Do you ever empower someone, only to later realize you put them in the wrong position or role?
The art of employee empowerment is something that must be done very specifically and strategically. If we use a "shot-gun" approach when giving employees new tasks and putting employees into new roles, we are setting them, ourselves and the team up to fail. While occasionally the situation will call for it, most of the time we can't blindly empower others just because the new task matches what other people with the same job title are good at or simply just because we "have a feeling" they will like it or do well - more thought and decision making must go into the process.
The first step in the process actually has nothing to do with the employee - we FIRST need to fully understand the role we are putting them in, and pick it apart as much as we can - an activity called RTR (role/task/responsibility) Evaluation. We should look at the RTR we are considering them for, and ask ourselves questions such as: What specific skills are needed, what level of experience must they already have prior to moving forward, what strengths are helpful for them to have, what resources might they need, and who has successfully done this in the past?
When we are able to gather all of the answers to the above questions, we can then take the next step which is to evaluate our team and decide who the best person for the job might be. When we are effectively (and consistently) evaluating all of the competencies, roles, tasks, and responsibilities that our employees might be empowered with, it will give us a much better chance of putting the right person into the right position - resulting in their (and our) success!
**This week's tip was taken from "Empowering Others for Success" which is the July session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Showing posts with label coaching employees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coaching employees. Show all posts
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Raise the Commitment Level of Your Employees!
First, ask yourself...
As a leader, are you setting the right example that will encourage commitment from your employees?
Contrary to what some people might tell you, employees today DO want to be loyal and committed to the organization. They take pride in going above and beyond. They desire to feel like they are really making a difference and contributing to the success of the company. But 99 times out of 100, they will not feel this way simply out of the blue; it begins with the actions of the leader or manager. Ensuring our employees are fully committed to the organization starts with the leader. A great leader shows the employees that they are fully committed to doing the same things that are expected out of the employees.
For instance, do you "live" the mission and vision of the company that you so often preach? Are you willing to roll up your sleeves and help out to get the "not so glamorous" work done when you know it will benefit the team? Are you proactively looking for ways to improve your performance? Do you have a positive attitude towards the company? Are you willing to do whatever you have to do in order to satisfy a customer?
Employees can't be told, tricked, forced, manipulated or "managed" into committing to the organization. They must make that choice on their own, but it is up to the leaders to help them make the right choice! As leaders, our actions ALWAYS speak MUCH louder than words. When those around us see that we "practice what we preach," they will be much quicker and more eager to fall in line and be led!
**This week's tip was taken from "Committing to a Common Vision" which is the November session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
As a leader, are you setting the right example that will encourage commitment from your employees?
Contrary to what some people might tell you, employees today DO want to be loyal and committed to the organization. They take pride in going above and beyond. They desire to feel like they are really making a difference and contributing to the success of the company. But 99 times out of 100, they will not feel this way simply out of the blue; it begins with the actions of the leader or manager. Ensuring our employees are fully committed to the organization starts with the leader. A great leader shows the employees that they are fully committed to doing the same things that are expected out of the employees.
For instance, do you "live" the mission and vision of the company that you so often preach? Are you willing to roll up your sleeves and help out to get the "not so glamorous" work done when you know it will benefit the team? Are you proactively looking for ways to improve your performance? Do you have a positive attitude towards the company? Are you willing to do whatever you have to do in order to satisfy a customer?
Employees can't be told, tricked, forced, manipulated or "managed" into committing to the organization. They must make that choice on their own, but it is up to the leaders to help them make the right choice! As leaders, our actions ALWAYS speak MUCH louder than words. When those around us see that we "practice what we preach," they will be much quicker and more eager to fall in line and be led!
**This week's tip was taken from "Committing to a Common Vision" which is the November session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Completely Prevent Nasty Conflict!
First, ask yourself...
Do you find that some of your past conflicts should and could have been avoided in the first place?
When working in a team environment, we as human beings are guaranteed to disagree, have differences of opinion, and not see eye-to-eye with others - this is what we call "normal differences." Due to our unique personalities and unique past experiences, these normal differences are absolutely avoidable. These situations do not have to result in heated or disruptive conflicts or arguments, but when we don't handle them correctly, that's exactly what happens!
There are many ways to help resolve normal differences in a healthy way without allowing them to result in disruptive conflict. One of the first and easiest steps to take is for both parties to agree to take time to sit down and share their opinions, what they know about the situation, their feelings, and what they feel the issues are. Remember, each party will undoubtedly have their own opinions and experiences that they are drawing their conclusions from, and sharing those thoughts with each other is the ONLY way to ensure both parties are on the same page.
All it takes is the effort to open up with each other. When this simple act of casual dialogue occurs, the parties will often find that the "normal difference" is not as big or meaningful as they thought and that there is a logical solution available- therefore avoiding a full-blown conflict, and at the same time, setting the stage for another successful interaction when the next normal difference occurs in the future!
**This week's tip was taken from "Resolving Conflict Successfully" which is the September session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Do you find that some of your past conflicts should and could have been avoided in the first place?
