If you want someone to open to you, you generally must open up to them. Be vulnerable, then you might get something back. If you are unwilling or unable to be transparent yourself, you shouldn't expect much in return. I[...]

When you first start leading you sometimes inherit a high-performance bunch thanks to your predecessor. But, usually you don’t. Usually you inherit a situation that feels something like this: A few high performing individuals doing great work and setting themselves[...]

A properly empowered frontline leader must have the authority to do things like: Send home one of their staff for the day Refund a customer  Make small expenditures without asking for permissionAfter all, if they have no authority granted from[...]

I am: Part owner of a small ice cream factory and retail store A commercial landlord A board member of two non-profit organizations Part owner of two software companies, one that serves essential services, and one that serves mainly small[...]

It is heartwarming for me to see people on social media actively trying to find ways to help during the current COVID-19 crisis. People asking if anyone needs help getting groceries, help with childcare, or if anyone knows anyone else[...]

I have written a short article on leadership or employee engagement every week for many years. This week I was tempted not to. There is a crisis going on that demands our attention as leaders. Should I be taking the[...]

I know a leader who has no trouble overloading his staff with tons of work without any concern or remorse for how the type or volume of work will impact them. His motto, “I load ‘em down until they crack,[...]

Richard Branson is driven, passionate, smart, and people want to follow him. He knows how to use his gifts to create successful companies and make his weaknesses irrelevant. He will tell you part of his business success is finding great[...]

I was recently re-reading Wilma Derksen’s book, The Way of Letting Go.  It is a powerful book about how to overcome anger, grief, pain, and guilt in order to move on and be productive and of service to the world. Wilma has[...]

Whether we are overweight or we look fit and trim to the outside world, that flabby, out-of-shape feeling hits everyone from time to time.  However, if we are eating healthy and exercising regularly, we don’t have that feeling, no matter[...]

We have all seen images or heard stories about the fun culture at tech companies like Google and Facebook - cool campuses with slides between floors, bean bag chairs, and foosball tables everywhere.   At IBEX Payroll we have some of[...]

Hopefully we find ourselves working in a role or at a skill that plays to our strengths; this is where we feel good. But what if you want to be great? That requires pushing beyond your comfort zone; if you[...]

Have you ever lost it in a meeting you were leading? You were pushed too far and said things impulsively that you ended up regretting? This happened to me recently in a team meeting I was leading. I was ashamed for the[...]

How do you live your life enjoyably when you are torn between the need to make money and a desire to do good in the world? Simple - you define what matters to you, write it down, and live by[...]

Over the years, The Inclusion System and IBEX Payroll have faced many challenges: how to improve customer service; how to control spending and manage cash flow; how to improve communication on teams and between individuals; and, most recently, how to[...]

I get to meet many leaders in my life. Leaders of our customers’ organizations, business leaders, and government and community leaders. I enjoy meeting them and trying to understand what makes them all tick. I love to learn from all[...]

Do you find yourself taking on more responsibility and feeling more and more overwhelmed? I know how you feel! My default used to be to jump to action and just get it done. This is how I got somewhere in[...]

Why do we bother getting out of bed in the morning? If it is just another day of getting the job done and nothing more, what fun is that? If you are way behind on the bills—and unlikely to get[...]

Have you ever been listening to someone’s problem and have a great solution pop into your head? Not just an idea, but a revelation? A course of action that would make a huge improvement. A solution that takes into account[...]

Have you ever been talking to someone and then they take a call or answer a text on their phone, or look over your shoulder, seemingly uninterested in what you are saying? Have you ever been the one to glance[...]

It happens every day. You are cut off by another car. Your neighbour starts up the leaf blower just as you settle in with a book and a cup of tea. Annoyance is the natural reaction. It’s the easy way[...]

Our culture is obsessed with winners and losers, with finding heroes, villains, and jokers in every story to entertain us and simplify things. We are also biologically wired to dwell on things that aren’t going well, to notice what is[...]

As we get older and more focused on personal, family, and career success, many of us become more organized. If you are not seeing success in any of these areas, perhaps you have not improved your habits in the areas[...]

Years ago, I was asked by a mid-level manager what to do about what she referred to as a “B employee” on her team. This person was a front-line manager. By the definition I had previously shared with her, a[...]

Good leaders, parents, and friends listen authentically and share supportively with the people in their lives. When we see strong emotions, the thing to do—if the timing and setting are appropriate—is to ask about it. “You look really upset. How[...]

I used to feel I had to do everything myself. I had the misconception that people were all busy, totally happy with what they were doing, and not open to helping me. I felt that anything I would ask of[...]

If you have had any success as a leader, you likely have some ego attached to that success. You have gotten things done by leveraging the talents of others. Congrats to you! Now the reality check. If you are an[...]

My love for my jobs has ebbed and flowed over the years. Right now, it is at an all-time high. These days I am overseeing the processes that make sure that product development, customer service, marketing, sales, and finance are[...]

During a meeting of business leaders, one member of the group shared the story of a very bold move he made and a lesson he learned. He was curious about how one of the most successful business leaders in Canada[...]

In the distant past, I would get up in the morning and watch the news or go on the Internet to see what was happening in the world. Turns out there was always something negative going on out there, whether[...]

Many other leaders ask me for advice when they are dealing with difficult situations. Often, the difficult situations involve an employee underperforming or causing disruption on a team. We discuss the situation and I inevitably ask: “Have you talked clearly[...]

If you lead others or you are a parent of older kids, you have probably experienced the feeling that the people you lead don’t seem to be working with you sometimes. You feel like you are doing stuff for them to[...]

You are given a challenging project. The goals for the project seem clear, the deadline is very clear, but the path to reach the goals is loose. You take this as licence to go your own way with how you[...]

When you ask for volunteers in public, you rarely get any. And if you do, they are likely not the ones best suited for the work. You end up angry that those who you really wanted didn’t step up and[...]

I was taking a walk with a friend the other day. She was struggling with whether to take a holiday the following week. A friend was coming to town but she had so much to do, she was not sure[...]

If you ask anyone if they would rather do great work or weak work, they will say great work.  To do any type of creative work like composing a song, solving an accounting problem, writing a story, or writing effective[...]

We all get triggered sometimes by things other people say or do. And we have all responded in ways we regret. Psychologist Dr. Christina Watlington tells us: “In the absence of a strong emotional vocabulary, we all resort to our[...]

See the image above. I am 51 years old. The filled-in dots on this page represent the months I have already lived; the empty dots represent the time I have left until 90.These dots remind me that the time I[...]

When I first started out as a leader, I tended to do too much of the work myself. I assigned tasks; I did not delegate responsibilities. I also tended to avoid hard conversations about people's performance or the company’s performance,[...]

Like most of us, I started to gain weight as I headed out of my twenties. My weight gain became even greater when we had kids. I had no time for exercise and there were so many half-eaten plates to[...]

A few years ago, my family and I went to one of the poorest areas of Mexico over the holidays. We were part of a team building a house for a family in need. It was a wonderful experience to[...]

Traditional performance reviews do more harm than good. Do you think it is a good idea for parents to meet with each of their children regularly and rate them in all areas of their performance as children? Maybe it would[...]

I recently attended a driver education class with my 15-year-old daughter. It was the first class and the kids had to bring a parent or guardian. The program was introduced and there were lots of questions from the audience. Sometimes[...]

I know I am late to the party on this, but judging by how often I still hear the phrase “you guys”—sometimes from my own mouth—English-speaking North Americans still struggle with this. Twice in the last few weeks I have[...]

You are a first-time parent. Your little darling is now 22-months-old and, so far, when you want a night out, you have always called the grandparents. You realize that you are wearing them out and your “baby” is now a[...]

Have you ever been coaching a staff member through an issue and somewhere along the way the perfect solution to their problem becomes obvious to you? You suggest it, but it does not seem as good to the other person[...]

I was once asked to make some phone calls on behalf of one of our non-profit customers. We were asked to call their suppliers to see if any of them would make contributions to this very worthy cause and we[...]

Over the years, I have been involved in hundreds of meetings for many purposes. As a young man and a junior at whatever meeting it was, I thought my role was to say what I thought, look smart, and make[...]

Do you have people on your team who are constantly saying that their life sucks? In the book Tribal Leadership, authors Dave Logan, John King, and  Halee Fischer-Wright talk about how to engage someone like this. According to them, this[...]

I love what we do at the IBEX Payroll. Following through on our mission to Empower and Inspire Great Workplaces is a full time thing. Between leading this and trying to be a good husband, father, son, brother, friend and[...]

Dilbert creator Scott Adams says he could never be a good boss because leadership requires a deep and innate sense of evil. “After all,” he said in an interview I read, “the job is to get people to do things[...]

I get asked this question all the time: “How can I fix my problem employee?” The question is often asked with frustration and the implication that the employee is obviously the problem. I sigh a little every time I am[...]

A while back I wrote a blog on the idea of unlimited vacation for salaried staff. It was one of my most read blogs of 2018. Turns out it was the most read blog among our staff at IBEX Payroll![...]

I heard a story on the radio years ago that made my blood boil. It has stuck with me ever since. I have thought about it many times, but have never written about it before because the issue it raises[...]

If you are leading a team, people will inevitably, on occasion, fail to follow through on something they said they would do. So, what do you do when this happens? Generally, I do nothing. Why? Because I am privileged to[...]

Whenever I put the question to a group of leaders about how to address a specific performance issue with an employee, one of the inevitable responses is to “explain to them how important it is that they do it right.”[...]

I know that many of my blogs blame the leader for the mistakes or underperformance of their staff. It’s a common theme, because it’s true! When I see a problem, I always start by looking at myself and what I[...]

One key characteristic of “servant leaders” is that they feel a deep personal obligation and commitment to the people they lead. For a servant leader, it’s not about how others can serve their interests, but how the leader can serve[...]

I recently listened to a person, world-class in his field, talk about his experiences being mentored. When he first entered his field, he was paired with a mentor who took great interest in what he was doing and how he was[...]

One of the most important workplace leadership decisions we make is who we hire. If you have ever replaced an employee that was wrong for the role with an employee who was right for the role, or replaced someone with[...]

