What to Do When Given a Career Opportunity Before You Are Ready

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“Success is never guaranteed, especially if you’re not career-ready.” Jeannette Seibly

Congrats! You’ve received an offer for a new career opportunity. The problem? You’re not ready! Here’s the dilemma. Taking it can cause potential failure. And not taking it could limit future opportunities. It’s a difficult decision to make.

Samantha accepted a position as a manager of her department. She had the administrative skills required but lacked the experience of leading a team, having always been a team member. Instead of asking for help and guidance, Samantha faced potential failure when she complained about the same things to her boss as when she was a team member! Samantha failed to realize it was now her responsibility to provide the solutions, not complain about them!

Accepting new opportunities before you’re ready can derail your future. Too often, you’re in a big hurry to get a new job title, make more money, or enjoy the prestige of moving up in the company. But suffering through the struggles of being unprepared is not worth sacrificing your peace of mind and derailing future career opportunities.

Tips to Prepare for Future Opportunities

Job Fit. According to Gallup, over 80 percent of people don’t like their jobs. They blame their boss, the company, and their co-workers. The truth? They don’t fit their job responsibilities! To avoid this, use a valid job-fit assessment. The reports provide objective awareness of the strengths required for your new position before you say “yes.” It also provides insights into your challenge areas. For example, as an account manager, you may have been fearless in talking with others (strength). But as a sales manager, this same strength can get in your way of listening to the sales team (weakness).

Get Real. New opportunities require moving forward outside your comfort zone. They also will require new levels of communication, project management, and emotional intelligence, which are hindered by leadership blind spots. Because many of these job requirements are unwritten, shadow the incumbent in the job. Ask questions. Don’t assume you won’t have similar challenges. (You will.) Before you say “yes,” ask them, “What did you do to overcome these issues?”

Hire an External Coach and Seek Out an Internal Mentor. Be coachable! Ask for help and seek guidance immediately before you get mired in sticky situations or political relationships that sabotage your current and future career opportunities.

Do the Real Work. While mantras can keep you focused, they don’t replace doing the actual work. For example, if you ignore team conflict and respond with mantras (e.g., “Patience is a virtue.”), you’ll be sidelined or fired. The resolution requires having tough conversations, making difficult decisions (unpopular), and holding others accountable (your team may not like you). Work with your executive coach now to avoid these types of career derailments.

Emotional Intelligence. Mindful awareness and resilience are required in many positions today, especially as a boss and leader. There will be mistakes made and failures, too. Your ability to handle and learn from them greatly affects your career opportunities.

Leadership Savvy. Microaggressions, playing favorites, and not listening to others are the downfall for many in new positions. Instead, set a positive example. It starts with you and the team being trained. These training workshops should include conflict resolution, brainstorming, diversity, project management, critical thinking, and execution of projects. Now, develop the habit of using these skills.

Project Management. A critical part of project management is the ability to conduct effective meetings, both onsite and remote. However, many overlook the people and logistical sides of getting everyone on the same page. Both are critical to any project or program’s design, process, and execution.

  • People side: Develop your team members, focus on their strengths, and include everyone when brainstorming. Allow everyone to develop their talents.
  • Logistical side: Develop and incorporate budget, technology, operations, sales, and marketing into every project or program.

©Jeannette Seibly 2022-2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for success. As a leader, do you have bosses that are difficult for teams to work with? Jeannette’s depth of experience and wisdom can transform those bosses from hated to respected! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about taking and accepting opportunities before you’re ready: Taking a new job before you’re ready is a surefire way to derail your career. Prepare now and enjoy your new opportunities! Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation about being career-ready! 

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? A great boss is not easily annoyed and effectively addresses team and project issues. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses to hire, coach, and manage their teams. Along the way, they achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

Your Choice of Careers Impact Your Future Opportunities

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“Choose your career based on what you really, really, really enjoy doing.” Jeannette Seibly

“Why are you interviewing for a job you have no interest in doing?” I asked a job candidate.

Her reply was shocking. “Everyone I talk with hates their jobs!”

While over 80 percent of people are working in jobs that don’t fit them (Gallup), it doesn’t mean you cannot take responsibility for making better career choices! These choices impact your future opportunities and paychecks!

There is a lot of pressure today from family, peer groups, and social media. Many believe it’s embarrassing to work in jobs where people get their hands dirty, or they are there to serve others (e.g., automotive tech, server). The truth? Many plumbers, food workers, and cosmetologists enjoy their work, and make more money and have less debt than those working in jobs they hate.

