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 […]
When most people think of communication, they think about talking and passing along information, advice or opinions. Effective communication also involves actively listening, knowing when to speak and when to stay silent. Keep in mind that 85% of what we communicate is nonverbal so in addition to being patient, your face and actions must also be considered. All organizations maintain that they value open communication, but few listen to their staff, customers and suppliers effectively. Listening, like any other skill, […]
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 […]
The truth is there is no BEST way. Regardless of the type of training, there is no one way to do it and one size definitely does not fit all. Each of us has an overwhelming need to be understood. When it comes to teaching people and you desire learning and communication to occur, we have found that working from the inside out and utilizing all styles of learning is the most rewarding and is critical to achieving the […]
As a leader you must continually build your techniques, capabilities and habits. You need to be able to evaluate honestly where you are, what strengths you have and what you need to work on. Some of the improvements can be external, some internal and at times it is simply awareness of your weaknesses. “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of […]
It should have been an easy meeting. Management at all levels agreed on the path for the new initiative. It wasn’t really a time for discussion; it was a time to explain plans and to set goals. And then, a lowly associate asked to speak. Point by point, goal by goal, the associate tore into the agreed-upon solutions. Management was taking the wrong direction. The new program would fail without key changes. He could see the flaws in their plan, […]
Think back on your work career; try to remember those leaders or mentors that really stand out. What made you think of them? Why did they stand out? If you are remembering more than one, were they both the same type of leader? There are different styles of leadership and each one of them may bring success, but great leaders, must also possess the ability to unify those around him or her and those that report to them. They also […]
In the day to day operation of a business, at times you may find that there are tasks that need to be done that aren’t complicated but they are necessary. You may be inclined to push through them quickly without much thought, planning or care. We encourage you to be sure that you aren’t carrying a lazy man’s load, meaning you pile these tasks on and hurriedly go about accomplishing them haphazardly in a rush to get them done. […]
At this time of year we look at the trends emerging for next year and for a few years to come. Here are a few of our observations: We have seen that teams, organizations and leaders have become much more flexible and fluid to stabilize their structure and organizations. Leaders are paying more attention to millennials. A purpose must be created and a value system understood with a clear sign of progress seen to attract, motivate and retain this group […]