How to Develop Yourself as a Competent Leader by Jeannette Seibly

Competent Leader.3

Generally speaking, leaders don’t believe they are incompetent.

The challenge is …

According to Gallup; only one-in-five (18%) leaders demonstrate a high-level of attitude for leadership. This means 82% of the time incompetent leaders are hired. BizShifts-Trends, 2017

Have you ever worked with someone who:

  • -Made decisions that negatively impacted the company and its people?
  • -Cut corners on getting a project completed on time and within budget?
  • -Lacked the communication skills required to engage their team and get intended results?

You are not alone!

How Does This Happen? 

Incompetence is defined as inadequate to or unsuitable for a particular purpose or lacking the qualities needed for effective action. (Merriam-Webster)

Because people tend to be promoted into leadership positions based on their technical competencies, their people management interests or abilities are ignored.

While many will attend required workshops and pass written tests to be certified leaders, they fail to improve their decisions, engage others, create viable solutions, resolve conflicts, or admit their mistakes.

Are you ready to become a competent leader?

Most will say, “YES!” Remember, competent leaders continuously improve their decision-making, communication, management, and self-management skills.

If you’re ready, keep reading…

5 Tips to Improve Your Leadership Competency Qualities

Fit the Job. Poor job fit is the #1 reason for incompetence. It’s a very costly problem for companies and for you personally. So, don’t be afraid to decline a promotion when the job responsibilities don’t fit your thinking style, core behaviors, and/or occupational interests. Use a qualified assessment tool to clarify your strengths and weaknesses before taking a promotion or making a job change.

Develop people management skills. Typically, incompetent leaders are self-absorbed or manage by intimidation. As you know, these behaviors don’t work. Take the time and make the effort to develop the “soft skills” of a competent leader.  According to the Center for Creative Leadership, there are four timeless core leadership skills that you need as a leader: Self-Awareness, Communication, Influence, and Learning Agility. Again, use a qualified assessment tool to guide you in creating an intentional leadership performance improvement plan with your boss. Then, for faster results, hire an external executive coach and find an industry mentor to help you develop these competencies.

Determine the expectations and outcomes required for your success. Every company and industry has its own requirements for success. These requirements determine a leader’s competency for the job. Work with your boss, executive coach, and mentor to understand these expectations. Then, be coachable when working through complex situations, murky results, and political relationships. Your success depends on it.

Develop emotional intelligence.  Being mindful and asking for help are requirements for being a competent leader. Make sure you have someone to be accountable to for your results. (Added bonus: set up this practice for your team members too.)

Breakthrough the fear of not being liked. It’s a must! Don’t fall into the trap of making decisions based on being popular or well-liked. Making hard decisions is not easy…and…each decision will either develop or detract from your competency as a leader. Competent leaders know and accept that not everyone is going to agree with them. But, they honor their commitment to creating win-win-win outcomes for the company, team, and customers.

(c)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.

Being Too Nice is a Big Problem for Leaders

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A new project leader asked her boss, “What will it take to be successful in this position?” The boss’s response was, “It’s important to be really nice in order to attract new customers, which is what top management is focused on.”

So, the new project leader went overboard to be nice to new customers at the expense of her team members and current customers. When a new customer called, they were given priority. When a new customer complained about a team member, she sided with the new customers’ POV. Employees felt blamed and became disengaged. Interestingly, all customers questioned why they were not getting the intended results promised.

After the company lost two customers, the new project leader was sidelined. No one told her why. She became a disgruntled employee and left.

Clearly, her boss’s coaching to be really nice was not effective.

Many new leaders find themselves defaulting on the spectrum of being too nice to being too rigid. These extremes do not engage employees OR keep customers OR achieve intended results OR prevent career derailment.

The Challenge of Being Too Nice

If you’re too nice you risk being a pushover; you might keep an employee beyond their expiration date; you might see deadlines come and go; you might become too close with your employees at the expense of being able to give them tough feedback. (Forbes, 2018)

So why do many new leaders default to being too nice? They lack training! They lack confidence in fulfilling their new responsibilities. They want to be accepted and receive the highest ratings from their teams. Unfortunately, their passivity (being too nice) creates a lot of problems that could be avoided.

…leaders are also expected to make the tough decisions that serve the company or the team’s best interests. Being too nice can be lazy, inefficient, irresponsible, and harmful to individuals and the organization. (Harvard Business Review, 2014)

No one is born a leader. Developing leadership requires work, effort, and tears to be effective. It’s an ongoing process of coaching, training, and development to learn to make hard decisions.

