Transform the Organization

How to Improve Your Ability to Communicate with Anyone Everywhere

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“Your ability to communicate effectively with anyone everywhere builds your career and promotability.” Jeannette Seibly

Working with a demanding boss or team member, or co-worker is something we all avoid whenever possible. The problem? It hurts your work results and relationships and limits your ability to be promoted.

You may believe you are good at hiding your true feelings about others. The truth? They know you don’t like them and find them difficult to talk with. And if they don’t see it, others will let them know! (Hint: You can count on that!)

How to Improve Your Communication Skills and Stop Avoiding People

Know Yourself. Use qualified job fit and confidential 360-degree feedback assessments. When you do these, you can now objectively clarify your strengths and weaknesses when working and interacting with others. Debrief with your coach, boss, and team members. Allow them to provide additional insights that build your effectiveness in work and communication with others.

Develop Compassion. You’ve not walked in their shoes, and they’ve not walked in yours. Have compassion for others’ difficulties. Ask them about their personal and business experiences, life, and goals. Genuinely listen. Everyone has an interesting back story that you can identify with and appreciate. Take the time to do this … the results will be amazing.

Level Up Your Listening. We all have automatic ways of listening to people. And we rely on our justifications about why. Instead, set aside your own biases and inflexibilities (aka insecurities). Listen with an open mind. It’s amazing what you can learn … and you’ll find others will suddenly become easier to work with. (Yes! It’s true.)

Build Your Confidence. Use your “brags” to build your confidence. Then, you’ll feel less fearful when talking with others and working with them to resolve issues and create solutions. Confidence can transform a relationship; they will now have your back and value your opinions.

Take Communication Programs. Take several … not just one! Too many business professionals, bosses, and leaders today have poor communication skills. (Yes, it’s hard to believe!) Take a Toastmasters, Landmark, or other program that focuses on communicating with others, building positive relationships, and making presentations. These skills are invaluable and can be used anytime and everywhere!

Now, these difficult and sometimes evil people you feel forced to work with are not so bad! And others will recognize your ability to work with anyone anywhere and at any time. It’s how you will positively influence others and enjoy those job promotions and accolades!

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? Jeannette’s depth of experience and wisdom guides clients to achieve intended dynamic results on a consistent basis! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about your ability to communicate with anyone everywhere: Working with a difficult boss or team member, or co-worker is something we all avoid whenever possible. The problem? It hurts your work results and relationships and limits your ability to be promoted. Contact me for a confidential conversation about how to work well with anyone, anywhere, and at any time.

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? Great bosses work with an experienced executive coach as a sounding board. I have extensive experience and wisdom in guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams. Along the way, they achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching program. Remember, coaching accelerates your communication effectiveness and influence.

Factionalism Hurts Retention, Revenues, and Results in Any Company

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“Eliminating factionalism positively impacts your company’s revenues, results, and retention.” Jeannette Seibly

Factionalism is: A condition in which a team or company is split into two or more smaller groups with differing and often opposing opinions or interests. (Dictionary.com)

We expect teams and departments within any company to work well together all the time. This expectation can be unrealistic. In reality, every company will have conflicts here and there. It’s when those disagreements don’t go away that factionalism erupts. It creates dysfunctional workplace cultures and hurts employee satisfaction, customer retention, and the bottom line.

What Causes Factionalism?

When leaders cannot satisfactorily resolve animosity, competition, indifference, and ongoing disputes, teams, co-workers, and bosses often take on bad attitudes, take sides, or blame others.

Factionalism erupts due to:

  • Negative attitudes by bosses and leaders toward each other or a small group of people
  • Hiring, promoting, or job transferring people that don’t fit the job responsibilities
  • Pitting departments or groups of employees against one another for competing needs
  • Adversarial mindsets (e.g., sales reps blame customer service or operations when a customer is lost)
  • Allowing egos to get in the way (e.g., “we” v. “I” OR “us” v. “them”)
  • Forgetting about the importance of the mission and vision of the company
  • Withholding important information
  • Not holding remote and hybrid workers to performance and company standards
  • Blaming the customer or group of employees for mistakes or problems

How to Be the Solution to Factionalism and Not the Contributor to the Problem

Communication, Communication, Communication. There are many bosses and employees who are not good or great communicators. Poor communication causes people to take sides with “he said this” v. “no, she said that” v. “I thought it meant this.” As the boss or leader, ask questions to uncover the true intention and facilitate win-win-win outcomes. Remember, factionalism often begins as a small solvable concern before it erupts into an impenetrable mountain.

Solve Conflicts Immediately. When someone deliberately and consistently impedes progress creating confusion or chaos, s/he needs to be coached or removed from the job or team, or conflict will escalate.

