the results speak for themselves.

When Jenn was interviewing the candidate who would later became one of her chief lieutenants she gave a really good vision of who they were, she was able to communicate very effectively that her company was centered on professional values and that it meant a lot to them. Then she gave examples of how that played out and what it meant and the emphasis they were putting on it and why it made a difference. It really made an impact with this candidate.  In his case, professional values won out over a more lucrative offer from a more prestigious company.  Bottom line: she now regularly lands candidates that one would argue she wouldn’t have a prayer in landing.  Again, you can read the complete story here.

Axis’s success in applying professional values within their organization isn’t limited to recruiting.  In other words, for Axis, becoming an employer of choice is one success story among many. This has been a pleasant surprise for Jenn.   Did Jenn originally think that she’d be applying professional values to important aspects of the business like recruiting? No. She, like many others, had as their initial focus using professional values to correct undesired behavior.  Today she knows better—appreciating that professional values are powerful levers for improvements in both brand and culture.

Be A Professional—Kaepernick’s New Aspiration?

By now even the casual football fan is aware of the travails of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. His recent performance (the word abysmal comes to mine) on the football field is a head-scratcher for many of us. His success in earlier years belies the types of disappointing performances we’ve seen from him in 2014. It’s a fall from grace. (Note: the 49ers, in general, are having an extremely disappointing year as well. That said, it is widely acknowledged by football insiders that something is clearly ‘off’ in Kaepernick’s game.)

To add insult to injury, Kaepernick’s on-field performance has shined when compared to how he’s handled the media. In a nutshell it appears that Kaepernick views the media as the enemy (much like his boss—coach Jim Harbaugh—seemingly does).

During a recent press conference, Kaepernick responded to 32 questions with only 87 words. From his demeanor and body language you’d think Kaepernick would rather endure a root-canal than spend another second with the press. Defensive, petulant, aloof, are just a few of the adjectives that come to mind that characterize how Kaepernick comes across with the press. It’s painful to watch. Treat the press as your enemy and they’ll soon become such.

To me, Kaepernick’s act has gotten old (Harbaugh’s too). These two are the primary faces of the organization to the public. They need to positively represent their organization. At the moment, the impression they create leaves a lot to be desired. Sure the media can be a pain to deal with, but ‘media management’ (otherwise known as PR) is an important part of the job—especially for a NFL quarterback.

Hall of Famer Jerry Rice was asked by a Bay Area radio host what advice he’d give Kaepernick. Turns out, Jerry once had a problem with being defensive with the media early in his career as well. At the time he finally realized, “You know, I need to be a better professional.” (click here for more on Jerry’s comments) Simply put, Jerry realized that he wasn’t handling the media as a professional would.

‘Be a professional’…that was Jerry’s advice to Kaepernick. I don’t know if Jerry spoke to Kaepernick after the radio interview or if Kaepernick heard the interview. But what I do know is….

….the very next day after Jerry’s comments Kaepernick was downright charming with the media. He was vulnerable and even empathetic towards many of the ‘media types’ he presumably loathed. All of a sudden the guy ‘shows up’ in a more effective, more helpful way. He puts a more engaging, more upbeat face on the 49ers organization. No doubt, that’s something that the 49ers had long wished would emerge from one of the NFL’s most public personalities.

For everyone involved, undesired behavior in the workplace is maddening. Gazillions of dollars are spent every year in prevention, investigation, and remediation. Yet it’s amazing how effective the admonition—’be a professional’—can remedy undesired behavior in the workplace.

Whether this contributed to Kaepernick’s ‘about-face’ is unknown (at least by me). But I’ve personally seen dozens and dozens of such cases ‘fixed’ with just such an admonition.

Be A Professional—Kaepernick’s New Aspiration?

By now even the casual football fan is aware of the travails of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. His recent performance (the word abysmal comes to mine) on the football field is a head-scratcher for many of us. His success in earlier years belies the types of disappointing performances we’ve seen from him in 2014. It’s a fall from grace. (Note: the 49ers, in general, are having an extremely disappointing year as well. That said, it is widely acknowledged by football insiders that something is clearly ‘off’ in Kaepernick’s game.)

