That song begins and it gently grabs hold of you, it wraps around your heart and suddenly you become breathless, it takes you back to a special moment, a place, a feeling – if you close your eyes you are there …
That song …. thank you for capturing the memory
What’s your special song?
Happy Workers?
My young friend of mine rang me last week all excited – she had been offered a full time job in a sports store in the city.
While she was thrilled she was a little bit upset because she would have to leave her current job, which was also in a sports store. She is a loyal creature, she liked working there, she had made good friends and it had been a real confidence booster for her.
Each week she was one of the best performers in the store, beating her weekly targets consistently and selling well above the other staff members.
So, why was she leaving ?
The store have one of these short sighted recession led policies of restricting all staff members to just over 20 hours a week so that it would save money – I’m not sure if this was down to saving on breaks or savings due to PRSI class. Either way someone in the organisation set a policy of maximum hours per person to save money.
This money saving was deemed as being better for business than allowing your best people have the most hours – the difference in performance between the different sales staff was thousands of euros consistently each week. Who’s saving money?
Eventually my young friend was left quite demotivated, the penny dropped that no matter how well she performed it would make no difference to her hours or career prospects so she decided to shop for a better position.
Her very last experience with her existing employer was when she handed in her required two weeks notice. True to form she was punished and her hours were slashed in her last two weeks.
I have encouraged her to hold her head up high and to finish off her last days there professionally. Unfortunately she has been left a little disillusioned by one of her earliest work experiences in one of Ireland’s biggest retail chains. I know myself that all of these early experiences play a huge part in forming your attitude towards work and your employers.
What are we teaching our young workers?
Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion PR
(p.s. I have written to them out of curiosity to see what they have to say)
Update
This post was actually about my daughter. She started her new job in another sports store and can’t believe the difference it is. They look after their staff really well and from the very first minute she was made feel really welcome and appreciated. She is lucky to find such an employer and thankfully she is now learning more positive “work lessons”.
I was really annoyed about how she was treated by Lifestyle Sports so I wrote to them hoping for a response but also hoping that they might take the lesson on board. I never received a response to the email that I sent. Maybe this is a reflection of the culture that exists there or maybe it is just a coincidence?
Email to Lifestyle Sports: (career@lifestylesports.com) – see copy below:
Hi ,
I am writing to you to both thank you and express my disappointment with you as an employer.
My daughter has worked with you for nearly two years in a Cork store and despite being one of the top performers in her store with her targets etc she has been held back to the minimum amount of hours each week.
I understand this is a policy to minimise costs – this is a foolish policy when the net result is employees that perform well getting disenchanted as they lose out on hours to other staff. These are foolish savings that are costing your business money and are also demotivating to staff. Too many accountants (I started off life as one) getting their way!
Eventually she managed to secure a full time job with a competitor where she is starting off soon. I was thrilled for her when she was offered the post but she was upset as she had built up a loyalty to Lifestyle Sports.
The last bitter pill was when she handed in her required two weeks’ notice and her store manager “punished” her by slashing her hours..
What kind of spirit are you nurturing? Not only have you really upset her in her last two weeks but you have also upset her colleagues that she works with.
She will freak out when she knows I wrote this as she is frightened she won’t get a good reference.
I trust you will not let this email affect her reference.
As I said at the outset ….. thank you for employing her for the last two years but please, please review your internal policies. You are getting rid of and demotivating performers and undermining the excellent training you give them.
I would like a response to my email.
Regards,
Greg Canty
Are you allowed to speak?
Tommy “The Scouser” called me to say that he had a little piece written out for the funeral of our Auntie May who he was particularly close to. It wasn’t a full eulogy but it was a really short piece that perfectly summed up the character and spirit of our fabulous aunt. He was really upset reading it to me.
He wanted to read it at the funeral mass but wasn’t sure if he could manage actually saying it without getting really upset. If that was the case he wanted to know that I was in reserve to read it for him. I knew he would be fine but agreed in any case.
On the day of the funeral I was asked would I do a reading along with some of the other family members. I did my piece and I wondered what was going on as the funeral mass drew to an end and there was no sign of “The Scouser” going up to the altar – maybe he decided he wasn’t up to it after all?..I wondered.
