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FROM THE EDITOR others... ... Do unto others I Valerie Cognevich Cognevich Valerie Editor Editor PLAY METER METER PLAY recently attended attended aamarketing marketing workshop workshop cocorecently sponsored by the IAFEC. Although I don't sponsored by the IAFEC. Although I don't operate FECs, FECs, II feel feellike like II walked walked away away with with operate little better better understanding understandingabout aboutwhat whatopopaa little erators of FECs are facing today. There were erators of FECs are facing today. There were sessions about about advertising, advertising, dealing dealing with with the the sessions and much more. But media, demographics, media, demographics, and much more. But of the the most most interesting, interesting, and and one one that that one of one drew the most discussion among attendees, drew the most discussion among attendees, was the the session session on on employee employee relations. relations. was had A featured speaker, Barry Eigen, had A featured speaker, Barry Eigen, the audience audiencerolling rolling in in their their seats seats while while getgetthe He is is ting aa very very important important message message across. across. He ting the author of a book the author of a book called "How "How to to Think Think called Like aa Boss Boss and and Get Get Like Ahead at at Work." Work." His His fofoAhead cus was on how to stimucus was on how to stimulate initiative initiative and and improve improve late morale. His opening story morale. His opening story job at at recounted his his first first job recounted an exclusive exclusive restaurant. restaurant. an He set set up up the the scene scene of of aa He young boy balancing the young boy balancing the largesttray tray of ofdishes dishes to to be be largest carried down down aa flight flight of of carried stairs. His theory was that stairs. His theory was that the more more dishes dishes on on the the the up tray, the fewer trips tray, the fewer trips up the stairs. stairs. Yes, Yes, the the ininthe evitable happened happened when when evitable the dishes came crashing the dishes came crashing down the the stairs stairs into into the the down main dining room. Elemain dining room. Elegantly dressed diners had everything from gantly dressed diners had everything from lemon mousse mousse to to ketchup ketchup dripping drippingfrom from evevlemon ery surface available. ery surface available. He figured figured he he was was going going to to be be fired. fired. But But He when his his boss boss called called him him into into the the office, office, it it when wasn't to fire him but to assure him that his wasn't to fire him but to assure him that his job was was still still there. there. Years Years later later Barry Barry ran ran into into job his former boss and asked him why he kept his former boss and asked him why he kept him on on after after the the mishap. mishap."Everyone "Everyone makes makes him mistakes. Those who learn from them make mistakes. Those who learn from them make better employees. I figured you had made better employees. I figured you had made one that thatyou you were were sure sure to to learn learn from!" from!" one After Barry's stunning speech, conversaAfter Barry's stunning speech, conversations among among the the attendees attendees centered centered on on ememtions ployee relations. Barry's theory was that if ployee relations. Barry's theory was that if you treat your employees like you expect a you treat your employees like you expect a lot from from them, them, you'll you'll get get aa lot lot from from them. them. If If lot you demean demean them them at at every every turn tum and and act act like like you vulture waiting waiting to to criticize criticize them them every every aa vulture chance you get, soon you will have molded chance you get, soon you will have molded your employees employees into into exactly exactly what what you you exexyour pected. They will certainly be unmotivated pected. They will certainly be unmotivated 88 at the the least. least. It's It's aa theory theory that that makes makes sense. sense. at Some of of the the FEC FEC owners owners attending attending the the Some seminarwere were complaining complainingabout abouttheir theirworkworkseminar ers, while others were praising theirs. The ers, while others were praising theirs. The difference turned turned out out to to be be not not in in the the workworkdifference ers themselves, but in how they were treaters themselves, but in how they were treated. Those Those who who found found ways ways to to motivate motivate their their ed. the loyalty and sense of employees found employees found the loyalty and sense of pride gratifying. pride gratifying. Everyone with with aabusiness business isis faced faced with with ememEveryone ployee relations. Some feel that it's their busiployee relations. Some feel that it's their business and and their their needs needs come come first. first. There's There's the the ness owner who asks employees to do personal owner who asks employees to do personal ortime time off. off. There's There's projects with with no no extra extrapay pay or projects the manager who stalks his employees trying the manager who stalks his employees trying tocatch catchthem themdoing doingsomething somethingwrong. wrong. to Butthen then there's there's the the boss boss who whoisis not not afraid afraid But to pitch in and work alongside of the emto pitch in and work alongside of the employees. If he wants them at work at 6 :00 in ployees. If he wants them at work at 6:00 in the morning, morning, you you can can be be sure sure he's he's there there at at the quartertil. til. He's He's the the one one who who appreciates appreciatesthat that quarter these are are the the people people who who make make his his business business these successful. successful. He's also also the the one one with with the the employees employees who who He's know they they are are appreciated appreciated and and are are willing willingto to know go that extra mile for the company. Crushing go that extra mile for the company. Crushing the enthusiasm enthusiasm from from top top employees employees can can be be the as devastating for the business as it is for the as devastating for the business as it is for the employee. When coming to work for your employee. When coming to work for your employees means means nothing nothing more more than than aa paypayemployees check, it's time for you to take a critical look check, it's time for you to take a critical look at how you are treating your people and at how you are treating your people and maybe make changes. maybe make changes. One operator operator said said the the morale morale in in his his localocaOne tion among his employees improved dration among his employees improved dramatically when he gave his people more matically when he gave his people more sayin in how how the the schedule schedule was was made. made. Before, Before, say he simply simply put put names names down down for for certain certain he hours and and would would not not make make changes. changes. If If an an hours employee asked to make a change it was employee asked to make a change it was out of ofthe the question. question. Now, Now, he he takes takes personal personal out requests into into consideration consideration and and allows allows ememrequests ployees to find a replacement if they can't ployees to find a replacement if they can't work the the appointed appointed hours. hours. "I "I used used to to beat beat work my head against the wall trying to get these my head against the wall trying to get these people into into work. work. Now Now itit seems seems that that there there people no problem problem and and I'm I'm less less involved! involved!Who Who isis no ever would have thought it would turn out ever would have thought it would turn out like this?" this?" like You have have aa goal goal for for your your company. company. If If You your employees employees know knowthat that goal goal and and you you alalyour lowthem them to to get getthe the job job done, done, being being flexible flexible low if necessary, believe me the job will get if necessary, believe me the job will get done faster and better and your company done faster and better and your company in the the long long run run will will be be the the beneficiary beneficiary of of in your attitude. A your attitude. JUNE 1996 1996 JUNE