5 Tips to Overcome “Being Too Nice” as a Leader

  1. Start training to be a great leader as soon as possible, even before you receive the title of manager or team leader. There are many podcasts and training programs available that can help you become honest, polite, and assertive (but, not too nice). Since most successful leaders have a coach, it’s important to select the best coach for you. While companies should invest in their future and current leaders, don’t be afraid to pay for it yourself…you’re worth it!
  2. Shadow a leader you respect. Select a mentor and design a mutual agreement for you to shadow the mentor in meetings or projects. This will help develop your awareness of good leadership skills.
  3. Develop emotional intelligence. Success is an inside job. Your biases, habits, and fears of not being liked will get in the way of your effectiveness and results. Develop your emotional intelligence (EI). Take programs focused on developing awareness of your feelings and mindfulness of how you impact others. This will help you naturally develop compassion and an ability to relate well with others, which are required today to become a great leader.
  4. Have patience…becoming a great leader is a process. Developing the “soft skills” and the ability to “talk straight” takes time. Be patient with yourself since developing effective leadership skills will not happen overnight. And, know there will be times it feels easier to be too nice. Don’t fall into that trap. When murky situations or complex relationships threaten to derail you (and, they will), work with your coach to move through them now. Don’t let the moment or challenge sabotage your growth of becoming an effective leader.
  5. Understand uncertainty is part of being a leader. You will encounter a lot of curves and sharp points since there is no straight line upward in work and life. Develop resilience, resourcefulness, and flexibility. These three skills will serve you well in 2020 and beyond. Be coachable and avoid becoming derailed by the inevitable (and avoidable) problems caused by being too nice.

 ©Jeannette Seibly, 2020

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning advocate for creating leaders and results. For the past 27 years, she has guided leaders and teams to excel. Are you ready for an unprecedented 2020? Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

New Podcast! What Does Money Have to Do with Success?

Focus, Plan, Act are three keys to having a financially successful 2020…listen to my interview with Pat Williams (a recovering CPA).

http://ow.ly/Lcus30q7T55 (Anchor.FM)

https://youtu.be/gZCvo9IAtz4  (YouTube)

Why the Busyness Trap Sabotages You and How to Change It

Avoid Costly Mistakes

The best advice I can provide you for this new decade is to stop worshiping “busyness.”

Recently, I was talking with another coach. She was exclaiming about how busy she was and mentioned I was not talking about my busyness. Instead, I shared about launching my podcasts and the challenges and successes I’ve had. As she kept talking about her busyness, I could understand how she was sabotaging her ability to find new clients. She practiced busyness.

Many people believe being busy makes them sound more important or effective. Rather, it has the opposite effect. Do you know every time you say, “I’m so busy…,” people stop listening to you?

Why do you feel the need to create “busyness?” “People need a purpose in life.” (Stop Worrying About How Much You Matter, Harvard Business Review)

Today, people pride themselves on being busy, hoping to feel fulfilled and purposeful in life. But, instead, in this digital age, busyness has evolved into an excuse to not focus on the critical key actions for success.

One of the primary reasons we love to talk about how crazy busy we are, is we’re trying to feel something and not feel numb! (Crazy Busy: The Ultimate Numbing Strategy, Inc.)

For example, when we share our “busyness” with others, it’s not engaging them. We’re subtly telling them we don’t have time for them. (Think potential customers, family, friends, etc.)

For a successful 2020, you need to let go of “busyness” and create more effective habits.

