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.

What to Do When Life Doesn’t Look How it “Should”

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We all have a vision of how life “should be” and how it “should look”.

But, life is a series of ups and downs and rarely turns out like we believe it “should.”

Susan, a millennial, had a goal of becoming a successful manager in the financial industry. She believed this goal was her key to being successful, making a lot of money, and feeling good about herself.

She visualized the position. She developed the skills and earned certifications required. She worked hard.

You can imagine Susan’s surprise and upset that when she got the job she always believed she wanted, she realized the job wasn’t for her! So, she quit. She is now feeling lost and is grappling with what to do next because life isn’t looking like she thinks it should.

We feel stuck when our lives don’t match what social media posts and motivational speakers tell us. To make matters worse, we believe if we do all the right things and control our mindsets the right way, life will produce a panacea of great results!

The truth is, life is a series of ups and downs for each and every one of us! We cannot control life; but, we can take responsibility for getting the most out of this life.

12 Tips on How to Smooth Out the Bumpy Ride

  1. Take Good Care of Yourself. You are all you have! Your personal energy is a reflection of your health and mindset. Drink plenty of water, eat healthy, exercise, meditate, etc. To improve the quality of your sleep, think positive thoughts before falling asleep.
  2. Do Your Best Each Day. Attempting to operate at 100% every hour of every day isn’t realistic. Pay attention to your most productive times of the day. Schedule your time to reflect your values, priorities, and energy levels. For example, if you’re a morning person or someone who is more productive later in the day, schedule tough tasks and conversations accordingly.
  3. Be Kind. Learn to be kind to yourself (and others) when experiencing a bad time. Instead of saying, “buck it up” or “just get over it,” develop compassion for yourself and others.
  4. Stop Being a Control Fanatic! You cannot control people, situations or the economy! Learn how to be flexible when working with others. Learn how to work within structures before changing work or home rules. Keep your intentions on creating positive win-win-win outcomes.
  5. Learn How to Ride Out Business and Career Cycles. There will be periods of time when you feel on top of the world in business and your career. And, there will be times when you don’t. The challenge? When you’re doing well, it’s critical to understand you will never have it all handled. With every up there is a down and vise-versa. If you want true success, hire an external coach and find an industry mentor to keep moving forward. This minimizes feelings of defeat during the inevitable “down times.”
  6. Take an Honest Inventory Before Making Any Changes. In the above story, Susan had other alternatives rather than quitting. Write out the exercise, “What’s working? and What’s not working?” Use your numbers and be specific to get the most out of this exercise. (See: It’s Time to Brag! Business Edition) The key is to build from where you are…not start over. Also, use the brag exercises to become present and mindful of what you have accomplished. Then, share these accomplishments with others to support you in creating what’s next.
  7. Don’t Make Decisions When Feeling Low. There is no such thing as an inconsequential decision. (Jeannette Seibly) All decisions impact your life. Make your decisions from a position of strength.
  8. Life is a Process Not an Event. Think of the tortoise and the hare fablethe moral of this fable is that you can be more successful by doing things slowly and steadily than by acting quickly and carelessly.
  9. Practice Mindful Breathing. Concentrate on breathing when feeling stressed. It’s easy. Breathe in for a count of 5. Pause. Exhale for a count of 10. Repeat at least twice. (This really works.)
  10. Stay Present and Focused. Remember, our brains are not wired to multi-task. When having any conversation or handling any task, stay present and focus on what you are doing. The quality of your results will improve and the amount of time spent will decrease.
  11. Reward Yourself. Take a 5-minute break and physically move during the workday. Do things you enjoy. Read a fun article, take a walk, or listen to a podcast. Don’t use this time to check emails or make calls.
  12. Do It Now. Makes plans for fun and/or relaxation by doing those things you’ve always wanted to do. Don’t wait! Do it now!

©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.

Firing People May Not Be the Right Answer!

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We have all worked with people we dislike, or, even, hate. There are many reasons. It could be they don’t follow-up or follow-through. They make projects harder than they need to be. Or, they may be having too many personal challenges.

But firing them is rarely the best answer!

Why? It could be due to legal considerations. They may have expert product knowledge and/or work well with clients. And, in today’s business environment, it can be difficult to replace them.