On a skiing holiday with my family in Vernon BC, I witnessed a truly inspirational act. One I know I will draw upon for years to come. Snowboarding down a run, I noticed a man on skis yelling and motioning[...]

According to over 20 years of Gallup research, the two most important factors contributing to people’s job satisfaction are: having the right tools and equipment to do their job; andknowing what is expected of them. In this blog, I am[...]

Talking about change and improvement, but never doing anything about it, is really frustrating. Frustration like this is a constant in many organizations and on many teams. It does not have to be like this. Pretty much everyone wants to[...]

If you are a workplace leader, you very likely have at least one employee you wish would turn it up a notch. They seem like they have the potential to excel, but something is just not clicking, and they are[...]

Have you ever had someone else school you with your own playbook? For instance, you are playing a sport or a board game and one of your competitors makes a move that you know darn well yourself and wins the[...]

Have you ever employed someone who seems to have the right skills for the job, someone who does their own work well—perhaps even better than everyone else—but who seems to rub people the wrong way? Linton Sellen, teacher of the[...]

I recently attended the funeral of an elderly woman I didn’t know. I was there because she was the mom of a friend and I wanted to support him. There were many touching tributes to her. They focused on her[...]

Four years ago, I became Chair of the Board of Directors of Candace House. The organization was in a shambles and needed a reset in order to make progress on its goal of creating a first-of-its-kind refuge for victims, survivors,[...]

At one time on my leadership journey, I was stingy with compliments, stingy with sharing the big picture, stingy with adapting work to someone’s strengths, and stingy with relinquishing control and fully delegating a task. I was also stingy with[...]

Recently, I was thinking about a new way that we might be able to use a particular system at our company—a system for which we pay hundreds of dollars a month. I thought since we are paying for it, we[...]

Great leaders treat their jobs more like playing chess than playing checkers.What do I mean by that? In chess, the pieces are different and do different things. In checkers, the pieces are all the same. People are like chess pieces:[...]

Given the title of this blog, you might expect that the focus would be on personal productivity or time management. Personally, I am a junkie on these topics and I have spent years developing my own ways of trying to[...]

Here are two very compelling definitions of the role of a leader. From author and leadership trainer, Linton Sellen, a leader’s role is:to deal with the performance and well­being of others.From Verne Harnish, founder of the Young Entrepreneurs’ Organization, a[...]

I recently ran a half marathon with the expectation I would run my best time ever. I had run the same race the previous year and set my current personal best (PB). I had trained more and better than ever[...]

I was recently asked by another entrepreneur how I motivate people, set expectations, and hold people accountable. The question took me aback. I thought I had an answer; I felt I had this covered, but did I? What am I[...]

Years ago, we went through a process of discovering our core values. We did an exercise where we each chose someone on the team who we thought exemplified our core values, and then we wrote down as many points as[...]

They say that you don’t create your core values, you discover them. When we looked at what we value at IBEX Payroll, we discovered that we like to have fun. Not the goofing-off, get-out-of-work kind of fun, but rather the[...]

Have you ever known someone who seemed to be working hard and doing the right things but not getting very far? Someone you thought could use a family or other network that loved them and believed in them, that helped[...]

Most people have someone in their life – or someone who has passed on – who was always proud of them and who they always wanted to please. For me, this was my mom. For others it was their dad,[...]

You go into a local independent coffee shop to enjoy a quick fix and sit in peace for a few minutes before you head back to the office. The single server behind the counter is taking an order for someone[...]

You walk into a busy doctor’s office five minutes early for your appointment. You go to the registration desk to report in. You say in a friendly voice: “Marci here for Dr. Reilly.” You get a look that says, “how[...]

I recently read the book Outrageous Empowerment: The Incredible Story of Giving Employees Their Brains Back by Ron Lovett. Lovett makes the case for empowering people at all levels of an organization to use their brains every day and become[...]

It happens to me often. I am speaking with one of my team and I see an expression on their face that looks like anger, sadness, frustration, impatience, or some other strong emotion that doesn’t quite fit the situation. In[...]

Have you ever had the feeling that you were overloaded at work? That feeling of too many things to do and not enough time to get everything done? I have. This situation actually demotivates me from wanting to do anything[...]

It is a theme I hear from leaders all the time: “I have nowhere to promote my people. I get good people all trained up and they leave because I don’t have enough opportunities for them.” While it may be[...]

Being a good leader means making the right choices today. To be effective you need to: act calmly and responsibly in almost all situations; be on time for meetings; hold people accountable for their work; take aside the over-reacting member[...]

I once had a staff member who, after a promotion, was failing to stay on top of his new responsibilities. He was missing some deadlines, forgetting some things altogether, and not setting proper expectations with his colleagues. Upon discussion, it[...]

I admit it. I lead selfishly. I put my own needs first. My needs are to: not be dragged into every little situation; not work long hours; be able to focus on positive, move-forward, what-comes-next kind of work; not worry[...]

Psychologists and professional trainers tell us that we should give audiences a five-minute break every 60–75 minutes. Psychologists know this from research; trainers know this from experience. They know that after a break, people’s attention spans are restored and the[...]

Here at IBEX Payroll, we LOVE our ice breakers. At the beginning of every weekly huddle, you'll find the IBEX Payroll team deeply immersed in one. Whether it's a staring contest or a very intense game of rock-paper-scissors, ice breakers[...]

As leaders we set the tone. When we go to the dark side and let anger, resentment, or entitlement dominate our mood and our actions, we create a toxic workplace. Whatever the trigger is –problems at home, an unforgiving customer,[...]

When we hire in a hurry:we tend to focus too much on the specific skills we need right now and not enough on the underlying character and growth potential of the people we choose;we tend to select people who are[...]

I attended an event where Paul Maurice, the coach of the NHL’'s Winnipeg Jets, was the keynote speaker. I was very impressed by his thoughtful outlook. One of the things Maurice talked about was the difference between a typical NHL player and[...]

We all know people with good health, money, and options about how and with whom they spend their time, and yet they are not happy. And we all also know happy people who seem to have very little. In his[...]

In my experience, we will rarely get great performance from a staff member if we don't have high expectations set for them. I am not talking about people meeting the basic expectations for a position. Show up, do the duties[...]

I had the honour of being a judge at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards recently, a worldwide competition for post-secondary students running real businesses while going to school. The candidates were the winners of their respective countries’ competitions – all[...]

My son is what we assume is a typical teenage boy. When asked what his goals are in life, he just shrugs or grunts. When encouraged to go outside and get some fresh air, or to ride his bike to[...]

Have you ever felt like your life partner, kids, siblings or boss don’t seem to notice you anymore?  Sure, they still interact, but they don’t seem to really notice you. You make an extra effort to look nice or be[...]

Through shared learning opportunities, you can create the right conditions for your team to soar to new heights – together. I have seen the power of this process many times over the years, and it all begins by following the[...]

During a talk I gave last week to a group of emerging leaders, a participant spoke about a situation where one of their staff members had forgotten to put away some dangerous chemicals. The chemicals were left out in the[...]

“If they are surprised they are getting fired, you suck as a leader.” This was the line uttered by a very successful entrepreneur I met recently. I was humbled by many parts of our conversation since his company was exactly[...]

I recently met a very successful entrepreneur who is dominating a very competitive industry across the U.S. His most important strategy is to make sure that he hires and keeps the best and brightest people. He does everything he can[...]

note to readers:  I have changed the title of this blog from its original given recent tragic events.   Thank you for your feedback on this.   DarrylWhat should you do if one of your peers at work is doing things that[...]

According to a scan of the top 3,000 leadership books of all time, the top five qualities of a leader are:humility;listening;communication;collaboration and team building; andintelligence.And according to leadership trainer and author Linton Sellen, your job as a leader is to:select[...]

A few weeks ago I attended an immersive three-day leadership course. I was excited and afraid at the same time. I was excited because I had applied in the past and had been denied; I was afraid because the course[...]

During a recent talk with the entire IBEX Payroll team, I spoke from the heart about how thankful I am for the caring way in which the team treats each other, our customers and, well, me. I also went on[...]

Recently, a new employee of IBEX Payroll did a great job on some work. I saw the work, I was impressed, and I began writing a congratulatory email directly to the employee. Sounds like the right thing to do, doesn’t[...]

I celebrated my 50th birthday last weekend. As the day approached, people kept asking me how I felt about it. Somewhere along the way I started saying I was happy – happy that I was entering “the best half of[...]

One of my core beliefs about leadership is that you need to treat employees as individuals. It is not useful to treat everyone in the same way. I spent some time recently with the CEO of a very successful Winnipeg[...]

Early in my leadership career, my staff meetings consisted of me telling everyone how great things were and what a great job they were all doing. Then, I would explain new rules and procedures to fix problems I hadn’t even[...]

A mid-level manager recently asked me to help him “fix” his boss. The situation stemmed from a staff meeting where the manager felt that the “big boss” had undermined his authority in front of his team. The story starts with[...]

I’ve learned that great leaders typically prefer one-on-one time with their team members to conventional group meetings. In fact, one of the most successful leaders I know almost never attends a group meeting. In analyzing my own style over the years,[...]

There are top performers out there: people who set an example in the workplace; people who make your life easier; people who figure stuff out on their own; people with amazing skills and the desire to use them; people who[...]

This past holiday season, my family and I traveled to Mexico for a somewhat different kind of winter vacation. We helped a hard-working family experiencing poverty build a house for themselves. This was an eye-opening experience. We saw real poverty[...]

A reader recently reached out to me after reading one of my coaching blogs and questioned whether a boss could really be a good coach to the people they lead.Here is an excerpt from the reader’s note:"A boss and a[...]

I am amazed by how many people leave one of the most central parts of their work lives in chaos and, in the process, compromise their own productivity and ability to do more of what matters most to them.I am[...]

This past year has been a very productive one here at the Inclusion System, and with 2017 coming to a close, we decided to take a look at which of the Inclusion System Blog  posts have been the most popular[...]

Do you have staff in their mid-twenties or younger whose behaviour, compared to older peers, is driving you nuts? Do you have teenagers at home making you feel the same way? It turns out that we old-timers need to cut them some slack. Adults think[...]