How to Choose Better Career Options

Stop buying into the myth. Mimicking successful people, especially those that claim to have get rich quick schemes, costs time and money you don’t have. Why? They are not you! Very few succeed. Along with losing money, you lose confidence and work experience that creates future opportunities in careers you would love.

Example: Allison exclaimed, “I want to be a millionaire.” This was after buying an expensive package showcased by a self-made millionaire. After countless months, accumulation of debt, and loss of confidence, she was unemployable.

Get real by using a qualified job fit assessment. There are thousands of assessments (many free or minimal in cost) that promise the right career direction. But you only get what you pay for!

Example: Tony worked hard to go from being a financial planner to a financial broker after working with a career counselor. Five years later, he had finally succeeded and only lasted a month before he quit. “I hate it! And feel I’ve wasted my life pursuing something that others expected me to do, and not what I really wanted to do!”

Clarify what you love to do. Write. Talk with people about their jobs. What do you like about their stories? Is that something you would enjoy doing? Ask questions to explore and learn. According to many different surveys, many of you will have seven or more different careers during your lifetime.

Example: Sally loved building and rebuilding engines. But her family frowned on that type of work for females. Instead, she got her college degree and worked in non-profit jobs that she hated; her paycheck and resume showed it, limiting future opportunities.

You will need to start at the beginning! Yes, learning the basics and developing the right attitude make a huge difference in the types of occupations, opportunities, and options available to you! In addition to developing your technical and financial skills, develop the all-important communication, critical thinking, and decision-making skills too!

Example: Rich believed he didn’t need to develop the basic skills required to be a chief financial officer. After all, bookkeepers and accountants were responsible for giving him the numbers. When he was unable to or incorrectly explained discrepancies and variances in the numbers, he was fired.

Get the right education for jobs that fit you and you really enjoy! Most educational debt today is due to getting degrees or certificates in “easy subjects” or in subjects that “interest you” (e.g., history). However, there is not a clear path or career plan of how to use it. Then, you’ll have to settle for any job you can get! Before getting a degree in any field, work in a similar job during school, internships, and summer jobs to see if that is what you really want to do!

Example: A woman was a caregiver for her mother. While there were days, she was exhausted, she enjoyed the work and developed a compassion for seniors. After her mother passed, she pursued a degree in nursing. And, is also exploring other medical assistant type jobs for future opportunities.

Look beyond your boss. Employees today claim to hate their boss, bowing to peer pressure and social media rants. Instead of leaving a job that you really enjoy, learn the skills to get along with him/her. It will determine your future! Remember, your boss’s primary job is to develop your skills to meet customer needs. It’s not to cater to your happiness like your parents and teachers were expected to do.

Example: A woman was sure she hated her boss and job. After talking with a coach, she realized it was because of her own poor communication skills she didn’t get along with the boss. After choosing to improve her skills, she became recognize as a high potential employee.

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? Jeannette’s depth of experience and wisdom guides clients to achieve intended dynamic results consistently! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about choosing careers that offer future opportunities: Making career choices is difficult today. There is too much negativity about certain type of jobs that you enjoy doing, and huge financial debt for those pursuing college degrees for jobs they later learn they hate to do! If you’re interested in finding a career that you really, really, really enjoy, contact me!

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? A great boss works with an experienced executive coach as a sounding board. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams. Along the way, they achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs. Remember, when you have a coach, your effectiveness, influence, and confidence will accelerate.

Lying to Job Candidates Is a Very Bad Idea!

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“Lying is rarely a good idea because there are always consequences when the truth is revealed.” Jeannette Seibly

Did you know 40% of hiring managers lie to job candidates? (ERE Daily)

When you consider that many believe lying is acceptable, little white lies, unintended lies, and even whoppers don’t seem like a big deal.

Lies can occur:

  • During the interview when you fail to use a well-designed selection system
  • When relying on outdated job descriptions to describe work responsibilities
  • When making job offers and failing to include promises or deny having made them

Examples include:

  • Plan on a one-hour interview, but it lasts for 2-hours
  • We have a two-week holiday break in December, but the expectation is that you’ll work during that time
  • Remote working is touted, but you need to live within a limited distance from the office
  • Your health insurance starts on day 1, after a waiting period
  • We provide career pathing, failing to mention it’s a goal, but not a priority
  • We’ll decide in one week, but fail to communicate when no decision has been made

Why does lying hurt your company, business, and reputation? You lied!

