Business

Gratitude Makes You a Better Leader and Boss

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“Gratitude starts with you. It builds strong teams and creates positive workplaces!” Jeannette Seibly

Expressing gratitude and appreciation shows you care about your employees, job, clients, and boss. It’s an intelligent way to keep morale up and motivate people through tough challenges.

When bosses and leaders are grateful for their employees, these employees will be 50% more productive. (Wharton School of Business study)

Expressing your gratitude can be done both verbally and in writing. Remember, your words and actions make a big difference in keeping talent and building a positive workplace culture.

How to Express Gratitude

Be Authentic. It’s a must! When expressing gratitude, it must be sincere to develop trust and increase job satisfaction. Set aside your ego. Learn to acknowledge others for each and every effort, even if it’s part of their everyday job.

Brag! Bragging about your employees sets an example for them to brag about each other, themselves, and their wins. Include the small victories as well as the bigger ones!

Be Specific. Vague feedback or compliments are meaningless. Talk straight about an employee or boss’s specific behavior or action when expressing gratitude. It will encourage repeat behaviors, attitudes, and actions! For example, say to an employee, “Thank you for taking the extra time to work with the client. They expressed to me their appreciation for your patience.”

Set an Example. Be humble and acknowledge specific roles people played in helping you and your team achieve their goals. For example, “Thank you for your great ideas during our brainstorming session. Because of your willingness to think outside the box, we nailed the issue and successfully completed our project on time and within budget.”

Be Positive. Being grateful is not a one-time expression. It’s being thankful, even in the face of challenges. For example, when an employee hands in an assignment late, start the conversation positively by expressing appreciation. “Thank you for getting this assignment done. And, in the future, what must we do to have these tasks done on time?”

Say Please & Thank You! These two powerful phrases still express much gratitude when said with authenticity and sincerity. Use frequently for best results!

So here we go … Thank you for reading this post! You are appreciated. (Come on! Admit it! It felt good, didn’t it?)

Remember, develop gratitude by practicing it repeatedly (daily) until it becomes a natural part of who you are as a boss and leader!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019-2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a Talent Advisor/Leadership Results Coach with over 31 years of experience guiding leaders and bosses to improve their hiring, coaching, and managing practices and produce amazing results! And yes, it always starts with having the right people in the right jobs! She has been an Authorized PXT Select Partner for over 31 years. Contact Jeannette to learn more about this state-of-the-art job-fit assessment tool or how to coach and manage your people to achieve amazing results.

A note from Jeannette about expressing gratitude: We’ve all read about expressing gratitude. But reading about it and doing it are two different things. Unfortunately, many of us are stingy with the appreciation and praise! Make 2024 the year to express your gratitude, praise, and appreciation. You’ll be amazed by the increases in performance! I’m available if you need a sounding board. Contact me for a confidential conversation.

It’s time to get honest and real! Are there days you dread managing people, projects, and your team’s financial performance? You’re not alone! Everyone has their blind spots! NOW is the time to get the guidance you need to make the right changes for 2024. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams successfully. The bonus … they achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

Healing Our Inner Power Creates Leadership Success

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“Healing our inner power is important to create a healthy and wealthy career.” Jeannette Seibly

What is inner power? It’s a: Quiet force within you that knows when to act and when to move and gives you the strength to do so. (Psychology Today)

When do leaders experience a loss of inner power? When you:

Many attempt to hide these types of losses or ignore them due to feelings of guilt, shame, or wanting to look good.

Remember, your inner power helps you stay resilient and resourceful and allows you to bounce back faster. It requires taking the time to recognize, factually, what occurred and your feelings associated with it. Then, do the work to move forward. (An excellent way to objectively discover what happened is to complete the worksheet “What Worked? / What Didn’t Work?)