Do you have an initiative that is lagging? It seems like it should work, but you just can’t seem to get it moving in the right direction? In their book The Four Disciplines of Execution, authors Sean Covey, Chris McChesney,[...]

We cannot train someone who is not willing to learn. When I teach leadership topics, there is nothing worse than having someone in the room with their arms crossed and their attitude on. Whether they were forced to come, or[...]

Whether leading a team at work, coaching a sports team, or parenting, it is important to play favourites and to not treat each person the same. In his powerful seven-day leadership training program, Linton Sellen points out that each of[...]

The language you use in the workplace can shine a light on your organization’s value system and beliefs. The term “Human Resources” is so common that most organizations simply adopt it without giving it a second thought. As the organization[...]

One of the most important ways to show our loved ones that we care about them is to spend time with them. We also all deserve the opportunity to relax and enjoy our own passions. On the flip side, many[...]

A few years ago, I was looking for an inspirational speaker for a business event. My wife suggested Wilma Derksen. She told me that Wilma’s daughter Candace had been murdered in 1984 and Wilma had a powerful story to share[...]

In retail there is a 10-4 rule of customer service. When you find yourself within 10 feet of a customer, make friendly eye contact. If you can include a smile, even better! But the key is eye contact that acknowledges[...]

I was in a meeting with a group of successful business owners a while ago. We were discussing our ideas for improving our businesses and talking about incremental changes we could each make. The most successful person in the group[...]

Our world has become a very distracted place with email, texts, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and other digital taps on the shoulder competing for our attention. Of all the time we spend keeping up to date on these platforms, how[...]

During an employee engagement workshop I was facilitating, one of the participants shared the story of her former boss. He was a designer of some repute – well respected and well known. He engaged her in her work by: sharing[...]

How often have you heard a fellow leader say something like: “I have had enough! I am gonna kick some butt this time!” This mindset is in direct conflict with one of the most important principles of leadership. In leading[...]

Steven Covey taught us to “seek first to understand, then be understood.” Most leadership courses include some version of the advice: “when someone else is talking, show them the respect of listening, put yourself in their shoes and try to[...]

Is there someone you lead or someone else in your life who has an issue with giving? Someone you find to be self-absorbed and uncaring of others? At one time, I struggled with dealing with this kind of person. I[...]

As leaders, we must often help people understand why something won’t work or why they can’t take action on a specific idea. In a perfect world, our people would understand what great innovation looks like; how to push a boundary[...]

Many business authors and some leaders with whom I have worked like to treat goals as an objective measure – something they believe cuts through the clutter of people issues and gets to the root of how a person or[...]

In 1984, Wilma Derksen’s 13-year-old daughter, Candace, was abducted and murdered in Winnipeg. Over 30 years later, the case is still before the courts. First, it took 22 years to find a possible offender and since then there have been three court[...]

There is a story about a church group trying to move a grand piano from one room to another. None were professional movers, and the task of moving the heavy instrument seemed nearly impossible. Everybody knew that the task required[...]

How do you stay ahead in a very competitive industry? One of the most important factors is attracting the best people possible. Netflix knows this and knows that their position as a leader in the field of on-demand entertainment requires[...]

Put yourself in this situation. As the volunteer President of a non-profit organization, one of your main roles is to chair the board meetings, making sure business is conducted in a professional manner as all items on the agenda are[...]

Here is the situation that a CEO recently explained to me: They had hired their first-ever Chief Operating Officer. Many of the staff who used to report to the CEO now reported to the person in the new role. The[...]

Each of us has bad habits that we would like to kick. In The Power of Habit, author Charles Duhigg offers a fascinating look into how the habits that rule our lives work and how to change them. To minimize[...]

A few years ago, I was on a WestJet flight sitting near the front of the plane. The customary round of drinks and snacks had been served and the cabin crew were now in the front galley chatting while they put things[...]

The most insightful leadership book I have ever read is First, Break All the Rules, by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman. The authors assert that there are progressive stages of employee engagement, expressed as questions in a person’s mind as[...]

According to Gallup, a powerful indicator of engagement at work is strong agreement with the statement: “Someone at work seems to care about me as a person”. Another is strong agreement with: “Someone has talked to me about my progress in the last[...]

A few years ago, I sat through a painful internal training session by the CEO of company I admired. He gathered his staff to teach a new concept he had learned at a seminar. I was the only outsider in[...]

In leadership and in life, the everyday grind can sometimes wear you down. There is always something that needs attention, someone who needs something done, some urgent matter that demands a solution. In the book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful[...]

When your brain is full of all the tasks you need to complete, you are expending a lot of energy trying to keep track of it all. Keeping everything in your head is also a great source of stress, and[...]

I have been involved with several non-profit boards over the years.  On some and advising others. One was a “working board” where the members themselves do much of the work of the organization. When I first joined, the president was[...]

I recently wrote about how we can demotivate a potentially good employee by being critical of them without ensuring they understand our expectations. Just such a situation came my way this past week. A senior manager was concerned about a[...]

I am often asked to consult on situations with specific “problem” employees. One common situation is when the leader is openly critical of an employee for reasons the employee does not understand. Sound ridiculous? I see it all the time.[...]

I recently spent some time with Jesse Itzler, best known for his book Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet. In his book, Itzler describes the self-imposed 31-day ordeal he undertook to shake[...]

In his book, The Coaching Habit, author Michael Bungay Stanier claims to know the best coaching question in the world: And what else? Bungay Stanier says that most coaching conversations end far too quickly and with a poor result. Two[...]

Studies show that when we have something on our mind it literally uses up energy. We have all had that restless, unsettled feeling when we can’t let something go from our mind. Sometimes the feeling is positive, like excitement over[...]

In September 2016, the average wage for Canadian employees was $952 a week. And it probably hasn’t grown much since then. As our economy shifts even further away from producing goods to providing services, wages represent the largest expense for employers.[...]

Gallup defines engaged employees as those who are involved in, enthusiastic about, and committed to their work and their workplace. I like to call this type of employee an “A” player. What do you do when a proven “A” player on your team[...]

Have you ever thought or said anything like this?: “There is no point in trying to engage our staff in their work unless we can afford to pay them more.” I admit it, I have. Turns out I was wrong[...]

As leaders, we are ultimately responsible for the quality of the work each member of our team performs. Yet most of what our team members do, they do on their own. This is our dilemma as leaders. We might think[...]

It is you, silly. If you lead anyone in the workplace, the things you do and the way you do them matter far more than anything else to the team you lead. Not pay or benefits, not the way your[...]

I have written many articles over the years about dealing with an employee’s underperformance through good leadership. I believe that, in most cases, termination can be avoided. I have also written about the reasons why you might need to let[...]

Our days are filled with things we “need” to do.   Be it work or personal, the lists are never ending.   There never seems to be enough time to get it all done. How then do we challenge the status quo[...]

What if there was a magic pill that would drastically reduce depression and anxiety, that would sharpen the mind, and that would even help people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to focus better. What if the side effect of[...]

A regularly scheduled coaching session with each member of your team is the best way I know to help each person achieve personal success and create great results. To have a great coaching session, you need to have taken the[...]

As human beings working under the direction of another person, one of our most basic needs is to know what is expected of us. If this has not been communicated and reinforced with us over time, we will rarely be[...]

One of our most important roles as a leader is to deal with under performance on our team. In dealing with a performance issue, it is very important not to “beat around the bush.” In other words, we need to[...]

Stephen Covey told us, “the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” But what if you have lots of things you need to get done in the next day, week, or month? This is the dilemma[...]

With the start of the new year, some of us will begin transitioning into new leadership positions. However, as we move from front-line roles to leadership roles, very few of us adapt quickly enough. Many of us confirm the Peter[...]

Here is a situation with which I was asked to help. A large non-profit organization had grown from 100 to 250 employees over several years. This required expansion of the programming management team from one person to three people. All[...]

Leadership and management are important factors of any organization. Often times the difference between a strong and a weak organization is when one falters in either of those important concepts. Some of my observations about weak organizations Managers are often[...]

For this week’s blog, I’d like to share an inspiring story I recently read about an American entrepreneur and a monk. Barrett Ersek, the entrepreneur, asked the monk how he could believe and have faith in religion when there is[...]

I have been researching, writing, and speaking about leadership and employee engagement for many years. At the beginning of the journey, I was certain that as I read the books, took the courses, listened to the podcasts, and then faithfully[...]

Employee compensation is a tricky matter. Scores of books and thousands of studies have been written on the relationship between employee performance and pay. I have tried to consolidate some of the research results along with my own experiences into[...]

One of the most important ways to create engagement in the workplace is for leaders to help each of their team members achieve their goals. Engagement in the workplace translates into discretionary effort; that magical 20–40% more that almost every[...]

My first job after university was at a large, traditionally run company. I was bursting with enthusiasm and I really wanted to prove myself. They told me that I would get a performance review every six months where I would[...]

A few years back, a couple of IBEX staff thought it would be a great idea to have a "nagashi somen" (flowing noodle) party for lunch. We set up a bamboo trough in the parking lot and put a garden[...]

Maybe you can relate to this. We had a problem employee many years ago. One of his issues was his attitude with customers. He did not have the giving, forgiving, helpful attitude that many great customer service people naturally have.[...]

It is quite possible that the maid who cleaned your hotel room last month finds greater purpose in her work than the nurse who helped deliver your cousin’s baby last summer (congratulations, by the way!). How can that be? How[...]

You see the pilot helping to clean the plane; you see the hostess bussing tables; you see bosses answering phone calls at the reception desk; or you see a senior manager covering a front-line shift so that the junior manager[...]

Have you ever had someone take a real interest in your personal success? How did that feel? In my workshop on employee engagement, I sometimes lead an exercise where I ask people to share experiences of when they felt a[...]

Many years ago, I rushed into my business partner’s office first thing one morning. I had already been at work for some time, but Terry, my partner, had just arrived. I launched into a very important discussion, mere seconds after[...]

Dopamine, a neurohormone, is produced in our brain when we experience something enjoyable. A lover’s embrace, tasting chocolate, winning on a slot machine – these all produce dopamine in your brain (if you enjoy these experiences). This is the commonly[...]