Applicants today are looking for bosses and companies they can trust!

Yes, I understand 90% of resumes contain inaccuracies, embellishments, and flat-out lies!

But you need to take the high road! Why?

Lies have consequences, even though there is a false belief that lying is acceptable.

The reason? It’s called integrity … and you cannot control integrity or manipulate it. Eventually, somebody will tell the truth or the lie will be discovered. Then, job candidates and employees will leave, costing you customers (current and future), reputation, top talent, and EEO claims of discrimination!

Example (this is based on a true story and fictionalized): Michelle interviewed for a position as a purchasing agent. The interviewer and hiring boss lied, saying they would have a job offer extended to her in two weeks. The two weeks came and went without any word from them, nor did they return Michelle’s calls.

In the meantime, Michelle accepted a job offer to be a Purchasing Manager at another company. 

In her new role, Michelle was responsible for vetting potential suppliers. She informed the company who lied to her about the job offer that her new employer would not be purchasing their products and services. When they asked why? “You lied. How can I trust you to deliver these orders on time and within budget?

How to Stop Lying!

First, create and follow a well-designed strategic selection system for hiring, job transferring, or offering job promotions. Ensure all hiring managers are trained annually on how to use the system and hold them accountable. Using a selection system reduces the need to lie, embellish the truth, or make promises that cannot be fulfilled. You will see your retention increase and your ability to attract top talent!

Talk Straight. When you make promises during the interview, be sure you have the authority to do so. Write them down and store in an electronic file. Include these promises in job offer letters to ensure everyone is on the same page. Promising to think about honoring the promise in the future spells disaster.

Communicate the Truth. Tell the truth about what the job candidates can expect, especially regarding any known or potential changes.

Example: Do NOT hire a manager (or higher-level boss) to clean up a team or department. The new boss may not agree with your assessment, or the company’s, on who to fire or keep! (Some are more concerned about being liked than cleaning up issues.) Make your team and department changes first! Remember, any new boss hired to “clean up a team or department” will not become a long-term employee since other employees will hold it against them.

Transparency is a Good Thing. If there are factions, limited budget dollars, cultural challenges, and/or mediocre quality issues, share them with the job candidate. After all, you want the person you hire to resolve the problems, not make them worse or be complacent.

Respect Starts with You! Yes, many job candidates lie or embellish their credentials. But two wrongs don’t make a right! That’s why you use a strategic job fit system to weed them out! But if you’ve been honest with them about work hours, job expectations, and growth potential, that’s respect!

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? Jeannette’s depth of experience and wisdom guides clients to achieve intended dynamic results consistently! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about why lying to job candidates is a bad idea: How do you feel when someone lies to you? While you may believe it’s not a big deal, you stop trusting them! The same is true when you lie to job candidates. Please read about overcoming the need to lie during the selection process; this will improve your ability to attract and retain top talent. Contact me for a confidential conversation about becoming an employer of choice! 

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? A great boss uses an experienced executive coach as a sounding board. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams. Along the way, they achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs. Remember, your ability to lead depends on your effectiveness in hiring, coaching, and managing your teams, onsite and remote.

Improve How You Speak to Create Better Results

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“Your manner of speaking will create followers or detractors.” Jeannette Seibly
  • Have you ever attended a meeting where the F-bomb was used too often?
  • Do you or others use too much jargon or innuendos, leaving people annoyed?
  • Do you stop listening to people who talk for the sake of talking?
  • Have you been uncomfortable when sexist or racial comments are made?
  • Do you need to let everyone know when you are frustrated or upset?

When we’re honest with ourselves, we can all answer “yes” to the above questions.

The truth is that communicating with others can be exhausting when poor speaking habits are used. As a current or future boss, leader, and influencer, improving your way of speaking will create better results for your team, customers, and business.

How to Transform Your Speaking Style to Achieve Positive Results

Start your comments with the end in mind! This will keep your words on point, making you less likely to ramble. When sharing, focus on moving the conversation forward, not rehashing what’s already been said. It keeps your listeners listening!

Stick with common words. Use simple words. For example, use ‘generous’ instead of ‘magnanimous.’ Using common words gets everyone on the same page faster and keeps everyone’s attention. Remember, when writing (emails, memos, manuals, articles, or books), people do not look up the big words and will stop reading if you use more than one.

Stop talking to talk. Many people talk too much and too long. Then, they use inappropriate words, jargon, or innuendos to bring back the team’s attention. Instead, learn to share a personal experience or story. Keep it smart and simple! Really, really, really smart and simple! (Hint: Stay away from the details!)