To add insult to injury, Kaepernick’s on-field performance has shined when compared to how he’s handled the media. In a nutshell it appears that Kaepernick views the media as the enemy (much like his boss—coach Jim Harbaugh—seemingly does).

During a recent press conference, Kaepernick responded to 32 questions with only 87 words. From his demeanor and body language you’d think Kaepernick would rather endure a root-canal than spend another second with the press. Defensive, petulant, aloof, are just a few of the adjectives that come to mind that characterize how Kaepernick comes across with the press. It’s painful to watch. Treat the press as your enemy and they’ll soon become such.

To me, Kaepernick’s act has gotten old (Harbaugh’s too). These two are the primary faces of the organization to the public. They need to positively represent their organization. At the moment, the impression they create leaves a lot to be desired. Sure the media can be a pain to deal with, but ‘media management’ (otherwise known as PR) is an important part of the job—especially for a NFL quarterback.

Hall of Famer Jerry Rice was asked by a Bay Area radio host what advice he’d give Kaepernick. Turns out, Jerry once had a problem with being defensive with the media early in his career as well. At the time he finally realized, “You know, I need to be a better professional.” (click here for more on Jerry’s comments) Simply put, Jerry realized that he wasn’t handling the media as a professional would.

‘Be a professional’…that was Jerry’s advice to Kaepernick. I don’t know if Jerry spoke to Kaepernick after the radio interview or if Kaepernick heard the interview. But what I do know is….

….the very next day after Jerry’s comments Kaepernick was downright charming with the media. Read more about that here. He was vulnerable and even empathetic towards many of the ‘media types’ he presumably loathed. All of a sudden the guy ‘shows up’ in a more effective, more helpful way. He puts a more engaging, more upbeat face on the 49ers organization. No doubt, that’s something that the 49ers had long wished would emerge from one of the NFL’s most public personalities.

For everyone involved, undesired behavior in the workplace is maddening. Gazillions of dollars are spent every year in prevention, investigation, and remediation. Yet it’s amazing how effective the admonition—’be a professional’—can remedy undesired behavior in the workplace.

Whether this contributed to Kaepernick’s ‘about-face’ is unknown (at least by me). But I’ve personally seen dozens and dozens of such cases ‘fixed’ with just such an admonition.

 

Can I Get A Copy of That Recipe?

I’ll bet you’ve heard that question asked around the Thanksgiving table. I did last Thursday. What prompted the recipe request? My daughter’s pumpkin cheesecake.

Her desert was delicious. Naturally people wanted ‘in’ on how to make it….and perhaps secretly hoping to get the types of kudos my daughter did when they make theirs.

This type of thing happens all the time in organizational life—that is, managers shopping for recipes. After all, why re-invent the wheel? On the surface, the approach seems to make sense. Trouble is, in organizational life recipes (think: things like best practices) don’t always transfer well. Sometimes they fall flat on their face—even after being wildly successful in a different environment.

Do this, add that, wait two weeks…and voila, you get the elusive desired result you’ve been desperately seeking. Recipes are tempting. Busy managers succumb to recipes all the time.

The trouble with adopting recipes in organizational settings is that when they’re adopted blindly they require little, if any, critical thinking. Seeking recipes and adopting them blindly is akin to outsourcing your thinking. Too many managers don’t take the time and energy to engage in the type of critical thinking that will enable their organization (let alone their newfound recipe) to flourish. In the case of the recipe they don’t consider how it fits into the unique circumstances (think: culture) of their organization.

Managers should be asking themselves questions like:

  • What assumptions are we holding about why the recipe worked for others and what are our own assumptions about why we think it will work for us?
  • What is different about our situation than others situation that have had success with this recipe?
  •  After successfully adopting (and adapting) the recipe, how else can we benefit from the fruits of this recipe?

Managers: don’t outsource your thinking. It’s one of your most important responsibilities. There’s nothing wrong with seeking out recipes that others have had success with. Just be prepared to do the critical thinking of what it’ll take to make that recipe successful for you.

