To Win, Focus on Building New Strategies in a New Way

Winning Strategy.BizSavvyCoach.5

The new way is to use your team…

Recently, I worked with a leader that had taken on a new project. Her primary concern was to help her team avoid another project failure. As we talked, she shared her plan based on articles that focused on what “she should” do.

As I listened to her, it was clear she lacked a clear strategy and plan on how to get her team back on track. Her approach needed adjusting or she and her team would fail again.

Using my straight-talk approach, I shared with her several concerns.

Together, we created a new strategy and plan for her to guide her team to success, instead of doing it all on her own. We focused on guiding her team to build new strategies and tactical approaches for success from start to finish. She left the meeting feeling clear and energized. As a side note, they won!

Because of COVID19, many leaders today are becoming lone rangers and relying on, “This is what I’ve done in the past.”

Studies show that right now leaders have heightened levels of anxiety and stress. As a result, they have become more focused on the goals and are more task-oriented and less “people-oriented.”

Frankly, this is a lazy approach.

It’s not business as usual! As a leader, you must work with and through your team to build new strategies for success. Before working with your team, talk it out with your executive coach. It’s important you address your fears and gain a healthier perspective. This is the mark of a successful leader.

4 Foundations for Creating a Successful Team Experience

1.Stay engaged during ALL conversations. #1 Rule! Put away all electronic gadgets. If you pay 100% attention, you and your team will generate better ideas and solutions every time.

2. Learn the differences between facilitating remote and physical meetings. These skills and practicing will help you win success.

3. Conduct true brainstorming sessions. When generating strategic and tactical ideas, write them down each and every time so everyone can see them.

4. Talk out disagreements (aka conflict management). It’s critical all team members get a voice. To achieve this, you must manage meeting saboteurs (e.g., difficult team members, side conversations, people not listening, etc.). Otherwise, great ideas and solutions will be silenced. This can be even more difficult with remote meetings.

11 Tips to Win with Your Team to Create New Strategies and Tactics for Success

1.Know Your Team Members. While you may believe you know your team members, too often you don’t understand why they (and you) communicate, work, and interact in a way that impedes results. Use a qualified assessment to clarify why. Also, use this tool to manage them (and yourself) more effectively. Using an executive coach can accelerate this process.

2. Clean Up the Past. To effectively create “the new,” you must complete “the old” work efforts. Otherwise, team members will gravitate backwards if not acknowledged for their achievements or brags. Use the exercise, “What worked?/What didn’t work?

3. Visioning Exercise. Read carefully before proceeding with this exercise. This process moves the team out of relying on what they’ve always done and opens up something new and different.

Have team members:

  • -Write an outline of what should happen in the next 6 months (keep it to one hand-written page).
  • -Share a few of the ideas. These will sound like “should’s” and “what we’ve done in the past.”
  • -“Shred. What. They. Wrote.” This is a critical step to creating a true strategy.
  • -Now, write a one-page outline answering the question, “What would you really really really want to have happen?”
  • -Stay away from HOW (tactical) to make it happen…that discussion comes later. 

4. Be clear about the difference between your strategy and tactics. Your strategy (goal) acts as a guide for the tactics (actions) that your team will undertake. Tactics answer the question, “How are we going to accomplish the strategy?” Source: https://www.dummies.com/business/business-strategy/ 

5. To get started creating a new strategy, engage team members by asking these questions and listening to their responses.

Who are we?

-Where do we want to be in 6 months?

-Why is this important now?

6. Brainstorm. Write down all ideas, especially the off-the-wall ones. These usually prompt additional ideas and keeps the team engaged and listening. Remember to have fun.

7. Align on the strategy (without “how” you will achieve it). Write it down in 10 words or less. This keeps everyone engaged and on the same page, now and in the future.

8. Now, develop the tactics. Brainstorm and align on specific detailed focused-actions for your team to achieve the strategy.

9. Address current team skills, budgets, legalities, and resources. What’s missing and what’s needed? Don’t be afraid to encourage initiative and resourcefulness.

10. Build on current systems, procedures and policies. This will move you and your team forward faster and more effectively.

11. Measure results. Determine what you will measure so you can track the team’s progress and impact the results, now and in the future.

If you are still experiencing challenges and unable to create true strategies for success, contact your executive coach for answers NOW. Remember, waiting and hoping it will resolve itself is not a winning strategy.

©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 at achieving unprecedented results. 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.

How to Move Forward When You Reopen Your Office

Reopening Office.BizSavvyCoach.Jeannette Seibly

Attention all leaders! Business will never the same when and after you reopen your office!

How you handle reopening your office will determine your team’s ability to trust you now and in the future. The key is to focus your time and energy on communication, safety, and team connectivity. Remember, change is never easy for anyone regardless of the reasons why.

The challenge is providing clarity and building trust 24/7. When you do, you will find your team members are amazingly resilient.

Focus on These 6 Tips to Provide Clarity and Build Trust

1. Manners Matter. Fear of this pandemic will not go away for a long time. Unfortunately, fear can and will be expressed in unexpected and, sometimes, unacceptable ways. Handle microaggressions immediately or team members will become disengaged. Lead by example with exemplary manners and encourage others to do the same. These positive new habits will build a positive new workplace culture. The simplest way to get started? Always use “please” and “thank you.” Now, build from there.

2. Use Positive Acknowledgement as the Norm. Meet with team members individually and as a group to express gratitude for their contributions…no matter how small. Don’t forget to give out gift cards and other small perks as acknowledgments. These make a big difference in team members feeling valued, especially right now. Be on the lookout, now more than ever, to positively acknowledge each and every person, each and every day!

3. Rally Your Team’s Spirit. Today, there has been a major upheaval in each team member’s world. So it’s important to focus on rallying them back together as a team. For example, your sales team will need a boost. Host fun and engaging sessions to review product offerings, share new research, and encourage new ways of talking with customers.

4. Health and Safety is #1. Regardless of anything else you do when you reopen your office and bring back your team members, health and safety is #1. On Day 1! Re-onboard ALL team members! Review new and old policies and procedures. Don’t expect them to read and understand your intentions. Share your expectations of them, what they can expect from you, and why it matters.

Here are some examples:

  • -Are there new cleaning protocols?
  • -Are hand sanitizers and face masks provided?
  • -How will you monitor team members’ health?
  • -How are you staying current with local, state, and federal changes?
  • -What are social distancing requirements for reopening the office (e.g., large group gatherings, shared office space, break rooms, etc.)?
  • -When can they work from home and what are the protocols?

5. Encourage Self-Responsibility. Team members must be responsible (including you) for following ALL protocols. This includes paying attention to their own health, safety, and well-being. Examples include honoring other’s boundaries, avoiding large group gatherings, and relying on virtual meetings whenever possible. Also, encourage team members to stay home when feeling ill without the threat of repercussions.

6. Remember, Change Is a Process, Not An Event. Respect the fact that each team member will process this period of loss and change differently. Ensure frequent and consistent communication…even if you sound like a parrot…to enforce new policies and practices. Team members will forget or not understand how their attitudes and behaviors impact others! It’s imperative that you are mindful and set a positive example…or confusion will reign and trust will quickly diminish.

Remember, providing clarity and building trust is a 24/7 job when reopening your office.

©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 at leading by example and building trust. 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.

How to Conduct the Best Virtual Interviews

Virtual Interviews.BizSavvyCoach.4

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

Confident Leader.BizSavvyCoach.5

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

Overconfident.Leaders.BizSavvyCoach.2

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

Self Care.Leaders.BizSavvyCoach

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.