When working in a team environment, we as human beings are guaranteed to disagree, have differences of opinion, and not see eye-to-eye with others - this is what we call "normal differences." Due to our unique personalities and unique past experiences, these normal differences are absolutely avoidable. These situations do not have to result in heated or disruptive conflicts or arguments, but when we don't handle them correctly, that's exactly what happens!
There are many ways to help resolve normal differences in a healthy way without allowing them to result in disruptive conflict. One of the first and easiest steps to take is for both parties to agree to take time to sit down and share their opinions, what they know about the situation, their feelings, and what they feel the issues are. Remember, each party will undoubtedly have their own opinions and experiences that they are drawing their conclusions from, and sharing those thoughts with each other is the ONLY way to ensure both parties are on the same page.
All it takes is the effort to open up with each other. When this simple act of casual dialogue occurs, the parties will often find that the "normal difference" is not as big or meaningful as they thought and that there is a logical solution available- therefore avoiding a full-blown conflict, and at the same time, setting the stage for another successful interaction when the next normal difference occurs in the future!
**This week's tip was taken from "Resolving Conflict Successfully" which is the September session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Getting Your Employees Committed!
First, ask yourself...
Could every single employee of yours accurately recite the company's goals for this year?
When everyone within an organization is working towards achieving one common goal, it significantly helps to develop things such as communication, teamwork, and overall employee motivation and commitment. When this is the case, a strong competitive advantage is created, and a much stronger level of employee engagement throughout the organization will build.
There are many ways to align your employees' thinking so that they are focused on doing whatever they can to help the team accomplish its goals, but the VERY FIRST thing the organization can and should do is simple: Share the goals with employees! If the employees are going to play a role in helping the company accomplish the goals, how can you expect them to do so when EVERYONE is not crystal clear on what they are trying to achieve?
Take a moment to consider how clear your communication has been with employees in regards to overall goals. If you believe there is an opportunity for management to be more open with employees about exact goals and how the organization plans to achieve them, take a moment to re-evaluate your communication approach. Just consider this: If the company has an overall goal of expanding operations into a new state, there is no possible way for an employee to approach her manager with a great idea about how to help the company do that, if she didn't know what the goal was in the first place!
**This week's tip was taken from "Committing to a Common Vision" which is the November session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Could every single employee of yours accurately recite the company's goals for this year?
When everyone within an organization is working towards achieving one common goal, it significantly helps to develop things such as communication, teamwork, and overall employee motivation and commitment. When this is the case, a strong competitive advantage is created, and a much stronger level of employee engagement throughout the organization will build.
There are many ways to align your employees' thinking so that they are focused on doing whatever they can to help the team accomplish its goals, but the VERY FIRST thing the organization can and should do is simple: Share the goals with employees! If the employees are going to play a role in helping the company accomplish the goals, how can you expect them to do so when EVERYONE is not crystal clear on what they are trying to achieve?
Take a moment to consider how clear your communication has been with employees in regards to overall goals. If you believe there is an opportunity for management to be more open with employees about exact goals and how the organization plans to achieve them, take a moment to re-evaluate your communication approach. Just consider this: If the company has an overall goal of expanding operations into a new state, there is no possible way for an employee to approach her manager with a great idea about how to help the company do that, if she didn't know what the goal was in the first place!
**This week's tip was taken from "Committing to a Common Vision" which is the November session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Help Your Employees Provide Better INTERNAL Service!
First, ask yourself...
Would you like employees within your company to make the effort to go above and beyond, for each other?
Focusing on providing an outstanding level of service to internal customers can do wonders for teamwork, conflict resolution and communication - but unless everyone is on the exact same page with what "outstanding service" truly is, we are setting people up to fail in terms of meeting our expectations as well as those of the organization.
The first thing that must be done to develop an effective and consistent internal customer focus is to clearly define exactly what you expect. All companies have visions, but very few have what is called a service vision. A service vision is not much different than an overall company vision - it is realistic, easy to interpret, commonly understood by all, inspiring, and meaningful. Its purpose is to describe the type of service the organization expects, and provide a road map for individuals as to how to act with, and treat others.
Remember, it is one thing to expect individual employees to provide above and beyond service for each other, and it's another thing for them to FIRST clearly understand what "above and beyond service" really is. When this is true and the vision is effectively communicated through the organization, employees will be
motivated to live it, they will be confident that that same level of service will be reciprocated for them, relationships with strengthen, attitudes will become much better, and even the service provided to the external customer will be enhanced as well!
**This week's tip was taken from "Internal & External Customer Focus" which is the August session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Would you like employees within your company to make the effort to go above and beyond, for each other?
Focusing on providing an outstanding level of service to internal customers can do wonders for teamwork, conflict resolution and communication - but unless everyone is on the exact same page with what "outstanding service" truly is, we are setting people up to fail in terms of meeting our expectations as well as those of the organization.
The first thing that must be done to develop an effective and consistent internal customer focus is to clearly define exactly what you expect. All companies have visions, but very few have what is called a service vision. A service vision is not much different than an overall company vision - it is realistic, easy to interpret, commonly understood by all, inspiring, and meaningful. Its purpose is to describe the type of service the organization expects, and provide a road map for individuals as to how to act with, and treat others.
