Want Better Results? Speak Positively About Your Teams

team.results.positively speak

Many executives and bosses want their teams to improve.

Yet, many of us sound like a critical parent when we talk about and to our teams.

You cannot build a strong team that produces amazing results by focusing on weaknesses!

When you speak positively about your teams, you encourage better results.

When you encourage your teams to stand up and brag, they will exceed your expectations.

If You Want to Improve Your Team’s Results, Change Your Approach

Speak positively about others.  Set aside your biases to help your team members excel and improve! Focus on one or two specific things a person did well and let them know (too many will sound insincere). For example, I had a difficult employee who was prickly to work with. Yet, she could find a penny when reconciling invoices and billings. When I acknowledged her and others, she became easier to work with. I did need to remind her from time-to-time, that while accuracy was important, she needed to be careful to not overdo it.

Use a laser-approach for how-to-do-it coaching. Take time to outline your expectations and specific requirements when assigning projects to the right person. But, don’t micromanage them.  For example, I had a team member who wanted to excel but feared her co-workers would make fun of her for wanting to become a manager. I gave her a project and outlined the basics. She excelled at putting together the project and addressing the details. After I complimented her on a great job, together we addressed specific details for her to address further. She overcame her fears of what others thought and today she is working in a management position.

Acknowledge and support frustrations and upsets, instead of criticizing your team. Breakdowns are inevitable, but, team members don’t need rescuing or fixing. (Stay away from engaging in no-win emotional drama, finger-pointing, and gossip.) Treat them as successful adults.  Listen to their initial concerns and frustrations and focus on the facts, not the emotions. Ask…what is factually working? Then, what is factually not working? Acknowledge the person’s efforts before asking how they would resolve the issue. Then, fine-tune.

Did you know job fit is the #1 reason people naturally excel?  But, only if you get out of the way! According to Harvard Business Review, job fit is the #1 reason teams and individuals excel. Using the right scientifically validated tools for selection and promotion ensures fit with job responsibilities. This encourages people to improve team and communication efforts. Use the coaching report (from the assessment) to become “laser-like” and get out of the way for your team’s success.

Offer spot-on training. Everyone started their jobs not knowing how to do them. Instead of labeling team members as smart or not-so-smart, offer on-the-spot training. Remember, team members need and want to improve. But, your team members do not all learn in the same way. Some are auditory learners…provide podcasts. Some are more visual learners…provide videos. Some enjoy human interactions or hands-on experiences…provide workshops and training programs. However, the best way to develop soft skills is to mix it up when conducting face-to-face training, live webinars, and coaching.

©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 how you engage your teams for results?  Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

 

NEW! Podcast: This Week: Why is it Important to Promote Yourself?  On the Air with Jeannette Seibly … It’s Your Time for Success!

It’s Time to Get Unstuck for Successful Results

Get Unstuck.2

-Are you unable to get started on a project?

-Has your project skidded to a halt and you don’t know why?

-Have you limited your career choices or has your boss derailed your career options?

-Do you wish you had different co-workers or bosses or clients?

-Have you ever over-thought an idea?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are using too much brainpower and spending too much time overthinking “why” you and/or your team are stuck. This cyclical thinking hurts progress and will continue to keep you stuck. And, if you wait too long to talk with the right coach, team members, resources, your options will vanish.

Deidre*, a corporate executive, was fired from her job. For the next 7 years, she felt stuck. Because of her past successes, she relied on past beliefs on how to make money. She bought a company…it failed. She worked in several low paying jobs where she became bored. The right opportunities to use her leadership experience and skill sets seemed elusive. She became more dispirited after listening to motivational techniques. She finally agreed to take a PXTS assessment and listen to her executive coach. The result … She started taking focused actions! She got unstuck! And, this all happened on the same day! She chose a new position from several high-level opportunities she was offered and is still there today.

*Note: In this story, Deidre represents many people I’ve talked with over the years that got stuck after leaving successful corporate jobs.

