Gut + Science

Truth You Can Act On: Reward your employees. Create an employee of the month program that ties into your vision and values. Make sure that your rewards are awesome. Use Borshoff as an example, who gives premier garage parking to the winner of the "Awesome Borshoffer of the Month" award. Optimize your workspace. When redesigning your space, do research by asking your employees key questions to unde...

Truth You Can Act On: Eliminate silos. Shift from working in silos, or individual parts, to working as a whole organization. Silos create competition, egos, and bureaucracy. Instead, think of your organization as if it were a human body. It has different specialized parts, but it works as a whole. It must always be coordinated, connected, and in harmony. Teach servanthood. Spend time teaching and...

Truth You Can Act On: Hire the right people. The key to hiring is to focus on selecting individuals with strong character, attitude, and aptitude. These traits are hard, if not impossible, to teach. Technical skills, on the other hand, can easily be trained. Track goals and progress. Create accountability by implementing a system to break down objectives into measurable steps. In Steve's system, e...

  Truth You Can Act On: Be aware. Self-awareness is key; it's the foundation of emotional intelligence. So individuals, focus on learning and getting better at awareness. And leaders, bring teaching to the table to foster this ability to be more self-aware. Emotional intelligence training is something I can't recommend enough. Maintain Balance. Make sure you're taking enough time off work. Take ad...

  Truth You Can Act On: Take daily 5 minute breaks for reflection. As a leader, focus on what you DO to show your gratitude and appreciation of those around you. To build a culture of gratitude , remember, it's all the little things that leadership does to influence the rest of the tribe to smile more, bring positivity and kindness as a norm. Full Shownotes: https://gutplusscience.com/ thanksgivin...

Truth You Can Act On: Healthy Accountability. Too often we think of accountability as a negative term. Holding your team accountable doesn't mean they're in 'trouble'. Instead, it should be viewed as an opportunity to achieve goals together. So when you think of accountability, first think of buy-in. What are the things that need to happen in order for us to achieve your goals? Once that's answere...

Truth You Can Act On: Focus on humanizing your communication . Don't forget it's not what you say, it's how you say it. I encourage you to think through how you're communicating as a whole whether it's general communications or the more touchy subjects that obviously need more intimate communication around them. Really focusing on how big communication is and how it can impact your organization. A...

Truth You Can Act On: Remember What It's Like to be a New Face: Put yourself in the shoes of your new hires. Imagine what their first days are like. Who is everybody? Who can they go to with questions? Where is everything located? Your job is to provide a clear roadmap to make the transition as painless as possible. Don't make them figure everything out by themselves. Start the Onboarding Process...

Truth You Can Act On: Inspire employees to connect and build relationships. Provide opportunities for growth starting immediately after an employees hire date. Ensure all employees at every level are involved in work bigger than themselves. Leaders can't care for people they don't know. Build deep relationships and get to know your people Develop individual strategic plans with each employee you l...

Truth You Can Act On: Treat Employees Like Owners: Perception is reality, right? So be transparent and share yourself and what's under the hood with your employees. This builds trust, which directly correlates to engagement. Educate: Knowledge is power, so taking the time to educate your people on the front end will save a lot of time on the back end. Plus, you will see employees taking more owner...

Truth You Can Act On: Make a Diagnosis: Diagnose why people stay and why they leave. It's important to have data to help truly understand the reality in your organization and stop relying on guesswork. There are so many different tools out there to help you gain that data and understanding. Beef Up Your HR Team: Don't skimp on your HR team. Also, make sure they have a seat at the executive table....

Truth You Can Act On: Drive Connection to Your Brand: Help your employees see the impact of the work you do and how you serve your customers. This can be done by sharing stories or, better yet, helping them actually go out into the world and experience the product or service you're offering. Create a Vision Slogan: Develop your own version of "Awesome Places Awesome Props". The best way to do this...

