Team

How to Raise Your Visibility and Get Positively Noticed

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Business-savvy bragging builds natural confidence and attracts new opportunities.

Everyone would like to believe that working hard and getting assignments done on time will get them positively noticed.

But the truth is, it doesn’t!

Bosses think, “Of course s/he gets things done on time…it’s what I pay her/him to do.”

If you want to be considered a high-performer and/or leader, you need to step up your visibility in a positive way.

6 Keys to Get Positively Noticed!

1. Learn How to Brag! Bragging or self-promotion in a business-savvy manner makes a big difference. Saying you’re great, wonderful, and fabulous only has your boss (and others) stop listening to you! And, seen as a braggart! Instead, get the book, “It’s Time to Brag! Business Edition” and raise your natural confidence and ability to brag to become positively noticed?

2. Talk with Your Boss. Whether you like your boss or not, s/he is the key to getting positive attention. Have a weekly 1:1 meeting, come with a written agenda, ask questions, and listen. When you’re discussing what’s working and what’s not working, make sure you don’t blame or complain. Instead, this is the time to listen, learn, and offer solutions.

 Questions to Create a Dialogue (remember…listen more than talk!)

  • What is your opinion about …?
  • Can you help me understand …?
  • What do you recommend …?

3. Be a Solutions Provider. Come prepared. Read agendas and minutes from previous meetings before scheduled meetings. This allows you to listen and hear new ideas offered by others. This simple preparation will help you develop the ability to create win-win-win outcomes. And, help build a positive reputation.

 Questions to Uncover Issues/Concerns (remember…. listen more than talk!)

  • “What is your #1 concern right now?”
  • “Tell me more about it.”
  • “Why is this important?”
  • “What solutions do you recommend?”
  • “How can I help you achieve this goal?
BizSavvyBrag.com

4. Create Positive Relationships. Integrity, communication, and speaking well of others are important when creating good relationships. This will also enhance a positive visibility. And, while you may not agree with someone or frustrated by their actions, take the higher road. Make sure to get both sides of the story without passing judgment. Plus…don’t burn bridges.

5. Hire a Coach. When you move up the company ladder, old habits can become bad habits. And worse, you may not even be unaware of them! (aka blind spots) Hire the right coach to uncover the bad habits and build the good habits, skills, and mindsets needed for positive visibility.

6. Build a Results-Oriented Team. “Only 10% of teams achieve intended results!” (Prichard) Bragging about your team and your results will have you gain high visibility.

Here are 3 ways to do it:

Remember, hard work alone isn’t enough to get positively noticed and valued. Use these 6 keys to raise your visibility and get positively noticed.

©Jeannette Seibly 2020

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning executive coach and keynote speaker for 28 years. She is an expert in guiding leaders and their teams to get unstuck and achieve dynamic results. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note About Getting Positively Noticed from Jeannette. Again, as mentioned in this article, grab the book, “It’s Time to Brag! Business Edition”, hire a coach, and follow the above-referenced tips. These will get you the positive visibility needed to be promoted, improve job satisfaction, and make more money!

Feedback Is the Gift of Sharing Your Experiences

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“Many leaders hesitate and avoid giving needed feedback out of fear of retaliation.” Jeannette Seibly

Why do many of us hate giving or receiving feedback?

Because feedback triggers our brains for flight, fright, or freeze. When our boss (or someone else) provides feedback, our point of view about ourselves typically feels threatened. And, too often, feedback has people avoid one another out of fear that their self-perceptions are wrong. Yes, it’s unwarranted. But it happens way too often.

Why feedback is important:

  • It allows us to grow as successful leaders
  • Our projects to go from so-so to having stellar results
  • We broaden our perspectives about working with different people, including “difficult team members”

As a leader, be open to sharing experiences that only feedback can provide you. This mindset sets the tone for your team members to do the same. Remember, feedback requires tact and diplomacy. Otherwise, you will escalate conflict or create hurt feelings.

“Giving and receiving the gift of feedback creates stronger leaders.” Jeannette Seibly

6 Tips to Develop the Gift of Giving and Receiving Feedback

Be Open to Receiving. People will provide feedback, regardless of whether you ask for it or want it. Strong leaders listen, regardless of their feelings about it. If you don’t, you may miss some important information. Ask questions for clarification without sounding defensive. Then, review the feedback with your coach before making any changes.