Define jargon. Use the actual words when using jargon. Example: A/R, A/P, and ROI use Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Return on Investment). It keeps the audience listening to you! Remember, while those listening will say they understand, they are embarrassed to admit they don’t. It also prevents miscommunication when the audience relies on their interpretation.

Refrain from innuendos and gossip. It hurts your credibility since 99 percent of the time, you don’t have the facts. Get the facts and share them with the person who can make a difference (e.g., theft – talk with security or HR; not doing their share – talk directly with the person; poor job of hiring the right people – talk with the hiring boss, HR, and your CFO/Controller).

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? Jeannette’s depth of experience and wisdom guides clients to achieve intended dynamic results consistently! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about improving how you speak and the results you achieve: Do you want to improve your results and those of your team? Improve how you speak, your choice of words, and pay attention to your audience. Contact me for a confidential conversation about becoming a great communicator! 

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? A great boss works with an experienced executive coach as a sounding board. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams. Along the way, they achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs. Remember, your effectiveness, influence, and confidence will accelerate when you have a coach.

You Need These 5 Confidence Builders to Achieve Amazing Results

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“Building confidence that never fails requires ongoing and consistent attention.” Jeannette Seibly

Building your confidence is essential for you to do each and every day, especially when dealing with daily demands on your time, attention, and energy. Remember to be aware of saboteurs (e.g., your team, boss, customers, and co-workers). Paying conscious attention will help you achieve outcomes faster while continually building your confidence and competence.

Here are ideas to develop and build your inner power and confidence!

  1. Believe in Yourself. It’s difficult when you experience a failure, mistake, or rejection. Breathe. Learn for the experience. Now, get back into the conversation for focused action!
  1. Be Present. Allowing your internal mental chatter to get in the way limits results and relationships! When having conversations and attending meetings or events, give 100% attention to the speaker. You’ll be amazed by what you can learn, even if you believe you already know it all! 
  1. Be a Results Producer. Going through the motions without a conscious intention to improve the quality isn’t taking focused action!
  • Get honest about the actions you are taking by hiring a coach.
  • Have the tough and needed conversations.
  • Don’t overlook quality. And focus on performance challenges, not personality differences.
  • Now, you can achieve the goals you used to dream about.
  1. Be Coachable. You don’t have all the answers, and frequently, you do things the hard way with limited results. Hire the right coach and watch your confidence grow with clarity and calmness.
  1. Get Your Brag On! Pay attention to your daily activities and wins by keeping a written log of your achievements. When it’s time for a job promotion, job interview, board meeting, sales presentation, or pitch for your book or product, you’re ready! Your brags make a big difference in building your confidence. They also build your reputation and ability to influence others!

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? Jeannette’s depth of experience and wisdom guides clients to achieve intended dynamic results consistently! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about building your confidence each and every day: Consciously building your confidence each day requires recognizing when it is being sabotaged! Contact me for a confidential conversation about identifying and eradicating saboteurs!  

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? A great boss works with an experienced executive coach as a sounding board. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams. Along the way, they achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs. Remember, being coached accelerates building your effectiveness, influence, and confidence.

What Do You Do When Your Team Is Hurting Results?

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“When a team fails to achieve intended results, bosses and leaders need to look in the mirror first for answers!” Jeannette Seibly

No one likes to think their team is hurting results. But dismissing the issue, believing it’s unimportant, and failing to take responsibility for the systems and outcomes is a no-win for teams, bosses, customers, and leaders! Remember, finding new customers and talent costs a lot of money. And it overlooks the necessity to improve quality and your team’s reputation!

Tips to Discover and Improve Results

Get into Action. Ask questions to get to the core of the issue. Use an objective process: “What Worked? / What Didn’t Work?” Debrief as a team. This exercise will end the usual finger-pointing or the blame game. During this process, use acknowledgment for the “good things that did happen.” Appreciation encourages viable solutions!

Be in Communication. Keep your team and co-workers apprised when there is an issue. Ask questions after conducting your team debrief to see what else may be missing. Do this immediately, BEFORE talking with the customer or other people affected. Keep everyone up-to-date while valuing their input! Promise to resolve the issue(s). (Very Important Hint: Don’t drop the ball … people have long memories when promises are not kept! These memories can stifle your co-workers and team from working with you in the future.)

“Excuses don’t help make things better. They only offer a rationale to avoid trying.”

