Phillip Van Hooser's Blog: Build Performance Blog, page 6

7 Tips for Successful Transitioning into Leadership

Transitioning into Leadership Means a New Mindset, New Skillset

Transitioning into a leadership role can be a challenging but rewarding experience. Whether you're taking on a new position within your company or starting a new job altogether, the shift from an individual contributor to a leader requires a significant mindset and skillset change. These tips for successfully transitioning into leadership can help you shorten the learning curve and greatly improve your opportunities for success.

1. Develop your self-awareness

Self-awareness is key to any leadership role. Leaders must be able to recognize their strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies. Before you start your new leadership position, take the time to reflect on your leadership style and approach. Ask for feedback from your colleagues and supervisors to gain a better understanding of how others perceive you. This information can help you identify areas where you need to improve and develop a plan to enhance your leadership skills.

2. Build relationships with your team

One of the most important things you can do as a new leader is to build relationships with your team members. Spend time getting to know each individual and their strengths, weaknesses, and goals. Be approachable and make yourself available to listen to their concerns and ideas. By establishing strong relationships with your team, you'll build trust and respect, which will be essential to your success as a leader.

3. Communicate clearly and consistently

Clear and consistent communication is essential for any leader. Make sure your team understands your expectations, goals, and vision for the team. Regularly communicate progress and feedback, and make yourself available for questions and feedback. Be open and transparent, and encourage your team to do the same.

4. Empower your team

Empowering your team means giving them the resources, support, and autonomy they need to be successful. Encourage creativity and innovation, and provide opportunities for growth and development. Be a mentor to your team members and provide guidance and feedback to help them reach their full potential. When you empower your team, you create a culture of ownership and accountability, which will lead to better performance and results. Here’s a helpful guide for beginning the empowerment process with your people.

5. Lead by example

As a leader, you must set the tone for your team. Your actions and behaviors will be closely watched, so make sure you're modeling the values and behaviors you want to see in your team. Be professional, respectful, and hold yourself to the same standards you hold your team. When you lead by example, you inspire others to follow.

6. Continuously learn and improve

Leadership is an ongoing learning process, and the best leaders are always looking for ways to improve. Seek out opportunities for professional development, attend conferences and workshops, and read books and articles on leadership. (These books can help.) Be open to constructive criticism, and use it as an opportunity to learn and grow.

7. Celebrate successes and learn from failures

Finally, celebrate your team's successes and learn from your failures. When your team achieves a goal or milestone, take the time to acknowledge and celebrate their hard work and accomplishments. When things don't go as planned, use it as an opportunity to reflect and learn. Identify what went wrong, what you could have done differently, and how you can improve moving forward.

Transitioning into leadership roles can be a daunting experience. By developing your self-awareness, building relationships with your team, communicating clearly and consistently, empowering your team, leading by example, continuously learning and improving, and celebrating successes and learning from failures, you'll be on your way to becoming a successful leader.

What Leadership Is and What It Isn't

Remember, leadership is not about your title or your position. It's about your ability to serve others and your willingness to act in their best interests as you collectively accomplish the goals and objectives of your organization. 

We Help Your People Transition into Leadership. Connect With Us To Learn More.

Growing from Employee to Leader: 6 Levels of Empowerment

Empowerment: A Tricky BusinessEmpowerment -- building the leadership bench strength of an organization requires a steady supply of leadership talent. Looking within the organization, managers and supervisors should consider opportunities to prepare those around them for ever more challenging leadership roles. That said, taking high potential candidates and moving them forward to leadership readiness is tricky. How and when do you know an employee is ready?Because empowerment is a tricky business, consider the following progression to help you know when an employee might be ready for increased responsibility. The assumption here is that the supervisor is continuously testing and evaluating each employee to determine what level of empowerment he or she is capable of assuming successfully on behalf of the organization.Six Levels of EmpowermentLevel 1:You (the employee) research an assigned activity; you report what you have learned or discovered; but I (the supervisor) will decide what action is to be taken.This is the most basic level of empowerment. It is used to determine how an individual thinks, prepares, works and communicates. It is most commonly used in evaluating the actual skills of new employees or newly transferred employees. If specific flaws or shortcomings are identified, specific plans for further training and development might be undertaken. If the individual meets and exceeds expectations in this area, then the next level of empowerment should be considered. Because of the supervisor’s stated intent to make the final decision, there is no relevant risk assumed by the employee at this stage.Level 2:You research an assigned activity; you report the alternative actions/options that are available; you suggest one for implementation; but I will decide what action is to be taken.Here you are evaluating the mental dexterity and awareness of various decision making options and how relevant or irrelevant they might be for the organization’s specific purposes and intents. As before, there continues to be no relevant risk to the employee since the supervisor has reserved the right to make the decision. If the employee is determined to be ready, the next step in the process may be assigned.Level 3:You research an assigned activity; you report what you intend to do; but don’t act without my approval.Notice there is a marked increase in the expectation of performance on the part of the employee. This is the first level at which the employee assumes some specific level of risk. However, the supervisor has continued to maintain some level of “institutional control” by making sure s/he is comfortable with the communicated actions. In each of these first three levels of empowerment, continuing one-on-one, face-to-face communication and the conversations that need to take place are absolutely critical. If the employee is determined to be ready, the next step in the process may be assigned.Level 4:You research an assigned activity; you report what you intend to do; go ahead and do it unless I say “no.”By this point in the process, the trust level has clearly increased between both parties. The subordinate has earned the right to move to this level of empowerment based on an understanding of the goals and objectives of the organization and his or her proven performance and identified ability to meet those goals and objectives. Communication is still important at this level, but the reins of decision making responsibility are now being passed from the supervisor to the subordinate.Level 5:You research an assigned activity; you take the action you deem appropriate; report what you did.Subordinates are working independently of their supervisor, with the supervisor’s full knowledge and confidence based on the subordinate’s past proven ability and successes. The unencumbered performance of the subordinate, in turn, frees the supervisor to attend to other pressing issues.Level 6:You research an assigned activity; you take the action you deem appropriate; no further communication is required.This is the highest level of empowerment. It is rarely earned and rarely granted–and then only to the best, most tested and most trusted subordinates. With this level, both supervisor and subordinate share the risk of the empowered actions taken.

