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Skills

Top Leadership Challenges

When leaders are doing their best, they Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, and Encourage the Heart.–James M. Kouzes

Many studies have been conducted about leadership challenges, and most have quite a few commonalities:

  • Developing effective leadership skills
  • Managing through change
  • Consistently recognizing and rewarding accomplishments
  • Inspiring others
  • Communicating goals and how they can, and must be, supported
  • Building trust within teams and across organizations
  • Being aware of, and having the skills, to address conflict

That’s a relatively short list.  Which do you find most troublesome? Which challenges would you add?

As leaders, we need to be self aware. How do we see ourselves? How do we show-up? Next is the tough part, how do others see us? Answering these questions may add to our personal list of challenges.

To SELF ASSESS, ask yourself:

1.    What’s the purpose of my leadership?
2.    Would my staff feel that I’m committed to their improvement?
3.    Do I feel I make a real difference and feel valued? Would my staff agree?
4.    Do I create and maintain relationships that help the organization thrive and obtain results?
5.    Do I know what’s expected of me and do I deliver on those expectations?
6.    Do others know what I expect of them?
7.    Are my priorities clearly communicated and supported?
8.    Do I take sufficient action to improve individual and team performance?
9.    Am I committed to self development?
10.  Is going to work enjoyable? (at least most of the time?)
11.  What keeps me up at night?
12.  What are my challenges and what am I doing do address them?

As we’ve said before, being a leader is not easy and requires courage. Did you discover anything new from the assessment?

Name at least one leadership challenge you’ll begin to develop, starting today!

If you want to have a significant impact on people, on organizations, and on communities, you’d be wise to invest in learning the behaviors that enable you to become the very best leader you can.
—James M. Kouzes

Engagement and Workplace Relationships

Sustaining high degrees of employee engagement and developing future organizational leaders is at the forefront of human capital challenges.—SHRM 2017

Would you be surprised to learn that relationships with coworkers was the #1 factor for determining employee engagement levels?

What about that the single highest scoring component for a “want” in the workplace was for the “Respectful treatment of all employees at all levels”? (65%)

The other high scoring components were Compensation and Trust (both scored 61%), Job Security (58%), followed with the Opportunity to Use Skills and Abilities (56%).

SHRM’s survey also discovered that only 38% of U.S. employees were very satisfied with their jobs.  This is daunting as side effects are many.  When satisfaction levels are low, expect high attrition, reduced productivity, lower work quality, sagging morale, and minimal collaboration, inspiration, and accountability.

Other interesting findings included:

  • Only 38% of employees “very satisfied” with the level of respect at work
  • 26% were “very satisfied” with their compensation
  • 33% were “very satisfied” with the trust between employees and senior management
  • 36% were “very satisfied” with their Job Security
  • 44% were “very satisfied” their Opportunity to Use Skills and Abilities

Another study showed that employee turnover is higher than it’s been in ten years, and the cost is equated at $160 billion a year (for U.S. companies alone).  This study also reported that  high performers deliver up to 400% more work than a worker that it is considered “average”.

As leaders, we have the ability to influence, and even increase most of these numbers. It’s up to us to set the standards, to utilize leadership behaviors that we hope others will emulate, and take action against the behaviors that are inappropriate or impact satisfaction levels.

We need to encourage interactions, collaboration, and inclusiveness; we need to set the stage for sharing and building on the inspiration and ideas of others, and to work together to make them even better.  We also need to acknowledge contributions and create a culture that everyone feels they are a part of.  We need to value differences (skill-sets, styles and behaviors), and we need to leverage the talents and “magic dust” (strengths) of others.

Bottom line – don’t waste talent, and take the time to build and sustain strong relationships so engagement levels soar!

Employees want to feel good about their organization and what it offers the world. They want to be able to say, ‘I like what this company stands for.’ If employees do not believe in their company or do not believe the company can successfully uphold its brand or reputation, they are likely to look for a different job – Gallup News

Employee Loyalty?

Employees who have been pushed to the point where they no longer care, will not go the extra mile.—Brigette Hyacinth

Did you know that Gallup research found that 70% of an employee’s motivation is influenced by their boss?

