Randy Clark's Blog, page 53

Management Candidate Interview Questionnaire

I was recently asked to conduct a management candidate interview for an executive position at a large construction company. Two of the three business owners joined me in the interview. I asked the majority of the questions and facilitated the conversation. We used the Management Candidate Interview Questionnaire below, but before you look at it and decide it’s too complicated and has too many questions, you should know I agree, because it does have too many questions.

I met with the co-owners of the business before we interviewed the candidate and asked their candidate expectations as well as their concerns. Next, we chose the questions best suited to their needs, changed a few questions, and added a couple.

So, here’s my point, this questionnaire is a resource, not a comprehensive management candidate survey for every industry and business. Because it’s best use is to select questions that fit the needs of the company and to stimulate thought processes to create additional questions suited to the position and circumstances.

Feel free to copy, paste, cut, and change the candidate interview to fit your needs.

Management Candidate Interview Questionnaire  

Name _________________________________ Department _____________ Date _________

Part I – Commitment

Are you willing to relocate for an opportunity?

 

Why do you want a leadership role?

 

Part II – Service

How many years of service do you have with the company?

 

 

Rate your departmental skills — your ability to do the individual tasks of the position.

 

 

Rate you attendance one being excellent ten being unacceptable.

 

 

How much overtime, travel, and weekend work do you complete on a monthly basis?

 

Part III – Qualifications

What qualifies you to be a Manager?

 

 

What are a Manager’s responsibilities?

 

 

Tell me about a successful Manager you’ve worked with. What made him or her successful?

 

 

Tell me about an unproductive Manager you’ve reported to and why they were unproductive?

 

 

What makes an employee happy at work? Unhappy?

 

 

What are sources of anger for you while on the job?

 

 

Describe a Managers work schedule?

 

 

What is your proudest accomplishment at work?

 

 

What is your best character quality and your worst?

 

 

What’s the best thing about our organization? Worst?

 

 

Where do you see yourself in five years?

 

 

In what ways would you like to improve your department?

 

 

How could the company improve?

 

 

How would you make the staff in your department better at their jobs?

Part IV – Characteristics

One being excellent to ten being incompetent rate yourself & explain why or how on the following:

Organization

 

Following instructions

 

Retaining information

 

People skills

 

Delegation

 

Problem solving

 

Analysis

 

Patience

 

Paperwork

 

Follow through

 

Self-starting

 

Commitment to improve

 

So, Have You Made a Questionnaire for Your Business?

How many questions fit your organizational needs? Were there questions that almost fit, but needed a little touch-up? Did the list bring to mind questions to add? Let me know how it works for you.

Before you select your next management candidate I’d recommend reading this post, How Do You Choose the Best Management Candidate?

How Can I Help You?

I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me. 

So, does your business have a  management training plan? Because, if not, many organizations, large and small, use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. Check it out.

Photo by You X Ventures on Unsplash

The post Management Candidate Interview Questionnaire appeared first on Randy Clark Leadership Training.

Want to get Ahead? Create the Path

So, do you want to get ahead? Who doesn’t? However, sometimes you have to create the path because if you sit and wait for it to come to you, you may be waiting a long time.

During an employment interview, a candidate will occasionally disclose they’re considering a position as only a “stepping stone.” For example, while working for a graphic design company, I interviewed a designer who said they wanted to join our design team for the experience to use toward working at an advertising agency. This person had a plan and was creating their own path, but they may have missed an opportunity.

No More Gold Watch 

The era of the gold watch is long gone. People entering the job market don’t expect to work for one organization throughout their lifetime. They most likely will have multiple careers. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities within an organization to create your own path.

Brad’s Story 

My friend, Brad, began working at a small manufacturing plant in his early twenties — by the time he was 40, he was assistant plant manager. Then the plant closed. After several months of looking for work, he took a job, near minimum wage, in an outbound call center. At the time, it was all he could find. Almost as an afterthought, the company setup a booth at two trade shows each year with the purpose of brand recognition and lead generation. Brad volunteered to work the shows. He did well, researched other shows, presented the idea of expanding into additional shows to management, and they gave him the go ahead.