10 Healing Ideas to Reclaim Your Inner Power 

  1. Make the Commitment. Nothing can genuinely change until you become responsible for where you are now and commit to moving forward. In my many conversations with leaders who have experienced a loss of inner power, they re-presence this declaration. It became the line in the sand of before and after. It’s when they get into focused action to move forward.
  2. Stop Creating Endless Goals. Attempting to pursue more than three goals at a time is usually too much, and why most people fail to achieve any of them. Get real about what you really-really-really want to accomplish. Now, get into focused action.
  3. Hire an Executive Coach (or other appropriate coach (e.g., health, finance)). The best way to move past a business or career loss is to get help. Work with the right coach to guide you in the right direction without the devastating ups and downs of trial and error. Please don’t make the common mistake of trying to do it yourself to avoid feeling shame or guilt. It’ll be more challenging to move on and achieve the needed wins.
  4. Know Yourself. Self-awareness is critical. Many leaders believe they know and trust themselves but are afraid to be seen as they are. It’ll take a toll on your health and well-being if you don’t get honest. Make sure to become aware of your blind spots and inherent talents. Now is an excellent time to discover them and learn new ways to develop your natural strengths. Remember, you cannot build your inner power on weaknesses.
  5. Build Healthy Relationships. Take the time to build positive professional, personal, and family relationships. Spend time with like-minded people by reaching out and taking the time to get to know them. Don’t forget to offer help as appropriate.
  6. Grieve Your Loss, But Don’t Wear It On Your Sleeve. When a loss occurs, take time to grieve. It’ll come out unexpectedly and hurt your progress if you don’t. For example, if your loss of power is due to a job or financial loss, it may be time to review the direction or path you’ve been pursuing.
  7. Hire a Licensed Therapist. It can speed up the healing process and help you make needed changes.
  8. Get Your Brag On! Take the time to conduct a “brag” inventory, and include strengths and successes you’ve experienced. This process helps you focus on “what’s next” instead of living in the past.
  9. Be Mindful. Practice mindful breathing and learn to be present during conversations. It’s where the aha’s occur!
  10. Love Yourself (for who you are and who you are not). Now is a great time for self-reflection. Journalling will help you grow and learn from your experiences.

©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 healing an inner loss of power: We don’t know what 2024 will bring us after a year of economic, political, and worldwide upheaval. The key is to reclaim your inner power. It’s something you need to do each and every day. Since this is not an easy process, now’s the time to talk it out and claim it. Contact me for a confidential conversation.

It’s time to get honest and authentic! Are there days you dread managing people, projects, and your team’s financial performance? You’re not alone! Everyone has their blind spots! NOW is the time to get the guidance you need to make the right changes for 2024. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams successfully. The bonus is that they achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

 

Are You Frustrated that You’re Unable to Find and Keep Top Talent?

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“Are you feeling the stress due to your hiring practices? It’s time to make real changes.” Jeannette Seibly

There are four often overlooked reasons.

Many companies realize they have a problem finding and keeping top talent. They even know it’s due to their hiring managers’ bad habits and practices!

But realizing the obvious (e.g., interviewers need training) does nothing to create a positive difference with your job fit selection system.

How to Improve (not just read about) Your Company’s Retention, Revenues, and Results!

Use the Right Job-Fit Assessment. Legal and scientific (e.g., validity, reliability, predictive validity, and distortion) factors are often overlooked! And most assessments are not designed to comply with the Department of Labor Guidelines for pre-employment and selection purposes. Using the right one will help you achieve real results (e.g., salespeople who can close sales and CPAs/financial planners who enjoy working with financial data). When selecting a job-fit assessment, ask for the Technical Manual. Beware … run the other way if they provide a letter from their attorney. These letters are designed to protect them, not you! (Read Chapter 9, Use the Right Assessments and Skills Test, “Hire Amazing Employees)

Ask Job-Related Questions. Even though most hiring bosses know better, many ask inadequate or inappropriate interview questions. For example, “What’s your favorite movie/book/color/restaurant?” These questions have nothing to do with the job and are illegal! The focus needs to be on questions that address: Can they do the job? Are they willing to learn the job? Will they actually do the job? Can they be successful in doing the job here? (For help designing interview questions: SEE Chapter 12, Pointers for Successful Interviews, “Hire Amazing Employees”)