3 Great Ways to Get Unstuck and Move Forward Now

Talk it out. Share your “stuck-ness” with only a few trusted people and your executive coach. Otherwise, too many opinions will actually keep you stuck and hinder any progress. Stick with the facts of the situation. And, stay away from telling your story about “why” you feel the way you do. That will impede real progress. Instead, listen to the feedback you received from your trusted advisors and select one option. Remember, the right focused actions make all the difference. They are a magnet for attracting new opportunities … just like Deidre experienced in the story above.

Walk it out. Keep physically and mentally fit. Doing so will also keep your emotions more objective. While you’re stuck, stay committed to the end result and take the right focused action steps. Be aware of playing the blame game (e.g., economy, money, boss, customers, etc.). That will prevent you from becoming unstuck! Remember, it takes responsibility, resiliency, and flexibility to move forward.

Write it out. When projects or relationships become murky and confusing, stop! Breathe. Take the time to write out the following exercise to get unstuck and achieve the results you really want.

This exercise is simple…it’s only two questions: What worked? What did not work? To get the most out of this exercise, use numeric results. Example of what worked: increased sales by 10%. Example of what didn’t work: missed Q3 goal by 15%. Then, acknowledge yourself in the mirror for what you’ve accomplished. Now, you are ready to create a new game plan by addressing how to handle “missed results.”

©Jeannette Seibly, 2011-2019

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning champion for people and results. For more than 26 years, she has guided bosses and teams to get unstuck quickly. Need help moving forward?  Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

Many bosses wish to improve how they manage … here’s how.

NEW! Podcast:

How to Do the Things You’ve Always Wanted to Do 

Interview with Natli VanDerWerken…when the Universe hits you with a two by four, you’d better listen!

http://ow.ly/o8B330q4LgZ  (Anchor.FM)

https://youtu.be/clq1NSjAnfA  (YouTube)

Can Personal Values Get in the Way of Success?

Values.Personal.Professional.SeibCo.Coach.Keynote Speaker. Author

I’ve talked with many bosses and business leaders who have lamented that their talented performers are not promotable. What they say is that their personal values are not in sync with the professional values and expectations they have for successful future leaders. 

These bosses and business leaders don’t know what to do. They believe successful future leaders should already exhibit solid professional values. The problem is, these bosses and business leaders fail to take responsibility for providing training and development via coaching, workshops, mentoring, etc.

Professional values inside a company are often unwritten, yet, you are expected to abide by them as you move higher in a profession, company, and industry. Also, many executives and boards send confusing messages. They overlook poor values as long as the results are being produced or there is the “right” excuse. This makes it harder to learn the level of professional values expected.

Accept the challenge…read the following story and look for what you would do differently?

DeeDee, a fast-rising sales manager, also enjoyed vaping and smoking other substances. She would disappear several times during the day for a smoke or two. She believed this calmed her and improved her ability to handle customer needs.

Her boss, Tom, had heard of DeeDee’s smoking habit. He turned a blind eye, even though her personal values violated the company’s “no smoking policy.”   DeeDee surpassed quarterly sales quotas and made him look good as a sales director. He allowed her to do her job as she wanted and only got involved to resolve complaints.

This façade lasted until DeeDee landed a major client…a much bigger client than she normally managed. Then, everything changed.

The major client expected DeeDee to honor her promises and fulfill the contract. But, DeeDee’s personal values of doing what she felt was right for her overrode the professional values expected by her company and her new client.

Her personal values didn’t include responding to client’s calls whenever they needed to talk with her. She excused missing deadlines as no big deal. She ignored calls if she felt the issue was mundane and sent short emails or texts hoping they would stop bothering her. These bad habits only frustrated the client since their questions were not completely answered. These missed deadlines impacted the client’s company and their customers!

It wasn’t until the client threatened to cancel their contract that her boss Tom finally paid attention.

After talking with his VP, Tom assigned Tony, a customer service manager, to act as an intermediary between DeeDee and the client. But, Tony resented having to do DeeDee’s job. She wasn’t qualified to efficiently and effectively handle this size of a customer. Also, he knew DeeDee’s sales commissions were not going to be shared with him!

Tony’s complaints landed on deaf ears. After all, one of the company’s professional values is everyone needs to be a team player when working with major clients.

