Phillip Van Hooser's Blog: Build Performance Blog, page 7

What to Do to Gain AND Retain Employees

In the pre-COVID world, job candidates would apply for a job, hopefully, land an interview, then sweat, wish, hope, and pray that they would be selected for the position.

With today’s tight labor market, job applicants and employees are firmly in the driver's seat. No longer are they merely hoping to be picked or settling for what they have. It’s companies, not candidates, that are hoping to be selected.

The Great Redefining

In the 2022 labor market, what started in the pandemic with the Great Resignation (4 million-plus employees leaving the workforce) has now transitioned to the Great Redefining. Employees are returning to work, and they are redefining what they want and will accept from their employment.

This new breed of employee expects a different outcome from their work experience. They have a different mindset. They are reimagining what work can be for them. Many people who may have never considered changing careers, industries, or leaving their job before, are now saying, “Maybe I should at least consider it.” And while some aren’t willing to change jobs, they do want to change the job they still have. 

The fact is that the way companies have always approached employee selection and retention may not be the right way to do it any longer. 

So what can you, as a leader in your organization, do to gain and retain employees?

#1 Gain

Understand all of the benefits your organization offers, and make sure you communicate them to job candidates.

Right now, many organizations are trying to sell job seekers on a wage or salary alone. For example, $30 an hour or $85,000 a year. But does that figure represent the full benefit? 

Organizations often fail to share with candidates the full list of benefits available. These added perks can amount to 30% or more in additional monetary value. And marketing that can make your company more attractive.

#2 Retain 

Outline benefit packages — with monetary value — and share them with current employees.

Many companies do this -- is yours? Organizations give a formal document to each employee that outlines their entire package — all of the benefits they get. They put a dollar amount to all of those benefits, so they're reminded how green the grass really is here.

#3 Empathize

In our leadership development training, we focus a lot on “empathy.” Not sympathy, or feeling bad for someone. Not compassion, or talking about caring. We're talking about empathy -- being able to think like someone else. 

When you can understand someone well enough to think like them, you should be able to communicate with them better. 

For example, on benefits, if you have someone who can't afford to put 3% in their 401k, and you say, "Hey, we match what you put in," then that benefit is not going to matter to them. Or if you tell an employee, "we offer men six weeks off when their wife has a baby." For someone who's not planning to have kids, or who has aged out, that could be pointless for them.

To attract potential employees and retain current employees, you have to know what is important to them. And to know what's important to them, you've got to know the right questions to ask. 

Why do you want to work here? What are your long-term goals, and objectives? What would you consider to be a successful experience with your next employer? Where do you want to go from here? In the next three to five years, the next 18 months, what would you like to learn? 

The more we talk to job candidates and current employees about what is important to them — the more we connect. And connectedness itself is an attractive, intangible benefit!

#4 Engage

One of the best questions leaders can ask to gain and retain employees is this:

"How do we make money the least important thing you ever get from this organization?” 

That question elevates an employee's well-being, growth and development, and job satisfaction, over money. So, even though it's important, money will pale in comparison to who they become, what they learn, and what they achieve. It also sets a high standard. But before you ask that question, make sure that money isn’t a pain point.

Go talk with your people, and ask them why they stay. Richard Finnegan’s book,  The Stay Interview is a great resource and can be critically important to revealing clear answers on exactly how to remain competitive, and how to gain and retain employees in any job market!

The employee marketplace is changing. Are you ready for it? If not, you're risking attracting the best candidates...and even LOSING your best employees!

For more thoughts on how interviewing today's employees is changing, listen to this conversation with me (Alyson) and Phil Van Hooser. We welcome your comments and questions anytime!

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photo credit by cottonbro

How to Get Your Boss to Listen to Your Ideas

Got a Great Idea But You Boss Isn't Listening?

In a recent corporate leadership development session, I was asked the following question. 

"How do I present an idea that I think has great benefit for my organization to my leader who doesn't typically invite my input?"

Whether you are an emerging leader trying to create influence for yourself or you're a seasoned leader who's had a lot of ideas pitched your way... chances are good you have -- or will face this same frustrating situation.

To Create Influence & Get Your Boss to Listen

The decision-makers you want to impress (or at least listen to you) know the reason your well-meaning ideas are getting ignored. And it has less to do with your personality and more to do with your approach. 

The key to creating influence when communicating your idea up the organizational chart is to "think as the decision-maker thinks." Empathy. Understanding the decision-maker's story and adjusting your communication to align with their point of view.

"So what is my decision-maker's point of view and how do I start thinking like they do?"

I'm glad you -- like the person in my leadership class -- asked! 