Remember, it is one thing to expect individual employees to provide above and beyond service for each other, and it's another thing for them to FIRST clearly understand what "above and beyond service" really is. When this is true and the vision is effectively communicated through the organization, employees will be
motivated to live it, they will be confident that that same level of service will be reciprocated for them, relationships with strengthen, attitudes will become much better, and even the service provided to the external customer will be enhanced as well!
**This week's tip was taken from "Internal & External Customer Focus" which is the August session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Expectations for Conflict Resolution
First, ask yourself...
Is everyone on your team in agreement as to how to approach a conflict?
Conflicts in the workplace don't just appear out of the blue. They are typically caused by what is known as a normal difference, which includes things such as: a difference in opinion, difference in goals, difference in communication styles, difference in past experiences, a difference in motivation, etc. When working side by side with other human beings, normal differences are common and often unavoidable. But in order to help reduce the number of these normal differences that turn into full-blown conflicts, it's vital for everyone to be on the same page as to how to handle them when they do come up!
How should you approach someone you don't agree with? How quickly should you make the confrontation? Should you involve others, or go right to the source? What sorts of things should you personally consider prior to approaching the person in the first place? The above questions were just a few potential expectations that when determined, communicated, and agreed upon by the team will help to stop the normal differences from turning into something much more disruptive.
These normal differences can't be counted on to work themselves out. It is vital to have agreed-upon expectations and even a formal process in place as to how to approach others when a normal difference occurs, and then how to work it out to ensure that both parties are happy with the result.
Is everyone on your team in agreement as to how to approach a conflict?
Conflicts in the workplace don't just appear out of the blue. They are typically caused by what is known as a normal difference, which includes things such as: a difference in opinion, difference in goals, difference in communication styles, difference in past experiences, a difference in motivation, etc. When working side by side with other human beings, normal differences are common and often unavoidable. But in order to help reduce the number of these normal differences that turn into full-blown conflicts, it's vital for everyone to be on the same page as to how to handle them when they do come up!
How should you approach someone you don't agree with? How quickly should you make the confrontation? Should you involve others, or go right to the source? What sorts of things should you personally consider prior to approaching the person in the first place? The above questions were just a few potential expectations that when determined, communicated, and agreed upon by the team will help to stop the normal differences from turning into something much more disruptive.
These normal differences can't be counted on to work themselves out. It is vital to have agreed-upon expectations and even a formal process in place as to how to approach others when a normal difference occurs, and then how to work it out to ensure that both parties are happy with the result.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Setting the right example as a leader
First, ask yourself...
As a leader, do you set the right example?
Contrary to what some people might tell you, employees today do want to be committed to the organization. They take pride in going above and beyond. They desire to feel like they are really making a difference and contributing to the success of the company. But 99 times out of 100, they will not feel this way simply out of the blue; it begins with the actions of the leader or manager. Ensuring our employees are fully committed to the organization starts with you. As the leader, show your employees that you are fully committed to doing the same things that you are expecting out of them.
For instance, do you "live" the mission and vision of the company that you so often preach? Are you willing to roll up your sleeves and help out to get the "not so glamorous" work done when you know it will benefit the team? Are you proactively looking for ways to improve your performance? Do you have a positive attitude towards the company? Are you willing to do whatever you have to do in order to satisfy a customer?
Employees can't be told, tricked, forced, manipulated or "managed" into committing to the organization. They must make that choice on their own, but it is up to the leaders to help them make the right choice! As leaders, our actions ALWAYS speak MUCH louder than words. When those around us see that we "practice what we preach," they will be much quicker and more eager to fall in line and be led!
**This week's tip was taken from "Committing to a Common Vision" which is the November session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
As a leader, do you set the right example?
Contrary to what some people might tell you, employees today do want to be committed to the organization. They take pride in going above and beyond. They desire to feel like they are really making a difference and contributing to the success of the company. But 99 times out of 100, they will not feel this way simply out of the blue; it begins with the actions of the leader or manager. Ensuring our employees are fully committed to the organization starts with you. As the leader, show your employees that you are fully committed to doing the same things that you are expecting out of them.
For instance, do you "live" the mission and vision of the company that you so often preach? Are you willing to roll up your sleeves and help out to get the "not so glamorous" work done when you know it will benefit the team? Are you proactively looking for ways to improve your performance? Do you have a positive attitude towards the company? Are you willing to do whatever you have to do in order to satisfy a customer?
Employees can't be told, tricked, forced, manipulated or "managed" into committing to the organization. They must make that choice on their own, but it is up to the leaders to help them make the right choice! As leaders, our actions ALWAYS speak MUCH louder than words. When those around us see that we "practice what we preach," they will be much quicker and more eager to fall in line and be led!
**This week's tip was taken from "Committing to a Common Vision" which is the November session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Coaching Employees for Success
First, ask yourself...
Do your employees keep coming back to you when faced with the same challenges, over and over?
When you, as a leader, choose to coach your employee rather than simply manage them, you are putting in time and effort to help that employee become better in the long term. The way you can have the biggest impact on the employee when coaching them is by helping them to figure things out, complete tasks, make decisions and accomplish their goals - all through their own efforts, using their own brain!