So, you hang on and hope for a miracle. Or, you seethe, blaming them for any or all of your challenges.

George was having trouble working with Kelly, a good employee who was no longer doing the job she was hired to do. Rather than involving the correct team member, Kelly, like many employees, had taken on tasks that were not in her job description and skill set. Unfortunately, because of this, she was failing!

Understandably, George was upset with Kelly’s performance. However, he wasn’t clear on whether to fire Kelly or find another solution. While her job fit assessment showed a good job fit with the original job responsibilities, it also showed “why” Kelly was currently failing.

My advice was, “You can fire her, or, make her successful.” George decided to make Kelly successful. The key was to have consistent and straight conversations about her job responsibilities, and, address “why” the team was not working together.

It wasn’t easy for either George, Kelly, or the team! But, the time and effort paid off. Kelly is now a successful employee again!

If You Can’t Fire Them, Help Them Succeed!

Clarify “why” the person is failing. Make sure you use a qualified job fit assessment when coaching, managing, and training to determine a person’s true behaviors, thinking style and interests. Also, you can use the same tools in the future when hiring.

Be clear about your needs and expectations. Then, be consistent in your communication. Take the time to clarify what you need now and in the near future from each position. Be able to answer who, what, where, when and why questions. Also, follow a 180-day Success Plan to ensure a person’s success.

Training and coaching will make a difference. Bill Gates said that “everyone needs a coach” and that includes you! Look at how you can have all your employees trained and coached to develop their “soft skills.”

Address ethical issues immediately. Sometimes, people simply don’t know that they don’t know. Or, they are aware but think their actions don’t matter. Educate them now. Review policies with them. Then, coach them on how to better handle sticky situations.

You’re not a counselor, you’re a coach. If an employee is having personal difficulties, send them to HR or to your employee wellness provider. Remember, unless you are a health care provider, you do not have the skills to suggest medical help to anyone!

Be a leader FIRST. Many times, leaders make friends with their employees. This can make performance challenges more difficult to manage. Be clear when working with “friends” that you are their boss during business conversations and when addressing performance issues.

Temper your temper. The issue may be you! Consider it may be time for you to take a sabbatical or leave of absence. If you’ve experienced a difficult situation and haven’t taken time to grieve or process a loss, it can come back to haunt you at an inappropriate time. Be kind to yourself. When you return, you will have a new perspective and the same situations and people will look different.

Develop your emotional intelligence (EI). Yes, developing your EI can help you excel, especially when working with difficult team members! Most issues can be resolved through effective communication. But, you need to develop the ability and patience for these conversations to be effective. Learn how by attending workshops and hiring an executive coach.

©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.

Why You Need to Develop Your Team to Excel

Business team drawing a new complex project on wall
Business team drawing a new complex project on wall

Mediocrity has become a new standard today (The Standard, 2019). But, it’s costing companies time, money, top talent, customers, innovation, and reputation. And, the list continues!

Many leaders feel there is nothing they can do to change a team’s output from mediocre to great.  Some even believe team collaboration and intended results happen by accident.

These leaders believe they are powerless to change the trajectory of the results.

When teams get stuck, and they will, you as the leader need to roll-up-your-sleeves. It’s your responsibility to get the team unstuck, engaged and moving forward!

Leaders Step Up

Leaders step up to improve the quality of their teams’ results. Remember, these results don’t happen by accident. To excel, results start with how you hire, manage, coach, and train your team members.

Scary Stats

  • -10% of teams today excel. These leaders have a strategy in place to train and develop their people to go beyond the norm and out of their comfort zones.
  • -40% of teams are dysfunctional. When leaders give up so do their teams! They lack the training to align and build win-win-win outcomes required to achieve intended results.
  • -50% produce only small incremental improvements. Unfortunately, this is the norm! Many leaders are simply afraid to push their teams to excel.

(Stats taken from How to Improve Team Effectiveness, Skip Prichard, May 2019)

A team shared with me they wanted to build on the previous year’s event since attendance was down. But, the truth was, the leader wasn’t willing to do the work, release control, and brainstorm. All are requirements to excel! The result….attendance went down, even more, the next year.