In our latest episode of The Man & The Millennial, I asked Phil Van Hooser to break down the questions decision-makers are going to ask when deciding which ideas get approved and whose input they listen to. 

Knowing the questions that will be asked -- and the right ways to answer -- not only provide incredible insight into your decision-maker's way of thinking but are the key to creating greater influence for yourself. 

Listen to How To Sell Your Idea at Work now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbh3T... Man & The Millennial Show" with Alyson Van Hooser and Phil Van HooserWe Help Leaders Create Greater InfluenceContact Us Now for Details

Photo by August de Richelieu

Why You SHOULD Have That Difficult Conversation at Work

© Can Stock Photo / gstockstudio

Is a Difficult Conversation Really the Best Strategy?

Most of us were taught early on that honesty is the best policy. But as we grow older and assume more personal and professional responsibility, the scope and breadth of problems we encounter grow more complex. The problems we are responsible for managing now include superiors, subordinates, co-workers, clients, regulators, vendors, and so on. 

We still know that honesty is best, but we seriously wonder if honesty is the best strategy for some of these difficult situations. When faced with the need to share an uncomfortable message, we begin to question whether being so "forthright" is the right thing to do. 

We ask questions like:

Am I really the best one to share this message?
Does this message need to be shared right now?
Does it need to be shared at all?
What would it hurt to let others discover this information for themselves in due time?

The truth is this: telling people only what they want to hear seldom buys the results wanted or the resolution of the problem that is needed. Let me illustrate.

I'll Tell You The Truth

It was mid-morning. I was in my office, working as a Human Resources Manager for a FORTUNE 500 manufacturing group when I heard a knock at my door. There stood Harvey. I knew immediately whatever happened next would not be pleasant.

Truthfully, I didn't like Harvey. While he had never done anything to me personally, he was just a hard guy to like. A senior (as in long-term) employee, Harvey was distant by choice. He had few friends and saw little need for conversation. When he did speak, his words cut like a knife. His comments were caustic and negative. If he felt he had been wronged, he would quickly lash out. And his favorite target was... MANAGEMENT!

"I want to be transferred out of my department, and I want it now!" Harvey declared.

Not expecting this at all, I asked the obvious question.

"Why?"

"Because I'm sick and tired of working for that lying Butch. He just told me that I've been passed over for the lead person position -- for the third time! And again he told me it was because there was a more experienced candidate. That's just a bald-faced lie! There's nobody in the department that's more experienced than me, and Butch knows it. So that makes Butch an (expletive deleted) liar. And I told him so to his face. And I'll tell you one thing right now, too. I'm not gonna work for an (expletive deleted) liar!"

When a Confrontation Is Inevitable

Even though he was obviously upset, I couldn't allow such malicious, slanderous comments to be made regarding another employee, especially his supervisor. I knew a confrontation was inevitable.

"Harvey, I really don't know what you're talking about. But I do know that I don't intend to sit here and let you call Butch names, especially when he's not here to defend himself. You say you've got a problem. Well, I'm willing to give your problem the attention it deserves. Have a seat, and I'll call Butch to have him join us. Then we can all get to the bottom of this problem together."

Butch arrive a few minutes later. I could tell from his body language that he was already upset. I sensed a significant confrontation had been brewing for some time. At that moment, I believed it was better to have that confrontation in a managed environment with some sort of a mediator.

I began by sharing Harvey's grievance with Butch, then asked him to share how he had made decision on the lead-person position. Butch responded.

"When the position came open, I looked around the department for who I thought would be the best person for the job. I considered several people, including Harvey, but I decided on someone else instead."

Immediately, Harvey jumped into the fray.

"Yeah, you decided on someone else. But it wasn't because he was the most experienced person in the department. The truth is you promoted someone else because you didn't want me to have the position. Go ahead, tell the truth, if you can, for once in your life. I dare you."

And in the next few minutes, Butch accepted Harvey's challenge and told him the difficult truth.

"Harvey, nobody, including me, questions your ability, knowledge, or commitment to doing a good job. It's your attitude that sucks. If you would just approach your job and the people with a little more professionalism, you would've been the lead person in our department a long time ago. But there's no way I'm going to put you in that position until I'm sure you will do more good than harm."

​​If You're a Great Supervisor, Why Didn't You Tell Me Sooner...

Looking Butch straight in the eye, Harvey asked pointedly, "So you are finally telling me the truth?"

"Yeah, I'm telling you the truth," Butch replied.

"Well then, if you're such a great supervisor, why did it take you this long to tell me what my problem was? How are we supposed to get better if we don't know what you expect from us and what you are evaluating us on?

