The real key to
engagement, emotional intelligence, is understanding how to communicate according to the behavioral
style of the person you are talking to. It is important that
feedback becomes the mainstay of any communication within an
organization. It is a two-way dialog that is the
responsibility of both the manager and the employee to provide feedback
in a timely manner that can support the company in this highly
competitive world. Proper feedback can provide enhancements in policy
and procedure, quality assurance, rapid responses to customer needs, and much more.
Here are a few guidelines for proper feedback:
Showing posts with label communication. Show all posts
Showing posts with label communication. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Stress and Leadership
Stress is part of any job, and being in a position of leadership can
add a certain level of constant pressure. Negative external stressors
like the economy and even positive stressors like rapid growth
can significantly add to the stress level in a leader’s life. And while
some level of stress is normal, too much stress can cause irritability,
poor decision-making and even take a toll on your health.
During
stressful times in an organization, a leader’s role becomes even more
important. Some leaders are naturally calm in the face of stress.
Others may withdraw. Some exhibit extreme emotion.
Everyone has a different style of leadership, and each person reacts in a different way when faced with stress. By examining our natural reaction to stress and how it manifests itself in our leadership style, we can equip ourselves with leadership qualities that are essential in stressful situations. This ability to adapt our leadership style to exemplify stability, control, and transparency will aid in successfully leading through stress.
Being able to manage through stress is so important in today’s workplace that leadership training organizations are beginning to build programs to help people learn to more effectively deal with stress in the work environment. Corporations are developing employee wellness programs centered around both physical and emotional health.
Most experts agree that the best ways to deal with stress include:
*How do others tend to react when you are dealing with a stressful situation?
*What tools or techniques have you found to be effective in managing stress?
Original post from http://blog.everythingdisc.com/380/stress-leadership/
During
stressful times in an organization, a leader’s role becomes even more
important. Some leaders are naturally calm in the face of stress.
Others may withdraw. Some exhibit extreme emotion.Everyone has a different style of leadership, and each person reacts in a different way when faced with stress. By examining our natural reaction to stress and how it manifests itself in our leadership style, we can equip ourselves with leadership qualities that are essential in stressful situations. This ability to adapt our leadership style to exemplify stability, control, and transparency will aid in successfully leading through stress.
Being able to manage through stress is so important in today’s workplace that leadership training organizations are beginning to build programs to help people learn to more effectively deal with stress in the work environment. Corporations are developing employee wellness programs centered around both physical and emotional health.
Most experts agree that the best ways to deal with stress include:
- First, identifying that you ARE under stress
- Becoming better at planning and managing your time
- Exercising, eating right, and getting enough sleep
- Having a relaxation program that might include massage, meditation or reading
*How do others tend to react when you are dealing with a stressful situation?
*What tools or techniques have you found to be effective in managing stress?
Original post from http://blog.everythingdisc.com/380/stress-leadership/
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Management reSOLUTIONS for 2012
Managers - Have you set your reSOLUTIONS for 2012 yet? It's not too late. Here are 15 suggestions for a more productive workplace and higher employee engagement!
- Be a More Effective Listener and a Better Story Teller
- Provide Feedback in a Timely Manner
- Get to Know Your People as More Than Employees
- Learn to Delegate and Begin to Cross Train
- Focus on Diversity and Inclusion for Productivity
- Be More Goal-Oriented
- Tie Your Corporate Business Strategy in with People's Values
- Be Consistent with Your Performance Management Process
- Realize Your Primary Role is to Develop People
- Prioritize Your Roles and Responsibilities Daily
- Manage Your Email and Turn Off Message Alerts
- Be Positive - Learn to have a "Positude"
- Find Opportunities to "Stretch" Your Skill Set
- Schedule Time with Yourself, Don't Multi-Task
- Establish Trust as the Foundation for All You Do!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Engage and Align Your Employees with Your Business Strategy
How do you engage and align employees and how do you go about it? Employee engagement is achieved by strengthening and developing the competencies and skill sets of your people coupled with a communication plan to clarify both the business strategy and workplace expectations.