Examples include:

  • Withholding information and resources
  • Ignoring emails or advice
  • Making the solutions more complicated than necessary
  • Blocking issues from being fixed
  • Hostility towards others’ ideas
  • Refusal to take advice that can make a difference
  • Failure to admit mistakes
  • Unwillingness to resolve team conflict

The truth is that when your team members (or you) lack the communication, project management, and people skills required, change is necessary. Hire an executive coach and use a performance improvement plan to ensure they are making progress.

Get Real. Gossip, myths, and lack of critical thinking impede the truth. Also, the lack of top-down or down-up conversations (communication) hinders addressing the real issues. You must realize that when customers and top talent leave, it’s important to tell yourself and co-workers the truth about resources, company and people changes, and customer requirements.

Hold Team Retreats and Inter-Team/Department Discussions. Training in communication, team building, team meetings, and confidence building are just a few examples that help everyone keep the lines of communication open to reduce factionalism. When your employees or teams get territorial about their work and systems, it’s usually because they do minimal work to get by (e.g., quiet quitting) or fear asking for help. Hire an outside facilitator to create insightful group discussions, ensure everyone is heard, and keep everyone engaged.

Use Job Fit Assessments to Understand Differences Objectively. When you or your team blame others for not thinking and working like you do, it’s time to understand “why objectively.”

In my experience, using a qualified job fit tool can reduce factionalism. It helps everyone understand and appreciate differences objectively; productive conversations and communication open up too. Job fit assessments have the highest scientific validation and reliability and provide more accurate data. They can eliminate miscommunication, blaming or nitpicking, or other disrespectful behaviors and attitudes that create factionalism.

Fulfilling Expectations. When you expect others to get along AND make your own effort to get along with others, you will reduce factionalism. Enforce policies and procedures, set clear guidelines on ‘no-tolerance policies’ (e.g., choice of words, favoritism), and refuse to allow your team to bypass others, citing the need for expediency. (Hint: It’ll actually take longer to resolve when the detour is discovered!)

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? With Jeannette’s depth of experience and wisdom, she guides clients through sticky situations and challenging relationships for dynamic results! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about factionalism in your workplace culture: As bosses and leaders, it starts with you! You set the example and the tone within your teams of how to get along and work well with others. Get involved. Listen to concerns. Have conversations for win-win-win outcomes. Contact me for a confidential discussion about how to reduce and eliminate factionalism.

The coach is in! Are you ready to build your confidence and success as a boss? Great bosses work with an experienced executive coach as a sounding board. I have extensive experience and wisdom in guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams to achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching program. Remember, coaching speeds up your ability to manage, lead, and influence others.

Bosses impact everyone’s ability to love their jobs, enjoy learning new skills, and work well with others. To accelerate your team’s results, use the PXT Select to see the “whole person.”

It Can Be Lonely as a New Boss or Leader

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“Being a new boss or leader is a lonely job if you go it alone.” Jeannette Seibly

Did you know as a new boss:

  • You can feel lonely and disconnected.
  • Going it alone and not connecting with others is detrimental to your career success.
  • You are no longer part of your former peer group.
  • Bouncing ideas off your employees can cause them anxiety about change.
  • Your new coworkers will get concerned about you if they disagree with your ideas.
  • Your boss will ignore you since they are only interested in solutions and the bottom line.

So, what can you do to develop a trusted sounding board and overcome feeling lonely? Remember, your job responsibilities go far beyond your job description and rely on your ability to connect with others. Going it alone is not an option.

Tips to Get Connected and Overcome Loneliness

Prioritize Your Time Management to Build Relationships! Yes, you’re busy learning your new job. But make this a priority. Meet with employees, customers, peers, upper management, vendors, and other business professionals in your industry, 1:1 and groups.

Ask and Listen More Than Talk. Ask about their work. What do they like? What could be different? What is the #1 issue they have with your team? Asking these questions and listening (not defending) can offer surprising insights into your team, company, and customer challenges. Also, it’s amazing how quickly and easily issues get resolved when you develop good working relationships.

Rely on Your Team. Too often, you have an idea, and presto, you want to implement it immediately! But the problem is, you didn’t ask your team for their input! Your team does the day-to-day work and can provide insights on the pros and cons of any idea. Ask. Listen. Brainstorm. Discern with critical thinking before implementing. Then, manage for results!

Ask for Help. Work with a company mentor and an outside executive coach. The inside mentor can help you gain political and industry insights. An executive coach navigates you through sticky situations and work relationships while helping you build your inner power and confidence.

Get Involved! Participate in after-hours get-togethers, team sports, and community and industry activities. Don’t forget to join others for breaks and meals. Staying in touch with others avoids surprises (e.g., poor employee conduct, business cut-backs, new opportunities)! And, never participate in gossip … and it can be a career derailer!

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? Jeannette’s many years of experience and wisdom can guide you through sticky situations and challenging relationships for dynamic results! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion. She is also a 3-time Amazon Best Seller.

