Belonging Is the Secret to Retention

Published on December 4, 2023 by Wendy Waldron

Retention is a big stressor in business today. Google “how to retain employees in 2023,” and you’ll get more than 93 million search results full of excellent insights and recommendations. With countless strategies and endless advice, though, the task of retaining your employees can feel overwhelming. That’s why I encourage you to view all your efforts and initiatives through a single lens: that of creating a sense of belonging.

The critical importance of belonging
As people, we want to belong. To feel that we are accepted and appreciated. To know that we can be authentic and honest. To believe that what we do is important and valued. Give that to your employees and retention will not be an issue because people will feel like they belong.

Many strategies contribute to belonging
Although it may not be apparent at first, many retention strategies have developing a sense of belonging as one of their aims. For instance, recognizing and rewarding employees for a job well done, creating opportunities for career development and growth, and resourcing employees so they can succeed in their roles all promote belonging.

The foundation of belonging
Identifying and living out your core values is one of the greatest ways you can create a sense of belonging. As you act on your core values day by day, you build a culture that is defined by those values. When someone “fits” that culture – that is, they align with your core values – they automatically feel a strong sense of belonging. Every interaction they participate in, every decision they make or are affected by, every communication they are party to reflects the company’s core values, reinforces the corporate culture, and reassures them that they belong.

Transformation through belonging
One of my clients has discovered this secret to great retention. Within the past few years, this CEO has given clarity and consistency to his company’s core values. So much so, in fact, that he is attracting top talent – sometimes from across the country. He has heard employees assure new hires that they will love the job and the company because the core values are the real deal. Employees are willing to drive long commutes, bypassing job opportunities that are closer to home, for the joy of working there.

Why? It’s simple. It is where they belong.

Get to know more about EOS!

Build a Stronger Company from the Inside Out

Published on October 31, 2023October 31, 2023 by Wendy Waldron

Business vs. busyness … one letter makes a world of difference. As a founder, owner, or leader of a company, do you want to be fully engaged in building a successful business? The alternative is to be encumbered by success-defeating busyness.

If you look back over the past weeks or months and can honestly say that you have been busy but aren’t seeing positive results in your business, it is time to take stock of where you are applying your efforts. Are you working on growing your business, or are you stuck IN the hamster wheel of daily operations? Let’s consider your business in light of the six key components of the Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS®): vision, people, data, issues, process, and traction. As an EOS® Implementer, I help leadership teams strengthen each component and build a stronger company from the inside out.

So, clear your desk, silence your phone, and let’s have a chat about about something we both care deeply about: your business.

First on the table is vision. I would love for you to be crystal clear on what success looks like and for your employees to have that same clarity. So, let me ask you:

Do you have a well-defined vision of what you want to achieve and can you articulate it concisely and powerfully?
Have the people who work for you grabbed hold of that vision with both hands and are they working toward it collectively?

Speaking of people, I would love for you to be leading a team where everyone is excited to contribute, looks forward to coming in each morning, and is the best person you can imagine for their job. If a person comes to mind who doesn’t fit that picture, remember that neither of you is happy with the current situation. So …

How much is this person costing you in terms of lost productivity, depressed morale, aggravation, and the like?
If you truly want the best for this person, how long are you going to let them suffer before either moving them to an appropriate seat in your own company or releasing them to pursue success at another company?

We move next to data. Here, I would love for you to know exactly which actions drive success in your business and know that you’re doing those actions so you get the results you are after. With that in mind,

Can you identify the top actions that drive cashflow, profitability, customer acquisition, etc. in your business? (Most of us track results.)
Does everyone know who is responsible for each of those actions and how much they need to do every week to drive the results you want?

You might be seeing some of your business issues more clearly at this point and there are probably more to uncover (don’t feel bad; it’s true for every company). I would love for you to have such an open and honest culture that you’re able to identify every challenge and obstacle. This leads me to ask:

Have you been applying a Band-Aid to an issue to avoid finding a long-term solution?
How many times do you want to wrestle with an issue before you get to its root and solve it for good?