Download the 6 Levels of Empowerment infographic here.

A few important observations to remember:This is not an overnight process. It requires vigilant communication, observation, evaluation and training. As previously discussed, empowerment is preceded and supported by significant and on-going coaching and counseling activities. This is not a “one-size-fits-all” process. It requires customized activities for individual employees who may or may not accept empowerment in the same way or at the same rate as another employee. Appropriate empowerment levels are also dependent on individual jobs. In other words, a single employee may be at a Level 5 empowerment level for one task and the same employee at a Level 2 empowerment level for a different task.Creating a continuous flow of leadership talent from within an organization can happen and happen effectively when those in leadership positions are willing to share power with those individuals who demonstrate they are worthy of the challenge.Did you know we offer in-person and virtual leadership management training? Learn more here.SaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Hate Being Interrupted? Here’s How to Feel Valued and Heard

Have you ever felt annoyed by someone that seems to constantly interrupt? Maybe it happens in meetings, one-on-one interactions, both publicly and privately. Regardless, if you find yourself frustrated when interrupted, here’s a results-focused solution that created a breeding ground for relieving frustration and ensuring all people involved feel valued and heard.

Remember — if there’s a point of frustration between people, there’s a story that needs to be heard and/or a story that needs to be told. (If you’ve been in the audience for one of my keynotes, this is just one instance where the “Stories, Not Just Statistics” leadership strategy can and should be applied in everyday interaction.)

 First, Look Internally

If you’re frustrated when interrupted, to arrive at a mutual solution, you must first look internally. Consider what YOU really want when talking to someone else. Simply ask yourself, even definitively define for yourself for the first time in your life: When I'm talking to someone, what do I truly want from the other person?

The answer I often hear from people like you is that they simply want to feel valued and heard. I also often hear people say:

I want the “receiver” to actually hear and understand what I'm saying -- prioritizing ME in the moment. I want to be taken seriously.I want them to care. ...I've even heard people say I just want them to let me talk, I just want to vent!

There’s nothing wrong with any of that, really. Those are all good, fine, respectable desires! 

Now that you've defined exactly what you want from someone else when you're talking with them, the next step to better mutual communication is to define your expectations.

Define Your Expectation

Consider what someone physically does in a conversation that actually makes you feel those desires you listed above (heard, prioritized, taken seriously, and so on).

On a practical level, ask yourself: What words (or lack thereof), mannerisms, and body language do I need from someone else to feel valued and heard by them?

In a team training setting, the answers to this question are often similar, but also I see wildly different answers from people on the same team, from the same department, and from the same background. I find that so interesting!

How do you answer that question? Maybe you feel heard when people make eye contact the whole time you’re talking. Someone else might answer that you feel heard when you're not interrupted. Another person may say they want the "receiver" to sit still and not fidget. I've heard some say they feel valued and heard when the "receiver" takes time — even pauses — to consider their words.

Make your list of those actions that apply to you specifically. Nothing is off the table. Define your own unique expectation of others, considering what can someone else do that will make you feel valued and heard.

Uncover Your Story

In order to better connect and communicate with others, you must have a profound understanding of yourself.

Up to this point, you've uncovered what you want and what it would take from someone else to achieve that goal. You're well on your way to truly improving communication between you and others forever. The solution for relieving frustration in conversations and moving forward to better connection and communication does require you to dig deeper still. But don't worry, you're just about to come out to the other side -- the better side!

The next step is to answer why those specific physical actions you listed above, the actions you want other people to take when you're talking...why those actions actually make you feel heard. This is where you uncover your story.

Our expectations of others are developed through our experiences — our stories. I'm discovering more and more that it's our untold, therefore unmet, yet also assumed to be understood expectations that are at the root cause of communication issues between people -- whether it be on a team or with a friend or a family member.

When you define and understand your story, you can clearly see where disconnects are happening between you and others. Additionally, you can clearly show people how to better connect with you, rather than hoping they somehow just intuitively know how to do that without ever being told. There’s such transformational power in understanding the stories that make us who we are. I'll show you the power of uncovering your story for improved communication purposes.

To answer this question: What's my story?, here are a few considerations to get your mind working in the right direction:

Did you grow up being taught by family and teachers that it’s respectful to sit quietly while someone else is talking? If so, who do you remember who reinforced that the most? What exactly did they say? What else did they say? Or, were you taught a different principle?
Were you taught that you can listen better when you maintain eye contact? When and where do you remember learning that? Who taught that to you? Was this reinforced in multiple areas of your life such as school, home, even church, and so on? Or, were you taught something different?
Perhaps you don’t remember learning how to listen well, but instead, you remember experiencing being ignored.  If that is your story, your reality, consider a specific interaction where that happened...what's that story? Maybe your story is that you were talking to someone in the past who checked their phone, watch, etc. several times while you spoke. Maybe they looked off in the distance or down at the floor often, and then when you finished talking, the person had no idea what you said because they were, in fact, distracted. Their comment in response to you ended up being irrelevant or they asked you to repeat what you said. And, let’s say that experience wildly frustrated you. It could be that then and there, from your own experience/story, you learned exactly what NOT to do in order to listen well and make others feel valued. Your expectation was established immediately right there.