How To Improve Your Team’s Results Now

Select the Right Team Members. This is the first and least expensive place to improve your team results. Job fit is the #1 reason (Harvard Business Review) teams succeed or fail! As a leader, it’s up to you to objectively look beyond the technical skills and assess the “soft skill” qualities. Use qualified assessments to select the right team members based on job fit: thinking style, core behaviors, and occupational interests.

Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, once said, “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” (Forbes, February 2015)

Develop and Train Team Members. Don’t assume you know to conduct productive meetings. It’s up to you to ensure all team members and you are energized and receive training. Skills development must include how to conduct effective meetings, resolve conflicts, and execute projects. To get the most out of these training and coaching sessions, use real-life challenges and engage in developing real solutions.

Build Trust And Engage Your Team. Under your leadership, teamwork happens or it doesn’t! Real teamwork requires you to be available and engage your team in brainstorming true solutions. This can be a slippery slope since often, too many times everyone latches onto the first good idea. This will shut down further conversation and the development of better ideas. Continue brainstorming until you have built team alignment on the best solution.

Acknowledge Team Members. Don’t forget to acknowledge each team member before, during and after any process.

Get Real about Solutions. As the leader, you must be unafraid to challenge your teams to excel. But, it’s not easy. There is always a difference of opinions and resistance to doing something new. But, and this is a BIG but, innovation needs encouragement and commitment from you. Remember, resilience and flexibility are required since there will be challenges along the way.

Improve Coaching & Mentoring Opportunities. Successful leaders have coaches and mentors who are company and industry savvy. Mentors often focus on working through company politics and guide you to connect with the right people. Executive coaches are external to the organization and confidentially guide you through complex situations and how to proactively avoid them.

Effective leaders don’t accept mediocrity. The ones that do, damage their careers, businesses, and financial bottom lines. It’s up to you to be the type of leader that has their teams excel and achieve dynamic 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.

How to Bridge the Generation Gap by Being a True Leader

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A survey of nearly 1,000 leaders by Carey Nieuwhof reveals there are deep mistrust and discouragement between younger and older leaders about how they feel towards one another.  Younger leaders feel older counterparts are stubborn and inflexible in decision-making and accepting change, while older leaders believe younger people are entitled, don’t work hard and think they have all the answers.

“Ok, Boomer!” Younger leaders often express this sarcastically about older leaders, believing their POV is “old school.”

Conversely, older leaders often complain about younger leaders “not getting it” and “wanting to move too fast without all the facts.”

The tension between these two groups of leaders can hurt companies, bottom lines, results, and the ability to attract great talent (of all ages).

No generation has all the answers!

Bridging this generation gap now is important. Otherwise, it will become too wide and too deep.

According to a study done by Carey Nieuwhof, here are the 5 key issues:

  1. They’re not open to change. Younger leaders feel older leaders are stuck in the past or fearful of rocking the boat.
  2. Older leaders are inflexible. The traditional power style and attitude from the past don’t work today.
  3. They think they know everything. Everyone believes their POV is right!
  4. Too many rules. Younger leaders dislike rules, and will ignore them, until it’s too late.
  5. Too slow. Embracing change takes time and impacts decisions being made.

As a Leader, How Do You Bridge the Generation Gap?

  1. Communication is Everything! Yes, this can be difficult for both sides to hear! “If only they would see it my way, there wouldn’t be a communication issue.” Everyone needs to slow down and learn how to listen and communicate in a respectful way so that others can hear you. I promise, you will find commonalities within your disagreements. These commonalities can be used to bridge generation gaps and build win-win-win outcomes. But, only if you’re willing to take the time.
  2. Build Win-Win-Win Outcomes. Many times, we believe our judgments and biases are right. We hurt relationships and sideline our careers because we haven’t learned how to create win-win-win outcomes. Take workshops (yes, more than one) on how to understand where your judgments and biases come from. With this new awareness, you can positively impact your decisions, communication, and ability to work well with others!
  3. Appreciate and Understand Others. Use a qualified assessment tool to do this. This will help you better understand yourself and others. You will learn not everyone thinks or behaves as you do! They have their own interests. Appreciating differences and learning how to value them will bridge widening generational gaps.
  4. Critical Thinking. Many people rely on information posted on the internet and sound bites offered by thought leaders. They believe these statements are the truth! These leaders (both young and old) fail to engage in a healthy sense of skepticism and question the validity of what they are reading or hearing. Take the time to get to the truth. It will save your company customers, time, money … and even your career.
  5. Be Open to Learning. Too often we are not open to learning what we don’t know. Mostly because we don’t know what we don’t know! (Yes, reread that one!) Attend workshops and training programs with an open mind. Be a sponge. Then, learn from your coach, mentor, and other leaders how to use these insights to bridge the generation gap.

