And the thing is, it doesn’t take much to let people know that their work is important and valued. A quick note in their box thanking them for finishing up a big project can do the trick. A short email praising them for closing a sale can let them know you’re paying attention. A quick pat on the back or just sticking your head in the door when you’re walking by shows them that you’re aware of the work they’re doing. I’ve even heard it suggested that a quick note or call to the employee’s spouse or significant other is a great way to let a valued employee know that they’re appreciated. None of this takes more than a few minutes, but it can be an invaluable management tool.

Now I’ve been talking about some pretty informal ways you can recognize people for their good work. But there is a time and place for more formal recognition. There’s nothing like an employee being recognized in front of his or her peers. Awards such as “salesperson of the month” or “employee of the year” are great ways to give your best performers more greatly deserved recognition.

A few years ago, after more than three decades in business, we instituted our version of the “employee of the year” award. Let me tell you briefly how the process works. We established 10 criteria for evaluating what is required of a person worthy of receiving our award, which is named for our founder M. Lee Smith. Some of the criteria include:

• Leadership abilities including noteworthy accomplishments demonstrating their role as a leader
• Dedication to the company principles as outlined in our mission statement
• Strong character and work ethic
• Expressed sense of commitment and dedication to the company
• Involvement in company service projects

Each year we ask our employees to nominate their peers for the award. Each nomination is received in writing and details why the person being nominated is a worthy recipient of the award. Typically, the nominations include some examples of how the nominees meet the majority of the requirements for the award. Then the nominations are evaluated by a committee. The committee discusses the various merits of each of the nominees before ranking their top three choices for the award. A numerical value is attributed to each first, second, and third place vote a nominee receives. The votes are then tallied and the winner is determined.

I can’t tell you how rewarding it is to read the nominations. You have employees bragging, sometimes in great detail, about their coworkers and colleagues. You learn things about the people who work in your company, both those being nominated and those doing the nominating. You see how much respect is shared among coworkers. You learn how much they appreciate one another. And, every once in a while, you discover someone who may otherwise be overlooked.

We reveal the winner of our award in a company-wide meeting, which is really a celebration of that person’s accomplishments. We secretly invite the recipient’s family or significant others to attend the celebration. In front of the entire company, we read parts of the nominations that led to the person receiving the award. It’s a wonderful way to let people know that you appreciate your employees.

What I’ve covered here isn’t new or earth-shattering. Many companies have similar awards that are given out with regularity. My point is only that people need to be recognized. Especially in today’s economic environment when raises and other monetary rewards might be difficult to come by, letting people know that their work is appreciated and valued is important. And if you formalize the process, it not only helps to make sure you’re consistently recognizing your top performers, but it allows you to do it so that they get the credit they deserve in front of their peers.

Whether you want to institute a formal recognition program or not, you can make sure you’re giving your people the pat on the back they need. Take a minute right now to thank someone for a job well done.

There was certainly plenty of posturing. Both Democrats and Republicans pretended to be interested in working with the other party to make progress on health care. There was a lot of preening with members of Congress congratulating themselves for what was in the current bills. The politics were clearly visible with some participants playing to the camera and the public more than advancing the purpose of the meeting. And partisanship was on full display as members of each party tossed out dueling statistics to prove that their party’s ideas were better and more widely accepted by the American voters.

So we have Democrats trying to recast the bills that have passed the House and the Senate in order to win back public approval. We have Republicans trying to maintain the negative public sentiment toward the bills to prevent them from becoming law. But absolutely no one in that room was working to reconcile the differences.

It made me wonder. What if we all ran our businesses the way that our country is being run? What if appearances were more important than substance? What if we staked our position and were unwilling to consider alternatives or compromise?