Each one of us has our own idea about how human potential works. Some of us think that each person is capable of almost anything. Success is just a matter of trying hard enough. Each of us can excel at[...]

Studies show conclusively that one of the most stressful situations for employees is when you ask them to do a job and then not give them the tools they need to do it. Bad leaders often take the position that[...]

“I know what is expected of me at work.” This seems like a simple statement that almost everyone in a workplace should be able to make. As simple as it sounds, though, having a high percentage of your staff say[...]

Gallup asked eighty thousand managers: “You have a talented employee who consistently shows up late for work.  What would you say to this employee?” Common answers were: I would lock them out I don’t care as long as they stay[...]

In my own organization, we have talked about many strategies over the years for increasing the engagement of our staff, including: giving people as much autonomy as possible over when, how, and with whom they do their work; delegating authority[...]

Leadership trainer Linton Sellen taught the Inclusion/IBEX leadership team that the role of a leader is to support the performance and well-being of others. He also made many comparisons between parenting and leadership. Sellen’s point about performance and well-being is[...]

Many parents have had the experience of hearing unbelievable reports about their child following a babysitting gig or an extended visit with a relative. Sometimes it doesn’t even sound like the kid we know. We’re told that… our child is[...]

I recently had a breakthrough with someone I have led for a long time, someone who leads others inside our company. This person has proven leadership capability. He has good character, cares about the well-being of each member of his[...]

Here is a typical slide in a presentation about leadership: …research shows that promoting leaders who truly seem to care and do the right things for their people reduces turnover, reduces stress in the workplace, and increases profits over the[...]

History is full of human rights atrocities. Situations where one group of people was singled out for unfair, inhumane, and morally wrong treatment. These situations are often compounded by the dehumanization of the oppressed group. The perpetrators of the atrocities[...]

You are near your breaking point. You have ten staff reporting to you and a maximum of three are working at any one time. You need to coordinate schedules and plan daily activities. Your frustration is compounded by the fact[...]

People are victimized all the time. Some people are so affected by this that they can no longer lead productive lives. Their pain, their feelings of helplessness, or their need for revenge overpower their ability to carry on with life. Some[...]

One of my friends recalls getting an email from his boss (Mike) at 4:53 on a Friday afternoon. The subject line was “your weekend thinking list.” The email was a list of problems that Mike thought would be good for[...]

One of the most common complaints I hear from leaders is about their staff forgetting things. Forgetting to complete the full list of duties on their shift; forgetting to complete an incident report; forgetting to update their availability; forgetting to[...]

Perhaps you can relate to this. Recently, I started feeling stuck – a victim of my circumstances. It felt like my days were jam-packed responding to the needs of others or following through on commitments I had made. I felt[...]

Good things happen to us all the time. We get a raise; our child brings home great marks; our troubled employee finally starts showing up for work on time. We hope for these things and we are happy about them[...]

On most Thursdays you will find the Grumpy Goats (i.e., the IBEX leadership team) having lunch together in our boardroom. This is where we make many of our decisions. It is also where we talk about leadership. We talk about things[...]

I once had one of the brightest young people I know come to me for advice. I was honoured. I helped her by simply passing on the advice I had received on the same issue years earlier, which had worked[...]

Mike Rowe, host of “Dirty Jobs” on the Discovery Channel, gave a TED talk in 2008. He talks about what is wrong with the common adage “if you want to succeed, follow your passion.”  He reflects on a pig farmer in Las[...]

As you start to lead more people, you can get to the point where it feels like you don’t have time to do anything but deal with your team’s needs and issues. I have met many frustrated leaders in exactly[...]

In my previous four blogs, I explained the first four dysfunctions of a team from the book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni: Absence of Trust - How to build trust on your team Fear of Conflict[...]

In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, author Patrick Lencioni suggests that peer pressure is the most effective and efficient way of maintaining high performance standards. The kind of peer pressure Lencioni is talking about is not the negative kind[...]

How many work situations have you been a part of where important issues drag on and on? Leaders are either not listening to staff, or they are simply indifferent to serious problems or great opportunities for improvement. As a result,[...]

Good relationships require conflict in order to grow. This is true in all lasting relationships. With our parents, with our life partners, and with our friends we all seem to know that “having it out” occasionally is important and healthy.[...]

If you truly trust your teammates, you are comfortable exposing your true self to them. You can act without fear of judgment and you can focus keenly on your work. In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, author Patrick Lencioni[...]

You are a hypocrite. So am I. We all are. Most of us are remarkably skilled at seeing the faults in others. It is easy to see that if Martha listened a little more and slowed down a notch, her[...]

A few weeks ago, I wrote that if your team is not performing well, it is your fault as the leader. My point was that it is the things you do as a direct supervisor that most directly affect the[...]

My 12-year-old daughter is not very competitive when it comes to team sports.  She goes out for all the teams and clubs she can.  Soccer, dance, volleyball, choir, skating, ultimate and most recently water polo, are just some of the things[...]

You tell Mark (your employee) the size of the whiteboard you want, provide him with a “rough budget” of $300, and you ask him to “take care of it.” A few weeks later, the new whiteboard arrives on a delivery[...]

Here are some tips from renowned leadership coach Marshall Goldsmith on how to help someone feel great during a conversation: Don’t interrupt. Listen. Don’t finish the other person’s sentences. Don’t say “I knew that.” Don’t even agree with the other[...]

If you are a front-line supervisor, project leader, team captain, or senior manager you have more power than anyone else to influence employee satisfaction and commitment among members of your team. Engaged, productive teams can be found within terrible organizations,[...]

I spend a lot of time reading to learn more about writing and about leadership for this blog. I also try and put what I learn into practice. It is never easy – I often feel like a hypocrite! But[...]

You’re the supervisor. Ultimately the success of a project or function is on your shoulders. So how often should you check in with the staff actually performing the work? Some supervisors are afraid of being seen as not trusting, so[...]

It would be great if we all got to do what we wanted to at work all day, every day. The reality, though, is that we all have tasks on our to-do lists that we would prefer to avoid. Even[...]

What would you do in this tough leadership situation? Would you do anything at all? I was recently asked by a mid-level manager – let’s call him Steve – for some advice. He worked alongside another supervisor – let’s call[...]

I don’t know much about Robert J Hall, except that I really like some of his writing on leadership. A recovered micro-manager myself, this post got my attention: The Opposite of Micromanagement...Laid-back Management? By Robert J Hall What's the opposite[...]

If you are the direct supervisor of anyone, you are a leader. Leadership goes far beyond management. Management of when things need to be done by who, is not being a leader there is more to it than that. Buckingham[...]

A few weeks ago I wrote about a situation in which the smart, emotionally intelligent, thing to do was to keep your mouth shut. That situation was one where you were obviously right, but rubbing the other person's nose in[...]

According to Bradbury and James in their powerful book, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, it is possible to stay cool, calm and collected even when our co-workers do things that drive us crazy. All the input we gather from our senses first[...]

You have a dinner date with a close friend and you are debating where you two should go. You point out the bad reviews her choice has received, but in the end you give in and accept that restaurant... ... And[...]

Delegation is where the payback for being a good leader happens. When we have: the right person in the right place a person who understands what is expected a person whose judgement we trust and a situation where we are[...]

Linton Sellen tells us that our job as leader is the performance and well-being of our team. Gallup tells us that the typical workplace team has 26% 'A' Players, 55% 'B' players and 19% 'C' players. Beroz Ferrell explains A[...]

In case you haven’t heard the buzz, one of the most common traits displayed by individuals selected for promotions is emotional intelligence (EI).  Wikipedia defines EI as: “the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal[...]

I am an aviation and leadership buff.  Both itches were scratched by Chris Hadfield's new book, but especially the leadership itch. I can't imagine a workplace more stocked with top performers than the astronaut pool at NASA.  These few candidates[...]

In bygone ages buildings were constructed by master builders. This skilled individual designed the building, hired the trades people and managed every aspect of construction. If any decisions needed to be made during construction, the master builder made them. The[...]

If you have managed people for any length of time then you have probably encountered the situation where you clearly explained to someone how to do something, yet it does not get done the way you expected. Personally, I have[...]

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs taught us that we are motivated to fulfill our most basic needs before we move on to higher level needs.  Maslow made the point that if someone is hungry they will naturally focus on meeting that[...]

As I cross the country speaking to groups about employee engagement, I often get resistance to the idea of asking staff 'soft' questions. Questions like: How is it going? What was your best day at work this month? Do you[...]

In his phenomenal course on leadership, Linton Sellen points out the difference between the qualities we often associate with good leaders and the qualities that are actually most important. Do you want to be led by the person with these qualities?[...]

I was consulted recently about a situation where a newer head office employee was looking for a raise. He had told a few of his co-workers and his immediate supervisor that he felt underpaid. He had even hinted to the[...]

Great organizations have core values that they live by and use to guide most of their decisions, especially when it comes to hiring people. If you are clear on your organization's core values, it means you know what your culture is now and what[...]

Why bother trying to be a better leader? It’s a lot of work. But if you can … gather the right people for the right jobs, make each individual feel listened to and respected, create an atmosphere where everyone knows why[...]

My fishing buddies and I have created an analogy to help us talk about stress. Imagine you have a block of ice inside you. Now imagine any time you stress yourself out, you start melting your block of ice and[...]

Since your autonomic nervous system doesn't distinguish between daily stressors and life-threatening events, if you’re stressed over work issues, your body can still react as if you’re facing a life-or-death situation. When you repeatedly experience this fight or flight stress[...]

[caption id="attachment_2500" align="alignleft" width="618"] All people avoid work, and are drawn to art. Your team is no different.[/caption]   When it is work, we try to do less.  When it is art, we try to do more. In school we[...]

This is such a common scenario. One of your staff goes away on holidays and the fill-in person does a better job than that staff person. What should a leader do when this happens? The first thing we need to do is stop,[...]

When people are being interviewed for a job they are putting their best foot forward.  If they fall flat on their face during the recruiting phase it would be insane to make excuses for them and hire them anyway, would[...]

[caption id="attachment_2480" align="alignright" width="300"] People don't mean to make bad decisions so don't treat them like they did. Image by Michael Hull click for link.[/caption] It has happened to all of us. We get frustrated by what appears to be[...]

