How to Conduct the Best Virtual Interviews

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Welcome to the new world of work!

Whether you’re ready or not, virtual interviews are the way recruiters and hiring managers will select job candidates, now and in the future. It’s safer, more effective, and saves time and money.

And, it’s important to remember, your company’s reputation, and the ability to attract great candidates depends on your ability to conduct the best well-prepared virtual interviews.  

19 Tips to Conduct Effective Virtual Interviews and Ensure a Positive Candidate Experience

Remember, as you incorporate these 19 tips, make sure you update your strategic hiring process by reviewing the processes and tools being used and make any improvements NOW  (e.g., applicant tracking system, job fit assessments, training interviewers, background and reference checks, etc.). 

First steps, these are a must and are often overlooked:

  1. Review your company’s vision and mission. Any changes? Write them down.
  2. What are the new company goals, short-term (Q2 and Q3) and long-term (Q4 and Q1-2021)? Write these down.
  3. Review these with your management team before interviewing and hiring new employees.
  4. Once your management team has aligned, review, and update job descriptions and corresponding policies to reflect changes (e.g., hiring and selection, remote employees, working from home, working and meeting with customers, etc.).
  5. Create a 180-day Success Plan for each position. Keep it simple and focused.
  6. Update structured interview questions and selection tools being used (e.g., benchmarks for job fit assessments, etc.).
  7. Train all interviewers Do not rely on them to read the new policies and procedures. The virtual training will ensure consistency for the best interviews and positive job candidate experiences.

Second steps, prep work for virtual interviews:

  1. Be prepared and don’t wing it. Hiring biases and gut reactions will be a problem without preparation. Remember, there will be new biases. For example, job candidates are being interviewed in their homes and not in a professional setting.
  2. Send out ATS reminders with time and date, length of the interview, name of interviewer(s) and job title(s), plus the URL for the virtual interview.
  3. Test virtual connections. Request job candidates “test” the URL connection before the interview and resolve issues. If you don’t use a conferencing system often, also “test” your virtual connections before the scheduled time.
  4. Review the job description and structured interview questions (yes, reread them each time). This allows you to listen and stay focused, instead of thinking about what to say next.

Third, conducting the virtual interview:

  1. Be sure everyone is visible on your monitor during group or panel interviews.
  2. Turn off electronic devices and other distractions. This keeps everyone focused and saves time spent in the interview.
  3. Start the virtual interview by introducing yourself (20 seconds). If in a group, have each interviewer provide a 20-second introduction. State name, title, and how this job impacts their area.
  4. Share what to expect during the virtual interview process with job candidates.

For example, today I am (or, we are) conducting the first set of interviews for XXX position. This will take approximately 1 hour. “Have you scheduled this amount of time for our conversation?”  (If no, reschedule to ensure consistency in the interview process.)

  1. Ask your prepared structured interview questions to objectively compare job candidates. (This is also required by law.)
  2. Listen by looking directly into the camera. Also, speak directly into the mic. Maintain eye contact without staring.
  3. Deep dive into the job candidate’s answers to determine actual hands-on experience. It’s important to know the quality of their skills and the ability to use them in different situations. Also, this will help you create a training program focused on their needs. Do not sound like an interrogator since that will hinder a positive candidate experience.

Examples of deep-dive questions:

  • -What is one specific challenge you have faced?
  • -How did you resolve the issue?
  • -What specifically did you do?
  1. At the end of the interview, not the beginning, share the following information. Here’s why: You want job candidates to tell you who they really are…not tell you what they think you want to hear based on the information below.
  • -Vision and Mission of the company
  • -Title and top 3 to 5 job responsibilities (do not negotiate at this time)
  • Quick overview of 180-Day Plan with a specific focus on Q2 and Q3
  • -Reporting structure and potential start date
  • -DO NOT conduct salary and benefit negotiations until it’s time to make a job offer
  • -Share what’s next with selected candidates (e.g., future interviews by team members, due diligence process, completing assessments, notifying job candidates of status, etc.)
  • -Be responsible for following-up and following-through on any promises made.

Conducting the best virtual interviews means you are well-prepared, focused, and follow your company’s policies & procedures. Remember, if you don’t, job candidates will share their less-than-positive virtual interview experiences on social media!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning executive coach and keynote speaker.  For more than 27 years, she has been an expert in guiding leaders to excel when selecting the right people for the right jobs.  The new world of work has started. Are you ready?  Contact Jeannette to improve your strategic hiring, coaching, training, and managing processes.  Don’t forget to listen to her podcasts on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.