9 Important Tips to Stop the Craziness of Busyness! Start now!

  1. Find Work that is Important to You. Almost 70% of employees today are in jobs that don’t fit them (What Engaged Employees Do Differently, Gallup). As a result, many people feel job satisfaction is a myth. Use a qualified job fit assessment to objectively clarify why you (and your team members) are not engaged. Then, create the right job responsibilities and develop the skills needed. Job satisfaction occurs when you and your employees are engaged, inspired and productive.
  2. Limit Social Media. Spending too much time on social media and comparing your life with others is a no-win exercise and time-waster. Most of these posts are only quick snapshots that don’t show how people are really feeling. Instead, get involved in something you enjoy. Volunteer for a cause. Help a neighbor or friend. Take a fun class or go get a certification. Do something that builds your inner self-worth.
  3. Get Out in Nature. Many times taking a 20-minute walk can rejuvenate you! Don’t listen to podcasts or talk on your cell. Simply walk. Breathe. Stop the inner mental chatter. Enjoy the sights.
  4. There are many ways to have fun while creating something new. You don’t have to be highly creative to paint a picture. Take photos. Build or rebuild a clock. Create code for a new online product. Cut out pictures and create a collage. The process rejuvenates your mind, body, and soul.
  5. Learn to Truly Listen. Truly listening to others stops the distracting internal mental chatter. Nothing is more rewarding than the feeling of being truly heard! When you listen to others, they will listen to you…together you can create new opportunities in life and business!
  6. Enjoy Silence. Instead of running off to the next meeting or task, set aside a few minutes to enjoy the silence. This helps re-energize and destress you!
  7. Handle Uncertainty. Often, we clutter our minds and calendars so we feel worthy and in control of our lives. However, there is no certainty or guarantee in life. Instead, take charge of what you can by making a list of what you need to handle now. Cut the list down to the top 5 must-be-done tasks. Rank them in order of importance. Now, yes, now, start on #1!
  8. Be Present Instead of Multi-Tasking. Believing multi-tasking is effective is a trap. The same can be said of busyness. Our brains are not designed to focus on more than one thing at a time. Doing so creates stress, miscommunication, and the need to procrastinate. Be present and focus on what you are doing and who you are talking with. Being present will add a rich and positive dimension to your life.
  9. Simplify Projects and Follow Your Dreams. Many times we love to make the process too difficult (and at times, impossible), sabotaging our ability to accomplish our dreams. Instead, hire a coach. Get unstuck. Take focused-action steps. There is always a breakthrough ready to occur when you are in focused-action.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning advocate for creating leaders and results. For the past 27 years, she has guided leaders and teams to excel. Are you ready for an unprecedented 2020? Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

Improve Your Expectations to Encourage Better Results

expectations.boss

Many of us as bosses or team leaders have had to read our bosses’ minds and hope we read their expectations correctly. We are often afraid to ask too many questions out of fear of looking stupid. Yet, the problem is, we’re not mind readers!

Now, as bosses, we’re doing the same thing to our teams. Instead of sharing expectations simplistically and consistently, we expect them to just know. We even expect them to let us know if they are off track. The problem is, because they are not mind-readers, how are they going to know if they are off-track?

When you fail to share your expectations in a clear and consistent manner and expect your team to read your mind, there will be missed deadlines, miscommunication, and missed opportunities that cost you and your company millions of dollars.

6 Tips to Improve Expectations for Better Results

  1. Be realistic! This is #1. Engaging your team to achieve intended results requires your expectations to be in alignment with company and customer expectations. Be clear and ask questions to ensure you’re on the same page with your boss and customer before sharing your expectations with your team.
  2. Let Go of “Shoulds.” Stop focusing on how things “should” look and how the process “should” go. Results never occur in a straight upward line. Instead of insisting on only your way, ask your team for their ideas. Brainstorming gets everyone on the same page and your expectations in alignment with them while encouraging innovation.
  3. Communication is Key. Practice sharing your expectations out loud in front of the mirror. Keep them simple to understand. Then, like everything in life, communicate…communicate…communicate by being consistent and realistic.
  4. Be Responsible and Accountable. When your team members go awry, and they will, their results often won’t support your customer’s needs. This is on you.

      Ask yourself:

  • -“What did you fail to communicate?”
  • -“How can you get the team back on track?”
  • -“What does the team need from you to regroup and refocus?”
  1. Get Unstuck Quickly. Otherwise, the team’s motivation will be sabotaged. Remember, when you don’t share your expectations and managed accordingly, team frustration will set in and grow exponentially. If you keep sending mixed signals, you will get mixed results.
  2. Encourage Feedback to Avoid Surprises. At every meeting, ask for feedback on the project. Ask: What’s working? What’s not working? Then, “What do you need from me?” This will let you know if your expectations are on track, off track, or too unrealistic. It’s easier to fix things now rather than wait until the team has been stuck and is afraid to let you know. (Hint: with that level of frustration, they are circulating their resumes.)

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning champion for people and results. For the past 27 years, she has guided bosses and teams to excel. Want to improve your results and communications with your team?  Contact Jeannette now for straight talk with dynamic results.