We’ve shared stories before about why boss/employee relationships are critical, but the 70% statistic for motivating staff was higher than we expected. We’ve also shared tips for improving relationships and for creating loyalty in the workplace, but author Brigette Hyacinth provides even more:
1.  Connect with staff – Make your presence felt. Get to know your employees.

2. Show employees that you genuinely care. Show empathy when they have problems. Advocate for your team. Stand up for them when things go wrong.

3. Practice Open and Honest two-way Communication. Keep employees informed. Listen. Have an atmosphere where employees’ ideas and suggestions are valued and acted on.

4. Be fair and neutral. Treat everyone fairly. Lead by example. Be known as a person of integrity.

5. Empower Employees. Provide them with the proper tools, give them room to get the job done. Don’t micromanage!

6. Reward and Recognition – Offer incentives. Show employees how much you value and appreciate them. Reward staff for good work, be generous with “Thank Yous.”

7. Recommend employees for training and new opportunities. Acknowledge and encourage strengths, recognize different skills, and provide training and development opportunities.

How often have you heard “employees are your most valuable asset”? It’s said often because it’s true, however if the employee feels that this is a hollow statement, loyalty and commitment will be lacking.

Hyacinth concludes by saying “you can’t buy loyalty, but you can certainly foster and nurture it”.

No argument from us!

Employee loyalty begins with employer loyalty. Your employees should know that if they do the job they were hired to do with a reasonable amount of competence and efficiency, you will support them.–Harvey Mackay

Divisive or Inclusive?

The effect of leadership failure on any organization of people is the same: Polarization, instability, and if left unchecked, destruction.
–Steve Tobak

We continually provide tips and share stories about becoming a more effective leader, and we also discuss optimal behaviors and skill-sets that the strongest leaders possess.  Why?  Because if we don’t continually work at being our best, we may find that we have unintentionally created instability or uncertainty, and find that our team is floundering.

Effective leaders set the tone for their entire team/organization. They share their vision, mission, goals, and strategies, and they create and communicate a roadmap for reaching the desired point of destination.

They focus on inclusiveness. They communicate. They clarify how each colleague can contribute to achieving shared goals. They help everyone understand how and why they each have a role, helping minimize obstacles within the roadmap.

In Deloitte Insights, Juliet Bourke and Bernadette Dillon published The Six Signature Traits Of Inclusive Leadership:

SIX SIGNATURE TRAITS

  • COGNIZANCE – Bias is a leaders Achilles heel
  • CURIOSITY – Different ideas and experiences enable growth
  • CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE – Not everyone sees the world through the same cultural frame
  • COLLABORATION –  A diverse thinking team is greater than the sum of its parts
  • COMMITMENT – Staying the course is hard
  • COURAGE – Talking about imperfections involves personal risk taking

These concepts should sound very familiar.  We equate them to:

Awareness  – of self and others and the value provided
Continual learning – never get complacent or lose the desire to improve and listen to differing perspectives
Emotional Intelligence – understand the difference between IQ and EQ and leverage the strengths
Collaboration – working together to find a solution is a win-win
Accountability, persistence and commitment – don’t give up despite barriers or failures
Courage – We coined the term CourageAbility™ (and wrote a book!)

Is inclusive leadership part of your work culture?

QWIKTIPS – click to read why FEAR IS A BARRIER TO SUCCESS

Keep Them Happy!

The best way to retain employees is to stay in touch with what they’re thinking.
—Susan M. Heathfield

Even the best leader struggles with retaining top talent.  Quitting could be the result of life events (ex. career change, family needs), but most reasons are related to the organization itself.

In 2015 we shared the following 4 reasons why top performers quit:

1.   Reward System
2.   Management
3.   Hiring/Promotions
4.   Too Much Work

This year (2018), Human Resource expert Susan M. Heathfield has published what she views as the top ten reasons why employees quit:

1.    Relationship with the boss

2.    Bored and unchallenged with the work

3.    Relationships with co-workers

4.    Opportunities to use their skills and abilities

5.    Contribution of their work to the organization’s business goals

6.    Autonomy and independence on the job

7.    Meaningfulness of the employee’s job

8.    Knowledge about your organization’s financial stability

9.    Overall corporate culture

10.  Management’s recognition of employee job performance

Other studies report that a “bad boss” is the number #1 reason for quitting, but having a relationship with the boss is different. The employee wants feedback, direction, and recognition, with a desire for open lines of communication. Having trust in the relationship is also a plus!