The funeral party moved on to the cemetery where Auntie May was laid to rest as the priest said the final prayers. Just as he finished I noticed Tommy making his way to the microphone (much to the surprise of the priest) and he did May proud by reading his beautiful and very emotional piece, which was greeted by a huge round of applause from everyone standing in the sunshine in the peaceful country graveyard.
This was a really special moment as it was the only true occasion during the whole funeral process where the family put a “personal” stamp on the proceedings, where a “real” voice was heard and in some small way he said what we had all felt and wanted to say.
I wondered why Tommy had left it so late in the day to read his piece and was totally shocked to hear that the priest in question “did not allow” people to say such things and would not allow it at the mass!
This has left me bewildered and quite furious and while I know it is not the usual behaviour of the church it does give you an insight into some of the odd and very old and traditional thinking that has turned so many people against them in recent times.
Whose church is it anyway I thought? Whose memory were we all honouring?
The more I thought about this the more I reflected on all the other organisations where there are people that have very important things to say but just aren’t allowed. It’s easy to lose sight of what an organisation is about and its even easier to block the real important voices from being heard.
Are the people in your “Church” allowed to speak?
Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion
Freedom to Fly !
When we talk about risk we nearly always think in terms of financial risk – financially what am I putting on the line if this project or job doesn’t work out?
It brings back a simple conversation that I had with one of my bosses many moons ago when I worked in Guinness. This guy was very senior, successful and I guessed very wealthy.
He had all trappings of success, a prestigious home in Dublin, a marque company car and quite a senior and highly respected position in the company.
We were chatting about career, success and life in general and I was asking him about his goals – he had a very colourful career which included some very senior international posts with Guinness and now he was settling back to a senior post with Guinness in Ireland.
In my view the new role he had, while quite prestigious seemed to be a little dull compared to his previous ones – he spoke to me quite eloquently and it was the first time I heard about the concept of a “fur lined mouse trap“.
Basically he was telling me that he wasn’t enjoying what he was doing but the rewards were so good that he could not ever consider leaving the job. What a huge price to pay?
Over the last few years we have had the pleasure of dealing with many new clients who through a mixture of redundancy or choice have jumped off their corporate treadmill and explored new possibilities in their own new businesses. All of them will admit to working harder than before but will also admit to a huge sense of satisfaction and achievement. Quite a common sentiment is “Why didn’t I do this earlier?”
I wonder is financial risk the biggest risk of all?
Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion
Get up earlier and roll the sleeves up!
At the early stages of the recession I heard the great and inspirational Louis Copeland (King Louis!) being interviewed on the radio offering the following advice to anyone in business – Get up earlier, roll up your sleeves and work harder. I took this advice on board fully along with a determination to stay positive within ourselves and for our clients. It has thankfully served our business really well.
However this approach comes at a personal cost – I have got up earlier, I have worked my socks off, I have approached every situation with determination and positivity and I have seized opportunities as they came along.
Unfortunately this had to mean big sacrifices in terms of personal time. Both Deirdre and my kids in particular have suffered and I even missed a pile of Liverpool matches (some may say that is a good thing!). In reality there was nothing I could do about this – that’s what you have to do now to have any chance of surviving and thriving but I did feel towards the end of 2011 that I let my own personal resources run dangerously low.
My New Year’s resolution is to continue with this positive and hardworking approach but to make sure I make more time for everyone that is close and special to me.
That’s probably easier said than done but at least lets make it a real goal!
Happy New Year!
Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion
Are you following your passion?
I started telling this story in a previous blog post “Breaking Bread Together” , but there was a separate story there which I felt warranted its own stage so here goes eventually for the one I intended writing in the first place..
Fuzion Friday had arrived again – on Fridays our team at Fuzion share a meal together at lunch time. This is something we all look forward to as it is a highlight of our week when we all let the hair down and shake off some of the stresses of the week.
The chat starts off at around 12, “where will we go for lunch today” and after much discussion (Mary normally getting her way!) a restaurant is chosen and while the intention is to get there before 1 to avoid places being too busy we normally find ourselves trekking out the office door at about 10 past 1 because someone is always finishing something!
On this occasion it was me that was delaying proceedings so eventually I told the bunch to go ahead to Cafe Bar Deli and I’d catch up in a few minutes. As always I underestimated the 2 minutes it would take to finish what I was doing and I could see the “where the hell are ya” phone calls coming through to my phone.
