What the Olympics Can Teach Us About Personal Accountability

Posted by & filed under Accountability, increasing personal effectiveness, Personal Effectiveness.

olympics photoThis week, much of the world has been tuned in to the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It’s inspiring to watch athletes in peak physical condition compete with the very best on a global stage. The discipline, commitment, and hard work that goes into just a few moments every four years is beyond what many of us can fathom. While we may have given up our dreams of competitive sport, though, there are lessons that Olympic athletes can teach us everyday about personal accountability. Here are some of our favorites:

  1. Stay focused. It’s nearly impossible to train for something that only happens every four years without laser focus. Success is built in the day-to-day, and Olympic athletes are constantly setting small goals to enhance their everyday performance and stay on track. Stay focused and accountable at work by setting daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals for yourself. How do you plan to achieve those goals over time?
  2. Stay in your lane… Often times, we lose the race (and lose our credibility) when we get distracted by what our competitors are doing. Healthy competition is a bedrock of a motivated business, but don’t let your detractors or other businesses in your sector dictate your everyday actions.
  3. …but keep your ears open. US Olympic swimmer Lilly King made international news this week for calling out a Russian competitor for using performance-enhancing drugs. She has already received some criticism for breaking the culture of silence that surrounds athletes when it comes to doping, but her experience shows that it’s important to pay attention to the vocal critics within your own organization. While not every rant by a disgruntled employee guarantees a policy change, consistent feedback and critique can damage your credibility. Show your team that you’re willing to listen and make changes that benefit all.
  4. Maintain that team spirit. The most successful athletes are those that can perform well individually but also lend their talents to team competition. Think of swimming or track relays, or the all-around gymnastics competition, or other team sports like basketball, water polo, or soccer. Focus on doing the best that you can do personally, but also consider how you might be able to support your team.

Leaders with the most impact are those who can build and successfully manage great teams. Every day, we help our clients and colleagues achieve their highest levels of professional presence and personal effectiveness. That includes everyone on the ladder, from company presidents to project managers to staff members. Contact us at 800-282-3374 to find out how we can help you impact your own productivity and the productivity of your entire organization.

Employee Development Systems delivers results-oriented training programs that increase productivity, effectiveness, & performance.

 

Photo by akiwitz via Flickr

Making Good Behaviors into Successful Habits

Posted by & filed under Accountability, increasing personal effectiveness, Personal Effectiveness.

habit photoJust as we’ve all had bad days at work, we’ve all had good days. Think of days when everything actually went according to plan, when you felt tremendously effective and efficient. Was it just the universe aligning, or did you have a substantial impact on your own success? It’s probably the latter. Choosing effective behaviors can dramatically change outcomes and results. Inspired by our own Increasing Personal Effectiveness program, here’s how you can develop behaviors into habits and bring about many more good days.

If you find yourself in stretches of “bad” days, try paying attention to your feelings and to your internal monologue. What kinds of messages do you repeat in your mind? Being aware of the overall tone of these feelings can help you attempt to change them. It’s a simple shift, but a difficult one. It takes commitment and honesty with yourself to convert “I’m really not looking forward to today” to “I’m ready for today’s challenges.” However, that’s an important step to take.

On the other side of the coin, honestly assess what makes a good day work. How were you at your best on that day? Did you feel more organized than usual? Did you communicate better with your team and your colleagues? Were you better able to focus on the work you had to accomplish? Try to figure out what went right.

Once you’ve figured out some of the behaviors that make you feel better and work more effectively, try incorporating those behaviors into a daily routine. Beginning your day by making a list, taking a mid-morning walk around the office to greet your team, setting aside a few minutes each day to follow up on unanswered e-mails — whatever it may be, adopt habits that give you a sense of personal ownership in your work. The goal is to feel accountable for how your day is going and to take pro-active steps to create your own success.

Interested in learning more about developing effective work habits and strengthening your sense of personal ownership in the office? The Increasing Personal Effectiveness program provides practical tools to use in day-to-day interactions that create and sustain personal effectiveness, leading to higher productivity in the workplace.