At first, he worked out of his car with little more than a table and brochures (his gas wasn’t even reimbursed!). And he did this after completing his hours in the call center and on weekends. Eventually, he was in so many shows, they gave him a company truck and built displays. Four years later, he was promoted to Vice President of the trade show division — a department he’d created — which accounted for 1/3 of the company’s revenue. He made his own path within the organization.

Where Will You Path Lead? 

While there may be nothing wrong with creating a path that includes working your way up through several companies — don’t be blind to opportunities within an organization. Consider the designer who wanted the resume-filling experience; could he have accepted an entry-level position, then worked toward building an in-house advertising department? I don’t have the answer, but I know this: If anyone had asked if my friend would’ve created a new trade show division, and become vice president in four years — I would have said no. Keep your eyes and options open. The path you hope to create may be closer than you believe. So, do you want to get ahead?

How Can I Help You?

I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me. 

Does your business have a  management training plan? Many organizations, large and small, use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. Check it out.

Photo by Nagy Arnold on Unsplash

The post Want to get Ahead? Create the Path appeared first on Randy Clark Leadership Training.

How Do You Choose the Best Management Candidate?

When identifying a management candidate, do you use tenure, skill, character, relationship to the owner (so…she’s your brother’s daughter?), or all of the above? Where should you begin?First, identify team members who truly want the job, not, “I’ll try to do it” or, “if you want me to,” candidates, but someone who has expressed interest before a position was available. I always keep my eyes peeled for employees who take on responsibilities before they have a management title. So, how do you choose the best management candidate? 

Look for someone who is already doing the work without the title

I worked with a company who set up a booth at a couple trade shows per year. An entry-level employee saw potential and offered help. He set the display, worked the show, and followed up with leads. He began finding more shows, and had the installation department help him build better displays. Eventually, the company gave him one of the installation trucks to use (he’d been setting them up out of his car). Next, the company gave him a salary and he hired an assistant. Five years later, the company was in 200 shows per year. It became their second largest source of leads. What became of the employee? He became the Vice President of the division. Find someone who wants the job.

Someone who always helps others

I believe the best management candidate is a person who truly enjoys helping others. If someone doesn’t get a kick out of watching others grow and improve — they may not be the best candidate. A manager’s responsibility is to hire, train, and retain a team, which meets and exceeds the organization’s objectives. This is accomplished by helping others get what they need and want. A top candidate is someone who serves others.

A management candidate should be passionate about the organization, products or services, mission, vision and personnel.
Skills such as organization, delegation, follow-through, and problem solving are important, but can be trained.
Character traits such as patience, diligence, decisiveness, initiative, responsibility, resourcefulness, dependability and thoroughness should be considered. In the long run, isn’t it more important WHO someone is — not what he or she knows?

How do you choose the best Management Candidate?

That’s an excellent question. How do you choose the best management candidate? Ask, observe, and interview. Look for someone who has taken on responsibility outside of their job description. Keep a close eye on teammates who are always willing to help others on the team.

Don’t rely on job skills alone. Job skills are not an indication of people skills.
Don’t base promotion on tenure. How long someone has been employed isn’t a compass for management potential.
Never cajole someone into taking a leadership position; they have to want it.

Easy Methods for Identifying Potential Leaders

If your organization is growing, where and how will you find your next leaders? Whether you have a company pool to choose from, or you recruit from the outside, identifying leadership candidates may be easier than you think.

Before I share the key to identifying leaders, let’s review some basics.

Candidates should show the following traits:

Dependability – Can they be counted on to get the job done?
Diligence – Do they put out the effort and energy to complete tasks on time?
Enthusiasm – Do they enjoy what they’re doing, the company, and product?
Initiative – Do they recognize what needs done and do it?

And one more thing…

Are they positive about the job and organization? Employees are often considered for a promotion based on their ability to perform tasks. They may know the job, but that’s not enough. If they aren’t happy with the job, company, and procedures, they will poison the operation – they already have.

And FINALLY, it’s About People

Leadership is about people. It’s about helping others be the best they can be. If you want to identify future managers, look for those who already help others.

Do they help others when their own tasks are complete or do they kill time?
How do they handle training and sharing with others, do they enjoy it or is it a nuisance to them?
Do they like working as a team and promoting teamwork, or do they prefer to work alone?
Do they go out of their way to make new employees feel comfortable, or do they ignore them?
Are they happy or are they jealous when others do well?
Do they share recognition or do they point fingers?