My guess is that we’d have the same type of gridlock they’re facing in Washington, D.C., these days. The difference is, if we ran our businesses this way, we’d go out of business. If we didn’t make decisions and move forward, our competitors would pass us by. If we didn’t consider alternative ideas and viewpoints, we’d miss out on potential opportunities that could prove to be very beneficial. If we cared more about appearances than substance, we’d be found out by our customers, and they’d stop buying. No business could survive if its people acted the way our elected officials are acting right now.

So here are four things you should be doing as a leader in your organization that our elected officials just don’t get:

1. Listen. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it all starts with listening. Not pretending to listen, but really being open and hearing what other people have to say. You might not agree with them but if you hear them out you will learn something. You will learn what their position is and why they hold it. You will learn about the way the other person thinks. You might even learn some things that will challenge your position or thinking. I don’t think our elected officials are really listening to one another.
2. Respect. Just because we don’t agree with someone doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve our respect. Treating others as valuable contributors to the process is important. I don’t think that those involved in the health care summit were really doing this, but you need to. If you treat others like they and their ideas are important, you’ll have a better chance of influencing their thinking than if you are disrespectful and condescending. Sounds like common sense, doesn’t it?
3. Discipline. It takes some amount of self-control to openly debate an issue that you’re passionate about but you must remain disciplined. As a leader, you cannot jump to conclusions before hearing the facts. You cannot respond out of emotion; instead, you must act on the facts. You cannot appear disinterested, aggravated, or angry. If you allow your emotions to dictate your actions the entire meeting will come unraveled.
4. Honesty. If you want to lead you must be honest. Honesty and integrity are important to gain the other side’s trust. If you cannot gain trust it’s very difficult to make progress. I believe that much of what took place at the health care summit was disingenuous. I believe that politicians on both sides of the issue used statistics that only told part of the story, the side they wanted heard. I believe that they told half truths in order to make a point. I believe they made claims and accusations that were not completely justified in order to get what they wanted. The problem is that if no one believes what those across the table are saying, then no progress is truly attainable. Can honesty make you vulnerable? Certainly. But it also demonstrates strength and, ultimately, is necessary for two sides to come together.

If you want to succeed in your job I suggest that instead of taking a cue from the politicians in Washington you should learn from their mistakes. True leaders, the ones who can bring people with different ideas together for a common goal, demonstrate the four traits outlined above. Are you a leader?

It seems to me, with apologies to my middle school English teacher, “Where’s the jobs?” is an appropriate slogan for the current, so-called economic recovery. Economists have been telling us for months that the economy is growing again, albeit at a relatively slow pace. We’ve seen some modest improvements in the number of new jobless claims — that is, until recent weeks. It seems that the new jobless claims rose to 496,000 last week and that the unemployment rate is once again creeping into double-digit territory.

I don’t understand how we can have any type of sustainable recovery without new jobs being created. If people can’t collect a paycheck, they don’t have anything to spend. If consumers don’t have anything to spend, then companies that provide the goods and services don’t have anyone to sell to. And if they can’t sell their products, they need to slow production and cut jobs to reduce expenses. It’s a vicious cycle.

Even those who do have jobs are now saving for a rainy day. Americans, famous for our spending, have suddenly begun to squirrel away some money just in case they’re the next one to get a pink slip. So those employed Americans aren’t really helping spur on the economy because they’re fearful they might not have a job for long. Not a pretty picture is it?

So the guy sitting in the corner office, what is he thinking? My guess is that it goes something like this.

I’ve suffered through the toughest economic times of my career. I think the worst is behind me, but I don’t see it getting significantly better anytime soon. The glimmer of hope we’ve seen in recent months has helped me pare down some of my inventory so I’m actually ready to begin production again at very modest levels. I’ve made some difficult decisions, including letting some great employees go. I’m going to be extremely cautious about rehiring because I don’t want to go through that again. Plus, the only way I can produce any profit is by continually cutting expenses. Revenue certainly isn’t growing. I sure hope that things get better.

That’s the collective mood of business owners and executives across this country. Everyone is afraid to move — and for good reason. So I ask again, “Where’s the jobs?”