I'm telling you right now, I want to be a lead person. And if it means I need to get along with people better, then that's what I'll do. You better watch me closely. Because the next time a lead person's position opens up, you won't have any excuse for not promoting me."

As a firsthand witness to the entire episode, I assure you the meeting ended only slightly less tense than it began. And as Butch and I debriefed the experience, we both were stung by Harvey's words..."If you're such a great supervisor, why did it take so long for you to tell me what my problem was?"

Harvey was right. By avoiding the difficult conversation with him about his attitude, Butch and I had not done our jobs. We allowed a problem to fester because we feared addressing it directly. I often say, "bad news does not get better with time." We simply should have had the hard conversation with Harvey sooner.

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What a Difficult Conversation Can Do

Nevertheless, neither Butch nor I expected any significant change in Harvey's behavior. But we were wrong again. From that point forward, something amazing happened. In the weeks and months that followed, Harvey underwent a professional transformation, unlike anything I've seen before or since. Harvey took that difficult conversation and applied it to both his social and communication skills. And while it didn't happen overnight, Harvey did change. In a little over a year, he was promoted into his department's lead person position and continued advancing beyond that.

What allowed this amazing turnaround? A hard, uncomfortable, truthful conversation. Harvey was presented with the truth and he accepted it. This may seem like an extreme example. But it underscores the impact supervisors, managers, and leaders can have when they aren't afraid to have tough conversations with their people.

Who's Your Harvey?

Do you have a "Harvey" on your team? Someone you've written off. A team member you try to avoid at all costs? An employee who isn't getting your full support and help? One that's wondering why you shy away from the hard parts of your role?

If so, maybe it's time to have a difficult conversation with yourself. Your team members expect you to do your job -- even the unpleasant parts of it. How are they supposed to get better if you don't know? How are you supposed to get better if you don't?

From Harvey's lips -- as hard as it may be to hear -- this is what people expect from their leaders. And, it's what they evaluate us on.

How To Have a Difficult Conversation at Work

When handled correctly, a difficult conversation can lead to a stronger team. Check out this video​ for some practical tips on how to have a tough conversation and end up with a positive outcome.

We Help Leaders Communicate Better with Their Teams. If You Need Help, Contact Us Here.

What to Think About BEFORE All-Employee Meetings

Photo by Marcelo Dias

Team building can be significantly impacted during all-employee meetings. Usually, leaders have great intentions and hopes when conducting these team meetings.

They want to make sure everyone feels celebrated, and they want to be transparent in sharing information.

However, sometimes the after-effects of the meeting are less than ideal for team building.

To avoid unnecessary consequences and negative team building results, listen to this episode of The Man & The Millennial Show for what to think about BEFORE your next all-employee meeting.

https://youtu.be/auRX7mY2mQ4

Need more help building your team? Contact us now.

How Great Leaders Handle Gossip

How to Handle Gossip in the Workplace

Workplace gossip can be irreversibly harmful to teams. But when it comes time to handle gossip in the workplace, most leaders won't deal with the issue head-on.

Why? Because it can be really uncomfortable and awkward.

But if you don't manage it, who will?

Listen to this episode of The Man & The Millennial Show for practical actions that take the awkwardness out of eliminating gossip among your team, and help you build stronger teams and get better results.

https://youtu.be/CESMN2YVRloThe Man and The Millennial Show with Alyson and Phil Van HooserWe Help You Build Team Cohesiveness.

Contact Us Now.

How Accountability Helps Teams Achieve Better Results

As soon as the clock switched from 8:29 to 8:30 pm at our house last night, my husband made a celebratory announcement to all the kids in the living room, “It’s bedtime!” As a parent to four small kids, he was happy it was their bedtime because it meant that he was soon going to have a whole entire hour or so of adult time before he went to bed. He may pull out the candy stash, watch a show, read a book, or just sit in total silence. With so many people in one house, an hour to yourself is a treasure! Regardless, the kids didn’t share in his excitement about his bedtime declaration.

Begrudgingly, our two sons mustered all the energy they had in their five and eight-year-old bodies to pull themselves up off the couch. Each came over and gave Joe and me a hug that really only consisted of them leaning their body onto ours…as if not wrapping their arms around us was the implied discontent regarding our decision to put them to bed. In their young minds, putting them to bed is just about the worst decision we could make for them as their parents, right?! You’d think after years of doing this every single night they would figure out that going to sleep is actually not that bad. But, they haven’t yet. We hugged the boys, prayed for them, and off to bed they went. 