A note from Jeannette about loneliness as a new boss or leader: It’s hard for coworkers and employees to be honest with new bosses and leaders. So, it’s essential that you learn how to connect with others to keep your fingers on the pulse of your teams, company, and customers. Contact me for a confidential conversation about how to become a great boss!

Have you considered the benefits of strengthening your superpowers and becoming a great boss? It’s not complicated, but it does require an experienced sounding board. I have extensive experience guiding bosses and leaders to work with and through their teams to achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching program. Remember, coaching speeds up your ability to have more fun and make more money!

If you’d like to help employees to be talent ready, explore using the PXT Select to ensure job fit now and for future opportunities.

 

 

A Workplace Bully Can Sabotage Results

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“As a boss and leader, dealing with workplace bullies is not easy. If you don’t, it’ll sabotage your results.” Jeannette Seibly

Bullies can be everywhere today. They can be bosses, leaders, consultants, coworkers, peers, vendors, and customers. While you may believe you don’t take their demeaning remarks seriously, a bully is a bully! It sabotages results and negatively impacts you and others, regardless of how you rationalize it!

Like many of you reading this article, I’ve experienced bullies in the workplace. It’s not fun, and bullies can be difficult and scary to deal with. But recognizing and dealing with bullies in the workplace is essential. Ironically, when doing so, you honor yourself and create a better workplace environment.

Why Do Bullies Bully?

It’s All About Power. Bullies, even those who are successful, demean others, diminish others’ successes, and make bad jokes at others’ expense to make themselves feel better.

Others’ Enable Them. You cannot change them. Many people enable bullies by falsely believing you can let their comments go in one ear and out the other. But they forget that people have brains and emotions in between!

They Are Manipulative. Bullies like to sabotage others and can be sneaky saboteurs. After they bully someone, they often step in to save them and let others know.

They Are Allowed to Do So! Bosses and leaders need to get real. With stress and mental health at an all-time high, bullying costs companies millions in turnover, poor results, and negative cash flow.

They Cannot Tell the Truth! Bullies are spin doctors and are unafraid of blaming others. Remember, their fear of not having power, losing control, and others’ success makes for a toxic workplace.

The Truth About Workplace Bullying

Bullies cause an emotional, psychological, and physical toll in the workplace.

The Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) defines workplace bullying as repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets). It is abusive conduct that is:

  • Threatening, humiliating, or intimidating.
  • Sabotaging prevents work from getting done.
  • Verbal abuse.

The Facts About Workplace Bullying (aka Stats)

According to the 2021 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey:

  • Almost 60 percent of Americans have suffered abusive conduct at work or seen it
  • Remote bullying occurs via virtual meetings
  • 52 percent of bullies are non-management, and 40 percent are managers
  • Women bully women at twice the rate they bully men
  • Exposure to others being bullied causes harm to the observers (e.g., anxiety, exhaustion, hypertension)

How to Deal with Bullies at Work!

Talk with Them. Share specific incidents with them 1:1. If it continues, talk with your boss, your boss’s boss, and/or human resources.

Let Your Boss Know. Or, your boss’s boss! Document it (e.g., times, dates, witnesses). Record it (e.g., cell phone, video). Share with human resources and your attorney. Remember, their bullying won’t stop if you don’t take the right actions.

Move On. This sounds simpler than it is and may take a while, especially if you’re hoping for a new job first. It’s important you remove yourself from the environment as soon as possible.

Experience the Grief. Honor your feelings and self-care. If you don’t, you will experience an emotional meltdown later at an inopportune time!

Other Bullying Considerations to Be Aware Of

Bullying has also become a catch-all phrase. Talk with your executive coach and/or therapist for a reality check and on how to address the issue.

Poor Work Quality. When your boss is critical of a project or work document, it may not be bullying. Instead, s/he may need a coach for guidance on how to give constructive feedback. But don’t ignore the feedback in these situations, or it could hurt your career! Ask for help and use others’ objective and honest input to improve.

Team Bullying. When team members are snarky, dismiss others’ ideas, or sabotage others’ work, it’s time to talk about appropriate behavior. Provide meeting and team building training! Or, you’ll continue to miss deadlines, exceed budgets, and fail to achieve intended results.

When You Make a Mistake. Review what happened. Did the person belittle you, or were your feelings hurt because you made a mistake that the person caught and corrected? Otherwise, you may be labeled a bully!

Time to Find True Friends. It’s time for new friends when they fear the bully knows they are your friend. Or, they cannot tell the truth about what happened due to fear of retribution.

For example, when asked about witnessing someone being bullied, the person said, “No. I just agreed she was bullied because I thought I was expected to say that!”

Another example is, “Does the bully know we’re friends? I don’t want to get caught in the middle of this problem since I need to work with him/her in the future.”