To make matters worse, DeeDee signed an apartment lease that stated, “No smoking or vaping of anything.” She ignored it and blamed her neighbors for reporting her. One of the neighbors was on the new client’s team. When he shared the situation with his team, his company immediately canceled their very large contract.

Why? They cited DeeDee’s poor performance and blamed the company’s inability to enforce their leadership values (e.g., poor hiring, management, etc.).

What would you have done to ensure a better outcome? Take this challenge to your next company meeting and look at it from each person’s POV (Tom, DeeDee, Tony, Sales VP, and major client) to create the best game plan.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning champion for people and results. For the past 26 years, she has guided bosses and teams to excel. Want to clarify your professional values and be promotable?  Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

How does a positive work ethic make you a better boss?

5 Reasons Why You Need to Be Careful Hiring Boomerangs

network meetings

Many employers are scratching their heads wondering how they will staff their open positions with qualified candidates.

One of the fastest-growing hiring practices is bringing back talent that got away (aka boomerangs). This can be a good way of attracting and hiring qualified employees. Stats show that 72% of boomerangs would return if the opportunity arose (ExitCheck.com) and 23% regret having left (GoBankingRates.com)!

But…they need to be asked and told how returning can build their careers.

5 Ways to Determine if Hiring Boomerangs Are in Your Best Interest?

  1. Memories are not reliable. The biggest challenge is ensuring memories are real! Review performance reviews and exit interviews. Talk with former coworkers. Discuss with the boomerang why they left and are willing to come back. Drill down to ensure clarity by having more than one straight conversation about current workplace culture and expectations. If you consider the time and cost of a hiring mistake, it may be easier to train a new person rather than hire a boomerang who cannot adapt.
  2. Job fit is key. Understanding the boomerang’s current skills is important. Use scientifically validated assessments to clarify job fit and core values (e.g., honesty and integrity). Skill testing can determine technical abilities and other skillsets. Deep dive during interviews to ensure the boomerang can and will do the new work responsibilities required today.
  3. What can you offer for the future? Boomerangs have expanded their work experiences and mindsets, and along the way, learned new skills and gained new abilities. They will be more interested in returning if there is a clear pathway to earning more responsibility and a bigger paycheck. Succession planning and career pathing are two ways to ensure you have hired and will retain a happy boomerang.
  4. Onboarding is important. Companies change and so do workplace practices, both written and unwritten. Although onboarding for boomerangs is often faster with less training, it’s critical boomerangs are provided a clear 180-day success plan designed to develop new relationships and work within current systems, policies, and procedures. Remember, successful reintegration never relies on “the way things used to be.”
  5. Recruiting starts with a phone call. Talk with the boomerang to determine if there is a true interest in returning. Share opportunities and job requirements (e.g., work schedule, job responsibilities, strategic focus, etc.). Let them know about the company’s hiring system and follow it. Resolve any concerns before offering the boomerang the job. If you engage in a paycheck war, neither party wins.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning champion for people and results. For more than 26 years, she has guided bosses and teams to select the right people for the right jobs. Need help with your strategic hiring system?  Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

Improving your boss style will attract talented performers. How can you make that happen?

 

3 Bad Habits You Need to Break to Be Successful

habits.good.bad

What were once good ideas, attitudes or behaviors can become bad habits over time.

Good habits turning into bad ones are insidious processes. They creep up on you until bam, you say or do something that offends others. Bad habits impede your effectiveness and success. They negatively impact your relationships with others. Plus, you’ll fail to produce results and build the teamwork required for businesses to grow.

Sadly, it’s not a matter of if bad habits will derail your career…it’s a matter of when these ticking time bombs will derail your career unless you become aware and stop them now.

Break These 3 Bad Habits to Improve Career Success

1. Poor Listening Skills. This #1 bad habit is the cause of many skilled professionals facing career derailment.

A sales professional normally checked his emails during meetings and insisted he could still listen while multitasking. He didn’t understand that human brains are wired for a single activity. Even though many bought into his excuses, he missed sales cues and opportunities to close. When a potential client refused to buy into his excuses, the sales rep not only lost a big sale, he was fired. He even failed to listen to his boss telling him, “You gotta learn to listen!”