 

Are You Ready to Excel as a Leader? Now is the Time!

Leaders.Crisis.BizSavvyCoach.5Now is the time to excel as a leader. Are you ready to lead during this crisis?

No one is born a leader. It takes experience, practice, and commitment to be a leader, especially during a crisis.

  • -Are you ready?
  • -Do you have the ability to work with and through others to get the job done?
  • -Are you able to engage your teams in meaningful conversations, while building dynamic results?

Remember, leaders don’t get do-overs, even during a crisis period.

6 Skills Required of Leaders to Excel during a Crisis and Beyond

  1. Engage Your Team. Forcing your team members to do what you tell them to do is not engaging. It only creates fear and distrust. Instead, treat your team members as adults and as contributing members of your team. Yes, your mindset matters. Also, acknowledge their great ideas. Working alongside them virtually can still produce intended outcomes in a win-win-win manner.

Crisis Tip: Check-IN to see how they are doing…do not check-UP to see what they are doing!

 

  1. Integrity Still Matters. Work through legal and financial considerations and don’t take short-cuts. Remember, the best solutions may not follow the easiest and fastest pathways. When mistakes occur, and they will, take responsibility for resolving them.

Crisis Tip: When a mistake is made, take responsibility. Apologize and clean it up! It sets a great example for your team and others.

 

  1. Listen for New Possibilities in ALL Ideas. Remember, it’s not business as usual. Put down your electronic gadgets. Listen to what is being said and the unspoken messages that are being conveyed. Then, ask questions to elicit the best from your team to build on new ideas. Initially, these ideas may seem off-the-wall and ridiculous…but they can inspire new solutions. Keep an open mind.

Crisis Tip: Consider, you will create better solutions when you work with your team instead of as a lone-ranger.

 

  1. Respect Others. Your job isn’t to be a critical parent, particularly when you have team members older than you! Remember, they have tremendous experience and great ideas. Trust your team to get the job done without micromanaging them. Stay present to the results they are producing by measuring those results. Acknowledge any progress made, no matter how small.

Crisis Tip: Respect builds trust and loyalty, especially during all the uncertainty.

 

  1. Self-Care. It’s important to ensure your team members have the resources and your attention right now. And, it’s critical that you take care of you! Schedule time to spend with your family and friends virtually. Don’t forget to stay connected with your business network too!

Crisis Tip: Leaders who take care of themselves are more likely to have engaged and productive team members.

 

  1. Leaders Who Excel Have Coaches, Especially Right Now! If you don’t have an executive coach, now is the time to hire one. Have confidential conversations with them to keep you on track. That helps you navigate these uncertain times with the confidence of a true leader.

Crisis Tip:  It doesn’t need to be lonely as a leader…you just need to be coachable.

 

©Jeannette Seibly, 2017 -2020

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning dynamic results coach and keynote speaker. For the past 27 years, she has guided the creation of leaders to achieve dynamic results. Did you hit your 1st Quarter goals? If you did, congrats! Remember, what you do now, during Q2, will impact Q3 and beyond. Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results. Don’t forget to listen to her podcasts on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.

I’ve got an invitation for you:  All bosses are leaders! If you want to be a better boss or hope to be a boss someday, I invite you to download “15 Ways to Be a Better Boss”  It’s free.

3 Bad Habits You Need to Break to Be a Confident Leader

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I’ve got an invitation for you.

All leaders are bosses! If you want to be a better boss or hope to be a boss someday, I invite you to download “15 Ways to Be a Better Boss”  It’s free.

Building your confidence today and inspiring confidence in your team is critical! And, given what’s going on in the world, it’s even more important now.

What inevitably gets in the way of being a confident leader? Your bad habits.

Due to all of the uncertainty, as a leader, you are under more pressure than ever before. Now, is when your leadership habits…the good, not-so-good, and bad…can either support you and your team achieving great results or not.

It’s Critical You Breakthrough These 3 Bad Habits

1. Poor Listening Skills. This #1 bad habit will sabotage your results!

A leader had a bad habit of checking his emails and texts during meetings. He insisted he was only multitasking and could hear everything being said. He failed to understand the human brain is wired for one activity at a time. (Multi-tasking is a myth!) It wasn’t until he missed hearing critical information that he learned this lesson the hard way. Even after the team member repeated himself, he failed to understand or question the significance of it. As a result, the budget was exceeded and timeline was missed.

Always listen as though your results (and career) depend on it…because they do!

2. Lack of Awareness. One leader constantly found fault with how others did their work. He thought he could do it better and faster. The truth was, he didn’t have the skills to do their jobs. He lacked the awareness of the impact of his comments and did not understand these comments disengaged his team and hurt productivity.