If you’re interviewing from outside your organization, ask open-ended questions like:

When you’d completed assigned tasks in the past, what’s the first thing you did?
Tell me about someone you’ve trained and how you went about it
Do you prefer to work on a team or alone, and why?
In your previous position, what was your role in welcoming new hires?
Tell me about an accomplishment of a co-worker that you are proud of

Follow up by asking references and previous employers similar questions, like, “How well did their former employee work with others?”

If you look closely, your next leader may already be in your organization – leading. Are you a leader in your organization? How and when were you given the opportunity to lead?

How Can I Help You?

I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me. 

Does your business have a  management training plan? Many organizations, large and small, use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. Check it out.

Photo by Jase Bloor on Unsplash

 

 

The post How Do You Choose the Best Management Candidate? appeared first on Randy Clark Leadership Training.

Why Use Checklists?

At my last full-time position several departments, in a production area, shared restrooms. However, there wasn’t a cleaning schedule, and the cleaning was often inconsistent and incomplete. The answer? A checklist. So, in a leadership development session, the production department team leaders outlined a bathroom cleaning checklist. It now hangs on a clipboard in the restrooms, and is initialed and dated as it’s completed. So, why use checklists? Clean restrooms are a good start. 

Where Do You Start?

A tractor-trailer service facility asked me for ideas to improve their operational efficiency. I observed several trailer roller door conversions, which is removing standard horizontally opening doors and replacing them with vertical doors on rollers. They had two lines, two teams doing this work and they followed different procedures, which became a problem when teams needed to loan members to each other. So, I met with the team leaders to work on a roller door conversion checklist. We developed a one-page,  step-by-step task list. The checklist improved efficiency by more than 30%, made the tasks easier, encouraged teamwork, and improved quality.

Do Checklists Work?

In Dr. Atul Gawande’s book, The Checklist Manifesto, he makes a compelling argument for using checklists, not only in his field, but in general. He categorizes errors into those of ignorance and errors of ineptitude. With today’s access to information, more errors are caused by ineptitude — improper use of the information. These types of errors can be improved — even eliminated — through the use of checklists. In a National Public Radio interview, he explained his insight while observing an airline pre-flight checklist and realizing checklists could improve surgery and save lives. “I got a chance to visit Boeing and see how they make things work, and over and over again they fall back on checklists.

Because the pilot’s checklist is a crucial component, not just for how you handle takeoff and landing in normal circumstances, but even how you handle a crisis emergency when you only have a couple of minutes to make a critical decision.” So, Dr. Gawande and a team created a safe surgery checklist. In clinical studies, it reduced patient mortality during surgery by nearly 50%, and complications went from an incidence of 11% to 7%. Medical facilities all over the world have adopted the surgery checklist.

Should You Use Checklists?

You probably already use some kind of checklist, like a to-do list, but do you use checklists to their full advantage? The bottom line is the more information available, the more difficult it is to complete tasks from memory. Compound this with coordinating group activities, and you have a formula for failure. Why depend only on memory recall, while hoping the team efforts are properly orchestrated? Do you use checklists, and do you prefer app based, such Todoist or handwritten?

How Can I Help You?

I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me. 

Does your business have a  management training plan? Many organizations, large and small, use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. Check it out.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

The post Why Use Checklists? appeared first on Randy Clark Leadership Training.

How to Actively Listen in a Loud World

I sometimes wonder if our loud and fast paced, multi-channel, social media-filled world isn’t creating ADHD in all of us. How often do you give only part of your attention to a conversation? When others share their thoughts, are you multi-tasking on your smartphone and checking the score on the big screen while looking at the menu? Do you actively listen or is listening diluted by your multiple activities? 

“Genuine listening has become a rare gift — the gift of time. It helps build relationships, solve problems, ensure understanding, resolve conflicts, and improve accuracy. At work, effective listening means fewer errors and less wasted time. At home, it helps develop resourceful, self-reliant kids who can solve their own problems. Listening builds friendships and careers. It saves money and marriages.” — Forbes — 10 Steps To Effective Listening

On Facebook, I recently asked: “What advice would you offer a new manager that you wish someone had shared with you?” I received enough comments for ten blog posts. This one was from Dawna Clark who inspired this post: “Listen… actively… stay in check with your personal biases and focal points!”