(Side note: At what age does an early bedtime become a privilege and not a punishment? I am 33 and the idea of actually being able to go to bed for the night at 8:30 sounds amazing!)

While this was going down, our eldest daughter was across the room sitting quietly as tears welled up in her eyes. Once the boys were out of the room she immediately ran over to me and whispered, “Dad said I could stay up until 9:00 and it’s only 8:30.” She then stared me directly in the eyes as if to plead, “Can you do something to help me here?!”  I could hear the absolute desperation in her whispers and see it on her red splotchy face. 

Positive Accountability

I looked back at my daughter and whispered in her ear, “Maybe dad needs a little reminder of who he is and how he wants you to see him. Go respectfully say to him that you know it’s important for him to be a man of his word. Remind him that he told you earlier in the day that you could stay up until 9:00. We will see how he responds.”

Let me be clear, I do not believe in manipulation. Manipulation consists of winners and losers. Instead, I believe in the power of understanding what motivates people and intentionally creating win-win moments.

Willow was initially unsure about bringing this up to her dad. However, she did as I suggested because she knows that in our family we have the other’s best interest always in mind. As she began speaking to Joe, he quickly realized that she had likely been counseled on what to say. He cut his eyes at me and smirked. 

The reality is that Joe is in fact a man of his word. He has been for the 18+ years I have known him. This is a very important value for our entire family in all aspects of our life. It’s how we earn trust and respect from everyone…our family, our friends, our colleagues, and even from ourselves individually. 

In a world that can be so crazy, it’s only human nature that we get off track. We lose focus. Our stress, frustration, anxiety or excitement can cloud our judgment. Sometimes we all need reminders of who we are and who we want to be. We need those around us to help keep us accountable...not only for their benefit, but equally for our own.

Accountability Affects Decision-Making

After Joe was simply, respectfully reminded of who he is, who he has said he wants to be, it was impossible for him to do anything other than to keep his word. He kept his word and chose to allow Willow to stay up for thirty more minutes. She was happy. Joe on the other hand, honestly, wasn’t ecstatic in the moment. However, he was confident he made the right decision. He stayed true to our family values. We reinforced our family culture of respect and accountability that night, especially for Willow who is at such a formative age.

As someone who has dedicated my life to developing leaders, teams, and organizations, my next natural question to you today is this: have you made your values so clear that the people around you (your team, your family, your friends) know them by heart? Furthermore, have you created a culture or environment where people respectfully hold one another accountable so that everyone is better because of it? 

Create Your Culture

Contrary to popular headlines, your organization’s culture is not so much built on raises, trips, time off, flexibility, free food, game rooms, celebrations, and more. Instead, organizational culture is either built or destroyed in the small moments we have with those on our team. It’s how we communicate decisions, respond to other’s emotions, whether we correctly realize and meet the needs of those around us, and so on. Culture is built or destroyed in the everyday moments between employees, not the perks or benefits the organization offers. Additionally, it is the culture of your organization that will increase employee retention and performance!

Regarding your team's culture, here are a few brief points for consideration today:

1 -- If I were to have a conversation with your employees this afternoon and ask if they understand exactly how people should treat one another in different scenarios in your organization, can you confidently count on them to answer the way you'd like?

2 -- Does your team know your values by heart? Even more important, do those values demonstrate how you should interact with one another on a daily basis?

Imagine what success could be realized if your values were clearer and positive accountability was a way of life among your team. Might you all get off track less? Could you and your team achieve goals faster? It's definitely possible!

Although, it will take you making the choice to define your values correctly and clearly so that they're practical, and realistic for who you expect from your team on a day-in and day-out basis. You’ll also have to intentionally choose transparency and vulnerability. You must make the decision to put your pride aside. This is not easy for everyone, but it is necessary for effective, positive accountability.  

When confronted with a disconnect, just as Joe was that night, it would have been easy to rest on your authority and squash the issue. But, would that have served him and his "organization" well? No. It would have been a temporary fix that only benefited him for a brief moment. The repurcussions wouldn't be far behind.

Leaders must focus our minds on the big goal. Joe could have easily been frustrated with Willow and me because he wanted more alone time. Instead, he chose to focus on the big goal which was and is to maintain his integrity, earn trust from his daughter, and reinforce our culture.

It is my hope today that as you interact with your team at work, or even your family and friends outside of work, that you will remember who you are, who you want to be, and that you’ll be surrounded by people who positively hold you accountable to help you all become more successful!

Know someone who would benefit from hearing this today? Share this with a friend or colleague now!