  Truth You Can Act On: Ask: Spend time asking employees for their feedback and practicing your listening skills. If you don't have a third-party tool helping you with this, it is highly recommended so you can gather honest and helpful feedback. This can truly help you solve problems and get better. Don't forget to ensure you have a confidential tool your employees trust and to spend time truly re...

Truth You Can Act On: Schedule a 45-Day Check-In: Do a 1-on-1 check-in with new employees to get feedback on their experience with the onboarding process. Sitting down with them, listening to what they have to say, and building a relationship will make a huge impact on their satisfaction. Gamify Your Business: Using an Open Book Management style is a great way to help employees get educated on fou...

Truth You Can Act On: Don't Confuse Engagement with Satisfaction: Employee engagement and employee satisfaction are not the same. Ensure that you understand the difference to get an accurate read on engagement levels of your leaders and team members. You must learn to measure the right things. Lend Your Ear(s): One of the simplest ways to gain buy-in from an employee is to listen. Be as intentiona...

Truth You Can Act On: Behaviors Equal Culture: Your business' mission statement and core values don't create culture - you must put these ideas into practice. Promote an engaged workplace by hiring individuals that believe in the mission of your business and provide tangible steps for how they can live it from day one. Enforce with Principles: Enforcing strict rules based solely on compliance limi...

Truth You Can Act On: Be A Players' Coach: For your employees to want to better themselves, they have to be empowered to learn about their role, their business, and their industry. Instill this desire for personal development by emphasizing the importance of continuing education, every single day. Set The Tone: We all know that meetings are a necessity, but they often last too long and become unfo...

Truth You Can Act On: Utilize Expert Advice: Keep an employment law advisor nearby. Use this individual routinely as a sounding board to make sure you have timely and trusted feedback to guide your HR practices. Create HR Superstars: Think about your training practices regarding harassment, discrimination, and diversity. Are they up-to-date? Are trainings happening with enough frequency? Review yo...

Truth You Can Act On: Foster Organizational "Beta" Mode: Far too often, employees fall into the trap of saying, "that's how it's always been done." Each individual brings unique insights and dynamics to your business - inspire them to think outside the box in the name of improving and advancing your organization. It's Not All About Money: Rewarding great work with additional compensation and bonus...

Truth You Can Act On: Leaders Must Be Involved: It's not as simple as developing employees by only asking your team how they are doing. As leaders, you need to engage in development alongside your people. Trust Is Huge: In order to have a team that is going to gel, absorb, and take on the training and development that you're bringing to them, trust has to be established. If trust isn't there, it w...

Truth You Can Act On: Shine: First impressions make incredible impacts. Continued impressions create expectations. What does your physical work environment say about your culture? Set a high priority on fostering a clean and inspiring environment to demonstrate the value of your employees. Smile: Turnover is high in many industries, including healthcare. Don't overlook or undervalue the basic need...

Truth You Can Act On: Showcase Your Company As A Career: If you treat your employees as expendable commodities, they will treat your business in a similar fashion. Consider hiring a dedicated onboarding coordinator to set the tone early for employees: they are valuable to your business, so much that you will invest in their career long-term. Play The Numbers Game: Experience breeds a trust in "goi...

Truth You Can Act On: Invest Individuals in Team Results: If your employees don't understand why their individual contributions matter, they won't buy into the overall goals of your business. By educating your staff on your business' dollars and cents, you'll increase accountability and personal ownership. Factor in Likability: It's a simple truth in personal circles: most people associate with pe...

Truth You Can Act On: Drive Engagement By Connecting: When sending out surveys, talk to your employees first to get their input on what questions regarding engagement matter the most. Set aside time each week and commit to organic conversations with staff - innovation cannot exist without an engaged workforce. Establish Core Values: If your employees all aren't on the same page, consistent results...

Truth You Can Act On: Happy Employees Create Happy Customers: It's crucial to maintain emotional ownership from employees regarding what your company is trying to accomplish. Providing the freedom for staff to make decisions empowers their happiness and fuels sustainable growth and success. Rely on Employee Referrals When Hiring: Your employees are your best gauge as to whether or not new potentia...