Articles

Are Your Superstars Getting You Down?

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As a boss, it’s challenging to manage high performers. Most of these superstars know they know their stuff and can produce more than 3x that of other employees. Since they believe others are less knowledgeable and less capable than they are, it sometimes taxes them to listen to others. Even their boss!

If they’re causing you sleepless nights, most likely you aren’t the only one. As their boss, it’s up to you to manage them and their egos, to keep them engaged and growing with your company.

Depth and breadth of experience. We falsely believe that if a top producer does well in one area, s/he will do superbly in other areas, too. Provide them with challenges — not to be confused with busy work, which they are quick to spot and resent. Assign them as a team member in different groups to develop new systems and products. Also, encourage their membership in trade and other professional groups to expand their awareness of industry challenges.

Fail forward. Superstars hate failure and need to learn these inevitable and invaluable lessons. Start by having them assess what worked and didn’t work on a project. This will build insights for future ventures.

Expect good people skills. We often overlook our superstars’ interpersonal skills, even when we see others running from them. When we step into a dispute to resolve it for them, it creates more animosity between the superstar and their co-workers (or clients). Instead, expect them to work it out themselves and learn how to work with and through others to get the job done.

Coaching is essential. Every successful star, in every professional pursuit, has a coach.Provide your top talent an internal mentor and external coach to help them develop their business acumen. Use qualified assessments to help them broaden their skills, particularly in people and project management by including a 360-degree feedback system.

Money is NOT a motivator. While your top producers may demand more and more money, higher salaries will not provide the incentives necessary for them to continue to excel, or stay. Find other ways of compensating them based upon results (e.g., perks, vacations, gift certificates, etc.).

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

©Jeannette Seibly, 2010-2015

Are You Ready for New Business?

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Many small business owners focus on making money and paying bills. But, they fail to plan for and build systems to take on new clients. Then, to compound matters, they typically fail to hire the right people to manage all the new business.

What is your capacity to handle new clients without reducing the quality, price and service you deliver?

Start now for tomorrow’s success. As entrepreneurs, we believe we can automatically handle an increase in sales volume. It’s what we and our investors want! However, unplanned, rapid growth can send any business into financial ruin. Remember, customers have little patience for your trial and error. Start now to create effective systems to handle new business.

Hire the right people. As one client said, “The most expensive cost is the interval between when I realize an employee needs to go, and when I actually make it happen.” Hire slowly and fire quickly. Why? People who fit their job responsibilities are more productive, build sustainable work processes, and enjoy job satisfaction. They keep your clients coming back. Research confirms it — companies and employees and clients all benefit! (Develop your strategic hiring system today: BizSavvyHire.com)

Work smarter, not harder.  Are your systems set-up for the convenience of your employees? Or, for the convenience of your customers? Win-win outcomes require both! Working smarter requires asking both before making changes!

  • Listen to their opinions: What works for them? What doesn’t work for them?
  • Allow them to clarify before asking: What else can we do to help you grow?

Your attitude makes a difference. A wise entrepreneur once said, “When you think you have it all handled, you’ve set yourself up for failure.” Denial may work temporarily; however, when you’ve lost a large customer, it’s time to face facts. You have a learning opportunity to keep the ones you have. Ongoing training is critical for your employees in product, technology, sales, pricing and operations. It builds cohesive, knowledgeable teams – and keeps customers coming back. Don’t forget management coaching for you and your executive team. Ongoing training and coaching should be the last areas you slash as cost-saving measures!

Company growth requires keeping your eye on managing the metrics and empowering employees to manage the details successfully.

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2015

Do you want positive results? Delegate!

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Do you talk to yourself saying over and over, “I shouldn’t have to do this!”

There will always be job duties or activities that must be accomplished to run your business successfully. If these hated tasks constitute more than 20% of your job, you need to learn the art of delegation.

Truly successful people learn how to get the detested job activities over and done with minimal stress. They are good at delegating to others who are competent to do them. (Yes, there are people who actually enjoy doing the work you despise doing!)

Whether you like it or not, there are certain business practices and standards that must be adhered to, no excuses. Failure to follow your own business policies and practices can provide irreversible consequences, both personally and professionally. Customers, employees, the IRS, a judge or plaintiff attorney are not interested in excuses; they do not care “why.”

Reframe. When there is something you hate doing, create a new attitude or visual picture. For example, if you work in retail and hate it when people walk in the door, reframe it and see people walking in the door as “new money.” Or, if you hate working with accounting details, see QuickBooks as your pathway to a million-dollar success.

Be selective when saying “Yes.” Freeing up your time to say “yes” to legitimate requests from your customers, vendors, Board of Directors, or business partners will bring more job satisfaction when you know the hated, yet necessary, details are being taken care of.

For example:

  • If there is a legal issue, give it to the attorney.
  • If you have an accounts issue, delegate it to your customer service rep.
  • If you have a sales person who won’t return calls, replace them!

Create your future. As the business owner or executive, you built the current business model, consciously and unconsciously. Even though it may have worked well at one time, if it no longer meets your business goals, it’s time to strategically create a new future. Hire a strategic business coach to breakthrough to a new level of satisfaction and success.