Develop Confidence in Yourself When Being Bullied

This is the hardest part. Bullies thrive on insecure people (whether you can admit to your insecurities or not) and are astute at recognizing it. Tell the truth and work with a therapist or skilled coach. When you elevate your inner power and confidence (e.g., brag-work), you become a stand for a bully-free workplace!

As a boss or leader, remember that tolerating bullying will cost you customers, top talent, and money! If you are the bully, get help before it’s too late (e.g., loss of business, awards, jobs, careers, and friends)!

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? Her wisdom guides clients through sticky situations and challenging relationships for dynamic results! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about how to deal with a bully in the workplace: It’s essential that, as a boss and leader, you proactively address bullying in the workplace. Otherwise, bullying can cost your company millions in turnover, poor results, and negative cash flow. Contact me for a confidential conversation about how to stop bullying in your company!

Have you considered the benefits of strengthening your superpowers and becoming a great boss? It’s not complicated, but it does require an experienced sounding board. I have extensive experience guiding bosses and leaders to work with and through their teams to achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching program. Remember, coaching speeds up your ability to have more fun and make more money!

If you’d like to help employees to be talent ready, explore using the PXT Select to ensure job fit now and for future opportunities.

Are You Sabotaging Your Employees?

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“Good decisions will not sabotage your employees.” Jeannette Seibly
  • Are you a leader that believes you make good decisions?
  • Are you aware of the times your decisions have sabotaged your employees and others?
  • Have your employees and customers had to clean up issues caused by your bad decisions?

As a boss and leader, you must make decisions in the best interest of the company, its customers, and employees. But, often, due to limited/mediocre/poor critical thinking, playing favorites, or not understanding the core issue, these decisions sabotage your employees and negatively impact others.

Good Decisions Need These Critical Factors

It Starts with Clarity. What is the core issue of the problem? Once it is identified, wait! Before you implement a solution, conduct your due diligence! While you may believe you’ve answered the pros and cons, there is a bigger, often overlooked question, “How does this decision impact my employees now and in the future?”

Ask for Input! While it may seem like an excellent decision, it does not mean others will agree. Talk with employees and customers to better understand the core issue from their perspectives instead of relying on rationalization or circular thinking! Brainstorm possible solutions.

A company needed a better technology application for its core program. The problem? Their solution did not include input from the salespeople that use it, sabotaging sales!

Listen! Instead of pushing your agenda, talking over employees’ objections, and ignoring customers’ and coworkers’ concerns, listen! Or, they will covertly (and overtly) sabotage you! Don’t overlook or ignore the hard questions. For example, “What is the #1 challenge for getting everyone onboard?”

Plan for Impacts. When designing the plan, consider the well-being of your employees. Stress and mental health challenges are at an all-time high. So, plan for the number of hours expected, changes in workflow, and new skills required.

Focus on Creating Win-Win-Win Outcomes. Focus on alignment for the solution, not consensus building. Consensus building often sabotages efforts due to the fear of change and office politics.

Keep Everyone Up to Date. Use all forms of communication (emails, internal newsletters, and chats) to keep everyone apprised of the process and results. Include the challenges and wins. Good communication minimizes sabotaging or unexpected changes.

Get Real and Don’t Insulate Employees. When there are tough (and unpopular) decisions to be made, talk straight. Address the alternatives considered. Share the upside and downside of your decision. The worse things you can do are: be silent, hide, or make assumptions (or all three).

Compassion and Sensitivity. This can go a long way towards having your decisions well received with minimal disruption and sabotaging of your employees.

Most Importantly! Don’t Blame Your Employees. Every decision-maker has made bad decisions. But great leaders and bosses understand they must take responsibility for them. What can you do to correct them? Start first by talking with your executive coach and an internal company mentor before doing anything. Otherwise, you can make the outcomes of a bad decision even worse!

(c)Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Right Reserved

If you’d like to help employees to be talent ready, explore using the PXT Select to ensure job fit now and for future opportunities.

Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? Her wisdom guides clients through sticky situations and challenging relationships for dynamic results! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion.

A note from Jeannette about sabotaging your employees: You and other bosses frequently make decisions believing they are in the company’s and customers’ best interest. But, at times, these decisions can and do sabotage or negatively impact your employees. Contact me for a confidential conversation about how to avoid sabotaging your employees!

Have you considered the benefits of strengthening your superpowers and becoming a great boss? It’s not complicated, but it does require an experienced sounding board. I have extensive experience guiding bosses and leaders to work with and through their teams to achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching program. Remember, coaching speeds up your ability to make better decisions and prevent sabotaging your employees.

Great Results Require Winning Attitudes!

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“A healthy relationship with ‘winning’ is required to blast through circumstances.” Jeannette Seibly

Winning isn’t everything, but developing a winning attitude is required to achieve amazing results, especially in the face of negativity, misperception, and other limiting circumstances. The bonus? It feels great!