That’s a tall order, you say? Here are 10 steps that can help you improve your employee engagement:
1. Focus on Development of a Communication Plan – this plan of action enables everyone to understand the overall business objectives and how their role and responsibilities relate to the strategy of your business.
2. Focus on Responsibility, Accountability and Self-Empowerment – encourage individual ownership of a project or task, and have each of your employees design a plan of action that will create the willingness by all to be held accountable.
3. Create a Goal and Results-Oriented Culture.
4. Use Appropriate Metrics to Measure Progress – Use a tiered system of goal-orientation both upward and downward toward your businesses goals.
5. Ensure Consistency by Thinking in 3’s – Three goals relative to the company, each department, and each person.
6. Monitor – Review compliance of the goal-oriented process and the results at all levels helps maintain your culture of goals.
7. Identify performance gaps – When a gap is spotted, determining which learning and training initiatives to focus on makes decisions easier.
8. Review Your Performance Management Process – Ensure your process maximizes the use of individual development plans to reinforce the overall goal-orientation plans.
9. Create an Internal Employee Action Marketing Plan – This compliments the achievement of your business strategy.
10. Revisit the Vision, Mission, and Purpose of Your Company - Upgrade if necessary.
It is important that HR Professionals focus on the Five C’s of Engagement to gain alignment. If you focus on the Five C's , you will certainly give your company the “Slight Edge”. In other words, a competitive advantage in this highly competitive global marketplace. It is time to realize that people can make the difference but only if they are totally engaged.
Richard Hohmann
Senior Vice President
Innovative Leadership
Phone: 609.390.2830
Cell: 609.980.0086
rohmann@innovativeleadershipdv.com
That’s a tall order, you say? Here are 10 steps that can help you improve your employee engagement:
1. Focus on Development of a Communication Plan – this plan of action enables everyone to understand the overall business objectives and how their role and responsibilities relate to the strategy of your business.
2. Focus on Responsibility, Accountability and Self-Empowerment – encourage individual ownership of a project or task, and have each of your employees design a plan of action that will create the willingness by all to be held accountable.
3. Create a Goal and Results-Oriented Culture.
4. Use Appropriate Metrics to Measure Progress – Use a tiered system of goal-orientation both upward and downward toward your businesses goals.
5. Ensure Consistency by Thinking in 3’s – Three goals relative to the company, each department, and each person.
6. Monitor – Review compliance of the goal-oriented process and the results at all levels helps maintain your culture of goals.
7. Identify performance gaps – When a gap is spotted, determining which learning and training initiatives to focus on makes decisions easier.
8. Review Your Performance Management Process – Ensure your process maximizes the use of individual development plans to reinforce the overall goal-orientation plans.
9. Create an Internal Employee Action Marketing Plan – This compliments the achievement of your business strategy.
10. Revisit the Vision, Mission, and Purpose of Your Company - Upgrade if necessary.
It is important that HR Professionals focus on the Five C’s of Engagement to gain alignment. If you focus on the Five C's , you will certainly give your company the “Slight Edge”. In other words, a competitive advantage in this highly competitive global marketplace. It is time to realize that people can make the difference but only if they are totally engaged.
Richard Hohmann
Senior Vice President
Innovative Leadership
Phone: 609.390.2830
Cell: 609.980.0086
rohmann@innovativeleadershipdv.com
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Communication Process to Drive Growth
Most companies are focused today on driving growth, as I’m sure you are with your business. Many don’t realize that to drive growth you have to start at the beginning with interviewing the candidate and end it with the exit interview or retirement dinner.
