Jeff McManus's Blog, page 24

Reinventing ourselves continuously

If you’re like me, you looked at the title of this blog and said, “What in the world does that even mean?” What comes to mind when you read that phrase?

It means I am wanting and needing to grow each day. Sometimes, I get comfortable and complacent where I am. I must look for ways to improve what I do and how I do it.

I saw a tweet recently that said, “If you don’t like change, you’re going to like being irrelevant even less.”

It’s easy to get comfortable and not want to make needed imp...

The secret of what attitude really does

How important is attitude as a leader? Studies show that most people like their job based on their relationship with their boss.  

Attitude, not your job knowledge, will determine if people want to work with each other.  

Did you ever get a grade in school for attitude?  

Our attitude also affects the success and morale of the team. Putting a good attitude out in the world is contagious in a positive way. Negative attitudes are contagious too. 

Whether you're a current leader on your...

When it comes to employees, are you asking these important questions?

Have you ever been in a situation where you find yourself questioning whether or not you should keep a certain employee? I heard a person give a talk once and he gave out these 3 questions. I have used them often to help me determine if I need to address a situation with a staff person. Here they are:  

Is the employee doing the job? Is the employee following the rules?  Is the employee interfering with others?  

Answering these three questions can help determine your next step of ...

The 4 F’s of Leadership

When I was first introduced to the 4 F’s of leadership, I was taken aback at how game changing they were for the members of our team. Never heard of these 4 F’s? Don’t worry, we’re going to take a closer look into them now.  

Whether you’re new to leadership or have led a team for many years, these 4 traits can help you better understand how your role as a leader affects your team’s morale and success rate.  

Be fair. This concept is incredibly important for leaders to understand. Being fa...

5 tips all new leaders should know

So, you’ve recently found yourself promoted to the position of leader in your organization? Congratulations! This is a huge step in your journey as a leader, and it’s not something to be taken lightly.  

As a leader myself, I’ve found there are 5 tips that can drastically help you transition into the role of leader.  

Lead yourself exceptionally well  

When you step into a leadership role, you become the one responsible for your team’s success. Therefore, modeling the right attitude and...

5 tips when promoting someone new

In your journey as a leader, there will be plenty of challenges you face along the way. One of the best and most rewarding opportunities I hope you get to experience is getting to promote someone on your team to lead others. 

It is a big deal for them, for you and the team. Over my last 30 plus years, I have gotten to promote some great people to a leadership role. Let me share 5 quick tips that I have found very useful for their success, which in turn leads to your organization’s success.  

...

Leading by example

Did you know that 90 percent of all teams are influenced by one specific type of communication? Curious about what it could be? Well, the answer is leading by example. 

Most people forget about this in the heat of the moment, and some don’t even consider it a type of communication. But your attitude and how it translates to your team will affect the overall culture of your workplace.  

When leading by example, keep in mind that a humble approach can vastly improve your interaction with you...

The 4 L’s of Great Leadership

When finding out what it takes to be a leader, don't forget to take into account the 4 L's of great leadership. Believe it or not, the 4 L’s are all about communication. But what are they exactly? 

Listen. To be an inspiring and motivational leader, you need to be a great listener at key times. One of the main things I’ve learned over the years is how important it is to spend one-on-one time with my leaders and even key employees. Yes, it does take a little more time to do this, but it saves ...

Five traits of a loyal team member

In the past, I’ve spoken and written about trust, as well as the actions that breed trust. One day as a few of us on staff were discussing the definition of loyalty, I was reminded of that message. The answers I related to best were straight from our front line team members. 

“To be trusted, to do the right thing no matter the cost…sticking together through the good and bad…not giving up, staying committed…always being there…they’ve got your back…someone in the trenches with you.”

All of t...

Do you work for a helicopter boss or are you one yourself?

Generally speaking, no one likes being micromanaged, but more than likely, you’ve worked with a micromanager at some point in your career. 

An employee’s drive and ambition are quickly killed when a helicopter boss is in the mix. Along with affecting the employees, micromanagers also create environments of distrust, over-dependence, and stress. 

The crazy thing is, so many micromanagers don’t even realize what they are doing. No one wants to think of themselves as a helicopter boss, which ...