Listen as though your career depends on it…because it does!

2. Lack of Awareness. One executive constantly found fault with how others did their work. He thought he could do it better and faster. The truth was, he didn’t have the skills to do their jobs and lacked awareness his comments were offensive.

When someone fails to achieve the intended results, it’s time to be aware of how you impact others in getting their jobs done.

During conversations stay present:

  • -Stating the intended results in an easy and simple manner.
  • -Listen to all concerns.
  • -Work through any push-backs effectively (think, ethical considerations, workability, impact on others, etc.).
  • -Align on the work to be done, including a reasonable completion date.

Awareness determines your results and successes.

3. Know-It-All Attitude. A new boss was a micromanager, a common trait of inexperienced managers. She wanted everything done exactly as she thought it should be done to avoid looking bad. She blamed her employees (and others) for inevitable mistakes. She thought she knew everything.

After she learned how to control her anxieties about making mistakes, looking bad, and not being respected, she shifted her focus off herself.  She learned to be open to others’ ideas and successfully incorporate them into projects. The results were fewer mistakes being made and team members felt valued.

Building true confidence and ability to hear others is an inside job.

Remember, bad habits will come out in unexpected ways and get in the way of our success. Work with an executive coach to unravel the murky situations and complex relationships before attempting to resolve these challenges on your own.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2012-2019

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning champion for people and results. For the past 26 years, she has guided bosses and teams to excel in breaking bad habits. Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

NEW! Want to become a better boss? Find out how: https://seibco.com/15-ways-better-boss/

Listening to Coaching Advice Can Make You a Winner

coach.winner.success.2

Most winners in business have coaches to guide them in managing projects, resolving complex situations, and addressing their leadership savvy.

Many wanna-be winners fail to hire a coach and struggle to succeed.

  • -They believe the company should pay for it.
  • -They are uncoachable and hate being told what to do.
  • -They believe DIY is the only way to win.

The bottom line? The right coaching advice will help you become a winner faster and easier.

4 Ways to Become a Winner

Expand Your POV

Expand your POV of who, what, when, where, and why before addressing how to achieve your goals and become a winner.

Julie’s goal was to become the next VP until her company brought in Diane, the new CEO. Diane brought in her own team and Julie now reported to Trevor. Trevor wanted Julie gone because he believed her POV was, “that’s not the way things should be done.”

Julie viewed herself as a victim. When she met with an executive coach, she was stuck with a feeling of being resigned to “this situation is the way it is.”

At first, she resented the coach taking her out of her comfort zone.

The coach knew from experience that Julie was missing a golden opportunity. The coach also knew executives need to be resourceful, resilient, flexible, and not shy away from opportunities.

That’s why the coach encouraged Julie to win by expanding her POV.

“Julie, meet with former bosses and others within the company to learn about upcoming challenges. Discuss potential solutions. Uncover job opportunities in the company. Often, new management teams move on in a year or two. If you’re still working in the company, you have the best opportunity to get the VP job at that time.”

Luckily, Julie got the million-dollar coaching advice she didn’t think she wanted or needed.

Be Coachable

Remember, the right coach has you do what you don’t want to do so you can achieve the results you’ve always wanted and be a winner.

Many struggle in their careers, personal, financial, health, and other pursuits. They often fail to ask for help because they don’t want to look bad or feel humiliated.

Winners are coachable and know they need to ask for help and take the recommended actions to win!

Listen for the Gold

When you listen for the gold, you will hear new ways of how to achieve your goals…usually outside your POV.

When we rely on our own limited beliefs and don’t listen to coaching advice it’s because:

  • -We love our own ideas and don’t want to expand
  • -We play favorites on our team
  • -We use lack of money as an excuse
  • -We lack interest in working through the details

A coach will teach you how to brainstorm, listen for the gold, and become a winner.

Hire the Right Coach

There are many different types of coaches … hiring the right one will make all the difference.

David hired a life coach to help him launch a new business. Three months later, after spending $20K for coaching, he still did not have a viable business. The coach told him it would cost another $20K to continue.

