The Secret to Discovering Innovation and Solutions
An advantage of having long-time clients is not only the friendships that develop but also the lessons you learn from them.
One of the American Payroll Association’s Women of the Year and past board members is Patty Lake. She accepted a new position heading up a large payroll department in a Fortune 500 company. As she told me this story, I realized why she had earned the reputation of being a “people builder.”
Patty told me about a woman on her new team who had worked in Payroll for over 25 years.
“In all that time,” says Patty, “she had never received a promotion. She had never been recognized for her contributions, led a team, or participated on a special project. She hadn’t had a raise in several years. No one ever asked for her opinion or input. No one offered her training or development opportunities. No one had even bothered to find out if she enjoyed her job. And she was the lowest paid person in her job grade in the entire company.
“For many years, she had been given the lowest performance rating short of termination. She didn’t rock the boat. She just did her job and did not complain.
“Fortunately, I didn’t know any of this. When I started at the company, my manager agreed to let me give each employee a clean slate. I would not review past performance assessments nor listen to old gossip. Instead, I sat down with each staff member to find out about them and what they did. This woman, along with several others, expressed an interest in learning more about payroll and developing her skills and capabilities.
“I took her at her word and arranged for her to participate in the local American Payroll Association (APA) chapter. She took the basic payroll seminar offered by the national APA, took computer application classes, and attended the statewide conference.
“She blossomed!
“Soon after, she led a project team for a customer’s special needs project, a highly visible and very delicate undertaking. The outcome was phenomenal. She and her entire team were recognized and rewarded by the customer for their successful handling of the work. In addition, she is now leading end-user training on the newly implemented web-based time and attendance system. She regularly speaks out in team meetings and has many creative and useful ideas. She is also planning to sit for the CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) exam this fall and studies for it every day.
“When she got her performance review this March, she earned a significant raise and an incentive bonus. She cried and told me that all she had ever needed was someone to believe in her. I did.”
Such a simple story from a woman you have probably never heard of and will never meet, yet Patty Lake’s example of discovering and developing leaders right under your nose could change your life and your own results as a leader. Now it’s up to you.
Remember, honor your everyday heroes. Success: One Frippicism at a Time
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