With our elected officials in Washington running up the deficit, spending like drunken sailors, businesspeople are afraid. They realize that sooner or later someone is going to have to pay the tab and that usually means higher taxes. And whether businesses or individuals are paying taxes, it means less spending.  Companies will have less to spend on capital investment, and consumers will have less to spend on, well, consumption. Unless Congress gets the spending under control, I’m guessing I need to hold on to some of my money for the tax increase that is bound to come. I better take a wait-and-see approach.

The health care reform debate rages on. Who knows where we’ll end up, but until there is some resolution it’s hard to move forward. Will companies with quality plans end up paying a tax on those benefits? Will there be any type of tort reform to curb malpractice insurance costs? Will the plan that gets passed actually help cut health care costs? Will any plan get passed? A lot of questions without answers, better to sit tight until I can evaluate the situation. Once I know the outcome, I can determine the best course of action.

Bottom line is that business executives are taught to evaluate a situation, assess the risks and opportunities, and then proceed accordingly. Only right now, they can’t get any answers. It has become impossible for them to evaluate the situation because there are no resolutions to some very large issues that could have a huge impact on the economic fortunes of most companies. The people who run these businesses have adopted a wait-and-see approach to the problem. Until Congress and the White House act, businesses aren’t going to take on any risk. It’d be foolish.

Business executives, and consumers for that matter, need a clearer view of what the future is going to hold before they’re willing to move forward. That means Washington needs to get its act together, make some decisions, and provide a clear vision of where we’re headed as a country. Until they do, we’re stuck with a weak economy and double-digit unemployment. “Where’s the jobs?” They’re waiting for some leadership from the nation’s capital.

So I was curious as to what he might say and decided to watch a video of the press conference. I must admit that I was relieved to find that Mr. Woods didn’t apologize to me for his infidelities. In fact, he addressed his initial words of apology to those in the room with him. Most in attendance were friends, family, and people who had worked with Tiger. His wife was noticeably absent.

So Tiger apologized to his wife, children, and mother. He also apologized to friends, business partners, and fans. He apologized to the staff, board of directors, sponsors, and the young students reached by his foundation. But, thankfully, he didn’t apologize to me.

Why did Tiger decide to issue a very public apology to all of these people? I’m not sure. It seems to me that he could have, and likely has, apologized to his wife for his indiscretions. I’m sure his mother would have accepted a call or even allowed him to drop in to let her know how sorry he was to have disappointed or embarrassed her. Tiger could have pulled his employees and board of directors together to convey his regrets. And he certainly could have met face-to-face with his sponsors to let them know how badly he felt about letting them down and possibly tarnishing their brands.

So Tiger’s apology wasn’t just for those people. It was for me and you. It was the first step in an attempt to rebuild his image. It may have even been a step in his rehabilitation process. But Tiger was sending a message to many more people than he allowed in the room with him. Whether it does any good is yet to be seen.

There was one thing Tiger did say that I found to be spot on, and it actually originated from his wife Elin. Early in his remarks, he said, “As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words; it will come from my behavior over time.” That’s dead on. As I’ve written here before, actions speak louder than words.

That’s why Tiger’s carefully scripted apology really doesn’t mean much to me and shouldn’t to anyone else. He needs to regain the trust of his wife, kids, co-workers, sponsors, and others directly affected by his actions. The rest of us don’t really matter. But the only way to do that isn’t by holding a press conference and reading a statement. It’s by proving that you’ve seen the error of your ways and not repeating the behavior. That will take time. Is Tiger capable of that?  Only time will tell.

Of course, all of this advice for the President is free, and much of it is worth exactly what he pays for it.

