A Leader’s Concierge; The 3 Keys to Better Servicing & Caring for Your Team, Yourself, and Your Organization!

Through the positives of organizational success or growth and the negatives of organizational crisis and change, there are LESS employees doing MORE work! This doesn’t mean revenue has decreased… and because it hasn’t, many leaders of companies are slow, if not resistant, to address the needs of their people. It’s a sad thing to see Inspired & Motivated Leaders and Front-Line Employees burning out at such a rapid pace. Not to mention, with the amount of Hybrid and Remote Work, many leaders and coworkers cannot physically see the burnout happening.

If you were physically in the office and walked by their cubicle, office, or corner office it’d be easy to see their desk a mess, with files stacked up past their forehead, as they typed vigorously on their keyboard, and walked the halls like zombies; making no eye-contact and mumbling to themselves. But that’s not the case… it’s happening, you just can’t see it or it goes in one ear and out the other when it’s mentioned; and POOF… out of sight out of mind. Unfortunately, this has become easy; as we may only see our people over that scheduled Zoom Call or that designated office day where EVERYONE is at a breakneck pace to get their meetings in and save the world! So, what to do and how to help your team and yourself?

Intentional Connection!

Before we get into “Concierging”… Yes, I made up a word; this concept of Intentional Connection is paramount and I can’t stress it enough… As a person in a leadership position, your skillset and follow through on administrative tasks is great but NO LONGER enough. You must be willing to intentionally connect with your hybrid and remote workforce outside of scheduled virtual calls, task-oriented emails, and that one or two scheduled days in the office. Yes, it’s another thing on your list, but it will bond you with your people and increase your awareness of marrying what you and the organization needs from them with what they need and want most right now! Remember, with the multitude of employment options for qualified workers… it’s amazing how much more your people will do, give, and forgive about organization dysfunction and change when they have a connection with YOU as their boss!

It’s important this intentional contact is done within working hours as not to impede on their work/life harmony or their significant relationships. It may also come in a variety of forms:

  • 1-on-1 Meetings – This meeting is most crucial and I speak about it often during my Leadership Trainings and my book, The Leader’s Toolbox! Set aside a time regularly with each employee or direct report to ask their: Positive of the Week (always sharing your professional and personal ones first to give an example and time for them to think), what they’d like to get out of the meeting, mesh goals with what you’d like to get out of the meeting, and ending by asking their Biggest Takeaway… you may be surprised by what they say and how these meetings, when done consistently, build upon one another and positively impact the team and company!
  • Texts or emails to simply say hello, thanking them for continuously pulling off the impossible, and asking them how they are and what they need!
  • Speak their Language while connecting – I often share my Leader’s 7; The 7 Languages your people need, want, and benefit most hearing from leadership: What are their top one or two… if they’re Goodie-Time, send them goodies to snack on in a basket; making their work day more pleasurable or to be enjoyed on those virtual team meetings. If they’re Quality Minutes, schedule times and opportunities to have “Fun” as a team. If they’re Recognition & Affirmation – the text or email we discussed during work hours would be great! Knowledge & Advancement – Send information (emails, videos, training opportunities, shadowing opportunities, etc.) that teaches and coaches. Incentives – Does your team have incentives to offer? If so, follow through! If not, create them and communicate about them! Lastly, Flexibility and Respect… Flexibility may be a given due to the nature of hybrid and remote work and hopefully respect regarding tone of voice, email etiquette, and manners with “pleases” and “thank you’s” are a given part of your culture!

Leadership is also a two-way street and employees must have more skin in the game regarding “Intentional Connection”! Please remember, your bosses are people too, drowning just like you, and would appreciate some of the same “Extra” you’d like them to give you. How long would it take to send a text or email thanking them for lessons taught, protection given, and opportunities gifted?

At some point, it may also be necessary to let your leaders know you’re drowning. Some employees feel this may make them look weak or incompetent; however, your leaders want to help and would rather YOU do a great job instead of having to write you up, fire you, train someone else, all in hopes they do a better job than you. They can’t help what they don’t know… and it starts with knowing what you need, what your proposed solution is, asking what they like about it, and anything they’d fine-tune. You may be surprised what you both come up with! Now, let’s get to the main point of “Concierging”!!!