When someone fails to achieve the required results, it’s time to inspire confidence in your team members, not criticize their work habits. Remember, during this crisis, it’s NOT business as usual.

During ALL conversations stay present and aware:

  • -State the intended goal or results in 10 words or less.
  • -Listen to each team member’s input and concerns.
  • -Work through any push-backs in a win-win manner (think, ethical considerations, workability, impact on others, etc.).
  • -Align on the work and completion dates with your team to meet your client’s needs.
  • -Provide necessary resources. Remember, working from home is not the same as working from the office.

Your awareness determines the quality and timeliness of your team’s results.

3. Know-It-All Attitude. A new leader was a micromanager, a common trait of inexperienced leaders. She wanted everything done exactly as she thought it should be done. Whenever a mistake was made, instead of taking responsibility, she blamed her team (and others) for making her feel humiliated and for letting her down.

To break this bad habit, listen to your team members’ ideas. They are working on the front lines and can be resourceful when encouraged to do so. Also, listen from compassion since they are experiencing a lot of frustration, stress, and anxiety during these uncertain times. It’s up to you to inspire confidence in them!

Building true confidence in yourself and others starts inside you.

Remember, bad habits are amplified during a crisis. They will come out and be displayed in unexpected and unwanted ways. Work with an executive coach NOW to effectively navigate through these uncertain times. It’s the mark of a confident leader who inspires confident team members!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2012-2020

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning dynamic results coach and keynote speaker. For the past 27 years, she has guided the creation of leaders to excel in achieving results. 1st Quarter is done. Did you hit your goals? If you did, congrats! If you didn’t, regardless of the COVID-19, you must stay in action. Join us on Wednesday mornings for dynamic results coaching.  Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results. Don’t forget to listen to her podcasts on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.

Overconfidence is the Top Reason Leaders Sabotage Their Results

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Optimism is important during this COVID-19 crisis. But, overconfidence that you won’t get the virus or the economy won’t impact you will sabotage your results as a leader.

While confidence is important, being too confident usually means you are not paying attention to the details. It’s “in the details” that results will be successful or fail.

A new leader believed he was ready to lead a $25M project, even though he had never run a $1M project before. He sold himself by making bold promises and embellishing his skills. 60 days later he was fired and wanted to know why. He hired a coach who used a scientifically validated job fit assessment. The results showed he had leadership potential, but, he lacked the experience to manage a diverse team. During the conversation with his coach, he found why he was fired. He hadn’t built trust with his team and believed he couldn’t fail. He disregarded his team’s objections. In turn, the team disregarded everything he said. They believed he was, “too full of himself.” In other words, his overconfidence failed to build a team to achieve dynamic results.

This overconfidence dynamic happens when leaders feel superior and fail to understand that this mindset will sabotage their results. It can also be a career derailer.

How to Recognize When You Are Overconfident

Awareness of your mindset is important. At times, everyone has been or will be overconfident in their life and career. Learn to recognize and be aware of words or actions that signal you’re being overconfident (e.g., “I’ve got this handled!” “I never fail!”)  If you don’t, this mindset will sabotage you.

Be honest about your skills. Take the time to conduct an accurate assessment of yourself. Use a scientifically validated job fit assessment that goes beyond how you want to be seen. Objective results are critical will provide insights into the strengths and weaknesses of your thinking style, core behaviors, and occupational interests. These blind spots will make or break your results as a leader.

Stop comparing yourself with others. Too often, when you see someone make a mistake, you may become arrogant and believe you would never make a similar mistake. That is until you do, then, you have a myriad of excuses! This is one important example of what being overconfident and lacking empathy looks like. Both of these traits are required for successful leadership.

Test your assumptions before declaring your decisions. Too often we make important judgments and decisions based on fragments of information. We fail to objectively deep dive into the pros and cons, instead we rely on how we feel or our interpretation of the data. Use your network to test your assumptions. 90% of the world’s information is in people’s heads, not the internet!  Questions to get answered: Why did it work for that company? What are the differences between their company and mine? What is “insider” information? This kind of analysis will help you make confident and better decisions.

Listen to others’ feedback and concerns. For some, it is easier to only focus on the positives. But, a healthy skepticism will save your career and the financial impact of a bad decision. Learn to listen to what you don’t want to hear. All feedback is valuable.

Recognize when it’s the right time. While many ideas may be viable with modifications, it may not be the right time or place to put them into action.  Avoid using circular logic to push through ideas before the right time.