Use a Qualified Job Fit Assessment. This type of assessment addresses your thinking style, core behaviors, and occupational interests when you embrace this feedback. You will gain job insights into how to effectively work with others, while appreciating their differences. Objectivity helps you accept the things you cannot change, while improving your effectiveness.

Value 360-degree feedback assessments. Use these quarterly, annually, and/or after major projects. These tools are great gifts for feedback when developing leadership strengths. The problem is many companies create their own 360-degree surveys. Because these tools lack objectivity and confidentiality, they fail to offer valid feedback that makes a positive difference. Make sure to select the right tool that has the validation and reliability for providing laser-like feedback.

Ask for Feedback. After a project or meeting, ask for feedback from several key employees. Start by asking “What worked? and “What didn’t work?” Listen. Take notes. Then, review with your coach before attempting to put any changes in place.

Develop a Straight Talk Approach. When offering feedback, talk straight. If you filter too much, you camouflage the true issue.

For example: A VP-HR provided feedback to the VP-Finance about gossiping. During the next coaching call, his coach could tell the VP-Finance didn’t understand what the VP-HR had said. The VP-HR had sugar-coated it. Straight talk is important when behavioral changes must happen…no matter how hard it might feel.

Learn Different Feedback Methods. The same approach doesn’t work for everyone!

2 different approaches to get you started:

  1. Direct approach works for people who want to know the truth. Be clear about the facts and share them, after getting their permission to do so.

For example: “Josie, are you open to feedback from your presentation this morning?” She nods yes. “Super. There was too much information on your slides and you read it to us. It’s important to engage the audience, not lecture them, when we need to learn about these new safety procedures.”

  1. Sandwich approach is for less tough-minded people. Share 2 positives, 2 specific areas that need improvement, and wrap-up with 2 positives.

For example: “Joe, you’re a valued member of our team and we appreciate your involvement.” (2 positives)

“However, we need you to read the minutes before each meeting and put away your phone during the meeting. It’s very distracting when you’re not fully engaged in the conversation. Remember, multitasking is a myth.” (2 specific areas for improvement)

“Again, we appreciate your commitment to the company and achieving our goals.” (2 positives)

These 6 tips will provide you the opportunity to share your experiences while giving and receiving the gift of feedback.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning executive coach and keynote speaker for 28 years. She is an expert in guiding leaders and their teams to get unstuck and achieve dynamic results. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note About Using Assessments from Jeannette. Scientifically validated and reliable assessments are the key to a great 2021.

They can help you:

  • Meet company and employee needs
  • Improve your hiring, coaching, training, and managing processes
  • Sleep better at night

Contact me now for a confidential conversation.

How to Change BAD Habits that Impact Your Success

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“You are in control of your habits.” Jeannette Seibly

As a leader, are you questioning why your teams are not excited to work with or for you? The answer is, you’ve allowed “your bad habits” to get in the way.

Your bad habits will diminish the value of your words, the quality of your results, and the ability to attract and keep top talent.

4 Bad Habits that Must Change NOW

Poor Listening Skills. If you’ve been following my posts, you know that I mention the value of listening often. The reason? Listening is the foundation of any leader’s success. Checking emails during meetings, insisting on being right, and/or multitasking will derail your leadership. It shows that listening to your team is not important.

First, put away electronic distractions. Then, focus on what the person is saying and allow him/her to talk without interruption. When you listen, you make better decisions and hear important information.

Fear-Based Comments. Threatening others when the job is not getting done as you envisioned it, is a bad habit for any leader. It never builds loyalty or produces intended results. If someone is not achieving the intended outcome, take time to review your communication style and expectations.

Then, conduct an objective review of what is working and what is not working with the team or team member. Listen to their concerns and address them. Together, create a focused action plan. Now you’re ready to coach them one step forward at a time. Don’t forgot to acknowledge their efforts and brag about their accomplishments!

“Your habits as a leader speak louder than your words.” Jeannette Seibly

Being a Control Fanatic. A leader who must be in control at all costs tears down trust. When you believe you know it all and micromanage your team, mutiny will occur.

Instead, trust the process. Yes, life and projects are processes…not events! There is never a straight line toward achieving your goals. Mistakes happen. Your ability to handle these issues impact the quality of results and outcomes.