 

New! Podcast! How to Humanize Your Story for Success

Today’s guest is Don Cardona. As a former NBC and ESPN Sports Producer, he understands the power and importance of humanizing your story for success.

http://ow.ly/clfl30q3783  

https://youtu.be/Tr501DBbBlw  (YouTube)

It’s Time to Focus on What Will Improve Your Sales Results

Sales.business.time.focus.get real

It’s that time of year when everyone is looking at their sales numbers and making projections for next year. Yet, too often we fixate on the wrong things to improve our sales results and numbers. It’s time to get real and focus on the right things.

7 Tips to Ensure Your Sales Team is Delivering Real Results

  1. Hire the Right People. This is the #1 requirement to achieve sales results! Why? People that fit their job have a natural interest in achieving real results. It’s always important to go beyond the interview where they tell you what you want to hear! Use a qualified sales assessment to positively impact your results and bottom line. The right assessment provides you with interview questions and addresses the critical factors necessary for sales results (e.g., compensation, prospecting, closing, building relationships, resourcefulness, etc.). For example, if a person is unwilling to work in a sales commission job, hiring them doesn’t make a positive difference for anyone.
  2. Coach with Laser-Focused Accuracy. The right assessment tool also provides you laser-like coaching When you address the true issue with low performing salespeople, it’s easier to get real about how they can improve their sales skills. For example, telling someone they need to meet more people when they are already making a lot of contacts won’t make a difference. Instead, focus on coaching steps of how to engage people to determine potential buying interest.
  3. Focusing on Technology Doesn’t Fix Sales Results. How many times have you believed a new CRM or other technology-based sales system will improve sales results? This is a big, huge illusion. If you don’t have the right salespeople, technology will only make things worse. Your low producers will hide out behind learning the system as an excuse for not initiating the right conversations. The high performers will be annoyed they have to learn another new system.
  4. Customer Engagement Requires a Process. Are you engaging your customers on a quarterly basis? If yes, they are less likely to stray! Also, when you are top of mind, your customers are more likely to refer you to others. When meeting with the customer, use a scorecard to get real about what you are delivering versus what they need. Design these conversations to uncover new current problems and growth challenges. Provide qualified resources for your salespeople to become valued and trusted advisors. Remember, training is crucial for these conversations to be effective!
  5. Sales Team Huddles are a Must. If you’re not already doing this…start now! Have a standup huddle each morning for all salespeople. (Yes, stand up…if you sit during the meeting will go too long.) It is harder for so-so salespeople to hideout. It only takes 10 to 20 minutes. During the sharing, focus on progress actually being made and where to focus your attention for better results.
  6. It’s All about the Fundamentals. Train for the Details. I remember years ago a sales expert told me that you need to learn the details of your products and services to be a successful salesperson. This has made a positive difference for me when closing sales! Learn and teach your systems. Provide weekly training, updates, and stories. You can use the daily stand-up huddle for this too. Remember, successful selling is a lifelong process of learning with consistent reinforcement.
  7. Acknowledgment Works Wonders. Acknowledge your team, each team member, and your customers often. Share brags with others. Have an up-to-date dashboard showing results readily available. This encourages team support when someone is stuck.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning champion for people and results. For the past 27 years, she has guided bosses and teams to excel. Want a stellar 2020? Improve hiring and coaching your sales team. Now is the time to contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

 

New! Podcast! How to Create Values for Balance and Success 

Interview with Katy Piotrowski…how to live an authentic, peaceful life based on creating your values for balance and success.

http://ow.ly/yZoq30q11ai (Anchor.FM)

https://youtu.be/9nt2rHoR4pE  (YouTube)

How to Provide Performance Reviews That Engage Your Team

Mistakes.2

Imagine that you’re in a meeting with your boss to review your past year’s performance. Out of the blue, he reminds you of an incident that happened 10 months ago. You’d forgotten about it. Your boss didn’t mention it before now! How would you feel? What would be your response?

You might think, “Why didn’t you bring it up 10 months ago? Why are you bringing it up now?”

As the boss, when you conduct meaningful performance reviews, you must leave out the surprises. This all-important skill is required to build high-performance teams.