How to Work with Overconfident Leaders

Stay aware and mindful in conversations. Listen up when your leader is sharing a decision s/he is making or about to make. It will impact you, your project, team, and budget, either directly or indirectly. Ask open-ended questions for clarification rather than debating the leader’s decision.

Stand up and speak up. While it’s important to be assertive in these situations, diplomacy is critical. Remember, while you may be right, overconfident leaders will ignore you if their ego feels threatened. This can impact future results too.

If the leader’s idea or assertion does not impact you, avoid confrontation. Choose which issues to pursue. If you confront every issue, you will not be heard. Instead, address major issues from a win-win perspective.

Overconfidence can be a leader’s downfall. Learn from the above strategies on how to recognize them and achieve dynamic results.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019-2020

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning dynamic results coach and keynote speaker. For the past 27 years, she has guided the creation of leaders to achieve dynamic results.  1st Quarter is done. Did you hit your goals? If you did, congrats! Remember, what you do during Q2 will impact Q3 and beyond. Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results. Don’t forget to listen to her podcasts on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.

12 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Virtual Meetings

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Many of us are now expected (and required) to rely on virtual meetings for business.

But, if you’re unfamiliar with how-to-do-it or lack the skills required to conduct effective virtual meetings, they will be unproductive, time-consuming, and disengaging!

While you may believe you are already a great meeting facilitator, others may disagree. Some of you may be self-conscious about your voice or the way you look on camera. Remember, this is a great time to blast through your self-limiting beliefs and blind spots!

12 Tips for Productive Virtual Meetings

  1. Preparation is the Critical Key. Winging it causes too many distractions! Important key points or details will be forgotten! Prepare an agenda! Send it out along with your meeting notification and link. Remember to ask for any changes in your email. Then, also ask before starting the meeting. If you don’t, the participant will stop listening.
  2. Ensure Audio and Visual Are Both Ready. Check to ensure your equipment and connections are working before the meeting! If you don’t know how to use your conferencing system, learn! Practice with a co-worker or your kids before the meeting.
  3. Minimize Distractions. Working from home has many distractions. These include pets, kids, deliveries, neighbors, etc. Create a workspace that reduces these detractors and ask your team members to do the same. Listen to By Popular Request! More Tips for Working from Home Confidently, Effectively, and Productively! for ideas.
  4. Visuals Are Important. If there are any slides, PPTs or data, send it out with the agenda. Ask someone that is familiar with “Share Screen” capabilities to share any info onscreen. Otherwise, if you make your audience wait while you are fumbling around, you will lose them.
  5. Speak Clearly. Use a mic and speak slowly since some home connections are limited and you will be hard to hear. Remember, it’s critical everyone listens, understands, and participates in the conversations. Otherwise, people will check out while pretending to listen.
  6. Use Your Business Voice When Interrupted. It’s easy to forget the tone of your voice is often different at work than at home. Be aware and breathe before responding to any interruptions. For example, if the dog starts barking at a UPS delivery truck, don’t yell and scream at the dog to stop! Instead, say, “Just a moment, there is a UPS delivery truck here and the dog is letting me know.” Then, resume your conversation. Don’t try to talk over it.
  7. Stay Focused. Multi-tasking is a myth! Reading emails or texts, playing online games, or having side conversations with housemates is distracting. You cannot listen and do other things at the same time and be productive during your virtual meetings.
  8. Team Member is Having Difficulties. During this crisis, some of your team members will be experiencing new challenges. Have a conversation with him or her off-line and before the meeting. This will ensure s/he is able to be present during the conversation.
  9. Listen to the Unsaid. It’s very easy to hideout in virtual meetings. Non-verbal cues will be more difficult to observe. Go around the group and have each team member share ideas or concerns. Use a note-taker for meeting minutes, and don’t rely on “recordings.”
  10. Using “Record Function.” This is an option if someone is absent from the meeting. But, be aware, team members may limit sharing their thoughts and ideas if they know it’s being recorded. There may also be legal ramifications in some states or communities. Check first! If you are recording, always let team members know before the meeting starts and who will have access to the recording.
  11. No Pics on Social Media! Remember, this is a business meeting, not a social one.
  12. For additional info on How to Lead Virtual Team Members

 ©Jeannette Seibly, 2020

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning dynamic results coach and keynote speaker. For the past 27 years, she has guided the creation of leaders to excel in achieving results. 1st Quarter is done. Did you hit your goals? If you did, congrats! If you didn’t, regardless of the Coronavirus, you must stay in action. Join us on Wednesday mornings for dynamic results coaching.  Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results. Don’t forget to listen to her podcasts on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.