Eventually I finish what I am doing and I race down the stairs and make my way quickly towards the restaurant. Heading quickly towards Oliver Plunkett Street I start to hear a really beautiful sound coming towards me – at a street corner I am greeted by the sight of this very tall gentleman dressed in a tuxedo singing the most beautiful version of “The Town I Loved So Well“. Despite the rush I was in I just had to stop and listen to this gorgeous performance, which was a rare treat not to be missed.
A few people did stop to listen, while other busy shoppers shuffled by going about their business. I could feel my phone vibrating in my pocket but I ignored it as this moment was too previous to miss. Eventually I had to move on (I could start to imagine the earful I was going to get by the crew) but only after first shaking this man’s hand and thanking him for a beautiful moment in an otherwise crazy busy week.
I took a photograph of this guy and noticed the sign by his feet complete with phone number and web address – his name was Peter D Walls, www.peterdwalls.com and his number (086) 7728344.
Over lunch I could not get this guy out of my head – what is his story? He was clearly very talented and here he was singing on a street corner, which surely was something “beneath him”? At least this is what my immediate reaction would be.
Intrigued I decided to check out his website and learn a little bit more about this street singer. With the help of Mr. Google I found his website, I found a YouTube clip of a street performance and I listened to an interview that someone did with him. It turns out he does this frequently, he appears in Thomas Street, Limerick every Saturday and he performs in Dublin during the week also.
Is this beneath him, surely his talent deserves a much better stage, why is he doing this, why is he putting himself in the mix with other buskers, who to be fair would not lace his musical boots?
Looking desperately for an answer to this question I found a simple quote on his website –
“It’s never too late to follow your passion”
..does it really matter what you are doing and where you are doing it as long as you are following your passion?
Happy New Year!
Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion
I has a Great 2012 because ....
Well – how did you do?
Did you achieve what you set out to achieve in 2011?
Did you make ambitious plans and fall short of them or did you make any plans at all? – If you did, well done!
I don’t know about you but making plans and actually achieving them is always challenging and at the start of the year I find myself at the start of that loop all over again making promises than often will never materialise!
Last year I wanted it to be a little bit different and I had my own creative and quite practical idea, which was inspired by a book I read called “The Art of Possibility” by Benjamin and Rosamund Zander (a really interesting motivational book by the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and his wife who is an executive coach).
This idea is rooted in the power of visualisation – the principle behind this is that if you visualise what you want to achieve then there is a much better chance of it actually happening.
Here goes ..
Take a pen and paper and simply write your diary entry in advance for your last working day of the year ..
Imagine just before you switch off the lights in the office, before you head out the door to do some last minute shopping and enjoy a well-earned rest, you quietly write your diary entry.
It might go like this..
23rd December, 2012
Wow, that was some exciting and really fulfilling year!
It was a great year because I really achieved what I set out to both personally and professionally and even more besides because of those opportunities that cropped up that I wasn’t even expecting. At least I had my eyes open and when they occurred I spotted them and grabbed them.
I started the year with a few really clear goals including (go for it, be specific – list at least 5!)
I thought these goals were going to be really challenging, but I achieved these as I made a few important changes in my life that were necessary such as (be honest – what needs to happen for you to achieve those goals – your conditions for success).
It wasn’t all plain sailing and I had a few setbacks but I kept a clear focus on my goals, I kept a positive outlook and by digging deep and having a clear belief in myself and my abilities I managed to achieve them all in the end.
I’m glad I kept a positive outlook and kept my eyes open for those genuinely unique opportunities, which I know will only present themselves in this challenging economic climate – it made a huge difference to my business this year, which I wasn’t expecting.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, 2013 – Bring it On!
Your signature (make sure you do this)
Put this in an envelope, place it in your top drawer and have a peep at it on the first day of every month (set a reminder in your computer to do this) and see what happens.
We did this with our full team at the end of 2010 and I can tell you it worked out quite well, thank you very much!
We will do it again this time round – I’ll let you know how we got on in about 12 months’ time.
By the way I’ve just ordered a really nice new car – guess what was on my list last year!
…what are you waiting for?
Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion
Parental advice!
My son Brendan Canty has just qualified from CIT, having completed a multi media course. He wants to work in film in some way and he is also really passionate about music.
