The researchers explain the concept this way: People have been asked to work longer hours and do more with less for so long that four out of ten don’t think their teams have much more energy left to keep going. And that means a lot more people in our companies are willing to quit than even a year ago—including those with critical skills and those identified as high-potential and/or high-performance employees that our organizations must retain to thrive.

This data was shared by Rick Beal of Towers Watson during an E-Trade conference I was asked to speak at last week in Las Vegas.

Ironically, Rick noted, 68 percent of organizations have identified their high-potential employees—those they most want to keep and advance. The problem? Only 28 percent of those companies have actually informed the employees that they’ve been identified as “high-potential.”

How do they explain the disconnect? One—they are afraid of jealousies arising if other employees hear (who are they afraid of offending: The bad employees?); two—many just don’t get around to doing it as they’re really busy; and three—some are afraid if they do tell them, the employees will demand more money.

To quote Charlie Brown: “Good grief.”

To maintain high energy levels, you must tell your high performers that they are essential and needed, and you must have a real strategy to retain them. And, by the way, hope is not a strategy.

In our research for All In, we found employees in energized cultures believe their leaders care about their well-being and that the company supports them inside and outside of work—even allowing them to maintain a positive work-life balance. There are also strong correlations between employees being energized and how regularly appreciated they feel—in non-monetary ways. And, interestingly, we found the feeling of being energized is linked to the level of trust employees have in their managers. After all, few things sap energy faster than working for a manager who can’t be trusted, one who doesn’t uphold the core principles of the organization. It is energizing to be included, to be on the “inside.” Great cultures share information daily, even hourly.

So in addition to the more obvious ways of attending to the energy needs of employees (such as equity compensation and performance bonuses, career pathing, higher base pay, etc.), leaders must understand the uplifting effect on their people of open communication, keeping promises, recognizing great work, and work-life balance. All of this helps keep the best people in the culture.

Think Orange!

Q: I’m managing a team that has past experience and history with management being very controlling and not very trusting. That is where I am having trouble getting them (my employees) “all in.” What are some good ways to get them motivated and put more weight on the future than the past?

A:  First, good for you. As a leader, few things will have more influence over your success than the culture of the team around you. Second, understand that when leaders set out to establish a new more positive culture, they face an equal chance of one of two eventualities: adoption or oblivion. Adoption requires an extensive process of employee input; management accountability; and continuing messaging, training and recognition. It is a lot work for a leader, and thus it’s rare.

I’ll be honest that more common is oblivion, as the majority of culture shifts are never integrated into the day-to-day actions but fade away, victims of subpar or inconsistent communication and reinforcement. Your employees have seen this before. Where many managers slip up is trying to focus their employees as if this process were something to check off a to-do list rather than a commitment that runs DNA-deep. Superficiality in this cultural process is deadly, because employees mirror it. They view your mission, vision, and goals with continued suspicion, rather than as core values to embrace.

A wise leader must kick off this new culture of trust with inclusion—bringing employees together to draft the mission, values and goals together, giving everyone a voice. The leader must then commit to openness of communication—we call this Share Everything—and then by publically recognizing even small steps toward the desired culture, which we call Root for Each Other.

In our new book All In, we show the seven steps managers can use to influence a culture such as yours. They were built from the 300,000-person research study conducted by Towers Watson, and include some solid ways to help turn around the cynicism and doubt you are facing. Good luck.

And Think Orange!

Question from a reader in Australia

The ”Tall Poppy Syndrome” seems pervasive here. Are there specific tricks to combatting this phenomenon for managers?

Note: Tall Poppy Syndrome is a term often used in British Commonwealth countries to describe employees who do exceptional work but who are resented or criticized because their achievements elevate them above peers.

Answer:

I actually get quite a few emails from around the world about this very subject, and it’s very frustrating for those wanting to excel. Fear of rising above the pack keeps many employees from giving their best ideas and efforts.

Our research shows that such employees in not only Australia but many other countries are starved for recognition and have more to give, but are often are surrounded by co-workers who bring them down, and sometimes managers who are threatened by their success.