Being a Proud DIYer!  Many leaders, even today, are not coachable. They want to do everything themselves. But consider the do-it-yourself approach will get in the way of team success every time. When proud DIYers fail to hire a coach and listen to ideas that are not their own, they will often fail!

Instead, hire an executive coach. Brainstorm ideas, ask the hard questions, and listen to what you don’t want to hear. (Yes, please read that again.) Remember to listen, learn, and be coachable. These 3 skills will help you develop the confidence required to lead your team.

Once you do the work to change these 4 bad habits, you’ll see the dynamic results you’ve always wanted.

©Jeannette Seibly 2020

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning executive coach and keynote speaker for 28 years. Her expertise is guiding leaders and their teams to get unstuck and achieve dynamic results. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note About Change from Jeannette

Change is happening whether you’re ready or not. Change can be daunting when you’re not prepared. It leads to frustration and turnover. Now is the time to get ahead of this curve for 2021 when hiring, coaching, managing, and training your employees, managers, and leaders. Contact me for a confidential conversation. We can talk about ideas to get you moving ahead with ease and confidence.

How to Stop Being a Difficult Team Leader

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“Instead of blaming your team for all of the problems, take a look in the mirror!” Jeannette Seibly

Most teams experience difficult team dynamics.

But what do you do when the problem is you and your poor leadership style?

Most team leaders are not well trained. They wing it and hope for the best. They attempt to follow the latest fad or gimmick with little success. Or, they lead one great meeting and believe they have it all handled.

When things go wrong (and they will), try on the idea the problem is not your team members, it’s your leadership style.

7 Tips to Transform Your Leadership Style

  1. Be Present. This is the #1 reason your team will respect you, or not. Put away your electronic gadgets and other distractions. Pay attention. It’s critical that you stay active in all conversations. Be fearless in addressing any conflict as it arises without bias.
  2. Have Integrity. Do what you say you will do by when you say you’ll get it done. (Sounds simple but is not easy.) Be accountable when making promises and take notes so you don’t forget.
  3. Talk Straight. Be clear about what you are saying and why you are saying it. Don’t tell people what they want to hear to be well-liked. It’ll backfire. Learn how to have come-down-to-reality conversations when your team is going off track.

    “Teamwork works when they have the right team leader.” Jeannette Seibly
  4. Allow Idea Generation. Brainstorming and listening are critical to uncovering solutions. You do-not-need-to-have-all-the-answers! (Reread that sentence!) Your team has hands-on experience and will share ideas if everyone is willing to listen and be open to new ideas!
  5. Be Focused on Their It’s not about you! It’s about the project, customer, and each and every team member. You’re the conductor to ensure all areas are moving forward together. Focus on finding resources and managing processes to achieve intended results.
  6. Use Mindful Resilience Skills. Every leader has emotional triggers. Yet, successful, effective leaders take responsibility and manage their upsets and frustrations effectively, without blaming others.
  7. Hire the Right Coach. This is critical for any leader that has gone off-track. Continued derailment is not an option. Get the right help you need NOW to get-on-track before your situation gets worse. The right coach will guide you and your team to address issues and create solutions.

©Jeannette Seibly 2020

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning executive coach and keynote speaker for 28 years. Her expertise is guiding 100’s of leaders and teams to get unstuck and achieve dynamic results. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

Note from Jeannette Seibly: I love coaching leaders and their teams to create win-win-win strategies and achieve dynamic results. I’ve been doing this for more than 28 years. During these challenging times, it’s not unusual to get stuck. To get unstuck, let’s talk and bounce ideas around to have you move forward. Please contact me for a confidential conversation. In your email, provide your name, phone number, the general issue, along with several times to talk. JLSeibly@SeibCo.com

Do you Know How to Influence Change with Others?

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Leaders Influencing Change
“Now more than ever, influencing change is a skill all leaders must learn.” Jeannette Seibly

Never underestimate the power of being a rebel. While rebelling can be effective, the results are often short-lived.

Instead, learn the key factors that influence positive change. You’ll become part of the solution, and not part of the problem. The results will be long-lasting and support your career aspirations.