How to Self-Care as a Leader…It’s Not Being Self-Indulgent

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Compassion and empathy are important emotional reactions toward others during this time. Yet, for leaders, it’s also important to remember the airline quote, “Put on your own mask first before helping others.”

Many leaders, especially Type A personalities, overlook self-care as an essential practice. Too often they’re more focused on the bottom line, team members, and their own families. They believe stress and crises to be the norm.

But, during this world-wide health crisis, each of us is creating a “new normal.” It’s become even more important to create and maintain healthful practices for physical and emotional wellbeing. Awareness and practices will make you stronger and more resilient.

I recommend creating regular individual and family practices in the months and years ahead as part of your new normal. Then, share and encourage your team members and others to do the same. It’s the mark of a true leader.

3 Key Practices and How to Make Them Happen

As you read the following practices, what other practices can you create for yourself?

  1. Talk It Out
  • -Now is not the time to hibernate, especially introverts! Use online chat forums and connect with friends, family, and team members.
  • -Be available when team members need to talk voice-to-voice via phone or conferencing systems. Also, check-in on them 1:1 to be sure they are OK and see what they need.
  • -Keep all team members up-to-date with company and industry changes.
  • -Continue 1:1 interactions with your executive coach. Many new opportunities and new innovations will be created during this time. You don’t want to be left behind.
  • -Let immediate family members know where all the legal and financial documents, online and banking passwords are. Make them accessible and update them too! Don’t forget the Medical Power of Attorney docs for you and each family member.
  1. Write It Out
  • -Everyone is experiencing a lot of fear right now, consciously and subconsciously. It will be expressed through upset, anger, withdrawal, or microaggression. Become conscious of your own fears first, then, address those fears of your family and team members.
  • -Next, identify your specific fear by identifying the underlying issues. Now, how can you resolve them? For example, I’m not someone who will share my fears out of fear that someone will think poorly of me. But, I acknowledged my fear of not having access to a monthly prescription. Then, I got into action and called the pharmacist to get an “early refill.”
  • -Journal daily about your “brags,” “things and people you are grateful for,” and “today’s intentions.” Give each family member a notebook and encourage them to journal too. This exercise can help you and your family stay focused. Remember, we cannot control what is happening, but, we can control how we react to it.
  • -Send daily emails to your team members and family members not living with you. It’s critical to stay in touch. But, “sharpen your antenna” to what is being written and what is not being articulated. Pay attention when they state, “I’m fine.” This will avoid later surprises.
  • -During this time, encourage creativity. If you don’t have the supplies needed, draft a plan. Then, look for other resources to achieve the same or similar result. Many great novels, movie ideas, and other creative pursuits were created in history during times of crises.
  1. Walk It Out
  • -Instead of binge-watching TV or streaming movies, get outside and walk. Remember the 6-foot rule.
  • -If you have been directly exposed or are ill, follow community guidelines on what you can and cannot do.
  • -Take part in online dancing or gym classes. These are only a couple of ideas to get you moving inside your home.

Remember, as leaders, self-care is not self-indulgent. It’s a practice that respectfully encourages you, your family, and team members to do the same.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning dynamic results coach and keynote speaker. For the past 27 years, she has guided the creation of leaders to excel in achieving results. Are you ready for an unprecedented 2020? Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results. Don’t forget to listen to her podcasts on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.

Microaggressions Will Sabotage Results Quickly

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Note: Everyone is experiencing a lot of fear right now, consciously and unconsciously. It will be expressed through upset, anger, withdrawal, or microaggression. Learn how to handle these microaggressions because they will impact future interactions.

Microaggressions are verbal and behavioral exchanges that subtly marginalize others. (Wikipedia)

A microaggression could be as simple as refusing to say “good morning” to your co-worker. Another example is when someone publically refuses to support your promotion after privately telling you they would. These behaviors and words (or lack of) will have an emotional impact on you and others.

Microaggressions directed at you will challenge your leadership effectiveness and results when you don’t address them because they will continue if not stopped in their tracks.

While others may tell you to “just get over it,” it’s not that simple. Usually, microaggressors use race, gender, age, or other factors against you. These can be difficult to forget since they are important components of who you are. (Ascend, Harvard Business Review)

Years ago when I attempted to resolve an employee issue with George, a general manager in a manufacturing company, he told me, “You don’t know what you’re talking about since you’re a woman.” (Yes, he used those exact words.) Wow! That one hurt. While I knew he was used to doing things his own way, this mindset didn’t resolve the issue. Thankfully, there was an older and wiser human resource manager next door. He gave me great advice. “Go and visit his facility. Have him take you on a tour of the plant. Ask him good questions. Then, thank him for his time.” I did as I was coached to do. It was successful. Several years later when George retired, he insisted I review his retirement package before he would sign it!