In the spirit of transparency, I must say my listening skills suck, but I’m working on them. You might ask, “So… why are YOU writing about active listening?” That’s easy – I know what NOT to do. I’m constantly working on my listening skills, and the following has been helpful for me.

Put Your Mind in the Right Place

Whether you’re in a conversation or listening to a presentation, set the stage by considering what your purpose is. Are you there to learn? Do you want to know what the other person has to share? If you do all the talking, how will this be achieved? You already know what you know. Set your ego aside – this isn’t about who’s better, bigger, or more knowledgeable – it’s not a power struggle (or shouldn’t be). Accept idiosyncrasies – not everyone communicates as you do. Clear your mind of opinions and prejudges, take a few deep breaths, and listen.

Who, What, When, and Where

• Whenever possible, hold dialogues in a quiet place, free of distractions, and put interruptions on hold. Facing one another without obstructions, such as a desk, often leads to more open conversation.

• Quit thinking about what you want to say. Give the speaker the time to complete thoughts and pause between them. This is not the time to be formulating your response. You cannot fully listen if you’re talking to yourself in your head. Listen to understand not to reply.

• Don’t interrupt — there’s no clearer proof of inattentiveness. And not only is it proof you’re not listening, it’s rude.

• It’s easy to be distracted. Limit distractions and concentrate on the speaker. Maintaining eye contact may help you avoid being drawn away.

• Avoid emotion. If you allow emotion to take control of the conversation you may not hear what the other person has to say. Be a Vulcan – keep it logical. Put your emotions on hold.

• Clarify your understanding. When you’re uncertain of what was said, restate what you heard as a question. For example, “If I understand what you’re saying it’s…”

Listening has never been easy or simple, but today, it may be more difficult than ever. Developing active listening skills takes hard work, practice, and patience. And in our modern mobile world, it means occasionally unplugging as well. Take the time to listen, make the world a little quieter for a short time – you never know what you might learn.

What have you learned about listening? Feel free to share your thoughts in comments. If you’d like more on this topic, Study Guides and Strategies offers valuable insights.

How Can I Help You?

I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me. 

Does your business have a  management training plan? Many organizations, large and small, use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. Check it out.

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

The post How to Actively Listen in a Loud World appeared first on Randy Clark Leadership Training.

13 Steps to Building a Great Team

Building a great team is a process.  Great teams seldom are built overnight, and are often built through trial and error. So… how is a great team built? It begins with the interview process by hiring people of character who fit the culture, and who fill a role on the team. Hiring for knowledge or skill, without considering character, often leads to problems. Poor character may lead to poor choices, which can disrupt the team. Someone who does not fit the culture may become unhappy, which hinders team development. 

The next step is training. Without a commitment to continuous team training and development, it will be difficult to build a great team. To help a team acquire greatness, a sense of ownership should be instilled. Great teams initiate tasks and find solutions because they have been empowered to do so. Training should include more than job related tasks and systems — it should include team dynamics, communication skills, brainstorming, conflict resolution, and more.

I believe the most attractive leaders, who build great teams, do all or most of the above, and share a vision. Great leaders involve the team in creating the vision; the vision becomes the team’s vision.

What Is A Team?

A team is an organized group of people who hold themselves accountable for achieving clear, definable, objective goals. A successful team, working together, will achieve more than what would’ve been achieved individually. Below are 13 steps to building a great team.

Hire for character over knowledge and skill
Search for “A” players who fit the culture
Fill roles and position team members where they may excel
Commit to constant, ongoing training
Involve the team in decision making
Empower the team with motivating tasks that have clear, visible outcomes
Develop a sense of team ownership
Delegate authority and responsibility
Be a leader teammates can talk to — be a good listener
Lead by example
Give recognition and credit where it is due
Share visions, paint dreams
Be supportive, not defensive

Building a great team is not as complicated as some would make it out to be, but it is hard work. For example, digging a ditch is not a complicated task – you may not need an instruction manual, but it’s hard work. Ditch digging becomes harder as the day continues, and it’s tempting to lessen your effort. Team building doesn’t stop. Building a great team is a continuous process. Don’t let up.