5 Key Tips to Influence Change

Get the Facts. Overreacting to an issue will only make the issue bigger than it needs to be. Get the actual facts, not the facts you’ve made up to justify your reaction.

An example: A business owner felt offended by a comment a trusted employee made. Instead of asking for clarification, he ruminated about it. Then, a few days later when the employee asked for help, the business owner commented, “Why would I need to help you? You seem to have all the answers.” A few weeks later the employee rebelled by leaving to take another job.

Use Your Words to Inspire. Talk Straight. Mean what you say and say what you mean. Influencing others requires diplomacy, tact, and respect. Choose your words in a way that gets others’ positive attention and interest. Don’t use offensive words or humor since they will usually back-fire. Remember, others will interpret your words through their own filters. So, consider the make-up of your audience when crafting your messages!

Listen to others points of view
“If you want people to listen to your ideas, you must listen to their ideas too.” Jeannette Seibly

Be Open to Hearing Opposing Points-of-View. Dismissing someone’s opposing view will only make them defensive and unwilling to budge from their position. Be fearless when asking good questions to learn more about their perspective. Remember, they can have valid opinions too. A good way to build agreement is to repeat back what you heard the other person say (to his/her satisfaction) before responding to his/her remarks.

For example: Telling someone you won’t listen to their ideas will create a rebellion, covertly or overtly. A sales manager learned this the hard way when a sales rep suggested a new way of communicating with customers, current and future. The sales manager refused to listen, thinking it was a bad time to make any changes. A covert rebellion ensued. The sales rep left taking several other top sales reps with her. The company’s #1 competitor happily welcomed them and their ideas!

Be a Parrot. Plan on repeating yourself  over a period of time. Influencing change takes time. Often, leaders are blind to what is possible. They fear change and any loss of control…so they will resist new ideas. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge others’ positions with respect and help them determine what is in it for them.

Provide Your Plan in Writing. Yes, write it all down. Then, build your influence by getting others’ buy-in before fine-tuning. When making any change to the plan, don’t change the heart and soul of the idea. Present the plan, along with a budget and timeline. Remember, you’re looking to build alignment, not consensus.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning executive coach and keynote speaker for 28 years. Her expertise is guiding leaders and teams to get unstuck and achieve dynamic results. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

Note from Jeannette Seibly: I love coaching leaders and their teams to create win-win-win strategies and dynamic results, and have been doing so for the past 28 years. During this challenging time, if you need to talk and bounce ideas off of me, please contact me. In your email, please provide your name, phone number, the general issue, along with several times to talk.  JLSeibly@SeibCo.com

It’s Q4…Now is The Time to Get In Action for Success

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Recently I talked with a woman upset that her annual event could not happen due to COVID. When I suggested hosting a virtual event, she strongly reacted with a BIG NO! Yet, after talking with several of her team members, she reconsidered. Now, with her renewed efforts, she and her team created a powerful and successful virtual event! And still, she is lamenting about her lack of success in doing it the old way.

The truth is, when we lament about the old ways, it’s an indicator that we’ve hit the wall of life. We’re confronted by the need to expand ourselves for new successes, and just don’t want to do it. So, instead of moving forward, we focus on past failures (e.g., financial, health, etc.) and feelings of potential failure (“I’m waiting until things get better before I do anything.”).

The time spent lamenting would be better spent moving forward, step by step. Don’t wait for inspiration or until you are hit over the head because you waited too long.

Remember, it’s Q4! The good news is you still have 100% of 2020 left. There IS enough time to turn around your business, career, and life for success. But it does require rethinking your view of success and your willingness to take the right actions for it to happen!

6 Tips for Success to Happen Now

True goals are not achieved in a day…yet, success happens with each and every step forward!

First, get up and get moving!  Daydreaming and Internet surfing can be beneficial. But…like most things in life…too much will sap your energy and your ability to make a positive difference! Instead, write down your ideas. While you’re up and moving, allow these ideas to percolate and pop! Don’t discount them and don’t latch onto them without conducting your due diligence. Then, talk them out with the right advisor who is good at discerning fact from fiction. Next, pick one area to focus on and move forward.

Be willing to fail as well as succeed. You have a choice of whether or not you embrace Q4. This mindset is key. Too often when you have failed or perceive there will be failure you stop. Instead, create a stretch goal for Q4. You have 3 months to get it done! Start the process now with focused action! To stay on track, create a support team!