Your company needs to focus on hiring the people that will perform better and stay longer. Then, you must identify the high achievers at a very early point in their careers and the retention of these high achievers must be considered paramount to the organization. How do you do this? Employee retention starts with the on-boarding process or orientation. This is best opportunity to start the communication line, explaining the business strategy of the organization and how their role and responsibility provides value to that equation. Communication is the key ingredient for any leadership team to articulate where the company is heading and how they plan to get there. This is the best time to align your employees appropriately but most companies do not spend the time to do such.
The next step in the process is make sure the capabilities of your people can support your company’s strategy and create a competitive advantage; a slight edge as we like to call it. Last but not least, we have to hold our people accountable and in most cases we assign that role to our middle management team. It is their responsibility to structure reporting relationships and evaluate individual performance to ensure the desired business results. They are the ones that execute the strategy.
Companies need to construct a training and development process that enhances communication between the employee and management, improves individual productivity, enhances performance and makes a more effective organization that achieves its revenue goals. Human Resource executives must take responsibility for administering this training process and utilize this process to shorten the learning curve and make employees much more productive and engaged earlier. This will allow companies to achieve sustained growth during these difficult economic times.
Innovative Leadership helps companies connect their people success strategies with their business objectives to drive growth. It's time to get that process into place, we can help.
Your company needs to focus on hiring the people that will perform better and stay longer. Then, you must identify the high achievers at a very early point in their careers and the retention of these high achievers must be considered paramount to the organization. How do you do this? Employee retention starts with the on-boarding process or orientation. This is best opportunity to start the communication line, explaining the business strategy of the organization and how their role and responsibility provides value to that equation. Communication is the key ingredient for any leadership team to articulate where the company is heading and how they plan to get there. This is the best time to align your employees appropriately but most companies do not spend the time to do such.
The next step in the process is make sure the capabilities of your people can support your company’s strategy and create a competitive advantage; a slight edge as we like to call it. Last but not least, we have to hold our people accountable and in most cases we assign that role to our middle management team. It is their responsibility to structure reporting relationships and evaluate individual performance to ensure the desired business results. They are the ones that execute the strategy.
Companies need to construct a training and development process that enhances communication between the employee and management, improves individual productivity, enhances performance and makes a more effective organization that achieves its revenue goals. Human Resource executives must take responsibility for administering this training process and utilize this process to shorten the learning curve and make employees much more productive and engaged earlier. This will allow companies to achieve sustained growth during these difficult economic times.
Innovative Leadership helps companies connect their people success strategies with their business objectives to drive growth. It's time to get that process into place, we can help.
Monday, August 17, 2009
The Art of Delegation
According to most management publications, the primary responsibility of the manager is to get work done through other people. Too many times, the art of delegation is not looked upon as a most positive experience. It is considered “dumping” by many, and the reason for this attitude by the employee is the method in which the delegated assignment is presented. As a good chef would say, “it is all in the presentation”. In other words, the key to delegation is communication and training.
Practicing effective delegation is what makes delegation an art as opposed to a science. It is the most important if not the most effective technique for getting work done through other people. Hence the definition of effective delegation is the act of giving someone else the responsibility and authority to carry out an assignment or to represent you or your organization in a specific role. Some people expand the definition to include the sharing of responsibilities with others in the company where it is appropriate and logical.
It is important that you, the manager, has the right attitude in delegating. You must be willing to spend the time training people. You must remove the fear that often presents itself when you train someone to do exactly what you do. The fear that you will be replaced.
The truth is that effective delegation leads to opportunities for you, as well as your people. Most managers fail to monitor delegation because they don’t realize the importance of delegation in terms of the development of their people. The employee is anxiously awaiting direction, and if needed, additional training. People want to feel empowered and delegating brings you an excellent opportunity to do just that! It is important that you make feedback specific to behavior. You must make sure that the person to whom you are delegating takes ownership in terms of accountability and responsibility. Effective leadership generates productivity. The development of your staff can bring pain as well as joy. Delegation is one of the most valuable instruments to help initiate change.