Recognize Your Competition’s Top Producer May Fail in Your Company. No two companies have identical cultures and values. It’s why a top results producer in one company may fail in another! A well-designed job-fit selection system will reveal whether or not they will succeed at your company. (SEE: Chapter 2, Create a Strategic Selection System, “Hire Amazing Employees”)

Know Your Biases and Judgments Make Little Difference. Yes, we ALL have them! Even you! How do you minimize the negative impacts of the biases and judgments? Recognize them using a well-designed job-fit selection system to hire, promote, and transfer your people! Do this now before the next rendition of the “Great Resignation” or “Great Attrition” occurs in 2024! It will save time, customers, and sleepless nights. (SEE: Chapter 1, The Selection Triad – What Is It and Why Should You Care? “Hire Amazing Employees”)

©Jeannette Seibly, 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a Talent Advisor/Leadership Results Coach with over 31 years of experience guiding leaders and bosses to improve their hiring, coaching, and managing practices and produce amazing results! And yes, it always starts with having the right people in the right jobs! She has been an Authorized PXT Select Partner with Wiley for over 31 years. To learn more about this state-of-the-art job-fit assessment tool, contact Jeannette.

I Thought We Resolved the Issue

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“Resolving issues and focusing on the long-term impact greatly improve your results.” Jeannette Seibly

How often have you thought an issue was resolved only to have it come back and knock on your door again? It’s frustrating! If you let it, it can sabotage your resilience, resourcefulness, and results.

Issues reoccur when you put a band-aid on them. You were in a hurry to make the problems disappear and take the easy way out. The truth is (if you’re honest about it) you allowed your personal feelings to get in the way, didn’t talk it out with others, or listened to sage advice. But ignoring the real issue(s) never resolves the true problem.

It can be difficult to confront challenging issues. You may feel powerless or lack the confidence or insight to resolve the core issue. Too many times, you and others talk about it over and over, taking weeks and months in hopes of resolving the issue. But instead, you and the team gloss over the actual issue. In the meantime, the window of opportunity has closed, and the damage has been done irrevocably.

Decisions will be well-thought-out when a company addresses the fundamental issue head-on and facilitates the process. It gets resolved quickly, and the issue disappears. I’ve been part of situations where the problems disappeared, and to this day, the issue hasn’t resurfaced because it was effectively resolved. It required integrity to do the right thing (not take the easy way out), critical thinking (not circular thinking), making decisions, and taking action immediately.

Build Solutions That Disappear Issues

Align on Core Values. Be clear in your communications and management practices that all solutions must align with the company’s core values. For example, when addressing employee retention, the issue is rarely about money (even though many focus on it). It’s about factionalism, quiet retaliation, or other less talked about (and real) issues. One solution may be enforcing workplace policies and procedures (e.g., no-tolerance policies).

Make Good Decisions. The process of making good decisions doesn’t need to be complicated. Integrity, honesty, and critical thinking will always create better outcomes when having tough conversations and addressing tough issues as soon as possible. When making informed decisions, remember to analyze the risks, costs, and impact on others.

Communicate the Results Appropriately So No One Involved is Left Out. When writing an email or talking, be present with what you say! Or, you may make the situation worse! Also, when coming to an agreement on the goal and focused action steps to take, go around the table or virtual camera to get everyone’s input until nothing new is added. Yes, it’ll take more time. But in the long run will save countless hours and money and stop the issue(s) from resurfacing.

Think Win-Win-Win. While you do not have a crystal ball, doing the right things right will be reflected in your decisions. If you are upset or angry about the issue or have a vendetta against someone, recuse yourself immediately. Otherwise, the core issue will hang around for a long time and hurt your business growth and career.