Employees want a stable work environment and they want to feel their contributions are valued and meaningful for the success of their organization. They also want their contributions to be acknowledged.

They want a work environment where relationships exist between team members, and where team members collaborate and build on one another’s ideas.

What type of relationships do you have with your direct reports and peers? Do you know what makes them “tick’?  As a leader what more can you do to stay connected and retain top talent?

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

Click to obtain tips for STAYING IN TOUCH

Recruit and Retain with PRIDE

Research indicates that workers have three prime needs: Interesting work, recognition for doing a good job, and being let in on things that are going on in the company.
–Zig Ziglar

Recruit and retain talent. Those are two of the biggest challenges companies are facing today. It impacts performance, budgets, morale, and it certainly impacts results.

So why are people leaving?

A global survey of 10,000 people was conducted. Anne Holub, Money Magazine shares the following reasons:

  1. Because they didn’t have room to grow
  2. Poor leadership (note: other surveys rank this #1)
  3. Wanting better work culture
  4. Wanting more challenging work
  5. Wanted better pay
  6. Wanted better recognition at work

As leaders, we can help improve numbers 2, 3, 4, and 6. We may even be able to take action on #5. (#1 will vary greatly dependent on the industry and organization). So what can we do?

Improve Retention & Productivity With PRIDE

Business consultant Greg Smith has defined a five step PRIDE process to help with retention and productivity:

P    Provide a Positive Working Environment (links with #3 above)

R    Recognize, Reward and Reinforce the Right Behavior (links with #6 and #5 above)

I      Involve and Engage (links with #4 above)

D    Develop Skills and Potential (links with #1 and #4)

E    Evaluate and Measure (links with #2, #3, and #4

How much time do you dedicate to your team members? Do you have consistent monthly one on ones that address progress, obstacles, and accomplishments? Are you aware of desired career paths? Do you review and update development plans? Is feedback a two-way process? Do you leverage mentorships and cross training? Is your reward and recognition process consistent?

QwikTip

How can you use PRIDE to retain your organization’s talent?

QWIKTP BONUS READING – Rewards and Recognition

Assessment Time!

As we set our targets for 2017, it’s a good time for an assessment. Last week we shared a checklist to help you gain momentum, and now we suggest completing an assessment from an individual perspective, as well as for that of your organization.

It’s nothing fancy or new, but it helps with clarity and increases awareness. Take some time and reflect on:

  • What worked well in 2016?
  • What “misses” did you have in 2016? Why?
  • What changes were made in 2016?
  • What changes are required for 2017?
  • What behaviors helped individuals and organizations thrive?
  • What behaviors hindered achieving goals and creating stronger relationships?
  • What do you think your skill-set (from a people perspective) is strongest?
  • What areas require development? We’ve created a COMPASS; we recommend incorporating these key points into your assessment:

C     Clarity and Communication

O     Optimize Differences

M     Manage Change

P     Plan, Persist, Organize

A     Appropriately Handle Conflict

S     Sustain and Enhance Relationships

S     Skillfully Influence Others

QWIKTIP BONUS: Read more about PeopleTek’s COMPASS

Career Ambition: Obtaining Your Dream Job

Are you passionate about the role you play at work?

Have you set goals and identified tasks to better enable you to reach your 2 year, 5 year, and 10 year goals?  If not, create a plan now, market yourself, and identify the skills and behaviors you will require to obtain your dream job!

Career Ambition  = Passion, Skill, and Will

Champions are made from something they have deep inside.

A desire, a dream, a vision.  They have to have last minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will.  But the will must be stronger than the skill.
– Muhammad Ali

Seven items have been identified that impede individuals from obtaining their dream job (excerpts from For Your Improvement by Michael Lombardo and Robert Eichinger).

  1. Unsure of what career is truly desired.
  2. Bored, in the wrong organization, or in the wrong career.
  3. Unwilling to make sacrifices to get ahead.
  4. Unclear on how careers really work and how people get ahead.
  5. Inability to market oneself, stand out, get noticed.
  6. Hesitant to express career wants, needs and desires.
  7. Stuck in a comfort zone; unwilling to take a career risk.