Simon Sinek

Bring in Outside Expertise. Everyone wants to hide that they failed to achieve the intended results, fearing embarrassment and humiliation. Consider that bringing in outside help takes the pressure off you to have all the answers. (Hint: You don’t; others may not value your opinions right now.) Work with these experts to diagnose the actual issue. Listen. Make appropriate changes. Don’t forget that ongoing and consistent training is crucial when developing new habits!

Use a Qualified Job Fit Assessment. When teams and team members fit their job, it diminishes miscommunication, factionalism, and other mischief! Often, issues can be resolved by using people’s strengths and placing them in the right jobs! First, refine job descriptions and job responsibilities. Second, develop the skills that impact the quality of the results: communication, critical thinking, and team management.

Top-Down Challenge. When results fail, many bosses and leaders focus on the bottom-up (employees v. management). Consider the issue may be you! While many bosses and leaders believe they are above reproach, their rigid perspectives and do-as-I-say mindset get in the way. Remember, it’s not business as usual anymore! Bring in an executive coach/consultant to improve the management team’s coachability and ability to coach others for results. Then, empower each boss and leader and provide the tools to make the necessary team changes.

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? Jeannette’s depth of experience and wisdom guides clients to achieve intended dynamic results consistently! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about when your team hurts intended results: Set aside the normal finger-pointing! Now, create conversations and solutions to create win-win-win outcomes. Contact me for a confidential conversation about how to have conversations that produce intended results.

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? Great bosses work with an experienced executive coach as a sounding board. I have extensive experience and wisdom in guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams. Along the way, they achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching program. Remember, coaching speeds up your ability to achieve intended results for you and your teams!

How to Improve Your Ability to Communicate with Anyone Everywhere

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“Your ability to communicate effectively with anyone everywhere builds your career and promotability.” Jeannette Seibly

Working with a demanding boss or team member, or co-worker is something we all avoid whenever possible. The problem? It hurts your work results and relationships and limits your ability to be promoted.

You may believe you are good at hiding your true feelings about others. The truth? They know you don’t like them and find them difficult to talk with. And if they don’t see it, others will let them know! (Hint: You can count on that!)

How to Improve Your Communication Skills and Stop Avoiding People

Know Yourself. Use qualified job fit and confidential 360-degree feedback assessments. When you do these, you can now objectively clarify your strengths and weaknesses when working and interacting with others. Debrief with your coach, boss, and team members. Allow them to provide additional insights that build your effectiveness in work and communication with others.

Develop Compassion. You’ve not walked in their shoes, and they’ve not walked in yours. Have compassion for others’ difficulties. Ask them about their personal and business experiences, life, and goals. Genuinely listen. Everyone has an interesting back story that you can identify with and appreciate. Take the time to do this … the results will be amazing.

Level Up Your Listening. We all have automatic ways of listening to people. And we rely on our justifications about why. Instead, set aside your own biases and inflexibilities (aka insecurities). Listen with an open mind. It’s amazing what you can learn … and you’ll find others will suddenly become easier to work with. (Yes! It’s true.)

Build Your Confidence. Use your “brags” to build your confidence. Then, you’ll feel less fearful when talking with others and working with them to resolve issues and create solutions. Confidence can transform a relationship; they will now have your back and value your opinions.

Take Communication Programs. Take several … not just one! Too many business professionals, bosses, and leaders today have poor communication skills. (Yes, it’s hard to believe!) Take a Toastmasters, Landmark, or other program that focuses on communicating with others, building positive relationships, and making presentations. These skills are invaluable and can be used anytime and everywhere!

Now, these difficult and sometimes evil people you feel forced to work with are not so bad! And others will recognize your ability to work with anyone anywhere and at any time. It’s how you will positively influence others and enjoy those job promotions and accolades!

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? Jeannette’s depth of experience and wisdom guides clients to achieve intended dynamic results on a consistent basis! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about your ability to communicate with anyone everywhere: Working with a difficult boss or team member, or co-worker is something we all avoid whenever possible. The problem? It hurts your work results and relationships and limits your ability to be promoted. Contact me for a confidential conversation about how to work well with anyone, anywhere, and at any time.

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? Great bosses work with an experienced executive coach as a sounding board. I have extensive experience and wisdom in guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams. Along the way, they achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching program. Remember, coaching accelerates your communication effectiveness and influence.