The other day, however, Steven Pearlstein, business columnist for the Washington Post, shared his advice for President Obama. He wrote,

Viewed in that context, the current political disarray need not be an insurmountable problem for President Obama, but rather could represent a golden opportunity to demonstrate the leadership the country needs and craves. He will not demonstrate that leadership by running around to carefully staged events in which he tells ordinary voters what he thinks they want to hear. Nor will he demonstrate it by redoubling efforts of his PR war room to respond to every attack or piece of Republican disinformation with overwhelming rhetorical force. Rather, the real challenge is whether the president can strengthen the bond of trust between himself and the American people by having the courage to tell the hard truths and make the hard decisions, irrespective of short-term political consequences and the tut-tutting of the commentariat.

I have no idea whether this is sound advice for the leader of the free world. I do think, however, that it’s great advice for those in leadership positions in organizations across our country. Let’s break it down.

“He will not demonstrate that leadership by running around to carefully staged events in which he tells ordinary voters what he thinks they want to hear.”

If you replace “voters” with “employees,” you have great advice for any manager. Getting up in front of employees at a departmental or company-wide meeting and telling them what they want to hear isn’t leadership. In fact, in most cases it does more harm than good. People aren’t stupid. They want to hear their leader tell them the truth, regardless of what it is. They may not like the message, but they will respect the person delivering it because they know that it isn’t easy to get up in front of any group and tell them things they don’t want to hear. And being open and honest with your people will help build trust, something that won’t happen if you tell them only what they want to hear. Don’t tell your employees what they want to hear — tell them what they need to hear.

“Nor will he demonstrate it by redoubling efforts of his PR war room to respond to every attack or piece of Republican disinformation with overwhelming rhetorical force.”

If you’re in a position of leadership in your organization, you’re bound to get criticized. You’ll get roasted for what you’ve done, what you haven’t done, what you’re considering doing, and even for what people think you might do. If you spend all of your time defending your actions, either real or perceived, you won’t have much time for the real task at hand of leading. Do you need to communicate? Definitely. And you need to do it well. But once the leadership in an organization has weighed the options and determined the best course of action, the plan should be communicated effectively and then implemented. Responding to every criticism or contrarian will only distract from your real job. To be a leader you need to be thick-skinned. It comes with the territory.

“Rather, the real challenge is whether the president can strengthen the bond of trust between himself and the American people by having the courage to tell the hard truths and make the hard decisions, irrespective of short-term political consequences and the tut-tutting of the commentariat.”

This goes back to point #1. Doing what is right and necessary isn’t always popular. People don’t like to see their colleagues and friends laid off, but that might be the only thing that will allow the company to survive. It’s not popular, but it’s necessary. The same can go for killing a project, freezing wages, relocating the business, and dozens of other things that leaders must do every day. What you must remember is that as a leader it’s more important to be respected than to be liked. People will respond in miracuolus ways to a leader they respect. Often the decisions you make have short-term consequences that people really won’t like. It’s only later — when the benefits of the difficult decision pay off — that they’ll appreciate your willingness to do what was right. In the meantime, things can be downright uncomfortable. Get used to it, it’s part of the job.

Whether or not President Obama can benefit from Steven Pearlstein’s advice, you can. Take to heart what he has to say about what it takes to be a leader — especially in difficult times.

Who do you have in your professional life that you can trust for sound counsel and guidance?

It’s critical to your success and, likely, your emotional well-being to have people to whom you can turn when you’re struggling, need advice, or just want some validation of what you’re doing. Often it’s hard to turn to your boss and show your vulnerability. You want her to view you as being confident, self-assured, and having everything under control. You don’t want to show any sign of weakness, it might get in the way of the next big assignment or, worse yet, a raise or promotion. You can’t really turn to those who report to you because they look to you for leadership and guidance. So who is it that you can turn to when you need a fresh set of eyes on a problem?

Who is your mentor?

Now remember, I’m talking about someone you can turn to in your professional life. Your spouse doesn’t count here. He or she may be a great confidant, but in my book they don’t qualify as a mentor. I’m looking for that sage who has seen or done it all. They have a wealth of experience facing similar issues that you now face in your career. A good mentor demonstrates sound judgment and is willing to be completely honest with you — sometimes brutally so! A true mentor has to be someone who is trustworthy because to be truly valuable to you, you must be able to share openly with him.