Photo by Virtueel Platform 2006-2012 via Flickr

Four Habits of Credible Leaders

Posted by & filed under Active Listening, Leadership, Performance Management.

employees photo Credibility is the cornerstone of strong leadership. If a leader isn’t viewed as trustworthy or dependable, his or her relationship with the team will suffer, leading to poor performance and a toxic work culture. Interested in strengthening your credibility with your team? Check out these tips from our Leading with Credibility program:

 

  1. Believe. Credible leaders have faith in their company, its goals, and its ability to succeed. When leaders believe, they make forward-thinking decisions and aren’t deterred by fear during difficult times. Credible leaders also believe in the intelligence and commitment of their employees, trusting their own hiring decisions and allowing competent team members to flourish.
  2. Be honest. Leaders need to be trustworthy, and this quality comes from telling the truth, always. Good leaders acknowledge their own weaknesses and offer transparency in all areas of their business. They also don’t mince words: feedback is kind yet direct.
  3. Listen. As we’ve mentioned before, an important key to developing strong relationships with employees is truly listening to what they have to say. Credible leaders aren’t intimidated or threatened by the honesty of their team members, and they actually seek it out to address issues that might affect the business’s productivity and success.
  4. Follow through. In all interactions, do what you say you will. Don’t let promises fall through the cracks—not with clients, not with colleagues, and not with staff. Find a system to help you stay organized, set reminders, and communicate often. The people who work for you will feel valued knowing you’ve remembered your commitments to them, and you’ll be viewed as a dependable leader who practices what you preach.

Leaders with the most impact are those who can build and successfully manage great teams. Every day, we help our clients and colleagues achieve their highest levels of professional presence and personal effectiveness. That includes everyone on the ladder, from company presidents to project managers, to staff members. Contact us at 800-282-3374 to find out how we can help you impact your own productivity and the productivity of your entire organization.

Employee Development Systems delivers results-oriented training programs that increase productivity, effectiveness, & performance.

 

Photo by Chris Hunkeler via Flickr

Workplace Professionalism in the Age of Social Media

Posted by & filed under Actively Engaged Workers, Corporate Culture, Leadership, Professional Presence in a Casual World.

social media photoWhen we hear leaders lament the decline of professionalism in the modern workplace, many times their complaints fall under the category of millennials and technology. Employees spend too much time on their cell phones or spend work hours on social media or chat. Yet in the age of tech, when successful businesses often have a social media presence, it’s not possible to limit access to technology entirely.

So how do we encourage our teams to use technology responsibly and professionally in the workplace? Here are a few guidelines and best practices.

  1. Set ground rules up front. For many entry-level employees, their first jobs out of college are tremendous opportunities for learning and growth. While you have every right as a leader to expect professionalism from your employees, many new members of the workforce may not have received training in appropriate work behavior. Communicating your rules about behavior from the beginning (no personal calls, no Facebook or personal e-mail from work computers or outside of break times) may seem a bit pedantic or micromanaging, but will likely provide better outcomes in the weeks and months to come. Clear policies and consequences for violating the rules should be expressed up front.
  2. Model appropriate behavior. If you don’t want to sacrifice productivity to your employees’ tech habits, think about how you set the tone for your workplace. Do you scroll through your Facebook feed during staff meetings? Do you bury your nose in your phone when you should be working? Modeling ideal workplace behavior will show your employees that you practice what you preach and that you value the right times to use (or not use) social media.
  3. Think twice before blocking social media access. Using firewalls to block social media websites can help abuse in the short term, but it also sets a dangerous precedent that threatens team cohesiveness. Firewalls suggest to employees that you don’t trust them, and they’ll resent not being able to access websites of their choice during lunch breaks. It can also potentially hamper your business’s ability to remain relevant in the age of social media and limit your employees’ potential to serve as ambassadors for your company and brand.
  4. But also think twice before “friending” employees on social media. While this decision often follows the traditions and culture of the workplace, it’s best to remind employees (and keep in mind yourself) that maintaining boundaries at work is sometimes a good thing. Looking to connect with employees online can result in seeing things you (or they) weren’t intended to see, which could potentially influence your professional relationship. Sometimes it’s better not to know.