The best way to put them in a situation to do so is to first, think of all the ways you are always fixing, advising, telling, directing or rescuing them - and stop! When they come to you with a problem (one that you would like them to ultimately be able to solve on their own) or a question (one that you would like them to eventually know the answer to on their own), put the ball back in their court. Help them to figure things out by asking things like: What do you think the solution to this problem is? What resources do you have to accomplish this task? What do you think the best choice would be in this scenario? How else might you get around those obstacles? What is your plan to get it done? What experiences can you draw from in the past that will help you in this situation?
Simply asking questions like these will help you to engage employees in the decision making process, help them to be creative and think outside the box, and help them to take responsibility for getting the job done. But this process takes time, effort and patience on your end, so what are the benefits for you? Simple! You will have more capable employees who have more confidence in themselves, and best of all - the time you spend now being proactive will result in time saved putting out fires and reacting to problems in the future, making you and the team more productive!
**This tip was taken from "Growing by Coaching & Learning" which is the May session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Do your employees keep coming back to you when faced with the same challenges, over and over?
When you, as a leader, choose to coach your employee rather than simply manage them, you are putting in time and effort to help that employee become better in the long term. The way you can have the biggest impact on the employee when coaching them is by helping them to figure things out, complete tasks, make decisions and accomplish their goals - all through their own efforts, using their own brain!
The best way to put them in a situation to do so is to first, think of all the ways you are always fixing, advising, telling, directing or rescuing them - and stop! When they come to you with a problem (one that you would like them to ultimately be able to solve on their own) or a question (one that you would like them to eventually know the answer to on their own), put the ball back in their court. Help them to figure things out by asking things like: What do you think the solution to this problem is? What resources do you have to accomplish this task? What do you think the best choice would be in this scenario? How else might you get around those obstacles? What is your plan to get it done? What experiences can you draw from in the past that will help you in this situation?
Simply asking questions like these will help you to engage employees in the decision making process, help them to be creative and think outside the box, and help them to take responsibility for getting the job done. But this process takes time, effort and patience on your end, so what are the benefits for you? Simple! You will have more capable employees who have more confidence in themselves, and best of all - the time you spend now being proactive will result in time saved putting out fires and reacting to problems in the future, making you and the team more productive!
**This tip was taken from "Growing by Coaching & Learning" which is the May session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Setting Expectations to help with Productivity
First, ask yourself...
Do expectations (or lack thereof) influence your team's effectiveness or productivity?
Today's organization is run (and structured) much differently than that of years past. Organizations today are MUCH more interdependent - meaning other people and other departments play a role (sometimes a significant one) helping one another accomplish ultimate goals. We interact with more people in many more areas of the organization as well- we are no longer confined to our silos within our respective departments or locations/branches. Finally, it is much more common today to "bounce around" within one company due to broader job descriptions, the desire to have cross-functional skills and employees, and the increase of technology.
The above are just a few reasons why having clear expectations for our teams is so vital. These expectations are referred to as Team Operating Norms (TONs). A few examples of common TONs are: the way members of the team approach conflict, the process for meetings, how we give/receive feedback, and how we communicate with each other.
TONs help to ensure that any new members joining the team (whether the stay will be permanent or simply for a single project) are crystal clear on expectations, and understand how to interact with the other members of the team - especially when the new team members are already used to working and interacting in a DIFFERENT way based on their last job or team. And don't forget, TONs also help to significantly increase productivity, strengthen relationships, and enhance the effectiveness of communication amongst the current members of the team!
Do expectations (or lack thereof) influence your team's effectiveness or productivity?
Today's organization is run (and structured) much differently than that of years past. Organizations today are MUCH more interdependent - meaning other people and other departments play a role (sometimes a significant one) helping one another accomplish ultimate goals. We interact with more people in many more areas of the organization as well- we are no longer confined to our silos within our respective departments or locations/branches. Finally, it is much more common today to "bounce around" within one company due to broader job descriptions, the desire to have cross-functional skills and employees, and the increase of technology.
The above are just a few reasons why having clear expectations for our teams is so vital. These expectations are referred to as Team Operating Norms (TONs). A few examples of common TONs are: the way members of the team approach conflict, the process for meetings, how we give/receive feedback, and how we communicate with each other.
TONs help to ensure that any new members joining the team (whether the stay will be permanent or simply for a single project) are crystal clear on expectations, and understand how to interact with the other members of the team - especially when the new team members are already used to working and interacting in a DIFFERENT way based on their last job or team. And don't forget, TONs also help to significantly increase productivity, strengthen relationships, and enhance the effectiveness of communication amongst the current members of the team!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Promote Open Communication With Your Employees!
First, ask yourself...
Would you like your employees to feel more encouraged to share their ideas and opinions?
We are all familiar with the concept of "walking the talk" which means to follow through on what we say because in reality, our actions speak louder than words. As leaders, it is vital to walk the talk when it comes to promoting the idea of "open" communication, because when our actions do not mirror our words, dramatic negative fallout can occur. When employees feel that they cannot approach their manager with a question, concern, or simply to challenge something they don't agree with, the following are likely to happen: more long-term conflicts will take place, innovation will be stifled, reactive attitudes will form instead of proactive ones, and there will be a lack of trust within relationships.
