This short and concise TED Talk video beautifully breaks down the definition of leadership.
Derek Sivers encourages us to have the courage to follow, and show others how to follow.
“The first follower is actually an underestimated form of leadership in itself. … The first follower is what transforms a lone nut into a leader.”
Posted in Leadership and Team Building
Tagged business, Derek Sivers, Leadership, Management, TED Talk, video
I recall one time being in the passenger seat of a friend’s really nice car. We pulled up to the curb at our destination, and as my friend handed the valet the car keys, the valet asked, “Wow, what do you do to drive a nice car like that?” My friend’s answer was simple and to the point. “Work hard”.
“I learned the value of hard work by working hard.” ~ Margaret Mead
“Working hard is very important. You’re not going to get anywhere without working extremely hard.” ~ George Lucas
“I think that my biggest attribute to any success that I have had is hard work. There really is no substitute for working hard.” ~ Maria Bartiromo
“You really have to work hard and apply yourself and by applying yourself and working hard and being diligent, you can achieve success.”
~ Julie Benz“The only way to get people to like working hard is to motivate them. Today, people must understand why they’re working hard. Every individual in an organization is motivated by something different.”
~ Rick Pitino“Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen.”
~ Conan O’Brien
Posted in Inspiration
Tagged business, career, empowering, engagement, high performance, quote
Fork in the road
I recently met a friend for lunch, and asked him how he was enjoying his current job he has been in for the past year.
Let’s take a step back in time. Several years ago, my friend took a job working in Human Resources for a small company that seemed liked a great place to work. But, sometimes we realize that perception is so much different than reality. About two months into his role, he started to question if he made the right move to this company. Shortly after, what he felt was validated. The corporate culture was not what he had perceived it would be.
My friend tried his best to like where he worked, and stuck it out for over a year, but it was too much of a struggle. Among many other faults, the leaders and managers did not make an effort to meet with the HR department. How the company had originally presented themselves was not the case at all. Working in HR, it was difficult to promote the company to potential candidates.
Another opportunity with a company in a completely different industry came up. Unhappy in the current job, my friend was hesitant at first to take on a role in an industry he was not familiar with. All his friends said ‘if it is out of your comfort zone, maybe you shouldn’t take the job’. He started to think hard about his choices. His partner simply said ‘don’t question yourself’. With that simple piece of advice, he moved forward with the application process and the potential manager reassured him on the phone in a long conversation, showing his support. That care and attention and human touch is what made all the difference, even prior to the official job offer, my friend knew this was already an environment and culture that he could feel comfortable in.
And one year later, he is so very happy that he made that change.
I asked him, “When did you know it was the right culture?” he simply said, “I never questioned it. I knew since day one”. He continued, “The corporate culture is consistent with the messaging they present publicly. When I recruit for the company, I can honestly tell candidates that I’m happy working there”. He also added that having a supportive manager makes all the difference.
He described his state of mind at the previous employer as “unhappiness to the depths of my soul. For all the misery, it was a huge learning experience – learning about myself and my limits”.
And to that, I say, what a difference a year makes. What a difference a corporate culture makes.
Posted in corporate culture
Tagged business, Employment, Human Resources, Management, Organizational culture
Writing your resume is about showing yourself in the best light. This informative infographic put together by Colorado Technical University gives tips on fonts and typefaces to make it easier for the recipient to read on a computer screen, as well as other advice for the traditional paper resume.
Paying attention to these basic elements and more can make all the difference in having a resume that gets noticed.
Posted in career
Tagged business, career, infographic, job search, personal brand, Résumé
No one really leaves a job just because they have found a better opportunity or better pay. The number one reason people leave is because they fail to connect with their bosses as leaders and as people. Think about it. Most people in their careers can share in this experience. Although missteps can happen, the best leaders strive to make their actions consistent with the philosophy of having an engaged and excited team.
I interviewed Cameron McNeill, owner of MAC Marketing Solutions, on what it means to lead. Here’s what Cameron said on this subject: ‘As a leader, I am constantly challenging myself to think about my team’s enjoyment in their career with my company. There is one test we have- when people wake up in the morning, are they excited about working with our company? If they aren’t excited then I have failed. This philosophy is the driving spirit within our business and permeates all levels of the company. It boils down to two things: every person is driven by different circumstances, and you, the leader, must care about each individual as a fellow family member in the context of the vision of the company. Everyone then looks after each other and their collective well-being. It is hard to create this and impossible to fake. No marketing team could ever produce this spirit. It requires champions big and small to express this in an individual way. It is done with a common set of core values that everyone knows. They all know which way they are going and are pulling in the same direction. I never stop thinking about nor ever get tired of saying, “when you wake up in the morning…” ’.