Delegation is a skill that needs to be learned and developed. Most inexperienced managers have the most difficulty in mastering delegation skills. Be patient and as Vince Lombardi says, “Practice. . .Practice. . .Practice!” Success runs on empowerment of people, and empowerment runs on delegation. Looks like it's time to start delegating!
Practicing effective delegation is what makes delegation an art as opposed to a science. It is the most important if not the most effective technique for getting work done through other people. Hence the definition of effective delegation is the act of giving someone else the responsibility and authority to carry out an assignment or to represent you or your organization in a specific role. Some people expand the definition to include the sharing of responsibilities with others in the company where it is appropriate and logical.
It is important that you, the manager, has the right attitude in delegating. You must be willing to spend the time training people. You must remove the fear that often presents itself when you train someone to do exactly what you do. The fear that you will be replaced.
The truth is that effective delegation leads to opportunities for you, as well as your people. Most managers fail to monitor delegation because they don’t realize the importance of delegation in terms of the development of their people. The employee is anxiously awaiting direction, and if needed, additional training. People want to feel empowered and delegating brings you an excellent opportunity to do just that! It is important that you make feedback specific to behavior. You must make sure that the person to whom you are delegating takes ownership in terms of accountability and responsibility. Effective leadership generates productivity. The development of your staff can bring pain as well as joy. Delegation is one of the most valuable instruments to help initiate change.
Delegation is a skill that needs to be learned and developed. Most inexperienced managers have the most difficulty in mastering delegation skills. Be patient and as Vince Lombardi says, “Practice. . .Practice. . .Practice!” Success runs on empowerment of people, and empowerment runs on delegation. Looks like it's time to start delegating!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Manager vs. Man-Eater
I am starting to read articles in which many people have expressed an opinion that due to the tougher economic times, many managers and employees are starting to compete against each other in the work environment in unhealthy ways.
“Survival of the Fittest” has always been nature’s way of adjusting to the changes in the environment. Competition can be healthy or it can be destructive and it is important that the owner or senior management team, including the HR professional, focuses on the depth in which the competition presents itself. From past experience, we know that becoming “leaner and meaner” does mean that advancement opportunities are reduced and the workload per employee usually increases causing more stress in the work environment. Do we need to add a more competitive spirit to the equation or not?
Competition is one method many managers believe that can help individuals achieve their “real” or “true” potential. I am all for helping people reach their potential since most people believe that our capacity today is less than 10%, but competition is good as long as we can see the reason for our effort. Winning a race is a goal…..improving performance should be a goal. Competition may get us to the finish line in much less time than we ever imagined. This is good because we are getting closer to our potential.
What I see in many companies is this atmosphere of “competition” with no real goal defined. This lack of vision or visualization of the determined outcome must be classified as a communication disconnect. What happens too many times is that inappropriate behavior in the workplace becomes more evident as the competitive level rises. This “survival of the fittest” mentality takes hold and all the appropriate behaviors go out the window, like feedback in a timely fashion, recognition for something well done, and other basic collaboration practices.
When will we realize that when workers feel threatened, they usually don’t improve their performance but become disgruntled and belligerent? The worker becomes disengaged, discontented, and leaves the company.
Isn’t it time to focus on how we can better understand the employee by focusing on their behavioral style and communicate the organization’s objectives to them in a manner that is consistent and realistic? People need to hear the truth, understand the strategy of the leaders, and assume responsibility for their actions relative to the plan. They then need to set goals and set out to achieve them while monitoring their progress along the way.
“Survival of the Fittest” has always been nature’s way of adjusting to the changes in the environment. Competition can be healthy or it can be destructive and it is important that the owner or senior management team, including the HR professional, focuses on the depth in which the competition presents itself. From past experience, we know that becoming “leaner and meaner” does mean that advancement opportunities are reduced and the workload per employee usually increases causing more stress in the work environment. Do we need to add a more competitive spirit to the equation or not?