So, who is your mentor? Or, should I say mentors, because it’s wonderful if you can have more than one. As with anything, people bring different strengths to the role of mentor. You may have a mentor who is really strong at reading and dealing with people. When you’re faced with a tough personnel problem or need advice on how to handle a prickly client, she’s the “go to” person. You may have a second mentor who has a brilliant analytical mind. When you are dealing with a particularly complicated matter, this mentor always has the most to offer. And, you may have another mentor who has a vast amount of experience in your field. They know your job inside and out and can bring intimate knowledge of your industry that proves invaluable to you when you seek their advice.

Who are your mentors?

If you’re looking for a mentor or mentors, here are two places that I’ve found valuable, trusted counselors:

Inside your own organization. Three years out of college, I was still working for the company that had hired me when I graduated when the business was acquired. I went from working in a small, entrepreneurial firm to one that was owned by a multinational organization. It was culture shock for me, but it was also a great opportunity. Luckily, I found a new mentor in the acquiring company. He was 25 years my senior and had achieved a high level within the organization, but he was willing to take an interest in me and my career. He not only had been successful in the industry, he had succeeded at my new employer. He helped me navigate the new organization and provided great career advice. Twenty years later, he’s still one of my mentors and has never disappointed. I trust him explicitly.

Let me give you one more example of finding a mentor inside the organization for which I worked. In a previous position, I was elevated to the top position in the company. The other obvious choice would have been the company CFO who was 15 years my senior. He was incredibly bright and approached things very differently than I did. Instead of getting the job, he ended up reporting to me. Sounds like potential for disaster, but instead it turned out to be a great partnership. He had strengths I didn’t possess. He had a wonderfully analytical mind and always brought a different perspective to our discussions. When I left the organization, I thanked him for everything that I had learned from him, certainly more than he received from me, though he reported to me. It might not be a great idea to look for a mentor in your direct reports, but under the right circumstances it might just work. It did for me.

Within a professional organization. I’ve been part of an industry group since the early days of my career, and I’ve benefited immensely from it. I have found business partners, board members, employers, great friends and, yes, trusted mentors through my involvement in the organization. This association includes hundreds of companies run by people who are facing similar issues to the ones I face every day. Over time, I came to recognize those who headed well-run businesses or were particularly bright. And as I developed relationships with some of them, I was able to identify a few who have the traits I look for in my mentors. People who show sound, measured judgment. Those who have a demonstrated track record of success.  And those who are trustworthy. Once I had identified them, I learned from them and sought their advice and continue to do so today.

Bottom line is that you need to have a mentor and preferably more than one. If you find the right people, they will become invaluable to you. You can turn to them when you’re facing your toughest challenges, whether it be for trusted guidance or moral support — the good ones will provide both. Why walk alone when you can benefit from the experiences and wisdom of others?

Ever find yourself at work wondering whether or not to speak up in a meeting? You have an idea that you think might really make a difference, but you’re unsure how it might be received by your colleagues or, more important, your boss. As the seconds tick away, you debate with yourself whether your idea has enough merit to share it with the group.

Courage seems like a strange word to associate with the average employee. Policemen and soldiers need to be courageous. But does the average employee holding down an office job need courage?

Yes!

Courage is important every day at work. All of us are pulled in a variety of directions every day at work. Our decisions get questioned. Our motives are second-guessed. Our choices are scrutinized. Our ideas are analyzed. And each new day it takes courage to make new decisions, make new choices, and share new ideas.

I was speaking with a colleague the other day. She told me that at times she found it difficult to defend her position when challenged. It was hard for her to stand up for herself even when she knew she was right. Worse yet, when she did choose to vigorously defend herself, she often felt guilty later and found herself apologizing to her adversary. Let me say that again, she stood up for herself, she was right, she felt bad, and she apologized.