You are working a job you like at a company you love. You have fought off many job offers and opportunities as your reputation and your resume has grown. Finally you reach the point where you think perhaps it is time[...]

Last week I took aside one member of my team. My goal was to give feedback on something I felt he could have done better in a specific leadership situation. I said my piece directly.  "Here is what I observed[...]

"Life hacks" refer to shortcuts, loopholes, and tricks which aren't obvious but make life a bit easier.  By extension "leadership hacks" are tactics or strategies which aren't obvious but make leadership a bit easier. I have recently discovered a leadership hack of my[...]

A few weeks back I went into the wilderness of Manitoba on a canoe trip with my 14 year old son. Like all parents, my wife and I worry about our kids. With my son, we worry that he spends[...]

A blog reader reached out to me recently about a situation with one of their staff, let’s call her Mary.  Mary was "a good worker when she was at work":  likeable, intelligent, and hard working. Absences have always been an[...]

[caption id="attachment_2434" align="alignright" width="297"] It might be your fault... Picture is by P. Reynolds, click for link.[/caption] When people are following your direction they will do really silly stuff that they would not normally do even though they know better.[...]

The reality in today's economy is that many employees are working more than one job.  Well paying "career" jobs are getting harder and harder to find. The question is: how do you engage your employees when they don't just work[...]

If you lead people who lead other people then eventually you will be faced with the situation where someone goes over their boss's head and comes directly to you. Imagine you are the General Manager of a restaurant and one[...]

In general, when selecting who gets the job, great leaders select based on the things that are the hardest to change in people. [caption id="attachment_2411" align="alignright" width="300"] How do you choose? Image by 05com click for link.[/caption] While technical skills and[...]

One of the most common ways that decisions get made in organizations is the method in which a team has their input, and the leader makes the final call. You can call this authoritarian or, more kindly, you can call[...]

Would we send our kids to the doctor to get a note to prove they were sick? No. We use our subjective evaluation based on our personal knowledge about our kids to determine if we think they are really sick and[...]

When you have delegated a particular decision to one of your staff and you don’t like the decision they have made you have three options: overrule the person ask the staff member to change it accept it The correct answer[...]

[caption id="attachment_2383" align="alignright" width="250"] Photo by newthinking communication[/caption] In the E-Myth, Michael Gerber talks about the “entrepreneurial spasm". He defines an entrepreneurial spasm as the moment when the former worker gets mad enough at his boss, or desirous enough of[...]

[caption id="attachment_2374" align="alignright" width="220"] Image by vascorossy[/caption] Several readers of this blog have reached out to me about giving negative feedback to their staff recently. I thought I’d share some of the key points from our discussions with you. First[...]

When we are having a performance problem with one of our staff in a certain position the easy thing to do is to keep investing in more training and development and hope for the best. If you can see steady[...]

Ever had the idea to put a "zero tolerance" policy in place on some issue at your workplace? It’s a bad idea. "We now have a zero tolerance policy on swearing in this department," might be a response to a[...]

I recently attended a course on dealing with abusive behaviour in the workplace.  It was a worthwhile course overall.  It provided me some tools to recognize problems and it gave me some examples of abuse that I may not have[...]

Or more specifically, the pressure to achieve good marks can hurt kids. If we put too much pressure on kids for marks, they may choose to “bail rather than fail”. Research shows that if marks are the most important thing[...]

It’s a tie game at the high school volleyball playoff match. The home team coach has gathered his players for a timeout huddle. From the stands a parent screams: “Come on girls you gotta want this!” The coach turns to[...]

The secret to winning a debate with a co-worker or one of your staff is actually being right. When you realize you have made a mistake, the right thing to do is admit it. Great leaders are willing to admit[...]

For years we all operated under the assumption that to get someone to make more widgets and make them better for us, we needed to pay them more. It turns out that this is not true. Beyond a certain point,[...]

I found this simple list describing engaged doctors in an article by Craig Kamins of Gallup: loyal to the organization willing to put forth discretionary effort willing to trust and cooperate with others willing to work through challenges willing to[...]

Sometimes the work just needs to get done. There is no way to get around the fact that nobody wants to clean the food court tables, deal with a bowel movement from a person they support, or have to write[...]

The pet peeve of many leaders is that staff person who is always forgetting things. [caption id="attachment_2306" align="alignright" width="190"] Photo by PSyc3330[/caption] It can be frustrating when you work hard to manage your own time and on top of that[...]

People generally do what their supervisor asks them to do.  As humans we are tuned in to understanding a pecking order and adhering to the requests of those above us on it. So why do some people not comply? "Mark,[...]

What if you became romantically involved with one of your staff? It’s a bold and important question to ask during the interview process for a supervisory position and the correct answer is “I would not do that”. [caption id="attachment_2293" align="alignright"[...]

To get people to do things the way we want them done, the traditional approach has been to use a bunch of carrots and sticks. Carrots as rewards for doing things the way we want and an occasional slap with a stick[...]

I played a lot of hockey as a kid.  In retrospect, I did not enjoy it very much. I enjoyed the fun and friendships around playing hockey, but the actual hockey itself? Not so much. I never felt that I[...]

Many times people get promoted for the wrong reasons: They were really good at doing something specific or technical so it is assumed they would be good at supervising others doing that same kind of work. Like the great nurse[...]

Every meaningful job I have ever had or ever heard about comes with some strings attached.  I think all of us can agree to the fact that no matter the job, there are always things we would rather not have[...]

Spending some time away from the office with my family over the holidays got me thinking. [caption id="attachment_2267" align="alignright" width="200"] Photo by Asa Wilson[/caption] We all have fears about what happens when we are not around. We fear that people[...]

[caption id="attachment_2262" align="alignright" width="180"] Photo by Sam Churchill[/caption] Thank you for reading the IBEX Payroll blog and thank you for putting these ideas to work, breaking out of the norm and engaging the people around you in the most important workplace in[...]

[caption id="attachment_2248" align="alignright" width="225"] Photo by rrafson[/caption] The majority of leaders are generally selected for a management position because they are perceived to be knowledgeable in their field and show intelligence in their actions. However… Those who become great leaders[...]

[caption id="attachment_2241" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo by Yoel Ben-Avraham[/caption] When a new person joins your team they want to know what is expected of them; how long the commute is, what their pay cheque will be every two weeks. Basic stuff.[...]

You have a job opening at your organization and there’s a person already working in your organization who would be perfect for it. So you post the job internally and externally as per your organization’s process. You get many applications;[...]

One of your staff is testing your authority.  They know the rules, they know they are breaking them, and you both know that they are testing you.  They are messing with your program and setting a bad example. Here are[...]

You have critical night shifts in your organization. These are “awake at night” shifts where sleeping is not allowed. Lives could be at risk if certain actions are not taken quickly in response to certain situations. A major incident takes[...]

“Praise in public and punish in private” is the old axiom- it is common sense right? People obviously would not appreciate being punished in public. If Frank has messed up, saying: “Frank you really screwed this up, do it again[...]

Management is what you do to things. Leading is what you do with people. Treating people like things never gets you far and does more harm than good. [caption id="attachment_2208" align="alignright" width="200"] Photo by bigblockbobber[/caption] For instance, one HR “best[...]

An Executive Director is doing an exit interview with a front line manager, let’s call her Sue. Sue is a great manager and the ED is sad to lose her. During the interview it comes out that Sue is quitting[...]

This is not a list to forward to your HR Department. This is a list for you to consider when it is down to the final selections for people who will join your team and work for you. [caption id="attachment_2199"[...]

Marshal Goldsmith conducted a research project involving more than 200 high potential leaders from 120 companies around the world. Each company could nominate only two future leaders, the very brightest of its young starts. The high performers (you know the[...]

I own my own company.  Like most entrepreneurs, I have no real boss.  Nobody ever pats me on the back and tells me what a great job I have done.  Despite this, I love what I do and feel very[...]

One of the most important things to the success of any manager is to have as many ‘A’ players on their team as possible. Great managers choose new staff wisely, looking carefully for the attitudes and aptitudes that predispose someone[...]

Research into human nature shows us that across all cultures and socio-economic levels people yearn for a feeling of growth. The feeling that we are progressing and learning is important to all of us. Studies show that executives are 20[...]

I think coaching your team members privately and regularly is the most important way to improve the performance of each individual and the team as a whole. There are many posts on my blog explaining how to coach. There are,[...]

I made the choice to be in a management position when I chose to become an entrepreneur. I darn well wanted to get focused on the results of my employees, and not lose my house! Perhaps, for this reason, it[...]

Many people in the work place today are more knowledgeable and have greater expectations around job satisfaction at work than their predecessors, even though their work ethic may not be the same, generally, as those in the past. Suck it[...]

Offering praise to employees can be tricky business for managers. One of the purposes of offering praise, beyond recognizing a job well done, is to motivate your employees. Daniel Pink has done a wonderful job of summarizing the work of[...]

Through childhood and adolescence we all progressed through a wonder of learning.  Our bodies grew and changed, we passed one grade level after another. We played increasingly difficult levels of sports, music, dance and languages.  We passed all the grades in[...]

The idea that work could be different, more like an extension of life rather than something I had to do to make money, was my dream for many years. As a business owner, that meant figuring out how to help[...]

It’s an elegantly simple idea: leaders can use their intelligence to multiply the intelligence of the people around them and, in doing so, effectively double output . . . for free! Liz Wiseman describes leaders as either multipliers or diminishers:[...]

It was an exciting opportunity for Angel. Angel had been working as a DSW or disability support worker for just over 8 months. In her job she worked in a residence supporting 3 individuals, helping them get through their daily[...]

Some new information has come my way thanks to a post by Jeff Hayden on a simple way to frame feedback that will drastically improve its effectiveness. Jeff points us to some great work by Daniel Coyle, author of The Talent[...]

It is a dilemma. A great member of your team is leaving for a totally understandable reason. You are sad to see this person go and you truly wish them well. What do you do? Do you make a big[...]

A common assumption is that if you hold people too accountable for their results they will not do great work, and they will not be very happy. What if, just for fun, we turned that assumption on its head and[...]