Professional Concierge!

As I mentioned earlier, through the positives or negatives of organizational success and/or growth, the schedules and duties for you and your people may be in a state of what I call “Crazy Land” with no ending time in sight due to hiring freezes or lack of an employee pool. So, what’s an option? Option one would be to grind it out and hope no one burns out and leaves… or burns-out and stays. You may find an” Inspired & Motivated” Employee on your team is really doing the job of four people… and harder to replace than you thought. So, Concierge it!!!

The two options are In-House or Out-of-House Concierge. I’ve shared about the 5 Types of Rockstars… one of which is, The Closer. The person on your team you depend on to get stuff done and finished! In-House means to get your “Closers” together, identify the main one, two, or more than three projects that are most important, ask them what or who they need to complete it as quickly and efficiently as possible, and have others within the organization pick up the fat while they handle the meat. Perhaps you’ve prepared a team (in-house) for times like these or put one together to pitch in for a designated time period.

Out-of-House Concierge refers to bringing in consultants, providing your Closers with Assistants, or outsourcing tasks; allowing your people to focus on the most important factors that will either save, protect, or propel your organization forward. I chose this option years ago, as my business needed to propel and grew to the point where I was going to be stuck DOING the business all day long; instead of leading and evolving the business. I outsourced to hire The World’s Best Web Team, The World’s Best Virtual Assistant, the World’s Best Automation Specialist, The World’s Best Account and Bookkeeping Team, and BOOM! I could then focus on what I do best, they do what they do best, and the ideas evolved as I was not only leading with the one or two thoughts I had rattling around in my head to make things work!

Other services organizations can provide as “Concierge Perks” are Driving Services, House Cleaning Services, and Cooking Services to your High-Performers, Closers, or Everyone! These wonderful employees are working from home; possibly with a three-year-old and other kids making a mess of the house, needing breakfast, lunch, and dinner made; all the while trying to focus on sixteen virtual calls, putting out fires, and responding to a never-ending flood of emails… A little help please!!! How awesome would it be for employees to be on the receiving end of a company “concierging” a cleaning service and meal prep options that impact their Leadership & Work/Life Harmony?

For those coming into the office a few times per week… they already know what it’s going to be like. They hit the door and are slapped in the face by everyone waiting for them, scheduled meetings, unexpected fires, and more! What if the company provided a Driving Service… time to sit in the back seat of a luxury car and respond to the start-of-day emails and end-of-the-day crisis? These Concierge Services may not happen daily, but what a change in duties done and work/life harmony increased!

Personal Concierge!

Not every organization will follow through with what I just mentioned, but it doesn’t mean YOU can’t for your own life. I hear so many people initially gripe at the thought or price of hiring help around the house. To all my “DYIer’s” out there… it’s OK to ask and hire help. I remember starting my business and attempting to DO EVERYTHING to save money: run my business, write, record, speak, take the kids to practices, do laundry, cut the grass, shovel snow, etc. The truth is, do you know how much more money you can make and how much more you can be when you sacrifice upfront to hire professionals to do what they’re great at and YOU do what you’re great at?

Your professional work will be better, more timely, and you’ll be less stressed; therefore opportunities more abundant… which usually makes income more abundant… Be Mindful! As an organization, a leader, or leader of your own life… you can start “Conceriging” small or big; just start and watch what will happen professionally, personally, and relationally!

“As a person in a leadership position, your skillset and follow through on administrative tasks is great but NO LONGER enough. You must be willing to intentionally connect with your hybrid and remote workforce outside of scheduled virtual calls, task-oriented emails, and that one or two scheduled days in the office… Be Mindful!” – Andre Young

Written by: Andre Young

Click www.youevolvingnow.com to connect, chat, and to find out more about Andre Young’s Leadership & Work/Life Harmony Trainings, Speaking Engagements, Books, and more; evolving your organization, your leaders, employees, and teams!

Skip to content
YEN PUSH

FREE
VIEW