Develop an inner sense of power. When you don’t feel powerful, you diminish your value and accomplishments, especially when life doesn’t look like you think it should. You stop doing the things that create success. A strong indicator that you’ve lost your inner compass is when you fall into a power trap. A power trap is when you feel the need to micromanage people or resources, use a parental tone, or blame others for the problems. STOP! Conduct a review of your current challenge by talking with the right people to make the necessary changes. Success can be that close to happening!

Seek advice and make requests. Right now, your ego may feel fragile due to so much change. You may fear others will see you as incompetent if you ask for guidance. Instead, write down 3 goals. Map them. Now, pick one goal. Talk with 3 people to fine-tune it and make it achievable right now (not to get buy-in for a future pie-in-the-sky idea). Don’t forget to work with your executive coach to expand your perspective. This will save you time and money!

Create a rallying cry. It’s easy to go off course and into the weeds in thoughts and actions! This can happen at any time and anywhere. Create a rallying cry that reminds you to keep moving forward.

For me, this was an important habit to create! When things didn’t look like I thought they should, I use my rallying cry, “It’s my year to thrive and grow.” Also, every time I hit new challenges (and there have been plenty of them) I remind myself, “It’s my year to thrive and grow.”

Celebrate all successes, no matter how small. Acknowledgment, appreciation, and admiration work wonders for keeping you and your team moving forward. For yourself and your team, don’t forget to express these phrases, “Good work!” “Job well done!” “Please” and “Thank you!”

©Jeannette Seibly 2020

CONGRATS! 28 years and still guiding leaders to create unprecedented results!

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning executive coach and keynote speaker for 28 years. Her expertise is guiding leaders to get unstuck and achieve unprecedented results. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

It costs time and money to keep happy clients/customers…yet, we feel helpless when they want to leave. Learn how to keep customers from straying!  https://seibco.com/keep-customers-from-leaving-workbook/

Do you have so much to do that you do nothing? This is common, especially with all the #newnormal changes occurring. Get motivated. FREE: 5 Tips to Improve Your Productivity Right Now

How to Get Comfortable Seeking the Right Advice

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It can be lonely as a leader. When there is a challenge or the need to ask for advice, you may be unclear about who to talk with and who can provide you the right advice.

Here’s a simplified example. I’m sure many of you have read through social media postings where people are asking for advice or referrals. You may have posted your own “asks.” The problem is you receive an abundance of advice and go into overwhelm. Then, become stuck and don’t know how to proceed.

Sound familiar? Of course, most of us have experienced this in all areas of our lives. It can be very uncomfortable.

8 Tips for Getting the Right Advice Now

  • Be Open. Stay away from “yes” people telling you what you want to hear! Remember, too many ideas will have you undecided on what to do next. Instead, limit your “ask” to three key people: mentors, coach, and/or trusted advisors. If they provide recommendations for experts, limit these to three people.
  • Get Specific. Be clear about the advice you need by being specific about the issue and what you need to happen. For example: If you need to resolve a team dispute, include the key factors that must be considered, like team member satisfaction, team communication, and customer deadlines. 
  • Use the Rule of Three. Whenever you are making a big purchase or getting help with a problem, seek out only three proposals or bids. Provide the vendor/consultant with the specific goal and intended outcomes. Then, review these opportunities using your checklist to make your decision.
  • Seek out trusted advisors and mentors. Keep your network up-to-date. As a leader, you never know who you will need to talk with until after the issue has occurred or is about to happen. Remember, when they recommend an expert ask “why” this person would be a great source of information.
  • Deep dive and ask the right expert for factual information. Too often, we listen to what we want to believe, instead of what is factual. For example, there are over 3,000 publishers of assessments tools on the market today for pre-employment use. However, very few assessments meet the DOL Standards for Testing and Assessment: An Employer’s Guide to Good Practices. Check out PXT Select for your hiring, coaching, training, and managing needs.
  • Hire the right coach. Yes, this can be difficult if you’re not clear what you want or need. Remember, successful leaders have executive coaches. Your coach should be the first person to talk with before seeking out other advice. It’s also the most comfortable place to start.
  • Ask the right people. If you have a legal question, ask the right attorney. If you have a people management issue, ask a people management consultant. Don’t ask lots of people who have no actual hands-on experience or success on resolving the issue. Ask the people who know.
  • Listen! This will be especially difficult when someone’s point of view doesn’t match your own or triggers an emotional response (e.g., cost, process, looking good, etc.). Put aside your filter and listen…you will learn and receive new advice that can make a big difference!