Think about your own story. Uncover what it is. Ask yourself, “Where, how, and what did I learn that defines how I measure what it means to listen well and what it means to listen poorly?” It’s in your story that you’ll uncover your own expectations for others. You'll also see exactly how you probably have been treating others. Most people try to follow "The Golden Rule". However, if you've misinterpreted the golden rule then your good intentions could be keeping you from the best results (Explore this concept more here: Why Leaders Should Rethink the "Golden Rule")

At this point, you now know EXACTLY what you need from others and why you want it. You understand your story and your own personal expectations of others. You have full clarity within yourself. To achieve better connection, because great communication requires true connection, it's time to shift from thinking about yourself to now thinking about them.

Second, Empathize

As a leader in today's world, the most valuable skill you can possess is empathy. The power of empathy does NOT lie in understanding someone. Instead, the power of empathy lies in your ability to think like someone else. When you can think like someone else, you put your understanding of them into action, and therefore, you uncover exactly what you need to do to better connect with them. When you can connect with them -- when you can connect with anyone -- you can influence anyone at any time to take action in a way that leads to a win-win outcome. That's powerful! That's Infinite Influence.

To capitalize on empathy, consider THEIR story. When you make time to get to know someone else’s story, you gift yourself an unfailing compass for relieving tension and guiding both of you to understand exactly what to think, say and do to be more connected going forward.

Consider the person who is constantly interrupting you...the person who came to mind when you read the title of this article! Here is where you come back together to move forward in a mutually positive way. Make time to go listen to them, to get to know them on a deeper level. As a leader, when someone frustrates you, leaders don't shy away from them, instead, they work to get to know them better so they can influence them to a better future together.

Here's how I suggest your next steps be ordered in this one-on-one conversation with the person you're not connecting and communicating well with:

Express your intention to make sure that every time you interact with them, they know just how valued they are by you. In and of itself, by doing that, you're essentially working to meet a fundamental need that every human has -- to feel valued.
Leaders don't place blame, leaders take responsibility. You may have started reading this article because you felt someone was doing something wrong to you. However, if you want better communication, the solution starts with you. Own that. Discuss how you’re focusing on being a better listener and making others feel valued and heard. Ask them what you can do -- or stop doing -- in order to make them truly feel more valued and heard by you.

They may be able to quickly tell you what it would take from you to achieve that result. When they offer it, don't become defensive, accept it with grace. If they aren't sure how to answer that question, or if there still isn't full clarity as to what you should or shouldn't do going forward, or even to just take your connection with them deeper, move to step number three.
Ask them to tell you a story about someone who always made them feel heard. This step in and of itself will help them be more clear on their own personal expectations which you've already learned in this article just how powerful that is. Express to them that you want to hear their story because it would help you get to know them better, as well as, give both of you a clear, unique, even more memorable picture of what you can do to make them feel heard and valued from this point forward.

It's easy to forget action items if that's all you get from them. On the other hand, it's extremely difficult to forget their story. Remember --> when they start telling you their story, you must have an intentional focus. Listen for the actions that the other person took in the story...those actions that caused the person in front of you to feel valued and heard. Those are exact answers for what you can do to cause them to feel the same way.

Then, when you put those actions into place and adapt to meet their needs, in return, they'll be far more likely to adapt to meet your needs going forward so that you feel more valued and heard. They may stop interrupting you because they understand that DOES NOT make you feel valued and heard. Ultimately, their story may give you insights into actions to take that you would’ve never thought to do or prioritize otherwise.

If you've been trying to listen to others in a way that you would want them to listen to you...if you're operating based on your story...then you may get the actions wrong. (In case you missed it earlier, explore this concept more here: Why Leaders Should Rethink the "Golden Rule") Your well-intended actions may not connect, but in fact, cause a greater disconnect with every interaction. You may miss more opportunities to connect because you're treating others the way you want to be treated rather than understanding and treating them the specific way they need to be treated in order to feel valued and heard. The answers for how to better communicate and connect are held within our unique stories. Uncover the story --> gift yourself answers to improved relationships!
You can even take the storytelling, the empathizing, to another level. Ask them to tell you about someone who frustrated them, hurt their feelings, or made them feel worthless by how they handled situations when they had something to say to them. Express that you want to make sure you NEVER make them feel that way. Yes, there will be some people who are chomping at the bit to tell that story to you and share all the details about how someone did them wrong in the past.

However, there will also be people who bury those stories deep inside and only pull them out for those they fully trust. In order for them to trust you enough to tell you this story, you may have to share a similar story of your own first. If you show vulnerability first, it might be the catalyst for them to reciprocate. Once again, when listening to other people's stories, you’re intentionally looking for answers -- that's how you capitalize on empathy. With this story, you’re looking for what NOT to do -- ever -- when having a conversation with them. And if you uncover an answer where you’re immediately guilty of doing the same thing, it’s a perfect place for an authentic apology. I already know you’d never intend to devalue someone. They need to know and hear that from you, too.Their Story, Your Action Items

After the conversation, make time to consider their story and yours. Consider the specific action items required from you to better connect and communicate with them.

The reality could be that their story may be that they’ve talked with numerous people over the years who sat quietly while they were talking. (You might think that’s great! That’s exactly what you’d want someone to do!) However, their story may be that when they finished talking to the person who was sitting quietly not interrupting, they quickly realized by their response, that the person was actually totally zoned out while they were talking. They didn’t interrupt them at all, but they also didn’t listen at all. They left the conversation feeling totally disconnected and devalued.