Factionalism Hurts Retention, Revenues, and Results in Any Company

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“Eliminating factionalism positively impacts your company’s revenues, results, and retention.” Jeannette Seibly

Factionalism is: A condition in which a team or company is split into two or more smaller groups with differing and often opposing opinions or interests. (Dictionary.com)

We expect teams and departments within any company to work well together all the time. This expectation can be unrealistic. In reality, every company will have conflicts here and there. It’s when those disagreements don’t go away that factionalism erupts. It creates dysfunctional workplace cultures and hurts employee satisfaction, customer retention, and the bottom line.

What Causes Factionalism?

When leaders cannot satisfactorily resolve animosity, competition, indifference, and ongoing disputes, teams, co-workers, and bosses often take on bad attitudes, take sides, or blame others.

Factionalism erupts due to:

  • Negative attitudes by bosses and leaders toward each other or a small group of people
  • Hiring, promoting, or job transferring people that don’t fit the job responsibilities
  • Pitting departments or groups of employees against one another for competing needs
  • Adversarial mindsets (e.g., sales reps blame customer service or operations when a customer is lost)
  • Allowing egos to get in the way (e.g., “we” v. “I” OR “us” v. “them”)
  • Forgetting about the importance of the mission and vision of the company
  • Withholding important information
  • Not holding remote and hybrid workers to performance and company standards
  • Blaming the customer or group of employees for mistakes or problems

How to Be the Solution to Factionalism and Not the Contributor to the Problem

Communication, Communication, Communication. There are many bosses and employees who are not good or great communicators. Poor communication causes people to take sides with “he said this” v. “no, she said that” v. “I thought it meant this.” As the boss or leader, ask questions to uncover the true intention and facilitate win-win-win outcomes. Remember, factionalism often begins as a small solvable concern before it erupts into an impenetrable mountain.

Solve Conflicts Immediately. When someone deliberately and consistently impedes progress creating confusion or chaos, s/he needs to be coached or removed from the job or team, or conflict will escalate.

Examples include:

  • Withholding information and resources
  • Ignoring emails or advice
  • Making the solutions more complicated than necessary
  • Blocking issues from being fixed
  • Hostility towards others’ ideas
  • Refusal to take advice that can make a difference
  • Failure to admit mistakes
  • Unwillingness to resolve team conflict

The truth is that when your team members (or you) lack the communication, project management, and people skills required, change is necessary. Hire an executive coach and use a performance improvement plan to ensure they are making progress.

Get Real. Gossip, myths, and lack of critical thinking impede the truth. Also, the lack of top-down or down-up conversations (communication) hinders addressing the real issues. You must realize that when customers and top talent leave, it’s important to tell yourself and co-workers the truth about resources, company and people changes, and customer requirements.

Hold Team Retreats and Inter-Team/Department Discussions. Training in communication, team building, team meetings, and confidence building are just a few examples that help everyone keep the lines of communication open to reduce factionalism. When your employees or teams get territorial about their work and systems, it’s usually because they do minimal work to get by (e.g., quiet quitting) or fear asking for help. Hire an outside facilitator to create insightful group discussions, ensure everyone is heard, and keep everyone engaged.

Use Job Fit Assessments to Understand Differences Objectively. When you or your team blame others for not thinking and working like you do, it’s time to understand “why objectively.”

In my experience, using a qualified job fit tool can reduce factionalism. It helps everyone understand and appreciate differences objectively; productive conversations and communication open up too. Job fit assessments have the highest scientific validation and reliability and provide more accurate data. They can eliminate miscommunication, blaming or nitpicking, or other disrespectful behaviors and attitudes that create factionalism.

Fulfilling Expectations. When you expect others to get along AND make your own effort to get along with others, you will reduce factionalism. Enforce policies and procedures, set clear guidelines on ‘no-tolerance policies’ (e.g., choice of words, favoritism), and refuse to allow your team to bypass others, citing the need for expediency. (Hint: It’ll actually take longer to resolve when the detour is discovered!)

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? With Jeannette’s depth of experience and wisdom, she guides clients through sticky situations and challenging relationships for dynamic results! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about factionalism in your workplace culture: As bosses and leaders, it starts with you! You set the example and the tone within your teams of how to get along and work well with others. Get involved. Listen to concerns. Have conversations for win-win-win outcomes. Contact me for a confidential discussion about how to reduce and eliminate factionalism.

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? Great bosses work with an experienced executive coach as a sounding board. I have extensive experience and wisdom in guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams to achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching program. Remember, coaching speeds up your ability to manage, lead, and influence others.