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2010-2015

Are You a FaultFinder?

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5 ways to transform your leadership

  • Do you normally find fault with what other people do?
  • Do you believe your way is the only right way?
  • Do you fail to praise and rebuke openly?
  • Do you lose more employees than you are able to attract?
  • Do you have a difficult time leading high functioning teams?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be a faultfinder; and, be seen as an ineffective leader others do not want to follow. Your attitude and behavior can make it difficult for others to work with you and nearly impossible to learn from you.

It’s 2015 and time to transform into being an inspiring leader.

Look for opportunities to praise. When we acknowledge others for a job well done, even if it’s a small step or contribution, we will attract more of the same.

Be open to hearing others’ ideas. Your success, and your team’s success, is dependent upon generating innovative ideas and executing them. Remember, not all ideas will provide a profitable return on investment. It’s important to consider ideas that may initially seem off-the-wall, or even inappropriate; and acknowledge those contributions in a positive manner. Your openness will encourage everyone to stretch their thinking and improve their skills. It allows everyone to feel safe expressing themselves.

Learn from mistakes. You and your employees will inevitably make mistakes when learning a new task, taking on a new project, or working with new clients. Keep in mind, every mistake can be turned into a learning opportunity.

Make 2-2-2 your paradigm. Acknowledge two positive things they have done well. Then, share very specific areas for improvement, but, no more than two. Then, wrap-up with two more positives they have done well. This makes feedback easier to give and receive!

Hire a coach. It’s important for your own career and business development that you learn how-to effectively work with and through people to get the job done. Faultfinding is not an effective management style, transforming it produces win/win results on a regular basis.

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

©Jeannette Seibly, 2010-2015

Do you Pounce?

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You will know you are a pouncer if your employees run for cover every time they see you coming!

When you manage by manipulation, blame or other negative behaviors, employees fail to trust you. Pouncing on mistakes rarely builds teamwork, positive morale or job satisfaction. It’s a sign that you need to improve your leadership and management skills. It also signals a low EQ when you come across as a critical parent.

Sadly, many bosses believe this “gotcha” mindset builds loyalty. That couldn’t be further from the truth. It only alleviates your own boredom with the ongoing challenges you experience when working with people and/or systems. Your emotional frustrations should be shared one-on-one with a coach or therapist. Failure to do so can lead to an executive meltdown and limit your career options.

We all make mistakes. If you and your employees are not periodically making mistakes, no one is growing with the business. But if the same mistakes are being made over and over, it’s time to review systems and create a plan for improvement. Often training is missing, or the person is in the wrong job. No amount of pouncing or complaining will fix these problems without positive tactical and/or strategic intervention.

Don’t expect your employees to take the blame when you make an error. It’s up to you to apologize quickly and work with your employee(s) to clean up issues. Learn to laugh at yourself. Have compassion for others. Take responsibility early and be accountable to get a problem resolved. How you handle setbacks is an example that your employees will mimic or use against you. Remember, every problem contains an inherent solution. Your job is to be open to finding it along with your employees.

Walk it out. Write it out. Talk it out.  It can be lonely as the boss. If you are someone who lets your frustration get the best of you, regardless of the reason, take time for yourself. Get enough exercise. Keep a very private journal (not at work). Hire a coach for confidential conversations that will reduce your stress level and generate solutions. (http://SeibCo.com/contact)  Simply talking out issues can help you resolve them quicker and improve your management style. Don’t forget to include practice sessions of talking with your coach or boss before you have those uncomfortable conversations.

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

©Jeannette Seibly, 2010-2014

#1 Energy Zapper

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Excuses, excuses, excuses!  It takes the same amount of energy to entertain the internal and external chatter about why you shouldn’t need to do something, as it does to simply get it done. It’s amazing how much time we waste with our excuses.

Want to be more effective?

  • *Schedule Use your cell or Outlook to schedule time to get the task done, and honor it as an appointment with someone important. YOU.
  • *Do or Delegate Just because you don’t want to do it, doesn’t mean others may not welcome the opportunity. Give them the chance to shine.
  • *20 minutes If you’re still finding excuses, set a timer for 20 minutes. Focus on the task during that time and see how far you progress. It’s amazing how small steps lead to big accomplishments.

Now, get into action!

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

© Jeannette L. Seibly, 2010-2014

What do you trust: data or instincts?

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Successful leaders have to grapple with this dilemma often. They believe their intuition is telling them what the true answer is. Or, they want to trust the numbers. However, intuition can be wrong and 100 percent reliance on data can send you down the wrong path too. Developing a strong business balance between statistics and your sixth sense takes experience, time, and practice. As business owners and executives know, making the wrong decisions can cost the company more than money. It can also cost their reputation, clients, and top talent.

What do you do when you don’t trust the data? Trust the process. For example: When you hire a person based upon your gut reaction, even when the facts disagree, you didn’t trust your selection system. The truth is, failure to pay attention to good objective information will negatively impact your decisions.