How to get started:

-Assess your strengths and identify and take action on your weaknesses

-Obtain a mentor and establish a “board of directors” that will provide you with objective and meaningful feedback

-Identify your “dream job” options

-Step out of your comfort zone and don’t become complacent.

-Share and make your successes known to clients, peers, and bosses.

-Get a coach. They will help you determine what you really want and keep you focused on your dream.

Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
–Howard Thurman

BONUS – QWIKTIP – Follow this link to read why Passion Is Energy

4th Quarter Check-In

Can you believe we’re in the last quarter of 2016? That means we have less than 3 months to accomplish our goals and take action on leadership development plans.

NOW is the time to review organizational and personal goals, assess unfinished business, and begin planning for 2017.

Aim higher. Stay focused.
–Brandon Adams

4th Quarter Check-In Questions

  • Have achieved goals been acknowledged and recognized?
  • What targets have been missed or neglected?
  • What are your priorities for the next 3 months?
  • Does your organization have a talent retention plan?
  • Does it have leadership bench-strength?
  • Is technical savvy sufficient to keep abreast of changing times?
  • Have relationship enhancements occurred as needed?
  • Has action been taken on becoming more courageous leaders?

As a reminder, Courageous leaders:

  • Have and live a dream.
  • Document goals.
  • Commit to goals.
  • Understand personal and team strengths.
  • Communicate.
  • Address conflict.
  • Develop others.
  • Delegate.
  • Enhance a skill.
  • Remain controlled.
  • Give rewards.
  • Succeed and learn from failure.

Answering the questions listed above and utilizing the courageous leadership skills will position you to take appropriate actions to differentiate between IMPORTANT issues (those which contribute heavily to goals and objectives and have high value) from URGENT issues (those that require immediate attention but may not contribute to the success of meeting goals and objectives).

All of our behaviors are intended to support our goals, mission, and vision. Aim higher and stay focused!

BONUS – QWIKTIP – MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS ONBOARD

How to Empower Others

Organizations that empower folks further down the chain or try to get rid of the big hierarchical chains and allow decision making to happen on a more local level end up being more adaptive and resilient because there are more minds involved in the problem.

–Steven Johnson

Empowerment. This concept gained heightened awareness in the 1980’s / 90s for management and business administration with the intent to increase autonomy, responsibility, and levels of influence. It is also intended to minimize frustration and low self-esteem for those that have so much to offer and are prevented from doing so.

HOW TO EMPOWER OTHERS – Here are 6 Behaviors that will increase your leadership effectiveness:

1. Let go of doing the actual work; DELEGATE! Stop being a technician and allow those that need to do the work the time and space to actually perform and they’ll rise to the occasion. When I first started to delegate to others I always felt they never did the task as well as I did. WOW was that wrong. They did it better. Yes, at first they needed some time, coaching and feedback on how to perform better, but they learned and grew; I was truly impressed and never looked back.

2. Train others: You have to give others a chance and then you need to ensure they have the proper education/development to perform the task you’re requesting of them. If it’s sales then they need sales training on how best to serve the customers, how to understand their needs, how to listen and communicate. If they are a technician, they need to know the process and possess the tools/skills necessary to perform at their highest level and satisfy the wants of the customer.

3. Give feedback and Coach– How can anyone know where they stand unless they are given feedback on how they are performing? So many times a leader just goes back to either doing the work or giving the task to others. This prevents the new person from learning and growing. It also creates an increased workload for the more tenured/experienced team members resulting in burn-out.

4. Reward individuals (and teams) when they excel. Provide incentives for continual learning and growth opportunities. Additionally, provide incentives for those that become leaders of leaders, especially when they mentor and develop others.

5. Create a team where each team member utilizes their skills, abilities, and talent. They need to understand and leverage each others strengths, and they need to want to help one another develop areas of weakness. No one can act on their own. Everyone needs and requires help. Build a team where members hold each other accountable to the highest level of performance and where they refuse to settle for mediocrity.

6. Have fun and make it a game! Everyone wants to get joy out of their work. It’s up to you, the leader, to set the tone that the only competition is about satisfying the customer and achieving goals.Why not make establishing best practices and improving the work environment fun?

Get everyone involved in the process and create a culture that others want to be part of. To learn more about empowering others contact us.

Click here to obtain a tip for DEVELOPING OTHERS