We have seen managers overcome this crippling environment, but it does take strong leadership. Harken back to some of our basics of recognition: Frequent, specific, timely and sincere. If small public recognition moments are frequent, then employees know their turn is coming and become accustomed to others being lauded for their accomplishments too. If the recognition is specific and sincere—tied to clear core values that are genuinely important to the organization—then other employees know why the recognition is happening and that the recognized co-worker is not the “teacher’s pet.”

Finally, timely recognition shows everyone what matters most around here, for example, a manager might gather people and say, “Let me tell you about something great that just happened yesterday. As you know one of our core values is Safety, and I saw Pete tying off the ladder for another employee who had forgotten. It’s simple thing, but it shows he cares about his co-workers and their well-being. Let me ask you, what matters most around here? That’s right, safety.”

Don’t forget to root for the tall poppies around you, and Think Orange!

It’s finally here.

A year ago we began our most ambitious work to date, a journey to find out what the world’s best managers did differently during this most recent recession. The findings are revealed today in our new book All In: How the best managers create a culture of belief and drive big results.

If you manage people—2 or 2,000—your success depends upon getting your people to believe in you and your strategy. And yet few managers know how to get their people All In. In the book we present a seven-step road map that any manager can use to build belief—all based on this 300,000-person research study conducted by Towers Watson in 2009 and 2010.

And today we have some fun add-ons to entice you to get your own copy of the book:

• On April 3, 4 or 5, order a copy of All In online through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books a Million, or 800-CEO-Read and we’ll send you at no charge the All In Training Study Guide, a $50 value. Usually only available to our consulting clients, this valuable training resource will help any manager accelerate his/her team’s performance through interactive, thought-provoking exercises tied to the book’s content.
• And … as a fun bonus, the first 50 people to send us their online book receipt will also be mailed an autographed copy of Adrian Gostick’s bestseller Integrity Works, written with Harvard Business School researcher Dana Telford.

Here’s How it Works

Order your copy of All In before end of day April 5, and forward your receipt to info@TheCultureWorks.com. Our crack staff will send you the All In Training Study Guide and let you know if you are one of the first 50 people to receive the complimentary autographed book. If you are, you’ll receive the book by mid-April.

I thank you in advance for your support!

Adrian Gostick

In this struggling economy, high-performance managers are vastly more agile at helping guide employees through the vagaries of the marketplace—and that can lead to stunning financial results.

When Towers Watson’s researchers took a deeper dive into their database for us, looking at just 2010 surveys, they found a group of high-performance companies which reported revenue growth a whopping three times higher than their high-performance peers.

First, such agility started with managers who were considered “authentic” by their people. That meant leaders at all levels provided a clear sense of direction and made decisions promptly, they treated employees respectfully and took action on issues their people raised, and finally they behaved in alignment with company values. To sum it up, managers got off the dime and truly walked the talk.

Next, on an organizational level, these agile companies faced competitive market pressures head-on through innovative product development, a customer-focused culture, and social responsibility and integrity in dealing with their clients. In short, employees felt they could trust their leaders to make the company better, all while doing the right thing for customers.

We found that agility is more important in sustaining above-average business results than clever strategy, compelling product mix, or the other typical focuses of leaders. Today, employees feel a heightened need for their leaders to help them adapt. One interviewee we met with put this very clearly: “I have my head down doing my work. We’re going two hundred miles an hour here. I need my leaders to be looking to the horizon.”

Photo source: Corbis Images; royalty free, creative image

Guest Post by TopOnlineColleges.com

Young workers are known for their energy, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn, but many times their lack of experience and professionalism comes back to bite them when they want a raise, promotion, or just to be taken seriously. If you’re a young worker and you want to stand out from the other baby-faced rookies in the office, check out these eight etiquette tips:

Save social networking for home

There’s a time and a place to get on Facebook and tweet about your day, but it’s not at your work desk. Sure, everyone needs a mental break here and there, but signing on to social networks may not be the best way to clear your mind and stay on track at work. Even if your company does not restrict use of these sites, you shouldn’t abuse this privilege by signing on every hour or Facebook-ing when you should be working.