Delegating Effectively in 6 Steps

Delegating gets you (and others) ready for greater responsibilities and promotion, and offers the organization greater continuity while minimizing the loss of talent.

In a recent episode of "The Man & The Millennial" Show, we explored a secret to getting promoted that too many people overlook. Namely, delegating.

There is no perfect approach to delegating tasks. However, there are some steps in the delegation process that need to be clearly identified and clearly followed for delegating to be a win-win-win for your employee, the organization, and yourself.

Following these six steps will help you ensure you handle the conversation to delegate tasks the right way.

Set the Stage

Right up front share what the vision, purpose, and end goals are for the task/s you're delegating.

This helps your people understand exactly what they are working toward, why it is important, and what success will look like.

What Not How

Hear that very carefully. You don’t want to tell the person you’re delegating to how to do the job -- that’s micromanagement, not delegating.

But you do want him/her/they to know what the end result will look like. Do you want the results to be faster, cheaper, safer, or higher quality? Whatever it is, be specific.

Stephen Covey, in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, said, Begin with the end in mind.

Your people won’t know what the end should be unless you share it with them.

What Are The Limits?

In other words, don’t delegate a task to someone, let them go out with great excitement and enthusiasm, only to tell them later they overstepped important parameters.

It is defeating to hear:

"Oh, wait a minute, you can’t do that because we don’t have the time."

Or…

"We don’t have the money to do that."

Or…

"You can't use those resources on this."

Right up front, tell them:

This is your task.The end results should look like this.And you are limited by these parameters (time, money, other resources, authority, etc.)Did I Hear You Say...

In the conversation to delegate tasks, a lot of information is shared all at once. It is the responsibility of the person delegating the tasks to ensure the message is heard and received correctly.  

If anyone messes that up, it’s the one doing the delegating — not the one receiving the assignment.

The person you’re delegating to may be thinking,

"I’m still thinking about number one and they’re already on number three. I don’t even know what was said about number two!"  

That’s not a bad thing! It’s likely your employee is excited about the process and their mind is whirling with ideas. But you’ve moved forward with additional steps and they may have missed important information along the way.

For clarification, simply pause the conversation and ask:

"Okay, I know I have given you a lot of information. Tell me what have you heard me say so I can make sure I have communicated clearly and correctly."

What they repeat back to you may be incorrect.  Verbally take responsibility for not communicating clearly and then move forward with the correct information.

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That Gives Me An Idea...

Back to those thoughts that were swirling in your employee's mind...

"I would like to hear some of your initial ideas for this particular project — what are your first thoughts?"

Now, frankly, don’t expect too much because you’ve just now delegated the project to them. But, even in the early stage of delegation, ideas surface. You want to have at least an idea of what they are thinking.

But this is really important to keep in mind.

Ask about their ideas and plans before you tell them what you think good plans would be.

This way they feel freer to share their ideas. The point is, that leaders should want their employees to feel free to share ideas and thoughts without hindering or hampering that flow. The delegation conversation can be a great place for that!

Getting In On When

When you delegate a task,  create a completion date.  I’m a big believer that, whenever possible, create a negotiated completion date. In other words, I’m assigning the responsibility, however, I want my employee to be in on identifying and determining what that completion date would be.

For example, you can ask:

"So when do you think you can have this task completed?"

Allow them to respond and, if necessary, negotiate the timeline as needed. Also, include a midway follow-up meeting to discuss the progress of the project.  This will ensure that no one is waiting until the last minute to start the task.

Delegating in 6 Steps

Using these six steps when delegating tasks and responsibilities truly makes delegation a collaborative effort! Give it a try and watch the success you, your people, and your organization realizes!

ICYMI

"The Man & The Millennial" Show: Succession Planning & Delegation, Episode 12

LISTEN NOW

https://youtu.be/P9_AQUrKgOw

The Succession Planning Secret to Get Promoted

Photo by Greta Hoffman : https://www.pexels.com/photo/pensive-...

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When it comes to succession planning in your organization, are you in line to be promoted? Are you putting yourself in the best position to be considered? In too many cases, people looking to move up overlook one key step in their preparation. Let’s pull back the curtain on what decision-makers are looking for when promoting from within.

What Decision-Makers Look For

Here’s the scene: Department heads and HR staff are sitting in a conference room discussing the need to fill a position with a current employee (hopefully, you!) "We need for someone to step into this position — who is ready? Who is the right person?"

Immediately your name is identified. (YES!) And the discussion continues.

"Yes, absolutely, no question! He, she, they are definitely ready to take on this responsibility."

It was almost like a no-brainer — you are the definitive candidate! But then someone in the room invariably asks this question.