If an environment of honest, open communication is something we desire to have, we can't simply just talk about it; employees must see it taking place, and it starts with us, as leaders, actively promoting it. Actions such as proactively soliciting feedback (even if we know it might not be all wonderful compliments), encouraging others to play devil's advocate (especially to our opinions), and commending others for proposing ideas that might be different from ours will show that we actually mean what we say about open, honest dialogue.
Taking these proactive steps makes it clear to the others on the team that their opinions matter and that we value what they bring to the table - likely resulting in an increased level of employee engagement and sense of ownership.
**This tip was taken from "Promoting Open & Healthy Dialogue" which is the October session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Would you like your employees to feel more encouraged to share their ideas and opinions?
We are all familiar with the concept of "walking the talk" which means to follow through on what we say because in reality, our actions speak louder than words. As leaders, it is vital to walk the talk when it comes to promoting the idea of "open" communication, because when our actions do not mirror our words, dramatic negative fallout can occur. When employees feel that they cannot approach their manager with a question, concern, or simply to challenge something they don't agree with, the following are likely to happen: more long-term conflicts will take place, innovation will be stifled, reactive attitudes will form instead of proactive ones, and there will be a lack of trust within relationships.
If an environment of honest, open communication is something we desire to have, we can't simply just talk about it; employees must see it taking place, and it starts with us, as leaders, actively promoting it. Actions such as proactively soliciting feedback (even if we know it might not be all wonderful compliments), encouraging others to play devil's advocate (especially to our opinions), and commending others for proposing ideas that might be different from ours will show that we actually mean what we say about open, honest dialogue.
Taking these proactive steps makes it clear to the others on the team that their opinions matter and that we value what they bring to the table - likely resulting in an increased level of employee engagement and sense of ownership.
**This tip was taken from "Promoting Open & Healthy Dialogue" which is the October session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Successfully Empower Your Employees!
First, ask yourself...
Would you like to be able to empower your employees to make more decisions on their own?
Empowering employees helps free up the manager's time for more important tasks, and helps to develop the employees' skills and increase their engagement at the same time. Empowerment is obviously a good thing, but how come we are not always able to empower our employees as much as we would like? Well, many factors contribute, but one that is often overlooked is the amount of information we share with them, and how this act (information sharing) directly impacts our ability to empower, and their success when empowered!
When we actively and openly share information with our employees, 3 major outcomes are likely to occur:
This tip was taken from "Empowering Others for Success" which is the July session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Would you like to be able to empower your employees to make more decisions on their own?
Empowering employees helps free up the manager's time for more important tasks, and helps to develop the employees' skills and increase their engagement at the same time. Empowerment is obviously a good thing, but how come we are not always able to empower our employees as much as we would like? Well, many factors contribute, but one that is often overlooked is the amount of information we share with them, and how this act (information sharing) directly impacts our ability to empower, and their success when empowered!
When we actively and openly share information with our employees, 3 major outcomes are likely to occur:
- Commitment and overall employee engagement will increase since they will feel like a bigger and more integral part of the team
- The amount of innovation and proactiveness on their part will skyrocket
- They will have the knowledge and ability to make decisions on their own (no longer will they have to run to us every time they have a question, or encounter a problem or challenge).
This tip was taken from "Empowering Others for Success" which is the July session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Take More Responsibility!
First, ask yourself...
Is your reaction to a situation ever to immediately avoid responsibility, without even realizing it?
Given the choice, most people would choose to accept responsibility for their lives. After all, who doesn't like being in control of their own destiny? The problem is that we often fall into a reactive, or victim-like state of mind without even realizing it, simply due to the language that we use on a regular basis! Think about it...how many times in a given day do you use phrases like "I can't..." or "I need to..." or "I have to..."?
When we use reactive phrases like these, it automatically puts us into a subconscious "victim" state of mind where we are giving up control of what happens, and basically saying to ourselves "I have no power, it's not up to me anymore." When this is the case, it's no wonder we disown responsibility, and then tend to blame others or make excuses.
The next time you are about to say one of these phrases, try changing the words you use and see what happens to your attitude. In the future:
Replace I can't... with "I won't..."
Replace I have to... with "I choose to..."
Replace I need to... with "I want to..."
Is your reaction to a situation ever to immediately avoid responsibility, without even realizing it?
Given the choice, most people would choose to accept responsibility for their lives. After all, who doesn't like being in control of their own destiny? The problem is that we often fall into a reactive, or victim-like state of mind without even realizing it, simply due to the language that we use on a regular basis! Think about it...how many times in a given day do you use phrases like "I can't..." or "I need to..." or "I have to..."?
When we use reactive phrases like these, it automatically puts us into a subconscious "victim" state of mind where we are giving up control of what happens, and basically saying to ourselves "I have no power, it's not up to me anymore." When this is the case, it's no wonder we disown responsibility, and then tend to blame others or make excuses.
The next time you are about to say one of these phrases, try changing the words you use and see what happens to your attitude. In the future:
Replace I can't... with "I won't..."