This may mean that if you sit quietly while they're talking, you risk them feeling disconnected from you. Be sure that you're not interacting with people solely based on your story, but instead, you understand them so well that you can think like them, then prioritize them in the moment by interacting with them in a way that truly connects you both. Your action item may be to intentionally interrupt them going forward to they know the whole time that you're in it with them.

Their story may be that they made up their mind a long time ago to never make anyone else feel devalued like others have done to them. So, whenever someone is talking with them, they choose to show that they’re listening by responding in real-time. By “interrupting” you in the past, they've not been so egotistical, self-centered, and focused on what they have to say (as you might have assumed or as many might have told you in the past)

Instead, for this person, because of their story, when they interrupt you, their sole intention is to be so engaged that you leave the conversation feeling heard, important, and valued! They’ve been trying to treat you the way they’d want to be treated. They weren't self-centered, instead, they just had a different approach to trying to make you feel valued and heard. Because there wasn't a solid connection, because there were uncommunicated expectations in the past, the interactions have caused such frustration. However, now with this new mutual understanding, grace emerges and frustration subsides.

Can you see just how important it is that we truly, deeply understand and think like someone else? In today's world when people are so diverse... when expectations can often be at opposite ends of the spectrum... when commonsense is a thing of the past... if we assume we understand someone else, if we treat them the way WE want to be treated -- even if you have the best intentions -- then you're radically putting your most important relationships at risk with every interaction. Intentions don't result in impact, actions do. That's a risk you don't have to take. Disconnected relationships don't have to be part of your story!

Different People, Different Ways to Feel Valued and Heard

When you're interrupted, I believe far more often than not, we have a case of two people who both deep down want to be respectful towards one another. You're likely both on the same team, whether it be at work or at home. Both people want to make the other feel valued and heard. However, if there is frustration, there are probably simply two very different approaches to making that happen. Without mutual understanding, either approach can leave the other person feeling disconnected and deflated. In today's world, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work when it comes to communication.

Instead, those people who truly know the people around them so well…not just know about them, but instead deeply know their stories … will be the people who build influence better than everyone else and can move forward to positively build comradery and make a massive positive impact on the world. 

Make Time to Talk

Next time you’re frustrated by someone interrupting you, decide to make time to go talk with them in private. Get to know their story and boldly share yours. By doing so, you create a mutual understanding of expectations. Both of you can see exactly how to interact with one another so that the outcome is predictably and consistently positive. Your connection will grow deeper and deeper every time.

When they see you trying to interact with them in an intentional way, the law of reciprocity comes into play. You both begin adapting to one another. This is not a one-way street! They'll work to interact with you in an intentional way that makes you feel heard. You'll work to do the same. Now, because you've both heard each other's stories which are forever memorable, you'll easily remember and recall each other's unique needs and know exactly what to -- or not to -- say and do to connect and communicate better going forward. That's teamwork! That’s leadership! And leadership matters because leaders change the world.

You may believe that how you define listening well is just “common sense.” And maybe it commonsense is to the majority of people around you who look like you, think like you, have similar experiences as you, and came up in the world the same way you did. But, the challenge for us all is that the world is more diverse than ever. Our stories are more varied than ever. Individual expectations are not common sense.

This can lead to extremely disconnected and frustrated people in relationships, communities, and teams. If that's your story, I challenge you to implement the Stories, Not Just Statistics approach to leading yourself and the people around you to a better future. This strategy is future-proof. It's not an option for success in today's world, it's a fundamental requirement in this post-pandemic world we live in. The beautiful reality is that this is a strategy that anyone can implement. It's simple. You can start now. Take action today to level your leadership and results!

#StoriesNotJustStatistics 

Photo by Yan Krukau: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-h...

Who Knows the Company Story? Does It Even Matter?

When it comes to your company story -- how and why your organization got started -- how much do your people REALLY know? And does it even matter?

These questions struck me this weekend as my wife, son, and daughter-in-law, (also my business partner), celebrated the 35th anniversary of our business.

An Amazing 35-Year Adventure!

April 8, 1988, is my “professional declaration of independence” day! The day I quit my job and dove head first into professional speaking. Total immersion Day One. Sink or swim. 

The thread of my work runs throughout the tapestry of my family’s life. It has impacted virtually every decision we have made, collectively and independently.

So I was a little surprised when I asked my son and daughter-in-law if they knew how and why we got started. They had some details right, but I realized I had assumed they “knew” the company story, and why we make a point of celebrating each year. The chance to recall our start helped them better understand the history that underpins our mission and values.

Back to you and your people. As team members come on board, has anyone told them “the story”? Do they know why the organization they’re joining forces with exists? How could knowing the details change how they carry the mission and values to customers, vendors, and those they engage with every day?

Who's With Me?

This journey has never been mine alone. Over 1,000 client groups have hired me and allowed me to support the development of those who lead their organizations. A true honor!

Literally, thousands of people have listened as I shared concepts to help their personal leadership growth. Time and attention are both precious and limited. Yet people have graciously shared both with me for 3.5 decades. Incredible!

These speaking engagements have taught me more about myself than imaginable. Preparing and sharing with others has caused me to dive deeper to discover who I really am and what I really believe. Both are necessary to help other leaders do the same.

Who is with you on your journey, and how do you celebrate them?