"Okay, I'm completely on board with this person for the promotion. But have we thought about who will take their position?"

And with that, everyone who was in favor of you starts to question if you’re the right fit after all.

"Their current role is so vital, but there’s not a clear-cut person to step in for them. I think we're going to have to go around them to someone who may be a lesser candidate, but who has somebody ready to backfill their position."

Ultimately, someone else got the opportunity. Not that they were a bad choice, they just weren't the first choice or maybe the best choice. You missed the promotion because no one had been prepared to step into your role.

Fast Lane or By-passed?

Believe me, that happens more often than you would like to think. So, let’s talk about the success planning secret that puts you in the fast lane — getting your successor ready.

If you’ve been identified to move up, but you’ve not been formally tasked with finding or preparing your replacement, that’s when we say, "Own it!" Training your successor could mean the difference between getting the promotion you want and being bypassed for some other candidate. Be the candidate that says, "I'm going to begin developing the person who would take my place so that when the succession planning conversation comes up, I’m ready with an answer."

How to Get Your Successor Ready

But where do you start?  We recommend you start with delegation.

In our leadership development and management training program, we oftentimes refer to delegation as a "fine art." And the reason we describe it that way is because delegation is not easily done, and it's not quickly learned. Delegation is an acquired skill that requires your time and attention. And you also have to experiment with delegating to get better at it.

Delegating isn’t merely the handing off of responsibilities. Delegating is about developing the other person. So consider handing off the tasks or responsibilities that will not just free up your time but will stretch and grow your successor. Here are two good places to start.

Recurring responsibilities. Delegate parts of your work that will teach your replacement a different piece of the job. For example, have your successor create daily supply lists, decide weekly work schedules, or produce recurring monthly reports.Hangover responsibilities or projects. These are efforts that could be beneficial to the organization but have been piled up on your desk for too long, for example, initial research or fact-finding steps to move a project forward.

(For a deeper dive on this, listen to Ep 12 of The Man & The Millennial Show.)

What Does Your Employee Think?

When delegating to develop your successor, we believe leaders must be able to think like employees, to empathize with them. So stop and ask yourself, "When I'm delegating, how is this going to make people think or feel?"

For example, if you're delegating a routine activity, might your employee think this... "They're just being selfish and trying to free up their time so they don't have to do this. They don't like this task and they’re pushing it off to me."

If you empathize with your employee, you may realize you need to take a different approach or communicate your intentions differently. For delegation to be a successful experience for you and your successor, clear expectations need to be communicated.

"Delegate to develop others." ~ Alyson Van Hooser

Check-In for Feedback

Throughout the delegation process, don't miss checking in with your employee. Get their feedback regularly on questions like: "How are you feeling this far in? What are you struggling with? What are you really enjoying? What do you want to do next?"

And, frankly, these questions should always be included: "Is this going the direction you want or should we do this in a different way? Is it too much, or too little? Are you ready for more responsibility or are you overwhelmed at this moment?"

You don't want to continue to delegate to a point that it becomes counterproductive to the organizational good, but in most cases, the people you delegate to will be excited to learn and do new things. And they’ll feel like you have faith, confidence, and trust in them.

And when their leader says, "I believe in you," and they believe in themselves, a whole different transformational process takes place!

Your Succession Planning Action Steps

If succession planning includes a step up, take a few minutes to consider your action steps. Who will take your place? What are the tasks that you could begin delegating to them?

What do they need to know to be able to do the job? What skillset, what knowledge, what foundation do they need? Then, do they know why they need to know it?

Finally, do they want the position?

Delegation is the succession planning secret to getting promoted, developing other team members, and setting your organization up for greater continuity and success!

Do your managers need help learning to delegate? That's what we do!Contact us now.

When ‘In Over Your Head’ Is a Good Thing

Feeling In Over Your Head?

It can be an overwhelming, unsettling, literally "I can't breathe" feeling. But for anyone really wanting to grow and succeed, being in over your head can actually be a good thing. Here's a quick story to illustrate the point.

Taking the Plunge

During a canoeing adventure on Missouri’s scenic Current River, a relaxing day with my friends quickly changed. A bend in the river revealed a concentration of abandoned canoes, their former occupants swinging merrily — one by one — from a rope attached to a large tree limb jutting out over the river.

As an observer, it looked like great fun! As a participant, I wanted no part of it. Why? Not because of the rope, the height, or even the ultimate plunge into the cold water.

Simply put, I lacked confidence in my swimming skills. And lacking confidence, I was sorely tempted to embrace complacency — and stay in my seemingly safe, secure boat.