11 Team Building Tips 

Work hard, both individually, and together
Define team goals as a group
Help each other and avoid dissension
Be the best teammate you can
Practice active listening, without bias, and be attentive
Be time-sensitive, punctual, and remember the value of others’ time
Use thoughtful behavior, which conveys respect
Be open and supportive — do not react defensively
Be sensitive, understanding, and empathetic
Share excitement and give praise
Be responsible and take responsibility

What Lessons Have You Learned? 

Most people have been part of successful as well as dysfunctional teams. It may have been in the workplace or on the sporting field, regardless, a great team is a great team, and something we all can learn from. A great team is more than a group of people getting the job done, it’s folks banding together in support of each other, and it’s strangers bonding and becoming friends. Likewise a dysfunctional team has many cautionary tales to tell. Great and not so great teams can teach us all how to build better team, and that’s the best tip I have to share. What team building lessons do you have to share? Let me know — I’d love to hear your story.

How Can I Help You?

I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me. 

Does your business have a  management training plan? Many organizations, large and small, use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. Check it out.

Photo by You X Ventures on Unsplash

The post 13 Steps to Building a Great Team appeared first on Randy Clark Leadership Training.

7 Common Mistakes New Hires Make and How to Avoid them

If you’re in a management role, you’ve experienced common mistakes new hires make. Many new hires make some of the same or similar mistakes. Maybe you’ve been wise enough to share these common pitfalls during new hire orientation. I wasn’t. And when I introduce the common mistakes checklist to leadership training classes, most people have never seen anything like it.

I’ve heard crew leaders, department managers, and HR specialists tell me how a new hire mistake checklist can be impactful — not only to performance and production but also an organization’s culture. It shows that leadership cares, it permits new hires to share their mistakes and frustrations, which leads to lowered turnover, and it fosters teamwork and camaraderie as employees help new members of the team.

The checklist below may not be exactly what your business needs. Some of the points may fit what you do, others may not, and still others may need to be tweaked. Whether you use this new hire common mistake checklist or create your own, the point is to make it part of your new hire orientation, share it with team leaders, and get your management staff on board. When you do, you’ll create an environment based on helping new employees, and that’s hard to beat.

   7  Mistakes New Hires Make Checklist


Not asking questions

If you don’t know or don’t remember, it’s better to ask than to guess.

Not asking for help

 Especially if you make a mistake, we can’t help you if we don’t know about it.

Trying to be as fast as experienced teammates

Experienced coworkers may be faster than you at first. Following procedures correctly and limiting mistakes are more important than speed when you’re  learning. You’ll eventually catch up.

Waiting for someone to tell you what to do

Your team leader won’t be standing over you every minute of the day, and you wouldn’t want him or her to. When you complete a task, and you’re not sure what to do next — ask.

Not following procedures

There’s a reason we do things the way we do them. If you’re not sure why we do it a certain — ask, but don’t try to do it “your way”.

Not being on time

Too many potentially good employees have been lost to “pointing out” don’t be that teammate.

Not following the dress code

Our dress code is based on safety in the workplace as well as presenting a professional appearance to customers and other visitors. If you’re not certain about the dress code, we can give you a copy.

Are You Ready?  

There you have it. A new hire common mistakes checklist that will take less than 30 minutes to review with your new team members. It may be one of the most productive actions you can take with your newest employees. However, it’s critical to have your entire management staff on board, and one of the best ways to accomplish that is to ask for their advice. If you ask them what they would add or change it becomes their plan.

If you adopt this idea, I’d love to hear from you. Let me know what you changed, how you implemented the checklist, and the results you’ve seen. Thank you.

How Can I Help You?

I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me. 

Does your business have a  management training plan? Many organizations, large and small, use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. Check it out.

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

 

 

The post 7 Common Mistakes New Hires Make and How to Avoid them appeared first on Randy Clark Leadership Training.

Holiday Wishes X

My first Holiday Wishes post was published in 2010, Your Ultimate Holiday Wish. I continued with Holiday Wishes 2011, Holiday Wishes 2012, Holiday Wishes IV, Holiday Wishes V, Holiday Wishes VI, Holiday Wishes VII, Holiday Wishes VIII,  Holiday Wishes IX. I  hope you enjoy Holiday Wishes X.