Supporting Success

Too often, those supporting us the most get overlooked. I’ve had some of the best! My wife Susan has been beside me since the beginning. We’ve also been joined by Connie Lee, Kim Mercer, Laura Fagin, and now my successor, Alyson Van Hooser. Though I’ve told them repeatedly, I doubt they will ever truly know how much I appreciate them.

Special attention is due to the person who made my journey begin when it did. Tom Alexander, my HR colleague, soon after my friend, was the first person to hire me. He believed in me when there was nothing obvious on which to build that belief. But he was steadfast in his support and still is. And I will forever be grateful!

Have you intentionally acknowledged those you support and contribute to your success?

(Here's a photo of me and Tom, circa 1988!✨)

Celebrating the Rest of the Company Story

While time may change us, (note the photos 😆) the need for effective leaders never will. Neither will my commitment to that effort, nor my celebration of those who help me write the next parts of our company story!

#workanniversary #leadershipspeaker #leadershipdevelopment

If Alyson or I can help your team be better at leading, we would count it a tremendous privilege to contribute to your company's incredible story! hello@vanhooser.com

Want to Fix Accountability Problems? Start With Expectations

Photo by RODNAE Productions

Accountability Issues? You're Not Alone

Is accountability high on your list of desires among your team?

We continue to hear this from executives across the country, day after day. Just last week, we were on a discovery call with a new client who emphatically said, “We need our leaders to be more accountable!”

If you want a more accountable team, I don’t know if it’s any consolation right now, but YOU’RE NOT ALONE AND YOU CAN BE A HUGE PART OF THE SOLUTION! 👏🏻

Accountability is complex and affects multiple aspects of individual, team, and organizational performance. There’s no quick solution, however, I’d like to give you one insight that I shared with a leader a few weeks ago. I hope it’s helpful for you!

A man familiar with my leadership development work sent me this text...

The Root of Accountability Problems

Here, accountability doesn’t start with the managers referenced in this text. Instead, it starts with the person who sent the text.

Do you have to keep telling someone the same thing over and over? If so, you do have an accountability problem — and it starts with you.

Accountability is being responsible for something or someone. As managers, it is your responsibility to:

set expectations effectivelydelegate effectivelyevaluate performance effectivelyget results through other people effectively and efficiently.

Make no mistake about it, at the forefront of all of it is GREAT COMMUNICATION. Own that. Be accountable for communicating effectively. Leaders must communicate in a way that creates positive results, not roadblocks. The leader who sent me this text realized he needed guidance so he reached out to get help. He might be frustrated but he’s working to be more accountable. I love that!

( Get our blog by email + a bonus welcome gift! )Make Your Expectations Crystal Clear

After a long conversation with this leader, it became clear that people have been promoted into management positions without having a crystal clear understanding of the expectation going forward. Everything clicked for him when we got down to the heart of management…getting things done with and through other people — the fundamental job of a manager. From there, he had to make the expectation clear first and he is working to offer additional coaching as needed.

Expectations are the foundation on which performance begins. If the expectation is not mutually understood, you risk performance issues.

When you’re promoting people, are you certain you’ve communicated in a way they understand this increased responsibility (Getting things done with and through other people)? If not, they may think their job IS to TELL people what to do. If that’s the case, you’re going to be left frustrated with a team lacking accountability. Teams that lack accountability are not nearly as effective and efficient as they could be.

Imagine a better the future where every employee clearly understands expectations, is evaluated on their performance consistently, and sees people setting great examples of accountability at every level every day.

Accountability breeds success—I want that for you!✨✨✨✨

We Help You Improve Communication & Accountability. Contact Us for Details.

A Sure-Fire Way to Engage Employees

Photo by Emmanuel Ikwuegbu on Unsplash

Why You Need to Engage Employees

The need to engage employees is paramount for managers and supervisors in any industry, every day. Employee engagement literally impacts how we do our jobs safely, productively, profitably, and with an unwavering commitment to quality and innovation.

But employee engagement can be difficult. Why? Because engaging our employees requires their inclusion and active participation at a level beyond what is commonly expected of them.

I learned the importance of the need to engage employees — to actively listen to them — and the perils of not doing so —  firsthand early in my career.

I was employed as a Human Resources Manager in a large manufacturing environment. One day, a production operation malfunctioned causing a key process to grind to a stop, creating a critical production bottleneck. Dozens of production employees were immediately idled and with each passing hour, thousands of dollars were being added to the cost of building the product.

It was critical that this situation be corrected as quickly as possible. To that end, managers and technicians from every discipline within the plant were summoned to the problem machine – even me.

I say even me because, admittedly, I was the least mechanically adept member of our entire upper management team. Yet, there I was, standing with other managers and technicians, observing the goings on and hoping to be helpful in some way.

It was there that I noticed someone else standing apart, slightly farther away from the finicky machine than me. I was surprised at who it was – the operator of the machine in question. I moved over to him.

Ask Employees What They Think

“So, Andrew, what do you think?” I asked innocently.

Surprisingly, my simple question opened the floodgate. Andrew started sharing in-depth observations, thoughts, and opinions on the matter at hand. Soon I had received more information than I could digest.

“Well, I was afraid something like this might happen,” he began. “It’s been acting strange for the past couple of days. I wrote up a maintenance work order, but no one ever came to me to discuss the problem. But today it got worse. The machine started triple cycling about two hours ago. I noticed the problem and adjusted the hydraulic leveler by a quarter turn. In the past, I’ve learned that this will usually correct the cycling problem. But, this time, when I did it, I noticed an unusual vibration – very slight, very subtle. I became concerned about the calibration unit once the final quadrant cycled back and I discovered it was off by 26/100ths.  Of course, you know what that means, he said pausing, awaiting my response.