Replace I have to... with "I choose to..."
Replace I need to... with "I want to..."
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Build Trust With Employees
First, ask yourself...
Does the lack of trust you share with a co-worker ever decrease your ability to be effective?
Trust is one of the main foundations of any successful organization. Why? Because of the need for interdependence: other people, teams, and departments have an influence on how well we perform or the success we have in doing our job 100% right.
When considering trust, there are 3 components that contribute to the amount given and received:
Integrity - The individual acts in accordance with values/principles, and they can be counted on to keep their word (ex: Your employees arrive on-time to work when you are out of town at a conference and there is nobody watching)
Competence - The individual is fully capable of performing their roles and responsibilities well (ex: Your sales people are able to successfully compare your product/service to your competition's, which will help close the sale)
Compassion - The individual cares about the needs of others and is committed to contributing to the good of the team (ex: People volunteer to stay in during lunch to help another department finish a big project for an important customer which is due that same day)
Each of these components carries more important in different situations, but one fact remains constant: the lack of any one of these components will weaken the relationship, which will have an adverse effect on areas such as productivity, communication, service to the customer, efficiency, and teamwork- just to name a few!
Does the lack of trust you share with a co-worker ever decrease your ability to be effective?
Trust is one of the main foundations of any successful organization. Why? Because of the need for interdependence: other people, teams, and departments have an influence on how well we perform or the success we have in doing our job 100% right.
When considering trust, there are 3 components that contribute to the amount given and received:
Integrity - The individual acts in accordance with values/principles, and they can be counted on to keep their word (ex: Your employees arrive on-time to work when you are out of town at a conference and there is nobody watching)
Competence - The individual is fully capable of performing their roles and responsibilities well (ex: Your sales people are able to successfully compare your product/service to your competition's, which will help close the sale)
Compassion - The individual cares about the needs of others and is committed to contributing to the good of the team (ex: People volunteer to stay in during lunch to help another department finish a big project for an important customer which is due that same day)
Each of these components carries more important in different situations, but one fact remains constant: the lack of any one of these components will weaken the relationship, which will have an adverse effect on areas such as productivity, communication, service to the customer, efficiency, and teamwork- just to name a few!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Helping Employees With Change Management
First, ask yourself...
Do your employees ever seem to "lose steam" at some point of the process during a big change?
Going through change is difficult for many reasons. Change requires people to take a chance, step out of their comfort zone, and possibly do things they have never been asked to do before. We as leaders must do all that we can to ensure we get the best possible result from change.
To achieve the best possible outcomes, we will need the commitment, motivation, and effort from each and every one of our employees throughout the entire change process. To help make sure this happens, we should try to "create victories" for them as much as possible. It is important to show them how well they have been doing. They desire to know that their efforts are working, and that they are making progress or accomplishing something with all of their hard work. Creating victories can come in many different forms- anything from sharing a weekly progress report, to e-mailing an update, to giving periodic awards to people for accomplishing specific goals.
Showing our employees that they are doing a great job, the changes they are trying to make are working, and that they are on the right path, will help to keep them properly motivated and their minds focused on the end goal.
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, President of Compass Coaching & Development. Visit us at www.Compass-CD.com to learn more about our leadership development services.
Do your employees ever seem to "lose steam" at some point of the process during a big change?
Going through change is difficult for many reasons. Change requires people to take a chance, step out of their comfort zone, and possibly do things they have never been asked to do before. We as leaders must do all that we can to ensure we get the best possible result from change.
To achieve the best possible outcomes, we will need the commitment, motivation, and effort from each and every one of our employees throughout the entire change process. To help make sure this happens, we should try to "create victories" for them as much as possible. It is important to show them how well they have been doing. They desire to know that their efforts are working, and that they are making progress or accomplishing something with all of their hard work. Creating victories can come in many different forms- anything from sharing a weekly progress report, to e-mailing an update, to giving periodic awards to people for accomplishing specific goals.
Showing our employees that they are doing a great job, the changes they are trying to make are working, and that they are on the right path, will help to keep them properly motivated and their minds focused on the end goal.
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, President of Compass Coaching & Development. Visit us at www.Compass-CD.com to learn more about our leadership development services.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Effective Time Management
First, ask yourself...
Do you have important tasks to get done that you never seem to get around to doing?
We have all done it before. We look at our to-do list on Monday, identify something important that we have been meaning to get done for a while (ex: "spend 3 hours to research and find an effective customer feedback survey"). We then realize the 8 million other things we HAVE to get done today, and automatically transfer the survey research task to Tuesday's to-do list. And what happens? You guessed it! Tuesday comes (this time 9 million things to do) and we transfer it to Wednesday, and so on, and so on.
For many reasons, it can be difficult to make time for those important activities. The problem is, it is those activities that will ultimately help us free up MORE time in the future (using the above example, if we could spend the time now to find a way to get useful feedback from customers, we could reduce the time spent each week handling customer complaints). What we need to do, as leaders, is start thinking more proactively about how we are spending our time each day/week/month, and how what we do today will affect us down the road.
