Dear Leadership Lessons & Fred Factor Subscribers:

As you may know, and certainly will now, we publish two ezines through Sanborn & Associates: Leadership Lessons - observations and commentary on effective (and ineffective) leadership and The Fred Factor ezine - a guide to developing Fred's in business and life based on my best selling book, The Fred Factor.

As both of these ezines enjoy significant overlap in their subscriber base we've decided to offer each newsletter to our subscribers on a rotating basis. This month all of our subscribers will receive The Fred Factor ezine while next month each of you will be sent Leadership Lessons. If you'd like to continue receiving only one or the other, but not both, please email tom@marksanborn.com with your request.

We hope you'll give both a chance, we truly believe that each newsletter will help you in your efforts to become both a better and more effective leader as well as to develop leadership at every level and regardless of title within your organization ... and communities.

This month's feature article is titled, Principle 3.5: It discusses the power of committed individuals working together. We follow it with a powerful story of organizational change based on applying the principles of The Fred Factor. We hope you enjoy both!

Best always,

Mark

Apply the Power of Fred to Your Organization with The Fred Factor e-Coach!

Based on Mark Sanborn's best selling book, The Fred Factor, The Fred Factor e-Coach is a dynamic, interactive online training & coaching platform that delivers 20 lessons to guide you and your team through The Fred Philosophy of turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. You and your team will learn how to  provide more value at work, recognize strengths in others, set goals, build teams and much more. In each lesson, you'll be given a detailed action plan to perform each week that helps them achieve breakthroughs while participating in the program.

“What an inspirational, professional and fun site!  It reinforced key principles and concepts from the Fred Factor book in an easy, interactive way. It’s an EXCELLENT tool with unlimited potential!  Laura Schanz, e-Coach Participant

The cost of the program is just $195.00 for a year’s subscription and comes with a money back guarantee if not completely satisfied with the program. To learn more about the Fred Factor e-coach, go to http://fredfactor.assetlearning.com/OverView.aspx or call us at 800-650-3343

Article
Principle 3.5

When I speak to companies and organizations about The Fred Factor, I almost always include an extra idea I call Principle 3.5.

As you know, The Fred Factor book explains four principles for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. Principle 3.5 isn’t in the book.

Principle 3.5: The only thing more powerful than a committed
individual is a team of committed individuals. Work together.

The best organizations have many “Freds” in them. I’m a big believer in the power of an individual to make a positive difference, but when you get a group of like-minded people to working together, the potential is nearly unlimited.

Here are three things a team of Freds can share to better work together to make the ordinary extraordinary:

Support and encouragement

You support your colleagues when you notice their efforts and provide assistance with feedback, recognition and encouragement. A kind word can go a long way towards helping others to keep trying. Support and encouragement energizes a team

Example and Inspiration

Look for and describe examples of Fred-like behavior, within and outside your organization. It is better to see a real-life example than simply discuss an abstract concept. At team meetings, solicit examples. Pick a “Fred story of the week” that best exemplifies what you’re trying to accomplish in your organization.

Ideas and Implementation.

Share tactics and techniques that have worked. Regularly ask others, “What is working for you?” Explain what you’ve tried, what worked, what didn’t work and what you would do differently. Communicate ideas and implementation strategies.

This acronym may be familiar, but that doesn’t make it any less true. TEAM: Together Everyone Accomplishes More. Be a Fred, but also work to create a team of Freds.

© 2006. Mark Sanborn. All rights reserved. Please contact us if you'd like to reprint this article.

Fred @ Work
Finding FRED: How One Idea Revolutionized a Company

by Gabe Rodriguez

Let them HEAR your smile!

That is the mantra which drives one Jacksonville, Florida business.

Since 2003, CTI Resource Management Services, Incorporated, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business has provided Fast, Friendly and Efficient Support Services to government organizations throughout the world.   Priding themselves on the ability to provide clients with the best possible services– they have quickly established themselves as a premier government service provider.

Two years ago, when President and CEO Christopher Imbach heard about The Fred Factor from a mentor, it didn't take long for him to realize this was something that needed to be part of CTI.   "These principles are the foundation of our company," Imbach said.

