Most workforces are equally divided into thirds among conservatives, moderates and liberals when it comes to social issues. Forty-one percent strongly favor their employer requiring Covid-19 vaccinations to enter the workplace, while 31 percent strongly oppose. The list of differences goes on, so these three suggestions are essential to getting the work done. Source: Gallup, … [Read more...]
Toxic positivity
If you are overworked and underpaid in an organization that does not match your values or permit you to achieve your goals, thinking positive thoughts is not going to change the situation. Source: Inc. November 20, 2021. Link. This "let's all be positive no matter what" attitude is depressingly common throughout the business world. INSIGHTS: Reality requires logic … [Read more...]
Small word – big impact
"The difference between successful people and everyone else is that successful people say no to almost everything.” – Warren Buffett Source: Inc. November 12, 2021. Link. Say no to opportunities and things that don't speak to your values, or further your personal or organizational mission. INSIGHTS: Successful people are focused and may put in 60 to 80 hours per week, but … [Read more...]
Decision-getting comes from understanding
Editor’s note: Thank you Mr. Malone for your tireless commitment to provide content and context to our weekly Bulletins. The most successful people I know are those who get the most decisions. So, it is vital to understand the decision-making process. Source: Vet Advantage, October 2021. Link. Decisions are made at the intersection of “what do I know” and “how do I feel … [Read more...]
Decision making made clear
This simple rule of decision making is founded on principles of emotional intelligence, the ability to understand and manage your emotions. Source: Inc. October 29, 2021. Link. Never make a permanent decision based on a temporary emotion.” INSIGHT: Certainly, think through your decision before acting but do not get caught up in analysis-paralysis. … [Read more...]
Followership: The Key to Leadership
In business, leadership occurs at all levels, from the executive suite to the warehouse floor and at every level in between. Source: Vet Advantage, August 2021. Link. Influential leaders, no matter what title they have or role they play, are those with willing followers. INSIGHTS: Leaders follow first, then invite others to follow them. … [Read more...]
NIB rule (notice, importance, belonging) critical to help people feel included
Take the time to offer a small gesture, a kind word or even just a nod or knowing glance that makes people feel they matter. This makes people feel a part of something. It makes them feel, in some small way, that they belong. Source: Inc. October 7, 2021. Link. Great leaders see making people feel noticed as an important part of their job. They look for ways to recognize … [Read more...]
Increase retention while eliminating burnout
This sounds impossible in today’s competitive environment, but it is not that hard. Gallup has identified three simple steps to accomplish it. Source: Gallup, August 25, 2021. Link. They know what is expected of them. They have what they need to get their work done. And their manager helps them manage their workload, collaborate effectively, and see a clear path to a bright … [Read more...]
Empathetic leadership
Effective leaders demonstrate a wide range of skills, abilities and characteristics that all play a part in their effectiveness. The ability to empathize with others plays a major role as Tracey Brower explains. Source: Forbes, September 19, 2021. Link. 76 percent of people who experienced empathy from their leaders reported they were engaged compared with only 32 percent … [Read more...]
Attrition or attraction? You choose.
More than 15 million workers – and counting – have quit their jobs since April 2021, a record pace disrupting businesses everywhere. Source: McKinsey & Company, September 8, 2021. Link. Employees want a renewed and revised sense of purpose in their work. Employees want social and interpersonal connections with their colleagues and managers. Employees want to feel a sense … [Read more...]
Yin and yang
In ancient Chinese philosophy, yin and yang is a conceptualization of dualism, describing how obviously opposite or contrary forces may be complementary. So it is with your strengths and weaknesses. Source: Inc., September 19, 2021. Link. No matter how good you get at understanding and managing emotions, you'll still make mistakes.” INSIGHTS: Learn from your mistakes while … [Read more...]
Failure is a good teacher
As any successful person will honestly admit, failure happens and we’ve all had our fair share of it. Source: Success.com, June 15, 2017. Link. But from each failure, we learn two equally valuable lessons. One, that there was at least one reason we failed; and two, that we can rebound from that failure. INSIGHT: Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the … [Read more...]
More effective communications
Get to the point! There are two sides to every conversation: speaking and listening. Both are essential to effective communication. Dr, Nido Qubein offers suggestion to help improve to exchanges. Source: Speakers Office, August 4, 2015. Link. Get to the point! There are two sides to every conversation, speaking and listening. Both are essential to the art of … [Read more...]
A learning mindset
It’s a blend of feeling confident that you can do the project you’re taking on while simultaneously being okay with making mistakes along the way and learning from them. Source: Linkedin Pulse, August 29, 2021. Link. I find that I’m more efficient and better at my work if I allow the time and space to improve myself. Without judgement. INSIGHT: Mistakes are only bad if … [Read more...]
Be interested
Often when I suggest that it would be more effective “to be interested rather than trying to be interesting,” I am met with a blank stare. My advice sounds good, but many people need help in asking the right questions. This column from five years ago may help. Source: Vet Advantage, December 2016. Link. Do not worry about sounding nosey. Leaders are naturally inquisitive, … [Read more...]