Know what that means?! Are you kidding?! Not only did I not know what that meant, but I also didn’t understand 90% of what he had just said. But there was one thing of which I was sure and that was he knew what he was talking about.

Are Your Employees On the Outside Looking In?

And yet, there he stood, alone and isolated from the conversations happening nearby. This guy was literally on the outside looking in. And he shouldn’t have been. The person with the most practical knowledge of the machine in question had not even been invited into the discussion. The operator that ran the machine eight, ten, sometimes twelve hours a day, and had done so for several years, had been relegated to the sidelines, feeling anything but engaged.

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Listen to Your People

I couldn’t do much, but what I could do, I did. I stepped in and asked a couple of the managers to listen to what the operator had to say.

“What is it?” one of the managers asked the operator brusquely, his question directed to Andrew.

Much to my surprise, the operator, so talkative just a couple minutes earlier, now hesitated. His response was not forthcoming and I was confused. What had happened?

The Cost When You Don’t Ask, Don’t Listen, Don’t Engage Employees

Sometime later, after more reflection, it hit me. I finally understood. I realized the difference in the operator’s response to me – his heightened level of engagement – versus that of my fellow manager, was simple.

I had asked what the operator thought and then listened to what he had to say, whereas, my colleague hadn’t. That’s it. When my colleague demanded information (rather than asking and listening actively) Andrew chose to withhold that which he knew.

The information Andrew possessed may or may not have helped the situation. But we will never know because Andrew consciously chose to withhold that information…and possibly future information critical to the organization’s goals of safety, productivity, profitability, quality, and innovation.

The bottom line is this: To engage employees activates the keystone of an organization’s success, any way you measure it. Before you leave this article and go back to the business at hand, ask yourself a couple of questions…

How much vital business information am I ignoring when I forget (or refuse) to ask my employees what they think?What immediate problems could be resolved by inviting my employees into the conversation?

This much I can say with certainty. You will never know until you ask.

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Build a Stronger Team with Hard Conversations

Building a Stronger Team...What Works & What Might Not

Consider this... When I worked on teams in the retail, food service, and financial industries, there were so many well-intending leaders who tried many different options to build a stronger team. Options like personality tests, games, after-hours events, and more. 

While the intention was great, the ROI of time and money was often incredibly low. Especially when it came to personality tests, which are great at establishing differences, but rarely forge meaningful connections among a team of people.

Strong Relationships Build a Stronger Team

Consider the people you are closest with. Have you all been through ups and downs together?

...your answer likely includes some sort of "yes", right?

For me, some of my strongest relationships are those where we have walked through the fire together, the difficult seasons, had the tough conversations, and ultimately we came out stronger because of it.

One of the best actions effective organizational leaders can take is equipping their team to handle day-to-day conversations -- especially the hard ones -- in a way that they leave the interaction and everyone's ENGAGEMENT INCREASES going forward. They don't get frustrated and check out. Instead, they are motivated to check in and level up!

Make no mistake about it, strong teams are built in the day-to-day interactions among everyone. Conflict (a mental struggle of ideas or wills) is inevitable in an organization. Confrontation (a person-to-person interaction addressing the conflict) is a choice. Most people avoid confrontation.

The challenge is that far too many teams aren't capitalizing on the incredible opportunity to build stronger relationships by handling confrontation the right way! Strong teams don’t let problems linger. Strong teams address issues and move forward better together.

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5 Ways to Build a Stronger Team with a Hard Conversation

Here are some quick tips for you to consider next time a hard conversation must happen so everyone can experience a positive result.

1. Address the specific action that is the problem. Don't talk in general terms. Don't put the conversation off too long.

2. Explain how the problem will hinder the employee from achieving their own goals. Be sure you correctly understand their current goals and expectations. If you're wrong here, that could be a disaster.

3. Express your desire to help them achieve their goals. Offer your assistance in finding and executing a solution. Be ready to give up your time to keep your word here.

4. Make your future expectation clear. Don't assume they know what you mean.

5. Ask them to restate the conversation so you can make sure you communicated correctly. Assume responsibility for any communication breakdowns here.

My intent is to get you to think...to capitalize on the everyday interactions you're having with your team so you can truly become stronger together. (For more help on communicating better, make sure you're managing these 3 key issues.)

This is a solid starting point. I'm wishing you huge success!

Need Better Communication Results? We Teach You How. Contact Us Here.

Need to Communicate Better? You Gotta Work for It!

To Communicate Better Is Like Weight Loss

Every new year, millions of people resolve to lose weight. Their motivation may range from improved physical health to heightened emotional security. But whatever their reasoning, very quickly into the process they understand that losing weight is hard work! It takes effort, sacrifice, personal discipline, and long-term commitment. To communicate better, like weight loss, also takes a lot of hard work, real effort, and some heavy lifting. But when the extra effort is made and the methods are well-applied, the impact that results from your efforts to communicate may be nothing short of transformative!

You Gotta Work for It

People who want to communicate better study, practice, and perfect their skills. They stay focused on the desired outcome. In short, they work to ensure others understand their message and its meaning. They recognize that people learn and process information in different ways and at different speeds. 

As you work to get your message across correctly, here are some important issues to keep in mind.

1. Check the pulse.

There is always a right time and a wrong time, a right place and a wrong place, a right way and a wrong way to communicate. Great communicators realize that to communicate better, “one size does not fit all.” As a result, they work to tailor… to customize their message for those who will be receiving it.

To accomplish this, you need to have your finger on the pulse of those who will be impacted (positively or negatively) by the communication offered.

