so your vision is never lost.
LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS
Most of us realize that in order for our organization to realize the potential success we know is possible, a strategic plan must be in place. Common knowledge, right? According to a recent study of 26,000 start-up companies, 67% had no written plan. The same study found that businesses that have and use a strategic plan are 12% more profitable than those who have no plan. Ensuring the commitment of your team to the company’s vision and goals is a […]
The mind and heart can envision and feel great things, but so many times there is a disconnect in where we are today vs. where we desire to be. While there are many necessary pieces to bridging that gap, one of the key girders is accountability: the willingness to do what one says. Part of this is holding others accountable. There must be both individual and team accountability for a business to work effectively. I am reminded of Peter Block’s […]
Millennial Employees now represent the largest portion of the workplace. Organizations must adjust their day-to-day strategies to accommodate this group in terms of schedule, career path as well as reassurance of a job well done. In fact, 66% of American Millennial’s said they felt an organization that adopts a flexible, mobile and remote work model has a competitive advantage over one that requires employees to be in the office from 9am to 5pm, according to a Connected World Technology report. […]
In this “Drive Through With Don”, he discusses two different teams and the effect communication had on the success of the businesses. One team was struggling and frustrated and they communicated very poorly with each other. Poor communication damaged relationships, created mistrust among the team members and any efforts to turn this around were either blocked or given very little effort. Once a team becomes ineffective it bleeds over to customers and suppliers and before too long, the problem […]
Poor Communication costs you, both professionally and personally. One source estimates employee misunderstandings cost organizations $37 billion per year. “Misunderstandings” are defined as: actions or errors of omission by employees who were misinformed (or misunderstood) company policies, business processes, job functions or a combination of all three. Additionally, communication barriers resulting in productivity losses had a cumulative cost of $26,041 per year per worker. Leaders must make a conscious decision to improve. Eighty five percent of our success in life […]
A clear, effective communication skill is one of the best attributes a person can develop. It equips you to be successful professionally and personally. By communication, we mean stating your needs clearly and listening to others with the intention of fully understanding what they are trying to say. It is a “two-way” street. Can you identify with this example? It is the job of leaders to go to the unknown and find out what’s there. Asking employees for honest […]
Meetings can cost a lot of money if they are not productive. If your manager has put you in charge of leading an upcoming meeting, ensure it goes well by using these guidelines: Goals: have specific, tangible SMAART Goals for the meeting, as well as sub goals. Transform the goals into questions. Questions: ask questions that get them thinking about the whole organization. The objective is to get them to see, think about and consider the entire map and not […]
When my brother-in-law started applying for jobs in our home town, everyone had advice and recommendations. “I know someone at the car factory!” “Don’t forget the cabinet company!” “The rolled aluminum plant is always hiring.” There was one piece of advice that he heard over and over. “Don’t work at the foundry. We’ve heard it’s risky over there and we don’t want you getting hurt.” The foundry paid well and had great benefits, but its safety record was lacking. Managers […]