©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.

Knowing How to Lead Virtual Team Members Is a Required Skill

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One company decided to set up a remote office for one of their sales reps who had done well in the home office. The employee wanted to move back to his hometown in another state. The relocation expenses were costly, but, the company believed they would recoup their costs within a year.

But, after a year, no new sales had occurred and the sales manager was at a loss. She didn’t know how to manage a remote sales rep. Finally, a business advisor clarified the problem. When the sales rep worked in the home office, he was available for inside sales calls. That’s how he developed a good sales portfolio. Now, he needed to prospect and generate interest for new sales where he lived. However, he didn’t have the skills or interest to do so. After a year, the sales rep left to work as an inside sales rep for a local company.

Currently, over 66% of companies allow remote or virtual work, and 16% are fully remote (Remote.co).  Because of the reduced cost and commuting times for employees, along with other benefits, this trend is skyrocketing.

This is why it’s important for leaders to learn how to manage virtual team members. Remember, leading remote teams present unique challenges that are very different than leading a team that works in your office.

What is a Virtual Team?

virtual team (also known as a geographically dispersed team, distributed team, or remote team) usually refers to a group of individuals who work together from different geographic locations and rely on communication technology such as email, FAX, and video or voice conferencing services in order to collaborate. Wikipedia

Benefits

  • 80% of employees would be more loyal if they had flexible and work-from-home options (FlexJobs’ 2019 Super Survey)
  • Easier to hire the best no matter where they live and keep good team members that are relocating
  • Less expensive due to reduced overhead
  • 36% of employees would choose to work from home over a pay raise (Global Workplace Analytics study)
  • Encourages healthier lifestyles since remote workers can incorporate physical exercise into their day, instead of commuting

6 Tips for Leading Virtual Teams

Hire for Job Fit. When hiring or promoting, always use a qualified assessment tool to assess job fit. This assessment provides objective insights into how the person will handle working remotely. Required skills include good communication, high emotional intelligence, an ability to work independently, and the resilience to recover from the snafus that inevitably arise. (Harvard Business Review, 2014)

Build and Maintain Relationships.  Fostering trust is crucial. To achieve this, engage virtual team members 1:1 via conferencing at a minimum of at least once a month. And, be available via text, email and cell so you can be easily reached when necessary. During these monthly calls, spend time reviewing what’s been working and what’s not been working. Don’t forget to ask them about their career goals and other projects they want to participate in. Then, ensure these opportunities happen.

Set Clear Standards and Accountability. Many employees, particularly younger ones without office experience, look at working from home as an extension of their current life. If there are young children, unruly pets, smoking or drugs, or other distractions, it can be difficult for them to operate at the same professional level as expected in the office. Remind them how to handle distractions that get in the way. Also, hold them accountable for meeting product and service standards, along with adhering to company policies. If you want to learn more about how to listen for these concerns, contact Jeannette Seibly.

Frequent Communication is a MUST! Communicate expectations frequently, especially during interviews and onboarding processes. During meetings, you will need to be present and listen at a new level to proactively catch issues. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and deep dive into any concerns. Always be available to guide them through client challenges.

Team Building. Host a required-attendance team conference meeting monthly and quarterly to learn about each person’s accomplishments. Acknowledge them individually on these calls. This creates comradery and has each team member feel valued and part of a team.

Training and Development. Whenever possible, have remote team members attend on-site workshops and training programs. During these visits, schedule face-to-face and 1:1 or small group meetings to improve working relationships and build a stronger team.

© Jeannette Seibly 2020

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning dynamic results coach. 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.