Competition is one method many managers believe that can help individuals achieve their “real” or “true” potential. I am all for helping people reach their potential since most people believe that our capacity today is less than 10%, but competition is good as long as we can see the reason for our effort. Winning a race is a goal…..improving performance should be a goal. Competition may get us to the finish line in much less time than we ever imagined. This is good because we are getting closer to our potential.
What I see in many companies is this atmosphere of “competition” with no real goal defined. This lack of vision or visualization of the determined outcome must be classified as a communication disconnect. What happens too many times is that inappropriate behavior in the workplace becomes more evident as the competitive level rises. This “survival of the fittest” mentality takes hold and all the appropriate behaviors go out the window, like feedback in a timely fashion, recognition for something well done, and other basic collaboration practices.
When will we realize that when workers feel threatened, they usually don’t improve their performance but become disgruntled and belligerent? The worker becomes disengaged, discontented, and leaves the company.
Isn’t it time to focus on how we can better understand the employee by focusing on their behavioral style and communicate the organization’s objectives to them in a manner that is consistent and realistic? People need to hear the truth, understand the strategy of the leaders, and assume responsibility for their actions relative to the plan. They then need to set goals and set out to achieve them while monitoring their progress along the way.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Congrats to New "Making of an Effective Manager" Graduates!
"The Making of an Effective Manager" focuses on giving your managers skills necessary to become 'high achieving' managers. Course Curriculum, View Available Classes
1st Row:
Mark Corey, Atlantic County Utilities Authority
Carolyn Conover, Atlantic County Dept of Intergenerational Service
Cindy Smith, Atlantic County Dept of Family Community Development
Terry Petruzzi, Atlantic County Animal Shelter
Karla Guy, Atlantic County Dept of Family Community Development
Audrey Alpheaus, Atlantic County Dept of Family Community Development
2nd Row:
Ryan Broadley Driscoll, Broadley Mechanical Contractors
Clarence Davenport, Atlantic County Dept of Family Community Development
Jeff Monroe, Atlantic County Dept of Human Services
Bob Ellis, Fitzpatrick, Bongiovanni, and Kelly CPAs
Not Pictured: John Hurff, Gleeson's Audio Video
"I just completed my last class tonight and I want to thank the ACUA for allowing me to attend this class. This class was spread out over sometime and I feel that this made it more of a learning experience over the time and I highly recommend this class for all the group leaders." - Mark Corey, Group Leader, ACUA
Mark Corey, Atlantic County Utilities Authority
Carolyn Conover, Atlantic County Dept of Intergenerational Service
Cindy Smith, Atlantic County Dept of Family Community Development
Terry Petruzzi, Atlantic County Animal Shelter
Karla Guy, Atlantic County Dept of Family Community Development
Audrey Alpheaus, Atlantic County Dept of Family Community Development
2nd Row:
Ryan Broadley Driscoll, Broadley Mechanical Contractors
Clarence Davenport, Atlantic County Dept of Family Community Development
Jeff Monroe, Atlantic County Dept of Human Services
Bob Ellis, Fitzpatrick, Bongiovanni, and Kelly CPAs
Not Pictured: John Hurff, Gleeson's Audio Video
"I just completed my last class tonight and I want to thank the ACUA for allowing me to attend this class. This class was spread out over sometime and I feel that this made it more of a learning experience over the time and I highly recommend this class for all the group leaders." - Mark Corey, Group Leader, ACUA
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
The Call from the Family
Several years ago, I attended a certification program for coaches titled, “Coaching the Small Business Owner”. The course was designed to provide how to coach a small business owner through the “rough waters” of small business ownership. The course demonstrated how superior coaching competencies could compliment the achievement of the small business owner. It was apparent that from the start, the small business owner wanted both a sounding board and a resource that would he or she could now call, “Coach”. Coaching is different than consulting and most consultants claim that there is no difference but that is an argument for a different day. Coaching skills coupled with strong business acumen are certainly the competencies needed to work with any business owner. The majority of small business owners are about to transition their business to other family members within the next ten years and most have not designed an “exit” plan or succession plan. It is really discouraging that most financially successful business owners don’t have a plan for transitioning themselves out and the family members into the decision – making roles.