3 Keys to Personally Move Past Microaggressions

While you cannot control microaggressions from happening to you, you can control your reactions and become resilient when faced with them.

Practice Mindful Breathing. When a microaggression first hits you, you may be in shock. Concentrate on breathing to release the disbelief and stress it just created. Breathe in for a count of 5. Pause. Exhale for a count of 10. Repeat at least twice. (This really works.)

Don’t Keep It to Yourself. The microaggressor’s words or gestures will fester and impact your own words, gestures, and mindset in any future interactions with the microaggressor and others. (No matter how objective you think you are!) Talk with your executive coach or mentor to expand your POV. Then, create an action plan to resolve it before moving forward.

Talk It Out. Since microaggressors thrive in unresolved conflicts, have the tough conversations required to deal with the issue now. (Yes, now.) These can be difficult since they will deny that they meant anything by the inappropriate comments or gestures. (They may not even know they did it.) Stick to the facts and be prepared for their circular logic.  If necessary, have an objective third person involved.

4 Ways to Prevent Microaggression in Your Workplace Culture

As a leader, know there are several reasons microaggressors can be disruptive. Review your company’s hiring, coaching, training, and managing practices to prevent microaggressions.

  1. Improve Communication Skills. Many people only have 6th-grade reading and writing skills and are unable to adequately express themselves. Also, as the global market expands, people’s ability to adequately express themselves in different situations will be a challenge. Focused and interactive communication workshops can help bridge the gaps.
  1. Encourage Participation. Some people hate participating in brainstorming and decision-making processes. Others love the controversy they can cause. Remember, failure to effectively coach and manage these individuals as valuable contributors will sabotage your results.

I wasn’t surprised when a team member for a new project I would be facilitating said to me, “I don’t like the group and won’t like any of their ideas.” I knew he believed he could get the program done faster and better by doing it on his own. I encouraged him to share his concerns upfront. The team listened, then, together we worked through the team brainstorming and planning processes. After the successful conclusion of the program, he admitted the results were better than he could have achieved on his own. He shifted from being a potential microaggressor to a valuable contributor by participating.

  1. Hire and Coach for Job Fit. Over 70% of employees work in jobs they don’t like or have no interest in doing. This can occur at any level within a company. Many times these disengaged people become microaggressors instead of creating a solution to their career dilemma. As the leader, use a qualified job fit assessment to objectively understand why they do not fit their current jobs. Then, realign their work responsibilities for job fit.
  1. Address Blind Spots. Everyone has blind spots. As a leader, your words and gestures speak louder and carry more weight than if expressed by someone else. Work with your executive coach and use a qualified job fit assessment and a 360-degree feedback assessment to undercover why. Also, provide this resource to each of your team members.

Microaggressions can happen anywhere at any time. These tips will help you be prepared and prevent them from disrupting the results of your team.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning dynamic results coach and keynote speaker. For the past 27 years, she has guided the creation of leaders to excel in achieving results. Are you ready for an unprecedented 2020? Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results. Don’t forget to listen to On the Air with Jeannette Seibly, It’s Your Time for Success on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.

7 Things That Can Never Be Unsaid

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Your words as a leader are heard louder and felt deeper than when someone else expresses the same thing. While it only takes a second to blurt out a blunder, it can take hours, weeks, and even years for your team members to forget…if they ever do.

How to Avoid Blunders You Can Never Undo

 1. “That’s stupid.”

Whenever team members express their ideas, uttering these words are hurtful. In the future, team members will withhold sharing their thoughts, opinions, and feelings for fear of being called or feeling “stupid.” While you may not want to hear everyone’s ideas, you will miss out on valuable information if you don’t allow others to share in their own way. Instead, focus your team by saying, “that’s interesting…how would that work?” Remember, the brainstorming process is about generating ideas and feeling valued, not stupid.

 2. “I have the wrong team.”

When your team is underperforming, it could be only one or two team members creating the problem. Yet, when you express this sentiment, everyone takes it personally. Even if you think it, don’t say it. Instead, investigate why the team as a whole is not working well together. Is it poorly designed meeting agendas, pie-in-the-sky action plans, or the wrong task assignments? Then, provide training and development to get everyone on the same page. During the process, you will uncover the real issues. Be prepared to have tough conversations without blaming others.

3. “I hate this product/service/industry.”