However, many people today have conflicted feelings and attitudes about winning. They find it more comfortable to conform to peer pressure, not exceed others’ expectations, and not rock the boat. Unfortunately, this attitude gets in the way of winning for them and their teams. While it keeps them from overshadowing others, there is a huge personal and professional cost (e.g., being overlooked for promotions, not being selected for key opportunities, low self-esteem, confidence, etc.).

Why is having a winning attitude vital for you?

  • It creates healthy self-esteem while improving your results.
  • It builds your confidence and mindful awareness.
  • It provides you the courage to ask for help, hire a coach, and influence others.
  • It increases your ability to take the initiative, be coachable, and be resourceful.
  • It makes you promotable while having more fun and making more money.

Remember, especially when you want to throw in the towel and say, “I give up,” it’s not about whether you win or lose. It’s about your attitude toward winning. It’s about enjoying the process of gaining new knowledge, skills, and awareness that comes from a winning attitude. And these experiences are priceless.

How to Create a Healthy Winning Attitude

  1. Do the Work Instead of Creating Excuses. We all love our excuses. But they get in the way of winning! When the process isn’t working, don’t let it deter you from achieving the goal! Don’t change the goal; instead, change the process. Remember, the process rarely looks like you think it should! It requires stretching outside your comfort zone and developing a new one.
  2. Take Initiative. Too often, people dream the dream but fail to honor the commitments required. They blame other people and situations. Instead, make a good plan and follow it. To achieve any goal, focus on what’s important to you. Now, get in the game and go for it! That’s taking the initiative and getting into focused action.
  3. When Obstacles Occur, and They Will, Become Resourceful! Everyone hits a wall. Sometimes it’s a massive one. But giving up isn’t an option. Instead, be flexible, resourceful, and resilient. Adopt the winning mantra, “I can do this, and I do it.” Now, take it moment by moment, step by step, and day by day as you move forward. Yes, there will continue to be bumps in the road. But don’t let them stop you.
  4. Celebrate the Wins with Gratitude, not Ego. When you win, it’s important to celebrate and acknowledge your accomplishments! Add the achievements to your resume and bio. Bragging in a humble manner works! Don’t forget to say, “Thank you!” to those that helped you along the way! (You didn’t achieve it without them!)

©Jeannette Seibly 2021-2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. As an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant, keynote speaker, and author for over 30 years, she guides others to make a positive difference. Feel stuck in a political work situation? Want clear advice on how to get out of it? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about having a winning attitude and achieving amazing results: Too often, we rely on our excuses for not achieving intended results. The truth is that we need to stop accepting mediocrity and develop a winning attitude. It’s not hard, and there is work to be done. The rewards are: It feels great and can offer external rewards too (e.g., promotion, new home, etc.)! What do you want to accomplish? It’s not too late to get started! Let’s Chat!

Are you frustrated because you are a results producer and now not producing the intended results? It’s time to find out “why” and get back into the game. It requires seeing your blind spots and hiring a coach! I have extensive experience guiding bosses and leaders to work with and through their teams to achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one coaching program over 13 weeks. Remember, coaching speeds up your ability to win.

Want Better Results? Encourage Employees to Speak Up

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“Want great results? Encourage your employees to stand up and speak up!” Jeannette Seibly

Yes, we’re all busy! But taking the time and encouraging employees to speak up ensures better solutions and retention of top talent!

Many leaders fear taking risks, especially today. And in turn, employees fear speaking up to report mistakes, ask questions, offer new ideas, or challenge action plans or decisions. With everyone focused on keeping their jobs or not rocking the boat, projects, and plans fail because no one risked standing up and speaking up!

(Watch “Air,” a film based on true events about the origin of Air Jordan, Nike’s basketball shoe line with rookie player Michael Jordan. An employee had to step up and speak up. It forever changed how players were treated.)

How to Get Employees Talking and Creating Solutions

First, ASK! The #1 key to encourage employees to stand up and speak up!

Second, LISTEN! If you don’t, they won’t speak up again.

Brainstorming! Many leaders do a poor job of brainstorming. They latch on to the first idea that sounds good! However, often, it’s not. Learn how to truly brainstorm. It saves customers, bottom lines, and retention!

Critical Thinking! Take the time to conduct an analysis of essential considerations with all ideas (e.g., budget, ROI, impact on others, company mission and vision, workability, etc.).

Listen, Value, and Build. Use good listening skills and value others’ thoughts and opinions. Then, build on these ideas. Remember, all ideas can spark new ones. Build on these for better solutions. Also, avoid consensus building and focus on alignment with team members before agreeing on a plan.

Encourage Everyone on the Team to Participate. Ask each person several times for their input. Then, allow them to say “pass.” Many times, the second or third time, they’ll offer great insights. So, don’t ignore or overlook them.