Let’s move on to process. I would love for you to capture the best way to do things in your business. After all, this is your intellectual property: own it by documenting it in such a way that others can be trained to do things right. Plus, defining a process makes it easy to update later on. That being said:

What are the Core Processes in your company? What’s the right way to do things?
Where do those processes go off the rails and why? Is the gap in your process or in performance?

Finally, we have traction. I would love for you to get the most important things done day to day and month to month so that you systematically build your company. As one of my clients said, “I want my job to be about forest management, not forest fires!” To that end, consider:

Have you identified a handful of priorities to focus on completing this quarter? (We understand that when everything is important, well… nothing is important.)
Do you have a pulse, a cadence that everyone follows to ensure that the most important things get done?

Strengthening these Six Key Components in your business will do much more than expand your customer base or increase your revenue. It will help you build your business from the inside out so that you become a better, healthier, more impactful company. That’s real business growth!

Get to know more about EOS!

Everyday ABCs Of Leadership

Published on July 6, 2021July 6, 2021 by Wendy Waldron

This article originally appeared in the Saratoga Business Journal .

As we build the new normal and reconstruct our economy, let’s take a moment to get back to the basics. Whether you are an owner, foreman, manager or director, there are three things that every leader needs to be doing to make the most of every day. Bring the ABCs to the jobsite.

A – Avoid Busy-ness.

“Quick, look busy, here comes the boss.” It’s so classic it’s almost a cartoon, and yet most of us fall into this trap of “busy-ness” on a regular basis. Is it enough to “keep the guys working?” Well, are they doing profitable work? What do you really know about an office worker’s “production” by walking by their desk? When so many switched to work from home, did you lose a sense of knowing what they were doing?

Do you know what drives the profit in your business?

What key activities should be done each week and who is responsible for accomplishing those actions?

You need information now, not at the end of the quarter. Maintain a weekly scorecard listing the priority activities, the goal, and who is responsible for making them happen.

B – Boss Mode.

You are not leading a social group or choosing a restaurant for dinner. It’s important to make your expectations known. Imagine that you are coaching a basketball team. It’s your job to clarify the rules of the game. Do you really want all of the players running together in a pack playing offense and defense simultaneously? How can your team deliver if they don’t know exactly what’s expected?

Put the needs of the business first when you are working in the business. You will all need to practice, practice, practice. Repeat yourself and your expectations. And remember, coaching and cheerleading are not the same thing. You are the coach. Be specific with your praise, recognition of opportunity, and acknowledgement of effort.

C – Call to listen.

It’s common for an article like this one to talk about the need for “communication.” While true enough, such advice is hardly actionable. The best leaders establish a listening routine.

Your people are much more likely to open up when the opportunity predictably presents itself. Imagine the difference between these two scenes. One leader swoops in like a sea gull. They drop some messy “knowledge” in the way sea gulls tend to do and then ask, “so what’s up? What’s new? And did you see the game last night?” as they check their phone and continue walking.

The other one calls their staff member every Thursday at 8:30 a.m., or maybe they have a standing coffee date. They exchange quick stats or updates, then the leader listens to whatever their employee thinks is important. Smart managers take time to find ways they can improve the work environment, the core processes, and the end results.

As simple as these suggestions may sound, they are commonly not followed. Many of us try not to “be the bad guy” and instead let the players decide on the rules of the game. Somewhere along the line we associated “busy” with “profitable.” And even the most conscious of us can be guilty of being that person who only calls when they need something.

The best leaders recognize that these simple actions yield powerful results in every work environment.

You know a local Professional Entrepreneurial Operating System Implementer® !

Published on May 4, 2021July 6, 2021 by Wendy Waldron

Hello, friends!

I am excited to announce that I have completed my training as a Professional EOS Implementer®. I am one of only 419 Worldwide that has been given this unique opportunity.