The following facts are presented in The Pricewaterhouse Coopers Family Business Survey for 2007/08:
- One –quarter of the family firms in the survey are due to change hands within the next five years
- Half of those companies are expected to remain in the family
Yet almost half of all responding companies have no succession plan, and the percentage is even higher in small firms or those that have been in business for fewer than twenty years. - Eighty – four percent of the respondents aim to pass their companies on to their descendants compared to less than half of that in Europe and other areas of the world.
- Two –thirds of family businesses have no defined criteria for choosing which family members who want to take an active role in the company should be allowed to do.
- More than half also employ relatives without requiring them to compete for their jobs on the open market.
- More than two –thirds of companies in the survey had no procedures in place for dealing with disputes between family members
Remember, an effective succession plan assesses the company’s leadership needs, determines the positions needed to continue the achievement, and identifies the core competencies needed for those positions. In other words, who is going to assume the roles of the family members starting to leave through the back door?
The fact of the matter is that the small business owner is not a good planner. Most owners are great tacticians and manage the business on a day-to-day basis very, very well. After all, this is why most started the business. They were the best technician, and no one asked them if they were a good manager, or visionary. Now suddenly, they are asking their family members to be much more than they were. Many business owners have commented that they don’t have a high confidence level that the next generation can make it as successful as they did. The younger family member wants to know why their ideas and recommendations are not being readily accepted. Most wonder why the other is not listening to the other and why communication is becoming more difficult than ever. My listening skills have never been more tested. Both sides claim that they are not being listened to by the other nor do they feel that either is exhibiting any compassion, so communication has come to a standstill.
It’s seems to me that it is now time to call the “Coach”. Most businesses have their professional advisors like their lawyer, accountant and possibly a business consultant. Most family members have their own financial advisor, stock broker, counselor or whatever. The coach is now being asked to be the conduit between all of the above focusing on the new members of the family and the exiting family members. It becomes the role of the coach to assume the following responsibilities:
· Provide a communication channel for all parties
· Make sure effective and open communication is present
· Provide a fair assessment of the talent at the table
· Make sure everyone listens to “what” is being said and not “how” it is being said
· Confirm understanding and expectations
· Encourage participation
· Hold people accountable
· Monitor the implementation of ideas, policies, procedures, etc.
· Measure the results
· Celebrate successes
The above certainly looks like a Results-oriented model that I like to use in the coaching environment. I know that Business Coaching can provide an integral component to the transition or transformation of any small business between family members. Most family disputes are focused on the skills, competencies, behaviors, and knowledge demonstrated by the younger family members while the younger members are wondering when the elders will finally let go. The experienced ones are questioning their fortitude, knowledge, ambition, and energy while the younger ones are wondering if the experienced ones will ever let go of ways they have been doing business. It certainly appears to reflect the Definition of Business Insanity, “doing the same thing over an over, yet expecting different results”.
Sounds like we have to let the experienced owners transfer the positional authority to the younger generation and be willing to accept mistakes and just file them as a learning experience. It might also behoove the younger generation to ask questions and include the experienced ones in the problem-solving process. In reality, maybe the coach should focus the family more on how to better understand generational diversity and make the workplace an environment satisfactory to all. Good luck….and good coaching.
Richard Hohmann
For more information of succession planning (Exit Strategies) and Business Coaching, please call us for a complimentary Coaching Session or contact us
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Be Careful What You Ask For...
It was noted in a study conducted by International Association of Business Communicators that the top three non-financial reasons why workers leave their jobs are 1) opportunities for advancement, 2) work-life balance, and 3) more interesting work.