As social media becomes a vital part of doing business in the modern age, it’s important to remember that millennials are incredibly “at home” online. Given that parameters and policies for workplace professionalism are clearly communicated, businesses are recognizing the immense value that younger, tech-savvy workers bring to their business. Leaders just need to stress the importance of using that knowledge for good.

Leaders with the most impact are those who can build and successfully manage great teams. Every day, we help our clients and colleagues achieve their highest levels of professional presence and personal effectiveness. That includes everyone on the ladder, from company presidents to project managers, to staff members. Contact us at 800-282-3374 to find out how we can help you impact your own productivity and the productivity of your entire organization.

Employee Development Systems delivers results-oriented training programs that increase productivity, effectiveness, & performance.

 

Photo by Jason A. Howie via Flickr

Want Employee Engagement? Create a Culture of Listening

Posted by & filed under Active Listening, Communicating To Manage Performance, Feedback, Leadership.

feedback photoIt’s no surprise by now that engaged employees are the “secret sauce” to a company’s productivity, performance, and overall success. When team members feel invested in company culture, they find personal meaning in their work. This often translates to better outcomes as they’re more responsive to challenges and can foresee and head off potential problems before they manifest.

But increasing employee engagement doesn’t end with hiring superstars. It’s also about creating and maintaining a culture that makes them feel valued. As we’ve discussed before, honesty is one of the most valued characteristics of a successful leadership team. And one of the best ways to develop a foundation of trust is to show your employees that you’ll listen to what they have to say – the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Here are a few steps to creating a listening culture:

Seek constructive yet honest feedback. Think of popular rating websites like Yelp, Glassdoor, and Amazon. People love sharing their opinions on everything from shoes to restaurants to local businesses. The same goes for their places of employment. Make it easy for your employees to have their needs and suggestions heard internally before those opinions go public. Offer anonymous surveys, have suggestion boxes, or seek employee input on decisions that are likely to affect them the most. Removing all barriers to giving feedback helps to keep communication lines open.

Ask and listen for positives (and offer them, too). Just as we offer constructive feedback in the form of praise and suggestions for improvement, encourage your team to do the same. Ask them what’s going well, what initiatives they’d like to see continue, what recent changes they’ve appreciated, what matters most to them about their work. It’s easy to fire off complaints in feedback surveys, but encouraging employees to assess your strengths and weaknesses helps both of you to see what’s also going right.

Acknowledge and respond to feedback trends. Rather than feeling like their survey responses or feedback forms are heading into the ether, employees will feel valued if they know their responses are heard. Something as simple as an e-mail titled “Q1 Survey Results” that acknowledges trends or strong feelings might be helpful: “Several people expressed some anxiety about the timetable for Project X being too short. What are some ways we can better deal with this problem?” Even if you can’t make substantive changes to the issue, showing your team that you’re listening to their problems can go a long way. And soliciting possible solutions from the boots on the ground doesn’t hurt either.

Leaders with the most impact are those who can build and successfully manage great teams. Every day, we help our clients and colleagues achieve their highest levels of professional presence and personal effectiveness. That includes everyone on the ladder, from company presidents to project managers, to staff members. Contact us at 800-282-3374 to find out how we can help you impact your own productivity and the productivity of your entire organization.

Employee Development Systems delivers results-oriented training programs that increase productivity, effectiveness, & performance.


Photo by Sonti Malonti via Flickr

Leadership and the Genders

Posted by & filed under Communicating To Manage Performance, Communication, Leadership.

leadership and genderA great leader develops a firm and confident stance, can fully understand and articulate the vision of the company, and can inspire team members to follow the vision. All of this results in an effectively managed team functioning with a high degree of teamwork. Does any of this matter whether you are a male or female leader? Is there any connection between leadership and gender? Some very interesting statistics from the Pew Research Center[1] suggest some general viewpoints on the topic.

Leadership and Gender

For example, the top three traits that the American public sees as being the most important or that matter most are honesty, intelligence, and decisiveness. Organization and compassion pull up a firm second-level position. But are men or women perceived as being more honest? Is organization an individual trait or does it follow gender lines? Does the old idea that “Mother was always the compassionate one” hold true in leaders as well?