Follow-Up and Follow-Through. This is the step that is usually skipped! Ask the team: “What are the true results? Are the solutions implemented and working? If not, what do we need to do to move forward?” It’s helpful to come back in a day, week, and month to ask yourself and your team, “Did we address the true issue? Did we resolve the problem? Are you hearing any feedback or gossip that we need to investigate?” Note: The old issue may be resolved, but a new one may have popped up. Remember, you’re never done handling issues as a leader and boss. Don’t wait! Address issues now.

©Jeannette Seibly 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 resolving issues: How often have you used the band-aid approach when resolving an issue, and have it returned to haunt you? When these issues resurface or hang around too long, they hurt your retention, revenues, and results. Get these issues resolved now. Do you need a facilitator to guide you through the conversations? Contact me!

Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? The coach is in! Every boss and leader has their blind spots! They get in the way of being a results-producer! When tough times occur, and they will, asking for the right help is essential! 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.

Are You Engaging in Quiet Retaliation?

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“Quiet retaliation creates a toxic workplace culture when not effectively addressed.” Jeannette Seibly

Someone told on you!

  • You are accused of using microaggressions to make a point.
  • You were not truthful when submitting your expense reports.
  • It appears that you made the wrong decision that cost the company a client.

Your automatic response is retaliating, getting even, and/or blaming others. However, retaliation of any kind only creates further trouble.

Many leaders and bosses often retaliate by taking unfavorable actions against or making negative comments about employees who disagree with them. Or when their management team or boards find out about their wrongdoings. Or fire the whistle-blowers. These are examples of retaliation and are illegal in all states.

But what is quiet retaliation? It’s much more subtle, is incredibly common, and can be contagious in the workplace. It occurs when the avenger makes the employee or team uncomfortable through their words or actions. Often, the “victim(s)” feels targeted.

Here’s what quiet retaliation looks like in the workplace:

You …

  • Refuse to pay overtime but demand additional work be done
  • Ignore their ideas, or make negative comments about their ideas
  • Inform the employee or team that hybrid or remote work is no longer an option
  • Exclude them from important meetings or social get-togethers
  • Deny promotions or desired work assignments
  • Micromanage the employee or team
  • Withhold information and resources needed to get the job done
  • Rely on microaggressions to express your frustrations, hurt, and anger about them not being a “team player.”

When these types of quiet retaliation occur, the workplace culture will suffer. As the leader and boss, it’s up to you to work with your executive coach to ensure you and all employees are not engaging in these insidious and toxic practices. Because doing so will hurt your credibility, business growth, and future career options (even if you’re the business owner!). It also causes great clients and top talent to leave eventually.

Tips to Handle Quiet Retaliation

If you are engaging in quiet retaliation:

  • Talk out options with your boss and HR to rectify your wrongdoing.
  • Work with an executive coach to take responsibility for your misconduct and stop any quiet retaliation against employees.
  • Learn how to talk out and express yourself in healthy and helpful ways.
  • Apologize where and when appropriate.
  • Have all work assignments, promotions, and job change decisions made by objective team member(s).

If you have an employee engaging in quiet retaliation:

  • Remember, this may have been going on for a long time! Do not delay in addressing it!
  • Investigate or hire an objective third party to do so and ensure there is documentation.
  • Take the right actions to rectify the issue, including letting the offender go.

How to avoid quiet retaliation:

  • Enforce a no-tolerance
  • Train leaders, bosses, and team members to avoid any form of retaliation.
  • Provide written policies and procedures and communicate these with all employees.
  • To avoid surprises, have leaders and bosses conduct self-assessments and review them quarterly. Listen for any biases, negative comments about a person or team, and blame levied on the team for poor results. These are potential signs of quiet retaliation.

Note: If you’re experiencing quiet retaliation against you:

  • Inform your boss, HR, and your boss’s boss.
  • Document occurrences by keeping a log on your personal electronic device (not company-issued). Include in writing the time, date, other people that observed it, and factually what happened.
  • If nothing changes for the better, contact an employment attorney.
  • Talk with a coach and a therapist … retaliation of any kind will diminish your confidence and feelings of self-worth, especially if your co-workers side with the retaliator. This usually signifies a toxic workplace culture, and any healthy changes are unlikely to occur. Time to move on.

