Archive for Leadership
Management’s Role in Motivating Employees- How to Connect Them to Something Bigger
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Motivating employees, especially during economic downturns, requires an empathic approach. Or, as I prefer to call it—the “connecting your heart-to-your-head approach.” The pressure of too-much-work-to-be-done with too few people often causes a low level response to the threat of job loss as a stimulus for more production. Simply, their emotional well is dry and any increase in productivity is short-lived. Threats don’t work.
Managers expect employees to be self-motivated and to a degree that should be the case. Self-motivation is the ability to get things done without being directed by others. But, this does not absolve a manager from providing Read More→
Misunderstandings in the Workplace – How to Clarify Expectations and Meet Goals
Posted by: | CommentsA common complaint from managers revolves around unmet expectations from direct reports and their teams. Similarly, workers complain that expectations are not clear and leave too much room for misunderstandings and assumptions.
Here is a look at some root problems and solutions:
Problem: Failure to clarify the desired results assuming the outcome is understood.
Management is often working within a larger framework with information that has not been made available to their direct reports. Think of this information as the missing pieces that complete the puzzle picture. The manager’s expected result is to reproduce the picture with all the parts as he sees it. Misunderstandings arise when the picture in the manager’s head does not match the picture they have painted for their direct reports.
Solution:
1. Clarify the expectations. Paint a picture in as many ways as possible-visually, verbally and vocally. Give a comparison to a known entity, if possible. “It should look like X with this adjustment.”
2. Clearly state the required details-the non-negotiable conditions.
3. Confirm interpretation and actions. Ask what was heard. Ask what that means. Ask what actions will be taken. Allow creativity and leeway to do the job as long as the end result is the same.
Problem: Systems and tools don’t function as needed and departments don’t work together.
Solution: Read More→
Leadership–10 Qualities for Success
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Leadership requires far more than a list of 10 qualities but for the sake of space and feedback I’ve listed a few I don’t usually see mentioned.
It goes without saying that the broad category of communication skills is a quality I believe every leader needs to succeed so I’ve chosen not to put it on my list. I consider communication skills to include speaking, presenting, selling and persuading. I did, however, include listening on my list simply because some things require emphasis.
Here’s my list:
1. Listening--and being able to ask “is there anything more?”
2. Empathy–and having a deep understanding of priorities (using the 10,10,10 method)
3. Inspiring–and developing an environment that supports motivated people
4. Courage–and the conviction to carry out intentions and tough decisions
5. Clarity of intention–and the insight to question your motives
6. Servant Leadership–and the wisdom to know what that means
7. Humor–and humility, they often travel hand-in-hand
8. Vision–and the ability to enroll your team in the journey
9. Vitality–even the physically incapacitated can possess the extraordinary mental vigor to lead
10.Confidence–not arrogance but faith in your abilities to lead
and 10+ Trustworthiness and Moral Fortitude
Your thoughts?
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