Research has shown that there are perceived advantages to each gender. Some see traits far more suited to women than men, and vice versa. As it turns out, 65% view women as more compassionate than men, and women appear to be viewed as the more organized and honest gender as well. Does this mean that women are better leaders? Not necessarily, but perhaps it does tell us of the perception of our team members (in general). It makes sense to consider these findings as learning tools for the perception team members may have of leaders, and to use that knowledge accordingly to adjust our leadership or management style.

Having a more compassionate heart toward your team may enable you to elicit efficiency in performance that advances the team’s productivity. At the very least, our teams will feel valued if we model our behavior after desired leadership traits.

But do the perceived trait differences in the genders impact the quality of leadership? Further research shows that in the end, gender does not matter. The top traits are unanimously shared across the genders. However, it doesn’t diminish the potential usefulness of modeling our leadership after the top traits based upon the gender make-up of our team. We can only add value to the effectiveness of our ongoing relationship with our team members.

[1] Pew Research Center, Social & Demographic Trends

 

Leaders with the most impact are those who can build and successfully manage great teams. Every day, we help our clients and colleagues achieve their highest levels of professional presence and personal effectiveness. That includes everyone on the ladder, from company presidents to project managers, to staff members. Contact us at 800-282-3374 to find out how we can help you impact your own productivity and the productivity of your entire organization.

Employee Development Systems delivers results-oriented training programs that increase productivity, effectiveness, & performance.

 

Photo by Fortune Live Media via Flickr

Only Human: When Leaders Fail

Posted by & filed under Communicating To Manage Performance, Communication, Leadership, Work Life Balance.

leadership failureLeadership failure happens at times to everyone. From General Custer’s Battle of Little Bighorn to Abraham Lincoln’s less-than-impressive military career to Margaret Thatcher’s poll tax, even very high-profile, famous leaders suffered from some fairly major failure at some point in their careers.

Failure in leadership can actually happen a lot easier than we think – even to those we see as the most successful! Why does it happen, and what can strategies can we continue to learn from some of these famous examples of leadership failure?

  1. Refine your focus. As leaders we should be focused on the Big Picture, not the minute details. When leaders lose that focus and shift to being the doers rather than the drivers of the idea(s), they can get caught up in micro-managing. This may cause them to lose their focus for the vision, as well as the support they’ll need from their team to make the vision a success.
  1. Improve in communication. All too often, when leaders fail it’s because they suffer from poor communication. Followers can’t implement a vision it if they don’t understand what it is! Team members need a clear, precise definition of the vision in order to buy into it and follow through on it.
  1. Assume appropriate risk. Beware being driven by fear of failing, rather than the longing to succeed. This can be crippling to leaders who cannot get out of their own way because they are so afraid of failing. Ironically, it is almost a sure-fire way to fail! Focus on outcome: it seems to be the most fruitful direction, and the one that successful leaders focus on.
  1. Maintain ethical standards. The highest principle of leadership is integrity. When ethics are no longer a top priority with a leader, he or she is more likely to lose credibility and trust within a team and with the client. Credibility is a balance between what a leader does (competency) and who a leader is (character). Make sure to develop both.
  1. Keep the fires burning. Leaders are known for taking care of the team, and for ensuring the team continues forward in a healthy, positive manner. At the same time, leaders must be mindful of themselves and manage fatigue, stress, etc. to ensure that they too are healthy and positive.When leadership become a burden and not a fun and exhilarating role, the leader should analyze if there is something that can be done to mitigate the stress, if not move on. Eventually, the leader’s lost love for leadership bleeds down to the team as well.

Want to avoid leadership failure? Be self-aware! Pay attention to these signs and act to correct your situation and continue to lead successfully.

Leaders with the most impact are those who can build and successfully manage great teams. Every day, we help our clients and colleagues achieve their highest levels of professional presence and personal effectiveness. That includes everyone on the ladder, from company presidents to project managers, to staff members. Contact us at 800-282-3374 to find out how we can help you impact your own productivity and the productivity of your entire organization.

Employee Development Systems delivers results-oriented training programs that increase productivity, effectiveness, & performance.