Today, I publish the tenth edition of holiday wishes. Over the years, I’ve collected and posted hundreds of wishes. Many are sincere, some are tongue-in-cheek, and others are, well, you should read for yourself. And don’t just read this newest installment of Holiday Wishes but dive back in time to wishes of days past. It’s a fun trip.  Enjoy.

Lindsey Richardt @LmRichardt

Hi!!!! Merry Christmas to you! I don’t need much this Christmas, but I’d love more down time! It gets harder every year to squeeze in all of the holiday obligations. Oh, and I’ll always take a good bottle of wine.

Larry Mount @LazBlazter

This year it will be: To show that I appreciate my friends and loved ones and find time for all the things I keep putting off for another day. All the best.

Jarred Juett @JarredJuett

Thankful for the forces of good, light, and generosity in our world pushing us all to a happier, healthier future. It’s going to be a big year! Keep your heads up high, enjoy time with your loved ones this season, stay warm, and be generous! Happy holidays!

Carol Stephen @Carol_Stephen

My wish this year is for the planet. We need to turn around climate change quickly. Like a murmuration, we need to all change direction and move as one unit.

Scott Howard @ScLoHo

May you cherish the loved ones in your life with the gift of time and attention. That’s what we remember the most as the years go by. And I’m still waiting for that pony I asked Santa for 50 years ago

robbyslaughter @robbyslaughter

My wish for this holiday season is that we make the best choices for ourselves and make only one choice for others — acceptance.

Keith Marshall

Financial freedom where I’m always making more money than I spend, so I can volunteer my time helping others as best I can. Leaving the world better than when I came into it.

Beth Staub

I wish we could all just get along. Even if we disagree. Our political system is not a football game.

Stephanie Taffy Stevens

My Christmas wish is a bit unrealistic, but I wish all animals could be rescued.

Mary Warrick

My Christmas wish would be to find out, after 6 rounds of chemo, that I am in remission and stay that way for many years. And that all people who are suffering from cancer, get the same results. God bless them all!!!

Who Have You Helped Today?

So, who have you helped today? I’m not talking about paying for the Starbucks of the person behind you in the drive through. It’s not about volunteering at a food bank or donating to the Salvation Army. And although these efforts are thoughtful and commendable this post is about business networking. Wait-what? What the heck does helping someone have to do with business networking? I’ll tell you.

Who have you helped at work today?

I’m going to suggest a networking strategy that for some of you will seem counter-intuitive. I want you to try this for one month, approximately 25 working days. Help someone every day for the sake of helping. Don’t share an elevator pitch, discuss your needs, or ask for reciprocation — just help someone.

Help a Co-worker

When you take the time to get to know your teammates, understand their responsibilities, and comprehend their challenges you begin building a better team. Asking how you can be of assistance, and following through starts a process that will steamroll. Not everyone, but many will pay it forward, and some will pay it back to you.

Help a Customer

And not only with your product and service, but anywhere you can help them. For example, I’ve helped  customers with guest blogs, social media advice, and video — not asking for anything in return. But the return has come back to me tenfold. Because folks remember who helped them.

Help a Vendor

Have you been part of a business and vendor relationship that became contentious? It happens much too often. Rather than combat each other over product, service, delivery, or price wouldn’t it make more sense to work together, to team up? Online retailer Zappos is a great example of this. Zappos made all its internal product and sales information available to vendors. Zappos Makes Nice with Vendors. Contrary to popular opinion this didn’t pit vendor against vendor but added 50+ members to the marketing team. The vendors used the information to improve merchandising.

There you have it. Help once-a-day for the next 25 days without asking for anything in return. Help a teammate get their work completed. Find a new client for a customer. Help a vendor by sharing information. Look for someone to help every day. What have you got to lose, a little time? And let’s say I’m wrong, and your teammates, customers, and vendors don’t care if you help, you’ll feel good about what you’ve done. Now go help somebody.

How Can I Help You?

I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me. 

Does your business have a  management training plan? Many organizations, large and small, use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. Check it out.

Photo by Rémi Walle on Unsplash

The post Who Have You Helped Today? appeared first on Randy Clark Leadership Training.