In the meantime, I gotta give a shout-out for my daughter’s pumpkin cheesecake. Great recipe, even better daughter.

Want Confidence? Start With Your Identity as a Professional

In a recent article on LinkedIn, author Jan Johnston Osburn advocates that when it comes to success  ‘Does Confidence Trumps Talent‘ article, Pulse 11/17/2014.  As I’ve written previously, for most of us what constitutes ‘success’ is largely subjective. That said, I believe that Osburn makes an important point.

And one of the most powerful sources of confidence comes from one’s identity—as I wrote about in The Power of Professionalism.

It’s exciting to see the transformative power that comes about when people internalize the notion that they’re professionals—or start down the road in becoming one.  ‘Professional’ suddenly becomes an integral part of their identity. How have I seen this manifested on a practical level?

***languishing employees become stellar

***rudderless students find their purpose and thrive

***stubborn and incorrigible staffers become motivated (and act) to show their ‘best self’

Did these people suddenly become more talented? No. But they suddenly found themselves, becoming more focused, more productive, more energetic—thanks largely to their new-found confidence.

Identity matters.

Professional Values Under Attack–A Sobering Look At Healthcare

Why Doctors Are Sick of Their Profession is an article that ran recently in the Wall Street Journal.  It’s a sobering look at the human side of the current dysfunction we call healthcare.

The article’s author Sandeep Jauhar MD makes the point that he and many of his physician colleagues are ‘struggling with the loss of their professional values’.  He suggests that in many ways he has become the doctor he never thought he would be: impatient, occasionally indifferent, at times dismissive or paternalistic.  Whether he’s being too hard on himself, I don’t pretend to know.

The causes for the trend are varied and, in many cases, deeply rooted within an industry in need of reform. In many ways the system has beaten down the doctors—imparting cynicism in place of their once noble aspirations.

The doctors are largely part of a system they can’t beat and many don’t want to be a part of.  This article is instructive in two important ways:

***First: it demonstrates how important professionals really are—healthcare just happens to be today’s example.  Absent professional values, things ‘go south’ fast for all stakeholders.  As Jauhar points out, naturally the patient’s experience is negatively impacted when the doctor’s professional values slip.

***Second: to me the answer to having a system ‘beat you down’  is (in part) to remember why you entered the profession in the first place.  In other words, never forget what your purpose is.  Tattoo it on your forehead if you must.  For one’s own mental health, a compelling purpose (on most days) will typically trump a bad system.

It’s interesting to note, from a systemic point of view, that the author suggests emphasizing professional values in the next generation.  That means ‘instilling professional values early on’ in medical school. Couldn’t agree more.  That’s precisely what we’ve helped do at the West Coast Ultrasound Institute. The results are exciting.

Professional values: without them, eventually we’ll all be sick. With them, we’ve got an invaluable  formula for health.

 

Coach or Educator? Identity Matters!

When the Game Stands Tall opens in movie theatres this Friday. It’s the story of De La Salle’s (Concord, California) storied high school football program under coach Bob Ladouceur.

De La Salle won 151 consecutive games under Ladouceur. Yes, you read correctly— 151.

Here’s an article previewing the movie that ran recently in the Contra Costa Times—a newspaper whose property is a stones throw from De La Salle’s practice field.

Having lived a short four miles from De La Salle for years, I’ve admired the school and all they stand for—football program included. Since 1994 twelve of their players have been drafted into the NFL (think: Maurice Jones-Drew, Amani Toomer, etc). No doubt, De La Salle’s football program is special.

What’s their secret sauce?

The Contra Costa Times article mentions, among other things, their conditioning program. Yes, that (and many other factors) all contribute to their success.

Yet to me their secret sauce starts with the professionals (some might say adults) that oversee the program—on and off the field. Typically we’d call them coaches—for the lack of a better term. And no doubt the kids call them ‘coach’. Yet, as defensive coordinator Terry Edison mentions in the article, “Our coaches see themselves as educators. The football field just becomes an extension of our classroom. “ To me this is the central ingredient in their secret sauce.