Consider these questions as you formulate your message.

What are the key issues s/he is currently facing that can impact his/her reaction?Has s/he ever heard or dealt with this type of message before?If so, how has s/he responded?How does this person handle good/bad news?What kind of things have we dealt with together in the past that could resurface (for good or bad) during our time of communication?

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2. Anticipate and Manage the Barriers

A major part of successful one-on-one communication is being able to anticipate and manage the numerous barriers that continuously crop up. Consider the following categories of barriers and how to overcome them.

Sender BarriersBe crystal clear on the intent of the message you send.Consciously prepare for who you will be speaking with, what you want to accomplish, and how to best present your message.Stay singularly focused. Trying to cover too much ground or mix too many varying messages confuses people.Receiver BarriersWork to align and deliver your message in a timely fashion; not too early and never too late.Recognize that people may have an emotional reaction to your message. Anticipate this and allow the person some time to work through their initial emotional response.As the initiator of the message, the responsibility for successful communication rests with you. Be ready to accept the responsibility for messages that fail.Message BarriersWhen communicating a problem, focus on the problem, not the person.Bad news does not get better with time. Don’t procrastinate.What should happen next… always include expectations of the next steps you expect.Environmental BarriersPrivacy matters. If a negative response is anticipated, it is better dealt with in private.When possible, "make the unknown, known.” Take proactive steps to shut down the “grapevine.”We Help Teams Communicate Better. We Can Help You! Contact Us Here.

3. Test Your Message

Even the best-planned, best-prepared, and best-delivered message can, on occasion, be misconstrued. Expert communicators understand the value of “testing the message.” It goes something like this.

“What we have just talked about is so important that I want to make sure I haven’t done anything to confuse the message. Will you please tell me what you heard me say and what you know I am expecting as a result of our conversation?”

Notice that you are taking full responsibility that the message is received and interpreted correctly. 

Now that you have asked the question…

Stop talking.

And listen carefully.

If in repeating the message back to you, the person gets something wrong, accept responsibility for the confusion and correct any mistakes. For example,

“Thanks for catching my mistake. That could have been unpleasant (disastrous, confusing, hurtful, costly, etc.) for both of us. What I meant to say is…”

Meaningful communication requires hard work. But your extra effort can also bear exceptional results! Check out this list of eleven questions we've put together to help you avoid common communication issues! Go for it!

Why Leaders Should Rethink the Golden Rule

In American culture, we’re taught from a young age “the Golden Rule”— to treat people the way you want to be treated. And while I could not agree more with the goal of that statement, most leaders operate with the intention of getting it right, but their execution is wrong -- primarily due to a lack of empathy. Yes, empathy...the skill that is often lumped with the term "emotional intelligence", but never unpacked to uncover it's true catalyzing power in building influence and helping people successfully lead others.

If you’re not getting the results you want among your team – like more engagement, improved morale, increased loyalty, fewer communication issues, better performance  -- it’s possible you could be executing “The Golden Rule” incorrectly, too. The great news is that the solution is simple and incredible results are totally within your reach!

Uncovering the Misunderstanding

“Treat others the way you want to be treated.”

I have both the honor and privilege of working with some of the kindest, most intelligent, hardworking leaders in the country. What I am finding is that many leaders do treat employees the way they themselves want to be treated…they communicate with them the way they themselves would want to be communicated with, they offer employee benefits that they themselves would want, they create products and services they want or would have wanted at their life stage, and so on. Many well-intentioned leaders are working to implement The Golden Rule. They are trying to do good by their people. Is that you?

Sometimes that strategy works. 

However, too often, the strategy does not work and leaders are left scrambling trying to figure out how to best lead employees in today’s post-pandemic workforce. 

Don’t get me wrong, leaders must continue to implement The Golden Rule, but they have to think about it in a way they may not have ever considered before…

The real sentiment behind the Golden Rule is not to treat people the exact way you want to be treated. Instead, it is that you have a certain way you want to be treated, as do other people. So treat them the way they need to be treated to earn you the response you crave – whether it be for them to trust you, respect you, communicate better with you, stay longer, perform better, etc. Communicate with them the way they want to be communicated with. Offer them the benefits and perks that they want. Engage and empower them in the way that will inspire them to stay longer and perform better. 

Is that easy? Sometimes it is, and sometimes it is not. In order to execute The Golden Rule extremely well as I’m discussing here, you must understand your people extremely well. And even more important than understanding them, you must then be able to think like them…which is harder and harder to do the longer you’ve been in a leadership position. Remember, the world may not be the same as it was when you held a position such as theirs, and their own personal experiences at home and at work may not be the same as yours were and are.

The Catalyzing Power of Empathy

Ultimately, leaders must be able to connect with their people if they want to build a stronger team. In order to truly connect, empathy is key. Empathy is the tool that leads you to the answer to the question, “What is my right next step?”

Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. And most people stop there, which restricts their progress toward successfully leading and influencing others. Leaders must realize that when it comes to building a strong team, the catalyzing power of empathy lies in your ability to actually think like someone else – think like your direct report, your mid-level manager, your new hire, your front-line employee, your salesperson, your customers, etc. When you can think like someone else, you can uncover a unique-to-the-individual leadership and influence strategy that works! It is because of empathy that your focused effort to execute The Golden Rule will be effective.

Capitalizing on the skill of empathy is not merely an option for connecting leaders and employees in today’s world — it’s the required leadership strategy — because it is the skill that helps you think like them so you can treat them the way they want to be treated – to earn you both the positive results you want! 