What Makes A Leader Attractive?

Projects and paperwork are managed, but people are led. If we lead well — people will follow. A title does not make a leader. A leader is someone others want to follow. So, what makes a leader attractive?

What Makes a Leader Attractive? 
Someone who has both the employees’ and the company’s best interests at heart

Training, setting goals, and giving expectations all make for a leader people will want to follow. Sharing a vision and a plan — even more so. When a leader can get the job done, show pride in the work, and have fun doing it, they are almost irresistible.

Someone who readily hands out recognition

Recently, a manager bragged to me about a member of his team, describing in detail how they took initiative. I asked the manager how the employee reacted when he was told this. The employee hadn’t been told. If you want people to repeat positive activities – recognize the behavior. Most will follow your lead.

Someone people can talk to — who listens

This is not complicated. Listen to ideas and keep an open mind. That’s it. While it’s a compliment to be asked to listen to your teammates’ non-work related concerns — don’t let it interfere with getting the job done. Unless they directly affect work, consider taking non-work related conversations to lunch or after hours.

Someone who includes teammates 

If you want to build a team, make every member part of the team. Seek input, ideas, and advice. Promote plans as team initiatives by involving the team in the planning. If you want followers, don’t just tell people what to do, but show them how to do it and explain why it’s done that way.

Someone who treats others fairly

This is often confused. Fair doesn’t have to be equal, but should be equitable. Don’t play favorites, but if tenured teammates deserve consideration because of their accumulated contributions – give it to them. It would be unfair to treat a dependable, tenured teammate the same as an unproven new employee.

Someone who sets a good example

Keep in mind, your direct reports will often copy your weaknesses before they copy your strengths. Believe me, they watch and learn. Teach them traits you admire through your actions. If you relish team members with character traits such as dependability, loyalty, honesty, attentiveness, and thoroughness – demonstrate those characteristics to your team.

Leadership is service. It’s about giving, not taking. To be a leader, you must attract followers. To attract followers, people must know you care.

Your direct reports should be more efficient because of your leadership, not the other way around. Do you help others become better at what they do? Are you someone others want to follow because they know they can count on you? Ask yourself – “would you follow you?”

But what makes someone unattractive as a leader? And what should people in leadership avoid? Regardless of your position, title, or role, if people don’t want to follow you of their own accord, you’re not a leader. A leader has followers — do you?

7 Activities to Avoid 
1. Finger-pointing

One of the quickest and surest ways to lose followers is to finger point. Even if it’s warranted, it will not solve anything. Rather than finger point, find solutions. If someone requires a critique, do it privately, and make it a teaching opportunity. Take the emotions out of it, and don’t make it personal. It’s not who’s right, it’s what’s right. The only person a leader should point a finger at is themselves.

2. Self-serving

Leadership is service. True leaders take on the responsibility of serving others. Anyone who accepts a leadership role, strictly for personal gain, is doomed to fail. The success of those who enjoy helping others is measured by the followers they serve. Leadership means putting others first.

3. Playing Games

Political maneuvering, pitting one against the other, and withholding information are not games followers enjoy. Those who are not forthright, honest, and open will not gain followers.

4. Creating Drama

There’s enough real-life drama in life without creating more. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. Not everything is urgent, and if you make it so, you become the boy who cried wolf. People seldom follow drama queens or kings.

5. Negative no-saying

If you tell others what can’t be done, that’s what will happen. Those who are quick to point out the down side become energy vampires draining the drive out of teams. Followers don’t want to constantly hear what’s bad or wrong.

6. Not making decisions

Leaders are not wishy-washy, they make decisions based on the best information available and lead others in their vision.

7. Getting angry

If you want to lose followers, get mad at them. Bullying will only push them away from you. It’s never worked in leadership, and while it was more prominent in past, it’s no longer acceptable. Hold it in, don’t do it, or don’t try to lead.

This post was easy for me to write, because at one time or another, I’ve done every single one of these. You can be like me and learn the hard way, or simply strive to avoid these 7 activities. Believe me, the latter is easier.

How Can I Help You?

I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me. 

Does your business have a  management training plan? Many organizations, large and small, use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. Check it out.

Photo by Jehyun Sung on Unsplash

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