Jeff McManus's Blog, page 25

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.  

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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 ...

2 Components of Effective Training Programs

“You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them .”

—Michael Jordan

Companies spend a lot of time and money on training employees. Some bring in outside consultants. Others send key staff to off-site training facilities. Others even host their own. Unfortunately, too many companies see little to no return on their investment.

Many times, the problem isn’t with the company or people. They try their best to incorporate the lessons into their company and see little or no benefit....

The 3 R’s to Impactful Vision

“Your vision is a solution to a problem.”
—Andy Stanley

Vision statements can be a powerful way to lead a team to success because they help get every team member working together toward a common goal. If you’ve struggled to put together a vision statement for your team, or if your vision statement has failed to stick, it’s possible your statement is missing one of the following “Three Rs” of effective vision statements.

Relatable

Vision statements need to be big enough to relate to everyone i...

2 Reasons Every Company Needs a Vision Statement

“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”
—Warren Bennis

What is the purpose behind the work you do every day? Pretty standard responses to this question include “to provide for myself” or “to provide for my family.” Although those are important, they suggest the person saying it doesn’t know the purpose behind the work they do; they don’t suggest the people know why their work really matters.

Clear, motivating vision statements challenge everyone on the team to do their...