The Perk

Traditional goal setting is backward. We say what we want to achieve. We go about achieving the thing, & we hope that we feel good in the end. But have you ever had that experience where you set a goal, achieved it & you didn't even feel that great afterward? That's because, ultimately, we're not chasing achieving a goal. We're chasing a feeling that we hope achieving that goal will give us. So, what do we do differently? 1️⃣ Ask yourself, do I enjoy feeling creative, connected, challenged, unstoppable (etc.)? 2️⃣ Get clear on how we most want to feel at the end of the day. Your core feelings. 3️⃣ Do the things to feel that way. Have you ever tried goal setting based on your core feelings? Let us know in the comments.

When we talk about employee engagement, sometimes we talk about it like it takes FOREVER to build. And yes, while employee engagement is something you do have to work on consistently, there are plenty of ways that can build it immediately. How you do it depends on what your goal is. For example, if you're looking to help your team identify & overcome distractions that might be hindering their collective progress, try this activity we call "Focus on the Path, Not the Trees." 🌳 Here's the activity: 1️⃣ Watch the Simon Sinek video that we've linked in our comments with your team. It's a short one, we promise! 😉 2️⃣ Discuss the following questions with your team: 🛣️ “What does your path look like?” 🌳 “What are the 'trees' (distractions) in your work that divert your attention?” 🔎 “How can you refocus on your path with clarity & purpose?”
 We love this activity because it provides three important things: ✅ Clarity (helps team members identify & prioritize their goals), ✅ focus (encourages a shift in thinking from distractions to what truly matters) & ✅ support (by asking these questions, you're fostering a supportive environment where team members help each other stay focused). 💡 It's also a great exercise to do yourself & if you reflect on it, we'd love to hear from you. What's your path & what are your "trees"? Ashley Kowalchuk, SHRM-SCP, PHR, Bill Chang, Kimberly Richgels, SHRM-CP #PerkProTip #EmployeeEngagement #ThePerk #EliminatingDistractions

We LOVE our confetti over here at The Perk, so it only makes sense that our love ❤️ would carry over into adjacent things: like piñatas, for example. So, when we heard that there was a company—Piñatagrams—where the entire business model is to literally SENDS PIÑATAS TO PEOPLE, we knew that we would be using this service. A lot. 😎 Being able to send a piñata to anyone we want with just a few clicks of a keyboard is enough of a reason to make Piñatagrams one of our #PerkPicks, but of course, there are other reasons we love this service: 🪅 They're endlessly customizable. You can pick from 50+ piñata types, & personalize your message! 🥰 🪅 You can select candy 🍬 or candy-free treats for the piñata filling 🪅 They're great for ANY occassion. Awesome client? Piñata! 🪅 Birthday? Piñata! 🪅 New role! You guessed it...piñata. 🪅😉 🪅 The packaging offers plenty of places for your company's branding We've sent more than a few piñatagrams, so if you've recieved one from us, we'd love it if you represented with your piñata in the comments below! And we also want to know: what's the best gift 🎁 you've ever received from a vendor? We're always looking for good ideas to add to our list! Justin Vajko, Angela Becker-Bradley, Ph.D., SHRM-CP, Jay Thomsen #PerkPicks #StuffWeLove #Pinatagrams #ClientAppreciation

Over the past few weeks, we've been deep-diving on dreams—specifically, the dreams of The Perk team. ❤️ Why do we keep talking about dreams? That's an easy one. Our dreams mold us & it's only natural that they mold the work we do, too. And when we understand the dreams of our employees & fellow team members, it connects us in a way that builds trust & a sense of purpose. 🤗 Building a stage that helps people amplify their voices 🎤 (& her authentic voice!) is Jess's dream. It's a big reason why she thinks of her work & life as a portfolio & everything she does—her coaching & culture work at The Perk, her role as a teaching artist with The Lullaby Project 😴 & her work as a board member with Make Music Madison 🎵—all combine to fulfill this dream. Her “someday” dream is to have a physical retreat space where people can come together to get coaching, flex their creativity muscles & feel empowered to live out their own dreams—whatever shape those take! 🙌 Jess, we LOVE this dream & we know you're the perfect person to bring something like this to life. 🥳 🎉 🎊 Save a spot for us in your retreats, okay?!? Mary Bjorklund, Augusta Brulla, Ryan Mears #ThePerk #CelebrateEverything #ThePerk #DreamBig

Being stuck stinks, doesn’t it? As humans, we’re all about forward momentum. Next steps. The next mountain to climb. So when you’re stuck, it feels pretty…uncool. The good news is that it can be easier than you think to get unstuck. 🙌 To learn more, join us for Culture Community this week on Thursday, October 24. In this dynamic session led by our own Emily Smit, you’ll: 🚀Learn practical tools & creative problem-solving methods, including two of our favorites—The Pomodoro Technique & The Progress Principle—to get you moving ahead 🚀 Discover how to become your organization’s unofficial “Director of Unstuck” by learning strategies for momentum that benefit your entire team 🚀 Walk away with actionable strategies you’ll be able to implement immediately (like, right after the call!) 🤗 We ALL get stuck. Hang with us on Thursday to learn how to break free from stagnation & become an unstoppable force of success! 😎💪 Register at the link in the comments! Who will we see on Thursday? Amy Ruehlow, PHR, SHRM-CP, Allison McNamara, Edgar Obaga #GettingUnstuck #LeadershipDevelopment #ThePerk #ContinuousProgress

In today's multi-generational workforce, it's crucial to connect with others in a way that resonates with them. By recognizing & adapting to these different styles, you can communicate more effectively & make your messages genuinely impactful. One way to better understand your team's natural behaviors is through the DISC model. It delves into four key behavioral styles: Dominance, Influence, Stability, & Compliance. Understanding these styles helps you grasp how people naturally interact with: ✅ Procedures ⏰ Pace 👫 People 🚫 Problems. We offer DISC assessments & engaging workshops designed to teach you how to leverage this knowledge in a fun & practical way! Have you ever completed a DISC assessment? What did you find helpful? Interested in a DISC assessment for your team? Let's connect! Send us a DM to get started.

