Summer is Almost Over, What next.
Hard to believe but true summer is almost over. By the time this Post is read, it will be September. Summer has gone by, The kids should be back in school, work is back to normal (Whatever that is ), and life goes on.

Now is when we start preparing for many things in Transportation. Usually this time of year, it is Musical seats at many companies. It just seems people, need that vacation time and come back recharged, and ready to go again 100%. I can say without a doubt that anyone going on holiday these days, leave the Blackberry, Cellphone PDA, at home and take that break. Cut off all ties with the office. You need a break as well, we all do.

Just like the drivers need their break. Some take time off in the Summer, some in Winter, some visit home (wherever it may be), and some just stay at their home and get reacquainted with their family. This is the perfect time when they return to have a quick 10 minute talk with as many as you can. Discuss, their vacation, their family, their long range plans, their short range plans. What they would like from the company to make them happy. What the company can do for them.

No, not just increase salaries, but what do they really want? There is only one way to find out! Speak to them. Talk to a few at a time, buy them a coffee and a doughnut, give one of them that was complimented a prize you have left over from your Golf Tournament. You will never know what makes them tick, without asking. Praise in front of others. The most destructive thing in business is a million closed door meetings and not engaging people that are there.

Strangely enough, meetings take too much time, if not organized correctly. NO matter how big or small, have an agenda and stick to it. Try to involve everyone in attendance otherwise you are wasting their time, and they have already tuned you out.

The smart companies, are already making plans for the Annual Driver Safety Meeting. This is certainly where you need, an agenda. You need attendance, you need to ensure the worst drivers, do not get dispatched, and have to attend. You need to prepare the meeting, with a clear concise agenda, and stick to it. This way the Driver’s also feel engaged. Make sure you take questions from them. At the end of each topic take questions from the drivers.

The meeting should be Positive and End Positive. Safety Bonus handed out, Safety Awards handed out, in front of the other drivers. Recognition, especially for Milestone drivers, (10 years, 5 years no accidents.) and so on. Make them Proud not just for who they work for, but that you are recognizing their accomplishments, in front of everyone. Too many negative notes, with their payroll slips, they start to ignore them and throw out the slip of paper without reading it. Just like everything Conditioning.

Every company out there, has to go to the next level, to do so, everyone needs to know how to get there, and what the company has in mind to get there. Little changes, are always good, However monumental changes, that disrupt not just everyday work, but the work ethic, and the work attitude can be a company killer. Everything needs to be presented correctly from the top down. If the employees, see the TOP BRASS WALKING THE WALK AND NOT JUST TALKING THE TALK they will buy into it.

Stop the messengers, from patting themselves on the back, Egotistical type A’s spend too much time PATTING THEMSELVES ON THE BACK, having meetings, sending little memos to drivers, but they don’t really communicate. That is the key not just to a meeting but to a successful company