Quiet retaliation hurts your bottom line and ability to attract and retain top talent. You also risk losing great customers! What are you, as a leader and boss, doing to look for and stop the insidious practice of quiet retaliation?

©Jeannette Seibly 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 comes from 31 years of transforming bosses from hated to respected! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about quiet retaliation: This is incredibly common and can be contagious in the workplace. Many times, it’s been occurring for an extended period of time. Without intervention, quiet retaliation creates a toxic workplace culture because many employees mimic the leaders and bosses who engage in it. Contact Jeannette for a confidential sounding board to address looking for and addressing quiet retaliation in your workplace.

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? As a leader, do you have bosses that are difficult for teams to work with? Or are you one of those bosses? With my depth of experience and wisdom, I transform bosses from hated to respected! Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

Podcast: Many have been told that bragging is wrong. The problem? You will not win the job, promotion, or sale if you cannot share your successes. Check out my podcast interview with host Frank Agin:  https://bit.ly/BragPodcast. Get your brag on by giving it a listen.

Do You Feel Like You’re on a Never-Ending Hamster Wheel?

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“Do you feel like you’re on a hamster wheel? The continuous and repetitive cycle that never ends? It’s time to step off.” Jeannette Seibly

With worldwide and personal events taking an emotional toll on you as a leader and boss, it’s easy to feel like you’re on a never-ending hamster wheel … the continuous and repetitive cycle that keeps you immobile and uncertain about what to do or going around in circles trying to achieve intended results.

Even though you attempt to hide your true feelings, fears, and concerns, your anxiety, frustration, and anger leak out in unconscious, subtle, and sometimes loud ways. Being conscious of your feelings, which others may also be experiencing, will improve others’ ability to listen to you, brainstorm, and develop workable solutions that positively impact your results.

Tips to Get Off the Hamster Wheel and Create Positive Results

The key is to take focused actions and work with a coach.

First, Get the Facts. The head and heart do not always work well together. It’s essential to work with a coach and/or therapist to decipher what is valid as a fact versus what is true personally for you emotionally. If you don’t, peer pressure, group thinking, and wanting to be liked will take over … and not in a positive way. Continuing on the hamster wheel will hurt your results and future business and career opportunities.

Second, Put Together a Plan. Write out your ideas and talk about a short-term plan with your team to get the immediate issue handled. Keep in mind that decisions made today will impact tomorrow. So, listen and make the best win-win-win decisions. Beware of the trap of making decisions in your own best interests. Bad decisions tend to hang around for a long, long time.

Third, Get into Focused Action. Making a plan can be easy. The hard part is getting into focused action. We have so many excuses! Especially when you must make changes and instead are busy overanalyzing what could go wrong. Taking steps forward will reduce the hum of the hamster wheel in your head. For example, if you have an employee creating mischief on the team, overlooking it and not addressing it will only allow the issue to mushroom! Have the tough conversations!

Fourth, Keep Your Ego Tempered. Many times, to not feel vulnerable and feel in control, you will allow your ego to take over. You’ll issue mandates, micromanage others, or talk in a fear-based manner. Yes, your choice of words matters! Again, talk it out with one or two trusted advisors, your coach, and/or a therapist. Remember, you don’t have the luxury of “shoulding” all over everyone! (Think, it should not be this way; they should know better)

Fifth, Practice Gratitude and Allow for Learning Moments. Removing the hamster wheel will necessitate being open and vulnerable during these challenging times without carrying your emotions and fears around in your actions, on your face, and in your voice. Others will follow your lead! Use the exercise, “What worked? / What didn’t work?” to see the positives and help you determine specifically what can be done right now to impact results.

Sixth, Celebrate Your Wins! You did it! Time to celebrate and update your brags!