This point was made very clear to me by leadership guru Linton Sellen this week over breakfast. Linton had a great way of explaining this idea. A dog gets a home with good food, a warm bed, people who scratch[...]

[caption id="attachment_2081" align="alignright" width="300"] Image by Employeeperformance[/caption] One third of all employees in any given organization feel that no one cares when they go above and beyond; another third don’t feel they receive appropriate recognition for what they do. Positive[...]

During my Engage! Workshop we often do a group exercise where everyone is asked to talk about a manager, leader or some other person who turned work into something special. [caption id="attachment_2075" align="alignright" width="300"] Image by lumaxart. Click for link.[/caption] One of[...]

Coach or quarterback? In theatre there is the director who does not act In the army there is the commander who stays out of the front line In sports there is the coach who stays on the sidelines Theatre, warfare[...]

One morning several years ago, I walked into my business partner’s office first thing in the morning and started right into a rant on a business issue.  When I looked over to him for reaction he said, “good morning to[...]

There is a ridiculous notion out there in our society that anyone can do anything at a high level if they set their mind to it. Great managers like you know this is not true and that it is dangerous to[...]

One of your staff is seriously under performing.  You have had the casual talks with them being supportive while outlining specific examples of the issues.  They have agreed the situation needs to improve, but it is not.  You need to[...]

Last week I wrote about a way to help generate positive feedback for your team members. The other side of this coin is negative feedback.  Negative feedback needs to be more specific and timelier than positive feedback.  In my experience, people[...]

[caption id="attachment_2038" align="alignright" width="200"] Remember to get feedback from team members![/caption] You are a great manager.  You know that meeting regularly one-on-one with each member of your team is important. Many managers tell me they struggle to come up with[...]

Most people have someone working with them or for them that is a “lost cause”.  This is someone who everyone thinks will never be motivated to change their poor behaviour. There is a basic fundamental human desire for feedback on[...]

Being a manager is tough.  It is even tougher if you can’t get delegation working effectively for you. My top reasons why delegation fails: We delegate something to someone that is far outside their skills and interests. We micro manage[...]

[caption id="attachment_2014" align="alignright" width="250"] The infamous Night-of phone call.[/caption] I was standing with a group of parents at one of my kid’s events recently. The woman next to me took a call on her cell phone. I could only hear her[...]

Ask the best, most engaging, managers how they excel and you will get a different story every time.  They all do things differently.  They come in all shapes, sizes, colours, educational backgrounds and with all kinds of styles and different[...]

I see it all the time. New managers are often proud that they have been promoted and think they have “made it”. Their actions can be downright scary to more seasoned managers. The big thing is that their journey has just[...]

There is an old adage that says something to the effect “if you have a great employee, leave them alone and let them do their thing.” As with many old sayings, there is a hint of wisdom in this saying. [...]

I interview managers all over Canada, whenever I can. Christy is one of the managers I interviewed recently.  I asked Christy if she had a great example of helping someone go from very poor performance to really great performance on[...]

Most of us were brought up to wait:  wait for a good, generous, engaging, tasteful, smart boss to tell us what to do. One way to handle it when this does not happen is to blame the system, blame the[...]

In some organizations employees are asked to confidentially evaluate their peers. I don’t like this idea. I think people will always figure out who said what about them, leading to nothing but trouble. Bosses should know employee performance inside-out. If[...]

[caption id="attachment_1969" align="alignright" width="300"] photo credit: gerlos via photopin cc[/caption] Boss 1  Tunes you out  Plays politics  Criticizes you in front of others  Seems indifferent to you  Treats you like a number  Micro manages  Focuses on your weaknesses Boss 2 Listens[...]

Whatever your field, whether you run a group home or a bridal salon, things can pile up quickly.  These things can be tangible like emails to be read or bills to be reviewed or they can be intangible like an[...]

by Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd Have you ever had the feeling: That you are doing exactly what you were supposed to be doing right now? That you are supposed to be doing something else right now? For the[...]

by Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd This past week I met Wilma Derksen over coffee and then had the pleasure of introducing her before she spoke to over 125 business people.    I had read about Wilma in Malcolm Gladwell's[...]

As your team goes about their work and their lives, you will notice big differences in the engagement level of each person depending on what they are doing.   As a great manager, you are always looking for what it is[...]

A common movie storyline in the one where the underdog gets inspired to work extra hard at something they have been struggling at.  Our hero is struggling as a dancer with two left feet or is a pilot almost washed[...]

A recent survey asked 198,000 employees across 7,939 business units in 36 companies:  At work do you have the opportunity to do what you are best at every day? When the responses to this question where compared with the results[...]

by Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd Nelson Mandela liberated a country from race-based inequality.  Inequality maintained by trampling on basic human rights and by violence.  Mandela was jailed for twenty-seven years by the apartheid South African government.  During his[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd [caption id="attachment_1886" align="alignright" width="240"] Photo by Michael Conen[/caption] Keith Richards, guitarist and vocalist of the Rolling Stones, tells a great story about Charlie Watts, the band's legendary drummer. After a night of drinking,[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd Difficult times create stress and doubt.  In my previous blog on managing through difficult times, I explained that it is very important to be proactive and focus on what you and your team[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd It is so easy to get angry and distracted by things outside of our control.  A new sales tax,   the death of a friend, a key employee quitting; these are all things that[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd I often talk about the power of focusing on what is right with ourselves and the people we manage and not dwelling upon what is lacking, in other words, focusing on strengths, not[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd My son loves video games.  My wife and I worry that he spends too much time on his computer.  Like many parents with this dilemma, we limit his screen time.    This often leaves[...]

You are having a team meeting and people are putting forward their ideas for dealing with a situation, just like you asked them to.  You comment on one idea, “that’s a great idea”; to another, “that might work.”  To the[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd The best way to delegate is to agree on the task to be done and be as specific as possible on the outcome required.  If you let people work to the desired outcome[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd Last week I was lucky enough to do my workshop on employee engagement at Choices, an agency providing supports to people with intellectual disabilities near Hamilton.  The workshop group was 16 front line[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd I sat in the back of the room in Harrison Hot Springs last Friday at the BCCEO Network meeting as Doug Woollard, Interim CEO of Community Living BC, tried to dance around the fact[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd As I begin my new job in your organization, it is most important to me that I know what is expected of me and that I have the right training, tools and equipment[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd Going from a front line role to a more responsible and better paying “career” job is not easy for today’s university grads.  Many of the traditional sources of high growth jobs in Canada[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd We all yearn for a higher purpose in our lives. We have all either done it ourselves or heard stories of others turning down offers of higher pay to join or remain with[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd Tracy works in a group home supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities. Tracy is passionate about supporting the people she works with. She relates to the mission and vision of the organization she works[...]

Women are the backbone of many organizations.  But all women are not created equal.  The woman I am talking about is committed to her job AND to her success as a mom.  She wants to have it all.  She wants[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd Five year old girl to grandpa, “Grandpa don’t you love me?” Grandpa, “of course I do sweetie.” Child, “then why don’t you pay attention to me?” This exchange would pull at the heartstrings[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd Last week I shared the situation of a manager I am trying to help. He is loved by his staff because he lets them get things done their own way, but he feels[...]

  By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd The first step in the 12 step program of alcoholics anonymous is this: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable. Having publicly made this admission, the theory[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd I received an email from a senior manager after one of my engagement workshops last year. In it the manager explained that she really liked what I had to say about the difference[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd There is an old saying that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.   This saying can be very true when it comes to problem employees can’t it? In a previous blog I talked about[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd My mantra on being a fair manager goes something like this: Treating people fairly to me does not mean treating everyone the same, it means treating everyone the way they deserve to be[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd Great teams develop their own unique words, phrases and culture over time.  It can be a badge of honour to understand the inside jokes and vernacular of the team.  It can create a[...]

If you haven’t heard already, this Friday is Bike to Work Day! Here at IBEX Herdquarters, we’ve been busy preparing for another great pit stop event. From 6:30 – 9:00 am, we’ll be serving up a pancake and waffle breakfast[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd If you feel right about becoming friends with your team then do it.  Don’t give in to those that believe you should keep a professional distance.  People respond to us best when we[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd When you are the manager your words and actions are amplified.  Your team takes cues from you and your attitude has huge impact on those around you, likely way more than you realize. [...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd What does it really matter what I do at work?  It is what I do at home that really matters.  Why put so much energy into building an engaging kind of workplace when[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd It is fine to talk theory, but nothing beats real life examples. At IBEX, we have scrapped the idea of performance reviews in favour of coaching sessions between each manager and each of[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd It seems I touched a nerve last week with my blog post “My #1 employee engagement and management tip”.  It was great to have so much positive feedback and so many conversations with[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd This is the most important thing you can do to improve your effectiveness managing your team. Every super effective people manager I know does this, no exceptions… Meet one-on-one with each of your[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd A big part of employee engagement is knowing how to provide feedback, both positive and negative, to your team.  Here is a compilation of useful tips, gleaned from the experts. Give it to[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd A great front line employee, Jenna, was the most indispensable member of the team to Scott, the previous manager. She always came to work on time and always came with a good attitude,[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd I attended a conference recently. The conference was opened by Kevin O’Leary of Dragon’s Den fame and closed by Sean Durfy of WestJet fame. O’Leary said some very provocative things, many of which[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd This is the last of three posts on engaging staff without more pay. In the first post two posts, I talked about autonomy and mastery. To summarize: Autonomy - give people more control[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd This is the second of three posts on engaging staff without more pay. In the first post I talked about autonomy.  To summarize, giving people more control over things like when, how and[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd I have heard it time and again. “The reason that people leave our company is that our wages and benefits are just too low.  If we had better pay and better benefits, our[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd I once had a front line manager who had messed up bad.  She had alienated one of her staff members in a way that I did not agree with.  I had managed the[...]

This employee engagement tip is so simple you may be tempted to laugh it off. Do so at your own risk. This is one of the easiest and most powerful things you can do to bring your team closer together.[...]