Did you know according to Gallup that over 70% of employees are in jobs that don’t fit them including leaders? As a leader, when you “hate” something, you will not provide the level of direction, make good decisions, or be willing to go beyond the norm. Also, these words, “I hate …,” will be remembered for a long time and supporters may regret working for you. Remember, these same people may be in a position in the future to hire you or your new employer after you lose your current job.

 4. “When are you due?”

Asking a woman when her baby is due is a no-no. While you may believe it’s an obvious question to avoid, many men and women do ask. The only people that should ask this question are first responders when called to the scene or when the soon-to-be mother has told you she’s expecting a baby. Otherwise, you will learn the hard way (including being named in a lawsuit) that the woman had gained 25 pounds due to a medical issue.

5. “I never liked working here.”

Don’t burn bridges. While you may not enjoy working for the company, executive team or board, it’s important to keep this thought to yourself. Usually, this sentiment is expressed when you’ve been fired or you’ve been caught violating a policy (again). Stay silent instead of expressing your upset. Listen and learn. Then, talk it out with your executive coach or therapist to gain a healthy perspective of what to do next.

 6. “My boss or board is a moron…jerk…narrow-minded (the list is endless)”

When you insult a person’s level of intelligence because you don’t agree with their decisions or they refused to hear your POV, it will come back to haunt you. There will be times when you want to criticize someone’s leadership style. STOP! Talk out the issues and your frustrations with your executive coach first. Then, turn this opportunity into a learning moment of how to work well with leaders you don’t like or respect.

7. [absolute silence]

When tragedy, terminal illness, a spouse or child dies, or a life difficulty happens to one of your team members, saying nothing is not the right thing to do. While it may be hard to know the right things to say, saying something is better than saying nothing. Pick up the phone (don’t rely on texts or emails). Let the person know, “I’m sorry” or “My thoughts are with you” and “Let me know if you need anything.” You only have this one chance to let the person know they are a valuable member of your team. Your effort, or lack of, will be remembered for a long time.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning dynamic results coach and keynote speaker. For the past 27 years, she has guided the creation of leaders to excel in achieving results. Are you ready for an unprecedented 2020? Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results. Don’t forget to listen to her podcasts on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.

Leaders Need to Focus on Implementing Ideas in the Right Way

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Imagine you come up with the best idea ever. It sounds great in your head and when you tell your team about it. But, as you move forward implementing the new idea, you experience pushback from clients, your boss (or board), and even your own team members! What went wrong?

New ideas mean change and change is frightening for most people.

Implementing new ideas is a complex process since there are a lot of factors that are often overlooked.

Most leaders are unafraid of addressing the logistical side of new ideas (e.g., technology, budgets, systems, etc.).

But, they fear addressing the human side, which is required for any new idea to become successful.

Before launching your next great idea, review the critical 3 C’s: Commitment, Consciousness, and Communication. These are required for great ideas to be successful.

(Side note: to better understand your strengths and weaknesses as a leader with great ideas, use a qualified assessment and review your design and implementation style with a qualified executive coach. Seeing these results on paper in black and white will make the difference between success and failure.)

Successful “New Idea” Leaders Focus on the Critical 3 C’s

First C: Commitment aka Flavor of the Month.

Jonathan enjoyed creating new ideas on a consistent basis. The problem was, the team wasn’t doing the work to make them happen. When asked why, the team said, “What’s the use? Next week he’ll change whatever we did this week.”

Implementing new ideas for the sake of change has never worked. When you become bored or jump on the latest fad, you lose credibility and team productivity. Commitment and time are required for any new idea to become successful. Stick with a well-designed strategic plan. This requires you to work through the details and obstacles, instead of changing the goal. Get your team involved early in the design stage (yes, be open to their ideas). Successful “new idea” leaders also hold themselves and team members responsible for staying focused.

Second C: Consciousness…it’s not all about you.

Patricia, a new leader, wanted to make a big impact in her department. Her goal was to be promoted into her boss’s position when he left. The problem? She was not conscious (or mindful) of the impact her ideas had on others. She relied on her normal approach of pushing things through and coercing others to do things her way. As a result, when her boss left, Patricia was not considered a potential replacement.

As a leader, when you recommend new ideas they are often heard as a directive not open for discussion. Successful leaders are conscious of their approach when sharing their ideas. Your goal is to engage others in the potential outcome and address any critical details along the way. Remember, win-win-win outcomes take longer to design and execute. Yet, when done right, the process will save you a lot of time, money, and hurt feelings.

Third C: Communication requires listening, especially when you don’t want to hear what others are saying.