How unusual – a 22 year old being passionate about music!
Like every other parent you worry about what your children will do – you want them to find a job, earn a living and in this climate it has never been quite so tough.
“You need to find a god solid job” I hear myself saying..
Well – he has set up his own website operating under the name Feel Good Lost and he has been busy producing videos for bands from all over the world – with the web and modern technology this is all quite easy, apparently!
His last music video was for a “secret” American solo artist who goes under the name Slow Magic and the track he produced was for a song called Corvette Cassette. There is a video producers peer website called Vimeo (this is like a worldwide YouTube for video and film producers), which has just featured this song as a staff pic – at the time of writing the video has been viewed 63,000 times across the world.
While Brendan does some excellent corporate video work for Fuzion and his own clients he excels when he combines his love of music and his film profession. On Friday nights he DJ’s in The Pavilion in Cork combining music and visuals as part of his unique set operating under the Feel Good Lost name.
Slow Magic // Corvette Cassette from Feel Good Lost on Vimeo.
He is following his dream and his passion and it had me thinking about career choices and Three Circles..
In Jim Collins fabulous business book Good to Great (for me this book is a business bible) he talks about companies using a Three Circle criteria as a guide to the activities they should get involved in:
A company should only engage in activities that:
The basic principle is that if companies concentrate their efforts on activities that meet all three of these criteria then they will inevitably be very successful – this is one of the factors that Jim Collins attributes to the success of what he calls “Great” companies.
If you are looking for a new job or a new challenge how about using the Three Circle Criteria for deciding which path you choose?
Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion
The Lost Chef from Sheffield!
Walking through the village early in the morning with Bing (the four legged one!) we were met with the unusual sight of a guy approaching us from a distance wearing a white chefs uniform complete with black apron and dragging behind him a big suitcase on wheels and carrying a heavy shoulder bag. We quietly wonder what this guys story is.
Getting closer to the lost chef we make eye contact, nod and greet .. “Good morning”
“Excuse me mate, do you know where the Westfield B&B is?” – He was quite a tall young lad with an English accent.
We had no idea where it was but just had to help him – a quick Google search on the smart phone and a minute later we find the B&B on-line and then call for directions.
In between the Google search and the phone call the young guy explains to us that he is a trainee chef from Sheffield and had just completed his first shift in his new job in a nearby hotel.
He had been booked into the B&B by the hotel if he could just find it!
The poor guy looked lost, lonely and totally out of sorts.
It turns out he had dragged his heavy bags in the wrong direction from the B&B, but it didn’t matter as the B&B landlady informs us that there was a cancellation by a guest of the hotel where he was working and he needed to head back and stay there instead.
He politely thanked us for the help, crossed the road and started slowly making his way back to the hotel.
Working away from home – it is a long and lonely journey ..
To the lost chef from Sheffield, all the other young people looking for work away from home, our sons and our daughters – take care out there, wherever your journey takes you..
Life’s great adventure ..
Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion
One week or two?
I am a few days away from my annual holidays and I can’t wait – it’s been quite a while since our last decent break and at this stage I could really do with it!!
For the next few days I have a “lorry load” of work to get through so that I can go on leave with a clear head, knowing that there is nothing important left undone.
This might sound like I am going away for a month but I am taking just one week off!
Feel familiar?
I wonder am I doing something wrong that I am managing just a week off?
I know the importance of some chill out, switch off time to recharge the batteries and I wonder is a week enough? To be honest I don’t think it is – I always need a few days to fully unwind, then I start to properly relax and with a few days left I tend to start thinking about work again. With a one week break you have barely relaxed when the break is nearly over!
While I know and understand this I feel a week is the maximum amount of time I could take off without disrupting the business to much. Deirdre, my other, and much better half is my partner in the business and she is holidaying with me, which affects the amount of time we can take off together but surely we should be able to manage more than a week?
In Fuzion we are really lucky in that we have a dedicated hard working team who we totally trust, so we should be able to take a longer break- this makes me wonder are we not delegating properly and enough?
I was chatting to another business owner about his holiday plans and he totally shared my anxiety about leave – he reckons the very most he could comfortably take off is about 10 days. So much for working for yourself!
Is this the reality of self employment or does this mean we are disorganised or have issues about effective delegation?
How much time off can you take this summer?
Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion
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