7 Tips for Conducting No-Surprise Performance Reviews

  1. Do It Now. Don’t Wait. Once a year is not productive. Instead, conduct interim performance reviews every quarter. Look at, “What is working? What is not working?” Consider using a qualified 360-degree feedback assessment…these can provide additional insights from team members. When a critical issue arises, address it immediately because memories will be more accurate and intervention can make a positive difference in the moment.
  1. Be Specific. Being prepared with specific facts and examples makes a positive impact. It encourages team members to listen to your feedback. Offer specific opportunities to support their development and growth as business professionals (e.g., coaching, training, work assignments, etc.).
  1. Individualize Feedback Using a Structured Approach. Avoid using rating systems, which rank or rate each team member against one another. This approach does not promote a high-performance team. Instead, use a structured questionnaire for each team member’s self-review. Then, review their feedback with your notes and insights. Now you can have a meaningful conversation.
  1. Focus on Growth and Development. Saying, “You’re doing great. I’ve nothing to add” or providing a list of criticisms is not helpful or meaningful. Remember the primary purpose of performance reviews is to provide objective growth and development feedback for each team member. Take the time to ensure they leave the performance review with one or two areas for improvement.
  1. Use First-Hand Knowledge. Failing to investigate issues doesn’t let you off the hook. Neither does saying, “I heard about this issue.” Investigate and verify before adding your observations. Then, ask for their perspective. Otherwise, you will create distrust between you and the rest of the team.
  1. Be Proactive. If there is problem brewing, share a story that exemplifies the potential issue and outcome. End by saying, “I’m committed that a similar situation doesn’t happen to you. This may be nothing…but, let’s be proactive. What do we need to do to get you on the right track?” Now, listen, make a plan, and follow-up to ensure progress is being made.
  1. Take the Time Required. Rubber stamping self-reviews may seem faster, however, it doesn’t make you a good boss or build a high-performance team. Again, it’s up to you to take the time to conduct performance reviews that are meaningful and engage your team.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning champion for people and results. For the past 27 years, she has guided bosses and teams to excel. Want to improve your managing and coaching skills? Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

 

New Podcast! How Failure Can Shape Positive Success

Interview with Lisa Reinicke … how to learn from failure when experiencing challenges and setbacks…and create success.

http://ow.ly/qyfo30pZ2io

https://youtu.be/JZzECTTXPD8 (YouTube)

8 Ways Toxic Bosses Can Stop Creating Toxic Workplaces

Toxic Boss.Workplace.2

When a toxic boss finds fault with everyone, including themselves, they create a toxic workplace. Their poison is to create fear about what they will do or say next. They further alienate their teams when the team feels they must walk on eggshells.

All bosses have strengths and weaknesses. But, if your team is not producing intended results, you are not building a strong team. It’s time for you to get real about whether you are a toxic boss by reviewing the following antidotes.

8 Antidotes for Toxic Bosses

  1. Success is an Inside Job and It Starts with You. Gain objective insights on why you are a toxic boss. Start with a scientifically strong validated assessment to review your thinking style, core behaviors, and occupational interests. These will answer why you are having trouble being a boss, and how to effectively overcome these challenges.
  2. Build Your Self Esteem. Too often when bosses misbehave or create mischief, it’s because they lack confidence and don’t feel good about themselves. Hire an executive coach to talk you through murky challenges and confidential concerns. Also, engage an internal industry/company mentor to guide you through company politics and industry expectations. It’s important you make the time and financial commitments to work with these experts as remedies to overcome your toxic boss style.
  3. Review Your Brags Daily. Use Brag! exercises daily to remind you that you have what it takes to succeed. This helps keep you on the right pathway to become a better boss when frustrations seem overwhelming.
  4. Build on Team Strengths. As the boss, your primary responsibility is empowering others for success! Assigning projects or work based on who you like best at that moment creates distrust and fear. Take the time to build on the strengths of all of your team members, regardless of your feelings about them. Remember, feelings change, but, often, your team’s memories won’t forget.
  5. Rely on Your Team for Solutions. Having the title of “boss” doesn’t mean you know everything, or should know everything. Don’t micromanage or base decisions on tiny bits of information without delving deeper with your team. Remember, as a boss, it’s your job to guide your team to develop solutions by asking the right questions to elicit their best ideas.
  6. Value Feedback. Feedback is gold. Ignoring it will cost you your title and paycheck! Listen and learn!
  7. Share Selectively. You’re not in the right job if you’re venting to anyone and everyone about what is wrong with your team members, projects, clients, and company. Instead focus on finding solutions, which will reduce your frustrations. When you need to vent, share with one or two confidants…and, of course, your executive coach.
  8. Take Your Responsibilities Seriously. Great bosses hold themselves to a higher standard. While it may have been a fun exercise as an employee to gossip about others, now you are the boss. What you say and do will create a positive or toxic workplace. Focus your attention on ensuring others have the resources and support they need so everyone can excel. Remember, you are responsible for your team, client, vendor, and company successes.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning champion for people and results. For the past 27 years, she has guided bosses and teams to excel. Want to get rid of your toxic boss behaviors and become a great bossContact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

Podcast! On the Air with Jeannette Seibly, It’s Your Time for Success!