 

Photo by State Library of Queensland, Australia via Flickr

Do Leaders Have Special Traits?

Posted by & filed under increasing personal effectiveness, Leadership.

leadership traitsSuccessful leaders have distinct traits that inspire their teams. They carry out their leadership roles with deep conviction and an acute awareness of the issues they and their team face on a daily basis.

Above all, they exercise leadership as stewards, sharing authority with their teammates and affirming that leadership is primarily about guiding and modeling behavior for others. A strong leader needs to have a foundation of integrity and vision to lead his or her group to the greater good. Interested in inspiring your team? Work on developing these key leadership traits:

  1. Self-awareness. Being self-aware enables you to have a full understanding of your capabilities and limitations, which is important when committing to future efforts. What projects are the best use of your time? Which are more easily delegated?
  1. Business acumen. Having business acumen makes you able to think critically about the goals and vision you set forth as a leader. You’ll be able to guide the team with precision because you hold the confidence to understand and envision outcomes.
  1. Relationship-building. Partnering with other firms, departments, and leaders requires you to be proficient at building relationships. It is very important to be able to carry out your vision with the support not only of your team but of your partners.
  1. Ability to create an inspired culture. Inspiration helps to motivate your team; it creates a spark and ignites creativity, and it creates a positive environment that encourages the team to perform because they feel invested in the vision.
  1. Agility and adaptability. Very few environments are stagnant, so as a leader you must be able to alter your actions and adapt to a changing environment at all times. Being able to adapt quickly to change is key.

Leaders with the most impact are those who can build and successfully manage great teams. Every day, we help our clients and colleagues achieve their highest levels of professional presence and personal effectiveness. That includes everyone on the ladder, from company presidents to project managers, to staff members. Contact us at 800-282-3374 to find out how we can help you impact your own productivity and the productivity of your entire organization by enhancing your leadership traits.

Employee Development Systems delivers results-oriented training programs that increase productivity, effectiveness, & performance.

 

Photo by pierret_christian via Flickr

Self-Esteem: The Key to Peak Performance

Posted by & filed under Accountability, Actively Engaged Workers, increasing personal effectiveness, Leadership, Performance Management, Personal Effectiveness, Time management.

self-esteem photoPerhaps the most important part of the role that your psychology has in determining your performance and behavior is the impact of your self-esteem in determining everything that happens to you. Self-esteem is the critical determinant of a healthy personality. When you like and respect yourself, you always perform and behave better than if you did not.

The more you like yourself, the more confidence you have. The more you like yourself, the more efficient and effective you are in each area of your life. Self-esteem is the key to peak performance. Your self-esteem is so important to your emotional health that almost everything you do is aimed at either increasing your feelings of self-esteem or protecting it from being diminished by other people or circumstances.

Self-esteem, the feeling of liking and respecting yourself, is the foundation principle of success and happiness.
The actionable part of self-esteem is called “self-efficacy.” This is defined as how effective you feel you are at doing or accomplishing a task or job. When you feel that you are really good at something, you experience positive feelings of self-efficacy.

The more you like yourself, the better you do at almost anything you attempt. And the better you do at something, the more you like yourself. Each feeds on and reinforces the other. This is what makes time management so important for every part of your life. The better you use your time, the more you get done and the higher is your sense of self-efficacy. As a result, you like yourself more, do even higher quality work, and get even more done. Your whole life improves.

Three Self-Esteem Builders

There are three main courses having to do with time management that you can take to improve your self-esteem.

  1. Determine Your Values. Living a life consistent with your deepest values is essential for you to enjoy high self-esteem. People who are clear about what they believe in and value, and who refuse to compromise their values, like and respect themselves far more than people who are unclear about what is really important to them. The very act of living your life consistent with your values, and using your time effectively and well, improves your self-image, builds your self-esteem and self-confidence, and increases your self-respect. By managing your time well, you actually increase your self-esteem, and by extension, you become better at whatever you are doing.
  1. Strive for Mastery. The second factor that affects your self-esteem is the sense of being in control of your life and work: your feeling of mastery in whatever you do. Everything that you learn about time management, and then apply in your work, causes you to feel more in control of yourself and your life. As a result, you feel more effective and efficient. You feel more productive and powerful. Every increase in your feeling of effectiveness and productivity increases your self-esteem and improves your sense of personal well-being.
  1. Know What You Want. The third factor that directly affects your self-esteem is your current set of goals and objectives, and the activities that you take to achieve those goals. The more your goals and your activities are congruent with your values, the better you feel. When you are working at something that you believe in, and which is consistent with your natural talents and abilities,  you like yourself more, and you do your work better.