In January 2006, CTI implemented the FRED of the Quarter and FRED of the Year award programs in order to recognize employees who exemplify FRED-like qualities to customers and co-workers.

Since then, CTI has recognized one Customer Service Representative (CSR) and one Team Leader every quarter.   Award recipients receive a letter of commendation from the president , a trophy, reserved parking, a FRED lanyard, paid time off, and a monetary award ranging from $200 for CSR's to $750 for Team Leaders.  At the end of a calendar year, quarterly winners become candidates for the Annual FRED award, recognizing the most outstanding team members and leaders. These individuals receive an additional $500 to $1000, as well as extra paid time off.  

Micah Redmond, the CSR recognized as FRED of the quarter, fourth quarter 2006, said he was both surprised and delighted by the honor. "I deeply appreciated the recognition," Redmond said. "The generous incentives really demonstrate the type of company CTI is and that motivates me to aim higher to help others."

Nominees are evaluated on how well they display FRED traits including:

Friendly to customers and fellow employees;
Reliable in attendance; can count on him/her;
Extraordinary performance of duty and attitude;
Dedicated to the mission of CTI, to making a difference and helping others;
Sound Leadership, setting an example through influential leadership

Selection criteria include company and community involvement, collateral duties and customer feedback. A selection board recommends FRED recipients based on a predetermined grading scale and the winner is chosen by the company President and Executive Vice President. Winners are announced in a formal awards ceremony each quarter.

The success of the recognition program can be attributed to the consistency in which the FRED culture is promoted.  “We strive to make FRED an integral part of the day to day operations of our company” Imbach said. 

From the moment they walk through the door everyone is reminded to be on the lookout for a FRED.  There are two engraved FRED recognition boards at the office entrance in addition to FRED signs in the break room. Supervisors take time to publicize FRED sightings on the company’s intranet site. 

New CTI employees are given their own personal copy of The Fred Factor and are required to attend a FRED Factor workshop where they can learn and discuss the FRED principles in detail. By creating a company filled with FRED’s, CTI is changing the face of government support services. 

Human Resources Director Dr. Todney Bynes best summarized the achievements of the program, “The Fred Factor principles have been instrumental to increasing our company morale and the FRED award is a great tool for recognizing employees.”  

Building relationships and creating value for others is paramount to the success of CTI.
It is their hard work and FRED-like determination that has put this company on the map and on the leading edge of business. 

Visit us on the web at www.ctirms.com

Here's an idea to recognize your Freds; purchase our Fred Factor certificates or, if you don't mind doing the printing yourself, download our fr*ee version online. It can be filled out and printed from within Adobe Acrobat or the Acrobat Reader.

Fred Stuff

Spread Fred with great Fred products from the Sanborn Store.

The best selling book that started it all.	NEW!The Fred Factor Audio book, read by Mark Sanborn, is now available. Listen to an excerpt.	The DVD Training Kit that will help you take your inner Fred to the next level with this self-guided course great for individuals or teams.	The Recognition Certificate is professionally printed and suitable for framing; recognize your Freds with this high quality award.
These and other great Fred products are available in The Sanborn Store.

Bonus Materials

• Download a PDF version of The Fred Factor Principles.
• Listen to (or download) Mark's interview on The Fred Factor with noted Atlanta Sportscaster, Bob Rathbun. (Listed as Audio Lesson)
• Recognize the Fred's in your life with our downloadable, and F*ree, Fred Factor Recognition Certificate (PDF). Or, you can purchase high quality, suitable for framing certificates from the Sanborn Store.

Fred Sightings

Some nice Fred 'citings' this month on the web...

• Barry Morrow, on his Finishing Well blog, posts a great review of The Fred Factor in a two part series that you can access at FinishingWell.com.
• Southern-fried home cooking and hospitality are the offerings of this Fred related to us by Jim Morris on his blog, Leadership Generation.
• Finally, find out how Ellensburg, Washington, is "igniting fires in their business community" using The Fred Factor.

If you see items about Fred or simply see Fred-like 'citings' in your local news, please send them our way. Thanks.