EOS® (The Entrepreneurial Operating System®) is a powerful system that takes a holistic self-sustaining approach to building a great company. It helps a business owner get the most out of their business. We have delivered over 73,600+ full-day sessions for more than 9,900+ companies. As a result, companies:

Crystallize their vision, getting everyone on the same page and rowing in the same direction
Gain tremendous traction by building discipline and accountability into the organization
Create a healthy, functional and cohesive leadership team and company.
For actual client testimonials click here or here to watch a short 4 minute video. To give your organization a check-up click here.

This real world proven system is also captured in the award winning book Traction: Get A Grip On Your Business.

If you know of a business owner/entrepreneur that is frustrated and/or looking to get more out of their business, I’d appreciate the referral. You have my word, they’ll be in good hands and they’ll thank you for it.

– Wendy

Hour glass on calendar concept for time slipping away for important appointment date, schedule and deadline

Succession Planning Summit

Published on November 29, 2020July 6, 2021 by Wendy Waldron

Have you listened to the wisdom from the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Succession Planning Summit this fall?

Guidance from business leaders who are actively planning for their futures.

Take us with you while you walk off that extra slice of pie! Ponder, plan, and prepare!

WaldronWorks was happy to be a sponsor, leading the conversation about intentional and open planning within our businesses.

“WaldronWorks! I can’t say enough about Wendy Waldron and the EOS system and her executive coaching skills.” — Juan Gonzalez

Click here or the button below to listen, and use the following passcode to access the video:

*z?Z+K0=

Click here to listen

I’m In with the ARCC

Published on November 6, 2020November 6, 2020 by Wendy Waldron

Wendy Waldron was interviewed on the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce’s I’m In With the ARCC radio show in October 2020, with host Amanda Blanton.

Here is a partial transcript, and scroll down to give a listen.

Amanda asked, “A lot of business owners are so busy with the day to day things that they don’t have time to think about the big picture, right?”

Wendy’s reply:

Yeah, they’re working IN their business all the time, because there’s 187 things that need their attention at any given moment — you’ve got a client walking through the door and now you’ve got PPP loans and labor issues and technology, all kinds of things always happening! There is always something.

But it is those businesses that value working ON their businesses, the leaders that know the difference between working IN your business and working ON your business — that are able to rock. Those are the leaders that are able to have companies that GROW. You could have a very successful business day-to-day but if you’re doing the same things every day then you’ll have the same business, at the end of the day.

So it’s taking the time to invest in internal growth before you invest in external growth, to really think about:

What IS our business?
What ARE we accomplishing?
Who is accomplishing what?
How do we expect that to happen?
What resources do we need to garner and appoint in a particular direction?
How do we need to support this person at this time so that our company can vault forward next year?

It’s that sort of strategy and tying that down to your day-to-day work that’s important. It’s not the strategic plan — we’re not making those any more, the strategic plan with 26 tabs in a huge binder that sits on a shelf and costs a million dollars, that’s just not helpful. Heck, even a five-year-plan is a little ambitious these days!

When I work with companies, we talk about a big dream, the ten-years-out, the very audacious goal, but what we really bring it down to is to get a collective picture in our minds, let’s discuss what our company looks like in three years.

What does it feel like to be in this company in this environment, in this culture?
How many customers do we have?
What sort of business are we running?
Are we located in the same place?
How many employees are there?
What’s the tenor of the office, really, what’s it feel like?
What are we DOING three years from now”

Then we step it back to what are we going to do next year, what’s the one year plan, further even back from that, what has to happen in the next 90 days to set us up to get there — and it becomes more and more real so that you then work it down to what are you doing every week to get where you need to go.

Because it really is about working ON your business.

It can’t be all the time, but it HAS to be at least sometimes on a regular basis for your business to grow.

The saddest thing is to find someone who has all the success they ever wanted except they’re really struggling, they’re working 60, 80 hours a week, and they’re really clocking that, not just talking about it, and they don’t see a way out, and they don’t see a way out from all of these people who now rely on them, all of these families and it’s a terribly sad thing because you can drown in that you feel like you are not ever able to catch up, not ever able to quite stand up or get in front of that ball.