This week: The Importance of Acknowledging and Handling Grief

Interview with Leslie Charles talking about how to handle grief and why it’s important to do so.

http://ow.ly/4wlb30pWKkh (Anchor.FM)

https://youtu.be/oCvfp_UqpPo  (YouTube)

Alert! What Your Employees Need from You to Be Engaged!

team.results.positively speak

Employee engagement is a great way to attract and keep great employees. It’s every hiring boss’s #1 concern today…or, should be.

If you don’t believe employee engagement is important, stop for a moment. Use the Cost of Hiring Calculator to get a conservative dollar value of what turnover is costing your company! Remember, you are already experiencing how hard it is to replace good employees! In the meantime, you’re losing profits, customers, and top talent while you are looking for the ideal candidate or attempting to manage someone that doesn’t fit the job.

6 Tips to Engage Employees and Create a Happier and Healthier Workplace

1. Begin Onboarding Immediately. Starting employee engagement on the day candidates apply for the job produces happier and healthier employees and reduces surprises later.

 Questions to ask yourself:

  • -Am I responding quickly and in an effective manner?
  • -Am I prepared for each conversation?
  • -What were the promises made (e.g., when to expect the job offer, key points and salary discussed during the interview)?

Remember, candidates today have short attention spans, but, long memories of how they were treated.

2. Engage in Conversations. Instead of checking the box for each interview question, engage the candidates in all conversations.

 Questions to include:

  • -What are they really looking for in this job?
  • -What is their purpose in life? In work?
  • -What are their goals in the next 3 to 5 years? (Don’t shy away from this question for older talent.)
  • -What specific skills do they need to learn or improve on?
  • -How can we provide a work/life/balance with our company?

Write down their responses and review them before each conversation. Remember, Millennials and Gen-Zers want to make a contribution that fulfills their purpose…not just pushing keys on the keyboard. Also, Baby Boomers and GenXers want to contribute…however, they will have different expectations of what the company needs to provide.

3. Use Qualified Assessments. While there are over 3,000 assessments on the market today, most are only for fun. They do not meet the Department of Labor’s Guidelines for pre-employment use. When you use scientifically validated tools with strong validation and reliability studies, you are telling candidates and employees that you value them and want to make sure they fit their job responsibilities. The right tools help you as a boss to hire, manage, coach, and train your employees effectively, while engaging them!

4. Stay in Communication. One manager said it took 9 months before he met his boss. During that time he felt he was doing a great job…until his manager told him he wasn’t, during their first meeting! It was a disempowering conversation that could have been avoided! The manager left 3 months later. Lesson? Bosses need to be available on Day #1. Schedule daily meetings for the first week, and less often as time progresses and they are on the right track!

5. Create 180-Day Success Plans. What will the successful candidates achieve? Be realistic. Include in the Plan how to build relationships, understand systems and policies, and be a contributing member of the team. Don’t forget to provide resources (e.g., training workshops, videos, or podcasts) and a mentor. During this time, provide positive daily reinforcement. This is very important and often overlooked. Remember, it’s a stressful time to learn a new job, meet new co-workers, and understand company expectations (both, written and unwritten).

6. Offer Brags! Studies have shown that bosses who provide daily acknowledgments to their employees don’t need formal recognition plans…and their employees stay much longer! Be sure these kudos are specific to each employee’s contribution to make them more meaningful.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning champion for people and results. For the past 27 years, she has guided bosses and teams to excel. Want to improve your employee engagement practices?  Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

 

New Podcast! How to Energize and Have Productive Meetings

We’ve all grown to hate meetings and feel they are a big huge waste of time. How can we turn this around and achieve the intended results?

My guest this week is Dr. Ronald Beach, author of The Virtual Divide.

http://ow.ly/kNRf30pUYfD (Anchor.FM/Jeannette-Seibly)

https://youtu.be/ux_UdwN0dPw (YouTube)

How to Reduce Stress in a Timely Manner

Stress

It’s that time of the year when handling holiday expectations, family demands, and personal needs create stress. In addition, when business projects, profitability, and people need your attention, stress increases even more.