Sadly, this type of scenario happens too often. The most common reason is the coach doesn’t have the right expertise.

Winners know hiring the right coach with the right expertise requires conducting proper due diligence. Don’t make David’s mistake.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning champion for people and results. For the past 26 years, she has guided bosses and teams to excel and create winning outcomes!  Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

Has your game plan by thwarted by your team? Want to know why?  http://ow.ly/Maox30oTBr6

How to Prevent Good Ideas from Becoming Bad Ones

Good Ideas.Bad.SuccessAll ideas are not created equal.

  • -When a boss has a bad idea, most employees are afraid to say so. They will follow along and wait for the project to fail rather than offer suggestions.
  • -When a team member has a great idea, others may be hesitant. It can be due to company politics or the controversy change can cause. Instead of offering manageable insights, they stay silent.
  • -Other times, when good ideas go awry, it’s because the generator of the idea is emotionally attached. They typically have a narrow POV and refuse to listen and incorporate others’ ideas that are necessary for success.

Remember, ideas are only as good as the team and their project manager.

So, Why Are Good Ideas Sidelined?

  1. Company politics
  2. Team is risk-averse
  3. Poor facilitator and team member skills
  4. Team members fear rocking the boat
  5. Conflict created by difficult team members
  6. Lack of focused-action steps and attention to details
  7. True brainstorming is ignored
  8. Team members are not aligned
  9. Failure to manage the outcomes
  10. Poor understanding of the purpose or goal

How to Improve Generating Good and Achievable Ideas

Good Idea, But, Bad Communication

Devin had project management success. It’s why he was hired to lead a team in designing and executing a new project for a new association. But, his new board missed a key factor when hiring him…Devin was a DIYer. He had poor facilitation skills and ignored others’ comments. When the new project failed to launch due to lack of interest and funding, the board brought on new team members. Finally, one of the members exclaimed, “I don’t get it. What is the purpose and goal of this idea?” She took it upon herself to clarify the purpose and goal, along with the team. With effective communication and everyone on the same page, the project succeeded.   

Communication is everything. When you fail to share your ideas in a way that can be readily understood, you lose support and money. Hire the right coach to guide you and the team in designing a message that clarifies your idea and resonates with your products and services.

Bad Idea, But, Everyone Went Silent

This happens often. When a boss (or anyone idea) has a bad idea, most team members are afraid to stand up and speak up. As a result, a lot of time, money, and attention is spent on something that won’t work. Sometimes these types of ideas only need tweaks, other times, they need to be scrapped.

As the boss or idea generator, use one or two independent sounding boards to bounce off ideas. Allow them to ask questions, dig deeper than the team may feel comfortable doing themselves. The key is to listen and learn. Many good ideas derail due to circular logic about why something “should work” but won’t.

Great Idea, But, Before It’s Time

I remember years ago wanting to put together an executive HR group. The person I shared my idea with nixed it. A year later I shared it with a different person. She ran with the idea. The executive HR group is still flourishing today.

Sharing ideas can be two-fold. You may share with someone fearful of stretching beyond their comfort zone or someone who fears any political repercussions. Regardless of why, they are afraid of being part of a new idea that has not been successful elsewhere.

Make sure to develop your ideas on paper to get them out of your head. Be clear about “why the idea is important” and create a story to support it. Then share with others. This is a great opportunity to learn about any challenges or other solutions. Remember, this is not the time to debate. Instead, listen and learn. Be open to expanding your POV which is required for success.

Remember, all ideas are not created equal. Some are good and some are simply bad ideas. Yet, there is a multitude of good ideas that should be pursued. But, to be successful, need a committed team, great communication, and expanded POV for what is possible.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning champion for people and results. For the past 26 years, she has guided bosses and teams to excel in implementing great ideas. Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

Is your team over budget and missing their milestones? Do you know why? http://ow.ly/Maox30oTBr6

 

How to Stop Struggling to Be an Effective Communicator

effective communicatorHave you ever noticed words coming out of your mouth that you vowed you would never say? To make matters worse, your tone sounds harsh or critical. Believe it or not, we often sound like our parents did when we were growing up. Imagine sounding like a critical parent when you’re speaking to your boss or teammates. Yikes!