You’re not the first leader, nor the last one, to have the same or similar challenges. It’s really about learning who the right advisors are, receiving the right advice, rather than receiving an abundance of opinions. Be vulnerable and professional when sharing information about you and your company will become comfortable over time. Remember to honor confidentiality, while being respectful of their time.

©Jeannette Seibly 2020

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning executive coach and keynote speaker for 28 years. Her expertise is guiding leaders to get unstuck and achieve unprecedented results. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

Don’t forget to listen to On the Air with Jeannette Seibly: It’s Your Time for Success on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.

Want to keep your customers? My clients have used this process to keep their customers and attract new ones!  https://seibco.com/keep-customers-from-leaving-workbook/

Are you feeling discouraged? Disempowered? Unsure how to get things done? Get re-inspired. FREE: 5 Tips to Improve Your Productivity Right Now

 

How You Can Help Your Team Be Their Best

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As a leader, it’s your responsibility to guide your teams and team members to be their best. This includes taking responsibility for their failures as well as their successes.

6 Tips to Develop the Best

  1. Believe in Them. This is #1. If you don’t believe in people, you won’t be the best leader and will fail to develop the best team members. It’s important to believe in each and every person and help them develop their strengths. Use a qualified assessment to coach them and develop the right skills for their success. The right assessment will guide all of you on how to do it.
  2. Hire Right the First Time. The right people in the right jobs is the least costly and the most beneficial to the health of the team. Design and develop a strategic hiring/selection plan and follow it!. Pay attention to the results of the qualified assessments you use. Your team members will thank you!
  3. Create a 180-Day Success Plan. This should be part of the on-boarding process. Also, conduct effective performance reviews quarterly with no surprises. Focus on the skills and opportunities needed for each team member to be their best.
  4. Keep an Open-Door. It’s important to hear about issues as they are occurring instead of after the fact. This allow you to advise and guide your teams and team members to resolve conflicts, stay in action, and develop confidence.
  5. Provide an Executive Coach. This is for you and for your team members. Studies have shown that the right coach develops you and your team members to achieve unprecedented results.
  6. Encourage Training and Development. Budget for team training plus allow a specific dollar amount for each employee to use as appropriate. In addition to developing technical, financial, and project management skills, don’t forget to include integrity, accountability, responsibility, decision-making, and critical thinking ALL of these skills will develop a competent and confident team!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning executive coach and keynote speaker for more than 27 years. Her expertise is guiding leaders to get unstuck and achieve unprecedented results. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

Don’t forget to listen to On the Air with Jeannette Seibly: It’s Your Time for Success on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.

Are you confused about how to win the job, promotion, or pay increase? Learn how to do it in 5 easy steps:  http://CareerBragging.com

Want to keep your customers? This process has been used by several clients to keep their customers from straying!  https://seibco.com/keep-customers-from-leaving-workbook/

How to Become a Trusted Leader

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Did you know: team members that work for trusted leaders are far more innovative and achieve top-notch results?

That’s the value of being a trust leader. But to earn this reputation, you must build your credibility over time.

Right now, this can be difficult due to changes and the unexpected economic twists we’re experiencing. Yet, not trusting yourself and others will create the need to control others, micromanage, demand too many meetings, and play office politics. None of these behaviors or attitudes will earn the trust you need from others to be a successful trusted leader.

5 Key Factors to Build Trust

Trust Your Team. First, you must trust your team members. It doesn’t mean you overlook half-truths, missed deadlines, or poor quality. It means, if someone says they cannot get a task done by a certain time, listen and ask, “What do you need from me?” Teams that feel trusted will go above and beyond to get the intended results.

Learn from Mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, including you! Yelling or expressing frustration at team members is not the way to build trust! Instead, together, conduct an objective review of “what worked/what didn’t work?” Acknowledge things they did well. Then, specifically focus on two things to improve. When you develop an ear to listen, your natural curiosity and good questions will get you to the heart of the error or failure. Then, you can create new solutions.