My advice was simple. You must have the courage of your convictions. (There’s that word again — courage.) At work, as in your personal life, if you state a reasonable position, you have the right to defend it. You don’t have to feel bad about having an opinion. You don’t have to apologize for sharing your ideas. You don’t have to feel guilty for disagreeing with your colleagues. Stand up for what you believe in. Be courageous.

A lack of courage can afflict anyone at work. The young person who worries that he might embarrass himself if he speaks up because he lacks the experience of others in the room. The veteran who has taken a few chances that haven’t paid off and is now “gun-shy” about putting herself out there again.

But to be successful, you have to have courage. You have to be willing to put yourself out there. You must be willing to take some chances. The only way you’ll get recognized for having ideas and opinions is if you share them with others. To be valuable to the organization for which you work, you must make contributions. To make contributions, you must speak up, share your thoughts, take some risks — and all of this takes courage.

As a manager you must encourage risk-taking, applaud new ideas, and create an environment where your people are comfortable sharing their opinions. You must encourage, even inspire, the people you lead to be courageous. The best way to do that is to be courageous yourself. Do what you’re asking and expecting of them. Lead by example.

“It takes as much courage to have tried and failed as it does to have tried and succeeded.” Anne Morrow Lingbergh.

Oh, by the way, you won’t always be successful. There are times when you speak up and you are flat wrong. You will have bad ideas. You will try things that don’t work. No one, and I mean NO ONE, is successful all the time. So when you fail, and you will fail, that’s when courage will be the most important and, likely, the most difficult to come by. That’s when you need to summon your courage and continue on.

Courage is critical to everyone’s success. You don’t have to work in a profession that puts your life at risk to benefit from displaying courage in the workplace. Dare to be courageous at work, it will serve you well. Heed Twain’s words. Don’t get to the end of your career and regret what you didn’t do. Have courage so you can look back on your career without the “what if’s” and “might have been’s.”  Courage is the difference maker.

I was in a meeting the other day where a new marketing plan was presented. The persons who developed the plan put considerable thought into the approach and its merits. They had a great deal of experience with similar situations and had successfully dealt with them. And they were convinced that the plan they were recommending was the best course of action.

But there was one huge glaring problem with the plan — it did not contain a single benchmark that would allow the results to be evaluated. Since it was a marketing plan, I expected to see projections on the impact this change in strategy might elicit. Maybe a comparison of historical marketing expenditures and their effectiveness compared to the projected effectiveness of the new plan. Would we be spending less while generating the same number of new customers? Maybe we’d be spending 20% more but the result would be a 50% increase in revenue. Give me something as to why you’d suggest this plan over the current marketing plan or the dozens of other concepts you may have considered and discarded.

We got zip. Nada. Nothing.

When it was suggested that it was hard for the group to evaluate a plan that doesn’t include a single projection, number, or benchmark, the people who had conceived of the plan acted as if the thought had never occurred to them.

Suggestion #1: Never, ever, ever present a plan that cannot be measured. It’s the surest way to get a new plan shot down — even if the plan itself is sound.

Suggestion #2: If you work in an organization where you can present a plan that cannot be measured and get it approved, don’t celebrate your good fortune. Instead, run. If you’re working for an organization that is willing to expend precious resources without any accountability for the results, my guess is that the organization’s likelihood of success isn’t all that great.

Back to my story. While those who had hatched the new marketing plan readily admitted that it was a worthy idea to add some benchmarks so the plan could be evaluated down the road, they weren’t really necessary in order to approve this plan.

You might be wondering, as I was, what had allowed them to arrive at this conclusion. Well, I asked the question, “Why do you think that including projections in this plan is really unnecessary?” The answer came quickly, “Because this plan is much better than the status quo.”