Why Is Communication So Important?

When you fail to produce intended results and develop good working relationships, it is due to a poor communication style. Lack of respect, tone of voice, words used, and promises not kept (to name a few) hurt your effectiveness.

Instead of blaming others, take time to learn how to become an effective communicator.

8 Traits to Become a Savvy Communicator

  1. Change Beliefs. You must set aside your judgments and beliefs about how people should think, act, talk, dress … ad nauseam. Remember, simply using the right words or jargon will not prevent others from “hearing” what you believe or think about them (over 80 percent of communication is non-verbal!).
  2. Learn to Influence.  Instead of telling others what to do and stating how things “should” be done, ask for their input. Engage all team members by sharing the bigger picture. Now, allow them to handle the details on a project without micromanaging.
  3. Listen to Learn! Develop a positive attitude and authentic belief that others have great solutions! (Really, they do!) Listen and learn from them and incorporate their ideas. Give each person bragging credits.
  4. Treat People Right. Treat people with respect by listening and valuing them. Hang around effective communicators to learn how they do it. Take away insights that will encourage you to become an effective communicator. (Hint: Understand you will never communicate just like them!)
  5. Understand Your Style. Use qualified assessment tools to understand “why” you talk and work well with some people and not others. Armed with accurate insights into your thinking and behavior styles, work with a coach to improve your communication effectiveness with anyone, anywhere at any time.
  6. Pay Attention to Tone and Word Choices. The words and tone of voice you use tell a much deeper story than you may realize. Work with an experienced executive coach or licensed therapist to role-play any past and upcoming complex situations. These sessions can guide you on how and what to improve. As you become a more confident communicator, your style will naturally improve.
  7. Journal for Clarity. This is a great way to see, in black and white, your thoughts about people and/or situations. It gives you a chance to work through complex issues faster. Then, shred. NEVER send a letter spewing your upsets, no matter how justified you believe you are.
  8. Develop Confidence. Often, your innermost and deepest fear is that you are a fraud and everyone is going to find out. To awaken your “inner communicator talent,” get the book It’s Time to Brag! Business Edition, and complete the five steps to effectively communicate with confidence. Remember, there are no shortcuts!

Become an effective communicator by developing these 8 traits and enjoy the results!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2017-2019

Jeannette Seibly has been an award-winning champion for people and results for the past 26 years. She has guided bosses and teams to excel in using powerful communication tools.  Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

Run more effective meetings by managing this #1 challenge:  http://ow.ly/Maox30oTBr6

Ghosting Won’t Make You a Winner

Ghosting.Winners.Communication.3

Ghosting in business is not an option. You’ve ghosted someone when you miss scheduled meetings, avoid difficult conversations, or fail to follow-up and follow-through on promises. This behavior and attitude will come back to haunt you regardless of your reasons why.

A sales rep became upset when members of his network group complained he had ghosted them. He had missed several scheduled meetings and failed to follow-through with people. Instead of apologizing and resolving the upsets, he ignored the whole thing and claimed he was too busy.

As a result of his ghosting, several members did business with a competitor. When he found out, he exclaimed, “All you had to do was call and tell me you wanted to buy something.”

The question he failed to ask himself, “Why would anyone want to do business with someone who ghosts them?”

Why Do People Ghost?

The short answer is, it seems simpler and easier than “trying” to have a conversation when you’re uncomfortable talking with others.

But, winners don’t ghost.

Winners face their fears and talk it out. They overcome limiting beliefs, such as poor communication and vocabulary skills, or disliking authority figures (e.g., bosses, hiring managers, etc.).

While ghosting provides momentary feelings of relief, these feelings won’t last. Unfortunately, those fears won’t go away! And, even worse, the people you ghost won’t forget you ghosted them!

Ghosting is not the formula for a winner!