  I interview managers all over Canada. I get to meet great managers, good managers and developing managers. I would like to think that I have a pretty good radar as to which category that I am dealing with. I[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd If there is specific training for your industry, that you wish people had, it is tempting to reference it in your job ads. “Disability Support Worker II training a definite asset” A simple[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd My workshop was over and most of the attendees had already left.  I was walking around picking up the feedback forms. One of the attendees was standing in the corner talking on her cell phone,[...]

  By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd Sometimes a little success can be a very dangerous thing. Last year I had one of the most surprising front line manager interviews ever.  I met a young woman who was very[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd Front line managers make all the difference in employee engagement. Of that I am sure. In my presentations, workshops and writing I make this point over and over again. In my travels, I[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd How does it happen? We all strive to be recognized, it is part of human nature.  To be recognized for what is unique and special about us is a positive thing.  In the[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd I often talk about the power of focusing on what is right with ourselves and the people we manage and not dwelling upon what is lacking. In other words, focusing on strengths, not[...]

A great book I often refer to on how to be a strengths based manager is Now Discover your Strengths. The authors make a great analogy as to why using people's strengths in a team setting is so powerful and why treating[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd [caption id="attachment_1298" align="alignleft" width="156"] Photo from The Kennel Club UK[/caption] Nobody likes being teased. Is there anything more frustrating than using software to get something done, thereby knowing darn well that the data[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd What are you waiting for? You want to work in a great workplace. You know that you have a huge part in making that happen. What’s holding you back? The latest episode of[...]

          Hopefully you're enjoying egg nog and family. (Enjoy might not be your choice word for all family members but nevertheless) But if you find yourself seeking a distraction from old Uncle Bill's showing of his[...]

  Get a complete pay history for any employee in seconds! By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Ahh. Christmas. The sights of green and red, and the sounds of joyful retailers celebrating a different kind of green.[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word It's the holiday season. Time for egg nog, parties, mistletoe and a double Electronic Statement Of Earnings (ESOE) delivery charge? Shouting and chaos ensues! Now before unruly payroll panic sets in[...]

We like to keep things light at IBEX, so no one was surprised when our grumpy meeting (we call our managers "the grumpies") was opened by Terry with “anyone got any meat to hang?” Peregrin then jumped in with “anyone got[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Everest can now order statements of earnings alphabetically by name! Gosh. You guys like the alphabet so much we couldn’t help it. Thanks to the hard work of the Techno Wizards over in Mountain Do, starting next[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd I met a woman over a year ago who was not at all happy with her employer.  The situation seemed hopeless to me.  Trust was dead between her employer and herself.  She had[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Some days its difficult to care. Some days you just want to put in your hours and be done with it. It happens to everyone including employees. Usually these are the[...]

By Darryl Stewart Head of the Herd  IBEX is hiring right now.  We have recruiters helping us in our search as well as advertising and recruiting on our own.  One of the questions recruiters ask before taking on an assignment[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd Last week I had a wonderful opportunity to meet one on one with several front line managers at a community living agency in Waterloo Ontario.  During one of these discussions we got talking[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Good news! A whole lot of people are getting raises! Bad news! A whole lot of people are getting raises! Wherever you stand on the issue the fact remains that as[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Bruce Philp has got me thinking that responsible brand marketing can save the world. Now before I talk about my Superpowers or about Bruce, let's talk about brand marketing. I was[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word We had a strange conversation in the office over our regular Thursday IBBQ (potluck). It was about the invention of foods. It started with the question: Way back in time, who[...]

  By Darryl Stewart Head of the Herd This past week I met with a senior manager in one of Manitoba’s largest developmental service agencies. We talked about dealing with the problem employees that can be found in any workplace. [...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word This is for the folks who like it old school. The folks who have stood by a winning system with winning service. This is a post where I say kudos to[...]

By Spencer Yarnell  So... We haven't talked about Clean Your Green in awhile. I'll be honest its because we kind of took a little break for awhile. With folks out gallivanting to cottages and generally with August brain we decided[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Now the title may seem odd. Unless you're still doing your payroll via abacus (and let me know what the CRA thinks of that) you're using some form of electricity to[...]

  By Spencer Yarnell, Head of Spreading the Herd W0rd I want to talk about a specific goal and measurable for engaging employees but first I'm gonna do something here: Bear with me. Why do you work? Instinctively the reaction[...]

By Spencer Yarnell, Head of Spreading the Herd Word The Canadian penny is on it's last legs. As you all probably know production of the penny has stopped. All purchases will be rounded to the nearest five cents and in[...]

  By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word The Everest Payroll System is not a static thing. [caption id="attachment_1156" align="alignleft" width="168"] The famous 'Prioritized Customer Needs' Wall[/caption] The Everest payroll system is constantly undergoing changes and updates thanks[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Someone called me cynical today. [caption id="attachment_1151" align="alignleft" width="300"] Creativity: How is it best used?[/caption] It could have been in reference to a certain post earlier this week, or in reference[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Fun CRA fact of the day. Parking at work can be a taxable benefit. What? Well turns out that like any other taxable benefit you receive from your employer you've gotta[...]

  By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word [caption id="attachment_1138" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Gallup Take on Employee Engagement: Gospel or just another pitch?[/caption] So here at the IBEX blog we like to talk a lot about a noteworthy[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word 1. Proper compensation - The moment you realize you're working for pennies is when you stop working. (but I guess these days pennies will be more valuable since they aren't going to[...]

By Spencer Yarnell, Head of Spreading the Herd Word Someone actually requested after my last post that I write about the moon. I reiterate my desire for a sarcasm font. (Lords of computing hear my prayer!) So here's something pretty[...]

  Spence Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Your eyebrow rises, you're intrigued. (Or just trying to put off work for a few more minutes.) How can IBEX do History? You think. And then it hits you: Was this just[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd  Over the years, IBEX has had some tremendous success with employee engagement.   I’m proud of our efforts and believe they go a long way to making IBEX a great place to work and[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Tried to move the Greenometer today. Our efforts to go 5 meters were thwarted by a conniving and spiky branched plant whose name remains a mystery to this garden savvy blogger.[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading The Herd Word It's the dog days of summer, aren't we all feeling a little lazy? [caption id="attachment_1093" align="alignleft" width="300"] Being lazy! Not sure how this in particular is  saving customer time though...[/caption] Well[...]

  By Spencer Yarnell, Head of Spreading the Herd Word This is a short little update on where we are at with Clean Your Green! To date we have raised $4,112.89 for Habitat for Humanity and moved the Greenometer just under 20[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Houses get built. Habitat for Humanity just finished up its 2012 Blitz Build, a 12 day building bonanza where volunteers work alongside the soon to be homeowners to build their houses.[...]

  By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word I'll admit. I'm new to this business. I'm new to the business of marketing and helping my company achieve it's goals. Millions of marketers have just begun salivating. I say[...]

  By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word [caption id="attachment_1069" align="alignleft" width="168"] What's the next move boys?[/caption] Halfway there. $4000 raised. But $4000 more to go. I want to take this time to thank all the amazing businesses[...]

  By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd We have tried many things over the past year to deal with our somewhat unique situation. Because of our partnership with Protegra, one of Canada’s leading IT companies, IBEX has an online[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Food. Seriously though, a coworker of mine just pointed it out to me today and I have to admit its true. Here we relish our weekly Thursday barbecue/potlucks, ice cream sandwiches[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word But people run them. Sorry Mitt, its nothing personal and nothing political but let's go over just a few problems with companies as people. 1) Running another company out of business...[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word I stumbled upon an old Maclean's article this week about public servants and their job satisfaction and it struck me. The gist of the article was that public servants were some[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word How was the holiday weekend? Short I imagine, but I think we probably all got we need to keep movin on. [caption id="attachment_1019" align="alignleft" width="300"] Putting up some new Habitat swag![/caption][...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word And your spam filter just exploded. [caption id="attachment_1007" align="alignright" width="150"] A happy equation[/caption] Seriously though this is often the conundrum faced with a campaign like Clean Your Green. We have all[...]

By Spencer Yarnell, Head of Spreading the Herd Word People are different. You can't treat them the same. This is especially true in the workplace. Let me tell a little story about my hearty upbringing to demonstrate. When I was[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word So sometimes things work out strangely. Like this week. For the whole week we got no donations for Clean Your Green so we thought 'well no need to clean this Friday[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Well not yet anyways This Friday IBEX will play host to a pit stop for Winnipeg's annual Bike to Work Day meaning well, we're gonna have a lot of bikers on[...]

Spencer Yarnell Concerned Head of Spreading the Herd Word An intriguing scene played out at the Osborne underpass on Friday. Payroll specialists  came out from behind their desks to get their hands dirty in the garden. It was payday for[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word It's here! It's finally here!     Tomorrow  we here at IBEX Payroll start our sixth annual Clean Your Green campaign titled Move the Greenometer. This year we'll be cleaning up[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Do you feel it? That's change rolling your way. Clean Your Green is gearing up to launch this Friday. There will be tweeting. There will be contests. There will be promotions.[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Word of mouth. It can be good for a business or it can be very very bad. Here at IBEX it’s been our lifeblood at the local level. While we love[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word Ahh that time of the week we all harken back to and long for. Friday. Friday Update Day. Today I can do one better. I don't just have an update I've[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd It started a few weeks ago with a simple thought “Why don’t we try focusing most of our marketing efforts on one place for a while?” We settled on Medicine Hat Alberta.  Not[...]

Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word         Hello Winnipeg! These days the sun is shining, everyone is smiling a little more and there’s that summertime feeling that anything is possible. Here at IBEX we specialize[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word It’s Friday people. That means weekend time is right around the corner, a relaxing break for some, or a weekend spent chasing plastic if you’re like me and headed to Regina[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word A lot of companies (ourselves included) at any given time claim to be the future of their industry. I want to talk about past that, I want to talk about something[...]

By Spencer Yarnell, Head of Spreading the Herd Word When learning more about Medicine Hat people keep talking about the sun, and how sunny it is. People were saying that Medicine Hat is the sunniest city in Canada. It gets[...]

By Spencer Yarnell Head of Spreading the Herd Word So we here at IBEX decided that the best way to reach out to Medicine Hat might be to get to know Medicine Hat. Astonishing. And what better way to get[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd Day three of our “Why not Medicine Hat?” campaign started full of promise: We had researched almost 100 small business people in Medicine Hat. We had crafted a 30 second survey to help[...]