Refrain from gossiping

If you’re trying to make a good impression on your boss and co-workers and develop meaningful, trusting relationships with them, then steer clear of office gossip. Getting caught up in petty gossip makes you look unprofessional and two-faced. Even if everyone is gossiping around you and it seems like you’re in good company, take the high road and walk away from gossipers or change the subject altogether.

Never, ever talk about salary

Salary is a taboo topic that shouldn’t be discussed with anyone but your supervisor. Even if you work for the most laid-back company, it’s never really appropriate to talk about or compare salary wages with your co-workers. If you have questions or concerns about your salary, bring it to your boss and work it out in private.

Act professional

Young workers have a tendency to let their professionalism slide when their boss isn’t around or when their guard is down during happy hours or company-sponsored parties, for example. It’s important to be professional at work, work functions, and, well, just about any time you’re representing your company. This even includes cyber professionalism. Never, ever Facebook or tweet negative things about work or anyone from work if you want to keep your job.

Don’t abuse your privileges

If you work at a place that does not require you to punch in your hours, provides free parking, or allows casual Fridays, then consider yourself lucky. Many companies do not give their employees such perks because they’ve been abused one too many times. Don’t ruin it for everyone by taking two-hour lunches or running personal errands every day during work.

Mind your manners

Minding your manners at work goes beyond saying please and thank you, it also includes giving your undivided attention during meetings, answering e-mails promptly, showing appreciation to those who help you, and respecting others’ time. Also, don’t forget to clean up after yourself and ask before taking things from work, including pens and other supplies that belongs to your company.

Come early, stay late

Young workers have a lot to prove, but one of the quickest ways to earn respect and present yourself as a reliable, hardworking employee is to come early to work and stay late. Punctuality is very important, but coming early to work shows even more that you care and it may earn you credit when it comes to getting honorable assignments and perhaps being considered for a raise or promotion.

Look neat and clean

The days of rolling out of bed and throwing on a wrinkled T-shirt and jeans to face the day are long gone. You’re in the real world now, and that means you have to dress for success. Whether or not your workplace has enforced a dress code, you should always strive to smell clean and look tidy. Get familiar with the iron, find a good dry cleaner, and for goodness sake, take out that tongue ring!

And don’t forget to Think Orange!

On Wednesday, a mid-level executive at Goldman Sachs quit his job and made his concerns about the company’s culture shift very public—in an Op-Ed piece in the New York Times. In one of the most brutal exit interviews you’ll ever read, former 12-year-staffer Greg Smith called the company’s culture “as toxic and destructive as I’ve ever seen it.”

He wrote, “It might sound surprising to a skeptical public, but culture was always a vital part of Goldman Sachs’s success. It revolved around teamwork, integrity, a spirit of humility, and always doing right by our clients. The culture was the secret sauce that made this place great and allowed us to earn our clients’ trust for 143 years. It wasn’t just about making money; this alone will not sustain a firm for so long. It had something to do with pride and belief in the organization. I am sad to say that I look around today and see virtually no trace of the culture that made me love working for this firm for many years. I no longer have the pride, or the belief.”

Bloomberg News reported that after the incendiary resignation letter went viral, Goldman Sachs shares dropped by 3.4 percent, translating to a $2.15 billion loss in market value. That means each word Greg Smith wrote in his op-ed for the New York Times cost the firm $1.675 million.

Still don’t think culture matters?

To be fair, we know a couple of long-time Goldman Sachs executives and they love the firm and the culture. And in an internal memo, senior execs at GS called Smith a disgruntled employee who does not represent the views of those working there.

But Smith’s manifesto spread fast because it rang true for many in the corporate world. Too many employees have lost “belief” in their leaders and company direction during the protracted recession. And many are wondering if their company is fixated on short-term profit versus adding value to their clients.

As leaders, it’s time to listen to your people and your customers.

All In, our new book on culture will be published by Free Press, a Simon & Schuster imprint, on April 3. Looks like our timing couldn’t be better.

Think Orange!

Director of Talent Management, Baptist Health System

At Baptist Health System we are on a journey. The journey is to become a company that has a culture of appreciation. Culture changes do not come easy. Culture changes do not happen overnight. Culture change does not happen because we want it to happen.  A culture changes when it becomes a part of the way we live every day.

