“The Player Who ‘Serves’ Well Seldom Loses – in Business it’s NO Different” – Chapter 6/9
Evolving from a Boss into a Leader
You’ll be receiving each chapter via email over the next few weeks. Keep an eye out for Chapter 7 in your next email from BOSS.
Table of Contents (for previous chapters)
- Introduction – “Why Should I Evolve?”
- Chapter 1 – The First Ripple
- Chapter 2 – The Best Employees Are Happy Employees
- Chapter 3 – Include Everyone
- Chapter 4 – Make Who You Are (Not What You Sell) Your Brand
- Chapter 5 – Good or Bad, Everyone Will Know
6. Turn “Settling In” Into a Celebration
Imagine arriving at a new job. Someone points out your cubicle, says, “Sit there”, and then you’re left on your own.
Not much of a welcome, right?
Now imagine if you arrive on your first day at the job and everyone in your department is up on their feet to shake your hand and introduce themselves. Maybe there are flowers on your desk or a gift certificate for the local eatery where everyone grabs their lunch.
A bigger help is to have someone mentor that new employee. It will help them feel less anxiety about trying to do things right when they first get on the job, plus they won’t feel alone in a group pf people who otherwise all know each other.
Even bigger still – what if every new hire gets the chance to meet you in their first day or two? That can be a huge deal for a new recruit, and it doesn’t cost you anything (unless of course you would have to travel, in which case the biggest gun at that location takes your place for the moment).
The greetings don’t have to stop at the business’ door – if you send a little something to their home chances are you’re going to make a good first impression with the employee’s significant other or someone important in their life.
Greet Street, a multimedia greeting card company, greets new employees by having them unwrap a large box that contains their desk and chair. Also, there are no formal titles, so the employees get to make up anything they want. The two co-founders’ titles are “Creator of Chaos” and “Creator of Substance.”
Persistence Software sets up a basket of breakfast food near the desk of a new hire and sends out an email to all their employees inviting them to stop by for some food and an introduction.
MetaSolv Software has a keg party every Friday during happy hour and new recruits are asked to work the kegs.
These little bits of extra goodness can pack a heck of a punch when it comes to making a lasting first impression with either employees (or customers). Think about when you first started buying from… well, anywhere. How many businesses did something as simple as slip in a little bit of cardstock with a welcoming “Thank you” note?
Probably not many, right? This means that if you do it, it’s really going to stand out.