It's important to note that empathy is a tool, not a toy …a skill, not a trait …an art, not a science. Empathy must be mastered, not frivolously practiced. Empathy changes the way you see people. It gives you a paradigm for truly connecting with people in a way that transforms their internal motivation. Empathy can align with and transform their internal motivation. Empathy is the catalyst for achieving infinite connection and optimal results among your team.

Empathy should not be confused with sympathy or compassion. 

Sympathy is an emotional reaction of concern, pity, or sorrow for someone else.

Compassion is caring enough about someone else to take action to serve them.

However, without empathy, there is no certainty that sympathy or compassion or kindness will help leaders gain any degree of influence, connection, or buy-in from their team.

Without empathy, leaders are interacting with people based on what they themselves want or what they assume others want – both of those options leave success to chance. I don’t know about you, but I want a clear plan to the end goal. 

"The future of work demands empathetic leadership." - Alyson Van Hooser

Stories, Not Just Statistics Strategy

To improve your skill of empathy, you must simply get to know your people. Get to know your people directly from them. Don’t learn about them from articles or the latest research, don’t make assumptions about them based on your past. – you must talk with the people on your team. You must get to know their story. It is in their stories that you will uncover answers to exactly what they need from you to think, feel, and act a certain way. Those answers are how you correctly execute The Golden Rule!

If I am having a conversation with my husband, Joe, he would tell you that in order for him to feel heard by me, I cannot interrupt or interject my thoughts until he is totally finished. He wants to finish his thoughts and then have me share mine once he is totally finished.

What is interesting about that is when I am interrupted by him or someone else, I feel like the other person is really engaged in the conversation, instead of being zoned out.

Two different people. Same action, different interpretations, different stories. 

If you asked Joe about talking with people, asked him what he likes and doesn’t like when having a conversation with someone…Joe would likely tell you a story such as this, “I was taught growing up that you aren’t supposed to interrupt people, that doing so is rude. So, I learned to not interrupt people and do not appreciate when I am interrupted.”

My story would be different. If you asked me about how I learned to communicate then I would tell you stories about how I grew up. If I wanted something, I learned to speak up and speak fast… and I learned over and over that strategy paid off. I learned that if I waited, the opportunity might be gone forever. 

In my example, both people want to feel heard.. In order to make that happen – because people who feel heard are more likely to want to work longer and harder with you – in order to meet that need, it takes two different actions from the leader. If I want Joe to feel heard, I must keep my mouth shut, I’ve learned to do that. If Joe wants me to feel like he is interested, he speaks up even though that’s not his natural tendency. We know each other’s story so we know how to communicate with one another. And, this is incredibly important….

If you have read to this point and were thinking that this is the exact reason you have done or considered the DISC assessment, or Myers-Briggs, the True Colors profile, or some other test to help you and your team learn about one another…the Stories, Not Just Statistics strategy takes this to a level at which those tests cannot compete.

Standardized tests show you how similar or how different you are. From my experience, between people who are different on a team, tests serve to divide more than they unite…now people can point a finger to just how different we are. The test don’t breed oneness. Instead, when you learn someone’s story, it sticks with you. It’s memorable. It not easily forgotten like personality types, colors, or numbers can be. Stories can bond you through vulnerability, compassion, and comedy…depending on the stories you seek and hear. Stories do what statistics can’t – they bring people together through your differences. Stories unlock answers to how you can lead and influence at an elite level.

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For those you wish to influence, you must get to know their story so you know exactly how to serve them.

The Future of Work Demands Empathetic Leadership

Maybe, just maybe, the one who created the Golden Rule was telling us to start with empathy all along if we want to truly connect with people and make a positive impact on the people around us. If you want to lead and influence with your team, you must work to set aside your own bias and truly get to know the people around you…so you can truly treat them the way they want to be treated.

As you’re interacting with people today, make sure you’re not unintentionally hurting your team – causing confusion, distrust, uncertainty, and frustration. – by not treating them the way they want to be treated. Instead, pause for a moment and make time to get to know some of their story. Ask them questions such as:

Who is the best communicator you know and why? You might just learn some tips on how to communicate better with them from their answer.When you were in school, did you parents keep a close eye on your grades or did you do your own thing? This may give you insight into how much oversight they do or don’t like from their supervisor. Did you do chores growing up? If so, did you earn any money or rewards for doing them? This might give you insight into how they like to feel appreciated…maybe they want money, words of encouragement, a handwritten note, public recognition, or something else. 

Anytime you want to know a story, a great place to start is by telling your own story. This is one of the only times I suggest leaders talk before they listen. Share your story, let your people get to know you. When the expectation is clear around how you like to be treated, they are more likely to actually treat you that way! And, when you open up to them, due to the law of reciprocity, they’ll be more likely to open up to you. If they ask you why you’re telling and asking stories, be honest! Tell them you’re trying to get to know them better so you can be the absolute best leader possible for them!

Imagine having a leader who serves your needs. That’s someone you’ll go all in for long-term. Wouldn’t that make a dream team? It’s possible! And it starts with you. Go talk with your people!

Quiet Quitting: What Is It & What To Do About It

3 Things to Know About Quiet Quitting

With the rise in popularity of the term "quiet quitting", a lot of leaders are struggling to understand exactly what it is, and more importantly, what to do about it.

In our latest episode of The Man & The Millennial Show, we dive into this employment phenomenon and help you understand three things.

1. Exactly what it is and what it is not.

2. Why you should be concerned about "quiet quitters" among your employees.

3. What you can do to help "quiet quitters" and proactively address the issue before it robs you of your best employees.

WATCH NOW: Quiet Quitting: What Is It & What You Can Do About It

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