George had a lot of experience in the medical equipment industry. As a VP, his goal was to achieve the company’s annual goals as directed by the owners. George visited with each team and elicited their feedback for his ideas. But, he ignored incorporating their input into the strategic plan when he submitted it to the owners. Six months later he was fired. Why? He relied on his own POV, disregarded the team’s input, and focused solely on how his ideas should be implemented. This approach failed to create a realistic strategic process that the team could support.

Your ideas have been percolating in your head for a long time! When you share them with others, it’s usually the first time they’ve heard them. Engage others in conversations by asking “what if …?” Then, give them time to ask questions and think through your ideas. Remember, everyone wants to know “how they will benefit from your new ideas.” So, incorporate their ideas and feedback whenever possible. Avoid forcing your ideas on your team by relying on circular logic, outtalking, and dominating them. Otherwise, previous supporters of your ideas will sabotage you and your ideas in the future.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning dynamic results coach and keynote speaker. For the past 27 years, she has guided the creation of leaders to excel in achieving results. Are you ready for an unprecedented 2020? Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results. Don’t forget to listen to On the Air with Jeannette Seibly, It’s Your Time for Success on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.

How to See Your Blind Spots as a Leader

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Every leader has blind spots and they are costly when not identified.

These blind spots will sabotage any leader’s impact and results while causing others to question the directions being taken.

What Are Blind Spots?

Leadership blind spots are the specific areas where a leader…even a very successful leader…is missing something. A blind spot can be a lack of attention to a certain area or a part of your skillset that never really developed. All leaders have blind spots. Exceptional Leader’s Lab

No matter how hard we try to be self-aware and mindful, we’re not always able to identify our blind spots.

Self-analysis is of little value since, by definition, it’s nearly impossible to know what our blind spots are and their impact on others.

The challenge is to get the right help to uncover your blind spots before they disrupt or damage your success.

Top 10 Leadership Blind Spots

While some blind spots may be easy to spot, according to Leader’s Beacon here are the top 10 to be on the lookout for.

Which ones do you recognize for yourself?

These 10 blind spots are:

  1. Going it alone
  2. Being insensitive of your behavior on others
  3. Having an “I know” attitude
  4. Avoiding the difficult conversations
  5. Blaming others or circumstances
  6. Treating commitments casually
  7. Conspiring against others
  8. Withholding emotional commitment
  9. Not taking a stand
  10. Tolerating “good enough”

As a leader, seeing your blind spots will help you move forward faster and more effectively.

6 Tips on How to See These Blind Spots Quickly and Effectively

  1. Use assessments and 360-degree feedback to discover your inherent strengths and weaknesses. There are three types of assessments: 1) assessments that uncover how you want to be seen, 2) assessments to show how you truly are, and 3) assessments that show how others see you. All three provide you with great 20/20 vision. But, now, the real work. Work with a qualified executive coach to review the assessments and guide you in creating a plan for focused-action.
  2. Hire an executive coach and listen. Hiring the right executive coach is crucial to distinguishing your blind spots and improving your leadership skills. It eliminates the normal trial and error that otherwise occurs. Hire one that supports you in taking action. Do NOT focus on conceptual conversations regarding the merits and demerits of your blind spots.
  3. Engage with an industry mentor. The right mentor is an invaluable source of information and is knowledgeable about your company, management team, industry, etc. The mentor can also guide you through complex situations and sticky political relationships.
  4. Listen to your team’s feedback. Your team does want you to succeed. However, while you may believe you want to hear feedback from your team, honestly, in many cases, you’d rather not. Use a qualified 360-feedback assessment to encourage your team to share their insights and feel comfortable doing so.
  5. Dial-up your humbleness. Take part in an emotional intelligence workshop since egos are the biggest challenge of any leader and where a lot of blind spots reside. Remember, practice is required to achieve mastery! The goals are to dial down the ego. Create awareness of your impact on others. And, guide you on how to create win-win-win outcomes.
  6. Improve your all-important communication skills. Your ability to write, speak, and talk with others is crucial to your success. Improve these skills by recognizing your biases (and, yes, your blind spots). Take responsibility for how you speak differently to different people. And, don’t forget to improve your writing style…because the last thing you want to do is leaving others baffled as to what you really mean.

Embracing these 6 tips will fast-forward your ability to uncover your blind spots and exponentially improve your leadership results.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning dynamic results coach and keynote speaker. For the past 27 years, she has guided the creation of leaders to excel in achieving results. Are you ready for an unprecedented 2020? Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results. Don’t forget to listen to NEW podcasts on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.