Better questions to ask yourself:

  • Do you know how to correctly use qualified hiring tools?
  • How well do you follow a strategic selection process? (http://BizSavvyHire.com)
  • Do you have an unconscious habit of hiring and firing until you find the right person? (Hint: Honestly look at your turnover numbers.)

Asking these types of questions can help you determine the underlying (aka real) reason you may not trust the data.

Which one do you trust when your data or intuition is contrary to others’ opinions? Trust yourself and be open to being right and wrong. For example, many times when a company is experiencing difficulty achieving results, it’s because a controlling leader or dominating team member made erroneous judgments based heavily on facts or feelings. Learn to ask good business questions and listen to people’s responses. Being open to changing your mind doesn’t mean you have to. However, being adamant that you are right is usually a sign of impending disaster.

Strong leaders trust themselves and know how to develop win-win outcomes by working with and through others. They are prepared for the downside of any decision. They use their results as dashboards to develop trust in themselves and others when making balanced factual and intuitive decisions.

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2013-2014

Re-Inspire Your Inner Enthusiasm

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Today many people are settling for “it’s good enough.” They are bored, uninspired and simply counting the hours each day until they leave work. They lament they can’t find other work due to their age, current paycheck, and/or lack of opportunities. Unfortunately, they also tend to blame the boss, job, clients and company for their lack of motivation. They fail to realize their own job dissatisfaction will not be transformed simply due to external work changes. Sparking your motivation is an inside job! Your boss or mentor can’t do it for you. However, with the right conversations, he or she can open the doors and opportunities, if you’re ready. Five steps to prepare for these all important conversations (hint — be sure to write down your responses):

  1. We rarely take time to assess what’s working and what’s not working. We use the all-in-one philosophy that if one thing is broken, none of it is working. An objective assessment of what worked for us and what didn’t can clarify what’s next. Get your copy of the eGuide: “5 Simple Steps to Improve Your Results (and Enjoy Being a Leader Again)” http://ow.ly/EhekG
  2. Read the book, “It’s Time to Brag! Career Edition” and complete the five easy exercises. This will awaken a natural confidence and have you acknowledge and appreciate what you’ve accomplished. Share these brag statements with your boss, mentor and others – they are not aware of all you’ve accomplished. http://Time2Brag.com
  3. Each day write down three things you value about yourself. They should be different each day. If you have a hard time with this, don’t give up on recognizing your value.
  4. Hire a coach to fine-tune your purpose and what you really want. Put together a simple and smart game plan. http://SeibCo.com/contact
  5. You’re ready for great conversations with your boss or mentor. Remember, it’s a two-way communication process. Be open to other ideas from him or her.

Now, take action – waiting doesn’t make a difference. Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact ©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2014

Ask for Help!

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It’s the trademark of many successful business leaders.

Unfortunately, we rationalize we don’t have time to ask for help. We are afraid to ask for clarification of a project due to our pride. We falsely believe we know what our boss, company or client needs without asking for their input. As a result, we lose countless hours and fail to achieve intended results. These lost opportunities cost companies millions!

A true story! When someone was late for a meeting due to lack of planning on where the restaurant was located, they simply gave up. They didn’t ask for help or use technology (411 (directory assistant), GPS, or MapQuest).The restaurant was only 2 miles away!

Question: Would you want to work with someone who didn’t know how to ask for help? What opportunities did they lose out on? 

Answer: We’ll never know!

–Get in action. Stop rationalizing why you don’t want to! Asking questions of others takes the same amount of energy as rationalizing!  When seeking advice, we look competent. It helps us resolve an issue, move forward to complete a stopped project, or arrive at our intended destination. Asking for help allows us to follow through and sets us apart from our competition.

–Working smarter, not harder, means asking for clarification up front.  Ask the right questions, and then stay focused. It takes less than two minutes to ask a question, and saves mega time, money and frustration in doing unnecessary work when we truly listen to the answer. Yes, the response may take 20 minutes, or longer.  (Hint: 20 minutes now vs. 20+ hours later)

–Plan ahead for 100% success. Ask about potential breakdowns and pitfalls. They are a reality. Known challenges will not stop you, it’s the unknown that limits your ability to have a successful outcome.

–Don’t be afraid to use technology, ask people, meet with advisors and review your own systems for the answers. Take the extra time to conduct your due diligence. It will create opportunities for being unstoppable and have you achieve unprecedented results!

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2010-2014

Leadership Starts Inside

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Strong leaders understand their success starts from within and is built on genuine confidence, not false bravado. They do their inner work by hiring a coach to help them recognize and fine-tune their blind spots, while achieving breakthroughs in their leadership style.

These amazing leaders:

  • Take responsibility for themselves first.
  • Trust their inner voice to guide their words and actions.
  • Value others’ ideas, and use them to build solutions.
  • Listen without blame, judgment or criticism to elicit the best in others.
  • Ensure others are comfortable following their lead.
  • Recognize the impact of their strengths and weaknesses when working with others.
  • Set aside their ego and celebrate the successes of others.
  • Create positive learning opportunities out of failures and mistakes.

The strength of their leadership is a reflection of the natural compassion they have developed for themselves and others.
Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

©Jeannette Seibly, 2014