Provide Training and Manage Conflicts. While having differing ideas is important, it needs to be a safe space for employees to talk! Ensure everyone is trained on how to participate in meetings (NO! It’s not natural, and learning by trial and error leads to employee disengagement). Manage disagreements by ensuring every employee can share without being criticized, humiliated, or made fun of.

Team Selection Is Important. Most teams fail because they include employees with no interest or time to commit (but meet diversity initiatives). Seek out those with the interest and willingness to attend all meetings. Include those without the skills with someone they can learn from during the project.

Get Out of the Way! Like in the movie Air, leaders do get in the way! It would be best to learn how to work through new ideas without shutting down employees from speaking up. For example: After a 6-month employee project, a company president decided he didn’t want employees offering suggestions to solve a critical issue. The problem? He feared the risks of adopting a new approach to solve an old problem.

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She is an award-winning international executive coach, speaker, and business author. Her wisdom of over 30 years guides clients to work through sticky situations and challenging relationships. Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion. PS: She’s also a three-time Amazon Best-Selling Author!

A note from Jeannette about getting employees to speak up: I remember working with a client that bet me a cookie that I could NOT get her employees talking. Yes, I won the cookie! (And I’ve won other similar bets with other clients!) When you are willing to listen and value employees’ input, they will talk! Often, their ideas are better than yours! It’s learning how to do it! Contact me for a confidential conversation about team facilitation.

Have You Considered the benefits of strengthening your ability to ask for and listen to employees’ input about a project or plan? It makes a positive difference in your success as a leader! I have extensive experience guiding leaders to work with and through their teams to achieve unprecedented results. Contact me if you want an in-depth, one-on-one hour over 13 weeks. Remember, coaching speeds up your ability to win.

Ask your employees to share their ideas! This is a superpower that many leaders fail to develop! Then, they experience turnover, shaky bottom lines, and loss of customers. Working with and through others builds confidence and the ability to influence! Take action and contact me for a confidential conversation.

How to Achieve Results While Working through Uncertainty

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“Uncertainty in life is normal. Embracing it fully creates a positive difference to achieve results.” Jeannette Seibly

When you feel uncertain about a decision, it is often due to your fear of making a mistake, experiencing a failure, or not being in control of the outcome. Uncertainty feels uncomfortable. Many people will do everything they can to avoid it, which causes anxiety in their jobs, relationships, careers, businesses, and life choices. But life never provides absolute certainty.

So, how can you make uncertainty a superpower and have it help you create a great business, career, and life? Keep reading!

Tips to Work Through Uncertainty for Great Results

Be Open to Others’ Ideas. Like many leaders, you rely on your thoughts, opinions, and feelings about what is true and certain. But this is short-sighted. Instead, welcome others’ ideas. Learn how to brainstorm. For each idea, develop five reasons it could work, not why it won’t.

Unleash the Power of Others. Delegate! Get comfortable delegating! Allow others the opportunities to explore new ideas, even if you’re uncertain whether or not they’ll work. Their ideas and results can often be better than yours if you get out of the way!

Embrace Not Knowing How to Achieve the Outcome. Otherwise, you’ll feel stuck, paralyzed, and procrastination will set in. Instead, allow for the fact that you don’t know that you don’t know! And not knowing is OK. (Yes, reread those sentences.) Be clear about the goal and outcome you want to achieve. Now, move forward step-by-step with your team and executive coach through the uncertainty.

Develop Inner Confidence. Celebrate each step along the way, no matter how big or small. Develop “brags” to help you gain confidence and believe in yourself. “Brags” remind you that you’ve handled uncertainty and achieved successful outcomes in the past.

Make the Best Decisions for Now. When making decisions, collect factual data and don’t rely solely on your intuition/gut or overthink everything. Remember, no one has a crystal ball that foretells the future. While many believe success demands you move forward, a good decision can also include staying where you are (e.g., signing a new lease with your current landlord). Remember, uncertainty can and will still occur because uncertainty doesn’t go away.

Avoid Group Think; It Impedes Agility. Too often, during times of uncertainty, fear will prevail. Then, the team will adapt to the fear. Instead, share your concerns, and ask good questions.

  • “What would be the best outcome for this project or program?”
  • “What would we need to change?
  • “Give me five reasons why these changes could work?”
  • “Why won’t these changes work?”

Now, allow the team to own the project. Be their champion for winning and working through the unknown factors! And always welcome critical thinking!

If you embrace these six tips, uncertainty becomes your superpower!

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She is an award-winning international executive coach, speaker, and business author. Her wisdom of over 30 years guides clients to work through sticky situations and challenging relationships. Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion. PS: She’s also a three-time Amazon Best-Selling Author!

A note from Jeannette about embracing uncertainty in work and life: We seek certainty in everything we do. We think it helps us avoid making mistakes or experiencing failure while staying in control of the outcome. Yet, doing the same old same old will hurt your team, results, and bottom line. Want uncertainty to become one of your superpowers? Contact me for a confidential conversation.