In our company we have done several things to make appreciation become part of the fabric of our organization and the way we do life every day.  For example, we now have a system to send electronic appreciation cards and to nominate employees to receive an Above and Beyond award. In addition, we set goals for use of these two tools and track our progress on the goals on a monthly dashboard.

As we dashboard the use of our electronic cards and Above and Beyond nominations, some managers have questioned why other forms of appreciation do not count. I am always quick to explain that there is a variety of ways to show appreciation. They all count to our employees but I can only track electronic cards and Above and Beyond nominations.

• Employees love to get a verbal specific thank you from their manager.
• They like a pat on the back.
• They treasure team celebrations.
• Some like recognition in front of their peers.
• Team applause for a job well done can be terrific.

As I have watched our company on our appreciation culture change journey, I have been excited to see the terrific use of electronic cards and Above and Beyond nominations. I have been thrilled when I see or hear of appreciation in other ways. Recently, I was overjoyed to see an article in our company newsletter sent by a leader who was proud of the achievements of his employee, Lisa Withington. So he told the whole company Lisa’s story.

Lisa, a patient access specialist at one of our outpatient imaging centers, was registering a nine-year-old boy for an x-ray exam. Lisa had talked with this boy previously when he was at the imaging center with his grandmother and Lisa had noticed that he was so kind and so helpful to his grandmother. But this day he was the patient. Lisa talked to him about his interests as she was registering him. She was impressed with his wonderful and charming personality.

But that is not the end of the story. The nine-year-boy went home and wrote a seven-page illustrated “book” titled:

The Nice Lady (starring the nice lady in the front desk)

His grandmother brought Lisa the “book” the next day. That “book” is now one of Lisa’s more treasured possessions.

I am proud of Lisa’s great customer service skills. But right now I am more proud of her leader, John Gardner. John is sharing the Nice Lady story with everyone. John has realized that appreciation can come in several forms and he was so proud of his employee he thought it deserved an article in the newsletter to let the whole company know how valuable Lisa is to our organization.

John’s action is proof that our culture change is working.  Culture change is not about how the dashboard looks.  The dashboard is merely a tool to help change our culture. Our culture is changing because of people like John who realize that appreciation is just the way we do life every day.  I know our appreciation culture change will result in more Nice Lady stories and that is exciting!

Here’s a pretty amazing example: A week ago I met a former Navy officer after speaking at the National Business Aviation Association’s annual meeting. He said that while serving as a commander in the Navy, he realized his sailors hardly ever told their families about their decorations and awards. So he began a tradition of sending a copy of the certificates of decoration to the sailor’s spouse or parents, with a handwritten note at the bottom that said specifically what the young man or woman had done to deserve the acknowledgment.

Recently, the ex-Navy-commander said, he was having lunch with a former sailor. The chief petty officer’s father had just passed away and he had gone home to take care of his dad’s effects. The grizzled sailor said, “You know what I found in my father’s wallet, you son of a gun? Folded up about ten times was a photocopy of one of my awards with a note you’d sent him.”

It takes less than two minutes to write out a handwritten thank you note, but you never know the impact you will make.

Send a note today to someone who deserves your appreciation, and Think Orange!

Now I do deliver a good message, don’t get me wrong, but this is 2012 after all. We are all wired 24/7, and we just can’t seem to resist checking our emails and texts no matter what’s happening around us. And this was Intel, one of the most advanced computer companies on the planet, who could blame these guys for being constantly connected.

An explanation came during a discussion of the company’s values, when an Australian on the front row explained, “At Intel, we have a core value of ‘discipline.’ That’s why we try not to be distracted by our phones and laptops. When we are in a meeting, we are focused on the topic at hand. It makes us a lot more efficient, and it’s more respectful to those around us.”

How great is that? How often have you been in a meeting where most of the room was clicking away, only paying half-hearted attention to the discussion? Ever been in a meeting where someone’s phone rang and they looked at it to determine if the caller was more important than you? Ever been the culprit? I know I have.

And yet at Intel, employees do their best to focus. It’s a terrific example of how the right values can help you succeed—especially when you really live those values.

Intel may be blue, but they are obviously thinking Orange!