6 Tips to Become a Powerful Communicator and Winner  

  1. Be Open to Learning. Remember, no one was born a powerful or experienced conversationalist. Put away the electronic distractions. Learn how to have meaningful and productive conversations. Take classes (e.g., Toastmasters, Landmark), practice mindfulness, talk it out and role-play. Hire a coach to guide you on how to talk through challenging situations. These reduce the need to ghost others.
  2. Practice Leads to Mastery. Like everything in life, practice helps you improve and become a master communicator. Remember, conversations will not always be fun, positive, or easy. It’s how you handle them that matters. Be curious. Don’t shy away from participating in team debates, offering ideas and opinions, and listening to what others are saying. Good communication skills are the marks of a winner.
  3. Stand Up and Show Up. Honor your commitments and meetings. Stop relying on excuses when you don’t feel like showing up. Always show up on time. Remember, the attitude of “I matter and you matter” creates winning conversations for your career and life.
  4. Be Responsible. If you want to improve the job offer, sales, or contract, don’t ghost. Only voice-to-voice communication can give you the winning results you want.
  5. Start with Good Questions. Winners start meetings by asking questions about the other person, their goals and challenges. When learning about others, you elicit better information and insights into how to help them. You will also discover true solutions and new ideas. Then, let them know how they can help you. This is a winning formula.
  6. Build Your Confidence through Self-Promotion. Read the book, It’s Time to Brag! Business Edition and complete the 5 amazing steps to sell yourself. These exercises are natural confidence builders. When you feel confident, you will feel comfortable communicating voice-to-voice. You will stop ghosting.

Practicing these 6 tips gives you the ability to stop ghosting, improve your communication skills, and become a winner.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2018-2019

Jeannette Seibly has been an award-winning champion for people and results for the past 26 years. She has guided bosses and teams to excel in using powerful communication tools.  Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

15 signs you’re a great boss, even if you don’t feel it.

What Happens When Bosses Fail to Apologize?

Bosses.Apology.2An employee asked questions of her boss to resolve a critical distribution issue. He didn’t have the answers. She kept pressing him to get her the answers she needed until he left the meeting upset by her persistence. He ignored her requests to meet with him and refused to apologize for coming unprepared for the meeting. Thirty days later he fired her.

Many people fail to apologize for mistakes, misunderstandings, or the words they choose to use (e.g., profanity, mispronouncing someone’s name, using jargon incorrectly, etc.). Their words and actions can hurt relationships and negatively impact results.

Failure to apologize can create:

  • -Resentment
  • -Gossip
  • -Avoidance  behavior
  • -Snarky remarks
  • -Turnover
  • -Profitability
  • -Loss of customers, jobs, promotions, or pay increases
  • -The list is endless!

As a boss, you don’t have the luxury of not apologizing and making things right with employees, co-workers, vendors, customers, or even your boss. It’s your responsibility to set a positive example and create win-win-win outcomes.

Remember, your communication style either energizes or deflates your team. Win-win-win outcomes require learning a very important communication skill…how to genuinely apology.

6 Steps for a Genuine Apology

Always start with honesty, courage, and respect so you can stand up and extend the “olive branch.”

  1. Become present to what you said or the mistake you made. This may require journaling or talking with your coach to uncover the true problem.
  2. Offer “I’m sorry.” or “I apologize.” Both offers create the start of a healthy conversation. This must occur to get the problem resolved in a win-win-win manner.
  3. Listen to their response. If they are angry because you waited too long or you’ve humiliated them, you may not be present to the impact you caused. Listen and learn from their response before again offering an apology.
  4. Don’t defend. The situation happened. Being right or making them wrong won’t get the issue resolved or move the conversation forward. Listen and talk without defending yourself. (Catch yourself before excusing what happened with a, “Yeah, but.”)
  5. Ask what you can do to resolve it. What needs to happen to move forward? Ask for their opinion and input. If you don’t, the resentment will continue.
  6. Forgiveness works magic. Genuine apologies allow for you and them to let go of resentments. Then, true forgiveness is naturally possible.

Remember, all relationships have their upsets. As a boss, learning how to genuinely apologize is an important part of communication.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019

Managing people is one of the biggest challenges bosses face daily.  As an executive coach, Jeannette Seibly has been championing people and results for the past 26 years. Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.

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