So it is those leaders that I want to talk to and say:

I can show you a different way, and you’ll see if it’s useful to you or not.

Click here to Listen

Imperfect Together

Published on May 14, 2020 by Wendy Waldron

“Do you love it, Mom? I picked it just for you!”

Our proud grade schooler just couldn’t wait to give us our gifts from the Penguin Sale that day. She was beaming with joy! Was that today? Her big chance to shop independently for gifts? She had been looking forward to it for a long time, we received several notices from school, and yet I had forgotten all about it. She hadn’t brought any money with her today.

When I was a kid, we used a pair of nail trimmers that had a guitar on them. I had chosen that gift for my father from just such a sale. Every time we used those little trimmers I was reminded that I had chosen such a useful gift. Every time I mentioned the trimmers he would thank me for the gift, as if I had just given it to him. Every time he spoke of them I warmed with pride. How could I have forgotten the guitar trimmer sale?!

Hopeful eyes were watching me. “Do you love it, Mom?” Tears of frustration and failure streamed down my face. All of the late December magic making, ice storm driving, gingerbread shopping, and assorted darknesses of the Season of Lights caught up with me. As our daughter explained that since we both drank coffee every day, she thought they were great gifts. “I chose them for you from the table for kids who didn’t have any money today,” she beamed a bit more and I continued to weep. SuperDad had an unusual look on his face, too. Gratitude for our school staff, teachers, and volunteers poured from me. Our little village had my back. No one on our house had remembered the Sale, yet this was understood. No one else expected my perfection.

In fact, the organizers of the sale had anticipated this issue. They had a goal or two in mind and weren’t going to let the variability of parents, homelife, or household finances get in the way of achieving those goals. A process had been created, it had been shared with everyone, and it was simple enough to make use of ready volunteers. These leaders executed their plan and succeeded.

My pride kept me from enjoying this mug for quite awhile. I secretly hoped it would disappear and with it, my guilt and self-doubt. But she comments on our mugs every time we use them. Every time she asks me if I still like the mug she chose for me. Every time I thank her for the gift, as if she had just given it to me. Every time she puffs up a bit and calls me her SuperMom.

Lately, my caffeinated courage has tasted especially good in the morning. Days are challenging in so many new kinds of ways. Life will not be “normal” anytime soon. Let’s take it easy on ourselves; let’s be generous and fully present. Let’s set goals, address issues, and execute our plans to move forward together. I will look for the light and thank our super heroes. And I will use this mug.

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Radio Interview with ARCC

Published on February 4, 2020January 7, 2020 by Wendy Waldron

Wendy Waldron was interviewed on the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce’s I’m In With The Chamber radio show in July 2019, with host Amanda Blanton.

Click here to listen.

Featured in Saratoga & Glens Falls Business Journals

Published on January 21, 2020January 7, 2020 by Wendy Waldron

Thank you to the Saratoga Business Journal and Glens Falls Business Journal for the feature story on WaldronWorks this past June.

Wendy Waldron has taken her years of experience and success and created her own consulting firm that reaches clients from Albany to the Adirondack Mountains.

WaldronWorks officially launched in March of this year with a soft opening a few months prior. The firm took on their first client in December, providing operations leadership.
Originally from Queensbury, Waldron said family roots in the area that go back for generations is one reason she wanted to open up her business in the area that she loves, the Adirondacks.

“I love strengthening our community and local economy by supporting our entrepreneurs,” said Waldron.

Read the full story by clicking here.

Embracing Organizational Structure

Published on January 7, 2020January 7, 2020 by Wendy Waldron

Recently, WaldronWorks was featured in Brian Rollo’s “Lead With Impact” podcast.

Listen by clicking here.

Episode Info

Wendy Waldron is an accomplished EOS Implementer, medical practice executive, project manager, energy aligner, and storyteller. She has long been interested in why we all do what we do, and how we can do it better!

Her work is founded on the belief that human potential is priceless, but that the time and effort we put into our workplaces carry a cost burden.