And this theme is true with every executive of some of the top Canadian business’s I’ve had the pleasure to know. An effective leader lives and breathes the company’s core values. They obsess over the clarity of these core values. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. Repeat. Repeat and repeat.
The best leaders have tremendous passion for what they do. Yet they operate with a level of genuine humility and with the sole purpose of their company’s welfare. It’s not about them, rather, it’s about the company as a whole. These leaders protect their teams aligned with their vision at all costs. Lose your core team and you lose the heart and soul of the company.
‘Tis the season for reflection, so in that spirit, here is a quick snapshot of our most popular blog articles for 2012:
Co-founder of McNak, Sarah McNeill was 
captivated by this TED Talk video of Shawn Achor’s about the happy secret to better work. Check out Happiness Inspires Productivity.
A guest post written by one of our friends at MAC Marketing Solutions, The Importance of Teamwork and Positive Energy in the Workplace was one of our most viewed posts of 2012.
At this time of year, we think about making some changes in our lives. Perhaps What you do first thing in the morning matters will inspire you.
The subject of onboarding proves to be a popular one. McNak co-founder Cheryl Nakamoto describes What went wrong: a lesson about onboarding in this notable post.
And one of the favourites among our team at McNak is Does Your Culture Create a Legacy? – a guest post written by the eloquent Matt Corker.
This year the McNak blog has attracted more followers, likes, and comments. We’d like take this opportunity to thank you all for taking the time to read, comment and share our articles.
Happy New Year!
In a time when the workforce is increasingly transient, your ability to identify high-performing and high-potential employees—and that of your managers—is critical. And yet, many struggle to distinguish one from the other, negatively impacting their ability to develop and retain top talent. In many organizations, performance is the primary measure of an employee’s value in the organization. Star performers are promoted and rewarded, while diamonds in the rough become disengaged and move on.
Don’t get me wrong–you should definitely value performance. But if your end goal is to build a more robust talent pipeline (and it should be), performance can’t be the only point of entry. To that end, there are strategies that any manager can apply to develop high-potentials and high-performers effectively.
Step One: Identify
High-performers stand out in any organization. They consistently exceed expectations, and are management’s go-to for difficult projects. They take pride in their accomplishments, but may not have the potential (or the desire) to succeed in a higher-level role.
High potentials can be more difficult to identify, especially for line managers. That’s because most valuable attributes (e.g. stress management, adaptability, business sense) aren’t catalytic in entry-to-mid-level roles. Potential is subjective to what a company values, of course, but there are innate attributes that distinguish them from high-performers.
Line managers’ observations are often limited to the most obvious traits (time management, communication skills, attention to detail). By working with leadership, however, managers can profile the skills that ensure success in key roles—and be on the lookout for examples of both high performers and high potentials from day one.
Step Two: Assess
An established standard of the attributes and competencies of model employees is also an essential part of objective assessment. And though there’s a distinct difference between potential and performance, experts agree that employees should be assessed on competency in both.
![Figure 1 - Hyper v Hypo[1]](http://mcnak.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/figure-1-hyper-v-hypo1.png?w=500&h=180)
Each category requires a different development strategy. With a clearer picture of who falls where, managers can make more informed decisions in how to effectively develop them. For example: High Po/ Low Per employees may need to improve their ability to perform consistently, or may be moved into roles better aligned with their natural abilities. And High Per/Low Po employees would be ideal candidates for soft skill development–or for roles that require more technical skill.
Step Three: Engage and Develop
The important thing about development and engagement strategies (especially for high-potential vs. high-performance employees) is to tailor your efforts to drive the results you want. Typical engagement strategies could look something like this:
Recognition is key for High Per/Low Po employees. They need constant encouragement and challenging assignments. Rather than promoting them to roles they don’t want (or aren’t ready for), give them the independence and engage them with projects that they can take full ownership of.
Alternately, while High Po/Low Per employees are hungry for more high-impact work, they need seasoning. On the job training is a great way to accomplish this, especially when pairing them with high performers. As they develop a stronger understanding of the organization and their role in it, give them projects to manage, new hires to train, and offer cross-training opportunities.
Set Your Line Managers Up for Success
Your line managers are the gatekeepers to your talent pipeline, and they’ve got their work cut out for them. While most will have some natural ability in identifying, assessing, and engaging performers and potentials, few will be adept at all three. If you want to improve your ability to retain top talent, it starts with your line managers. Set them up for success, and invest in their development.
This guest post was written by Kyle Lagunas.
Kyle Lagunas is the HR Analyst at Software Advice—an online resource for HR software comparisions. He reports on trends, technology, and best practices in talent management, with work featured on Forbes, Business Insider, Information Weekly, and the NY Times.