By IBEX Staff Yesterday we blogged on our decision to focus all our marketing efforts on one city, the blog title pretty much gives away where.   Why not Medicine Hat? We started off conservative on day one by sending an[...]

By IBEX Staff Yesterday morning one of the IBEX payroll Goatbuzzsters had an interesting idea. “Why don’t we try focusing most of our marketing efforts on one place for a while?”  This seemed like an interesting idea to the rest[...]

By Spencer Yarnell, Head of Spreading the Herd Word Cheers to the ole gal! She’s great ain’t she? As you know the Victoria Day long weekend is fast approaching and this member of the IBEX Herd is looking to celebrate[...]

By IBEX Staff For the last 2 years IBEX customers have been switching over to our new payroll platform that we call Everest. We noticed that after the switch to the new system, some of our customers started relying on[...]

Wow! A big thank you to everyone who shared ideas with us and our readers on ways to think and be positive. I think we are all winners after those comments. However, we only have 1 ticket to The Power[...]

By IBEX Staff By now you know that IBEX culture is a little bit, hmm, how shall we say - different! We have weird titles (i.e. Alpine Crew, Grumpy Goats, Feedcounters etc.), we have daily Herddles and we go out[...]

By Raissa Sagun, Herd Geek Imagine walking into your office on a Monday morning to find a surprise waiting at your desk. No, it's not a big stack of papers that have to be filed or a report to be completed[...]

by IBEX Staff Constance Menzies is the owner of Chocolatier Constance Popp!, a four-year-old shop that has already created a lot of buzz in a big way.  On days where the sun is pouring through the windows of the cozy shop on[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd I phoned Monica, the controller for one of our customers, today.  I asked her to do me a favour using her connections and begged her to let me take her out to lunch[...]

By IBEX staff An incident occurred at our office on Thursday January 26th that was the subject of a Global News story on Friday January 27th. Confidential information for one particular customer was inadvertently routed to a fax machine at[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd We recently converted a large customer from our old web payroll, scheduling and time tracking system to our new completely integrated Everest platform. This was one of the first customers to use all[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd Gallop asked this question to eighty thousand managers: “You have a talented employee who consistently shows up late for work.  What would you say to this employee?” Common answers were: I would lock[...]

Looking for a fun idea for your company holiday party that does not cost a bundle but is super fun?  Why not take a page from the IBEX Payroll Herd. This year IBEX rented our local community centre, had a[...]

by Lisa Tachan, Head of Spreading the Herd Word Here at IBEX Payroll, we are striving to become one of the best places to work in Canada. Our unique work culture,  along with a passion for great customer service, are what we pride[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd This is the final post in our "How to grow your herd" series. Summary of the first three posts: In part 1 why I wore only my underwear to work, I talked about why[...]

by Alpine Crew Staff Writer Between 2011 and 2016, the Government of Canada has plans to make gradual changes to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). These changes are supposed to reflect the needs of an aging population and the evolving[...]

by Lisa Tachan, Head of Spreading the Herd Word At only 2.5 years old, Salon Pop possesses a vibrant atmosphere that not only comes from its sleek and elegant salon interior, but also from a happy, talented team of stylists[...]

by Lisa Tachan, Head of Spreading the Herd Word Noble Locksmith began as a one man business started by George Noble over 100 years ago. Since then, this company located in the heart of downtown Winnipeg  has grown to house[...]

by Jingting Ma, Sherpini Remembrance Day honours the memory of the men and women who have sacrificed their lives in service of their country and pays tribute to those who are currently serving in areas of conflict around the world.[...]

by Lisa Tachan, Head of Spreading the Herd Word The first time I walked through the doors leading into the IBEX Herdquarters, I was met head-on with a sign much like these . . . . . . except of[...]

By Sean Marek, CA We have all heard how much fun being audited by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)  can be.  Yet,  I see people in my practice every day doing things that are most likely going to get them audited.[...]

When it Rains, it Pours By Raissa Sagun, IBEX Staff An Alberta entrepreneur owned 12 different franchises from two different franchise chains. When he bought his first franchise, times were tough and he decided to pay some of his staff[...]

In a previous post, how to grow your herd part 2, I talked about defining our Hedgehog Concept.   In our case that turned out to be: Providing payroll, employee scheduling and employee time tracking to developmental service agencies across Canada. Providing[...]

Want some proof of what comes around goes around? Over the past few weeks we have been making some phone calls on behalf of one of our customers.  We were asked to call their suppliers to see if any of[...]

In a previous post, why I wore only my underwear to work, I talked about why we want to grow IBEX.  In part 2 of this series on our growth journey, I am moving on to our first growth step,[...]

Excerpt from a customer email today: AND…just to let you know…working with your staff is always, always a pleasure. I love the atmosphere that you guys have going on over there Awesome!

The other day I came to work in my underwear.  I wanted to highlight that it was time for IBEX to "let it all hang out". Darryl in his underwear The first thing to notice in the photograph is how[...]

Payroll can generate tons of data. A handy trick when searching any web based data source, like the output from the reports in IBEX, is to use CTRL + F to search the page you are on for what you[...]

In the depths of the Winnipeg winter of 2009, the Grumpy Goats at IBEX were confronting a big problem. It had to do with dreams and reality. Our dream was to provide a world class payroll system that rewarded our[...]

I had an experience yesterday that made me question a friend. I thought that maybe one of my friends was not as true as I has always assumed. Maybe his aloofness has always made me try too hard and assume[...]

I helped a friend in need last week. I helped her by explaining something we don’t learn in school, but something we learn after years of experience. When she came to see me, my friend was visibly upset about having[...]

 How to add comments to your payroll input sheet There is always something you need to remember when running your payroll: specific instruction related to certain employee’s payroll, changes to be made in the future, one time payments or just[...]

Today my family and I attended a presentation by the mother of a boy with severe disabilities, including autism and blindness.  It was a powerful experience, not because of the challenges this boy has faced, but because of what he has[...]

Developing depth takes strength of conviction and focus.  What do I mean by depth?  I am talking about the difference between WestJet and the long line of air operators who tried and failed in Canada.  Jetsgo, Canada 3000, Zoom and[...]

On a skiing holiday with my family in Vernon BC, I witnessed a truly inspirational act.  One I know I will draw upon for years to come. Boarding down a run, I noticed a man on skis motioning enthusiastically to a snowboarder stopped[...]

I met yesterday with the Executive Director of one of our Inclusion customers.  I now know lot's of new things like what NVCI stands for (non-violent crisis intervention) and how a person's care needs are classified into levels ranging from 1[...]

The IBEX Herd gathered for a toast yesterday, just before noon. Our new payroll platform, Everest, ran its biggest payroll ever. Sure we've tested it for this size of payroll, but testing it and actually using it are two different[...]

We have received some pretty impressive thank you's at IBEX for our community work and for the many times we go above and beyond to help someone in a pinch, deal with a mistake or make someone smile with an[...]

Mike Rowe, host of "Dirty Jobs" on the Discovery Channel, gave a TED talk in 2008. He talks about what is wrong with the common adage  "if you want to succeed, follow your passion."  He reflects on a pig farmer[...]

I had a tough day yesterday.  It felt like the whole world was piling their issues upon me.  I was feeling sorry for myself and pissed off at everyone. This morning (I am always 10 times better the next morning) I read[...]

Yesterday one of our most effervescent, amazing, energetic and entertaining customers was not her usual self, not at all.  She was down, way down. Susan Turner, Culture Queen and Payroll Specialist, noticed our customer was in need of hugs and[...]

It is all the rage these days to talk about employee engagement.  If you’re wondering what exactly this term means, you’re not alone, most leaders I talk to aren’t sure either. One definition I came across is simple and right[...]

I listened to Ian Percy speak this week at the QNET Excellence Conference in Winnipeg.  Ian's message was multi-dimensional and very inspiring. In my mind, it validated the IBEX way of focusing on Herd members first and customers second.  It[...]

A spontaneous posting on the whiteboard in our building lobby stopped me in my tracks this week and caused me some serious reflection. Over the past six weeks we worked with Protegra and formed a Dragon Boat team in support[...]

It’s not every day that a typical businessman in the payroll industry needs to buy a cutting torch, but then I’ve never thought of myself as a typical businessman.   The fact is, I needed a cutting torch – not some[...]

Not even a 5:45 am flight could temper my anticipation of showcasing our new payroll platform to a leader in the payroll industry in Toronto. So far, our new system has received rave reviews from our staff and our customers.[...]

Today at our weekly iBBQ we enjoyed perogies (two types), sausage, corn on the cob, caesar salad, chips (two types of course) and cookies (three kinds).  This was all thanks to the Herd Geeks - Angela, Zeeman, John, Corey and Andrew.  Cooking[...]

I was on top of the world after our first customer demo of Everest! Last week I sat with, Mark Braun, owner of Salon Popp, who has been doing payroll with IBEX for years.  Because Salon Popp is an Apple[...]

[caption id="attachment_69" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The IBEX Herd Monday Crew (Corey, Angela, Terry, Susan and Darryl) with our homeowner Sam"][/caption] Working on a Habitat for Humanity build this week, I am surrounded by people of many faiths and beleifs.  There are[...]

Want an example of why IBEX is a different place.  Yesterday the feed counters (accounting/admin staff) took an hour and weeded the garden in front of our office.  Then we walked down the street to Banana Boat and had an[...]

Becoming the best place in Canada to work takes more than an internal focus on putting people first.  It also takes a focus on customers and innovation.  For IBEX that meant finally admitting that our technology and capabilites needed a[...]

The IBEX Herd has set what appears to be an impossible goal. To be the best place to work in Canada by 2015 To me this goal is not impossible, in fact, it is all but done.  Am I conceited?  Am I delusional?[...]

By Darryl Stewart, Head of the Herd At IBEX we try to identify and nurture each Herd member's passions and put them to work for The Herd member and for IBEX. One Herd member, Raissa, showed us early on how[...]

Funny.  As I walked my kids home from school this past Friday, I was thinking about my new blog.  What would the first post be about?  How would I communicate my passion for what we are doing at IBEX?  Do[...]