In other words, the men running the program see their purpose as educating the young men under their stewardship. Their commitment transcends merely giving lip service to an arguably noble cause. The men running the program have an emotional commitment.

The ‘players’ education is values based—centering on life’s lessons that helps the young men mature and realize their true potential. Bottom line: the program stands for something more than winning football games. Not surprisingly, when the young men’s potential is enhanced, they win a lot.

There’s a huge difference in being a coach and being an educator. The educator seeks a higher purpose. The men who have stewardship for De La Salle’s football program are professionals. They are professionals who happen to be educators. Identity matters!

Thanks Funnyman

Yesterday afternoon my thoughts turned to Bridges Restaurant in Danville, California. No, I wasn’t hungry. I was sad.

Bridges is a popular, high-end restaurant in our (San Francisco Bay) area. Some of Mrs. Doubtfire’s most memorable scenes were filmed there. Mrs. Doubtfire helped put Bridges on the map. And it was Robin Williams that put the iconic hit film Mrs. Doubtfire on the map. Now he’s gone. How sad.

My neighbor, Kevin Gin, has been the executive chef at Bridges since Mrs. Doubtfire was released in 1993. Kevin tells me that even today that guests at Bridges want to know at what table Williams was filmed at—even amongst many European travelers on holiday. The worldwide outpouring of emotion surrounding his passing is a testament to the depth as to how deeply he touched us.

Bob Sutton (the Stanford professor and management guru) shared a touching story about Robin Williams yesterday that further illustrates why Williams was so beloved.

That Williams was a first-rate human being (as Sutton reinforces) shouldn’t be much of a surprise. The fact that he is gone is.

‘Passionate Professional’, An Oxymoron?

There are words that seemingly don’t go together. Consider:

Jumbo shrimp
benign neglect
passionate professional

We have funnyman George Carlin to thank for his hilarious parody on jumbo shrimp. It’s perhaps Carlin’s most famous oxymoron. At least for our purposes, let’s call it a oxymoron.

Passionate professional (for many) is another oxymoron. Traditionally professionals are expected to be reserved (even stoic), conservative (in thought), 100% objective (evidence based) , cautious (in decisions/actions), buttoned-down appearance, etc. A more extensive list could be generated…..but you get the idea.

The irony is that for professionals (founders especially) passion is a requirement in living up to professional ideals. After all, the professional 1) creates more value than they extract and 2) subscribe to a higher order of thinking. For founders with a professional’s mind-set, their company has a purpose beyond making money. Simply put, everything starts with purpose—purpose that makes a difference.

Here’s a great clip (only three and a half minutes) that features Ruth Zukerman (founder of New York City-based Flywheel Sports):

The clip is entitled ‘There is No Substitute For Passion’. Check it out.

Does the founding professional need to have passion (and instill that passion in those within the organization)? Should those serving clients have passion for what they do? Do you want passion in your product developers? The answer—in each instance—is yes!

Thanks Ruth for the reminder. Passion…professionals shouldn’t hide it under a bush!

Company Limits Bathroom Breaks To Six Minutes a Day

Yes, you heard right. Here’s the reference: Company Limits Bathroom Breaks To Six Minutes a Day

No doubt there was some employee shenanigans (think: excessive Facebooking and texting on mobile devices in the bathroom) that brought this on. And perhaps management did some things that contributed to this outcome as well.

But would the ‘Six Minute Rule’ have been invoked if management genuinely viewed their staff as professionals? Not likely!

Invariably, self-management practices go way up when management treats the staff as professionals. The staff’s ‘best-self’ gets proudly displayed. They’re motivated to do the right thing, and they’ll do it more often. Of course there’s always going to be a few knuckle-heads, but still…..

Who doesn’t want to work in an environment in which ‘professional’ is the organization’s aspiration. And who doesn’t want to work with colleagues who are professionals? Of course, the questions are rhetorical. An organization that centers its organization on professional ideals wouldn’t stoop to this.