While stress is normal and part of being alive, holding onto how situations and people “should” behave and talk will increase your stress to an unhealthy level, especially during this time of the year.

The key is to be aware of your stress before it becomes unmanageable. Otherwise, your stress will limit your effectiveness and results as a boss, leader, and team player…and, your personal life will suffer too.

6 Simple Ways to Reduce Stress

  1. Breathe. Yes, breathe in for a count of 6, pause, then, exhale for a count of 12. Do this at least 3 times.
  2. Get the facts. Instead of worrying and becoming stressed, get the facts. Many times we allow a small problem or perceived failure to mentally and emotionally fester into a much larger issue. Stop it! Clarify the real problem you are experiencing. Or, identify the perceived failure causing your stress. Remember, small problems can be easily fixed! Talk out the facts with one or two trusted advisors and your executive coach. What did you learn? How can you reduce your stress when the same or similar situation happens in the future?
  3. Have the tough conversations you’ve been avoiding. Many times you will allow someone’s choice of words, hand gestures, or facial expressions to mean too much! The truth is, you are not a mind reader! Don’t gossip about what someone has said or done to cause you stress. Instead, ask the person for clarification in the moment. This builds relationships if handled in a non-defensive manner.
  4. Keep a private journal. Many people keep a journal about what isn’t working, past failures, and upsets. Instead, use journaling as a way to create a more positive future. Write down “brags” about what has been working. Include “I am grateful for …” Write about your future and goals. Write down anything that helps you remember why your dreams and desires inspire you. Remember to include the results you want to have at work (e.g., become a better boss).
  5. Focus on something different. If you are experiencing stress with a project, task, or relationship, focus on something else. Walk away. Then, after 20 minutes, you will probably have a different perspective and a new solution.
  6. Be present with people. Many times stress occurs when we don’t feel heard and valued. Learn to be fully present (mindful) in every conversation. Be open to other’s POVs and ideas! I promise, you will learn something new and life will seem less stressful.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning champion for people and results. For the past 27 years, she has guided bosses and teams to excel. Want to reduce your stress? Enjoy your business and job again? Find a more challenging career? Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

 

Why Is It Important to OWN Your Mistakes?

mistakes.own

The answer is simple. If you don’t own your mistakes and hope no one notices, you will sabotage your career now and in the future.

A new fast-track manager wanted to make a positive impression with his team. So, when he made a major mistake on a financial projection for a new product, he didn’t say anything to anyone. Since no one said anything that day or in the days that followed, he believed the mistake must not have been that bad. He breathed a sigh of relief at the end of his workweek on his drive home.

However, his teammates did notice, attempted to fix the problem, and told his boss. Then, the product failed. What’s worse, the boss waited six months before bringing up the mistake and focused on it during the manager’s performance review. The boss reviewed the mistake, impact, and costs. But, by then, it was too late to fix the mistake and trust had been already broken. The new fast-track manager’s career was sidelined because he didn’t own his mistake.

The 5 Critical Ways to Handle and Own Your Mistakes

  1. Take responsibility and acknowledge your mistake as soon as possible. Don’t make the mistake worse by minimizing the error or diminishing the impact on others.
  2. Apologize directly and immediately to the people affected, including the boss. Talk straight and don’t pretend it shouldn’t matter to anyone. Your purpose in sharing your mistake is to protect the boss, company, and co-workers from the known and unknown costs.
  3. Factually share what happened and create a practical solution for win-win outcomes. Again, talk straight. Be responsible for taking additional training, pay closer attention to details, or improve your interactions with others. Hiring an executive coach is also a good way to learn how to own and handle your mistakes in the future.
  4. Ask if the solution works for everyone before and after the mistake has been fixed. You made the mistake so don’t make it worse by thinking you know what needs to be done to fix it so others are satisfied. Ask for their input and incorporate their recommendations as needed.
  5. Where appropriate, share your mistake for training purposes with team members. This is perhaps one of the most critical to own and handle mistakes. Be authentic. We all make mistakes. It’s how you handle them that inspires others and helps them avoid making the same mistakes.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning champion for people and results. For the past 27 years, she has guided bosses and teams to excel. Do you need to improve how you communicate with your team and produce unprecedented results?  Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.