Leaders with the most impact are those who can build and successfully manage great teams. Every day, we help our clients and colleagues achieve their highest levels of professional presence and personal effectiveness. That includes everyone on the ladder, from company presidents to project managers, to staff members. Contact us at 800-282-3374 to find out how we can help you impact your own productivity and the productivity of your entire organization.

Employee Development Systems delivers results-oriented training programs that increase productivity, effectiveness, & performance.


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As Our Workplaces Become More Casual, Is Our Behavior Following Suit?

Posted by & filed under Attire, Corporate Culture, Employee Development, Personal Effectiveness, Professional Presence in a Casual World.

professional photoIn many workplaces today, “Casual Friday” has become “Casual Everyday.” Some companies have even begun a “Formal Friday” to target dressing professionally. Professional presence is vital to a company’s ability to get and keep clients. Poise, self-confidence and self-control make up professional presence. Here are tips from our “Professional Presence in a Casual World” program:

Be Positive. A positive workplace increases productivity. Everyone has bad days, but taking it out on others at the office—be it your coworker or a customer—will produce negative responses and results. The first step to having a professional presence is to be optimistic.

Be on Time. Being late sends the message that your time is more important than someone else’s. Everyone is busy. Punctuality is vital to a professional presence. And if you are late, blaming the traffic, your family, or your car is simply making an excuse. Apologize sincerely without excuses if you are late. Being professional means being on time.

Get Names Straight. If you can remember someone’s name after only meeting them once, you will make a great impression. However, few of us have that talent. It is much better to say “Please tell me your name again” than to guess and call your potential client or coworker the wrong name. Calling someone by their name is courteous and professional. When sending an email, spell the name correctly.                                                                                     

Make Clients Feel Valued. Having a professional presence includes developing the ability to make others feel valued. Asking your client questions communicates that you care. Everyone enjoys talking about themselves. Listen and repeat back little bits of the information they give you, and always include a smile in your conversation. When people feel valued, they are more likely to trust you and come back again.

Create Well-Written Communication. There is no excuse for sloppy emails or badly written business letters in a professional environment. Have someone edit written communication before it leaves your business. Spelling mistakes can be a strike against your professional presence. Create professional letterheads and design a standard and clean signature for office emails. An impression will be established through your written communication. It is up to you if it will be negative or positive.

Use Etiquette and Skill on Phone Calls. Speak slowly and clearly. Put energy and a smile into your voice so that the warmth of it is communicated. Be prepared by having whatever information you might need close to you. Think about what you are going to say before calling anyone. A brief and business-like phone call projects a professional presence. Finally, close your call as professionally as you began and wait until they hang up before you do.

Dress Appropriately and Groom Well. Even though many companies are much more casual than they used to be, make sure you are following the dress code appropriately. Ask the human resources team for clarification if needed. Being fashionable at work does not always make for a professional presence, but being well-groomed does. Follow the rules carefully.

A professional presence is one that exudes confidence. By following these tips, you can establish yourself as one who takes care of others in order to create a workplace environment that propels the company to success. Whether your company has Casual Friday or Formal Friday, work to make a professional presence every day.

Leaders with the most impact are those who can build and successfully manage great teams. Every day, we help our clients and colleagues achieve their highest levels of professional presence and personal effectiveness. That includes everyone on the ladder, from company presidents to project managers, to staff members. Contact us at 800-282-3374 to find out how we can help you impact your own productivity and the productivity of your entire organization.

Employee Development Systems delivers results-oriented training programs that increase productivity, effectiveness, & performance.


Photo by pjackso via Flickr