Now I must admit that the existing marketing plan, or maybe it was the complete lack of an existing plan, wasn’t producing stellar results. And, I’d be willing to admit that the new plan would likely improve on the current results. So was this plan better than the current plan? Probably, even though we were never given any data that would support that claim. Not a single comparison of projected results versus the historical results under the current plan.

Was it the best plan for the organization? I have no idea. There was certainly more than one new direction in which the business could head. We weren’t presented with a number of options and then shown, quantitatively, why this one was being recommended above the others. We didn’t even hear that other plans were considered before arriving at the one being presented.

My advice to the presenters? First, focus on the desired outcome. What is it that you’re trying to achieve? What is your goal? Once you have that in hand, you work backwards to see if it’s possible and, if so, how you would achieve it. And, by the way, how long it will take to get to the goal.

All of this takes data. You must know what results you’re attempting to effect. Once you know what your current results are and how you’d like to see them change, you’re well on your way to a plan containing the proper benchmarks that will you allow you and others to measure the results.

Don’t present a plan that can’t be evaluated. Don’t present a plan without data that both substantiates its merits and the desired results you hope to achieve. Figure our first where you want to get and then decide the best route for getting there. You’ll be much better off than heading down the road not knowing where you’re going, just glad to be anywhere but here.

President Obama and Democrats across the country must be asking themselves and each other, “How did this happen?”

My advice to Democrats is that they must not ask the “how” question but the “why” questions. Why would one of the most liberal states in the Union, one that did not have a single Republican representing it in Washington until last night, choose a Republican to fill Kennedy’s vacated seat? Why did a large lead by the Democratic candidate evaporate over the last few weeks? Why did a visit from President Obama on the candidate’s behalf do little to change the outcome of the race?

It appears to me that the President and Democrats in Washington have overestimated the mandate for change that they received from voters in the 2008 elections. They misread what voters were looking for when they claimed control of both the Senate and the House, as well as the White House. Those Democrats, who ran on the message of change, didn’t deliver the changes people were looking for.

The most telling sign of this is the health care bill that has so dominated both Houses of Congress for the past six months. Both the House and the Senate have managed to approve a health care bill despite the majority of voters being against the plans put forward by Congress. President Obama has stood behind health care reform despite voters’ increasing dissatisfaction with the bills and has paid a steep price as his job approval ratings have fallen.

So let’s look at this from an employee/employer relationship. You, Mr. Voter, are the employer. You have hired Mr. Obama and your senators and representatives to do a job for you in Washington. Mr. Obama and the Democrats have controlled two of the three branches of government for a full year now.  It’s time for their one-year review, and the special election in Massachusetts shows the results of that review for all to see. Here’s what I think the Democrats should have learned:

We wanted to see change and hired you to bring change to the country. We did not provide a blank check for every program. While the economy continues to struggle and unemployment is in the double-digit range, you’ve focused on health care reform that will cost American taxpayers billions of dollars. Do you remember, “It’s the economy, stupid”? Your party delivered that line not that many years ago. How soon we forget. First things first: Get me back to work. Restore my confidence in the American economy before you pursue the rest of your agenda.

You promised the end of partisan and “insider” politics. Instead, your bosses see more of the same, and it’s amplified by the fact that the Democrats had what they thought was a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. You’re cutting special deals with your colleagues in places like Nebraska to push your health care reform through. If you can’t get your own party to agree and have to coax them with special favors, then maybe the bill isn’t all that great. Massachusetts voters have said, “We want a bill that both sides of the aisle can agree on.” Now you’re forced to cooperate with the other party to put forward a piece of legislation that works for everyone.

Listen to your bosses. Voters have been telling you what they think about your health care reform in poll after poll taken of the American people. But you think you know what’s best for us, instead of representing us in the fashion that you were hired to do. Remember, he who hires you can also fire you. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been on record as saying that losing some seats in the House to pass the bill is a cost she is willing to pay. In other words, “if a few of us get fired over this, it’s worth it.” It appears that Mr. Voter is ready to pass out some pink slips in the next election.