Have You Considered: Strengthening your inherent superpowers? It can make a big difference in your success as a leader! I have extensive experience guiding leaders to work with and through their teams to achieve unprecedented results. Contact me if you want an in-depth, one-on-one hour over 13 weeks. Remember, coaching speeds up your ability to win.

Taking the safe path to avoid uncertainty will never work in your business, career, and life. Develop your superpower and learn how to work through uncertainty. It builds confidence and the ability to influence others! Take action and contact me for a confidential conversation.

Resilience Requires Leaders to Step Up

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“Successful leaders must strengthen their resilience to achieve results.” Jeannette Seibly

Traditionally, resilience was about being mentally tough, stoic, and silent about your true feelings. In other words, don’t say anything and hide your reactions.

The American Psychological Association defines resilience: Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.

I’m amazed by the number of younger employees who hate their jobs and say, “I’d rather be unemployed.” They jump from one position to another and are often surprised that there is no relief. Many older employees may not love their job responsibilities either. But they have developed a healthy resilience to adapt and become flexible to their jobs’ typical external and internal demands.

This is resilience today! Leaders need to acknowledge their feelings or emotions when triggered and not let them run the show! And, while it is healthy to express yourself, verbal dumping doesn’t work and only creates resentment, not resilience.

Resilience requires taking responsibility and addressing your reactions in a positive manner with your team. Doing so allows for new ideas, resolutions, and solutions to appear.

7 Tips to Create Resilience

Breathe. When you notice you are triggered, breathe in for 5 counts. Pause. Exhale for 5 counts. (Or any number that works for you.) Repeat this breathing pattern 3 times. Breathing reduces the fight, flight or freeze stress response triggered in your brain. Breathing also allows you to take responsibility for your reactions (aka triggers) and is critical before attempting to resolve any issue.

Self-Care. Self-care is essential today for leaders to strengthen their resilience. There are many changes occurring in jobs and workplaces where you have no control over the impact (e.g., loss of employment, work responsibilities, etc.). If you’ve experienced a loss (family member, pet, job, finances, etc.), take the time to grieve. Remember, you do have a choice in your reaction and the attitude you choose.

Get to the Heart or Core of the Problem. Conflicts between you and your team, or between team members, need immediate resolution. This requires a commitment and resilience to work through the apprehension and fear that often stop you and others from achieving the intended results.

Be Responsible for Your Communication Style (most people aren’t)! As a leader, take responsibility. It strengthens resilience. When you are responsible for how you communicate, you show others they can trust you.

Examples:

  • Apologize and stop using words or terminology that others don’t understand.
  • Ask team members questions when they present new ideas and be curious.
  • Remember, when presenting a new solution you’ve been thinking about, it’s the first time they’ve heard it.
  • Keep in mind that people learn at different rates of speed. So take it slow to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Have Reality-Based Conversations. Team members may hold onto upsets, exaggerate them, and use them to justify their poor job performance. Resilience and straight talk with compassion require having tough conversations. Before these conversations, get the facts. Then, talk with your executive coach, boss, or human resources to clarify how to create a positive outcome.

Learn How to Forgive, Even When You Don’t Believe You Should. As a leader, you will have arrows aimed at you when team members feel frustrated or upset. But resilience is vital. While this is easier said than done, forgive those that gossip about, criticize, or blame you. Remember, forgiveness is for you. Remember, don’t say, “I forgive you,” to the offender. This often only worsens the situation since they believe there is nothing to be forgiven for.

Hire the Right Coach. When you’re resilient, you can expand your point of view and step up as a leader. If sticky situations or political relationships are not going well, immediately talk with your executive coach to strengthen your resilience. Listen and learn. You can make things worse and sideline your career if you attempt to do it alone. The same mindset or lack of awareness that created the problem will not resolve it!

©Jeannette Seibly 2020 -2023 All Right Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. With over 30 years as an award-winning international executive coach, speaker, and business author, Jeannette’s clients effectively work through sticky situations and challenging relationships to become positive influencers. Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion. PS: She’s also a three-time Amazon Best-Selling Author!

A note from Jeannette about strengthening your resilience: Being aware of your feelings and emotions is essential. When you verbally dump on others, it’s damaging and demonstrates a lack of resilience on your part. Contact me for a confidential conversation to strengthen your resilience.

Consider: Strengthening resilience takes time and the experience of successfully working through challenges. I have extensive experience guiding leaders (current and future) to achieve unprecedented results. Contact me if you want an in-depth, one-on-one hour over 13 weeks. Remember, coaching speeds up your ability to excel, starting with strengthening your resilience.

Have you met a challenge you’ve not been able to work through? Many managers and directors have, and their bosses may not be of much help. Now’s the time to develop your resilience and ability to achieve intended results! Waiting will not make a positive difference. Take action and contact me for a confidential conversation.