©Jeannette Seibly 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 comes from 31 years of transforming bosses from hated to respected! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about managing the “hamster wheel” of being a leader and a boss: With much change occurring worldwide and personally for everyone, it can be difficult to stay focused on what really matters. We get caught up in the hamster wheel of life and forget we can step off! This week’s article was inspired during one of my hamster wheel episodes, and it works! Contact Jeannette for a confidential sounding board to step off your hamster wheel.

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? As a leader, do you have bosses that are difficult for teams to work with? Or are you one of those bosses? With my depth of experience and wisdom, I transform bosses from hated to respected! Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

Podcast: When was the last time you patted yourself on the back? Learning how to brag is critical to your business and career successes! Check out my podcast interview with host Frank Agin:  https://bit.ly/BragPodcast. Get your brag on by giving it a listen.

Why Do You Need to Make Crucial Changes Now?

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“Waiting to make the right changes in hiring and retaining top talent costs you time, money, and your business.” Jeannette Seibly

Because the right people in the right jobs are your most valuable assets!

Many bosses and business leaders in private and family-owned businesses are failing to make crucial changes now. Instead, they wait until there is an “Oh! S^&T moment!” By then, it’s usually too late. It’s gut-wrenching; they are looking for someone or something to blame.

Have you recently:

  • Noticed a leak in your financial profits? (There is no line item for hiring or promoting the wrong employee!)
  • Lost a major client … the one that has kept your doors open?
  • Lost a key employee … the one who knows everything about the company and its systems?
  • Spent more time updating your computer systems than hiring the right person?

The bad news? Ignoring these issues with the ostrich approach never worked well for anyone and never solved any of the “people challenges” you continue to have. Remember, the right people in the right jobs are your most valuable assets! Your reticence to make required changes takes a toll on your current employees and customers.

The good news? When you upgrade and update your hiring, promoting, and job transferring systems to collect objective, valid, and reliable data, your profits soar, and your employees and customers are happier.

It’s Time to Get Real

About the Numbers. Having high turnover is insane! And costs a lot of money. Relying on the excuse that it is less than “industry standards” won’t make a difference to your bottom line, retaining top talent, or keeping great customers. Conduct an analysis of the cost of hiring mistakes. Then, compare the cost of updating and upgrading your hiring and selection practices. Usually, a wrong hire costs much more than a well-designed strategic selection system.

About Your Selection Process. Are your people in the right jobs? Most employees today would give a resounding, “NO!” The Great Resignation and Great Attrition (along with other new terms for old issues) are employees’ battle cries for help! They are bored and stressed! A well-designed strategic job-fit process includes conducting effective job-related interviews, using real qualified job-fit assessment tools validated for pre-employment and promotion use, and following through on collecting true due diligence data.

About the Importance of Onboarding. Without following a well-designed plan to onboard new hires, you will lose them. Why? The boss is often too busy, so that the employees will step in. Employees have a way of doing work that may or may not reflect company policies and procedures. Bad habits, employees not on the same page, and mixed customer reviews will cause new hires to leave.

About Managing and Coaching Practices. Many bosses today are promoted for the wrong reasons and make poor managers and coaches. What missing? They lack coachability. It’s why many former employees blame bad bosses for leaving. These bosses take feedback as criticism of them personally instead of understanding it’s an opportunity to learn how to improve the quality of their work. Also, they fail to provide critical feedback to their employees.

How do you determine coachability? Ask the following interview questions more than once,

  • “What was your most recent mistake?”
  • “What did you do to correct it?”
  • “Who was involved in building the solution?”
  • “What were the results?”

If the job candidate or person you want to promote cannot think of any mistakes, move on to other candidates!

About Providing Leadership and Management Development. Again, many bosses and leaders are promoted for the wrong reasons (e.g., longevity, being liked by their boss (but not the employees), or handling a customer issue well once). Take the time on Day 1 to create a career path, leadership and management development training, and opportunities to use these skills based on the employee’s and company’s goals.