When you’re in power, you might get the credit but you also get the blame. You asked for the responsibility when we hired you, and now you’ve got it. Now I must say that the Republicans aren’t any more popular than the Democrats, in fact they are less so. But Massachusetts voters weren’t looking at party. Instead, they were trying to make sure the process works the way it’s supposed to. The two-party system brings balance. There must be give and take. If one party has too much power, the voters are sure to bring that back into line, which is exactly what happened yesterday in Massachusetts.

What happens next? If the Democrats are smart, they’ll start to move toward the middle and govern in a less partisan way. It’s what the American people want, and it shows in the message they sent yesterday. And what about health care reform? My guess is that President Obama has spent a good deal of political capital on this and would like to get something through. If the Democrats are smart, they will work with their brethren from the other side of the aisle to come up with a plan that will fix a problem looking for a solution, but one that we can afford as a country. But who knows what tomorrow will hold? After all, Massachusetts just elected a Republican.

People get caught up in what people say — especially if they say it well. Consider that some of this country’s most successful politicians, including  a number who sat in the Oval Office, were first-class orators. John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan were excellent communicators, as is our current President Barack Obama.

But isn’t it what they do, not what they say, that really matters?

Throughout my career I’ve had colleagues who will say about a vendor who has disappointed, “But, he promised he’d be able to deliver exactly what we needed.” Just because you encountered a likable, well-spoken salesperson doesn’t mean the company will be able to do what you need them to do.

Or what about the conversation you have with a hiring manager, after they had to fire an employee after three months on the job saying, “But she said she was really experienced in the field.” Some people will say anything to get a job, especially in this economy.

Here’s some advice, trust but verify. This old Ronald Reagan adage is something every manager should live by — especially when it comes to people who make big promises. In our politically correct world, people often hesitate to question others’ motives or challenge what other people say. They’re afraid they are going to offend someone so they say nothing. The customer doesn’t probe the vendor, asking for examples of other jobs they’ve completed successfully. The hiring manager doesn’t thoroughly check the references of a job candidate and instead relies on the resume and what the candidate says in the interview.

Trust but verify.

There’s another type of talker that can also lead to trouble. That’s the person who only tells you half of the story — often the half they want you to hear. Recently I was engaged in a negotiation in which our side and our counterpart in the other organization spent weeks hammering out a deal that everyone felt they could live with. The other party generated a term sheet that we reviewed and accepted. However, when the agreement arrived we were surprised to find that there were a number of items in it that had never been discussed or agreed upon.

Why they chose the legal document to present new items that had not previously been discussed I’ll never know. Were they reluctant to raise these issues because they felt we’d spent so much time on other items? Did they really believe these items weren’t important? Or were they trying to slip a few things into the agreement to see what they could get away with? I’ll never know the true answer, but I’ve lost a degree of trust in them and am glad we verified the document.

Again, a little probing, a few more questions will often help you get the whole story. You can’t be afraid to ask for the details. Be specific in your questions. Be skeptical, especially with those who are unproven to you. Remember, trust must be earned. Don’t give yours away so freely that you suffer the consequences. A little skepticism is healthy.

And what if you’re “suspecting” nature offends someone? Let me say that anyone who is genuine and honest appreciates someone being thorough. Think about it. It helps them out. The truly honest and reputable prefer the other side to be cautious because their honesty and reputation will set them apart. The job candidate who readily provides quality references hopes that you call them all and hear all the great things that will be said about her. The vendor who has a long list of satisfied customers wants you to talk to them to hear how great the vendor has performed time after time. That’s how they’ll win the job or the contract. The person who is offended that you’d question the integrity of their resume or what they’ve told you is exactly the person you don’t want to hire!

If you watch what people do more than you listen to what they say you’ll be better off every time. You want to be associated with people who “walk the walk,” not just “talk the talk.” And you want to be that person too.