Why as a society, do we never get it right until we are hit over the head with a sledge hammer? We just don’t get the fact that the American worker no longer wants to do what management wants them to do. We are trying to teach them that as individuals it is the degree of which you understand self-leadership and your own growth potential predicts how you will foster your own success, as well as the success of others.
We are asking people to continue to search for things that are meaningful to them and things that help them manage themselves. People are trying to find the “right” work environment that compliments their beliefs, values and competencies. Isn’t this what EQ is all about? We basically tell people that if they want to play a vital role in the transformation of others or in the transformation of an organization as a whole, they must lead their own development. We tell them that they need to invest in themselves and to find joy in the journey.
We get them going and yet we are not always sure where they are headed. Human Resources, Management or whoever must be there to help them grow plus make sure their growth develops in conjunction with the growth of the organization. We ask them to find a purpose without giving them a purpose. Succession planning and career development are hot subjects in most HR publications, yet it appears that we have no clue on how to and why we should provide a developmental path of our future leaders. We don’t even communicate well yet alone provide leadership for them as demonstrated by their three non-financial reasons for leaving a job.
The management of companies today has to learn to communicate the real message to the employee. We have to share our business strategies with the employee and make sure we have some inkling of their career desires and if they feel our organization can provide them with the opportunities for success. Did you hear me….communicate the expectation or determine the underlying expectation of the employee? Do we ever ask the employee to tell us what “work-life” balance means to them? I honestly believe that work–life balance is a personal choice and should be left up to the employee not to the manager. It is the role of the manager to make sure if possible that we can satisfy that expectation or at least try to provide some measures that will help the employee reach their goals. How do you define “interesting work”? Did we ask in the interview if they were only interested in doing “interesting work”? We could have eliminated the third reason for leaving by just not hiring them.
Why is the management team of so many companies afraid to ask about the employee’s work expectations? Management certainly wants the employee to know what their expectations are……..it’s called performance management. I really think it is a misnomer….shouldn’t it be management performance? Let’s get with it….let’s try meeting on a one on one basis and defining “real” expectations. Interpersonal responsiveness by management should be the number one non-financial reason for leaving a company. It’s time for management to get out from behind their computers and met the people.
Why as a society, do we never get it right until we are hit over the head with a sledge hammer? We just don’t get the fact that the American worker no longer wants to do what management wants them to do. We are trying to teach them that as individuals it is the degree of which you understand self-leadership and your own growth potential predicts how you will foster your own success, as well as the success of others.
We are asking people to continue to search for things that are meaningful to them and things that help them manage themselves. People are trying to find the “right” work environment that compliments their beliefs, values and competencies. Isn’t this what EQ is all about? We basically tell people that if they want to play a vital role in the transformation of others or in the transformation of an organization as a whole, they must lead their own development. We tell them that they need to invest in themselves and to find joy in the journey.
We get them going and yet we are not always sure where they are headed. Human Resources, Management or whoever must be there to help them grow plus make sure their growth develops in conjunction with the growth of the organization. We ask them to find a purpose without giving them a purpose. Succession planning and career development are hot subjects in most HR publications, yet it appears that we have no clue on how to and why we should provide a developmental path of our future leaders. We don’t even communicate well yet alone provide leadership for them as demonstrated by their three non-financial reasons for leaving a job.
The management of companies today has to learn to communicate the real message to the employee. We have to share our business strategies with the employee and make sure we have some inkling of their career desires and if they feel our organization can provide them with the opportunities for success. Did you hear me….communicate the expectation or determine the underlying expectation of the employee? Do we ever ask the employee to tell us what “work-life” balance means to them? I honestly believe that work–life balance is a personal choice and should be left up to the employee not to the manager. It is the role of the manager to make sure if possible that we can satisfy that expectation or at least try to provide some measures that will help the employee reach their goals. How do you define “interesting work”? Did we ask in the interview if they were only interested in doing “interesting work”? We could have eliminated the third reason for leaving by just not hiring them.