Want to Improve Productivity? Improve Your Meetings!

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“Ineffective meetings drain productivity and results.” Jeannette Seibly

Harvard research found that 70% of meetings keep employees from doing productive work. The same study found that employee productivity was 71% higher when meetings were reduced by 40% … also, employee satisfaction improved by 52%.

But before you throw out the importance of meetings, be clear about their purpose: communicating, getting everyone on the same page and in the same book, and solving problems (current, past, and future). The biggest challenge? Too many meetings are poorly planned and facilitated!

We’ve all attended bad meetings (in fact, most of them). But, unfortunately, the negativity sticks with you! It creates a meeting recovery syndrome that hurts your productivity and drains you. But before you blame the facilitator, look at the three fingers pointing back at you! Everyone has a role in conducting effective meetings, one-on-one or group, and onsite or virtually.

These 8 Factors Improve Meetings and Increase Productivity

The biggest question to ask yourself before scheduling a meeting is: “Can I send an email instead of hosting a meeting?” In many cases, the answer will be “Yes!” Do that instead!

MEETING PREPARATION

Before the Meeting. Send out an agenda of specific items for discussion and include all documentation for review. Plan on keeping the meeting short and on point. Remember, some issues are better handled 1:1 or in small groups.

Start and End on Time. This requires everyone to be ready to begin 5 minutes before the actual start time. Turn off all distractions: electronic gadgets, phones, and mind wandering!

If you are the facilitator or presenter, arrive even earlier to ensure:

  • The room is set up physically, or the virtual meeting (or hybrid) is ready to go
  • Ensure PowerPoint presentation works
  • Printed materials are distributed (it’s best if they are emailed the day before)

Come Prepared. Everyone is responsible for coming prepared — that means reading all documents, agendas, and other materials before the meeting and having them readily available to refer to during the meeting. (NOTE: Remember, simple graphs with short narratives are the easiest to understand). Write down questions. Or, better yet, get the questions answered before the meeting!

MEETING PROTOCOL

Take Turns. Make sure you hear from everyone! Unless each person contributes, ideas get missed, important nuances get overlooked, and conflict can erupt! Team members will not voice their concerns if they fear ridicule! Remember, conflicts should not be ignored… there is usually a valid point no one wants to hear. But it’s pay now or pay later!

LISTEN! This is the most critical factor in improving your meetings now. Listening requires active involvement. It includes hearing things you don’t know, don’t agree with, or don’t believe in. Active listening has three components: 1) hearing what is said verbally, 2) hearing what is not said, and 3) being aware of non-verbal cues (e.g., attitude, tone, physical). Good listening skills can resolve old issues and formulate new ideas for products and services. It’s a skill everyone needs to develop.

State Your Point Upfront. Most attendees will stop listening when others talk too long, share gossip, or use technical jargon. Avoid monologues or lengthy responses by starting with the point first, then providing any supporting information to reinforce the point presented.

Ask Questions. Too often, we don’t ask questions to learn more. Instead, we believe we “get it” and then misuse the information. Or, we judge the idea or information as irrelevant without further investigation. Or, we don’t want to ask questions because we feel stupid. (Get over it!) Instead, learn how to drill down and clarify by asking questions out of a commitment to resolve the issue or move the project forward. Stay away from sounding like an interrogator – it puts everyone on the defense.

Reach Alignment. Consensus is non-productive since too much time is spent wooing a person(s) to agree with the majority, creating groupthink. When you reach alignment, you and the team have taken the best information available and made a decision.

Then consider the following:

  • Can everyone live with this decision?
  • Is it workable and doable?
  • If not, what needs to be added or changed so everyone is on the same page moving forward?
  • Then, stand firm and respond factually to the naysayers.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2016-2023 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. With over 30 years as an award-winning international executive coach, speaker, and business author, Jeannette’s clients effectively work through sticky situations and challenging relationships to become positive influencers. Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion. PS: She’s also a three-time Amazon Best-Selling Author!

A note from Jeannette about meetings and productivity: Did you know most meetings sabotage productivity and employee satisfaction? The reasons: poor facilitation and quality, and they are time-consuming. It actually creates a “meeting recovery syndrome” where people feel drained and non-productive. It’s time to develop the skills required to hold productive meetings and hold less of them! Contact me for a confidential conversation about a training program!

Consider: It can be challenging to facilitate meetings as a manager or director (or anyone else, too!). I have extensive experience guiding meeting facilitators to improve their meeting management skills, virtually and onsite. Learning this skill takes time and practice. Contact me if you want an in-depth, one-on-one hour over 13 weeks. Remember, coaching speeds up your ability to trust yourself and get results.

How’s your leadership development progressing? Are you moving forward … or a tad stuck? Do you need a “nudge” or “kick-in-the-butt?” Want to accelerate and soar your results? Then, get into action by contacting me for a confidential conversation.