Posted in Management Excellence
Tagged business, high performance, Human Resources, Leadership, Management, Team building
Does your company’s philanthropic efforts complement your corporate culture?
Without our attachment to community and, in particular, offering brighter futures for young people, we would be missing such a key piece of our corporate soul. Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland is McNeill Nakamoto’s primary philanthropy and active focus.
“We wanted to help young girls make good choices and give them a chance to succeed” ~ Sarah McNeill
The December 2012 issue of BCBusiness magazine interviews McNeill Nakamoto co-founder Sarah McNeill, on the subject of corporate philanthropy.
Together with our employees, McNeill Nakamoto is committed to ensuring that the legacy we create is not just for ourselves but for the improvement of our community and the world around us.
When I was little, I was taught about responsibility by owning pets. First it was goldfish, then it was lizards and salamanders that I picked up from the forest behind my house before I graduated onto hamsters, and then to dogs.
The hamsters taught me a lot about uncertainty.
See, they lived in a cage.
It looked the same day in and day out. That spinning wheel stayed in the same place every day. The cage always had two floors to it. They got food and water from the same spot.
They explored that cage every day as if it was new to them. As if that wheel was finally gonna break them free and that food finally going to taste that much better.
When I would open the cage door, to “set them free,” they ran – ran to a safe spot in their cage or that awkward place under the ladder where I couldn’t reach them. They dug into the wood chips. They hid. They flared their teeth at me. They became scared of leaving the same cage they were held captive in.
The only way they would come out was to wait. I waited until they calmed down, regained that sense of curiosity about their surroundings, and found the open door themselves. And there I would be, ready to pat and play with the happy little critters as they ran around our living room floor.
When I am introduced to new situations at work, new people, or new development distinctions, I can sometimes become that hamster – digging into my own jail and hiding in fear from what I don’t know.
The magic happens when I discover the newness “on my own.”
It resonates more with me.
I make it an adventure.
It builds up my confidence in handling the unknown.
When we want to set another person free, just leave the door open.
This guest post was written by Matt Corker - International Operations Specialist, lululemon athletica
Matt Corker has a serious addiction to big ideas, bold goals, and strong communities. After working for the University of British Columbia in alumni and student affairs, Matt was drawn to lululemon athletica – a yoga-inspired athletic apparel company that creates components for people to live long, healthy, and fun lives. After working first in Leadership Development creating opportunities 
that empower their great staff to achieve their dreams and live a life they LOVE, he moved into a new role supporting the global goals of the company. Matt has a Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resource Management and International Business from the Sauder School of Business at UBC and his MBA from the Copenhagen Business School in Denmark. He has a strong background in leadership and development and a big heart for new technologies, inspiring minds, and giving out great high fives. More information about Matt can be found at http://thatsacorker.com.
Posted in Inspiration
Tagged business, career, empowering, happiness, Matt Corker, motivation
Yes, we’ve heard about company perks that big employers like Google and Facebook can offer their employees. But, what can smaller companies do? With limited budgets, it can be challenging, but offering attractive low-cost perks encourages creative ideas that will keep employees engaged and happy.
Some good perks to many employees are flexible schedules, telecommuting, and extra vacation days. Depending on the environment and culture, some employees enjoy the benefits of Take Your Dog to Work Day. There is also job sharing for new parents, or a paid day off per year to volunteer for a favourite charity. These are just some of the benefits that enable employees to work well and live well.
Many years ago, I worked at a company where the Director of our branch office did a lot of corporate travel. He racked up the air miles points, enough to be rewarded a long haul flight, and every year at the staff holiday party he drew a name out of a hat. I remember one year, the winning staff member was our long time receptionist who used the air miles to go on her honeymoon to the Caribbean. Although only one person really benefited from this perk, we all felt great about it. It did wonders for morale.
A tricky thing about introducing a new perk, is the sustainability of it. When financial times are tough, sometimes it’s those little perks that go away first. It can be awfully hard to take back those pizza Fridays that everybody enjoyed for the past year. Outrage may occur, and companies don’t like being the bad guy.
That being said, it can be fun to change things up a bit. Replace one perk with another one. A great morale booster is a peer-led recognition system, whereas the staff nominates one of their fellow co-workers as a star employee for going above and beyond their regular work. The company provides the prize – anything from a paid day off or gift cards. With a values-driven culture, the company should be in tune to their employees’ interests, and the awards can be highly personalized.
While going above and beyond the standard benefits can help boost moral and create a loyal workforce, keep in mind that it is not the dollar amount that matters. Taking a philosophical approach to values and culture, and the thought you put into it will create a culture of happiness and fun in the long run.
Posted in corporate culture, Uncategorized
Tagged business, employee retention, Employment, happiness, human capital, motivation, Paid time off, recognition, work perks