So how do we get ourselves out of this time-wasting, reactive cycle? It's called "backfilling your schedule." We should block off chunks of time (even months in advance) for those important tasks that are likely to get pushed aside for something more urgent - and then hold ourselves accountable to keep to that schedule! By doing this, we will ensure those important tasks are completed, which will free up MORE time in the future!
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, President of Compass Coaching & Development. Visit us at www.Compass-CD.com to learn more about our leadership development services.
Do you have important tasks to get done that you never seem to get around to doing?
We have all done it before. We look at our to-do list on Monday, identify something important that we have been meaning to get done for a while (ex: "spend 3 hours to research and find an effective customer feedback survey"). We then realize the 8 million other things we HAVE to get done today, and automatically transfer the survey research task to Tuesday's to-do list. And what happens? You guessed it! Tuesday comes (this time 9 million things to do) and we transfer it to Wednesday, and so on, and so on.
For many reasons, it can be difficult to make time for those important activities. The problem is, it is those activities that will ultimately help us free up MORE time in the future (using the above example, if we could spend the time now to find a way to get useful feedback from customers, we could reduce the time spent each week handling customer complaints). What we need to do, as leaders, is start thinking more proactively about how we are spending our time each day/week/month, and how what we do today will affect us down the road.
So how do we get ourselves out of this time-wasting, reactive cycle? It's called "backfilling your schedule." We should block off chunks of time (even months in advance) for those important tasks that are likely to get pushed aside for something more urgent - and then hold ourselves accountable to keep to that schedule! By doing this, we will ensure those important tasks are completed, which will free up MORE time in the future!
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, President of Compass Coaching & Development. Visit us at www.Compass-CD.com to learn more about our leadership development services.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Communication & Leadership Development
First, ask yourself...
Do I ever feel that I don't fully understand the true meaning behind what others tell me?
True communication only happens when message sent equals message received. If the listener does not fully understand the meaning, feeling and thoughts behind the speaker's words, then true communication did not really take place. Words might have been exchanged but the real message was not understood by the listener.
A common problem we ALL have is that in an attempt to interpret what someone tells us, we filter it through our OWN paradigm. We reference OUR past experiences, OUR feelings, and OUR perceptions, but the person sending the message usually doesn't share any of these things with us. It is this typical reaction on the part of the listener that most often causes miscommunication.
Make it a point to ask clarifying questions and draw out as much information from the other person as you can. Do everything you can to get to know how THEY feel, and what THEY really mean. Doing this will help you see things from their paradigm, thus allowing message sent to finally equal message received.
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, President of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps companies in Chicago, Naperville, Schaumburg, Oak Brook, Deerfield and the surrounding areas increase employee engagement by providing leadership, organizational and employee training and development services. We focus on skill sets such as change management, communication, attitude, coaching & mentoring, empowerment, time management, customer service, trust, and accountability. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Do I ever feel that I don't fully understand the true meaning behind what others tell me?
True communication only happens when message sent equals message received. If the listener does not fully understand the meaning, feeling and thoughts behind the speaker's words, then true communication did not really take place. Words might have been exchanged but the real message was not understood by the listener.
A common problem we ALL have is that in an attempt to interpret what someone tells us, we filter it through our OWN paradigm. We reference OUR past experiences, OUR feelings, and OUR perceptions, but the person sending the message usually doesn't share any of these things with us. It is this typical reaction on the part of the listener that most often causes miscommunication.
Make it a point to ask clarifying questions and draw out as much information from the other person as you can. Do everything you can to get to know how THEY feel, and what THEY really mean. Doing this will help you see things from their paradigm, thus allowing message sent to finally equal message received.
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, President of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps companies in Chicago, Naperville, Schaumburg, Oak Brook, Deerfield and the surrounding areas increase employee engagement by providing leadership, organizational and employee training and development services. We focus on skill sets such as change management, communication, attitude, coaching & mentoring, empowerment, time management, customer service, trust, and accountability. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Employee Teamwork
First, ask yourself...
Does my team consistently fail at solving problems right, the first time?
Imagine going to the doctor because you have developed a rash on your arm. The doctor says that you must have rubbed up against some poison ivy, and gives you some ointment. But strangely, 2 months go by and it has gotten worse. You go to another doctor, and come to find out that the reason for your rash is due to you being allergic to a food you have been eating for lunch lately! The first doctor obviously tried to solve the problem without first making sure to identify the root cause.
Of course, this sort of situation is one none of us ever want to be in. But why is it that at work (especially when working as a team) we are always so quick to think we "know the answer" to a problem, and begin to "solve" it without first spending the proper amount of time to be 100% sure? This results in feelings of frustration and helplessness, and anger.
Perhaps the most important step to being able to truly SOLVE problems as a team is to make sure we take the proper time to find the true root cause. This simple act will make the team more efficient, and can also increase the level of buy-in the team members have towards solving the problem. Spending 5-10 minutes as a team to brainstorm possible causes is time very well spent, in comparison to spending weeks (or even months) failing to solve the issue because the team is focused on the WRONG root cause!
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, Pesident of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps clients around the Chicago area increase employee engagement by providing leadership and organizational training and development services. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Does my team consistently fail at solving problems right, the first time?