My friends decided to participate, and they dared me to do the same. Finally, I could resist the pressure no longer. With my adrenalin pumping and my heart beating wildly, I grasped the rope and launched myself forward out over the river below. Companions and strangers alike joined in a chorus of encouragement. But after releasing the rope and tumbling into the chilly waters, I was alone.

And I was definitely in over my head.

The river’s gentle current quickly began pulling me downstream, away from my friends. Panicking, I kicked and flailed. And as a result, I tired quickly. Soon I had no other option — I had to pause and rest.

When I did, I made a significant discovery. I was no longer in over my head. The water in which I’d initially struggled was now less than waist-deep. Sheepishly, hoping no one else saw this revelation, I waded back to my canoe.

Complacency Cripples Growth

This river experience reminds me of an important question for business professionals pursuing greater success.

Posed by the author T.S. Eliot, is believed to have asked, “If you’re not in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?”

It’s a tragic fact that some professionals choose personal comfort by embracing complacency. They never really learn how "tall they are" or the full measure of what they can do.

And because of their complacent attitude, many problems arise around them. Inactivity — be it mental or physical — inevitably leads to decreased and deteriorating performance. And as performance deteriorates, so does the ability to positively influence and impact others.

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Testing The Waters

So, here’s a simple challenge intended to help you counteract complacency and "test the waters." As my canoeing friends did with me, I’ll do for you — I’ll dare you to take the challenge.

First, for fun, I dare you to go to some new restaurant and order the "chef ’s surprise." Don’t look at the menu. Don’t ask the waiter for a description of what you’ll get. Don’t even ask the price. Just take the leap! It will be fun — I promise!

Then on a professional level, I dare you to ask your team leader for more responsibility. Seriously!

For example, ask to be assigned to an internal performance improvement team. Or ask permission to revise your company’s new hire onboarding and orientation process. Or volunteer to teach some skill you possess to those interested in knowing what you already know.

In other words, get out of your comfortable boat and swing into action. You’ll learn new things, discover new truths about yourself and your abilities, and generally, be better for the experience — I promise!

Attitude Impacts Growth

This is the key to remember: What you do is far less important than the attitude that drives what you do. The attitude with which you approach anything ultimately impacts how much you grow.

Yes, I know your work plate is full. I also know it’s easy to get too comfortable in that safe little boat of yours. So there’s no better time than the present to take the plunge.

I predict the water in which you land will be manageable, and you'll find a host of people nearby to encourage you.

I anticipate you'll find the experience invigorating, and I imagine, if you actually get in over your head, it won’t be long until you know more about exactly "how tall you are."

Get ready for the adventure!

photo credit: yannick lepère pexels.com

Empathy Can Help You Wake Up Wealthier

Headlines everywhere are claiming that empathy is an important LEADERSHIP skill. But that’s not quite right. It’s a necessary SUCCESS skill. If we choose to change our mindset regarding empathy, it might just be the catalyst for a more successful future for you!

I am on a sold-out mission to show the world – to show you – the undeniable power of empathy and how it can transform your personal and professional success.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe in get rich quick schemes. Instead, over my lifetime, I’ve discovered that empathy can help you lead better, sell more, connect deeper, and ultimately, quite literally, wake up wealthier every single day.

Whether we're talking about navigating conflict, building a stronger team, selling more products and services, shifting a culture, improving communication, making better decisions, becoming more innovative, mending a broken relationship, earning trust and respect, etc., I've discovered that a simple choice to start with empathy can transform the outcome in the best way. In today's blog, I'll give you a brief example or two of just how a simple choice can help you wake up wealthier!

Three Types of Wealth

There are three ways I believe we can measure wealth.

RELATIONSHIPS

Your first thought might be money. And yes, that’s one way to measure wealth. However, it’s not the most meaningful way.

I believe the most meaningful way to measure wealth in this life is in the quality of the relationships we build with other people. If you talk to anyone who has lived a long, fulfilling life and asked them what the key to their happiness and contentment is – their overwhelming answer would be the deep connections they’ve built with the people they did life with at work or home, with their friends, family, and their community. If you want to have a rich life, you must invest in your relationships.

IMPACT

The second way to measure wealth in your life is in the impact you make either now or for the future. If you leave this world a better place for others, you might just find that is exactly what fills your soul and fulfills your purpose.

FINANCES

The third, most common way to measure wealth is from a financial perspective. Whether you’re trying to influence someone to buy more, to stay longer, or perform better…your ability to perform well can have a direct effect on just how financially wealthy you become.