©Jeannette Seibly 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 comes from 31 years of transforming bosses from hated to respected! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about making crucial changes now in how you hire, coach, and manage your employees: We all like to think we have time … as soon as we put all the fires out. The challenge? The fires never end if you keep hiring, promoting, and job-transferring the right people into the wrong jobs! Now is the time to get real! Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation about updating and upgrading your selection processes NOW!

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? As a leader, do you have bosses that are difficult for teams to work with? Or are you one of those bosses? With my depth of experience and wisdom, I transform bosses from hated to respected! Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

Podcast info When was the last time to patted yourself on the back? Learning how to brag is critical to your business and career successes! Check out my podcast interview with host, Frank Agin:  https://bit.ly/BragPodcast  Get your brag on! Give it a listen.

Be a Respected Leader and Achieve Intended Results

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“Respect grows based on the quality of the decisions you make.” Jeannette Seibly

Being a respected leader (or boss) and achieving intended results requires taking responsibility for each situation, discovering the true issue, and making the best decisions to improve results. And? Asking for help!

The biggest challenge I’m seeing today is leaders focused on being well-liked by employees and customers, and disregarding the importance of being respected.

A general manager (GM) for a company was well liked by employees and clients. It was a surprise and shock when he was reamed by a new board member about his poor management of the company’s satellite office. After the board session, the GM resigned. After the employees and other board members convinced him to stay, he rescinded his resignation. But nothing was done to resolve the real issue of poor financial management. Several months later the GM was fired.

In this situation, the GM was liked but not respected. He did not ask for help, and no one addressed the real issue of poor financial management.

5 Keys to Build Respect as a Leader

  1. Select the Best People. Stop intuitive hiring practices! Respect begins by hiring, promoting, and job transferring your management and employee teams into positions that fit them! (It’s called job-fit.) Before selecting people, craft a well-designed selection process to collect objective, valid, and reliable data about the person’s ability to be effective in the job. This requires using qualified job-fit assessments, conducting job-focused interviews, and implementing a six-month onboarding program.
  2. Make Faster Decisions. When done right, you will make better decisions. Taking days, weeks, or months to make decisions is often due to poor leadership, and the fear of not being linked. Instead, have the tough conversations and get to the heart of the issue. Remember, integrity, critical thinking, and paying attention to the impact on others will create better decisions now and in the long-run.
  3. Talk It Out. Communication is everything. Too often, leaders don’t pay attention to their own words, as well as not paying attention. When talking it out, go around the table to get everyone’s input until there is nothing new being added. The process includes eliciting responses from those you normally don’t listen to. The answers reside inside the quality of the conversation! Yes, it can take more time. But in the long run, it builds respect for you as a leader, and provides support when implementing less-than-popular decisions.
  4. Build Good Working Relationships. This facilitates getting things resolved faster, with faster buy-in. This is key to developing respect. When are allowed to make statements and offer opinions about how things should be done or how should be viewed before listening to people, relationships falter (and sometimes destroyed). Remember, listening, learning, and asking questions of those involved will always build stronger relationships.
  5. Plan for Your Replacement. Succession planning and development are crucial for future leaders. When you plan for your replacement, you build respect because you are showing your commitment to the longevity of the company, more than your own personal interests. You never know when your successor will need to step up, either short or long-term, due to illness, death of family members, and other issues. The key? Make sure the person is the right one. (SEE #1 above) Too often, a good #2 person does not make a good #1 leader. Don’t skip #1.

©Jeannette Seibly, 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 comes from 31 years of transforming bosses from hated to respected! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about being respected as a leader: Think of a leader you respect … what was the #1 trait that leader had? Now … think of a leader you liked but didn’t respect. What were the differences? Often, it comes down to how they made decisions that impacted the company, employees, and customers. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation about how to become a respected leader.

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? As a leader, do you have bosses that are difficult for teams to work with? Or are you one of those bosses? With my depth of experience and wisdom, I transform bosses from hated to respected! Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

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.