Why is the management team of so many companies afraid to ask about the employee’s work expectations? Management certainly wants the employee to know what their expectations are……..it’s called performance management. I really think it is a misnomer….shouldn’t it be management performance? Let’s get with it….let’s try meeting on a one on one basis and defining “real” expectations. Interpersonal responsiveness by management should be the number one non-financial reason for leaving a company. It’s time for management to get out from behind their computers and met the people.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
All Employees Should Use Feedback to Create a Better Workplace
by Richard Hohmann, Senior Consultant and Vice President of Innovative Leadership
Everyone is talking about employee engagement. Everyone is trying to make every employee “emotionally well-rounded”. The real key to engagement, emotional intelligence, or whatever is the communication that is the result of your understanding of yourself and the behavioral style of the person you are trying to talk to. It is important that feedback becomes the mainstay of any communication within an organization. Communication is a two-way dialog that is the responsibility of both the manager and the employee to provide feedback in a timely manner that can support the company in this highly competitive world. Proper feedback can provide enhancements in policy and procedure, quality assurance, rapid responses to customer needs, and much…much more.
Everyone within a company should try to follow these guidelines for proper feedback:
1. Make feedback Routine – don’t wait to communicate a success story or a customer complaint, or whatever so that others are able to provide resolution if necessary in a timely manner…..make feedback part of your communication plan of action.
2. Make feedback yours – own the feedback by using personal pronouns like “I” and “We” and make sure the wording of your sentences eliminate any potential for “accusatory” comments.
3. Make feedback timely – it is so important and much more effective to offer corrective instruction or solutions immediately after the behavior or action in question rather than waiting hours, days, weeks or months.
4. Make feedback clear – make sure your feedback is understood both in the right context but also in regard to the recommended action. Everyone should be encouraged to speak up about any reservations or questions they may have with the feedback information.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Time For an Attitude Tune-Up
by Richard Hohmann, Vice President of Innovative Leadership www.InnovativeLeadershipdv.com
Spring is the time for an attitude change. Maintaining a positive attitude through the winter months can be difficult. In our leadership courses, we define attitude as “Habits of Thoughts.” A formulated attitude appears as the behavior of the individual performing a particular activity or action that may or may not be productive.
On the surface, attitude is the way you communicate your thoughts to others. A thought is sometimes described as mood and is your mental focus on the outside world. By focusing on things that are appealing to you, you see situations as either opportunities or failures. It is important to realize that attitude is the disposition you transmit to others at home or in the office.
A positive attitude is certainly the most priceless characteristic that one can possess. Positive attitude is the common thread of all leaders and successful business owners. It is important to see things from the inside looking out. By focusing on the positive factors of our environment, it is easier to maintain a positive attitude. We spend over half of our waking hours in the work environment. The workplace becomes a more pleasant environment when employees and managers exhibit a positive attitude. Workplace diversity, whether it is cultural or generational, can be rectified with a positive attitude. This can help communication with each other, even with a language barrier.
Success in the workplace depends on both your technical skills and human relations competencies. Building good workplace relationships must begin with a positive attitude. Everyone must understand that they have the capacity to be positive under any circumstances and the behavior they exhibit in conflict and communication is a direct result of their attitude. A positive attitude triggers enthusiasm in our self and in others. We devote a whole session to enthusiasm in our “Selling Strategies Course,” in regards to the development and maintenance of a positive attitude.
Do not underestimate the value of a positive attitude. It certainly helps generate higher energy and greater creativity. Attitude maintenance is a daily and weekly process that everyone should engage in. No matter how strong we think we are, we need to renew or tune-up our attitude.
For information on Courses and Workshops Available for Leadership and Communication Skills call Rich at 609-390-2830
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