Embrace Tough Conversations. Most leaders would much rather avoid them. But if you do and don’t get to the underlying issues making progress on projects difficult. The team either doesn’t believe in the outcome or fear failure. Some will complain they don’t have all the resources needed. Don’t buy into the excuses. Instead, encourage their resourcefulness, brainstorm new ideas, and champion their ability to work the conflict or issues.

Be Known for Straight Talk. Say what you mean and mean what you say. This makes THE difference between your team trusting you to look out for them or feeling manipulated to get the job done. When a project has not met the customer’s needs, tell the truth about why. Avoid spinning the facts to make yourself look good and your team feel OK. Remember, they want to learn and grow.

Brag about Your Team! Sharing successes about each and every team member makes a positive difference. This requires being aware of each team member’s contribution…no matter how small. Also, it’s imperative when speaking with others that you brag about their successes and mean it!

©Jeannette Seibly 2020

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning executive coach and keynote speaker for more than 27 years. Her expertise is guiding leaders to get unstuck and achieve unprecedented results. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

Don’t forget to listen to On the Air with Jeannette Seibly: It’s Your Time for Success on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.

Do you know the secret to selling yourself to win the job, promotion, or pay increase? Learn how to do it in 5 easy steps:  http://CareerBragging.com

Want more customers? Learn how to prepare and Be a Fabulous Podcast Guest who gets invited back!  http://SeibCo.com/workbooks/

Healthy Conflict Supports Collaboration When Done Right

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Many times, when there is conflict or disagreements, we view the other team members as enemies. Then, most team members will take sides, while others will want to remain neutral. Regardless, viewing others as a friend or foe impedes collaborative actions since the focus is no longer on win-win-win results.

The added challenge is, when there is conflict, many people get fearful. They do the “ostrich approach” and stick their heads in the sand. They hope for the best since they don’t have the confidence or skills to impact the conflict. They also fear the impact the conflict will have on future job opportunities.

Conflict and collaboration impact the results of any project. They also impact the effectiveness of the team. While avoiding conflict limits your effectiveness as a leader, failure to build collaboration limits your team’s results. It also hurts your future career opportunities.

7 Tips to Improve Collaboration

  1. Set the Right Example. It’s OK to disagree and have differing ideas, values, and experiences! This awareness is key so that you and your team members don’t overreact or stop listening. The key is to listen and be open to hearing others’ points of view. As the leader, it starts with you setting the right example and expecting your team members to do the same.
  2. Brainstorm. It isn’t hard when done right. When brainstorming ideas, list ALL ideas from each and every team member. If there are concerns, ask questions for clarification, not for debate.
  3. Ensure Everyone Speaks. Call on each person for his/her perspective and ideas. Allow them to “pass” if they don’t want to share at that time. Again, ask each team member until there are no new ideas offered. Go around the team at least 2 times after new ideas have stopped to ensure no one is hiding out.
  4. Respect Each Team Member. Remember, it’s OK to not agree with others. Conflicts arise, along with voices when people do not feel heard. Get the training necessary for you and your team to feel heard. As the leader, set the example of listening while valuing and respecting each and every team member’s perspective and ideas. Remember, off-the-wall or silly ideas can spark the right ones!
  5. Stop Multi-Tasking. Have everyone leave their electronic devices and other distractions at the door. If on a remote call, remind them to shut down other programs and minimize distractions. It’s important to remember when we truly listen new ideas get generated.
  6. Address the Fear as It Arises. Regardless of all the team training, some team members will get fearful during conflicts. Fear is contagious. As the leader, it’s up to you to learn how to recognize and manage it now. Work with your executive coach to develop a mindful resilience for yourself, which inspires team members to do the same.
  7. Align for Better Results. Many companies rely on 100% consensus as their way of resolving conflicts. However, it’s a poor strategy. The hoping and waiting costs time, money, and customers! It also breeds silos and distrust. Instead, align by agreeing on the best plan for right now. Understand how it will impact the company tomorrow. Then, put together a strategy to move forward.

©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 in business and beyond.  Need help developing you and your team to achieve better results?  Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation. Don’t forget to listen toOn the Air with Jeannette Seibly: It’s Your Time for Success on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.

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