Bosses impact everyone’s ability to love their jobs, enjoy learning new skills, and work well with others. To accelerate your team’s results, use the PXT Select to see the “whole person.”

Tough Times Require Resilient Bosses to Achieve Results

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“Bosses … resiliency during tough times is the key to achieve amazing results and future career opportunities.” Jeannette Seibly

Today’s workplaces are undergoing tough changes and need resilient bosses! But, instead, many bosses allow their frustrations and inability to transform relationships and situations to get in the way.

Do you:

  • Believe hiring for job fit is nonsense and takes too much time?
  • Believe your team should get their jobs done faster by doing it your way (aka micromanaging)?
  • Feel your customers demand too much from you? Your team?
  • Hate your team constantly bringing you problems and making your job more difficult?
  • Believe it takes too much time to get others’ input, especially when you won’t use it anyway?

If you are being truthful, you will answer yes to at least one of these questions.

As a boss, it’s usually easier to achieve intended results during the good times. But it’s during the tough and uncertain times that team members will either value and follow you for your resiliency and “can-do” attitude, or post negative ratings!

How to Build Your Resilience to Achieve Results

Develop Your Inner Power. Your self-esteem is important. It’s a reflection of your inner power and resiliency when mistakes occur and problems arise. Take the time to work with an executive coach. Also, consider talk therapy with a licensed therapist. Take part in workshops focused on developing your confidence and communication skills, while upgrading your project and people management talents.

Ask for Help and Feedback. Now, more than ever, you cannot go it alone, especially during tough times. Learn how to ask for help and ask for feedback from your team, co-workers, boss, and others when making decisions. Make sure you’re really listening! Be open to expanding your point-of-view … remember, it’s not business as usual. Example: When a customer is unhappy, ask for specific feedback of what didn’t work! Now, get the team in focused action to create and implement solutions, not excuses!

Hire for Job Fit. Job fit is why teams excel! But too many hiring bosses believe anyone can do any job successfully. The problem is, if the person doesn’t have the interest, thinking style, or core behaviors, they will fail to achieve intended results. Poor job fit often results in miscommunication, conflict, and other mischief (aka a lot of extra problems, work, and sleepless nights)!

Coach and Manage for Quality Results. Stop settling for mediocrity and accepting excuses, especially when you can make a huge impact during uncertain times. (Think, your competition has already given up.) Learn to ask good business questions designed to get your team thinking outside the box, and critically thinking about how to fulfill customer demands. Learn to brainstorm and do not dismiss off-the-wall ideas! (Hint: They are usually the best ones!)

Mindfulness and EI are Still Important. Your emotional intelligence (EI) and ability to be present during conversations are the marks of a good boss. Life and business are never easy all the time. Example: It requires continually developing your resilience and willingness to say, “I/we made a mistake … this is how I/we plan to fix it.” Then, get it resolved immediately!

Don’t Shy Away from Tough Conversations. Remember, your voice matters! Stop going into meetings believing your ideas won’t matter! Instead of being defensive in these meetings, state your commitment and concerns first. Second, ask questions to discover and uncover others’ true hesitations or differing opinions. Listen. There will be areas of agreement that you can build on. Be a parrot when necessary, and don’t become emotionally attached to the outcome. Remember, the goal is win-win-win.

Keep Developing You, Your Individual Team Members, and Your Team as a Whole. Guard your budget dollars to ensure ongoing training and development. Now is not the time to dismiss developing everyone’s skills because you cannot afford it! If there’s a will, there’s way (think, taking initiative and being resourceful). Remember, tough times don’t last, but tough bosses do!

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? With Jeannette’s depth of experience and wisdom, she guides clients through sticky situations and challenging relationships for dynamic results! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about being a resilient boss during tough times: Remember, tough times don’t last, but tough bosses do! Do you know how to be resilient when you want to pull the covers up over your head and call-in to take a personal day? This week, discover and put into action at least one tip to develop your resiliency. Contact me for a confidential conversation about hiring, coaching, and managing for profitable success during tough times.

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? Great bosses work with an experienced executive coach as a sounding board. I have extensive experience and wisdom in guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams to achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching program. Remember, coaching increases your resiliency and has you succeed during tough times!

Bosses impact retention, revenues, and results each and every day by how they engage employees. To improve your bottom line, use the PXT Select to see the “whole person.”

Bosses Engage Their Employees to Build Profitable Companies

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“The right bosses are the keys to your company’s profitability and employee success!” Jeannette Seibly

According to Workplace by Gallup®, economic growth has slowed and created low employee engagement. Loss of customers and profits. And poor management of people, resources, and revenues.