Imagine going to the doctor because you have developed a rash on your arm. The doctor says that you must have rubbed up against some poison ivy, and gives you some ointment. But strangely, 2 months go by and it has gotten worse. You go to another doctor, and come to find out that the reason for your rash is due to you being allergic to a food you have been eating for lunch lately! The first doctor obviously tried to solve the problem without first making sure to identify the root cause.
Of course, this sort of situation is one none of us ever want to be in. But why is it that at work (especially when working as a team) we are always so quick to think we "know the answer" to a problem, and begin to "solve" it without first spending the proper amount of time to be 100% sure? This results in feelings of frustration and helplessness, and anger.
Perhaps the most important step to being able to truly SOLVE problems as a team is to make sure we take the proper time to find the true root cause. This simple act will make the team more efficient, and can also increase the level of buy-in the team members have towards solving the problem. Spending 5-10 minutes as a team to brainstorm possible causes is time very well spent, in comparison to spending weeks (or even months) failing to solve the issue because the team is focused on the WRONG root cause!
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, Pesident of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps clients around the Chicago area increase employee engagement by providing leadership and organizational training and development services. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Great Customer Service
First, ask yourself...
Is there a disconnect between the level of service you provide, and what your customer expects?
In today's highly competitive marketplace, your customers have many choices and options. One of the key reasons that they will choose to work with you (or your competition) comes down to the level of service they receive. But average service simply is not good enough anymore; you need to provide outstanding, above-and-beyond service every single time - and the ONLY way to do that is to shift your paradigm so that you can evaluate the service you provide, from the eyes of your customer.
You should ask yourself questions like: What do they experience? How do they feel about our service? What do they really want? What else can we be doing to make things even better for them?
Just because YOU feel you did a great job doesn't mean they feel the same way, and their opinion is the only one that really matters. In order to make sure your customers have an A+ experience every time, you should evaluate every aspect of your service (from their eyes) and decide if there are any parts that could be fixed, changed, eliminated or improved to enhance their experience.
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, Pesident of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps clients around the Chicago area increase employee engagement by providing leadership and organizational training and development services. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Is there a disconnect between the level of service you provide, and what your customer expects?
In today's highly competitive marketplace, your customers have many choices and options. One of the key reasons that they will choose to work with you (or your competition) comes down to the level of service they receive. But average service simply is not good enough anymore; you need to provide outstanding, above-and-beyond service every single time - and the ONLY way to do that is to shift your paradigm so that you can evaluate the service you provide, from the eyes of your customer.
You should ask yourself questions like: What do they experience? How do they feel about our service? What do they really want? What else can we be doing to make things even better for them?
Just because YOU feel you did a great job doesn't mean they feel the same way, and their opinion is the only one that really matters. In order to make sure your customers have an A+ experience every time, you should evaluate every aspect of your service (from their eyes) and decide if there are any parts that could be fixed, changed, eliminated or improved to enhance their experience.
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, Pesident of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps clients around the Chicago area increase employee engagement by providing leadership and organizational training and development services. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Coaching, Mentoring Employees
First, ask yourself...
Are you confident that you can successfully coach each of your employees individually?
Today, more and more companies are attempting to build an "environment of learning." For this to occur, leaders must first understand that coaching everyone in the exact same way, with a broad brush, is not effective or acceptable. A successful coach/coachee relationship is completely reliant on the coach first knowing as much about the individual coachee as possible.
To successfully coach an employee - to help them learn and produce better results - there are many questions about the coachee you should be able to answer. A few of them are: What are THEIR strengths and weaknesses? How do THEY prefer feedback, and how often do they prefer it? What motivates THEM? What are THEIR personal and professional goals? Do THEY desire to be promoted? What skills would THEY like to learn and develop for themselves?
Knowing the answers to these questions will not only strengthen your relationship, but will set the foundation for you to lead/coach them as an individual. Doing so will also help you to align their goals to your goals and the goals of the organization- creating a strong level of synergy and commitment between all parties.
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, Pesident of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps clients around the Chicago area increase employee engagement by providing leadership and organizational training and development services. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
Are you confident that you can successfully coach each of your employees individually?
Today, more and more companies are attempting to build an "environment of learning." For this to occur, leaders must first understand that coaching everyone in the exact same way, with a broad brush, is not effective or acceptable. A successful coach/coachee relationship is completely reliant on the coach first knowing as much about the individual coachee as possible.
To successfully coach an employee - to help them learn and produce better results - there are many questions about the coachee you should be able to answer. A few of them are: What are THEIR strengths and weaknesses? How do THEY prefer feedback, and how often do they prefer it? What motivates THEM? What are THEIR personal and professional goals? Do THEY desire to be promoted? What skills would THEY like to learn and develop for themselves?
Knowing the answers to these questions will not only strengthen your relationship, but will set the foundation for you to lead/coach them as an individual. Doing so will also help you to align their goals to your goals and the goals of the organization- creating a strong level of synergy and commitment between all parties.
This post was made by Jeff Rosset, Pesident of Compass Coaching & Development which is a firm that helps clients around the Chicago area increase employee engagement by providing leadership and organizational training and development services. Learn more at http://www.Compass-CD.com
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