Success starts with followership
Unfortunately, too many people ignore followership and focus instead on trying to be more engaging, convincing or interesting. Source: Veterinary Advantage, August 2021. Link. When you give someone directions to your home or office, you first determine the other person’s location or starting point. The directions you then give vary based on where the other person is at any … [Read more...]
Communicating without words
Nonverbal communications, including, but not limited to body language, have a significant, almost subconscious influence on most in-person interactions. The way you sit or stand, your hand gestures and your tone of voice call carry a message about your attitude and emotions. Source: American Association for the Advancement of Science. Link. More frequent and longer eye … [Read more...]
Is half of your staff planning to quit?
Forty eight percent of America's working population is actively job searching or watching for opportunities. Businesses face a staggeringly high quit rate as 3.6 million Americans resigned in May alone. Source: Gallup, July 22, 2021. Link. Considering that most of the currently employed are not engaged, each new hire is liable to land on a less-than-engaging team and … [Read more...]
Insecure leaders don’t improve employee retention
Good employees don’t quit companies! They quit their managers, supervisors or leaders. Tomas Chamorro’s and Amy Edmundson’s column helps you identify bad bosses and offer effective workarounds to help you and others manage the situation. Source: Fast Company, June 20, 2021. Link. To minimize the risks your boss creates and help your team perform well, go out of your way to … [Read more...]
Thank You
In the best teams, the best leaders, the best cultures, there was always this thread of gratitude. So, it is very apparent that saying, “thank you” isn’t a nice-to-have, it is an absolute must-have. Source: Chief Executive, July 21, 2021. Link. It must come from the heart to be sincere, which sometimes is a difficult thing to teach someone.” INSIGHTS: Too often praise is … [Read more...]
Communication is key
Remote, in-person or some combination of both, the pandemic has taught us a valuable lesson about the importance of timely, honest, and effective communication. Source: Gallup, June 28, 2021. Link. The Gallup study on the effect of communication in organizations also found that employees who work in an environment where communication is open, timely and accurate are more … [Read more...]
Is good enough good enough?
Consistently great work often comes down to your mindset, not how many hours you have in a day. It is about pushing for excellence and approaching every task, project or decision as an opportunity to make an impact for your customers, employees or candidates. Source: Inc., March 21, 2021. Link. Good leaders complete a task; great leaders improve upon it. INSIGHTS: On the … [Read more...]
Emotional intelligence and recognition
With all the challenges faced by leaders in today’s rapidly changing workplace, the idea of building emotional intelligence can seem overwhelming. Here is one simple idea that can jump start your efforts. Source: Fast Company, June 29, 2021. Link. One way that leaders increase their awareness of what their people are doing well is to spend more time working with … [Read more...]
Managing your energy
The science of stamina has advanced to the point where individuals, teams and whole organizations can, with some straightforward interventions, significantly increase their capacity to get things done. Source: Harvard Business Review, October 2007. Link. Improve your physical energy. Manage your emotions. Focus. Create meaning and purpose.” INSIGHTS: Stop multitasking. You … [Read more...]
Manage or coach?
Somewhere along the way, we learned that giving employees free snacks, a meditation room and allowing a day to bring one’s pet to work was the new enlightened workplace. The result is that only 20 percent of fulltime employees worldwide are engaged in their work. Source: Gallup, May 27, 2021. Link. Imagine if all businesses worldwide could double real employee engagement … [Read more...]
Confidence requires a PLAN
Without a plan, confidence is simply arrogance. While your arrogance will get you hurt, your confidence will inspire others to join you in pursuit of that common goal that will benefit everyone involved. Duke University’s Coach Mike Krzyzewski, or Coach K, shares a story of confidence with the plan. Source: Inc., June 4, 2021. Link. But when you do not believe in yourself -- … [Read more...]
Recalibrate your leadership style to match needs the pandemic created
The Covid-19 pandemic has radically altered the business landscape. Many companies experienced anywhere from a 20 to 60 percent loss in revenue in 2020, and more than 14 million Americans either temporarily or permanently lost their jobs. Source: Chieflearningofficer.com, March 11, 2021. Link. We know that effective leaders must be in tune with the emotions of those around … [Read more...]
Watch the quiet people
Meetings have taught me one valuable lesson: watch the quiet people. There are these hidden people that attend meetings. They say nothing. You can attend 10 meetings in a row and never hear them say a word. Source: Medium.com, July 28, 2020. Link. The loudest person in the room is not the most senior, or necessarily the brightest spark. Job titles make people do stupid … [Read more...]
Why should I care?
In an ongoing crisis, clear communication is more important and more difficult than when things are normal. Employees and customers are hungry for information, so we are tempted to pull together presentations and communicate with urgency instead of with careful planning. Source: Harvard Business Review, May 6, 2021. Link. If they do not know why a new action is necessary, … [Read more...]
Engaged, but not thriving
For some time now, engaged employee measurements and net promoter scores have been used by senior management to gauge the health of their business. Unfortunately, the increased pressure on engaged employees to carry the bulk of the load has its downside. Source: Gallup, July 26, 2020. Link. Gallup recently discovered that engaged workers who are not thriving in their lives … [Read more...]