Building a profitable company requires bosses that engage their employees!

As a management executive, did you know:

  • 82% of the time, bosses are chosen for the wrong reasons (e.g., technical ability, length of employment, likeability)
  • Employees feel being unemployed is better than hating their jobs, and their bad bosses
  • More than 75% of employees are quietly quitting (not engaged) or loudly quitting (actively disengaged), hurting profitability and customer retention
  • More than 50% are not engaged and put in minimal effort to get by, blaming their bosses

“Employee engagement has an even stronger connection to performance outcomes during tough economic times.” (Workplace, Gallup®)

It’s why you need to hire, promote, and job transfer the right people into “boss” positions.

It’s Essential Bosses Improve Engagement, Productivity, and Profits

#1 Start with how you hire, promote, and job transfer people into “boss positions.”

Many employees want to be bosses since it means a bigger paycheck, perks, and title/status (and sometimes they want the power). The problem is that many people may know their jobs well but make poor bosses in your workplace environment for various reasons. Remember, not everyone is cut out for a boss/leadership position, so it’s important to provide alternative career paths to keep top talent. The question to ask: How can they continue to grow and be positive contributors to your business?

Example: A great salesperson was transferred into a boss position. It didn’t take long for employees to complain about her poor “boss style.” Instead of giving her back her former job, they fired her! She left and took several large clients with her!

Job fit is key! There are over 3,000 assessments published today. Yet, only a few provide valid, reliable, and predictive data. You and your company must see people for who they really are, not how they want to be seen. Clarity about the “whole person” is a crucial factor in your ability to develop great bosses. Otherwise, your training, coaching, and management efforts will be thwarted!

Here are questions to ask yourself about how you decide whom to hire, promote, or job transfer into boss positions:

  • What objective criteria are being used to determine who will be a good boss?
  • What predictive analytics are being used that provide objective, valid, and reliable data?
  • Do they want to be a boss or have different career goals to pursue? (Hint: Ask them and listen to their response!)
  • As a boss, are they open to developing better communication skills? (Hint: As a boss, communication skills become more critical.)
  • Are they coachable? (Hint: A requirement for them to succeed.)

#2 Profitability requires accountability for how bosses build employee engagement.

Developing your company’s bosses needs a committed team of management executives, external executive coaches, and internal company mentors. Together they can ensure all bosses engage their employees daily. Failure to “check-in” will negatively impact retention, revenues, and results!

Do they:

Develop their team members? To engage employees, it’s important that your bosses ask for and listen to their team’s ideas before making decisions. Also, ensure bosses offer all employees challenging assignments that support their career goals.

Have tough conversations using compassion and experience? Too many bosses focus on likeability. It’s why they fear having tough conversations. While a damaging discussion with a boss can disengage the employee quickly, tough conversations done right ensure retention (e.g., eliminating bullies), revenues (e.g., meeting budgets and timelines), and results (e.g., resourcefulness and resilience).

Focus on results, not personalities? Each team member has natural strengths. Are your bosses building on these strengths? Also, ensure your bosses are not trying to fix a person’s personality (e.g., talks too much, dominates conversations). Instead, they need to provide all employees with appropriate skills training.

Acknowledge team members? This is crucial! Ensure your bosses are specific when praising their teams and acknowledging each and every team member’s contribution. (Hint: Listen to how they talk about their team members with you. It’s a reflection of how they communicate with their employees.)

Have 1:1 meetings weekly with each employee. Every employee needs the boss’s undivided attention. For best results, remind your bosses to turn off their gadgets, listen, and focus on one strength the employee can build on. Multi-tasking disengages employees!

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? With Jeannette’s depth of experience and wisdom, she guides clients through sticky situations and challenging relationships for dynamic results! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about ensuring your bosses engage all employees: Did you know that 82% of the time, bosses are chosen for the wrong reasons (e.g., technical ability, length of employment, likeability)? In today’s workplace, hiring and developing bosses is crucial to ensure a profitable company with engaged employees. Contact me for a confidential conversation about hiring, coaching, and managing for profitable success.

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? Great bosses work with an experienced executive coach as a sounding board. I have extensive experience and wisdom in guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams to achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching program. Remember, coaching speeds up your ability to manage as a great boss!

Bosses impact retention, revenues, and results each and every day by how they engage employees. To improve your bottom line, use the PXT Select to see the “whole person.”