(Time to read this Blog is about 3 minutes)

Before we get to the main topic, here are a few things to get you thinking or smiling:

1. My Biz Quote of the week:
   “Many clients tell me they have an advertising problem.  But what they really have is a ‘compelling value’ problem.  Simply put, advertising is creative bragging and many businesses aren’t doing anything worth bragging about.  When we’re delivering compelling value, creating compelling advertising should be easy.”
   …Donald Cooper.
    
2. Quick Biz Tip:
   A fundamental decision that every business must make:
    
   Are you trying to get customers to do what you want them to do…or are you committed to helping customers do what they want to do?  The choice you make will affect everything you do.  If you’d like help with this, I’m easy to find at donald@donaldcooper.com.
    
3. Olympic Fun Facts: The Olympic Village ‘kitchen’ imported 3 million bananas for the athletes.  With 11,000 athletes participating, that’s 272 bananas per athlete.
    
   Olympic organizers are also handing out 300,000 condoms…so now we know what the #1 Olympic sport really is.  If 5,500 male Olympic athletes use all 300,000 condoms in 17 days, when will they have time to eat all those bananas?
    
4. Mexico has overtaken China as the #1 exporter to the USA. This blew me away.  The list of Mexico’s top 10 biggest exports to America (shown below) will also surprise you:
   1. Vehicles: $130.03 billion.
   2. Electrical Machinery: $85.55 billion.
   3. Nuclear Reactors: $81.61 billion.
   4. Petroleum Products: $25.02 billion.
   5. Optical, measuring, medical & surgical instruments: $22.33 billion.
   6. Furniture, bedding & mattresses: $13.35 billion.
   7. Beverages, spirits & vinegar: $11.75 billion.
   8. Other Commodities not elsewhere specified: $10.91 billion.
   9. Fruit and nuts: $10.86 billion,
   10. Vegetables: $9.52 billion. 
        
5. September is when you should start creating your Business Plan for 2025 and beyond. Are you ready to tackle that?  There’s big confusion as to what a Business Plan should include and how to create it, so I’ve just completed an insightful new Biz Tool on ‘How to Create an Effective Business Plan’.  To download it, no charge, Click Here.
    
   A few clients and industry Associations have asked me to come to them, live or electronically,  to deliver a half-day ‘Business Plan Kick-off’ to create clarity and get everyone on the same page.  If such an event will be helpful to you, contact me at donald@donaldcooper.com.

Now, to this week’s important topic:

Improving employee engagement…the 4 things they can be proud of!

Employee engagement and ‘quiet quitting’ are huge topics these days.  According to a recent Gallup Report,  only 36% of employees in the USA are truly ‘engaged’.  The number in other ‘Western’ countries is likely similar.  Gallup defines ‘engaged’ as ‘being involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace’.

According to this same Report, 51% of employees are disengaged in the workplace, while 13% are ‘actively disengaged’.  Actively disengaged means ‘feeling miserable at work and spreading negativity to their colleagues’.  In extreme cases, it can mean actively sabotaging the Team and the business…and I’ve seen plenty of that in my Biz Coaching work.

A big part of ‘engagement’ is being proud of the business we work for and our role in it. There are 4 things that employees can be proud if:

1. 1. Where we’ve been  (our history),
   2. What we do  (our products / services),
   3. Where we’re going(our Vision for the future)…and,
   4. What we ‘stand for’ along the way  (our Values, Ethics & Standards).
       

1. Most businesses don’t teach their history. Big mistake! When was the business founded, by whom, to do what?   How have we grown, evolved and reinvented ourselves, through good times and bad?  What awards have we won and what lives have we changed?  How many of our front-line Team members have grown to become supervisors and managers?  How have we made a difference in our community and on the planet?
2. Does every Team member know what dedication, ingenuity, innovation, passion and financial investment has gone into to developing or acquiring our products and services? Do they understand how what we do makes a difference for our customers?  Do they understand how their role in the business contributes to our commitment to serve and to be extraordinary?  Are they proud of what we sell and how we sell it?
3. Do we have a clear Vision for the future of the business…and do we share that with our Team? Most businesses don’t.  Another big mistake.  Good Team members want to know where we’re going so they know if there are opportunities for them to contribute and grow. 
4. Do we live by a clear and consistent set of Values, Ethics and Standards that good people can be proud of? Do we keep our promises and do the right thing, or do we cut corners, bend the rules, deceive customers and Team members…and hope nobody notices?

So, how are you doing on these 4 things that your Team can be proud if…and how can you use these insights to improve pride, passion and engagement in your business?  Anything you can do that improves engagement will be very good for your bottom line.

That’s it for this week…

Stay safe…live brilliantly!       

Donald Cooper 

Donald Cooper speaks and coaches internationally on management, marketing, and profitability.  He can be reached by email at donald@donaldcooper.com in Toronto, Canada.