Whether you measure your wealth in terms of the quality of your relationships, the level of impact you make, the number in your bank account, or a combination of all three -- if you want to wake up wealthier every day, hands down, start with empathy.

How to Make Empathy Work for Everyone

When most people think of empathy, they think of kindness and compassion. Not me. And from this point forward, I hope you don’t either. 

The benefits of compassion and kindness can sometimes only be one-sided. However, choosing empathy from the beginning, allows you to create better results for everyone involved.

The value of empathy is rooted in uncovering prioritized needs and being able to think like someone else. If you can learn to uncover the most important needs of someone else and think like them, then you give yourself the opportunity to create a unique roadmap to a more impactful result for both parties.

Empathy is a top success skill. It must be developed. When you can think like someone else and choose to meet their needs first, then you can lead better, sell more, and connect deeper. All of which lead to better outcomes for all involved.

Servant Heart vs. Empathetic Mind

I told you I'd give you an example of how empathy can help you become wealthier. Here’s one example from an "impact" perspective. Here you'll see that empathy was not used first, and the maximum impact was not realized in the end.

Servant leadership became mainstream in the 1970s and is now widely accepted and practiced today. Leading with a servant’s heart is important, however, leading with an empathetic mind is critical for maximum impact. 

Leading with a "Servant's Heart" is important, however, leading with an "Empathetic Mind" is critical.

-Alyson Van Hooser

An F4 tornado ripped through my community at about 10:00 pm several months ago. Before the sun had risen, semi-trucks full of bottled water were headed our way. Standing on my back porch, I could see a local church parking lot filling with pallets of bottled water for the next several days. So many kind, generous people from literally across the world wanted to help, to make a positive difference. They knew people were struggling here in Kentucky and had lost everything. They know that water is essential. So, with a servant’s heart, people gave their own time and resources to help. All who witnessed the generosity or was a beneficiary of it are still so deeply grateful, including me. 

Several days passed after the tornado hit and a disconnect became obvious to me. This was a familiar situation…one where we had incredibly compassionate, kind, servant leaders who were exhausting their resources to help and serve people by giving clean water. However, the donors weren’t making the positive impact they’d hoped for. Even months after the natural disaster, buildings were filled with donated goods and community leaders struggled to freely give it all away. Through social media and word of mouth, most of the appreciation and satisfaction that many expected to hear from the recipients of their generosity, was instead drowned out by the droves of people that desperately needed different resources such as heaters, baby formula, bottles, shoes, furniture, and shelter. There were important needs that were unmet. Because of that, the impact that was intended was not realized.

Oftentimes leaders are doing good work, but they're not meeting the real need of their people. When that happens, leaders are often confused when they don't get the response they thought they would from their people. I would suggest that what we have here is a lack of empathy. If we start with empathy, we save time, money, and maximize our return.

If you want to connect deeper, lead better, sell more, make a bigger impact, make sure you’re actually serving the real need your people have. Don’t assume you know the need. You might have a bias you don't even realize or be comparing their experience to your own -- which may be totally different in reality. Get to know their story. Uncover their need. Serve their need first, then work better together going forward. You’ll see results so much faster if you start with empathy before you take action!

The Transformational Power of Empathy

If you want to improve your success from a relationship, impact, or financial perspective, focus on people's needs. Maybe someone needs to feel as though they belong, as though you care, as though they’re respected, maybe they need a warm meal, a listening ear, etc. Start there, with empathy.

From a leadership perspective, one example may be that if an employee is struggling to get out of bed in the morning because they’re depressed, and yet you’re offering free pizza and hybrid work options to boost morale and performance, you might be wasting your resources. Start with empathy. Get to know your people on a very real level. Uncover their unmet need that will lead to a transformational outcome. Make a decision that meets their need first. When you do that, you’ll eliminate a barrier to an authentic connection which will give you permission to move forward toward the win-win outcome you crave.

If you look at this from a sales perspective, one example may be that Before you try to sell something, uncover the needs of your future customer. Maybe they need to know you’re honest, or that you’re not going to take advantage of them. It's possible they need to talk to you at a certain time or to talk fast...or maybe slow down. Start with empathy. When you do that, you uncover exactly how you need to move forward so they will be more likely to buy from you.

The transformational power of empathy lies in your ability to correctly uncover the most important needs people have and allows you to think like someone else. Empathy is a skill. It must be developed. When you’ve highly developed your ability to effectively empathize – to accurately uncover needs and think like someone else – THAT is how and when you begin to create your unique, extremely specific roadmap to success….ensuring every single day that either from a relationship, impact, or financial perspective, you can wake up wealthier.

How are you making sure your skill of empathy is the best it can be?