As we said at the end of yesterday's post, clarity is indeed co-owned—which is why it’s so critical that we get curious & ask questions to make sure clarity has been reached between us & the people we're communicating with! 🤗 If that sounds like something you've struggled with, we can help. 💡 These four “clarity questions” are ones that we consistently use with our team, & they might unlock 🔑 something for you, too: ✔️“Would you mind repeating back to me what you heard? I just want to make sure I communicated it properly.” At first glance, this question might seem condescending—like we’re saying they may not have been listening to us in the first place. 🙃 We promise, it’s not—because it’s actually about making sure what you’re saying is actually understood. What you SAID might not be what they HEARD.🗣️ ✔️“What’s most important about this, for you?” This is a great way to build connection 🤝 with your team, & it’s also a way to assess if they truly understand the big picture of what’s being communicated. ✔️“What is super clear about this expectation? What could be clearer?” This is feedback for you & your leadership team. Understanding what’s clear 🔎 & what’s a little fuzzy 🫠 can help you communicate even better next time. ✔️“What’s one thing that excites you about this? What’s one thing you’re hesitant about? What is one question you have?” We call this “The Perk Trifecta” & it’s one of the best ways to demonstrate that it’s okay for your team to have multiple feelings about what’s being communicated. 😎 As with so many things in leadership, context is everything. So, give these a try! Have a conversation around these questions, & explain that these might be a new communication norm for your team. Tagging a few people that might be interested in using these: Joell Heiman, Jodie Wood, Kelsie Conrad. #ClarityQuestions #CommunicationTips #LeadershipLessons #ThePerk

If we asked you how you first started listening to music, what would you say? Would you tell us you grew up listening to records, where you’d listen to the full A side of the record before flipping it over to the B side? Maybe you were the person who never left home without your Walkman or Discman—jamming out with the help of your trusty headphones, being able to fast forward or skip to your favorite song. Perhaps you grew up in the age of the iPod—being able to create playlists, not having to listen to the entire album & even being able to decide to only purchase certain songs for 99 cents. Or, maybe you started your music journey with the help of Spotify—a place where there are now audiobooks, playlists, podcasts & millions of albums to choose from. Why are we asking? Well, because the way we interact with the world has everything to do with how (and when) we grew up. And, when you put people from different generations & with different experiences together at a company or on a team & ask them to work together for a common purpose, it can feel more than a little daunting to us as leaders.  That's why this month's "Hey Leader!" is all about finding ways to foster communication and trust in multigenerational workplaces. Read on for more!

Okay, so we know clarity is important. It can also be easier said than done. 😬 Here are 3️⃣ ways that you can create more clarity for your team: 🔎 Be clear with your expectations. Expectations exist no matter what, & they are either clear or they are stealth. It’s when they’re stealth — i.e., living inside your head — that they’re not very helpful. It's like wishing for a specific birthday gift, 🎁 never communicating it & then being disappointed when you get something else? 🙃 It’s so much easier to set expectations out loud. 💡Communicate your “why”: Instead of simply asking someone to do something, give context around why that thing needs to be done. Connect it to the mission, vision, values, or your client success metrics. 📊 This one most likely seems obvious, but trust us—the “why” is often the first thing that falls by the wayside when teams get busy. 💪 Take ownership to ensure clarity: This is especially critical for middle managers, who are often communicating expectations 🗣️ from leadership to their teams. Before you move on to the next thing, take the time to make sure everyone understands what the expectations are. One last thing to remember: clarity is co-owned. 🤝 That means it is only achieved when the person you’re communicating with has understood you AND their behaviors are in alignment with the desired result. Any other ways to create clarity that we missed, Charlie Bauer, Brian Neuwirth, Heather Hopkins? #Communication #ThePerk #ExpectationSetting

This week, we're shining a light 🔦 on Isabel's dreams. 🎉🎉🎉 She's already fulfilled her first two —graduating from college AND earning her Master’s Degree, too! 🎓 (This is an especially big deal, as she’s a first-generation college student!) 🎊 🥳 Isabel's biggest dream is to grow 🌱 a vibrant community where strong, meaningful connections can thrive. She’s always prioritized being in community with others, & wants to create a safe place where people can come to generate ideas 💡 & “find their next big thing.” She’d also really like to be on a “40 Under 40” list someday. ✅ Knowing Isabel like we do, we have NO doubt that will happen. 🤩 Can anyone relate to Isabel's dreams? How about you, TINA RENNHACK, Susan Howard, Stacey Harmon? #ThePerk #CelebrateEverything #GottaHaveDreams #DreamingBig